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Little Peach
What do you do if you're in trouble?
When Michelle runs away from her drug-addicted mother, she has just enough money to make it to New York City, where she hopes to move in with a friend. But once she arrives at the bustling Port Authority, she is confronted with the terrifying truth: she is alone and out of options.
Then she meets Devon, a good-looking, well-dressed guy who emerges from the crowd armed with a kind smile, a place for her to stay, and eyes that seem to understand exactly how she feels.
But Devon is not what he seems to be, and soon Michelle finds herself engulfed in the world of child prostitution where he becomes her “Daddy” and she his “Little Peach.” It is a world of impossible choices, where the line between love and abuse, captor and savior, is blurred beyond recognition.
This hauntingly vivid story illustrates the human spirit’s indomitable search for home, and one girl’s struggle to survive.
When Michelle runs away from her drug-addicted mother, she has just enough money to make it to New York City, where she hopes to move in with a friend. But once she arrives at the bustling Port Authority, she is confronted with the terrifying truth: she is alone and out of options.
Then she meets Devon, a good-looking, well-dressed guy who emerges from the crowd armed with a kind smile, a place for her to stay, and eyes that seem to understand exactly how she feels.
But Devon is not what he seems to be, and soon Michelle finds herself engulfed in the world of child prostitution where he becomes her “Daddy” and she his “Little Peach.” It is a world of impossible choices, where the line between love and abuse, captor and savior, is blurred beyond recognition.
This hauntingly vivid story illustrates the human spirit’s indomitable search for home, and one girl’s struggle to survive.
195 pages, Hardcover
First published March 10, 2015
About the author
Peggy Kern
9 books80 followersPeggy Kern is the author of two books for the Bluford High Series. She lives with her daughter in Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 545 reviews
July 6, 2015
“You only missin’ if somebody looking for you.” Kat’s words slice through the air. “Understand? We ain’t missin’, Peach. We just gone."
I cannot give this heartbreaking, awful little book any less than five stars.
This 200-page story really really affected me. I managed to just about keep it together until the end of the last chapter, but then I read the author's note about why she'd decided to write about this topic and the tears started to pour. It's so powerful and horrific. I couldn't look away.
This is one of those books that grips you immediately. There's no warm-up period - from the very first chapter we're thrown into Michelle's life and we feel every bit of her pain, fear and hope. The author knew exactly how to get me emotionally invested and I soon found myself picking this book up at every opportunity - even for brief moments like when waiting for the kettle to boil.
It has the short, powerful punch of books like Living Dead Girl, only this was a much more detailed, multi-layered story that introduced us to a number of characters who demanded our sympathy. I doubt many readers will make it through this book without feeling sad, furious and scared for these young girls.
In this book, Michelle runs away to New York to get away from her drug addict mother and the leery eyes of her mother's boyfriend. When there, she gets taken in by a kind man called Devon who gives her food, buys her clothes and treats her with fatherly affection. Even though I knew what this story was about, the author is good enough to make the reader become seduced by Devon and the life he offers. We're right there inside Michelle's mind, sharing her hopes that now everything is going to be alright.
Not surprisingly, though, it isn't.
She soon meets Devon's other girls - Kat and Baby - and finds herself caught up in the world of child prostitution. It's a very dark novel, made even more so by the truths that linger behind the fiction. This really does happen. And it's so awful because Michelle, Kat and Baby are all such well-developed characters. I felt so much sympathy for them but was delighted when the author made them strong, clever and sneaky individuals who were far more than just victims.
In the afterword, the author attempts to answer the question of what people can do about child prostitution in the United States. She gives this advice: Outrage is a good place to start. Awareness is a good place to start. Compassion is perhaps the most important component we can bring to this issue.
Well, Ms Kern, I think your book will deliver a lot of those three things to all the people who read it.
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I cannot give this heartbreaking, awful little book any less than five stars.
This 200-page story really really affected me. I managed to just about keep it together until the end of the last chapter, but then I read the author's note about why she'd decided to write about this topic and the tears started to pour. It's so powerful and horrific. I couldn't look away.
This is one of those books that grips you immediately. There's no warm-up period - from the very first chapter we're thrown into Michelle's life and we feel every bit of her pain, fear and hope. The author knew exactly how to get me emotionally invested and I soon found myself picking this book up at every opportunity - even for brief moments like when waiting for the kettle to boil.
It has the short, powerful punch of books like Living Dead Girl, only this was a much more detailed, multi-layered story that introduced us to a number of characters who demanded our sympathy. I doubt many readers will make it through this book without feeling sad, furious and scared for these young girls.
In this book, Michelle runs away to New York to get away from her drug addict mother and the leery eyes of her mother's boyfriend. When there, she gets taken in by a kind man called Devon who gives her food, buys her clothes and treats her with fatherly affection. Even though I knew what this story was about, the author is good enough to make the reader become seduced by Devon and the life he offers. We're right there inside Michelle's mind, sharing her hopes that now everything is going to be alright.
Not surprisingly, though, it isn't.
She soon meets Devon's other girls - Kat and Baby - and finds herself caught up in the world of child prostitution. It's a very dark novel, made even more so by the truths that linger behind the fiction. This really does happen. And it's so awful because Michelle, Kat and Baby are all such well-developed characters. I felt so much sympathy for them but was delighted when the author made them strong, clever and sneaky individuals who were far more than just victims.
In the afterword, the author attempts to answer the question of what people can do about child prostitution in the United States. She gives this advice: Outrage is a good place to start. Awareness is a good place to start. Compassion is perhaps the most important component we can bring to this issue.
Well, Ms Kern, I think your book will deliver a lot of those three things to all the people who read it.
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February 13, 2015
"Unlike a bag of heroin, a girl can be sold again and again."
Short, but powerful. And the above quote from the author's note is a sobering reminder of a world most of us are lucky enough to know nothing about.
Recommended to those who were moved by Living Dead Girl and If You Find Me.
Review to come.
Short, but powerful. And the above quote from the author's note is a sobering reminder of a world most of us are lucky enough to know nothing about.
Recommended to those who were moved by Living Dead Girl and If You Find Me.
Review to come.
March 2, 2015
I did not enjoy this book. In fact, I'm not sure how anyone could given the subject matter, but it's probably one of my favorites of the year. Little Peach is raw and unflinching story of how one girl finds herself knee deep in the world of child prostitution. The subject matter is a heavy one, and Kern does not hold back the reality of Michelle's, AKA "Little Peach," world. Little Peach is a 200 page powerful story that with knee your feels right where it counts, make you curl into a ball and cry.
Michelle grows up in a troubled home with her grandfather, her primary caregiver and protector. However, when he passes away, she loses all of that and is forced to find her own way. So she decides to go to New York in the hopes that she'll be able to stay with a friend. When she arrives, her plan falls through and she realizes just how dire her situation is, and is picked up by a seemingly charming and helpful boy named Devon. Desperate, vulnerable with nowhere else to turn, Michelle accepts his help and is swept into a world of drug addiction and prostitution.
Devon, her "daddy," establishes himself as a new provider and protector of Michelle and the other two girls who reside with him: Baby and Kat. With promises of love and a new family, Michelle accepts her lot in life and becomes "Little Peach," believing this is the best that's out there for her. When your mother is a drug addict who chooses her slimy boyfriend over you, there aren't many options. Still, there are times when she regrets her new life, especially when she sees the mistreatment of the other girls and the horrors of her "family." Then there are times when she fleetingly finds peace and happiness: When she, Baby and Kat are "off duty" and enjoying a fun day. You can tell she longs for a normal life, one any girl should have, but the realities of her life continue to creep back night after night in the form of getting high and hotel rooms. It's a sharp contrast as she battles to hold onto her childhood during the day, while slipping on her adult personality every night along with the dresses Devon makes her wear.
Michelle's voice is strong, broken and raw all at once as her narration flips between the story of how she became Devon's Little Peach and chapters told from a hospital bed, wanting to reach out to the social worker assigned to her case. The former displays a voice of innocence lost as Michelle tells of her time not only with Devon, but also with her grandfather. While the latter feels sharper and harder, more distant and tougher thanks to many of the horrible things she's encountered. It made me want to hug her and take all her pain away. Kern captures all of Michelle's longing, desperation, hopelessness and sadness perfectly. She creates a voice that can't be ignored or forgotten, one that begs us to for help and demands our attention, leaving the reader horrified, fascinated and disgusted all at once.
The worst part of Little Peach is that everything thing in the book is real. There are no happy endings, no easy answers or closures. This is real life. And that's a hard pill to swallow to think that this is happening right now, even as you read this review. This book left me an angry, weeping mess and I know it won't ever leave me.
Recommended for fans of Ellen Hopkins and Christa Desir’s Fault Line and Bleed Like Me .
**If you are interested in learning more about human trafficking and what you can do, National Human Trafficking Resource Center is a great place to start.
Interested in more about Little Peach? Check out my Q&A with Peggy Kern to learn how she did research for her novel and enter to win a finished copy!
More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery.
Michelle grows up in a troubled home with her grandfather, her primary caregiver and protector. However, when he passes away, she loses all of that and is forced to find her own way. So she decides to go to New York in the hopes that she'll be able to stay with a friend. When she arrives, her plan falls through and she realizes just how dire her situation is, and is picked up by a seemingly charming and helpful boy named Devon. Desperate, vulnerable with nowhere else to turn, Michelle accepts his help and is swept into a world of drug addiction and prostitution.
