What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler
Kate Weston can piece together most of the bash at John Doone’s house: shots with Stacey Stallard, Ben Cody taking her keys and getting her home early, the feeling that maybe he’s becoming more than just the guy she’s known since they were kids. But when a picture of Stacey passed out over Deacon Mills’s shoulder appears online the next morning, Kate suspects she doesn’t have all the details. When Stacey levels charges against four of Kate’s classmates, the whole town erupts into controversy. Facts that can’t be ignored begin to surface, and every answer Kate finds leads back to the same question: Where was Ben when a terrible crime was committed?
This story, inspired by real events, from debut novelist Aaron Hartzler takes an unflinching look at silence as a form of complicity. It’s a book about the high stakes of speaking up, and the razor thin line between guilt and innocence that so often gets blurred, one hundred and forty characters at a time. |
“Chillingly note-perfect. A powerful tale of betrayal.”
—Kirkus Reviews
—Kirkus Reviews
Read-A-Likes |
“A gripping narrative that begs to be discussed.”—School Library Journal.
“Hartzler pulls no punches… A stirring, important read.”—Booklist
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The Steubenville Rape Case
This book is a pretty difficult subject. It's hard to read at times, and even harder to imagine in real life. But it was all inspired by a true story, and as horrifying as the fictionalized version is, the following links are infinitely more so because you do not have to imagine it. If you're interested in the real life story, browse the following links, but proceed with caution, as there are pictures and videos containing extremely graphic (and for me, disturbing) things.
Huffington Post's collection of news, videos, and pictures
Democracy Now! video about the Anonymous video leak
The girl's perspective and story
The Atlantic's Everything You Need To Know
Huffington Post's collection of news, videos, and pictures
Democracy Now! video about the Anonymous video leak
The girl's perspective and story
The Atlantic's Everything You Need To Know
A quick disclaimer: This was a really hard year to read for me. I spent the first half of the year pregnant and completely unable to focus and the second half of the year hanging out with TWO tiny human boys. I read only half the number of books I read in 2015. While I think this book was very good, I'm not 100% convinced it would have been my favorite in a year when I read as many books as I normally do. I guess after a couple of phenomenal reading years, I was due for a hard one.