On the side of the angels

I actually really liked this book, but it only deserved the four stars I gave it. The author, Kristen D. Randle, (who has written some better known books like The Last Alien On the Planet and Breaking Rank) has an excellant writing style, which lifts her books above the average, run-of-the-mill teen books. Also, her dramatic climaxes are captivating. The story is about a boy living in the ghettos of New York with an abusive mother. He finally decides his life is going nowhere, so he runs away to live with his uncle's family in a small town out west. However, his past life catches up with him and he has to deal with the problems it causes. My only complaint about the storyline is his relationship with a girl he meets at high school. Some really cheesy lines and parts come in because of it. I did like how the author portrayed the aunt and uncle though. I thought their reaction to a kid showing up on their doorstep and how they delt with it was very realistic. And yes, I admit it, I cried when I read it.