"The Death of Jayson Porter" by Jaime Adoff

272 pages

Sixteen-year-old Jayson Porter has never had an easy life. He lives with his mother, a former prostitute who is abusive and addicted to drugs. He struggles to maintain a decent relationship with his father, who is also strung out on drugs. As a half-white, half-black teenager from the projects, he feels like he's a misfit in all areas of his life, from his home in the projects to his fancy all-white school, which he attends on scholarship. Jayson always believes that things will get better, though...until a series of tragedies take him to the end of his rope.

I really liked this book. I feel like it provides a realistic portrayal of what someone in Jayson's situation might feel, and it ultimately has a good message without being too cheesy or preachy. The ending is sort of predictable but I had no idea how it was going to get there, so I stayed interested. I think this is a great book to recommend to teens, especially boys, who are struggling with their life circumstances.