One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies Reviews

• One of Those Hideous Books That You Should Not Read

  
  By A2BJ275JOIMU5A on 2005-04-27
  
  "One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies" holds the title of one of the worst books I have ever read. I have read poetry-like books and, if done right, they connect and form a jarred, real, rushed, and complicated voice. I enjoyed reading Virginia Euwer Wolff's True Believer" and Eireann Corrigan's "Splintering" because they stopped and reflected on the characters and their actions. But Sonya Sones' writing style is flat, boring, and very out of place. The poems are too short to convey a realistic tone, and it jumps far too quickly from point to point. The poem ends just when the gist and the plot is established, leaving me to jump to the next short vigenette. Repeat this for around two hundred times and you've read the entire book, wondering where and why and struggling to fill up the holes and questions that you're just bursting to know about.
  
  In addition, the main character, Ruby, is relentlessly shallow and flat and comes off as a whiney and angsty girl. I don't want to listen to an angsty girl whine and rant and pine for her boyfriend throughout the entire novel. Like I mentioned eariler, the pace moves far too fast for the reader to even get to KNOW Ruby. She becomes utterly forgettable and easy to ignore very quickly.
  
  The ending felt contrived and sappy and way too happy. Everything that Ruby wanted came true in a totally unrealistic and in an absolutely awful fashion. If I wanted to have a totally happy ending where everythiung came together in a miraculous fashion, I would have popped in a Disney fairy tale movie. Whatever redeeming values this book had were lost due to the cheesy and contrived ending.
  
  What can I say? I thought this book tried to be realistic and sincere about the topic it covered (recovery from death), but it soon warped into a wad of overdone, gaggingly-over-the-top, over-Romantic novel. I recommend that you don't bother with this book, and move onto something done right, like "True Believer" or "Splintering."
  
  The only thing worth cherishing or remembering is Hans Neleman's photograph of the girl on the cover.
  
  

• A Hidiously Touching Book

  
  By on 2004-11-11
  
  'One of those hidious books where the mother dies', by Sonya Sones is one of the most amazing and touching book I have ever read. Ms. Sones manages to weave poetry and grace through the lines of fifteen year old Ruby's tragic story.
  
  The plot: Meet Ruby. This is what happens when her mother dies, and she is dragged three thousand miles away 'in this gigantic silver bullet with wings.*' She is heading towards her father, Whip Logan, who she has never met, becuase he was too busy winning oscars to come visit her even once.
  
  Inside Cover: 'My name is Ruby. This book is about me. It tells the deeply hideous story of what happens when my mother dies and I'm dragged three thousand miles away from my georgeous boyfriend,Ray, to live in L.A, with my father, who I've never met because he's such a scumbag that he divorced my mom before I was born.
  The only way I've ever seen him is in the movies since he's this mega-famous actor who's been to busy trying to win Oscars to even visit me once in fifteen years.
  Everyone loves my father. Everyone but me.*'
  
  Ruby is very upset about having to live with her father, as you can see, and obviously has some trouble warming up to him. But you can feel that. You can feel her hate rising up in you. You can feel the tears rolling down your cheeks as she tells her story. You can feel the joy rising up in you when she finally warms up to his father. You can feel Ruby. That s why I loved this book so much. TRUE FEELING.
  
  This book is rare. Books like this dont come along often, so read it! Pick it up. At least try it. If you do, then I've achived my goal, so good luck and happy reading!
  
  
  *from the book
  
  

• Horrible

  
  By A3LTO6T98INB4E on 2005-02-26
  I can't believe there is not one review describing how utterly disappointing and predictable this book was. The poem format gave only a minimal plot and all the things that happened are just so cliche. The girl leaving town and asking ur best friend to watch your boyfriend. hmmm. let's just let our minds wander and come up with the same tired conclusion that the author did. Nothing surprised me and the whole story was just tired, cliched and horrible. Don't waste your money.
  
