Sway Paperback – August 11, 2012

*Does contain SPOILERS*I have never read a story that has the main character having a hearing impairment, and at times I felt sorry for the way Jessie was being treated by her classmates. But she was strong enough to where she tried her best to hold her own and not let it get to her too much.There was really no plot line to the story so if you start reading and wondering oh something magical is going to happen just know it doesn't.Sway is more like umm I don't want to say journal because it is not but more along the line of just telling the everyday life of Jessie and what she goes through.Now it was interesting to see how things went on in Jessie's life and how she overcame it all.I thought Jessie doing karate was pretty cool, I learned some new words that are used in karate that I didn't know. The way the author described the whole karate scenes made me want to go out and join up to learn it.The things I had a problem with and they are nothing major but it is what made me constantly question what was going in the book.1. There is a scene where Jessie and Ethan are going to play hockey. I don't ever remember hockey being brought up before. I didn't know Jessie played hockey at one point in her life.2. Jessie gets attacked outside of the dojo. That is just a weird scene overall. I can see why these guys picked on her but to put their hands on her and not have a motive such as and yes I am going to use the word rape, or thievery what was the true point of it. Unless it was to make Ethan come out as the hero who saved her.3. When Jessie is attacked we see her mother worry over her but where was her father? It is like he doesn't play much of a part in it.4. Her relationship with Ethan. I could see how it would evolve into a dating relationship but I didn't feel it like it seemed quick. It was like they meet, they do karate and then Ethan is saying "Eye Love You".I did buy the other books in this series as I would like to read more to see what else goes on in Jessie's life. And they are also on sale at the time of this review. Hopefully book two is going to have more of a plot than this one.

I love a story that can move me to tears and smiles, and make me remember vividly patches of my forgotten youth.Sway is a true YA story that makes me realize why this genre is making such a strong comeback. SWAY is a clean and sensitive story, no dragons around the corner no blood dripping monsters, a tale that reminds us of our potential for kindness and gentleness welling up inside us while clamoring to be free.Jessie is not your typical teenager. She is hearing-impaired and wears a hearing aid to help her cope with everyday life at school which means she also needs the cooperation of her teachers and the many students around her.Teenagedom is a strange time in our lives as we all deal in different ways with the fear of the unknown that lies ahead of us. Some believe strength equates arrogance and so learn to belittle their peers. At times, this can be brutal to someone who desperately needs to fit-in.Jessie’s life is no picnic, but Jennifer Gibson finds the means to show the warmth and beauty still surrounding Jessie’s difficult routine. She’s an only child while mother works a business, father is a teacher but does not figure prominently in the story.All in all, the focus never leaves Jessie who trudges through her life at school while finding delicious ways to overcome her fears. Her cat, Parker lends a hand in a magical sense, at least this being my opinion. In describing Parker coming to Jessie’s rescue, Jennifer Gibson reveals what I believe in one of life’s most precious gift: our inner capacity to create our own reality. Yes, Jessie meets a young man, Ethan who is thoughtful strong and handsome. Yet the story points the way to Jessie being able to get wherever she wants to go, with or without Ethan. Well done!

“Sway” is a novel based on a true story about a hearing impaired teenager named Jessie who struggles to stay positive and grown as a young adult. Her patience, kindness, and positivity is tested as she is constantly the butt of her classmates jokes and unkind attitudes. Just when she thought things would never look up, Jessie catches a good looking stranger’s eye.The characters are sweet and endearing. From Jessie’s creative kind nature to Ethan’s amazing understanding and sensibility, you can’t help but love them. They complement each other in ways you would only hope every human being could.The story kept you wondering when the climatic floor was going to drop out from under and send you on a crazy spiral. It didn’t happen, but you just keep turning the pages to see what happens next. The story was touching, captivating, and heartwarming.I would recommend “Sway” for young adults and adults looking for a sweet read. There is mild kissing and hugging that will make your heart smile. Thank you Jennifer Gibson for the great read. Good luck with everything past, present, and future.

Having a father who has hearing problems (due to medicine side-effects), I found it very interesting to read this book.Considering this is a book written for young adults, I find it a very good introduction to the world of hearing impaired people, and the problems they go through during their life. As this is a girl going to school, you get a very strong anti-bullying message and you get a deeper insight in the life of just this one person and the persons she interacts with.I missed a bit of a red thread through the book, some kind of general story, but liked it really a lot anyway.Would certainly advise this to young adult and adult persons who are interested in the topic and are not "allergic" to romance situations!

This is a wonderful young adult romance/coming of age novel. I loved it!Jessie is a great character. I did like her, but hated her attitude at times, especially when she is full of angst, as she comes across as bratty. She is a fifteen (turning sixteen) year old teen with a hearing impairment. This is her story as she deals with school bullies, her hearing issues and the possibility of having a boyfriend.This story is very easy to get into. The characters are well developed, and the story is very relatable. The scenes are very well described, and I could picture them with ease. I could understand Jessie's angst at being bullied, having been bullied myself at school for wearing glasses. However, I felt that the bullies would have picked on her regardless of her "disability". Children, especially those of middle grade and teenage (not all, I grant you) years can be extremely hurtful or judgmental about their peers due to differences that they see as "not cool". I think that Jessie herself is extremely judgmental towards her classmates in turn. She doesn't go out of her way to be friendly, and is extremely prickly towards anyone who even tries to befriend her. She has an almost visible brick wall built up, which I am surprised that Ethan manages to get through. The closest she has to a friend is her cat, Peter Parker. However, Ethan does get through her brick wall, and we get to see the inner Jessie as she opens up.Not having a hearing impairment myself, I couldn't quite relate to the story, but I did find myself intrigued at how someone like Jessie relates to the rest of the world. In a way, there is no difference (in my eyes) whether you have a hearing impairment or a sight one. We, as human beings, see the world in similar but completely different ways. Our experiences shape our lives, but we have the ability to either go with the flow, or stand ridged and be set in our ways. Jessie is still trying to find out where she fits in the world, and it is interesting watching her character grow throughout the story. I am now looking forward to reading Compass, the next book, as soon as I can.Jennifer Gibson has written an intriguing and interesting YA story based in truth. The story is not especially fast paced, but I found it a quick read. I love the way the story flows from scene to scene; it's extremely fluid. This is an author I am looking forward to adding to my favourite authors list.I highly recommend this book to young readers aged 12 to 16, and to adults who love reading younger YA romance or coming of age novels. - Lynn Worton