The S Word by Chelsea Pitcher: Review, Excerpt, and Giveaway

YA Fiction
Simon and Schuster
Chelsea Pitcher
Expected Publication: May 7, 2013
Brought to you by Shane @ itchingforbooks.blogspot.com

First it was SLUT scribbled all over Lizzie Hart’s locker.

But one week after Lizzie kills herself, SUICIDE SLUT replaces it—in Lizzie's looping scrawl.

Lizzie’s reputation is destroyed when she's caught in bed with her best friend’s boyfriend on prom night. With the whole school turned against her, and Angie not speaking to her, Lizzie takes her own life. But someone isn’t letting her go quietly. As graffiti and photocopies of Lizzie’s diary plaster the school, Angie begins a relentless investigation into who, exactly, made Lizzie feel she didn’t deserve to keep living. And while she claims she simply wants to punish Lizzie’s tormentors, Angie's own anguish over abandoning her best friend will drive her deep into the dark, twisted side of Verity High—and she might not be able to pull herself back out.
Debut author Chelsea Pitcher daringly depicts the harsh reality of modern high schools, where one bad decision can ruin a reputation, and one cruel word can ruin a life. Angie’s quest for the truth behind Lizzie’s suicide is addictive and thrilling, and her razor-sharp wit and fierce sleuthing skills makes her impossible not to root for—even when it becomes clear that both avenging Lizzie and avoiding self-destruction might not be possible.

I really, really don't want to write this review. 

I just made a video on cyberbullying. That required me to do lots of research on bullying cases and be hands on with a lot of graphic material. As you might be able to tell, bullying and suicide is a topic that is very...important to me. 

But that's not why I don't want to write this review. 

The S Word is an amazing book. I feel like anything I might say about it will not measure up to the praise the book deserves. The hardcore emotions of every day high school life are embedded in these pages. There are pure emotions in this book. The characters are very well formed, especially Lizzie and Angie. I feel like Chelsea pre-planned there pasts, futures, and presents impeccably well. 

Thirteen Reasons Why was an incredible book. And I feel like this book is just as great, if not better. The plot wraps you up and you'll find yourselves lost in the story.

And the ending. Ugh, the ending is INCREDIBLE. 

I need to stop before I spoil the novel. Here, here is the excerpt. Let me contain myself.
Oh wait, let me just say something about the cover. I usually don't talk about cover art, but the paperback edition of the book is so cool! I has all these awesome engravings on it and stuff, so I highly suggest you pick that up when the book is published.
And I almost forgot the rating. Ten out of ten, by far.
Scroll down below to read the excerpt and to enter the giveaway.

Crawling on my hands and knees, I lift up the dust ruffle at the bottom of Lizzie’s bed. Nothing there. I can’t bring myself to go through her drawers—that seems too invasive, somehow. But if Lizzie had something to hide, she wouldn’t put it in her drawers anyway. She’d put it somewhere her father wouldn’t think to look. Somewhere innocent looking. As quiet as can be, I look behind the crosses on the wall. Nothing.

Lizzie’s pristine row of teddy bears stare back at me from the bed. Honestly, I should’ve packed them already, but they always freaked me out. Now I walk toward them, mesmerized with possibility. One by one I pull the bears forward, looking behind their backs. Nothing. Nothing. No, wait.

Something.

The little book is turned on its side, tucked into a teddy bear tuxedo. I lift it from its furry hiding spot. Shame and excitement bubble up from my stomach, warming me. What could it be?

Oh. From the Depth of Her Breast. Looks like a book of cheesy love poems. Lizzie’s secret would be that cutesy. I flip open the book. Hmmm, nope. A book of cheesy sex poems. Still not the clue I was looking for.

I go to tuck the book into my pocket. If Lizzie didn’t want Daddy to see it, I’m not going to leave it behind. The book won’t fit, not entirely. It’s too bulky for this stupid jean pocket. I pull it out, trying to smash the pages together. That’s when I see it. This little white corner peeking out of the yellowed pages. A note.

My heart races as I open it.

The note consists of one line, next to a winking smiley face:

The only thing worth reading in the library, for the only one worth anything in this town.

Um. Wow. It’s not Drake’s handwriting. I know that for a fact. Anyway, poetry (even of the sexual persuasion) is so far beyond Drake’s gift-giving scope it’s not even funny. Once, we had to write an original poem for English class. It could’ve been about anything, in any form we wanted.

Drake stole his from the Internet. It was called “Ode To a Broke Down Truck.” Mrs. Linn thought it was a great allegory for the human condition.

He got an A.

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Chelsea Pitcher is a native of Portland, OR where she received her BA in English Literature. Fascinated by all things literary, she began gobbling up stories as soon as she could read, and especially enjoys delving into the darker places to see if she can draw out some light.