  

• Cute book

  
  By AC8JTBIOS10YO on 2004-06-21
  I was attracted to this book by it's brilliant title, and I read it right there in the bookstore. I was a little put off at first by the poetry-like style, but quickly got into it. The fact that the language was so spare was very effective. In a way, I would have liked a bit more detail, character development, an ending that wasn't quite so obvious (though the title makes it clear that it will be) and so forth, but that would have made it a very different book. Definately a good book for a teen or pre-teen girl, or anyone who is interested in reading a fairly quick book written in an unconventional style.
  
  

• The most amazing book!

  
  By on 2004-05-01
  My mom just bought me this book for my birthday, and even though I had a big history test to study for, I started reading it. I couldn't put it down! It only took me a couple hours to read, and I loved every second of it. My only complaint is that it wasn't longer. It is unbelievable! I don't like tragic books, and despite the title, this book isn't sad at all. It's actually pretty humorous. I've decided that it's one of my favorite books (it's not better than the Grapes of Wrath, but they are too different to make an honest comparison). I don't normally cry when I read books, but I was definitely choked up toward the end of this masterpiece. If you love stories about the rich and famous, or about teenagers, or about California, or stories that are just really interesting and amusing to read, than this book is for you! My friends are all beggining me to borrow it because I can't stop talking about it. Harry Potter: watch out! Ruby is about to knock you out! I can't possibly reccommend a better book. I hope I have gushed enough about it that you can understand how truly great it is! READ IT! You will be forever thankful that I told you to do so.
  
  
• A touching story told in verse
  By AFVZXHIUSXINA on 2004-09-17
  I loved ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES. Both the plot and the poetry were as good as Sonya Sones's previous book, STOP PRETENDING, and it was easy to forget the disappointment of the boring book in between, WHAT MY MOTHER DOESN'T KNOW.
  
  The story starts on an airplane, as 15-year-old Ruby flies from the East Coast to Beverly Hills, California, to meet her father for the first time. Her mother has just died, and Ruby isn't too happy to be meeting a man who has acted in tons of movies yet hasn't found the time to even send her a birthday card. She decides to be as horrible to him as possible.
  
  As is Sones's trademark, the story is told in verse, and poems focus on the trials and tribulations of being 15 and living with a man you've never met, the serious --- "and I didn't have Mom's hand to hold,/ my heart flung itself into my throat" and the not-so-serious --- "Oh./ My./ God.// I just got a ticket for crossing the street." Unlike some poetry, it's extremely important to read the titles of each of these poems, as they usually serve as the poem's first line.
  
  Ruby's father, Whip Logan, is a Tom Cruise-type character who lives next door to Cameron Diaz. She goes to school with the children of celebrities and swears that Brad Pitt was in line behind her at the store. However, Ruby is so sad and angry about having to leave her beloved Aunt Duffy, her best friend Lizzie, and her boyfriend Ray behind that she can't enjoy any of this. She's appalled by the classes her school offers --- "I just had to choose/ between signing up for// Dream Interpretation Through the Ages,/ Introduction to Transcendental Meditation,/ or The Films of Steven Spielberg" and the only fun she has is talking with her father's assistant, Max.
  
  ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES is richly filled with great poetry, name-dropping, and e-mails to and from Ruby and her friends. As the year goes on, Ruby and her father learn to understand each other, with a few surprises along the way. This is a great read!
  
  --- Reviewed by Hannah Gómez (gingermulatta@kiwibox.com)
  
  
• This is NOT a Hideous Book Where The Mother Dies
  By on 2005-05-08
  Ruby is a 15 year old girl who must go live with her famous superstar dad whom she has never met after her Mom dies. I'm sure that you do not need me to explain the book because it basically stats everything about it in the top review.
  This book is NOT poetry. If you are looking for a poetry book this is NOT one.
  
  Basically Sonya Sones
  Preses Enter
  After every few words
  and spaces between sentences.
  
  Like This.
  
