One mind, Two matters

Identical
Hopkins, Ellen
2010
Fiction
Disclaimers: violence, sex, drugs, alcohol, and swearing

Kayleigh and Raeanne are 16-year-old identical twins. Their mother is running for congress and their father is a respected district court judge. On the outside everything points to a happy family, but inside everything is broken and dysfunctional. Their mom is away on campaighn and avoids coming home, their father is a sexually abusive drunk, Raeanne truns to drugs, alcohol and sex to humb her pain of not being father's favorite, and kayleigh binges and cuts in secret to escape the pain of her fathers abuse, while remaining the "good girl" in public.
 Identical is a story all about abuse. Drug abuse, sexual abuse and self abuse. Told by both Kayleigh and Raeanne in alternating views, it gibes you all the details, and is a very umcomfrtable book to read. The school Library Journal agrees saying, "Gritty and compelling, this is not a comfortable read, but it's keen insights make it hard to put down."
The book is meant for more mature audiences, I would say at least 15. The book is about high school students and the subject matter is very mature and hard to swallow. I would recommend this book to almost anyone who is age appropriate though. It is a great book, I couldn't put it down although sometimes I didn't want to read on, with an explosive ending. Kirkus Reviews agree saying "Hopkins gift with free verse reaches new heights in this portrait of splintered identical twins... Sharp and stunning with a brilliant final page."

Get ready for the fire

Burned (2006)
Hopkins, Ellen
Fiction
9/10
Disclaimer: The is alcohol, language, sex and violence

Pattyn lives in a religious yet abusive home Burned is her story, of living with 7 sisters, and alcoholic dad, and a church that supresses worm. She tarts to quesion what her life means, her inevitable role as a mohter and wife, true love, and if love really evn exists. Then she starts to get into trouble; drinking sneeking out to parties, and getting in fights. One day her father cahches her with a boy and sends her to Nevada to spend the summer with her Aunt. In Nevada she finds love and a new life, and learns about her old life and just how cruel her dad can really be.
Pattyn tells her story of love, life, and pain through her poems and journals, to teenage girls struggling with love and religion. I would recommend this book to all teenage girls, with or without issues.Its a great book, fast paced, and there is hardly ever a dull moment. However Mormons might take offense to some of the things she says about the church