Thanks to the author for sending me a copy of her book in return for an honest review.
I devoured this in practically one sitting! It’s cleverly written to steadily draw the reader in and is determined to ensure that you focus on nothing else for its duration!
Classified as a YA (Young Adults) novel, ‘Scarred’ deals with relevant, contemporary themes that readers of all ages will easily relate to and identify with: how to live with loss, fear, rejection, social isolation, and how to understand acceptance, difference and love. It’s filled with the twists and turns that characterise teen angst, which don’t necessarily leave us once we leave those teen years behind us.
Sloane Munster is bravely starting out a new school. She’s trying to get over a devastating car accident and is slowly putting her life back together despite the disturbing memories she’s forced to live with. She’s pleased to recognise Luke Naughton from her life ‘BA’- what she terms ‘Before Accident’ – but is surprised and upset at his blatantly negative response to seeing her again after their previously budding friendship. In fact, Luke openly rebuffs her. Inevitably though, they are thrown together – by a pesky Life Orientation teacher and, of all things, a project on pollution!
As Sloane and Luke navigate the rollercoaster of their inevitable relationship, we meet the various characters that make up the tapestry of their daily lives. There’s the delightful, upbeat Sienna, who befriends Sloane and involves her in the underground school blog; the Jaysters, that gang of mean girls that prowls the halls of every high school, making everyone fear them, yet want to be them at the same time; there’s LJ, the butt of everyone’s jokes and ridicule (until Sloane arrives); and then there’s the gaggle of teachers, some of whom prove that the threat of bullying doesn’t only come from the kid sitting next to you in class!
This book poses numerous questions that we should all be considering and for that reason alone, I really feel that it’s a must-read for a much wider audience than the one at which it’s targeted. Teenagers are more flexible (we say they’re indecisive), more spontaneous (we call them irresponsible), more chaotic (we accuse them of being disorganised). As adults we become so set in our ways, so often sure that we’re right and that our way is the only way.
But the biggest question of all is … what if our perceptions are wrong?
Jan's Book Buzz 
Leave a Reply