  However just this morning I was looking at the reviews deciding if I should spend my time reading it, now I am writing a review, hence this is a short read. However It is a great book. VERY FUNNY SECTIONS! I personally love the entry on pages 20,21 and 22. Great humor and realistic incidents. "Leaves back home if they hit you in the head you might not even notice, here you can end up with Brain Damage." Just great humor and a great plot. Makes you think about would you be happy if you dad was a superstar and you ask your best friend to watch your boyfriend while your gone. Great book, definatley would Recommend. Sonya Sones is a wonderful author and speaks the truth about teenagers nowadays. Love this book; one of my top 15 books.
  
  
• Is Ruby angry? Is she depressed? She doesn't think so...
  By A2EBLL2OYEQJN9 on 2005-11-17
  Ruby's mother died, so she has to leave her life on the East Coast, her aunt Duffy, her charming first boyfriend, and her best friend to move across the country to Hollywood to live with her movie star father, who she's never met. Ruby has a lot of anger--at her mother for dying, at Aunt Duffy for not being able to take her in, and at her father for existing, for trying so hard, for attempting to be her friend, while he was absent for the first fifteen years of her life.
  
  Ruby tells her story in short poetic sections, almost snapshots or brief scenes of her new life in Los Angeles. The style is captivating and guarantees that the reader will be endeared to Ruby and her struggle to adjust to her new life.
  
  The reader expects a twist in this book, for something to happen to change the nature of the strained relationship between Ruby and her father. The twist that Sones delivered was more surprising than I had imagined. If you are looking for a charming, heart-warming, candid story about the struggles of being a teenager, seek out this book. Highly recommended for high school readers.
  
  
  
• Cathartic
  By AK536TCZST9B on 2006-02-20
  Written as a free-form journal, this book was an easy yet very emotional reading of the life of a teenager.
  
  Ruby is a fifteen-year-old who has very recently lost her mother to disease, and is now going to live with her famous father in what she calls, in one of many great but not so flattering nicknames, Hell-A.
  
  This move uproots her from everything she knows; her family, her friends, and her first love. And she's never even met her father. She's just a little bit angry.
  
  Yet, she copes, she meets people and learns to care about them. She finds a very strange sort of closure with her mother's death in the end, and even ends up thinking of her own new home as Coolifornia.
  
  I thoroughly enjoyed watching her figure out her new life. The author gives you enough information, even in this diary format, to let you in on the important things in Ruby's life before even Ruby figures them out. And how on earth does she channel a fifteen year old girl's voice? I don't know, but Ms. Sones does a marvelous job.
  
  Now, if I could only find some non-pulp adult literature that could figure out how to tell a story as well as this "juvie" did...
  
  (*)>
  
  
• Awesome.
  By A1Z9H6OXAGQ6BI on 2004-10-24
  First to catch my attention with it's unique title, then to read who the author was...I decided this was the book I was going to buy. I ended up reading it in a matter of 2 hours...it's one of those books that you don't want to put down until the very last word. It was predictable, but in a good way, and some parts were quite unpredictable, which made a great story even better. Sonya Sones is a very good writer, I also own " What my Mother Doesn't Know" and I've read it a total of 10- 15 times. "One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies" is truly a must-read.
  
  
• I was so shocked
  By on 2005-05-17
  When I was introduced to this book by my teacher I sorta froze because the cover wasn't that interesting. But, after a couple hours reading this book it became so interesting that I couldn't put it down. One of those hideous books where the mother dies is one of those books that you don't know whats going to happen next.It has a lot of humor,drama,suspence, and has a lot of situation a teenager girl can relate to . In some parts of the book I felt I could completly relate to Ruby.I knew how she felt in most of the situations that came up.If you like books where their a short read, funny and very intertesting then this is defently a book for you.
  
  
• Try this book, you will like it
  By A9MTB1UIXNZ1D on 2005-07-25
  Note: This review is intended primarily for librarians and parents considering buying or borrowing this book for young adults. If you are a student thinking about reading this book - read it! It is a good book. Just don't read this review first unless you want to know the plot.
  
