Lush

Lush

Sam has always had a secret; her father is an alcoholic. This takes a major toll on her and her family as Sam tries to grow up as normally as possible. Her mother makes excuses for her Dad, and her little brother Luke is too young to help. So in a moment of desperation, Sam turns to a girl named Juliet who she always sees in the library, writing her an anonymous letter explaining her situation and asking for help. As the story progresses, Sam and "Juliet" exchange many notes in between pages 32 and 33 in The History of Modern Whaling. However, Sam also finds herself with another problem when an older boy from the library named Drew takes an interest in her. After lying to her friends and ditching their usual sleepover for a high school party, she gets herself into a lot of trouble with both her friends and herself. Things also get worse when her father, who was drunk, smashed a bottle in her brother Luke's face. She is constantly reminded of this by the stitches on his face from his nose to his ear. Her father goes to a rehab center called Shady Brook Farm to get help for his growing problem. This is a great book that has a surprise twist in the end that was great. She stays true to her insight and the story is written perfectly in the persona of a middle schooler. Any Natasha Friend fan will enjoy this book very much!
****PLEASE RATE THIS REVIEW****

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

I liked it,

I liked this book but the thing with it was, it just ended. You never found out some stuff. It just left you hanging. But I liked the story overall, it wasn't bad I just wish the ending was different.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

What was this?! Amazing!

I got this book after I read anither book by Natasha Friend, called BOUNCE. BOUNCE was absolutely amazing and I was very excited to read this one. It was a short read, but I think that the storyline was very good. When Samantha's dad always comes home and is drunk, she is very frusterated, and it soon becomes a handful. WHen He comes home and never remebers anything in the morning, Sam is very agitated,. Since Sam cannot tell any of her friends that hjer dad is drunk all the time, she picks a random person in the library to write notes to. The person gives her good advice and Sam goes to it for everything. One day Sam decides to go to a party with a highschooler, and it begins to get out of hand. He trys to it her and when she tells him that she is only a "chlid, " only thirteen he freaks out and leaves her. After she gets abducted by lamos from her class and she is pressured to do things she isn't. When she herself is drunk, Sam sees through her dads eyes. But then the unexpected happens and Sams dad hits her brother with a wine bottle she must euither go for help or protect her dad. What will she choose? read on to find out!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Lush-Natasha Friend

I Really like the book and it was interesting! The book lush is a very good book the reason I like it so much is because some girls probably relate to this story. The story is about a girl named Samantha and her father is a drunk and when her father comes home drunk from work one night he hit Samantha's little brother Luke in the face with a glass beer bottle. A couple months after that Samantha's father was sent to a place that will help him quit drinking and Samantha's mother had to take extra care of Luke since the accident but Samantha's neighbor gave her mother sleeping pills that she took all the time if that wasn't enough when Samantha goes to school everyday the boys at the school would make fun of her and call her rude names and sometimes graffiti her locker. But..when its time to go get there father their all really quiet on there way then once they arrive home Sam imagines what will happen next.The book was pretty good, but I kind of felt sorry for Samantha because she got made fun of at school plus, when she came home she never new when her father would come stumbling in the door drunk.The book had a weird ending because after Samantha's father came home from the place to help him stop drinking. Samantha is sitting in the window sill imagining them all going out and building a snowman.Go get this book off the library shelf and read it NOW!!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Sam has a secret. Her dad is a swiller, a sot, a toper, a guzzler. Her dad is a lush. She has to navigate junior high, while at the same time keep things from falling apart at home. Watching her mother remain quiet while the family walks on eggshells around her father is driving her crazy. Luke, her four-year-old brother, is who she worries about most of all, though. He isn't old enough to read the signs. The signs of whether it's going to be a good day or a bad day. With no one to talk to, since she doesn't want anyone to know about her father - even her three very best friends - she decides to write a note, sharing all of her feelings, and give it to a total stranger. Sam makes the trip to the local public library several days a week in order to scout out just the right person. She sees a high school girl and decides to make her move. Sam folds the note and leaves it in the study carrel the girl always uses. Sam writes in the note that if she wants to write back, to leave her response in the book The History of Modern Whaling, catalog information 360.68 Ton, between pages thirty-two and thirty-three. Sam chose this book because it has been at least thirty years since someone has checked it out. She is sure the dust-covered book wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon. Someone does write back, though, but not who she expects. The two start a lengthy correspondence where Sam receives several pieces of advice until finally an incident occurs that leads the secret 'advice-giver' to set up a time for them to meet. Natasha Friend has written a touching novel centered around a strong female character. The cycle of emotional abuse that is associated with alcoholism seems to be realistically portrayed and comes full circle, ending with the healing process and what it takes for a family to survive a tragedy, heal, and stay together. **Reviewed by: Karin Perry

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

LUSH

I loved this book sooooooo much because it felt like I was the girl in the book. Highly recamended.

AMAZING

Best book ever!!!! Its soo awesome!i highly recomend it!!!!

Hi

I love this book and natasha :) totally recomend

Lush

An amazing story tht i cood not put dwn and even though it was a short book, it was still absolutely amazing!!! Im going to read the rest of the series and i strongly reccommend this book. :)

Another fabulous novel

Natasha Friend talks abiut the real thigs tht is happening o girls ight now. Truly inspiong

Wow... Hah.

I read this book in 5th grade for a book report. When I first checked it out, my teacher was kind of skeptical about me reading it. I don't think I could appreciate how... well-written this book was, but you should give it a try!

have not read it but read the other books

that are really good the other books about her allways 13 and a problom with a dad some how some ways and i am 12 turning 13 and i say mabeya girl is gin threw this at my school

inspiring

i loved this book it messed with my emotions and thats what i like in a boo,

GREAT BOOK!!!

I loved this book and didn't put it down until I stoped reading it!!! I would recomend this book to many people but I didn't like the ending so much because there is so much stuff I wanted to know... But over all great book and worth the money:D

Hard to put down

This story is best for readers who can relate to having problems at home or who like drama. I couldn't really relate to Lush but it still was a fun and exciting book to read. I would defiantly read more books written by Natasha Friend because I like the style of writing she uses through out the book.

Hard to put down

This book is for readers who can relate to having problems at home, or like drama. I couldn't really relate to this story but it was still fun and exciting to read. I would defiantly read other books written by Natasha Friend because I like the style of writing she uses through out the book.

Lush Review

Lush was a very good book .Loved it . I think lots of people should read it

Lush

An amazing book that you have to read

Lush

I never really knew how having an alcoholic father was like. I did get an idea of what it was like from this book. I couldn't say that I would totally understand because I don't get that real life experience that other girls and boys do. I am only 12, but I feel way too mature for my age. Another time that I felt bad for Sam in this book besides her father and Luke was when she was at that party and things happened. I also thoought that during that time her friends should have been supportive to her because the best way to be a friend is to support your other friend or friends that need support. Overall I think the book is now my favorite book. I will definitely reccomend this to my friends.

Best Natasha novel

I think that this is the best book Natasha wrote. it's exciting, unlike her other novels. It's also good for people who are going through the same problem. It can help you through your problems. The book is also fun to read and interesting.

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.