Devon, her "daddy," establishes himself as a new provider and protector of Michelle and the other two girls who reside with him: Baby and Kat. With promises of love and a new family, Michelle accepts her lot in life and becomes "Little Peach," believing this is the best that's out there for her. When your mother is a drug addict who chooses her slimy boyfriend over you, there aren't many options. Still, there are times when she regrets her new life, especially when she sees the mistreatment of the other girls and the horrors of her "family." Then there are times when she fleetingly finds peace and happiness: When she, Baby and Kat are "off duty" and enjoying a fun day. You can tell she longs for a normal life, one any girl should have, but the realities of her life continue to creep back night after night in the form of getting high and hotel rooms. It's a sharp contrast as she battles to hold onto her childhood during the day, while slipping on her adult personality every night along with the dresses Devon makes her wear.
Michelle's voice is strong, broken and raw all at once as her narration flips between the story of how she became Devon's Little Peach and chapters told from a hospital bed, wanting to reach out to the social worker assigned to her case. The former displays a voice of innocence lost as Michelle tells of her time not only with Devon, but also with her grandfather. While the latter feels sharper and harder, more distant and tougher thanks to many of the horrible things she's encountered. It made me want to hug her and take all her pain away. Kern captures all of Michelle's longing, desperation, hopelessness and sadness perfectly. She creates a voice that can't be ignored or forgotten, one that begs us to for help and demands our attention, leaving the reader horrified, fascinated and disgusted all at once.
The worst part of Little Peach is that everything thing in the book is real. There are no happy endings, no easy answers or closures. This is real life. And that's a hard pill to swallow to think that this is happening right now, even as you read this review. This book left me an angry, weeping mess and I know it won't ever leave me.
Recommended for fans of Ellen Hopkins and Christa Desir’s Fault Line and Bleed Like Me .
**If you are interested in learning more about human trafficking and what you can do, National Human Trafficking Resource Center is a great place to start.
Interested in more about Little Peach? Check out my Q&A with Peggy Kern to learn how she did research for her novel and enter to win a finished copy!
More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery.
March 22, 2015
5 stars!!
“You only missin’ if somebody looking for you. Understand? We ain’t missin’, Peach. We just gone.”
I read a lot of books and many have left their mark on me, but very rarely am I left speechless like I am with this book. Yes, this 200-page book has a heartbreaking magnitude that many other emotional full length novels can’t achieve. It’s not a book designed for enjoyment, but to raise awareness of every day tragedies that occur around us while we ourselves are fortunate to never experience them.
“Unlike a bag of heroin, a girl can be sold again and again…”
This story focuses on a 14-year old girl Michelle, and how she’s lured deep into a prostitution ring by a good-looking, sweet-talking pimp who becomes her ‘Daddy.’ Before that part of her life began though, she grew up in an unstable home environment with only her elderly grandfather who truly cared for her. After his death, her mother’s drug addiction and the revolving door of lecherous guys in her home motivate her to run away and begin anew.
“Ain’t you even gonna ask me where I’m going?”
“Can’t nothin’ be worse than here. You smart Michelle. Not like me.”
When she arrives in New York though, she truly realizes how alone she is. Her vulnerability and helplessness attracts Devon’s attention, and with an easy smile, traps her into a life of prostitution she never expected.
“I got you, all right? I’m gonna take care of you, ‘Chelle. I swear.”
This book was not easy to read. I felt sick and wanted to throw up in some of the scenes that were beyond heartbreaking. Besides Michelle, two other girls are introduced – Kat and Baby, and their respective roles only add an even more somber, sad layer to the story. But to me, the saddest thing about this all is that these girls are so immersed in their cruel environment that they can’t distinguish between what’s right and wrong, what they should want and what they should do, and who’s enemy, who’s foe. They’re just so lost.
“I don’t know if I should be scared.
I don’t know if I should be thankful.
I have nowhere else to go.”
While I didn’t cry at all when I read this book, I pretty much felt like arrows were piercing right through my chest. Quite frankly, this is an ugly book. It’s an awful book! There are times I wish I could unread it. And the only reason why I can feel this way about a book and still 5 star it is because of how REAL this story felt. This is realistic fiction at its finest, so strong and compelling that there was no way I could separate fiction from reality. And honestly, anyone with a heart and even an ounce of compassion wouldn’t be able to.
The story ends in both a bleak and hopeful manner, and the author’s note that quickly follows is equally as gripping and powerful as the story she delivered. I think the best way to end my review is with this quote from Michelle as her story is told to readers:
“I think you’ll understand, even if you can’t do much. That counts for something, I guess – the way you look at me, like I’m not bad. Like deep inside, I’m just a kid who didn’t mean to.
I didn’t mean to. I swear.
I thought he was my friend.”
:(
Despite the truckload of triggers this book has, it’s still a book I highly recommend to everyone. Michelle’s voice – along with the many other girls who are going through the same ordeal – needs to be heard.
“You only missin’ if somebody looking for you. Understand? We ain’t missin’, Peach. We just gone.”
I read a lot of books and many have left their mark on me, but very rarely am I left speechless like I am with this book. Yes, this 200-page book has a heartbreaking magnitude that many other emotional full length novels can’t achieve. It’s not a book designed for enjoyment, but to raise awareness of every day tragedies that occur around us while we ourselves are fortunate to never experience them.
“Unlike a bag of heroin, a girl can be sold again and again…”
This story focuses on a 14-year old girl Michelle, and how she’s lured deep into a prostitution ring by a good-looking, sweet-talking pimp who becomes her ‘Daddy.’ Before that part of her life began though, she grew up in an unstable home environment with only her elderly grandfather who truly cared for her. After his death, her mother’s drug addiction and the revolving door of lecherous guys in her home motivate her to run away and begin anew.
“Ain’t you even gonna ask me where I’m going?”
“Can’t nothin’ be worse than here. You smart Michelle. Not like me.”
When she arrives in New York though, she truly realizes how alone she is. Her vulnerability and helplessness attracts Devon’s attention, and with an easy smile, traps her into a life of prostitution she never expected.
“I got you, all right? I’m gonna take care of you, ‘Chelle. I swear.”
This book was not easy to read. I felt sick and wanted to throw up in some of the scenes that were beyond heartbreaking. Besides Michelle, two other girls are introduced – Kat and Baby, and their respective roles only add an even more somber, sad layer to the story. But to me, the saddest thing about this all is that these girls are so immersed in their cruel environment that they can’t distinguish between what’s right and wrong, what they should want and what they should do, and who’s enemy, who’s foe. They’re just so lost.
“I don’t know if I should be scared.
I don’t know if I should be thankful.
I have nowhere else to go.”
While I didn’t cry at all when I read this book, I pretty much felt like arrows were piercing right through my chest. Quite frankly, this is an ugly book. It’s an awful book! There are times I wish I could unread it. And the only reason why I can feel this way about a book and still 5 star it is because of how REAL this story felt. This is realistic fiction at its finest, so strong and compelling that there was no way I could separate fiction from reality. And honestly, anyone with a heart and even an ounce of compassion wouldn’t be able to.
The story ends in both a bleak and hopeful manner, and the author’s note that quickly follows is equally as gripping and powerful as the story she delivered. I think the best way to end my review is with this quote from Michelle as her story is told to readers:
“I think you’ll understand, even if you can’t do much. That counts for something, I guess – the way you look at me, like I’m not bad. Like deep inside, I’m just a kid who didn’t mean to.
I didn’t mean to. I swear.
I thought he was my friend.”
:(
Despite the truckload of triggers this book has, it’s still a book I highly recommend to everyone. Michelle’s voice – along with the many other girls who are going through the same ordeal – needs to be heard.
February 15, 2021
4.5 stars. Incredibly powerful and important. From page one hopelessness seized my throat because the truth is, I can't imagine. I can't understand. I don't come from money, but at every moment of my life I had someone I could count on. To think that there are people out there who have to face awful times alone breaks my heart. And these fucking words, overused and torn, seem void of meaning.
"What do you do if you're in trouble?
I wait for the answer to come to me. But there's only darkness and Calvin's voice and my own heart, pounding like feet on the pavement, running away, running away, running away.
Michelle's voice is wonderful in her simplicity. She rings true, and never does Peggy Kern allow her writing to sound fake and ornamental. This is realistic fiction done right, when the characters seem genuine and true to life, when the heavy issues dealt with aren't sugar-coated or hidden under a blanket of romance. For all of the young-adult contemporaries I read, Little Peach is the first tackling the oh so excruciating subject of child prostitution - or prostitution, for that matter. Why is that? Why, with all the books released every week, important issues like this one aren't covered? Of course harsh it is. Of course you're going to want to throw up and cry and wail. Of course we all need to escape reality sometimes and fluffy rainbows serve their purposes. But as much as I hate this world sometimes, I live in it. You do, too.
I can't imagine going through life with blinders constantly on, and there's so much atrocity in the news everyday that I know that most of us want to forget it and really, it's human. Yet I genuinely think that sometimes, we need to take an unblinking look at our world, even if it disturbs our bubble.
Perhaps it won't change anything, but we can't be sure now can we? For things to change we need to open our eyes about these subjects, we need to be aware and I'm really glad that talented and dedicated authors like Peggy Kern offer teenagers some ways to do it.
► All in all, here's a thought-inducing, eyes-opening page-turner with well-crafted and strong characters for whom I cared immensely. Strongly recommended.
