The Cheer Leader

Rating:
Summary: a book that takes a while to get into
Review: i actually am still reading this book but so far I have found the story to have only really gripped me in the the last third of the book(where Jo is in college). however this is only the 3rd day I have had this book and Im allready this far. what i find strange is how so much of the personality of Jo is based on your perceptions of her thoughts, since so much of the book is taking place in her mind, and that isn't a real person's personality. there is another book with the same title of the cheerleader written by a different author that talks about the SAME exact thing as this one-a girl going through a depression for the same reasons. anyway i found the last part very interesting, so if you want to just skip to that part i wouldn't say you were missing much.

Rating:
Summary: An interesting book
Review: I first came across this book, and saw it's cover- a beautiful butterfly- for some reason i wanted to read it, i received it for free at my church's rummage sale. When i finally got around to reading it, i was gripped by the creativity that the novel first introduced, relating a small story and emotions to a picture. As Jo Spencer developed into a character instead of a voice narrating the pictures I was hooked. As the book progressed I could feel so connected to the book, it is so realistic. In the 3rd section I noticed the perspective changed from 1st person to 3rd- this was a rather scary idea, that Jo Spencer, a girl who had been so 'normal' could change in so many ways- there are many reasons which amount to these changes and after reading it over many times I could see some foreshadowing. I am currently reading it for the fifth time, and I still find myself unable to put it down. It may be a creepy story, but it is touching/gripping in a way that can not be described. When I first read it at 14 i was introduced to such a different perspective. I was in starting 8th grade at a Jr. High where i was comfortable- this year I began my freshman year of high school and i found it to be a big step, when i read this book I could relate to some of my fears of change to those that Jo experienced- the change from a comforting place to a different place. I highly recommend this book simply because it is one of my absolute favorites that i can always think and relate back to.

Rating:
Summary: Gripping story
Review: I found this book at my local used book store. I was a little hesitant to buy it because I was afraid it would your typical teenage agnst story. But for only four dollars, what was there to lose? I was in for a surprise and a real treat! This book not only captures the teenage insecurities that most of us have felt, or are feeling, but it also captures that nervous, excited, almost panicked feeling a lot of us get after graduating high school, and moving on into the "real" world. The book was unique in many many ways. The first third of the book was the main character describing a history of her life by describing pictures she had found, and giving a short story for each one. The second section, told from her point of view, gave the reader insight into her high school life, dealing with peer pressure, school, and dating. In the third part of the book, she begins college, and also begins to spiral out of control, and the books tone shows this. This section is told in third person, as if she is going through so much, that she feels she is watching herself from the outside. I was very impressed with the writing style and the story line. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: ...
Review: This book was the unrealistic and boring pretentious adventures of a girl that I'd never want to meet in real life. The characters lacked depth and tried to make up for that with vagueness. This might be a decent book for anyone who doesn't realize that the "perfect girls" aren't really that in an incredibly guliable way, but for the rest of us with half a brain, stay away from this utter waste of time.

Rating:
Summary: the cheerleader
Review: This is my favorite book. i think it is extremely well-written and the plot is just intriguing. jo spencer is such a complex, yet realistic character, and i think everyone can relate to her. at first it seems as if this book could be potentially of little substance or about trivial matters, but i assure you it is not. it is just good--mostly because jo spencer is such a real, wonderful character.