Elizabeth Scott Week: The Unwritten Rule

 I'm excited to be one of the hosting blogs for Elizabeth Scott Week!  Be sure to check out my review below of The Unwritten Rule.  Also, don't forget to link-up your blog at the bottom if you've participated this week with reviews and/or discussion posts on your own blog.  I'd love to check it out!

GIVEAWAY TIME!  Fill out the form at the bottom for a chance to win a complete set of books from Elizabeth Scott herself!  If you've linked up & contributed a post this week, you get an extra entry.  Good Luck!!

The Unwritten Rule
Published: March 16, 2010 by Simon Pulse
Received: bought from Teen Book Con via Blue Willow Bookshop

He's looking at me like—well, like he wants to look at me. Like he likes what he sees, and he's smiling and his eyes are so blue, even in the faint glow of the porch light they shine, and I nod dumbly, blindly, and then grope for the door handle, telling myself to look away and yet not able to do it.

"Sara," he says, softly, almost hesitantly, and my heart slam-bangs, beating hard, and this is what it's like to want someone you can't have. To want someone you shouldn't even be looking at.{goodreads.com}

Imagine wanting something you know deep down in your heart is the absolute worst thing to want.  Now imagine having the opportunity to get what you want, but taking a huge risk of hurting someone very close to you in the process.  What do you do?  For Sara the decision is not easy.  She longs for the boy who stole her heart first, yet her best friend is the one standing by his side now.  Sara never meant to hurt anyone, and she never meant to cause so much turmoil in her own life.  But how long can someone sit on the sidelines and watch the boy who was meant to be hers in the beginning, be swept away by the best friend who takes him for granted now.

Elizabeth Scott has taken such an honest approach on what it means to be young and in love, but not able to express that love due to certain circumstances.  At first I was turned off by the idea of teenagers and cheating.  I do not condone the behavior what so ever.  I don't care how old you are, it is wrong at any age.  But this story took a unique approach to the subject matter.  Instead of glorifying the teens want and lust to commit such a crime, Elizabeth Scott wrote from the true perspective of a young girl who's heart is confused and the regrets she feels when she acts on impulse.

The writing through out the story was very quick paced.  I felt myself right along side Sara as she longed for Ryan.  The story recounts the history between the two teenagers and sets up a well understood background as to how Sara ended up in Ryan's car, lips locked, late one night while Brianna (the best friend) was at a party.  The details leading up to this turn of events helps the reader to understand and really grasp what is happening inside Sara's head.  She is conflicted between the want she has for Ryan, even before him and Brianna started to date; and the reality of what her actions will do to her relationship with her best friend.  It's a roller coaster ride of emotions that never let up.  Once you're on this ride, there is no stopping.  Elizabeth Scott takes us on twists and turns, barreling at full speed, coming to a screeching halt as Sara comes face to face with the consequences of her actions.

Sometimes there are characters written so well that I feel a personal emotional connection to them.  I feel as though I know this person.  They are no longer words written on a page, but rather a physical being standing before me.  This character is not always meant to be a positive one, either.  Brianna is someone I felt strongly connected to, but for all the wrong reasons.  Due to her terrible upbringing; a father who left her and a mother who neglected her, Brianna knows nothing about being a decent person.  Her best friend Sara is the only person who has been there for her, yet she takes this relationship for granted as well.  The harsh words that came out of Brianna's mouth were so powerful that I felt myself wanting to reach through the pages and slap her.  I can not tell you how infuriated she made me feel.  It almost made me root for Sara, and her dishonesty while she messed around with Brianna's boyfriend behind her back.  But I know that does not make it ok, no matter how terrible of a person she is.

Someone always gets hurt when cheating is involved.  There is never an easy way out.  Though I was pleased with the ending, I still closed the book with a feeling of distaste.  Not for the book itself, but for the characters in the story; especially Brianna.  Elizabeth Scott is not afraid to push the boundaries when it comes to young adult fiction.  She writes with such emotion and honesty, that leaves you thinking long after the book has been closed.  When an author has that type of effect on you, you know their writing is brilliant.  I respect her ability to twist a heavy topic in to something that can be beautiful.  Yes, there are rules in life and in relationships -- but there are also gray areas around these rules.  Not everything is black or white, and not every answer is the easiest solution.  The Unwritten Rule goes beyond what you are suppose to do, and divulges in to what you can do.

Fill out the form below for a chance to 

win this COMPLETE set of Elizabeth Scott books!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO ENTERED!

* Giveaway Rules:

- Open to U.S. only

- Ends 5/24/11

- Winner has 24 hrs to respond