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February 13, 2015
Wow… this was a very harsh read. Like, I felt sick to my stomach while reading most of it. It deals with incredibly heavy subjects - disturbing, even - but it is, in my opinion, one very important story. It's a real eye opener regarding the sex trade. We all know that it exists; we all hear about the projects and the poverty and the hard knock life, yet it never quite hits home until you encounter an up close and personal story like this. The story of a young girl who is so innocent, so oblivious to what's even happening to her. She's only known fear and abuse, she thinks this is her way out. Her "daddy" is showing her the love and affection she's been craving since childhood - though she's technically still a child.
You can't help but hear your heart breaking when you read Michelle's story. It also makes it easy to understand how kids get themselves into these situations - somewhat willingly, too. They don't know any better, sometimes not even realizing they're being sold. When you're fleeing from a broken home, this new life your "daddy" is offering can seem glamorous to them. Michelle even wishes her mom could see how well she's doing. How proud of her she would be for making a great life for herself, no? Standing next to Michelle are a couple of other girls that we get to know and adore. Especially Baby who's already so lost in this messed up, fucking world that all she made me feel was broken, helpless, ashamed. She could be so happy, she's so very young, yet you just know she's so not ok…
With that being said, while I do recommend this novel, it definitely comes with warnings. If you're not comfortable with disturbing scenes of rape, violence, and child molestation, this book may be incredibly hard for you. Still, I'm not one to warn against reality. While this story may be fiction, it is based on real life. Stories like Michelle's are happening in our very own society every single day to young girls - to our children - and it's not something you should ignore no matter how sick it makes you feel. I think this author was very brave to approach such sensitive topics, but it's a story that needs to be told. Who else can stand up for these victims? They sure don't have much of a voice, unfortunately.
Poignant and tragic, Little Peach swings a surprisingly heavy punch that is bound to knock you down and make you want to scream for girls like Michelle. It's harsh, but all too real.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
You can't help but hear your heart breaking when you read Michelle's story. It also makes it easy to understand how kids get themselves into these situations - somewhat willingly, too. They don't know any better, sometimes not even realizing they're being sold. When you're fleeing from a broken home, this new life your "daddy" is offering can seem glamorous to them. Michelle even wishes her mom could see how well she's doing. How proud of her she would be for making a great life for herself, no? Standing next to Michelle are a couple of other girls that we get to know and adore. Especially Baby who's already so lost in this messed up, fucking world that all she made me feel was broken, helpless, ashamed. She could be so happy, she's so very young, yet you just know she's so not ok…
With that being said, while I do recommend this novel, it definitely comes with warnings. If you're not comfortable with disturbing scenes of rape, violence, and child molestation, this book may be incredibly hard for you. Still, I'm not one to warn against reality. While this story may be fiction, it is based on real life. Stories like Michelle's are happening in our very own society every single day to young girls - to our children - and it's not something you should ignore no matter how sick it makes you feel. I think this author was very brave to approach such sensitive topics, but it's a story that needs to be told. Who else can stand up for these victims? They sure don't have much of a voice, unfortunately.
Poignant and tragic, Little Peach swings a surprisingly heavy punch that is bound to knock you down and make you want to scream for girls like Michelle. It's harsh, but all too real.
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads
February 9, 2017
"This is reality, whether you like it or not. All those frivolities of summer, the light and shadow, the living mask of green that trembled over everything, they were lies, and this is what was underneath.
This is the truth." ~ WILLA CATHER, MY ÁNTONIA
“Little Peach” is an emotional, haunting, heartbreaking story about the world we live in. That part of the world you hear about only in movies or books, that part of the world dark and raw you don’t want to know about, because in the end you’ll figure out how REAL it is. And let me tell you, “Little Peach” it really was...REAL.
Prostitution of children exists in every country, but did you know there are around 10 millions children involved in prostitution worldwide? 10 millions!!! A huge number! Huge! In some cases, victims of sex trafficking are kidnapped by strangers, either by force or being tricked into becoming involved through lies and false promises. Michelle, the main character in “Little Peach” is tricked in the same way here. The story is told both in the past and present. Through Michelle’s eyes we ‘see’ how scary this world can be and that the monsters are not only in the dark.
Michelle grew up with her drug addict mother and her grandfather. Her mother barely can take care of herself, so the one who cared for Michelle was her grandfather. When she’s 14 her grandfather passes away and her mother kicks her away from their house. She doesn’t have any friends in the city, but she has one in New York, so she plans to go to New York to find her friend, hoping she will have a place to live. When she arrives In New York, Michelle is terrified by this new reality realizing she doesn’t have any money, that she is alone in the world. She sits in the bus terminal when a nice man approaches her. He pretends he wants to help her. He even buys her a meal and helps her looking for her friend. When Michelle doesn’t find her friend, she’s desperate and she’s awed when the man, Devon, offers a place to live in his apartment. She can’t believe someone can be so kind-hearted offering a place to stay. But soon Michelle becomes 'Little Peach' and realizes that Devon is no angel like she thought he is and that reality is more harsh, ugly and cruel that she imagined.
I can't say that I particularly enjoyed reading this story. Like I mentioned it was dark and quite disturbing at times. Besides the realistic aspect of it, it was a very informative read. It’s a story that will open your eyes, it will make you reflect a little and maybe even be grateful for who you are and what you have.
My heart really ached for Michelle. After her grandfather passed away she’s alone in the world. Her mother is not competent and caring like him and she wants Michelle to go away. All Michelle wants is to be loved, to have a family, to belong. She’s naïve thinking she found what she’s looking for in Devon and the other two girsl who live in the house. Even when she realizes what Devin is to her and to the other two girls, she believes they are her family and that she’s happy. She can’t tell how Devon really is and that broke my heart. Michelle is kind hearted, she tries to be a good friend for the other two girls in the house, she’s caring and tries to be supportive when it’s needed. But Michelle can’t help the other two or help herself, because at the end of the day she’s just a kid.
The other two girls Kat and Baby are intriguing characters. Like Michelle, they have their own flaws and have their own past and stories. At times it was more than heartbreaking to read about them, especially since Baby is only 12 years old.
I really wished for an epilogue because I really wanted to know what happens next with Michelle, if she manages to reintegrate herself in society. Also I wanted to know what happened with the other two girls.
All in all, “Little Peach” was fantastic, gripping story that deals with a hard subject matter, written really well with a compelling storyline and a powerful message.
"The door opens.
There you are.
You sit by my side and take my hand.
“You’re awake,” you say, and I smile.
I am.
I am awake."
January 2, 2015
This is a short book, but damn, does it pack a lot of punch.
And feels.
I've always known forced prostitution was and is a rampant problem. Not only does it happen in third-world countries where the poor are tricked and lured into this degrading and disgusting trade, but even women and children in first-world societies like the USA also find themselves unwillingly used for sex, as well. We see it in the news everyday, in our environment, and in journals and studies. But even then, while the majority of people are sympathetic, they see them as simply a number or a statistic, for the simple fact that they are detached from the stories of these victims. They are bystanders. They are looking from their comfortable places where the grief, sadness, and fear do not touch them.
Little Peach aims to change that. This is an intimate, first-hand account of a 14 year old named Michelle (later nicknamed Little Peach) who runs away from home to a strange land called New York, who is later befriended by a seemingly "kind" guy who buys her clothes and gives her food to eat and a roof to sleep in, only to later be pushed into a crazy, dark world of sex, drugs, and money.
And my god, does this book hurt. It really, really does.
You really feel for Peach here. You will get hurt, sad, angry, and scared, as she does. It really felt like being in her shoes, and I remember flinching many times throughout the book as she kept encountering hurdles and problems. I remember feeling a defeat so great when she resigned to her fate. I remember tasting disgust and horror in my mouth as I read awful men after men - drunk, old, pedophiles, nasty creatures - using her, degrading her, seeing her beneath human; feeling my heart break into two as her "pimp" kept on selling her and other women and children who were in the same predicament.
Haunting, heart-rending, and beautiful in its own way, Little Peach definitely made such stories that we see in the news closer to home, making you see them more than just "victims of unfortunate circumstances". It absolutely makes you wonder why these things happen and what could be done to stop it from victimising others again. The damage that can be done to a person is just so deep that I felt it as I read Peach's narrative. Yes, Peach was a fictional character, but her story and the pain she felt mirror people who are experiencing the same situation, and it is through realizing that the whole picture really hits you like a pick-up truck.
This is a dark book that sheds light on a matter many of us are aware of but shy away from. The Young Adult genre needs more books like this because it is through seeing it in someone's eyes, fictional or not, that we become more informed and more emotionally-involved... because how else will we be more encouraged to help and make a difference if we do not know how they are going though?
And feels.
I've always known forced prostitution was and is a rampant problem. Not only does it happen in third-world countries where the poor are tricked and lured into this degrading and disgusting trade, but even women and children in first-world societies like the USA also find themselves unwillingly used for sex, as well. We see it in the news everyday, in our environment, and in journals and studies. But even then, while the majority of people are sympathetic, they see them as simply a number or a statistic, for the simple fact that they are detached from the stories of these victims. They are bystanders. They are looking from their comfortable places where the grief, sadness, and fear do not touch them.
Little Peach aims to change that. This is an intimate, first-hand account of a 14 year old named Michelle (later nicknamed Little Peach) who runs away from home to a strange land called New York, who is later befriended by a seemingly "kind" guy who buys her clothes and gives her food to eat and a roof to sleep in, only to later be pushed into a crazy, dark world of sex, drugs, and money.
And my god, does this book hurt. It really, really does.