  This book tells what happens to 15 year old Ruby after her mother dies and she leaves her best friend, her boyfriend, and her beloved Aunt to move from Boston to LA to live with her famous movie star father who she has never met. I chose to review this book because my mother died before I became a teenager and I wanted to see how Ruby's experiences were depicted, to see if it rang true, to compare. Overall, I recommend this book. The writing has some nice lyrical touches, the characters are likable, and it is a sweet story. Most importantly, I think that young adults will enjoy the book. The free verse style makes it an especially good choice for reluctant readers, and it is a quick read. However I do have a few criticisms and concerns, which keep me from giving this book the highest rating.
  
  Although the genre is realistic fiction, it is a fairy tale of sorts. Ruby's father is an extremely wealthy (Oscar-winning) movie star named Whip Logan. Ruby is rightfully angry with him for not being a part of her life up to this point, but the clues soon point to the fact that her father is actually a really nice guy. Early on you have to accept the predictability of the plot and know that she will eventually warm up to him. Most readers will realize that her father is gay long before Ruby does. Another predictable point is what happens between Ruby's best friend and boyfriend who spend a lot of time together now that Ruby is gone. In another fairy-tale touch Ruby gets the lead role in the school play opposite her new romantic interest, but hey - we all need a comforting fantasy.
  
  When Ruby's writes about missing her mother it is strong and rings true, however the letters that she periodically writes to her mother seem shallow. Making quips about the afterlife and signing her notes "Love u 4 ever" doesn't feel right. In the last email she writes to her mother she says "Before I say goodbye..." which shows progression through her grief but I don't know why she couldn't continue writing to her (at least therapeutically), especially since she had a dream about her mother where her mother told her to get out of the house and it saved her from being crushed by a tree. I guess the goodbye seems like an unnecessary wall between her old life with her mother and her new life with her father.
  
  There are only a few other small concerns in what is an essentially appealing and memorable book. I don't think young adults should have to understand the drug reference when the women in the school office are described as "fluttering around Whip like a flock of butterflies on X." The reason Whip has for staying out of Ruby's life for the last 15 years doesn't seem good enough even though his intentions were to not hurt Ruby's mother. Even so, this book is fun and hopeful. Ruby learns to forgive her father and her best friend and in Ruby's own words:
  "I flat out refuse
  to have one of those lives
  that I wouldn't even want
  to read about."
  
  
• ONE OF THOSE HIDEOUS BOOKS WHERE THE MOTHER DIES
  By A1RAWADND41N2Y on 2006-10-08
  Picture this scene-Your mother dies. She was your best friend, your shoulder to lean on, your ear always ready to listen is no longer with you. And if that wasn't enough, you're whisked away to the other end of North America to live with your absentee father, who believe it or not, is internationally known actor Whip Logan. This scene is identical to the one braved by Ruby Milliken. Follow Ruby as she has to overcome hurdles that not many imagine. Hurdle 1) Getting over her mothers death. 2) Trying to adapt to her new school where teachers asked to be called Feather and school girls that dress like they just came out of a Victoria Secret magazine. 3) Trying not to miss her best friend Lizzie and her boyfriend Ray who are all the way in Boston when she's stuck in LA. 4) Trying to get used to the fact that living with her father makes her RICH. 5) Debating whether to forgive Ray and Lizzie for going out with each other. 6) Forgiving her dad for not being in her life for 15 years. 7) Trying to get over the fact that her father is gay. Can she come out of the race victorious or will she fall and fail?
  
  I can say with an honest heart that this book is probably THE BEST book I've ever had the pleasure of reading. This book is phenomenal. It was beautifully written in a way that makes you thirst for more. Sonya Sones only gets better. If you're a fan of What My Mother Doesn't Know I urge you to pick this book up. If not, pick it up anyway, it will blow you away.
  
  
• Great
  By on 2004-05-11
  I really liked this book. I only bought it because i had like the other author book. This book was SOOOOOOOOOO funny. I'm 15, just like the main character, and I thought I could relate. THe book is written poeticaly but still easy to read. BUY IT for a teenager, after that buy the author's other books!! yeah! I wish the book was longer...
  
