I thought that "Cry Baby" was a really good book for teens to read. It has a lot of issues in it that a lot of teen girls (and maybe even teen guys) can relate to.

Samantha is not exactly going through the best time in her life right now. One of her friends may be anorexic, her mother is pregnant, and her sister Polly is a constant problem, always making fun of her and telling her what a big baby she always is. Nothing seems to be going right for her, until she meets a boy who is a great match with her. But there is still one problem left....he is her best friend's boyfriend....

Read this cool book to see how things go for Samantha.

*I've read this book so many times I can't even remember how many times I've pulled it off the shelf. This book was awesome because Samantha's problems are so realistic and relevant to any teenager's life. It has all the elements of a great book; drama, love, and comedy*

I read this book once while on summer vacation. When I returned home I pulled the book off the shelf and read it over again, and found out that their were parts that I missed. Total now I've read this book at least 5 times it's been just as great each time round.

Eddie Mackenzie provides his readers with an enlightning look into the inner workings of the Boston Irish mob.His recounting of his experiences as muscle for mob leader Whitey Bulger make it difficult to put this book down.Reading about his life, I felt both sympathy and revulsion towards Mackenzie. When you see how messed up his childhood was, it's easy to understand why he became a criminal. But lots of people have had to contend with the miserable experiences he had and didn't become "predators" like him.
Reading his story, I got a real vivid picture of the hopelessness and violence that plague Southie.I've never been there but feel like I have. Upon completing the book, I found myself admiring Mackenzie. He's clearly not proud of his days as a street thug but he's following a better path now.

I've met Eddie on 4 or 5 occasions, and I have had long talks with him. I know some of the R.I. people he talks about. I've read the book. Everything Eddie says in this book is the truth as he saw it and lived it. I wish all of you could look into his eyes as he tells his story and see the pain of his youth, the disgust of Whitey's sexual tastes, and the true love he has for his 5 daughters.
This book is real, it deals with a part of life that most of us will never see. It does not make Eddie a hero it makes him a man that found the only door open to him to survive.
Read it!! It's hard, it's raw, it's true. If you start it in an evening plan on not going to sleep until it done---you can't put it down.
If he has a book signing anywhere near you go see him, talk to him, you'll never forget it!!!!!

I have read several books on both the Italian and Irish mobs. I would rate this book as one of the better ones because of it's rare, insider perspective. It is a story of survival on the streets of Boston and how one's environment while growing up contributes to the person we become. Eddie Mac is not vague in his descriptions of Whitey Bulger's gang activity and the stories told had me turning the pages faster and faster! I would also recommend Black Mass and All Souls for those interested in the Irish Mob in Boston.

The Hate Crime by Phyllis Karas is an interesting and exciting book that has a very important message. I chose this book because my teacher used it as an example for our project, and I thought it looked like something I would enjoy. It reminded me of the movie American History X, and since I like that movie, I thought I would like this book. The story is realistic fiction. The author uses this genre because she wants to get a specific point across about anti-Semitism. It would have been difficult to discuss the same theme using a different genre.
There are three main characters in this novel, and several secondary characters that are also important to the story. Zack is the main character. He's an athletic, popular sophomore in high school. He's friends with everybody, and has no real problems. Rachel is another main character. She is the best looking girl in high school, and is Zack's girlfriend. Pam, a secondary character, is Zack's ex-girlfriend. They were forced to break up by their parents because she's Christian and Zack is Jewish. Mrs. Levy is also a main character. She is Rachel's mother. Her character is important to the story because she is a concentration camp survivor. Zack's father is a secondary character, but is important to the story because he is an attorney.
The book takes place in modern day America in Boston, Massachusetts. Zack's father is the Essex County District Attorney. I think the author chose a realistic setting because the events of the story could have actually happened. The book spans a few weeks throughout a high school lacrosse season. The author refers to Zack's games all through the story.
The story begins by describing Zack's life as a being pretty regular. His father prosecutes a lot of high profile cases, and tends to bring his work home with him. He tells Zack that his latest case is about anti-Semitic graffiti that was spray painted on the side of a Jewish Temple. The graffiti contained the names of seven concentration camps from the Holocaust in World War II. At first, Zack didn't realize the seriousness of the crime, but throughout the story it became clearer to him. By speaking to his father, Mr. and Mrs. Levy, and making the connections as to why he had to break up with his first girlfriend, he started to understand the hate crime. What he realized throughout the book that anti-Semitism hurts everyone, not just Jews.
The theme of The Hate Crime is that crimes that attack a person's race or religion need to be addressed in today's society. The author uses the characters and their backgrounds to get her theme across. Zack is Jewish, but is unaware of the history of the Holocaust until someone paints racial slurs on a Boston Jewish temple. The main character's girlfriend is the daughter of Holocaust survivors. This is how the author includes historical facts into the story. Phyllis Karas also uses conflict and resolution to get her message of how anti-Semitic acts hurt everyone. It is Zack's teammate that is directly involved in the hate crimes. The author places the setting in the present to allow the reader to know that hate crimes are not a problem of the past.
I would rate this book as being fair. The book is called The Hate Crime, and all it talked about up until the seventh chapter was Zack and his girlfriend. It didn't seem to relate to the topic. It also talked a lot about lacrosse, and I think a lot of these parts could have been left out. I liked the fact that it help me learn more about the Holocaust, and what happened to people in concentration camps. I would recommend this book to people who like lacrosse and want to know more about the Holocaust.