You really feel for Peach here. You will get hurt, sad, angry, and scared, as she does. It really felt like being in her shoes, and I remember flinching many times throughout the book as she kept encountering hurdles and problems. I remember feeling a defeat so great when she resigned to her fate. I remember tasting disgust and horror in my mouth as I read awful men after men - drunk, old, pedophiles, nasty creatures - using her, degrading her, seeing her beneath human; feeling my heart break into two as her "pimp" kept on selling her and other women and children who were in the same predicament.
Haunting, heart-rending, and beautiful in its own way, Little Peach definitely made such stories that we see in the news closer to home, making you see them more than just "victims of unfortunate circumstances". It absolutely makes you wonder why these things happen and what could be done to stop it from victimising others again. The damage that can be done to a person is just so deep that I felt it as I read Peach's narrative. Yes, Peach was a fictional character, but her story and the pain she felt mirror people who are experiencing the same situation, and it is through realizing that the whole picture really hits you like a pick-up truck.
This is a dark book that sheds light on a matter many of us are aware of but shy away from. The Young Adult genre needs more books like this because it is through seeing it in someone's eyes, fictional or not, that we become more informed and more emotionally-involved... because how else will we be more encouraged to help and make a difference if we do not know how they are going though?
September 12, 2016
This is the only book I've ever wanted to put down because it was getting a bit too dark for my poor little heart. Not in a bad way! I was just so affected by the story that I felt like I couldn't take it if the main character felt any more pain. At one point I was thinking, Nononono! because I. Don't. Want. Any. More. Suffering.
Whether or not you're a sensitive reader (like me), you're going to want to read this book. It tells such an honest story about the dangers that a teenager (or really, anyone in general) could come across, even when they're least expecting it.
Michelle, our main character, suddenly finds herself involved in the dark world of prostitution after some horrible shit happens to her life. While I did sympathize with her, I didn't empathize with her. Get this: she's fourteen, and I'm fifteen. That's a just one year age difference, and I expected to be able to really put myself into her shoes. I couldn't--her voice sounded too plain and simple, but not in the casual, easy-to-read way.
I just found her narration to be a bit... dull in general. More often than not, it felt like someone was telling me the story, rather than me being inside the story. I'm not sure if this is an instance of it's not [the book], it's me, but either way, I couldn't immerse myself in it fully.
BUT DON'T PUT OFF READING THIS BOOK. This was my first read about child prostitution, and it gave me more than one perspective on the topic. You'll realize a lot of things about this dark lifestyle, and, hopefully, it'll make you more aware about what's really out there for you if you aren't being careful.
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Whether or not you're a sensitive reader (like me), you're going to want to read this book. It tells such an honest story about the dangers that a teenager (or really, anyone in general) could come across, even when they're least expecting it.
Michelle, our main character, suddenly finds herself involved in the dark world of prostitution after some horrible shit happens to her life. While I did sympathize with her, I didn't empathize with her. Get this: she's fourteen, and I'm fifteen. That's a just one year age difference, and I expected to be able to really put myself into her shoes. I couldn't--her voice sounded too plain and simple, but not in the casual, easy-to-read way.
I just found her narration to be a bit... dull in general. More often than not, it felt like someone was telling me the story, rather than me being inside the story. I'm not sure if this is an instance of it's not [the book], it's me, but either way, I couldn't immerse myself in it fully.
BUT DON'T PUT OFF READING THIS BOOK. This was my first read about child prostitution, and it gave me more than one perspective on the topic. You'll realize a lot of things about this dark lifestyle, and, hopefully, it'll make you more aware about what's really out there for you if you aren't being careful.
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May 30, 2016
What a devastating and horrifying little novel this was. It’s a story that pulls you in immediately and doesn’t let you go until the end, even if you wish you could just look away.
Little Peach is my first fictional encounter with the topic of child prostitution (or prostitution in general) and I don’t think it could have been any better. The novel portrays Michelle’s journey with incredible rawness and honesty, yet it never feels like the author is trying to pull at your heartstrings. Everything is stated simply and Michelle’s voice seems very aloof and detached, which makes the entire book that much more powerful. Little Peach didn’t make me sad exactly; it made me outraged. Outraged that these things still happen and that we are pretty much powerless to do something against it. Outraged that we are either unaware of the issue or decide to look the other way.
The story follows Michelle who – at fourteen – runs away from home to get away from her drug-addicted mother and the groping hands of her mother’s boyfriend. She takes the first bus to New York where she hopes to find an old friend. Instead, she finds Devon – or rather, he finds her – a kind man who treats Michelle like his own daughter, giving her food, clothes and a new home. It seems Devon is the only thing keeping Michelle alive and healthy and she is eternally grateful to him. But things aren’t what they seem at first glance and Michelle finds herself caught up in the world of child prostitution where you are only worth as much as people are willing to pay for you. Michelle also meets Devon’s other girls called Kat and Baby and develops a sort of familial bond with them. Throughout the story Michelle still holds on to the dream of a better life after Devon has made enough money; a dream the reader knows will never come true.
Unsurprisingly, it’s a very dark and disturbing novel, as well as extremely realistic. There are no embellishments: Peggy Kern only includes what is absolutely essential and doesn’t try to make the story into anything more than an honest account of these girls’ lives. And that is more than enough.
What makes this novel even better, is the fact that Michelle, Kat and Baby aren’t just portrayed as victims. They are real people. They are all fully developed characters with their own desires and flaws. I really sympathized with all of them, could feel their desperation and fear.
So, why only four stars? In many ways, this is a five star book. It takes a heavy and difficult subject matter and handles it brilliantly. However, despite my appreciation for it, I didn’t love this novel. Maybe it was the style of the narration that hindered me at being fully immersed in the story. However, don’t let this dissuade you from picking it up: It is excellent and 100% worth the read.
I highly recommend this book to anyone. Just be aware that it is a very dark subject matter and at times difficult to read.
Little Peach is my first fictional encounter with the topic of child prostitution (or prostitution in general) and I don’t think it could have been any better. The novel portrays Michelle’s journey with incredible rawness and honesty, yet it never feels like the author is trying to pull at your heartstrings. Everything is stated simply and Michelle’s voice seems very aloof and detached, which makes the entire book that much more powerful. Little Peach didn’t make me sad exactly; it made me outraged. Outraged that these things still happen and that we are pretty much powerless to do something against it. Outraged that we are either unaware of the issue or decide to look the other way.
The story follows Michelle who – at fourteen – runs away from home to get away from her drug-addicted mother and the groping hands of her mother’s boyfriend. She takes the first bus to New York where she hopes to find an old friend. Instead, she finds Devon – or rather, he finds her – a kind man who treats Michelle like his own daughter, giving her food, clothes and a new home. It seems Devon is the only thing keeping Michelle alive and healthy and she is eternally grateful to him. But things aren’t what they seem at first glance and Michelle finds herself caught up in the world of child prostitution where you are only worth as much as people are willing to pay for you. Michelle also meets Devon’s other girls called Kat and Baby and develops a sort of familial bond with them. Throughout the story Michelle still holds on to the dream of a better life after Devon has made enough money; a dream the reader knows will never come true.
Unsurprisingly, it’s a very dark and disturbing novel, as well as extremely realistic. There are no embellishments: Peggy Kern only includes what is absolutely essential and doesn’t try to make the story into anything more than an honest account of these girls’ lives. And that is more than enough.
What makes this novel even better, is the fact that Michelle, Kat and Baby aren’t just portrayed as victims. They are real people. They are all fully developed characters with their own desires and flaws. I really sympathized with all of them, could feel their desperation and fear.
So, why only four stars? In many ways, this is a five star book. It takes a heavy and difficult subject matter and handles it brilliantly. However, despite my appreciation for it, I didn’t love this novel. Maybe it was the style of the narration that hindered me at being fully immersed in the story. However, don’t let this dissuade you from picking it up: It is excellent and 100% worth the read.
I highly recommend this book to anyone. Just be aware that it is a very dark subject matter and at times difficult to read.
“Ain’t nobody comin’ to save you, girl. You wanna survive? You better start thinking for yourself.”
January 3, 2018
You know those books that you read in 2015 and rated five stars because you thought they were so important, but then looked back on and could not remember one single character from? But oh my god, you have to rate it high because everyone else thought it was so important and what kind of pitiless person are you that a story about kids forced into prostitution? Yeah, that’s how this feels to me.
So here’s the thing. It is important to bring awareness to child prostitution. It absolutely fucking is. But you know what? The awareness you bring is meaningless when the book feels so flat. This book is not trying to craft a satisfying arc for each character. I doubt this author gives one singular shit about her characters, because guess what? This book thinks raising awareness is more important than crafting compelling characters.
What do you get when you take a brutal premise and subtrack any semblance of character development, friendship development, or hope? That’s right, you get my absolute favorite book thing: torture porn. You know, when nothing goes right and life is shit for 200 pages and then it ends without any relief or character arc or like, anything.
Here's my hot take: depressing crap is only deep when it's countered by hope. And this narrative is one of fundamental repulsion. You are meant to be so horrified by this that you cry. Okay, but how is that deep? How is that new? I don't like crying out of horror - I like crying out of catharsis.
Listen, I am so tired of books like this. It is 2018, and books can be both important and genuinely amazing. The Hate U Give released back in February, and I think we can all agree: that book is both important and fantastic. This just does not feel that way to me.
At first I felt really bad rating Little Peach low, but I’m thinking now: that’s the game. Because you have to think important books are worth reading. Do I think this is worth reading? Perhaps. Did I, personally, enjoy it? No, not really. I’m giving this a two. That means it was okay. But I didn’t enjoy a single second of this depressing, pointless book.
