Bottled Up

Title: Bottled Up
Author: Jaye Murray
Rating: 4 outta 5 stars
Review: So Pip is a guy with a lot of problems.

1. His dad's a jerk...and an alcoholic.
2. His mother's a pill popper.
3. He smokes way too much pot.
4. His friends are losers.
5. He has to take care of his brother.
6. When I say his dad's a jerk, I mean, he's an abusive, horrible, alcoholic.

I really like the voice in this book. Pip seems like one of my high school students. Not a specific one, mind you, but he sounds like he could be sitting in my classroom, these thoughts running through his head.

Pip's headed in the wrong direction when his principal gives him an ultimatum. Straighten up, or I call Dad. Somehow, no one's thought of this before. Seriously, if only it were that easy to get kids to think about straightening up. Anyway, I really like the adventure Pip goes on, it's hilly, rough, and scary, but he keeps plowing right through.