Tilt by Ellen Hopkins

Three teens, three stories—all interconnected through their parents’ family relationships. As the adults pull away, caught up in their own dilemmas, the lives of the teens begin to tilt….

Mikayla, almost eighteen, is over-the-top in love with Dylan, who loves her back jealously. But what happens to that love when Mikayla gets pregnant the summer before their senior year—and decides to keep the baby?

Shane turns sixteen that same summer and falls hard in love with his first boyfriend, Alex, who happens to be HIV positive. Shane has lived for four years with his little sister’s impending death. Can he accept Alex’s love, knowing that his life, too, will be shortened?

Harley is fourteen—a good girl searching for new experiences, especially love from an older boy. She never expects to hurdle toward self-destructive extremes in order to define who she is and who she wants to be.

Love, in all its forms, has crucial consequences in this standalone novel.

if you know me, you know I love Ellen Hopkins books to death. this is a good book but its my least favourite EH book so far! it was dark, raw, upsetting but it ended too abruptly for my liking

Eh. I don't really feel like this book accomplished anything. Just as I thought things were picking up and going toward something, I found myself at the end.

A powerful and thought-provoking young adult novel that delves into the complex and often challenging world of teenage experiences. Written in verse, the book's unique prose style adds an engrossing and clever dimension to the narrative, making it a captivating read.

Hopkins tackles heavy themes, demonstrating that adolescence is far from carefree. The book explores difficult decisions and mature issues that many teens face, from unexpected pregnancy to sexual identity and suicide. While at times the approach feels heavy-handed, it serves as both a cautionary tale and a potential wake-up call for young readers.

The pacing of the book is generally well-executed, though the resolution feels somewhat rushed. After 500 pages of intense character development, the final 100 pages attempt to wrap up multiple complex storylines, which can feel a bit abrupt.

It's worth noting that "Tilt" has been the subject of book bans, but such censorship seems misguided. While the mature content warrants parental involvement and open discussions, these are precisely the issues that many teens need to confront and understand. The book offers valuable insights and prompts important conversations about the complexities of growing up in today's world. I mean, kids don't stay kids forever - they got to approach these issues sooner or later.

Overall, "Tilt" is a compelling read that, despite its flaws, provides a raw and honest look at teenage life, making it an important addition to young adult literature.

This was a great book, as an adult I truly appreciated the raw emotions, situations, and characters.

I wish there would have been a stronger ending closing up each story.