Book Review: Tease by Amanda Maciel

Emma should have probably been homed school.

 Emma Putnam is dead, and it's all Sara Wharton's fault.

At least, that's what everyone seems to think when Sara, along with her best friend and three other classmates, has been criminally charged for the bullying and harassment that led to Emma's shocking suicide. But Sara is sure she hasn't done anything wrong, because Emma brought it on herself. Sara is adamant that she was the victim - not Emma.

This book is told from the point of view of someone who bully someone who killed themselves. Interesting idea, but the fact is Sara isn't really that much of bully. I mean she wasn't the ringleader, the one who took it too far. I felt petty neutral through book. I felt more sympathy for Sara than for Emma the dead girl in the end.

To sound heartless, Emma encouraged the bullying to a lot. She did things to antagonizing the other girls. I don't think the author did a good job at all making Emma sympathic. We told she has a mental health issues (I don't think we ever told what exactly) before the bullying started so we straight away have out-cause. It happened over months, not years. The point of the book should be more understanding of other people, but it's not. Emma's parents basically decide to try and blame Emma's death on someone else. Maybe its Emma's not very likable or human. We don't learn anything at all about her as person, except she sleeps with boys she knows has girlfriends. Yes, the boys are dirt bags for cheating on their girlfriends but also she knew that there were cheating on the girlfriends with her. Some of it might meant to be rumours but it confirmed as being true more than lies.

I really liked the format of this book with the switch between now and the past. It worked well with what this book was trying to do.

Overall, I gave this book four out of five stars. It was interesting idea, there were some characterization issues but the actual plot and writing was good. I enjoy the preparing for the court case and the ending worked well.

I got this book for review off Netgalley and is being published by Hodder Children's Book on 1st May.