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Here are comments from our group of Advance Readers about Andrea Portes's HICK.
Ben from Birmingham, AL
What authors do you read?
I enjoy a lot of Robert B. Parker’s books, as well as those by Clive Cussler, Roy Blount Jr., and occasionally Robert Ludlum. I enjoy mysteries and some action adventure, like Cussler’s Dirk Pitt novels. I did enjoy Dan Brown’s THE DA VINCI CODE because I think it wove action, adventure, mystery, and history into one story.
What did you think of HICK?
Like the main character, Luli McMullen, said a couple of times about how she can’t look away from a car crash, that’s the way I felt about the book. From the first page, it was obvious that this would not have a happy ending and there would be more gloom than glee in the telling of the story, but I couldn’t look away. I read the whole book in one day. Ms. Portes paints a good word picture, like the phrase, “He’s got a face that’d make a freight train take a dirt road.” That is good writing. As a writer myself, I appreciate that (and wish I had thought of it).
Would you ever read a future book by Andrea Portes?
Yes.
Judy from West Carrollton, OH
What authors do you read?
Elizabeth Berg
Jon Katz
Jonathan Kellerman
Katrina Kittle
Lois Lowry
Alexander McCall Smith
Jodi Picoult
Anna Quindlen
Elie Wiesel
And many more,,,
What did you think of HICK?
The character's actions and storyline were true to real life and I was impressed with the personal growth Luli achieved.
Would you ever read a future book by Andrea Portes?
Absolutely.
Julie from Mechanicsburg, PA
What authors do you read?
I read about three books a week, so it's really hard for me to list particular authors. I read a lot of the bestsellers that aren't romance. I also read a lot of women's fiction, such as Anita Shreve, Elizabeth Berg, Anne Tyler, Anna Quindlen, etc. I have read everything by Michael Connelly, James Patterson, Janet Evanovich, and both Kellermans, to name a few. Recently, I have read and loved the books by Khaled Hosseini and Lisa See. I pick a lot of my books based on the ReadingGroupGuides.com and Bookreporter.com recommendations!
What did you think of HICK?
I just finished HICK (in one sitting) and I really couldn't put it down. In some ways, I felt like it was difficult for me to read because I felt so terrible for Luli. In another totally different way, I wanted to keep on reading to find out what happened to her. The book was extremely depressing for me, but I was impressed by how Portes was able to add some humor into the story.
While Luli seemed quite mature for a 13 year old, I kept reminding myself that she didn't have a "normal" upbringing --- she was forced to grow up so much faster. I felt that Luli's conflicted feelings about the need to feel accepted/desired instead of feeling violated were tragic; however, many young teens probably feel the same way on a much smaller scale. I also felt that Luli's coping mechanism of distancing herself (putting a lid on parts of her life) and watching her life like a movie or an outsider was very real to her survival.
As a mother of an almost 8 year old girl, I was sickened at what Luli has dealt with her entire life. At the end of the novel, my heart just broke for her. I liked how the story ended and I find myself hoping that things work out for her.
Would you ever read a future book by Andrea Portes?
Absolutely! Thanks so much for this wonderful opportunity!
Tommi from Keysville, VA
What authors do you read?
John Irving, Joyce Carol Oates, Jodi Picoult, Gregory Maguire, and J. K. Rowling.
What did you think of HICK?
I found it to be a well-written book. It had a very "in-your-face" kind of story line that, at times, was shocking and disturbing. However, that made the book that much harder to put down!
Would you ever read a future book by Andrea Portes?
Yes!
Vickie from Perry, GA
What did you think of HICK?
HICK caught your imagination from the first page. It was like no book I have ever read. Forget about foster children and getting lost in the "system." Luli was a child brought up in bars and bar TV. She was not exactly "street smart," but knew her way around TV sitcoms and Elvis. I didn't think it would turn out to be a "Cinderella" story.
[Is the author going to write more books? I enjoyed HICK very much, but I would not recommend this for teenagers.]
Kate from Centreville, VA
What authors do you read?
It varies. Lately, I've been reading a lot of Neil Gaiman, Mike Resnick, Jodi Picoult, and Jennifer Weiner.
What did you think of HICK?
It was just okay. I didn't really care about any of the characters, and their interactions didn't strike me as especially realistic. The dialect in the narration was a little tiresome, too.
Would you ever read a future book by Andrea Portes?
Probably not.
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