The Best Friend, Life at Kingston High Series #2
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Awesome!
This book was very realistic and I think Melody does a great job of portraying of what happens when we compromise our faith to have that "best" friend! I really loved the near end of the book as soon as Lishia becomes open and honest while seeking Christ! I also loved the Bible verses that she reads! I have thought that at one time that the money was just talking about money, but like Lishia I realized that it goes much deeper then that! Despite that I'm out of high school and in college I still learned some things from this book that made me rethink my motives behind my actions as well as why I'm doing it! Looking forward to the next book in the series because I know I won't be disappointed! :)
October 9, 2012
Good for teens, but mine gave a few cautions
Here's the review, according to my teen:
The Best Friend is a book written by Melody Carlson, the second book in the Life at Kingston High series. I havenâÂÂt read the first book, but from looking at it on Amazon, it seems, surprisingly, that each book is about totally different characters. They go to the same school, but I was a bit surprised when I read that each book is written about different people.
This book is actually pretty interesting! ItâÂÂs about Lishia, who befriends a popular girl, and ends up messing up her life pretty bad. ItâÂÂs a little bit stereotypical, nothing âÂÂout of the blueâÂÂ, but written in a style that will catch your attention.
The front cover of the book is stunning! You would never think that it was a âÂÂChristianâ book, if you get what I mean. It looks like any other teen novel, which is a good thing, for me, at least.
I thought this book shared a good message, but there were a few things I didn't like so well. This might seem like a good book for pre-teens, but I donâÂÂt recommend it for anyone under the age of 14, at least 13. There were a lot of references to alcohol, people getting drunk; and it mentioned people getting wasted a few times. Even the main character in the story got drunk in the book.
There was a reference to someone âÂÂsleepingâ with someone else, which I didnâÂÂt think needed to be put in the story. During the book, people swore a few times, but instead of actually typing the word, she just wrote something like, âÂÂRiley used language Lishia did not agree with.â I thought that was pretty cool.
However, at the very end of the book, one of the characters said, âÂÂYou ungrateful little bi-" and then it cut off the rest of the word, but you knew what she said. I didnâÂÂt think this was good at all.
Overall, this book is good, and I will buy the next one in the series when it comes out. For now, however, there are a few things in the book I wasnâÂÂt pleased about.
June 9, 2012
Message about friendship that teens can relate to
The Best Friend is a teen book that many girls can identify with. I recall the days when true friends were hard to come by and everyone wanted to run with the in crowd. The authors captures this well. She also shows how distorted perceptions and half-truths can alienate real friends, plus they can create rifts between people that are hard to bridge. On the other hand the author shows how Christian friends can wrap around the hurting teens and loved them back into the fold. Plus God can even use the person who strayed off the path to lead another person into the fold who would never have been reached any other way. God uses even our mistakes to work His will in this world. Lots of good lessons and themes in this book. I have to say that I wasn't fond of Lishia for most of the book, and Riley I have never been fond of. That girl is a mess. But the bottom line is there is a good message about friendship in this story that will reach teens, and it shows how confession really is good for the soul. I enjoyed the book and read it straight through.
June 2, 2012
How low will she go to make a new best friend and grab a spot on the cheerleading team? LishiaâÂÂs friends seem to be treating her like an outsider and she doesnâÂÂt know why.
Scheming and manipulation by and with one of the cheerleaders got Lishia what she thought she wanted. So why doesnâÂÂt she feel good about her life?
ThereâÂÂs some old saying about how itâÂÂs always darkest before the dawn. Well, this girl is trudging through some serious darkness.
IâÂÂm enjoying Life at Kingston High. I hope Melody Carlson keeps going with this series. After all, weâÂÂre only half way through junior year here. IâÂÂm sure thereâÂÂs more action waiting to happen.
June 1, 2012