Stephanie Kuehnert - "Ballads of Suburbia" available July 2009!


	Here's what people are saying about BALLADS OF SUBURBIA: "....an intensely real and painfully honest novel of high-school anxiety." and "....Kuehnert nails the raw vulnerability of teendom and delivers a hard-hitting and mesmerizing read." - Booklist "Like an American Beauty for the teen set." - NewCity "With her first two novels, Kuehnert has created vivid pictures of teenage lives that lie in that borderland that abuts adulthood. It is a fertile, confusing and intense place, and Kuehnert never holds back. But like a good ballad, she keeps the stories taut and precise, with a touch of heart thrown in for good measure." - Chicago Sun-Times "Ballads of Suburbia bridges the gap between Yates and Selby, Jr. It brings the dark, gritty reality of teenage culture in suburban America to the surface through a cast of characters that are hard not to love. Like Last Exit to Brooklyn, Stephanie Kuehnert puts a face on the drug addled and disaffected youth of the quiet, tree-lined streets of Oak Park, Illinois. Like Yates, she puts a dark and dystopic spin on the outwardly beautiful face of the suburbs. This book is an achievement and solidifies the place of Stephanie Kuehnert as a powerhouse writer, and one that is unafraid to tackle hard and tender issues. I can't wait to read what she writes next." - Julia Callahan of Book Soup "This book is powerful. It's been haunting me for days. Yes, haunting me." - The Story Siren, 5 star review, Recipient of the Luminous Pearl Award "BALLADS OF SUBURBIA is a remarkable achievement that hits you right where it counts (your heart) and lingers where it matters (the brain). I’m truly looking forward to seeing what Stephanie Kuehnert will do next." - Steph Su Reads, 5 out of 5 rating "10/10. The characters, the plot, the prose, EVERYTHING about Ballads is perfect. There’s not a single thing I would change about it and I think that EVERYONE should read it. It will open your eyes in a way no other book can." - Harmony Book Reviews "This novel was addicting. It was harsh, raw, cruel, sad, and painful, but the scariest of all is that this is real. In one powerful novel, whole worlds are exposed. I recommend this novel to anyone ready to see the truth." - Reading Is Bliss "It seems really bold to call someone the voice of a generation, but that's how I see Kuehnert. I may not have shared the experiences of the characters in the book, but I recognize their journey and their voices. Stephanie Kuehnert is amazing and I will gladly read anything she writes from here on out." - Carrie's YA Bookshelf "Kuehnert creates real characters with flaws and issues and makes you care deeply about them. Furthermore, she helps you relate to them." - The World Was Hers For the Reading "Kuehnert does a fantastic storytelling job in this novel, from setting the story up, to the realistic characters, to the overarching theme, that people are more than just a snapshot of their lives."- The Book Muncher "All that really needs to be said about Ballads of Suburbia is that it's spectacular, and that I can't recommend it enough." - Frenetic Reader " If you’re looking for something warm and fuzzy, don’t read this book. If you’re looking for a teen romance that takes a walk on the wild side, don’t read this book. If you’re looking for something that ends up all good and well in the end, then don’t read this book. If what you’re looking for is a real life read that will break your heart, fill your eyes with tears, and force you to face the hard questions head on, then this is absolutely, most definitely the book for you. If you’re looking for a book with complex and deep characters, then this is the book for you. If you’re looking for a read that will keep you thinking long after you finish the last word, then Ballads of Suburbia is a must-read for you. Kara’s tale is a raw, hard-hitting lesson on just how much guts it takes to fight your way from the dark side into the light. Stephanie Kuehnert’s effortless prose and outstanding imagery will leave you standing front and center, right in the middle of all Kara’s chaos." - YA Reads Here are the full reviews of and articles about BALLADS OF SUBURBIA: Booklist Review Chicago Sun-Times review Chicago Tribune feature NewCity Review Oak Leaves interview Audio Interview from Young Adult Literature Review Review from Teens Read Too (Five stars!) Review from Julia Callahan of Book Soup Review from Publishers Weekly YA Book Blurbs A VIDEO Book Review from Bookie Laura Review from Plenty of Paper Book Reviews Review from Ravings of a VA Review from the Reading Nook Review from Reading is Bliss Review from Just Your Typical Book Blog Review from The Story Siren Review from Library Lounge Lizard Review from the Eclectic Book Lover Review from The World Was Hers For the Reading Review from Carrie's YA Bookshelf Review from Steph Su Reads Review from Frenetic Reader Review from Book Muncher Review from Books By Their Cover Review from Pop Culture Junkie Review from the Book Spot Review from Just Blinded Book Reviews Review from The Raw Edge Review from The Book Butterfly Review from Shooting Stars Magazine Review from Harmony Book Reviews Review from Flip The Page Book Reviews Review from Opinionated? Me? Review from Stop Drop and Read Review from The Book Vault Review from The Epic Rat Review from Insert Book Title Here Audio Review from Young Adult Literature Review Review from Sarah's Random Musings Review from the Chick That Reads Review from Racket Magazine Review from Read This Book Review from YA Reads Review from Rebel Grrrl Review from the Feminist Review Review from Mindful Musings Review from Angel Young of Life's A Story Review from Pure Imagination Review from Jamie Blair Review from The Bookie Bunch Review from Dreaming of Books Review from Persnickety Snark Review from Alli's Cannonball Read Review from Old Bookworm Review from A Bookful of Thoughts Review from Michelle's Bookshelf Review from Express Buzz Review from My Love Affair With Books Review from Dreamcatcher's Lair Vlog Review from The Metalhead Bookworm