Confessions of an Angry Girl (Confessions, #1)

by Louise Rozett

Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some confessions to make...

1. I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate, don't you?

2. I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who might be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.

3. High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry--get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.)

(Sorry. That was rude.)

Book 1 of the Confessions series.

• ISBN10: 0373210485
• ISBN13: 9780373210480
• Publish Date: 28 August 2012 (first published 1 January 2012)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Mills & Boon
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 272
• Language: English

Reviews

[Rowena]

When I first requested this book for review, I thought that I would enjoy it and then it sat on my review pile for the longest time and then when I finally picked it up, I wasn’t too thrilled that I actually requested it because for some reason, I didn’t think I’d like it (complete change of mind, really) but I’m happy to say that I really enjoyed this one.

When we first meet the main character Rose Zarelli, her Dad is dead and her brother is away at college, leaving Rose all alone with her mother who is too busy grieving and working to pay much attention to her. The title of this book is pretty apt because though you can’t really tell by looking or interacting with Rose, the reader knows that she is pretty angry. Her brother has abandoned her, her best friend is acting all kinds of weird and her crush just kissed her but he’s with someone already and when his girlfriend finds out, she’s out for Rose’s blood.

I really enjoyed getting to know Rose. She was a complex character with many issues in her life and she was just kind of bumbling around, trying to get through each day. Her best friend’s boyfriend turned into a total douche over the course of a summer and her best friend is trying to fit in with girls that don’t deserve her loyalty or friendship and she has no interest in dating the guy that she should want to date because he treats her so good because she’s interested in someone else.
She’s angry because her Dad is dead, her Mom has checked out and her brother is gone. She’s struggling with how to cope with her father’s death, she’s trying to be the best friend her friend needs and she’s struggling with a crush that she can’t turn away from, especially since he seems to be crushing right back at her even though she’s a freshman and he’s a junior.

It was interesting trying to navigate Rose’s life. Her character was very relatable and my inner 14 year old connected with her in a way that I haven’t connected with a character in a while. I was cheering her on from the very beginning and even when she was being a total brat, I liked her. She reminded me of myself when I was younger and I really liked her and the characters that were introduced in the book…well, most of them.

Rose’s best friend tries out for the cheer-leading squad and makes it. She’s also dating a guy on the swim team who is a total douche to her but she’s young and in love and overlooks it, time and time again. They get into a fight and Rose’s best friend does the unthinkable. She rats Rose out and because of that, I hated her. There are few things that you aren’t allowed to do to your friends (especially your best friend) and ratting them out to someone who clearly hates them is at the very top of the rulebook. You just don’t do it but Rose’s best friend does it and then makes some cookies for her at the end and then things go back to being normal. They need each other so they make up but nope, she’s going to need to do a whole lot more than bake some cookies and be there for Rose to make up for ratting her out. A whole lot more than that. Good friends are hard to come by and you don’t become a good friend by snitching someone out. Who needs enemies when you have friends like that?

The love interest, Jamie? I adored him. I adored the way that he was protective of Rose and I loved the way that he stood up to his ex-girlfriend for what she did to Rose. I really liked him and adored the way that he handled standing her up for prom. He’s a keeper, for real. I loved him. I can’t wait for more of him in the next book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to reading the next one. I’m hopeful that the next book will be just as good and I can’t wait for Rose’s family reaction to the page that she’s making for her Dad. I’m also looking forward to seeing how prom played out and what happens next with Jamie. I definitely recommend this book.

[Kelly]

I couldn't get through it. Too many characters were not introduced, but thrown in all at once, teachers calling the teens by the last names, students using each others first names, and all within the first 4%. It gave me a headache. I may try again at a later date.

[Joséphine]

For someone who's angry, Rose is pretty humorous. I got more than a few chuckles out of reading those pages. Reading about high school and the horrors of all the uncertainty that lies ahead brought back quite a few memories. Freshman year here made me laugh, squirm, get angry, feel sad and be deep in thought all over again.

Louise Rozett dealt some very poignant issues in Confessions of an Angry Girl. Most obviously, there were loss and grief. She portrayed very realistically the responses one might have towards losing a loved one. Also, questions about emerging sexuality were explored with hilarity, injected with appropriate seriousness. Bullying, be it as the bully or the bullied, the consequences and impacts, were also brought to the fore.

