Before, After, and Somebody
In Between
by Jeannine Garsee

    BEFORE, AFTER, AND SOMEBODY IN BETWEEN by Jeannine Garsee
    Category:  Contemporary
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  6/26/07
    Publisher:  Bloomsbury
    Reviewed by:  Dena Landon
    Rating:  5 Stars


    When Martha's mom gets out of rehab and drags Martha to live with her latest boyfriend it's nothing new.  Ever
    since her father's death, Martha's life has been a string of moving from place to place, constantly watching out for
    her mom.  But this time the new boyfriend lives in a part of town where 'white girls don't belong,' as her classmates
    at school have no problem telling her.  Martha is plunged into a world of gang violence and drugs, metal detectors
    at school, threats from other students, and violence at home.  But she still manages to make a few friends at school
    and with the family that lives upstairs.  And when she signs up for orchestra and discovers the joy of playing the
    cello, she thinks things might have finally turned around.  

    Until an act of violence sends everything spiraling out of control.

    BEFORE, AFTER, AND SOMEBODY IN BETWEEN is a gritty and realistic tale of a girl trying to escape her
    parent's poor choices and make a life for herself.  Told unflinchingly in the first person, Garsee doesn't hesitate from
    portraying teen violence, sex, and drug and alcohol use as the traps that they can be, but she does so with gentle
    humor and a compassionate eye.  Martha is a flawed heroine, coming to terms with her own faults and the addictive
    tendencies she may have inherited from her mother, but readers will root for her to succeed.  This book is not a
    light-hearted tale, and at times the string of bad events can feel unrelenting, but Garsee shows the bright spots to be
    found in even the deepest tragedies.  

    Recommended for older readers only.  Contains drug and alcohol use, sex, and profanity.