  
• Very nice
  By on 2004-05-27
  I liked the easy way the story flowed, and the very interesting characters. I would have like a little more develing into characters, perhaps a view from different perspectives, and a less obvious ending, but it is a sweet and snappy read that I would recommend to girl in need of some laughs.
  
  
• I loved this book!
  By A2N05Z3M8RIVBY on 2004-07-01
  I love Sonya Sones' books. This is the second one I have read and once again I finished it in 1 day! The way she writes keeps you interested. I recommend this book to everyone!
  
  
• A good book when feeling bored
  By on 2004-11-08
  One of those hideous book where the mother dies is the book I read by Sonya Sones.Ruby is a young girl who's mother dies of a horrible sickness and Ruby is sent to live with her father who is a famous actor who she believes has ignored her for 15 years.Whip Logan is the famous actor also known as Ruby's father.This actor finds out what its like to take care of a child that hates his guts for leaving her and her mother behind while he had people falling over his perfection in his career.Lizzie Brody is Rubys friend that suddenly betrays her after Ruby moves.Ray Johnston is Rubys boyfriend that also betrays her after their wonderful and happy relationship together.
  
  The setting of those book takes place in Ruby's new home which is a mansion owned by her father and at her new school where everyone is related to someone famous.Ruby meets Colette a former student of the school whos mother stared in movie with her father and where married.
  
  The plot falls in the order of this:
  1)Ruby moves to L.A. to live with her father.
  2)She starts at her new school.
  3)She meets Colette a former student.
  4)Devon a former student gets killed in a horrible car crash.
  5)Ruby finds out that her father has been secretly seeing her.
  6)Ruby and Lizzie become friends again after a bad fight.
  
  The conflict is that Ruby's mother dies and she is sent to live with her father that she believes has ignored her for the past 15 years of her life.She and her best friend also have a fight over a terrible cause.The theme of this story is that even though your life can go hill something will bring it back up to the top.
  
  I think that this is one of the best books I have ever read because it is based on things that could really happen to anyone.I agree with the authors decisions on this book because she kept it flowing through a girls life making every piece of it realistic.I think that every young girl and boys should be assigned this book because it is just great and when I read it I couldn't put it down so in my opinion this is a great book.
  
  
  
• not hideous at all
  By A10W8G0UQD1WDP on 2004-11-11
  This is not " one of those hideous books where the mother dies." Ruby immediatly makes it clear that she DOES not want anyones sympathy, she just things to go back to the way the were " berfore." I was immeditaly attrached to Rubys quirky personality and all its little facets,espesially her emails to her dead mother. As the story goes on, Ruby unwillingly begins to develope a relationship with her father, and his gay " interior designer" Max. Its a quick read, seeing as its written in poems. If you liked " What my mother doesn't know" you will love this book.
  
  
• Insanely funny
  By A3PGMFIKUQ7EX8 on 2004-12-30
  I was scrolling down through all the blurbs and all the reviews are talking about the emotion and the tears and blah diddly blah blah. This annoyed me, seeing as how the book WASN'T EMOTIONAL! I loved the character of Ruby, and the way she told her story through poems (a bit disconcerting at first, but excellent) really brought her insanely amusing personality to life. I loved Max, also, because he totally reminded me of one of my best friends (who loved this book too, by the way, after I forced him to read it) and, ok, this is going to sound ridiculous, but it was also sort of... bouncy. No, I don't mean bouncy as in bubbles and happy little smily faces. It was more like a trampoline that when the springs push you up, you rise to grabe a leaf of a nearby tree or something. That was a totally incoherent analogy, but seriously guys, THIS BOOK IS NOT CLOAKED IN A BLACK MOURNING VEIL!!! It contained intelligent humor and I was cracking up the entire time. READ IT. (But not if you enjoy depression)
  
  
• Better Than I Thought
  By A16AYX6T8NWOYQ on 2005-02-21
  This is the first book I've read from Sonya Sones but will definitely not be my last. I like to read young adult fiction from time to time because it helps me remember that I was a teen once and that many times you really get a raw deal during these years.
  