I liked that the main character had a sound head on her shoulders. She didn't become excessively whiny or self-absorbed, although she did seem to think that she was smarter than most people her age. Her curiosity reminded me of how naive 14-year-olds really are while making me think about issues I probably took for granted all these years. Even if high school is or was very different for the reader, I'm sure Rose brought enough colour and character to be relatable. Her life was wrought with confusion:

• She missed her dad,


• she had no idea if her feelings for Jamie were reciprocated,


• she was afraid of losing her best friend,


• she made an enemy in one of the popular girls,


• she had disagreements with her brother who was away her college,


• she felt neglected by her mum.

That makes six points and if not even one of these points has ever  remotely concerned you, your life must have been pretty smooth sailing. Basically, for me, this book was a throwback on the days bygone. At the same time, it made me realize that some things don't change even as we grow older. We continue to have out insecurities well into our twenties at least and for that, I could relate to this book.

[Angie]

I received a free digital copy through Net Galley.

This book does read fairly young since the main character, Rose, is only 14, but I found that I really enjoyed her narrative. Rose's life is currently a mess due to some real issues and superficial ones. Her father just died in a horrific way, her brother moved away, her mom is distant, her best friend is obsessed with the idea of losing her virginity, she's starting high school where she's somewhat of an outcast, and she has a crush on a Junior with an evil cheerleading girlfriend. I'd definitely say she's justified in her anger at life!

Rose isn't as outwardly angry as I'd assume based on the title. She mostly holds it in and makes plenty of remarks about her surroundings to herself, with the occasional outburst. She's a smart girl (I love how the chapter titles are big words plus their definition), but she's having trouble navigating being a teenager. I think this is something that everyone can identify with, even if their situation isn't quite like Rose's. I started high school at 12, so I definitely know what feeling like a freak is like!

There were times when I felt like Rose acted a little too young for her age. Not necessarily being immature, although she does have those moments, but sometimes her reactions made her seem closer to 10 years old than 14. Especially when it came to sex. I'm not saying she should be all for going all the way if she's not ready, but her thought on the subject was basically "icky." I don't know, she just seemed too sheltered on the subject, I guess. Sex does have a prominent role in this book, so just be aware of that. I liked how it was shown in a positive light though, and not just preaching "don't have sex, 'cause you will get pregnant, and die!"

Anyway, the story ended up taking a darker, more serious road than I was expecting. Sure, Rose's freshman year is packed full of awkward moments, but there's plenty of emotional ups and downs too. The ended was completely unexpected though, and Regina must be one of nastiest teen villains ever! Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. I was hooked from the very beginning, and I can't wait to see what sophomore year brings for Rose.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Kelsenator]

Originally posted on my blog Kelsey's Cluttered Bookshelf

I received a copy of this from NetGalley to review, thank you Harlequin!

At the beginning of every chapter is a cool word, with it’s dictionary description and a little sentence on how it relates to the chapter. I thought this was really cute, especially since Rose loves big words and I got to learn some new ones!

Rose is definitely going through a lot. Her father died the summer before she started high school and she misses him terribly. Her brother has gone off to college, and has started to change from the way she knew him. Her mother is a psychologist for teens, but can’t handle or even properly talk to her daughter. Her best friend has joined the cheerleaders, and everyone around her is changing so fast, and she just doesn’t understand any of it, like why they think partying, drinking and relationships are so important.

Rose was one of those characters that you could feel her emotions as things happened to her, the confusion of what was going on with everyone around her felt so real and you just get immersed with it. I myself never understood what all the craze was with drinking until you’re drunk or going to parties just to do that. I prefer to do it socially, at get-togethers and such, so I can understand where she’s coming from for that aspect. The anger she has shows itself the more you read, sometimes she doesn’t even fully know what it’s for but it still lashes out of her.

Jamie is another great character, the older bad-ass kind of guy, who’s good at art, and technically dating a cheerleader. He used to play hockey with Peter (Rose’s brother), but he really does have his nice side, especially when it comes to Rose even though a lot of people say things about him. She of course keeps thinking about him, but since she’s never had a relationship (which is good because she’s 14!) she doesn’t have much to go on about any feelings she may have.

There’s so much more to this than an angry girl, although I do love the one scene where she snaps! Not only was there also comedy through it, but it also had me in tears a few times. I loved this book, and it’s a great read that I finished in one sitting, perfect for anyone wanting a coming of age story.

Highly recommended for young adult fans of contemporary reads!

[Ashley]

This book COMPLETELY blew me away! It really struck a personal chord with me and was totally relatable.

Full review coming closer to publication!