The Mockingbirds

by: Daisy Whitney

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
Some schools have honor codes.
Others have handbooks.
Themis Academy has the Mockingbirds.

Themis Academy is a quiet boarding school with an exceptional student body that the administration trusts to always behave the honorable way--the Themis Way. So when Alex is date raped during her junior year, she has two options: stay silent and hope someone helps her, or enlist the Mockingbirds--a secret society of students dedicated to righting the wrongs of their fellow peers.

In this honest, page-turning account of a teen girl's struggle to stand up for herself, debut author Daisy Whitney reminds readers that if you love something or someone--especially yourself--you fight for it.

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Funny little story - you all know I do reviews here, hunting down publishers to get review copies. I'm at the Salvation Army with my boys and I find an "Advanced Reading Copy - NOT FOR SALE" for $0.49. The title reminded me of To Kill a Mockingbird, and this is referenced in this book quite often. My cover has a redish tint to it, and I have to say I like that better than the blue. But that's the only difference.

One reviewer at Amazon criticized the quote on the cover which says "Hush little students, don't say a word..." and says that this made him expect a thriller. So not too surprising to see where his disappointment came from. And I think he makes a valid point, it takes away from the actual plot of the story.

Alex wakes up in a boys room, with no idea how she got there, where her clothes went or even who the boy is. It does come to her slowly through the story. But basically she got really drunk and was date raped. I loved how Alex's friends gave her unwavering support and helped her get help.

I hated that the school was useless. The teachers want the school to be full of the best of the best so they ignore anything bad that happens. The students take matters into their own hands by creating a group that doles out justice among the students. It has amazing checks and balances and both parties agree to take the punishment whatever the outcome.

I really, really loved the teacher that told her that it didn't matter if she had the time of her life with Carter, she was too drunk to give consent and what he did was wrong. I don't think teenage girls should read this, I think ALL teenagers should read this. I don't think we do enough to teach personal responsibility. Carter thought since they were making out prior that she wanted it. Even though she said she wanted to go home, even when she tried to push him off. She was too drunk to fight back and his only defense was that she didn't say "no." Well she didn't say anything, she was mostly sleeping.

I also found it amazing to find the author herself is a victim of date rape. Something that is really the hardest form of rape to prove and prosecute. I think this book is a great addition to the fight.