  From the title alone you know that Ruby has lost her mother but the character is not at all what I expected. Ruby has to move from the east to the west coast because her mother dies. The only lifelines to the east coast are Ruby's boyfriend and best friend, will their long distance relationship last? It's the way that the story is told in poems and e-mails that make it an interesting read. The story is cohesive even being written in this style that's becoming more and more popular.
  
  The ending with Ruby's father is a little predictable but heartfelt nonetheless. This is a great read that I encourage anyone to give a try.
  
  
• One of those Hideous books where the mother dies
  By on 2005-04-04
  I think this is a great book for kids having to deal with loving with an unfimiliar person or just someone who has had to deal with a close loved one dieing. You will definetly enjoy this book if you are sympethetic or if you love realistic fiction.
  
  
• It really wasn't a hideous book,
  By A2ZXR9HL7WL75 on 2005-07-14
  I loved this book. I was introduced to this book from the title and the author, which I have read other things by. It was an amazing book written in such grace, it gave me the shivers.
  
  This book is about Ruby and her hardship of her mother dying. Now, any death, especially you mother's, is very hard, but Ruby then had to move to sunny LA with her famous, jerk dad. As Ruby tried to hold on to her old life by writing letter to her best friend, her boyfriend, and her dead mother, she seems to be sinking quickly in her new life situation. As Ruby tries to push her father farther and farther away she realizes something about him that sheds a new light on her Hollywood father. Ruby even finds something horrible about her best friend and her boyfriend, something that just about breaks her to pieces. You can watch Ruby go through a tough time, as it seems that the people around her seem to be helping in the worst.
  
  I enjoyed this book because of many reasons. Not only was it fast moving, which I love, but also the characters tell everything about themselves, yet keeping themselves hidden. I think Sonya Sones just has an amazing talent and another amazing hit on her hands. I loved it!
  
  
  
• One of those great books where Sonya Sones is the author :)
  By A3A3RNR4BS6U7J on 2005-07-16
  I've read Sonya Sones' previous two books, which were great, but this one is the best. I love Ruby's sense of humor and metaphors. :) The ending is the best because it makes you feel sad, then you understand, and it leaves you with a warm feeling. This is a great, well-written book, and every teenager should read it.
  
  
• A very good book
  By on 2005-07-27
  I read this a couple of days ago, and it was great!
  Ruby is sad that her mother has died and she has to
  move to California and leave her best bud and boyfriend to live with her dad who divorced
  her mother before she was born. But her dad is a famous
  movie star, and he really wants to get to know her, but
  Ruby gives him a hard time. In the end though, it gets
  better. I love the setting of the story! (in Hollywood!)
  and Ruby is a girl you can realate to. This is one of the
  better books I've read, and will be a delight to everyone
  else!
  
  
• Sonya Sones Is An Original
  By A28WJUJF6D2ULA on 2005-08-23
  One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies is presented in a highly interesting format: it is written entirely in verse. Yep, it's a novel composed of free-verse poetry. But don't let that scare you. This book is a quick, fun read that moves along without any hitches or slow spots. It tells us about a teenage girl named Ruby, who moves from the east coast to Hollywood after the death of her mother. Ruby leaves behind a boyfriend, her best friend, and everyone and everything she has ever known, to be with a father she's barely met. It doesn't make things out in "Hollyweird" any easier that her father is Whip Logan, one of the biggest stars on the A-list or that this private time in her life is splashed across tabloids and news shows. Oh, and there's the little matter of how much Ruby detests her dad. And who can blame her since he's never shown any interest in her during her whole life. Or has he?
  
  This novel can easily be finished in one sitting, but it accesses more feeling than most books double its size. It's a nice reading experience, and not just for the "young person" demographic towards which it is being marketed.
  
