Book 2: Damage by A.M. Jenkins

OK, so I may have fallen behind a little on my blog entries-but don't worry, I'm back.  So book number 2, very different from book number 1, but still a good read.

Damage is essentially about your all-American boy.  Austin is a 17-year-old high school football hero in the heart of rural Texas.  What more could a guy want than to be a talented athlete, ladies man, and popular jock all rolled into one?  Austin asks himself the same question, but he feels something is missing.  Lately overwhelming feelings of emptiness and loneliness and Austin can't figure out why he feels this way when he leads a seemingly ideal life.  Throughout the book the reader sees life through Austin's eyes-what it's like to be pressured by society, to try and fill voids with meaningless relationships, to not want to live anymore.

Pretty heavy stuff, but still a very eye-opening read, which is one of the things I really like about the book.  Everyone hurts, no matter who you are, and recognizing that can be really beneficial whether it means you recognize it's okay for you to hurt or whether it means you realize that nobody is perfect and everyone has feelings.

I also like this book because it's a quick and easy read (as far as language, plot, comprehension, etc.)  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy all kinds of books of varying lengths and I enjoy books that challenge my literary skills-but let's face it, not everyone reads at the same levels.  As a hopeful guidance counselor, part of my philosophy still includes catering to the multiple intelligences.  Not everyone can read at the same level, and even if they are an excellent reader, they might not have a lot of time to put into extracurricular reading.  Therefore, this quick and easy read that also addresses important issues seems like a good addition to a counselors library.