Monday, October 21, 2013

Goodbye, Rebel Blue by Shelley Coriell -- ESSENTIAL

Coriell, Shelley Goodbye, Rebel Blue, 320 pgs. Amulet Books, 2013. $16.95. Language: PG-13 (33 swears; 1 'f'); Sexual Content: PG; Violence: PG.

When Rebecca "Rebel" Blue ends up in detention yet again, she finds herself sharing the room with too-perky Kennedy Green. It's only when Rebel finds out that Kennedy died soon after their encounter that she begins to regret the way she treated the other girl. To make amends, Rebel makes it her goal to complete Kennedy's bucket list. But along the way, Rebel begins to reevaluate her loner ways and open herself up to love and friendship.

Goodbye, Rebel Blue is a fantastic read that should appeal to fans of Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why. Rebel is a loner, and understandably angry without being obnoxious or overly acerbic. Her growth throughout the book is tender and realistic, and I found myself rooting for her the whole way. The romantic thread is woven throughout, but does not overwhelm the main plot line and, in fact, adds to Rebel's growth. Underlying questions about spirituality, fate, and free will should appeal to students who love to contemplate the deeper issues. To add a bit of fun, astute readers of Coriell's previous book, Welcome, Caller, This Is Chloe should recognize a cameo appearance.

HS -- ESSENTIAL. Reviewer: Caryn

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