Tilt

Tilt, by Ellen Hopkins.

I have no excerpt to share from this book, because it's written in poetry-form. Usually I hate those types of books but this one was interesting in that it focused on three or four different teenage characters, and they all have drama going on in their lives. Tilt is actually a companion book to Triangles, which I now want to read, and Triangles focused on the adult characters in Tilt; the teenagers in this book can be found as minor characters in Triangles.

Official synopsis:
Caught in the midst of their parents' midlife crises as told in Triangles, three teens are left to fend for themselves as their once secure and familiar worlds are turned upside down. Mikayla is sure she has found the love her parents seem to have lost, but is suddenly weighing nearly impossible choices with an unplanned pregnancy. Shane, having come out about his sexuality, is unwilling to lie anymore about who he is, but finds himself struggling to keep it all under control in the face of first love and a horrific loss. Harley is a good girl who just wants to experience what it means to be a young adult, yet she finds herself compromising her values as she sets on a path of self-destruction.

Intense, gripping, and thought-provoking, Tilt explores the different ways we find the strength we need to hold on when our world's been tilted completely off its axis. It's an intimate look at the deepest feelings of these fully rendered young characters and is certain to inspire genuine communications between young adults and their parents.
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I also liked how all of the stories are intertwined. Mikayla thinks she's found the love of her life, Dylan, but when she finds out she's pregnant he dumps her. Shane has found his first boyfriend, Alex, but he learns Alex is HIV-positive; Shane is also dealing with his 4-year-old sister not doing well, as she has SMA (spinal muscular atrophy). Almost-14-year-old Harley has started running with a "fast crowd," and soon finds herself "going farther" than she thought she would at this age. A few of these characters are cousins, too, so their parents know each other. Their friends all get to weigh in as well - they get a page between each character's sections so we get to see inside their heads - which is interesting to read.

I'd like to now read Triangles and see what was going on inside the heads of these characters' parents at the time, as the time frames of the two stories are the same - originally I thought Tilt was a sequel to Triangles, but the stories occur parallel to each other.

3.5 stars out of 5.

*Disclosure: I received a copy of this novel to review. The opinions expressed here, however, are my own.