Joëlle Anthony

J. M. Kelly

Speed of Life by J.M Kelly

White Pine Nominee 2018

PNBA Shortlist 2018

Twins Crystal and Amber have the same goal: to be the first in their family to graduate high school and make something of their lives. When one gets pregnant during their junior year, they promise to raise the baby together. It’s not easy, but between their after-school jobs, they’re scraping by. Crystal’s grades catch the attention of the new guidance counselor, who tells her about a college that offers a degree in automotive restoration, perfect for the car buff she is. When she secretly applies—and gets in—new opportunities threaten their once-certain plans, and Crystal must make a choice: follow her dreams or stay behind and honor the promise she made to her sister.

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Reviews for Speed of Life

J.M. Kelly presents her readers with people whom readers will remember long after they reluctantly finish this superb novel. Highly Recommended. – CM Magazine Review

The book remains a believable portrait of blue-collar teens struggling to make it work against tough odds. – Publisher’s Weekly

VERDICT The subject and the teen’s efforts to succeed make this a good purchase for libraries, especially those looking for realistic fiction that addresses class disparity. – Faythe Arredondo, School Library Journal

Crystal’s struggles with independence and identity are realistic and palpable. Feminist readers in particular will appreciate this strong young woman who doesn’t conform to gender norms. – Kirkus

This is the best YA

contemporary I’ve ever read, period.

– Julia, Goodreads reader

The struggles of surviving senior year with a baby are exquisitely captured in this first-person narrative. Recommended. – School Library Connection

With a light touch and evident respect for resourcefulness of her characters, Kelly paints a realistic, yet hopeful portrait of life after a teenaged pregnancy. Details about tight money, crazy schedules, and unfair treatment highlight the socio-economic hardships that trap teen parents in poverty. However, Crystal Robbins is not a typical teenager, and Speed of Life is not a typical teen romance. – Readerly

“I loved this book. I wanted to invite Crystal and Amber over to my house where I could make them a nice dinner and then help them figure out their lives while we enjoyed pie. Speed of Life grabs ahold of your heart on page one and doesn’t let go even after you’ve turned the final page”. – Eileen Cook Author WITH MALICE