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So here’s the thing. It is important to bring awareness to child prostitution. It absolutely fucking is. But you know what? The awareness you bring is meaningless when the book feels so flat. This book is not trying to craft a satisfying arc for each character. I doubt this author gives one singular shit about her characters, because guess what? This book thinks raising awareness is more important than crafting compelling characters.
What do you get when you take a brutal premise and subtrack any semblance of character development, friendship development, or hope? That’s right, you get my absolute favorite book thing: torture porn. You know, when nothing goes right and life is shit for 200 pages and then it ends without any relief or character arc or like, anything.
Here's my hot take: depressing crap is only deep when it's countered by hope. And this narrative is one of fundamental repulsion. You are meant to be so horrified by this that you cry. Okay, but how is that deep? How is that new? I don't like crying out of horror - I like crying out of catharsis.
Listen, I am so tired of books like this. It is 2018, and books can be both important and genuinely amazing. The Hate U Give released back in February, and I think we can all agree: that book is both important and fantastic. This just does not feel that way to me.
At first I felt really bad rating Little Peach low, but I’m thinking now: that’s the game. Because you have to think important books are worth reading. Do I think this is worth reading? Perhaps. Did I, personally, enjoy it? No, not really. I’m giving this a two. That means it was okay. But I didn’t enjoy a single second of this depressing, pointless book.
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May 22, 2016
"You're only missing if somebody's looking for you." Kat's words sliced through the air. "Understand? We ain't missing. We just gone."
First off, this book? This tiny book here? Read it right now and don't you dare skip the acknowledgements. It's about child prostitution in the United States. If it makes you uncomfortable, it's doing its job. It's disgusting this kind of thing still exists in one of the most developed countries in the world.
"Somebody's gotta know what to do. And if you don't, at least you'll know my name. My real name. You'll know I was here before he got me, and that I wasn't always like this."
So why three stars? It's too literary for my taste. The genre has the unfortunate habit of focusing too much on the message rather than portraying reality or giving characters their due. Like when Michelle first arrives in New York, she instantly follows Devon home. It's plain unrealistic. Even if she associates him with her beloved dead grandfather and is scared and lost, she'd at least some reservations about staying in a perfect stranger's home.
Michelle isn't much of a character. She's a tool for Kern to relate child prostitution through the eyes of someone who experiences it. But there's a shield around her feelings. Maybe because she's numb, but I never got to feel the despair or manipulation she experiences. Without the heart, it reeks of cheap sentimentality, like The Fault in Our Stars.
I also recently took a Creative Writing class and it was one of the worst experiences in my life. My teacher loves literary fiction and hates YA, so obviously we didn't get along. Whenever I came across a sentence like "Her eyes were hard, like cement", shudders practically crept down my spine. I won't be able to read literary stuff for a long time without feeling like I'm back in that stifling hellhole.
With all that being said, read it. This is a story that deserves to be heard.
"Trouble is, I got nowhere else to go. This is it. My big idea. My last chance before I'm back outside and he finds me. He knows what I did. If he finds me, he'll go crazy. Crazy enough to kill me, maybe, and then I can finally sleep."
June 19, 2022
"You all alone. You got nobody. You got no place to go."
GIF MY THOUGHTS
REACTION AFTER READING THE BOOK
Where do I even fucking start?
I have no idea where to start with this review. This book haunts me until now. I know this book is fiction. Michelle isn't a real person. Everything she goes through in this book, are not real events. She doesn't have a Grandfather who loves her dearly. She doesn't have a useless mother who threw her out of the house because her boyfriends were hitting on her. But that doesn't mean there isn't someone out there who has gone through, or is going through, what this fictional person has experienced.
And just that thought, fucking breaks my heart.
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?
"You see me Mama? I don't need shit from you. I'm good. I'm better than good."
Michelle grew up in a dysfunctional household. Her grandfather takes care of her, but most of the time, she had to fend for herself. She does have a mother, but she's a fucking junkie who don't know shit about taking care of her daughter. Don't even get me started with her. I probably won't stop talking about how much of a shitty mother she is if I start now, so I'd better not, and let's just get on with the story.
So when Michelle's grandfather died, she was solely under the care of her mother who, like I said, don't know shit about taking care of her daughter. To make matters worse, she kicked her own daughter out of the house for reasons I cannot say. All I can say is that it's an exceptionally ridiculous reason for kicking your kid out of your own home.
Anyway, Michelle then decides to go to NYC to meet with her friend who moved there a few years back. What she didn't realize was how hard it would be to find her. She doesn't have money. She doesn't have anything. All she had were a few things and some cash that won't get her anywhere.
Enter Devon, who at first seemed like a nice guy. He promised to take care of her. He promised to give her security. Which he did, but comes with a price.
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE STORY
It's a story that needs to be told. This was a short story about a girl who accidentally became a part of an industry she was not prepared for.
There are a lot of people who chose being a part of the sex trade industry. I don't judge them for that. Everyone has their own life to live, and I have mine. They are free to make their own choices. But girls like Michelle, they are not supposed to be exposed to these type of shit at their age. They're supposed to be in school, studying and preparing themselves for a brighter future. They are not supposed to be sold to old dudes who have fetishes for young girls. The story is all sorts of fucked up, but that doesn't make the events on this book any less true. It does happen to a lot of young girls. That's what's so bothersome about it.
I have read from the Author's notes in the back of the book that she did research about this. I guess it's one of the reasons why everything that happened felt so damn realistic.
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE WRITING
The writing was simple. It didn't try to manipulate your feelings to care about this character, you just do. It was written in a way that you'd believe it was a young girl writing it, not an author. I liked that.
The writing does shift from second person to first person, which I felt was a nice touch to the way the story was told. It wasn't necessary, but it was a nice touch.
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE CHARACTER
Let me start with Michelle. I felt her pain. She wanted so much for her mother to notice her. She wanted so much for her mother to love her. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. She found the love she so much longed for some place else. At least, that's what she thought at first.
Sometimes, when author writes about younger characters, you get the feeling that they're only trying to make the story seem like it was being told by a younger person. But often times, authors get it so on point that you'd really think a younger person is writing the book. This is one of those cases. Michelle sounded exactly how a girl her age should sound. She was mature in a way, but she still have that younger side of her, in the way, when she makes decision. This is also true for the other characters.
Can I just say I hated her mom again? What a worthless piece of garbage. It should be illegal for people like that to have kids. Kids are a gift. They should be taken care of by their parents, not the other way around.
The thing is, this is more than just Michelle's story, it was about all of the girls who were forced into this kind of job. We also meet some other girls like Michelle, who I also got attached with. One of which was Baby. I'm not going to tell you more about her. She was the one I felt bad for the most.
WHAT I LIKED
1. The writing was great! I really fell in love with the way this was written.
2. The realistic portrayal of the characters.
3. It does not steer clear of violence. It does not make light of the situation that girls like these go through. It will show you the cruel reality of young girls being forced into prostitution.
4. This book was short, but it told a story that needed to be told. It was told in a very effective way too.
5. It made me feel something. Books like these are supposed to envoke emotions in you. It's supposed to make you care about the theme and the story the author is sharing with you. This book did that for me. It made me care about the characters more and the situation they were in.
6. The POV that switches between second and first person is very effective for me.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
1. While I found this book great, I felt the ending was a bit disappointing. The story built up so much, that when it ended, I wish there was something more.
2. While I love my story fast paced, I would have wanted to have more emotional conversations or events between the girls under Devon. I loved the relationship they've developed with each other, but I still feel there could have been more there.
3. Those people who lived next door to Michelle, who were friends with her Grandpa, why the hell did they not look for her? It's a plot hole that overall, did not really affect my enjoyment of the story.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I loved this book. It wasn't perfect, but I loved it.
Would I recommend it? Definitely. This is a story that more people need to know about. I'm not going to say that I enjoyed this, because the story is not supposed to be enjoyed, it was supposed to be understood.
November 3, 2017
5 Losing faith in humanity STARS
Este es uno de esos libros que NO disfrutas, pero que se quedan en tu corazón para siempre.
Aunque es una historia corta, me rompió el corazón por completo y me causó un enojo inmenso.
Enojo a una sociedad que no hace nada por estas chicas inocentes que terminan vendiendo sus cuerpos. Por qué seria fácil culpar al gobierno o a los proxenetas, pero la cruda verdad en esta situación es que todos somos culpables, al no hacer nada por ayudar a estas chicas.
Se me revuelve el estómago pensar que esto pasa en todos lados y a todas horas.
Para mí los mayores culpables, los villanos son los clientes. Ojala las leyes cambiaran y se les castigara a todos ellos.
En conclusión: Que portada tan linda, para un libro que retrata tan horrible realidad.
Este es uno de esos libros que NO disfrutas, pero que se quedan en tu corazón para siempre.
"I see them now. I can see them all. My daddy too. I know what he is. And I think the words every time they slam my head.
Thank you.
Because the make-believe is over.
Thank you.
Because at least I know that you don't love me, either.
Thank you.
Because now, I can run."
Aunque es una historia corta, me rompió el corazón por completo y me causó un enojo inmenso.
Enojo a una sociedad que no hace nada por estas chicas inocentes que terminan vendiendo sus cuerpos. Por qué seria fácil culpar al gobierno o a los proxenetas, pero la cruda verdad en esta situación es que todos somos culpables, al no hacer nada por ayudar a estas chicas.
Se me revuelve el estómago pensar que esto pasa en todos lados y a todas horas.
