Sometimes Never, Sometimes Always by Elissa Janine Hoole

As the novel unfolds, each chapter is titled with one of the questions from the survey, launching into what Cassandra does in order to be different, and in my opinion, this technique really worked well.Ĭassandra Randall has spent much of her life as part of an extreme religion/cult society within her small town, thanks to her overzealous parents. She has no great answers to any of the questions, not like her friends or even her sister, and so she struggles to make herself stand out. The novel begins with Cassandra attempting to take a survey during which time she realizes she’s completely boring. Honestly, I think this novel is extremely well written and while I wasn’t sure if I would really like it going in, I came out of it absolutely in love with Hoole’s writing style and characterization. Not only is it about bullying, a hot topic in the nation right now, but it also deals with over zealous religion (borderline cult), intolerance and homosexual relations, advice columns, and the philosophical question of right and wrong. I really enjoyed this novel, and I actually found it much more interesting that the synopsis itself makes it out to be. But what if she’s just another bully? What will it take for her to step up and tell the truth?

When Drew Godfrey, an awkward outcast with unwashed hair, writes to her, the situation spirals into what the school calls “a cyberbullying crisis” and what the church calls “sorcery.” Cass wants to be the kind of person who sticks up for the persecuted, who protects the victims the way she tries to protect her brother from the homophobes in her church. So Cass does what any self-respecting high school girl would do: she secretly begins writing a tarot-inspired advice blog. Her family’s religion is so overbearing, she can NEVER write about who she truly is. Assigned by her English teacher to write a poem that reveals her true self, Cassandra Randall is stuck. From Goodreads: Cassandra fears rocking the family boat.

Sometimes Never, Sometimes Always by Elissa Janine Hoole