Shug

‘Shug’ is cute and thoroughly enjoyable. It is everything that I’ve come to expect from Jenny Han. A young protagonist dealing with the pressures of coming of age. Moments of flightiness, misunderstanding and heartbreak. It’s all here. Shug, an affectionate nickname for out protagonist, Annemarie, is teetering on the edge of childhood, about to take the first steps of maturity and claiming womanhood. Her perceptions of gender roles, of responsibility, are that mix of naive and clear black and white… but as in life, nothing really works that way. So Shug has to find a way to learn to deal with it all. Her best male friend Mark, and BFF Elaine are facing issues of their own. As they start to grapple with independence and carve out the person they want to grow into, it inevitably leads to distance. Distance from Shug. Somehow they have to navigate this predicament and determine what it means for each of their relationships. Jack, (one of Marks best friends) also faces the same conundrum, but as Shug grows to learn more about him, soon discovers he is nothing like she first assumed. Shug’s parents are grappling with difficulties in their own relationship as well – and this throws her compass for safety spinning. All of this leads to an engaging read about life, relationships and saying goodbye to a part of your childhood. The narrative is deliciously innocent, while the tone of the novel more melancholy. So, combined with Han’s smooth writing style and a slow but gradual build with pacing, ‘Shug’ braces at that edge of adulthood expertly. The story did feel a little flat – but I liked the simplistic plot and easy to read style (though it is targeted to a young audience). A pleasant read for an afternoon.

I recently reread this book for the second time, It was absolutely amazing! Both times that I have read this book I have sat down and read the entire thing in 1 sitting, this book breaks your heart, makes you smile, and is a fantastic read. Beautifully written and you just become so attached to the characters. I was struggling to find something to read for months and I just couldn’t seem to find anything that grabbed me. I tried out this book and I spent my entire day not being able to look away from my screen! If you are looking for a incredible story that sucks you in and makes you cry read this book! After reading this story it was very clear that I had a new favorite!! I highly recommend this. I rate it 5 stars

I\’m giving this book a 5 star rating based solely on a conversation I had with my 13 yr old daughter last night. I purchased the book about a month ago for her based on the descriptions and reviews. Her earlier experiences in reading literature (in school) were not great, and left her with the impression that reading was something she would never enjoy. I\’ve been an avid reader since my pre-teens, and read several major novels (J. Michener, James F Cooper, J.R.R. Tolkien, etc) at a very young age for sheer enjoyment. I was very concerned that my daughter\’s early impressions of reading would deprive her of what I enjoyed so much. The reviews and storyline of Shug sounded to me like something that she could relate to. She\’s a \”young\” 13, and so I didn\’t want to get anything that was too grown up – she\’ll discover those things soon enough. Last night she showed me that she only has about 20 pages left in the book. She flat out said that she loved it, because it seemed like it was written about her and the girls (and one boy she likes) in school. Her reaction was such a relief to me (and herself I\’m sure) that I feel absolutely delighted with this purchase. It\’s not just a great story for my daughter and similar girls, but it has actually accomplished something that I was truly afraid would never happen; it made my daughter realize what an amazing journey can be found in the pages of a book. In this age of hi-speed information and digital screened gadgetry, this was a real blessing to us both.

The only reason I first started reading \”Shug\” was because I was a huge fan of Jenny Han. When I finished the book (at 2:00 am) I was crying because it was done. This heartwarming story about \”Shug\” Wilcox is addictive. As a young girl myself, I can relate to Shug who has a huge crush on her best friend Mark. Her only problem is that she isn\’t sure he likes her back. While Shug is struggling with her love life, she has been facing problems at home such as her alcoholic mom and her absent father. As Shug goes through Junior High she realizes how special she is.

This book is so sweet and gives me nostalgia of a first love. Not gonna lie but it for having me crying at the end which is my other way of saying this is an AMAZING read.

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