Books4Tomorrow: REVIEW: "SAVANNAH JADE"

“SAVANNAH JADE”

by Sandra Cimadori

REVIEWED BY: Books4Tomorrow

OVERVIEW

Trailer trash is what people in Port Regal, South Carolina call seventeen year old Savannah Jade Mason and her family. Savannah dreams of doing important, spectacular things, but it is unlikely she ever will given her spectacular ability for getting into trouble. When her mother dies, the family's circumstances sink further into the Lowcountry swamp. Adult responsibilities are thrust on Savannah overnight. She is the only one left to care for her elderly grandmother and little brother - Savannah's older sister is in jail and no good to anyone.

Who can Savannah turn to? Will it be Jonah her rocker boyfriend who she has loved for years, Derek who is anxious to escape his new wife and baby or steady and dependable Luca who she sees only as a friend? The revelation of a family secret will shake her identity to its core, lead her to question all her relationships and set her on the road to self reliance.

A Young Adult novel appropriate for mature teens. Contains mild sexual situations and language.

REVIEW

Written in the distinctive voice and point of view of a typical rebellious teenager, “Savannah Jade” is a fantastic, feel-good, quick read. Her rebellious nature might be characteristic of every other teenager out there, but ordinary she is not.

The story centers around eighteen-year old Savannah and how she deals with life after her mother passed away. At first it took me some time to get used to the author’s writing style and the way Savannah thinks and talks, but after a few chapters I got to know and understand Savannah a little better, and I felt loads of sympathy for her. Being dirt poor and looked down on as trailer trash by the other kids at school can be tough on anyone - especially a teenager who now carries the added burden and responsibility of taking care of her grandmother and little brother.

Savannah’s story showed me a life where nothing is certain and how survival can be a daily struggle for some. This is one of the most dysfunctional families I’ve come across in any book, but what made it have a bigger impact on me is that her circumstances are real and many readers will be able to identify with the issues she has to deal with.

Her maturity and courage in the face of adversity touched my heart and had me rooting for her all the way. This is not a conventional love-triangle YA story, but rather a sincere and honest look at how some underprivileged teenagers has to deal with situations out of their control. A lot of secrets are revealed and truths discovered throughout this book and the multi-layered plot deals with a variety of difficulties faced by the adolescent protagonist in this story; the consequences, and heartbreaking decisions she has to make. Themes explored include school bullies, teen pregnancy, tattoos, drug abuse, dealing with loss, taking responsibility, falling in love, and a few other controversial topics.

Although I’m giving it a must-read five star rating, this little jewel is still in need of some editing to make it sparkle even more. “Savannah Jade” is an enlightening, inspiring, and heartwarming read that will leave you smiling.