I read this book for a literary class I am taking in high school. I thought the book was very interesting. I liked how the book taught lessons on life. It shows how anti-semitism can hurt people no matter what kind of anti-semitism they use to hurt others. I thought this book was good for someone who might be studying anti-semitism or the Holocaust to see how even many years after the war people are still struggling for equal treatment. I hope that other people find this book as interesting as I found it.

Not only will this book serve as a teaching tool, but it was interesting to read and kept my attention the whole time. I would definately recommend this book to all age levels even though it is recommended for a younger genre of kids.

This book has non-stop action. It moves in a fast paced way though the different parts of Zack's life as he deals with sports, relationships, and the hate crime. I never found myself bored while reading and the first person point of view was very interesting to read. Zack was very brave and it was interesting to go on his adventures. The characters reacted in a very beleivible way and seemed very real. The ending was a happy one and there is a good twist at the end.

It's about time we got a view of the whole Jackie/Aristo (not Ari, it turns out) thing from the other side of the Atlantic. This book is breezy and gossipy and so sycophantic I have to wonder how much of it it true. Kiki justifies and sugar-coats as much as she can (is she still getting Onassis money???? One has to wonder...), yet you can't help but see that the Onassis clan were an abusive, debauched, and addictive bunch. She rationalize EVERYTHING--physical and emotional abuse, drunkeness, profligate spending, ruthlessness, cheating...but after all, Aristio was really a very CHARISMATIC and RICH man who'd made it up from poverty. Other sources dispute many of Kiki's facts. If she gets even the most basic details wrong, what else is suspect (i.e., Jackie's governess/cook Marta Sgubin is ITALIAN, not Spanish, and her name is Marta, not Martha)? Everything. Does that make Onassis behavior any less reprehensible? It shouldn't. I have to say that this book makes me think the Onassis family did themselves in, no matter how much Kiki spins it.

I'm almost finished with the book and must say I'm disappointed. I expected a real account of the Onassis family, but instead got a world where everyone is wonderful. The book is written in mushy prose and never seems to say a bad word about any of the Onassis family, no matter what they did. Everything is "delicious", "of the finest quality", etc., as if Kiki were describing her ideal world. I never felt that I really learned much about this family. If Kiki were not so obviously infatuated with the entire Onassis family it would have made for a more interesting read.

Usually, when reading biographies, you get an author's version, romanticized or warped, raving or critical. But this author has an innocent voice, one of a young person who simply allowed each of the Onassis family their own role, without analyzing, criticizing, or eulogizing. I could sense the real life of each person, the heart life, as Kiki describes their words and manners, the tones of voice when speaking to each other. The book implies much more than it puts into words, with its honesty and open-heartedness. The tears and tragedies were real,too. The Greeks live life fully, and draw the spirit of each scene in. Jackie O. was given a true portrait. Kiki didn't miss much as she escorts the reader through many encounters and shares what no one was ever allowed to know. From inside the walls around wealthy, powerful people, we see their vulnerability in love and in death. My heart was greatly moved. Makes me glad my life is simple!

The best part of the book was that it was a fast read. Overall the main character was likeable, and that is the only character that you get to know to any depth. The story is coming from a chubby girl who is sister to a "real warlock" (as the book puts it) who was adopted. The chubby little girl gets introduced to a witch with her mom and becomes skinny and beautiful and is able to do magick because this witch gives her power. Then she saves the day and falls in love and then the witch takes her power away but she still has her man and her beauty.
This is just a romance, if you like to lose yourself without having to worry about reality... take the plunge in this young adult book. If you want something that will actually have some depth and magick and romance then I would suggest many other books... for young adult I would suggest the SWEEP series, or the Circle of Three series.

You'll never want to put this book down. You will jump out of your seat with exitment. When you finish it you will be crying that you finished the book because you will not want to leave the characters.

I found this book at the nursing home where I work. I don't know who dropped it off as there is no one there who would be interested in reading it. It has no relevance to most of us regular folks. We have no interest in Onassis or his family. Their problems aren't/weren't ours. We don't care about them!

I found this book provided a compassionate and insightful view about the lives of the Onassis family. Kiki, the author, was closely involved in the family's affairs and business matters, so her perception is close enough to dispell some of the gossip and rumors often associated with their tragedies. The descriptions of the Greek lifestyle and traditions are beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book while on vacation in the Greek isles portrayed by the author.