Para mí los mayores culpables, los villanos son los clientes. Ojala las leyes cambiaran y se les castigara a todos ellos.
En conclusión: Que portada tan linda, para un libro que retrata tan horrible realidad.
December 29, 2017
A devastating story, made all the more painful by its truthful inspiration, as explained in the authors note. I was a little sceptical at first, considering the short length of this book and the topic it was tackling but I thought it worked brilliantly. I flew through this during a single car journey and although 'enjoyable' is definitely not the right word to describe the reading experience, I thought it was brilliantly insightful. However, there were some examples of problematic language when describing the race of a few characters e.g 'almond eyes' and 'skin the colour of burnt toast' which I found disappointing to read. With that being said, this was an undeniably eye opening read and I'm most definitely going to continue to educate myself more on this heartbreaking topic and therefore feel as though the author succeeded in her goal in telling this story.
March 26, 2015
“While researching this novel, I witnessed firsthand the selling of girls in the hotels of Coney Island and East New York, Brooklyn. I spent many hours driving the streets of Brooklyn with an NYPD detective, who showed me the intricacies of gang culture and the inner workings of the sex trade. I was also able to interview two women who had been targeted in the same way Peach was. Both had been tattooed by their pimps. Both had been given narcotics, making them all the more dependent on their captors. And, like the girls in this novel, both believed that this was the best they could hope for.” – Nota del autor
*Respira profundamente*
¿Por dónde empiezo? ¿Cómo siquiera puede uno escribir una reseña sobre un libro como este? Me ha gustado mucho, sí. Tanto como para terminar en mi lista de favoritos. Pero fue tan arrrrrrg, de esos libros que quieres olvidar y dejar atrás. Cuando se escribe sobre un tema como la prostitución se corre el riesgo de no sonar genuino, especialmente si tu libro es un YA. Peggy Kern resolvió esto de una gran manera, y no tuve dudas de que esto era -es- la realidad de cientos de mujeres y adolescentes no sólo en Estados Unidos, sino es todo el mundo. En mi país y en el de cualquiera. La manera en la que se narra la historia de Michelle es cruda y sin tapujos; imposible de ignorar. Little Peach es una lectura poco agradable por su contenido, pero tan buena a la misma vez.
“I wonder if Grandpa can see me. If maybe he sent Devon to make sure I could get away.”
Michelle es una joven de catorce años que se ve envuelta en el mundo de la prostitución infantil al confiar en un hombre cuyas intenciones no son nobles. ¿Cómo es posible que una chica tan joven haya llegado a este punto? Siento mucho odio hacia su madre, hacia la familia que debería haberla protegido y no lo hizo. La única persona que alguna vez quiso a Michelle fue su abuelo, quien le enseño que si alguna vez estaba en problemas debería buscar a una dama. Pero él murió, y quien debería haberla cuidado no estuvo allí. Su madre prefirió correrla de casa porque quiso más a su pareja antes que a su propia hija. Así que tienes a una chica que nunca esperó la protección ni el cariño de nadie que, al ver a alguien que parece realmente preocuparse por ella -que le da comida y un techo- no duda en confiar. ¿Qué es lo peor que puede pasar?
“Unlike a bag of heroin, a girl can be sold again and again.”
Pienso en las mujeres y niñas que, como Michelle, Kat y Baby, han pasado por esto y se me rompe el corazón. ¿Cómo resistirse a la suave y cuidadosa voz de alguien que te promete un futuro brillante cuando nunca esperaste que alguien se preocupase por ti? Es tan fácil juzgar y señalar a las mujeres que venden su cuerpo por dinero. Al final del libro, la autora dice que deberías dejar de ver a estas personas como criminales y empezar a verlas como víctimas.
“The pill is magic. It fixes me, like medicine. I can crawl inside my head where nothing hurts. I can say the right things and sound like Kat does. I can hold still and float away, float to where it’s warm and it’s just me and Kat and Baby, and my daddy standing guard.”
Little Peach es una lectura intensa, brutalmente intensa y cruda. Adictiva porque no pude dejar de leer una vez que comencé. Este libro los dejará llorando y con ganas de destrozarlo todo.
Leído para el 2015 Reading Challenge: 27. Libro que puedas terminar en un día
February 24, 2016
My beautiful mama, all torn up...I bury my face so hard into her, I want to climb inside so she can see. So she can see that I am good and so is Grandpa and she can stay with us and she don’t need to be so dirty like those other people . She ain’t like that, my mom. Not mine. Not you, Mama.
This book is a gem. It's short, sordid, sobering... The MC's emotional progression is amazingly well done. Some author's struggle in the transition from a young perspective to a more gritty, wordly one, but this book portrayed Peach's feelings throughout well. It hurt to read.
As a mother, I instinctually wanted to curl up and pretend I hadn't started this. To pretend all children are loved, that innocence is protected.
Her foot on the step. “Ain’t you even gonna ask me where I’m going?” She stops. Turns. “Can’t nothin’ be worse than here,” she says . “You smart, Michelle.” And then, “Not like me.”
Every child wants to be wanted. But some aren't. That's why we grow up too fast. We go through the cooling process, allow our emotions to be chipped away; forged to be strong and calculating, indifferent.
The ink shoots into my skin, but it’s like he’s draining me. With each sting, I feel less and less. Like the morning after Reek. Like last night at the Litehouse. A little more of me, leaking on the floor, on bedsheets, on this table, till I am empty.
We can't escape the need for human connection, the desire for affirmation no matter how hard we try. Love is a deficit that is rarely filled. It's the emptiness in the hearts of many.
Don't look away from this painful story.
This book is a gem. It's short, sordid, sobering... The MC's emotional progression is amazingly well done. Some author's struggle in the transition from a young perspective to a more gritty, wordly one, but this book portrayed Peach's feelings throughout well. It hurt to read.
As a mother, I instinctually wanted to curl up and pretend I hadn't started this. To pretend all children are loved, that innocence is protected.
Her foot on the step. “Ain’t you even gonna ask me where I’m going?” She stops. Turns. “Can’t nothin’ be worse than here,” she says . “You smart, Michelle.” And then, “Not like me.”
Every child wants to be wanted. But some aren't. That's why we grow up too fast. We go through the cooling process, allow our emotions to be chipped away; forged to be strong and calculating, indifferent.
The ink shoots into my skin, but it’s like he’s draining me. With each sting, I feel less and less. Like the morning after Reek. Like last night at the Litehouse. A little more of me, leaking on the floor, on bedsheets, on this table, till I am empty.
We can't escape the need for human connection, the desire for affirmation no matter how hard we try. Love is a deficit that is rarely filled. It's the emptiness in the hearts of many.
Don't look away from this painful story.
May 2, 2015
It's been decades since I've finished a book in one sitting. And this one in particular gutted me immensely. It's a fucked up world that we live in.
July 11, 2018
"Ain't no point being soft. Soft things die. Hard things survive. And I ain't dying. Not from this shit at least."
November 27, 2022
My Rating Style: 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ticked all the boxes LOVED IT!!!
What do you do if you’re in trouble Punky?
Michelle has grown up tough with a drug addict mum who kicks her out at age 14 with barely enough money to buy a bus ticket. She runs away to NYC to meet up with a friend… when she gets to the big apple though she realises that she is a very small fish in a very big city.
Devon smiles at Michelle and offers her a meal and a ride to meet her friend. What she ends up with is a very different, very scary introduction to a whole new way of life.
Michelle is sucker punched into the world of child prostitution and Devon becomes “Daddy” and she is “Little Peach”. This is life of harder knocks, drugs and impossible choices.
The lines between love and hate, saviour and abuser are blurred almost beyond recognition for a young girl.
“You only missin’ if somebody lookin’ for you. Understand? We ain’t missin’, Peach we just Gone!!
Public Service Announcement - if you are looking for an uplifting, light hearted story - THIS IS NOT IT!!!
This is a story of poverty, hopelessness and sadness. I loved it but not because it was uplifting and happily ever after but because it was raw and real. This is a story that grips many young runaways and they end up in the arms of their own “Daddy” just like Peach did.
The writing is poignant and heartbreaking, it is only just over 200 pages but when I sat down to read it yesterday afternoon I didn’t intend of finishing it only 2 hours later but that is exactly what happened. I did not put it down.. I couldn’t.
I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the worst thing to happen but truly the whole tale was the worst thing. Poor Michelle with her dirty pillow being thrown away from her own “home” as it were. Her drug addled loser mother just couldn’t look after her… couldn’t love her enough to look after her. You feel the loneliness and sadness seeping off the pages.
The other thing that struck me was Michelle’s confusion over what was happening once she got to NYC. And it was never more obvious that she is a child. She might be 14 and a ‘big girl’ but at 14 the world is small, our knowledge is small and if you are sheltered by only one terrible thing your whole life it is really easy for something dressed up as good to swoop in and be an even worse thing. My heart bled for Michellle, and Kat and Baby… and all the girls like them.
No.. this is not an uplifting story but the author has done an amazing job of getting under my skin and showing me the life these girls live. This story is based on some very real research that Peggy Kern did on two young girls in particular, but also in to the lifestyle of the gangs, the tricks, the daddies and the victims of this terrifying world Michelle ends up in.
If you are up for it I highly recommend it… but know your limits there are a multitude of trigger warnings in here!!
What do you do if you’re in trouble Punky?
Michelle has grown up tough with a drug addict mum who kicks her out at age 14 with barely enough money to buy a bus ticket. She runs away to NYC to meet up with a friend… when she gets to the big apple though she realises that she is a very small fish in a very big city.
