Burned

Somehow, I had missed this Ellen Hopkins novel along the way. I recently went to a book signing for her newest book Smoke and found that it was a sequel to this one. As usual, once I started, I couldn't put it down, Work really got in my way today. This is the story of Pattyn Von Stratten, a Mormon girl in a family of seven girls. The oldest daughter to an abusive father and abused mother. A girl who is at odds with what the church does to the girls in it's mix. She doesn't want to be like her mother, the punching bag, baby making machine, absentee parent that she seems to be. Pattyn just wants to be loved by her father and to find love. When she is sent to live with her Aunt J, her life changes forever. She learns what it feels like to be loved, not only by her aunt, but by her forever love, Ethan. She learns to be confident and think for herself. She learns that she wants so much more than is expected of a good Mormon girl. But in typical Ellen Hopkins fashion, there are no happy endings. Her books always burn a hole in my guts and linger in the back of my mind for weeks. What place does religion have in keeping women down, how can anyone defend abuse, and what message are we sending young girls that tells them they have no value. My heart is a little broken right now and I can see why girls wrote to Ellen to ask her what happens to Pattyn, I mean this is a literal cliff hanger ending and I'm so glad she has written a sequel that I will tackle once I get over this heartbreak. If you have never read a book by this author, do yourself a favor and try one. They are written in verse and laid out on the page in such interesting fashion, it is like art. Need to go have a little cry now, but happy reading my friends and to all the girls in my world, you are strong, powerful and cherished! Never forget that!!