badappleTitle: Bad Apple
Author: Laura Ruby
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Harper Teen
Source: Review Copy Provided by Publisher
Parental Warning: innuendo (light), vandalism

Summary:
Tola Riley has a secret that isn’t so secret anymore.  It’s been said that she’s having an affair with her high school art teacher Mr. Mymer.  But, the real questions are whether that rumor is true and who initiated it.  According to many Tola is the local Lolita who wove a spell around the poor man until he was unable to resist. However, a good portion of bystanders (her mother in particular) believe Mr. Mymer to be a predator that pounced on a young impressionable student looking for academic and artistic guidance.

Enter an array of characters who all seem to think they have the answers.  The overbearing mother who didn’t see it coming trying to make up for her inattentiveness, the absent father whose new life and new wife have him interested in only small snippets he can remotely control, the OCD sister whose own life is in a shambles in a far different way, and finally several friends, foes and a suitor who all have an opinion or comment about how the affair did or did not play out.

Using art as an outlet for her trouble and pain Tola happens upon a lovely older woman who encourages her to harness and embrace her talent as a coping mechanism.  Listening to her advice Tola begins attending her class and continues to paint as therapy until finally the truth comes out.

Opinion:
Bad Apple was fairly predictable in it’s plot in almost all areas with the exception of the most important one — the did she or didn’t she reveal.  The back and forth of each step down the path to that ultimate revelation was well done.  I personally didn’t know if the affair happened, at what level and who initiated it until the very bitter end and I appreciated that fact.  I liked that we got to see small glimpses of the truth but didn’t know that it was.  It made that part of the story more intriguing and enjoyable.

The different characters were equally interesting.  Most particularly I had a strong reaction to the young bully Ruby created in Chelsea Patrick.  Scorned after the dissolution of her former friendship with Tola she takes to tormenting her in the hallways,on her blog and just about anywhere she could possibly find. This young woman was spiteful, bitter and it seemed to me one step away from escalating into some form of violence.  She also played a significant role in Tola’s circumstances (which I will not spoil) with Mr. Mymer that furthered the progression of the story quite significantly.

On the other hand, I found the art as therapy angle to be a bit too convenient and sweet, particularly at the end of the book when the grand reveal and resolution was made public.  The older woman who took Tola under her wing was a small part of the story but one that ended up glossing over. She was a means to an end but it was an end that was just kind of there.

Further, the budding romance between Tola and Seven was cute and added a much needed respite from the drama and dysfunction.  Again, this was a small part of the larger whole but one that I appreciated.  I also found the quirky neurotic sister who constantly sassed everyone to be fun as well, she brought a slight humor to the events.

All in all Bad Apple was a quick and entertaining read one that is safe for laterr aged pre-teen and teen aged readers interested in stories about high-school dynamics and navigating different types of relationships.