Devon smiles at Michelle and offers her a meal and a ride to meet her friend. What she ends up with is a very different, very scary introduction to a whole new way of life.
Michelle is sucker punched into the world of child prostitution and Devon becomes “Daddy” and she is “Little Peach”. This is life of harder knocks, drugs and impossible choices.
The lines between love and hate, saviour and abuser are blurred almost beyond recognition for a young girl.
“You only missin’ if somebody lookin’ for you. Understand? We ain’t missin’, Peach we just Gone!!
Public Service Announcement - if you are looking for an uplifting, light hearted story - THIS IS NOT IT!!!
This is a story of poverty, hopelessness and sadness. I loved it but not because it was uplifting and happily ever after but because it was raw and real. This is a story that grips many young runaways and they end up in the arms of their own “Daddy” just like Peach did.
The writing is poignant and heartbreaking, it is only just over 200 pages but when I sat down to read it yesterday afternoon I didn’t intend of finishing it only 2 hours later but that is exactly what happened. I did not put it down.. I couldn’t.
I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the worst thing to happen but truly the whole tale was the worst thing. Poor Michelle with her dirty pillow being thrown away from her own “home” as it were. Her drug addled loser mother just couldn’t look after her… couldn’t love her enough to look after her. You feel the loneliness and sadness seeping off the pages.
The other thing that struck me was Michelle’s confusion over what was happening once she got to NYC. And it was never more obvious that she is a child. She might be 14 and a ‘big girl’ but at 14 the world is small, our knowledge is small and if you are sheltered by only one terrible thing your whole life it is really easy for something dressed up as good to swoop in and be an even worse thing. My heart bled for Michellle, and Kat and Baby… and all the girls like them.
No.. this is not an uplifting story but the author has done an amazing job of getting under my skin and showing me the life these girls live. This story is based on some very real research that Peggy Kern did on two young girls in particular, but also in to the lifestyle of the gangs, the tricks, the daddies and the victims of this terrifying world Michelle ends up in.
If you are up for it I highly recommend it… but know your limits there are a multitude of trigger warnings in here!!
October 7, 2016
I am still unable to articulate a fitting response to this story.
Just knowing that this story is not just a fictitious tale for some girls breaks my heart into so many pieces.
Little Peach follows the life of fourteen-year old Michelle. Michelle runs away from home, her addicted mother, and the painful memories of her passed grandfather. On an ambitious trip to New York, Michelle runs into Devon. At first, he seems kind. He buys her a meal, offers her a place to sleep, and gives her clothes. But there’s more to Devon that he puts on. This man is not just a kind sacrificing soul, no, he has other intentions and they run much more foul and deep.
We follow Michelle’s life as she takes on the aura of Little Peach, and can I just say how terrible it was to read.
I cried. I cried for Little Peach and all the girls facing similar situations. I cried for wistful hope and their lofty dreams. I cried because no one deserves to be put in that position.
This book is not about love and flowers and cupcakes. This story is about truth and pain and reality and awareness to a disastrous issue.
“You only missin’ if somebody looking for you. Understand? We ain’t missin’, Peach. We just gone.”
4.5 stars!!
March 24, 2015
Review to come.
March 14, 2015
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I wasn't quite sure what to think about Little Peach before I started. Prostitution is a hard topic to cover, especially in YA, but tough issue books are some of my favorite (it seems having books break my heart is a favorite past time of mine.) so I was definitely anticipating this novel. When I finally read it...it was as much as I thought it'd be--gritty and heartbreaking and...well, haunting, especially for such a quick read that I finished in a little over an hour.
Immediately going, there's an interesting way that Kern tells this story in a sort of Before and After sequence, and referring to a character as "you." It's a heartbreaking way to tell the story, especially when "you" is practically a stranger and when you can tell that she's desperate for him to understand her words. It's heartbreaking when you realize someone is pinning their last hope on a stranger, and when their last hope could very easily disappoint her as everyone had before. (Can you tell how affected by this book I am yet?)
I started to tear up at 20% in. We have a main character who has hopes, but doesn't dare to dream and a mom who doesn't know anything except how to break herself and that she wants to, somehow, protect her child. A child who, really, both stayed a child and grew up faster than anyone should've. She doesn't know anything beyond her need for a family and her want to be something better. And it's heartbreaking as we watch her realize that her so-called fairy tale isn't a fairy tale and it isn't one anyone wants to tell.
Which, I suppose, is the most terrifying thing about this book--that this kind of thing happens all the time, every day, and everywhere. Thousand of little girls (because no matter how harsh or biting they are, they'll always be the most broken little girls.) being sold and having the life drained out of them, and no one wants to tell their story. So kudos to Kern for being brave enough to do it.
It's a terrifying thought, really. Especially since I'm an only child of a single mom myself. If things had gone the wrong way...I don't even want to think about the what ifs and the could'ves. It's really, utterly terrifying. Especially because Michelle really thought of Devon as her protector, as family. She didn't realize how like her mom she was becoming and in the midst of being high and drunk she'd think she was better. Because people would...protect her, in her eyes. It's terrifying how thoroughly manipulated she'd been.
Peggy Kern writes a book that pushes the limit of YA and one that's equally terrifying and heartbreaking. It's one that shines a light on things everyone knows is there, but tries to keep in the dark. Little Peach is a book you can't ignore, and one that's poignant and gritty and raw.
January 17, 2016
This book was so short and yet so powerful that I couldn't give it anything less 5 stars. Some books leaves you sad,but this book? This book left me angry in the end.It was truly horrifying to read this dark book,and what made it worse that this isn't just fiction-it happens in real life too.Even though it's a short book,it is not easy to read.
This is a kind of story which grips you from the first page and doesn't let go until the end. The story is written in first person POV,which makes everything more real. There is no introduction to the characters,it just starts off with Michelle -also known as Peach-waking up in the hospital and then starts her story.
This is a story about Michelle who,at the age of fourteen,runs away to New York to get away from her mother and her mother's boyfriend. There she meets a man called Devon who offers her food and all such things because he knows that she has nowhere to go.And when she couldn't find the place where her friend was staying,she goes to Devon.And we all know how this goes,he buys her everything she likes and acts like her brother,and she trusts him completely because this life of hers seems way better than the one she had when she used to live with her mother.And of course,things doesn't go the way Devon had said,and she soon finds herself in a world of child prostitution along with two other girls-Kat and Baby.
All these characters are so well developed that I was so sad with what they went through at such young age and I could sympathize with each of them,though I was also glad to see how strong those characters were.And even though I am aware that such things happen,it still was difficult for me to keep this heartbreaking book.
Though I want to say that the writing style of author didn't really work for me,but the book has affected me in a strong way,so I didn't think of writing style while rating the book.
This is an emotional,disturbing,and dark story,but I am sure it will stick with you for a long time if you read it. I'll definitely recommend it.
This is a kind of story which grips you from the first page and doesn't let go until the end. The story is written in first person POV,which makes everything more real. There is no introduction to the characters,it just starts off with Michelle -also known as Peach-waking up in the hospital and then starts her story.
This is a story about Michelle who,at the age of fourteen,runs away to New York to get away from her mother and her mother's boyfriend. There she meets a man called Devon who offers her food and all such things because he knows that she has nowhere to go.And when she couldn't find the place where her friend was staying,she goes to Devon.And we all know how this goes,he buys her everything she likes and acts like her brother,and she trusts him completely because this life of hers seems way better than the one she had when she used to live with her mother.And of course,things doesn't go the way Devon had said,and she soon finds herself in a world of child prostitution along with two other girls-Kat and Baby.
All these characters are so well developed that I was so sad with what they went through at such young age and I could sympathize with each of them,though I was also glad to see how strong those characters were.And even though I am aware that such things happen,it still was difficult for me to keep this heartbreaking book.
Though I want to say that the writing style of author didn't really work for me,but the book has affected me in a strong way,so I didn't think of writing style while rating the book.
This is an emotional,disturbing,and dark story,but I am sure it will stick with you for a long time if you read it. I'll definitely recommend it.
March 9, 2015
Before I get into the actual book, I have to give huge kudos to Peggy Kern for penning this book. This is one hell of a brave book to write. There won't be people who are just dying for a reread of Little Peach. This isn't happy, or uplifting, or anything other than downright horrifying. But it is brave. And more than that, it is important, because the worst part of the whole thing is that
this stuff happens
. And after reading this book, it is so clear how and why, not that it makes a difference to girls like the main character Michelle.
So, this book broke my heart, mostly because of all the real girls that this happens to every day. I used to wonder how on earth someone could get messed up in this culture, but Peggy Kern answered that question for me and then some. Not only did it make sense how Michelle ended up there, it made sense to me that she ended up there. I mean, I was almost agreeing with her decisions, even though I knew logically (and from my own very different viewpoint) that they were wrong. She was in such dire straights that I almost hoped right along with her that things would work out okay, though I knew full well from the synopsis that it wouldn't be the case. (How ludacris would that book be- "Michelle meets bad man. But he isn't so bad and she lives happily ever after, the end"?)
Here's the downside to this book for me: I didn't connect to Michelle very much. But I think it would have been far worse if I had been able to really and deeply connect with her. I don't think I'd be able to read the story, to be honest. That slight disconnect is the only thing that really allows the reader to keep reading. Otherwise, it is simply too awful. Part of the disconnect is that I think Michelle is disconnected from herself, in a preservation attempt, so we are only getting the surface of who she really is. Maybe she doesn't even know. It would be hard to know who you are in the vile world she's had to live in.
