Before, After, and Somebody In Between

Synopsis: ...when a single dream isn't enough.

Why is it so wrong to want to be normal? To prove to the world, and to yourself, that you're not just a white-trash nobody?

A fourteen year-old cellist with big dreams and a bigger mouth, Martha knows her talent will one day help her escape the clutches of her alcoholic mom and the chaotic life they share. Then her beloved cello is stolen, and she resorts to drastic measures to replace it--with tragic results. But just when she decides life can't possibly get any suckier, Martha is unexpectedly given a chance to escape her hopeless existence. Thrilled beyond belief, she reinvents herself as the elusive "Gina" and moves in with the Brinkmans, a wealthy, seemingly "perfect" family with a few disturbing secrets of its own.

Review: Jeannine Garsee did a fantastic job with this book, which is completely written in first person. This story was raw and didn't cut corners when it came to being real. It took me quite a while to read it, but it wasn't hard to follow at all. It was like I was there besides Martha, watching everything happen to her, but feeling helpless because I couldn't do anything to help her; stuck just like she had been her entire life. I am not one to pick up books like this one, they always seem a bit too real for me, a little too depressing; but Somebody puts a lot of things into perspective. Each character showed that life wasn't easy; that no matter what walk of life you came from, everyone had problems, everyone ran into roads blocks which needed to be overcome. Overall, I loved this book. It isn't one that is meant for everyone and be warned this book can get to be a bit much. But if you are looking for a book with a wonderful story but is completely real then you should definitely pick this one up.