The Pact by Jodi Picoult (2006, Paperback, Reprint)

i couldnt put this book down and it makes you understand how kids are feeling and what can lead them to suicide.
this book put me thru some emotions from happy to sad and even a chuckle i love how she wrote these characters and how the book would go from the present to the now-a-days and how the familys that were so close could be torn apart with this tragedy.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I can't wait to read more books by Jodi Picoult. The book really kept me interested. I like the way she jumps from then to now. It was great. Look forward to reading more of her books. I recommend reading her books.

WHAT CAN I SAY THIS IS ANOTHER PAGE TURNER. DEE WRITES ABOUT SO MANY THINGS THAT WE SEE ON THE NEWS IN OUR EVERYDAY LIFE. SHE KNOWS HOW TO START THE STORY, KEEPIT GOING AND SUCK YOU RIGHT IN AS A READER. THIS BOOK WAS GREAT. IT WAS ABOUT TWO TEENAGERS THAT HAD A PACT TO COMMIT SUICIDE BUT ONE THING WENT WRONG ONE LIVED AND NOW IS ON TRAIL FOR MURDER.PICK UP THE BOOK IF YOU AHVE TIME BUT I PROMISE YOU CANT PUT IT BACK DOWN

She writes about problems that exist in our society, and she gives different perspectives of the problem. It makes for interesting reading.

I was given Jodi Picoult's book "My Sister's Keeper" as a gift. I was leery as I had seen it in the store and did not think I would enjoy it based on the book description. I absolutely LOVED it and decided Jodi Picoult was my new favorite author. I read "The Pact" next and while it was not as good as my first read, it was a quick read and kept my attention. What I particularly enjoy about Picoult's books is the controversial nature of her subject matter. She takes topics that have two very black and white opposing sides, many of which people are very sensitive to, and creates a story around them. They are the types of stories that don't necessarily end happily, but yet, leave the reader with merely one possible resolution to the story. "The Pact" had an ending that quite surprised me and left me a little bit sad for the characters in the book. It was a great read and I cannot wait to begin my next Picoult book!

In this contemporary tale of love and friendship, Jodi Picoult brings to life a familiar world, and in a single terrifying moment awakens every parent's worse fear: We think we know our children… but do we ever really know them at all?

For eighteen years the Hartes and the Golds have lived next door to each other, sharing everything from Chinese food to chicken pox to carpool duty-- they've grown so close it seems they have always been a part of each other's lives. Parents and children alike have been best friends, so it's no surprise that in high school Chris and Emily's friendship blossoms into something more. They've been soul mates since they were born.

So when midnight calls from the hospital come in, no one is ready for the appalling truth: Emily is dead at seventeen from a gunshot wound to the head. There's a single unspent bullet in the gun that Chris took from his father's cabinet-- a bullet that Chris tells police he intended for himself. But a local detective has doubts about the suicide pact that Chris has described.

The profound questions faced by the characters in this heart-rending novel are those we can all relate to: How well do we ever really know our children, our friends? What if…? As its chapters unfold, alternating between an idyllic past and an unthinkable present, The Pact paints an indelible portrait of families in anguish… culminating in an astonishingly suspenseful courtroom drama as Chris finds himself on trial for murder.

With this riveting psychological drama, Jodi Picoult explores the dynamics of intimate relationships under stress-- from the seemingly inexplicable mind of a teenager to the bonds of friendship and marriage. Few writers have such a gift for evoking everyday life coupled with the ability to create a level of dramatic tension that will keep you up reading late into the night. The Pact is storytelling at its best: wonderfully observed, deeply moving, and utterly impossible to put down.

This was an excellent book. It had a great plot and a surprising ending. I highly recommend this book to others. Picoult has a great way of capturing your attention and she has an interesting style of writing.