Reviewer: Connie Payne
Title: When Irish Guys Are Smiling - S.A.S.S. (Students Across the Seven Seas) Series
Author: Suzanne Supplee
Publisher: Speak – Imprint of Penguin Group
ISBN-13: 9780142410165
Release Date: January 2008
Genre/Sub-genre: YA/Romance
Publisher’s Age/Grade Recommendation: 12 and up
OUAR’s Age/Grade Recommendation: 15 and up
Year/Setting: Present Day - Ireland
Overall rating: 4.0
Sexual Content Rating: None (a few kisses)
Language (Profanity) Content Rating: Mild
Violent Content Rating: None
Suzanne's Website:
www.suzannesupplee.com
The past couple of years have been extremely rough for 17-year old Delk Sinclair. Her mother passed away and she misses her desperately. If her grief was the only thing she had to deal with, maybe she could get through it, with her father. But that’s not the case. He recently married a 27-year old (what was he thinking?), who is not only trying to decorate all memories of her mother right out of the house, but she’s pregnant, too!
What better time to apply for S.A.S.S. (Students Across the Seven Seas)? What could be better than attending a semester of school in Ireland? She can leave her problems behind, if only for a little while, and finally be happy. But her problems aren’t left behind. Neither is her hurt and bitterness. It’s something that’s always with her.
One way to deal with it all is to dive right into the assignments. Teaching a class on Keats, learning to shear sheep, and experience St. Patrick’s Day the Irish way. Another is to create lasting friendships with students Iris, Latreece, Lucy, Brent, and Trent. The adventures they go on are unforgettable. It’s all new and intriguing to Delk.
Yet it’s 19-year old Pather Keneally who catches Delk’s eye. He’s not only handsome, but he’s kind and generous, empathetic. As she spends time with him, Delk quickly comes to truly appreciate the history and beauty of Ireland; she slowly begins to deal with her mother’s death and her grief. But even so, will she come to terms with her step-mother; will she find out happiness doesn’t’ have to be a thing of the past?
With characters that are multi-faceted, a plot that’s entirely believable, and extremely visual descriptions, what’s created is an environment that many teens will be able to relate to and enjoy...
Ms. Supplee navigates and blends into Delk and her friends lives a variety of things that affect many teens lives. Emotions and feelings and situations involving things such as grief, love, honesty, friendship, drinking, responsibility, and more; never preaching, simply offering food for thought to the reader as Delk and Iris and the gang take a journey of self-discovery. A journey that might be taken by more than one affected reader as well.
Connie
Question or comment regarding the review or the book? Click here and let Connie know.
Top
Reviews
Featured Reviews
Archived Reviews