Bad Apple

Bad Apple has a perfectly weird sense of humor. For me it just worked. From Tola insisting on referring to her sister Tiffany as Madge to "Madge" being somewhat of a strange character herself. It really just worked for me, the author created a sassy, quirky, and awesome main character in Tola and a handful of other oddballs in the secondary characters.

I really liked the plot as well. Did something inappropriate happen between Tola and her art teacher or did someone lie or blow it out of proportion. What really happened? What is revealed is an intriguing web of gossip, mean girls, truth and lies, innocence and guilt. It sure gave me a lot to think about.

Another interesting thing about the book were quotes from characters after each show more chapter about stuff that had just been discussed in that chapter. It helped move along the story in an interesting way, how it was sort of outside of the actual story but at the same time not.

For me it's a rather detailed book with a lot of different layers! If you are looking for something bizarre and humorous Bad Apple might be a perfect fit for you! show less

To start off, Tola is accused of having an affair with her art teacher, Mr. Mymer. Except, that isn't the truth. Yet, no one believes her; her entire school goes ballistic over this "rumor" and Mr. Mymer ends up getting suspended from teaching and Tola cant do anything outside of school, her mother makes sure of that.

Tola is the average "weirdo" at her high school; she has a nose ring, green hair, and dresses with a unique sense of style. She is an "art freak." She creates paintings of what she sees in her dreams, but also from what she reads in her Grimm fairy tale book. Her family life isnt the best; her older sister Madge isnt in college because she is apparently taking a 'gap' year, but Tola later finds out that something is going show more on in her life as well. Her mom and dad got divorced a few years back, and her father married a woman Tola and Madge cant stand, the "evil stepmom." And her mother loves nontalking talking, they talk about things but not about the stuff that really matters. Everyone seems to be very distant from Tola, and it is quite sad. But Tola has her best friend, June, who is keeping her sane through this whole "affair problem." And there is Seven (yup, thats his name), Tola has always been intrigued by him and what percolates between them in this book is cute. Although I do wish there was more of a relationship between them, but what is said in the book with them both is fun to read.

We see the struggle Tola faces with her fellow students, mainly a girl named Chelsea Patrick. Chelsea was Tola's best friend up until a few years ago, and Tola knows that she is behind all this mess, but she wont admit that to anyone. Chelsea is a true biotch, at times you just want to go into the book and smack her in the face. And then there are others who say crude remarks to Tola about the alleged affair, and a little more than halfway through the book Tola has a pretty funny encounter with one of them. They are in the gym at her school and it involves the school jock, and a paddleball paddle...its a pretty awesome scene where Tola finally lashes back, and stops being the victim.

Laura Ruby "paints" all these amazing pictures while you read the book. Sure, Tola may be the artistic person in the book, but Ruby is behind it all. While reading this book you can picture everything that is going on, that is why it is such a good book. You can imagine everything taking place right in front of you, and who doesnt love that about a book? Bad Apple definitely does that for you.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and at times I found myself laughing out loud. And at other times, I wished I could be there for Tola, to support her in the difficult situations she has to deal with. It is a great story of a girl finally able to find her voice and speak up for herself. I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read about characters finding themselves, and to those who loves a happy 'fairy tale' ending.

-Arielle show less

Meh. I like the style of writing and the author certainly has a gift with the young voice. But overall the book just didn't ring for me.

Bad Apple was fairly predictable in it’s plot in almost all areas with the exception of the most important one — the did she or didn’t she reveal. The back and forth of each step down the path to that ultimate revelation was well done. I personally didn’t know if the affair happened, at what level and who initiated it until the very bitter end and I appreciated that fact. I liked that we got to see small glimpses of the truth but didn’t know that it was. It made that part of the story more intriguing and enjoyable.

The different characters were equally interesting. Most particularly I had a strong reaction to the young bully Ruby created in Chelsea Patrick. Scorned after the dissolution of her former friendship with Tola she show more takes to tormenting her in the hallways,on her blog and just about anywhere she could possibly find. This young woman was spiteful, bitter and it seemed to me one step away from escalating into some form of violence. She also played a significant role in Tola’s circumstances (which I will not spoil) with Mr. Mymer that furthered the progression of the story quite significantly.

On the other hand, I found the art as therapy angle to be a bit too convenient and sweet, particularly at the end of the book when the grand reveal and resolution was made public. The older woman who took Tola under her wing was a small part of the story but one that ended up glossing over. She was a means to an end but it was an end that was just kind of there.

Further, the budding romance between Tola and Seven was cute and added a much needed respite from the drama and dysfunction. Again, this was a small part of the larger whole but one that I appreciated. I also found the quirky neurotic sister who constantly sassed everyone to be fun as well, she brought a slight humor to the events.

All in all Bad Apple was a quick and entertaining read one that is safe for later aged pre-teen and teen aged readers interested in stories about high-school dynamics and navigating different types of relationships. show less

Reviewed by Tasha for TeensReadToo.com

Tola Riley is, well, unique to say the least. With her green hair, nose ring, and intense love of art, it is no wonder that she is so misunderstood by her high school peers.

There is one person though who just gets her: Mr. Mymer, her art teacher. While some people might not understand this relationship, Tola is fine with it, as she is so used to being misunderstood.

When her relationship with Mr. Mymer gets blown out of proportion though, Tola finds herself in the middle of a scandal. Even though she tries to tell everyone the truth, no one will believe her and she continues through the year as an even bigger misfit. On top of this, Tola consistently deals with multiple family problems, friend show more problems, and of course the day-to-day issues of just being a teenager.

I have to say that the author, Laura Ruby, has the teenage personality down to a T. Tola was very real and I had no problem envisioning her as a person. Ms. Ruby did a really good job making the reader feel connected to the characters, playing on the reader's heartstrings and making them truly connect with Tola. However, while I felt that Tola was well-developed, none of the other supporting characters were developed at all. Yes, there were a few minutes where they almost felt real, but then they seemed to fall right back into the pages.

The author did create a very interesting plot. It took a different perspective on the whole student-teacher affair, which seems to be a theme that has become very popular in YA books. I also really enjoyed how the plot looked at how one event in a family can affect each member differently. Overall, the storyline was very realistic and I could easily picture this same situation happening in many high schools.

I liked this book. The ending was absolutely fabulous, probably the best part of the book, and had me in fits of laughter. I look forward to checking out Laura Ruby's other books and I highly suggest you check out BAD APPLE when you are looking for some very realistic teen fiction. show less

When I started Bad Apple, I must admit, I found it weird and uninviting. The characters seemed unidentifiable, and the plot was strange. However, as the story progressed it really started to take shape and capture my attention. The characters suddenly made more sense, as did the plot. As the end neared, I found myself wondering what would happen and if Tola would finally reveal the truth. I must say, the ending is not spectacular, however it does have a point to it, and seems to sum up the book well enough. So for anyone reading Bad Apple, I urge you to keep reading! It really is a fun and enjoyable read.

Bad Apple deals with some serious issues. It is a story about a girl who had been allegedly involved in an illicit relationship with one of her teachers. As a result, she has to deal with the negative image that everyone has of her. I enjoyed this, but I didn't love it. It was well-written, but I still struggled to get through it.