Uses for Boys

by Erica Lorraine Scheidt

Anna remembers a time before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her mom were a family, it was just the two of them against the world. But now her mom's gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, the next stepfather. Anna gets used to being alone, until she discovers that she can make boys her family, from Desmond to Joey to Todd. But filling the void comes at a price.

• ISBN10: 1250007119
• ISBN13: 9781250007117
• Publish Date: 15 January 2013 (first published 1 January 2013)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: St Martin's Press
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 240
• Language: English

Reviews

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

I'm not usually a fan of the more flowery writing, but I think it works really well for Uses for Boys. This is not a happy story. We first see Anna as a little girl with her mom, but then as the years go by, her mother kind of disappears. She moves from one man to the other, leaving Anna home by herself for days at a time. All Anna wants is a family, to not be alone anymore. Then at 13, boys start paying attention to her, and it's just want Anna thinks she needs.

The sexual content in this one is quite explicit. Not like an adult novel, but definitely more detailed than a typical YA one. Some of these scenes are hard to read, not because it's a young teen engaging in various sexual acts, but, let's just say not all of them are consensual. There's A LOT of sex in this book, and it's a major driving force in Anna's story as she tries to find her place.

I felt awful for Anna throughout the entire book. She hops from one bad situation to another, and it was heartbreaking. Everyone seems to leave her; her mom, boys, and so-called friends. The worse part is, she just accepts it. She's not very pro-active in any of her relationships. She just kind of stumbles upon the next person, and when they leave her, she just stumbles upon someone new. This girl is so desperate for love that she sees it where it doesn't exist.

Uses for Boys is a story bathed in sadness. It's a very gloomy read, but very real. I was hoping things would get better for Anne about 2/3 in when she meets Sam, but they don't. Not really. The ending was a little abrupt and unsatisfying. I'm not sure if Anna really resolved anything with any of the people in her life or with herself. It seemed like she's still stuck in that cycle of accepting people who use her. However, this was definitely a worthwhile read. I read it straight through in one setting, and it's probably one of my favorite YA contemporaries so far.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[kimbacaffeinate]

Uses for Boys is not a romance, it’s a dark gritty look into a dysfunctional family and the impact it has on the protagonist. This was not an easy book to read with its dark subject matter and unusual writing style. It touches on sex, rape, drugs, lies, loss, and emotional scars. Anna tries to fill the emptiness she feels with boys. (i.e. sex) It is sad and raw and ugly. She is brave and lonely and I cried for the loss of this young woman's innocence.

Anna does not know who her father is and she is perfectly happy being her mom’s one and only. Anna turns eight and her Mom starts dressing up, going out and bringing home a string of boyfriends, husbands, and step-brothers. She finds herself moving from one new home to another. When the last marriage fails she becomes a latch-key kid. I felt so sorry for Anna and hated her mother;'s selfish ways. I hated that this awkward girl confused abuse and attention from boys as love. Toy was an interesting girlfriend and I loved the way the girls dressed in vintage clothing. For all that Anna does wrong; there is a lot she does right and responsibly.

Scheidt does not paint us a pretty picture; she instead delivers a raw, gritty, dark tale of the darker side of being a teenage girls. It is a painful look at promiscuity and why some girls are drawn to it. It may cause some readers to look twice at the school “slut” While this is labeled young adult, it really pushes the limits and is meant for a much older reader. Sex, abortion and drug use are all present. I would not want my own daughter's exposed to this without a lot of discussion to follow. The tale is told from Anna’s point of view, but there is very little dialogue as we are essentially taking a trip inside her mind as she shares her thoughts, fears and warped reality.
I want to thank St. Martin’s Press for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.Kimba @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer