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The Sweet, Terrible, Glorious Year I Truly, Completely Lost It (by Lisa Shanahan)

common sense media says

As smart, funny, and teen-centric as its title.

parents & educators say
See all 7 reviews | Review it

What parents need to know

Parents need to know there is domestic violence and teen drug use in this book. Teen characters struggle with family, interpersonal, and class issues. Overall the book has a light touch about these topics, as reflected in the title.

Positive messages: The characters are flawed, but find a way to cope with all that is going on in their lives. Most of them understand the consequences of their actions and when they hurt each other, they feel remorse.
Violence: Domestic violence, bombs go off twice resulting in a person being killed and several injured. There are also fights among students.
Sex: A married couple talks about passion and romance, there's a budding romance between two teens. A girl is called the "Big Mistake" because she was a surprise pregnancy.
Language: Some swear words, but nothing excessive.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Alcohol and tobacco use by both teens and adults.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on The Sweet, Terrible, Glorious Year I Truly, Completely Lost It

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about domestic violence and class issues in their school. Why did Gemma feel like she would be betraying Raven if she told what she had witnessed at Raven's home? How would you react? Is there a trusted adult that you could talk to? Why were the De Head children treated differently? Why did Gemma feel guilty for disliking Raven? Would you have been embarrassed to call him a friend?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Gemma Stone has a lot going on. Her sister is getting married and the groom's family is a bunch of loons. She normally throws up when she has to speak in public, but this year she's decided to go out for the school play -- it doesn't hurt that her crush is in the play too. She also has to worry about Raven De Head, a bad boy from a bad family who's insistent on being friends with her.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Lisa Shanahan has a large following in Australia as an author of children's books. This first foray into young adult literature is a great success. The main character, Gemma Stone, is having a defining year in which she finds herself outside of her safety zone, giving up old ways of thinking, and growing up a lot.

The book is touching and laugh-out-loud funny. Shanahan finds a way to mix a ridiculous wedding, a class war/food fight among students, a Shakespearean play, and profiles of three very different families into a believable vehicle in which Gemma is being taken for a ride. As the story is set in Australia, there's some slang or colloquialisms that may be foreign to many readers, but overall the book is universal in its themes.

Book themes & details

Book Details
Author: Lisa Shanahan
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication date: August 28, 2007
Number of pages: 304
Hardcover price: $15.99
This review was written by Terreece Clarke
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

Open_The_Book
teen, 15 years old
12
 
I LOVED IT!!
This book truley is sweet terrible(not) glorious and absolutly awesome!! I loved it so much that, under the twilight saga, its my fav!
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helped me decide (3) | had useful details (3) | read my mind (4)
ErinB.
teen, 13 years old
10
 
Best Book in the World
This is my all time favorite book. Ever. I love this book so much that it isn't even funny, this is just the best book ever written :)
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helped me decide (3) | had useful details (3) | read my mind (3)
PrincessEmly
adult
 
I LOVE THIS BOOK
I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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helped me decide (2) | had useful details (2) | read my mind (3)
hotstuff54321
teen, 14 years old
12
 
I love this book i have read it 4 times
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helped me decide (2) | had useful details (2) | read my mind (2)
Auddrey.
teen, 15 years old
2
 
? :)
i wanna read it:) where can i get it?
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carrie141016
teen, 15 years old
13
 
Raven De Head
i love this book and i think it is cute that the town back boy has a soft spot for gemma and also has an intrest in shakespeare raven is definatly my favorite character he is smart, sweet, funny, romantic, kinda shy, and most of all misunderstood..... i feel sorry for him when gemma breaks his heart and how he feels when he thinks a teacher gave him the role of a vilian because of his life style i dont want to give too much away but this is a funny, sweet, dramatic book worth reading
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beautydawn4
kid, 13 years old
11
 
Pretty darn good.
This was a wonderful story, but raven and his family smoke, drink alcohol, and do drugs. They also eat "premium mince," and the butcher claims (later) that he wouldn't "feed it to my dog." Gemma is called both "Love Child" and "Big Mistake," but overall, not too bad.
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