Bottom Line: I did not like this book. I don't think one does like this book. Because how can you, really? All you want to do when it is over is drive to your nearest city and start rescuing girls at bus stops and such. And maybe cry for a few hours, and lose all faith in humanity. BUT- that doesn't matter. It is so incredibly important to read this (and to be sure to read the author's note!) that "liking it" doesn't even matter. Little Peach matters, because girls living in these situations matter, even if they don't think that's true, even if most of society doesn't think it's true. By the time you are finished reading this book you will know it's true. They matter.
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
So, this book broke my heart, mostly because of all the real girls that this happens to every day. I used to wonder how on earth someone could get messed up in this culture, but Peggy Kern answered that question for me and then some. Not only did it make sense how Michelle ended up there, it made sense to me that she ended up there. I mean, I was almost agreeing with her decisions, even though I knew logically (and from my own very different viewpoint) that they were wrong. She was in such dire straights that I almost hoped right along with her that things would work out okay, though I knew full well from the synopsis that it wouldn't be the case. (How ludacris would that book be- "Michelle meets bad man. But he isn't so bad and she lives happily ever after, the end"?)
Here's the downside to this book for me: I didn't connect to Michelle very much. But I think it would have been far worse if I had been able to really and deeply connect with her. I don't think I'd be able to read the story, to be honest. That slight disconnect is the only thing that really allows the reader to keep reading. Otherwise, it is simply too awful. Part of the disconnect is that I think Michelle is disconnected from herself, in a preservation attempt, so we are only getting the surface of who she really is. Maybe she doesn't even know. It would be hard to know who you are in the vile world she's had to live in.
Bottom Line: I did not like this book. I don't think one does like this book. Because how can you, really? All you want to do when it is over is drive to your nearest city and start rescuing girls at bus stops and such. And maybe cry for a few hours, and lose all faith in humanity. BUT- that doesn't matter. It is so incredibly important to read this (and to be sure to read the author's note!) that "liking it" doesn't even matter. Little Peach matters, because girls living in these situations matter, even if they don't think that's true, even if most of society doesn't think it's true. By the time you are finished reading this book you will know it's true. They matter.
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
April 3, 2016
"You only missin' if somebody looking for you." Kat's words slice through the air. "Understand? We ain't missin', Peach. We just gone."
This book, although haunting and powerful, is not the kind of book I'd recommend to people.
It's tough to read about subjects like this (child prostitution) because they're real. I felt like I wasn't reading just about fictional characters — there are plenty of Peaches, of Kats and of Babys out there in the world, right now. Girls who are 12, 14, 16, who run away from a bad environment only to end up in something even worse, with no way out. This book is difficult because everything written in it is the truth. And it makes you realize how ugly the world can be to so many people who didn't do anything to deserve it.
Michelle is a fourteen years old runaway from Philly, who ends up in New York after her junkie mom chooses her trash boyfriend over her, and ends up in the hands of Devon, who promises her a roof, clothes, food and a family ready to take her into their arms. He only forgets to mention the part where she'll be forced to have sex with strangers every night and will — literally — be branded as his. Forever.
The book is short, yet every page feels like it punches you in the stomach. If you liked Living Dead Girl, you'll like this one. Or, alternatively, if you've liked this one and wants to read more books like it, read Living Dead Girl.
(I don't think like is the right word here, because who likes books like this? They're not fun and they're not entertaining. But they're short and interesting and sometimes you need a little realistic fiction in your life, as a contrast to the usual contemporary you find out there, where the biggest problem in the main character's life is which of the 5 bazillion boys who are into her she'll end up with.)
November 10, 2017
I just remember wanting to call the police and actually denounce the f*ckers in this book.
Is one of the darkest books ever.
Read it.
Is one of the darkest books ever.
Read it.
April 30, 2015
I feel like an asshole for giving this only two stars, but I liked the author's note better than the actual book.
Review
Okay. I didn't like that parts of the story were told in second person. It was kind of bizarre. I didn't like the spare writing style. To me, such heavy subject matter works much better when told in lush prose, like in Ruby, which handled similar abuse. After a while, this book began to feel like a gimmick. One scene toward the end that landed the main character and her friend in the hospital seemed melodramatic, when it was supposed to serious and frightening.
That said, the author's note was actually really touching. The author mentioned a website for helping stop domestic trafficking, and I'll include it here: Girls Educational and Mentoring Services.
Review
Okay. I didn't like that parts of the story were told in second person. It was kind of bizarre. I didn't like the spare writing style. To me, such heavy subject matter works much better when told in lush prose, like in Ruby, which handled similar abuse. After a while, this book began to feel like a gimmick. One scene toward the end that landed the main character and her friend in the hospital seemed melodramatic, when it was supposed to serious and frightening.
That said, the author's note was actually really touching. The author mentioned a website for helping stop domestic trafficking, and I'll include it here: Girls Educational and Mentoring Services.
August 7, 2015
This was such an awful and heartbreaking book. This is a terrifying story about child prostitution, a huge problem in the United States.
Michelle Boyton is a fourteen year old girl who was raised by her grandfather in Philadelphia. After her grandfather passes away and a run-in with her moms "boyfriend", Michelle decides to run away to New York where she finds herself in the awful world of prostitution.
There she meets a man named Devon, her new "daddy", he promises to protect her and give her a new family: two girls named Kat and Baby.
Michelle accepts her new family and new life and believes this is the best for her. I mean, it's better than being at home with a drug addict for a mother and her creepy boyfriend. Right?
Michelle's voice is broken and so heartbreaking as her narration flips from explaining how she ended up with Devon and then the chapters told from the hospital while she's with the social worker who was assigned to her. There's even a sort detachment as Michelle retells all the horrible things that happened that led to her becoming Little Peach.
Unfortunately Little Peach is an honest story, with no answers or happy endings, and this type of thing does happen in real like and this book needs to be read. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about this topic, and if you liked Living Dead Girl or If You Find Me I suggest you pick this one up.
Michelle Boyton is a fourteen year old girl who was raised by her grandfather in Philadelphia. After her grandfather passes away and a run-in with her moms "boyfriend", Michelle decides to run away to New York where she finds herself in the awful world of prostitution.
"You all alone. You got nobody. You got no place to go."
There she meets a man named Devon, her new "daddy", he promises to protect her and give her a new family: two girls named Kat and Baby.
"I got you, all right? I'm gonna take care of you, 'Chelle. I swear."
Michelle accepts her new family and new life and believes this is the best for her. I mean, it's better than being at home with a drug addict for a mother and her creepy boyfriend. Right?
Michelle's voice is broken and so heartbreaking as her narration flips from explaining how she ended up with Devon and then the chapters told from the hospital while she's with the social worker who was assigned to her. There's even a sort detachment as Michelle retells all the horrible things that happened that led to her becoming Little Peach.
Unfortunately Little Peach is an honest story, with no answers or happy endings, and this type of thing does happen in real like and this book needs to be read. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about this topic, and if you liked Living Dead Girl or If You Find Me I suggest you pick this one up.
March 5, 2015
"You want a family? You got it, girl. We are right here. And we got a place for you. Just for you."
You ever read something that literally makes your stomach turn? Your skin crawl? Your eyes water? That's how I felt after reading Little Peach. While this novel is pretty short it packs one hell of an emotional punch that left me distraught for most of the day. This book is not for the faint of heart but worth the read.
"You only missin' if somebody looking for you."
With Michelle in Little Peach you see how easy it is for a girl like her to get caught up in a world like that. Her circumstances in life are beacons to predators out there just waiting to take advantage. She was too isolated, too trusting, too accessible to the evils lurking around the corner. I can easily understand how it's possible to be swayed into a world like this when you have nothing and no one there for you. It's devastating to walk in Michelle's shoes and see how moments of "kindness" are used to lure her into this horrifying new reality.
"We ain't missin', Peach. We just gone."
I don't think it's possible to love a novel like this but I do appreciate it for what it is; an eye opening and heartbreaking journey that millions of girls face every day. Ms. Kerns brought to light an issue that many choose to turn a blind eye to and she managed to make it compelling and un-put-down-able in only 200 pages. It was the worst kind of train-wreck; as much as I wanted to look away, I just couldn't. Stories like these should be required reading in school because the awareness is necessary if we have any hope of preventing this from happening to other girls.
4 stars
You ever read something that literally makes your stomach turn? Your skin crawl? Your eyes water? That's how I felt after reading Little Peach. While this novel is pretty short it packs one hell of an emotional punch that left me distraught for most of the day. This book is not for the faint of heart but worth the read.
"You only missin' if somebody looking for you."
With Michelle in Little Peach you see how easy it is for a girl like her to get caught up in a world like that. Her circumstances in life are beacons to predators out there just waiting to take advantage. She was too isolated, too trusting, too accessible to the evils lurking around the corner. I can easily understand how it's possible to be swayed into a world like this when you have nothing and no one there for you. It's devastating to walk in Michelle's shoes and see how moments of "kindness" are used to lure her into this horrifying new reality.
"We ain't missin', Peach. We just gone."
I don't think it's possible to love a novel like this but I do appreciate it for what it is; an eye opening and heartbreaking journey that millions of girls face every day. Ms. Kerns brought to light an issue that many choose to turn a blind eye to and she managed to make it compelling and un-put-down-able in only 200 pages. It was the worst kind of train-wreck; as much as I wanted to look away, I just couldn't. Stories like these should be required reading in school because the awareness is necessary if we have any hope of preventing this from happening to other girls.
4 stars
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