  
  
• A great book
  By A3881TVH9HRXD9 on 2005-12-10
  This is an amazing book... normally it taks me at least 2 days or more to read a book...but this book was so good and such and easy read it only took me 4 hours... i recomend this book to anyone... it is amazing!!!
  
  
• One of Those Great Novels By Sonya Sones
  By A1VLW8IJU3JZ30 on 2006-02-02
  Her life has been turned upside down! Ruby, a fifteen - year - old girl, has just watched her mother die of a hideous disease and now is forced to leave her best friend and boyfriend. She has to move across the country to a mansion in Beverly Hills where her famous father lives. Doesn't sound so dramatic? Well how if her father left her mother before she was even born. No wonder Ruby has some aggression against her father. Even though he showers her with shopping trips and parties Ruby still misses her life she had back in Boston. Her expressions are reflected in free verse letters and poems. With this style it makes the reading exciting and breezy. You need to read the novel to see how her estranged father and this new life make their way into Ruby's heart.
  This novel got my eye with the creative title and free verse style. Now, it has brought laughter to the drama that happens in a teenager's life. Sonya Sones spends more time on Ruby than on the tragedy of her mother's death. Life can continue when you think it is all over!
  
  
  
  
• "One Of Those Hideous Books Where The Mother Dies"
  By on 2006-11-02
  I read the book "One Of Those Hideous Books Where The Mother Dies" by Sonya Sones. This was an excellent and also sad book. It was about a girl named Ruby and her mother died. She has to leave her aunt, best friend, and her boyfriend to go live with her father in L.A. that she has never meant before because he is a famous actor named Whip Logan. When she moves their she always sends emails to her dead mom, boyfriend, and best friend. She's so excited for thanksgiving because that's when her boyfriend is going their to see her, but worst of all her best friend Lizzie and her boyfriend Ray betrayed her. Ray breaks up with her for her best friend Lizzie. The one she's in love with dumps her for her best friend ever. Read this book its excellent!
  
  
• Cut Off "Where the Mother Dies", and you've got it right!
  By A3JMYE45ML9CSM on 2007-05-25
  One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies, well the title of the book got your attention but the question is: Do you want to explore the swift poetry style pages of Sonya Sones' novel? If it were all up to me, I would advise you not to read this book. I found it inappropriate and not suitable for teenagers. The ending, I found, also conflicted with my beliefs and seemed inappropriate as well.
  This book tells the story of Ruby, a young girl struggling to be happy with her recently "thrown in reverse" life. After her mother dies she's stuck on a plane headed for L.A. where her famous movie star father, Whip Logan, awaits her arrival to the airport and into his life permanently. Ruby, does everything in her power to make him feel like a bad father, after all he divorced her mom before Ruby was even born. Ruby struggles dealing with her hatred for Whip and missing her best friend, Liz and her boyfriend, Ray. She spends most of her time emailing Liz and Ray and awaiting Thanksgiving when they'll come to visit. She talked about many inappropriate things with her boyfriend while the rest of the plot spirals downward. I found it disturbing how Ruby sent her dead mother such silly and lighthearted emails almost mocking and joking about her death. Along with her emails she makes friends with her father's personal secretary who she jokes with inappropriately.
  Sonya Sones has written two other books with this being her most recent book. I think by the third book authors would be developing a style and theme, therefore, I would not want to read another book of hers because it would probably be similar to this book. Although I enjoyed the flowing poetic style Sonya Sones used, overall it didn't make up for the poor writing and issues used inappropriately.
  
  
  
• TERRIFIC BOOK
  By on 2004-06-10
  This book is terrific! It is very funny and at the same time very moving. The author really knows how to get inside the head and heart of a teenage girl. The story is told in a consistently compelling voice, and all the characters come across as unique and multi-dimensional. Ruby's ironic obversations about Los Angeles and Hollywood are priceless - compared to Ruby, Alice in Wonderland was dealing with everyday reality. This is a book as hilarious as it is powerful, and I recommend it to all readers.
  A Fan in Los Angeles
  
  

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