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Audacious literally has me pulling at my hair in frustration right now. I've written and rewritten this review half a dozen times, and I still can't get my thoughts organized. There was a lot about this book that I liked, but in the end it left me feeling dissatisfied, and I'm having trouble articulating why.The novel begins with our protagonist, Raphaelle, moving to a new town for her father's job. Raphaelle decides to use the move to start fresh: she will no longer be the girl who shows up at a black-and-white formal in a hot-pink dress or draws pictures of a "naked and well endowed" Christ on the board at her Catholic school. Instead, she decides to reinvent herself as "Ella," a nice, normal girl who doesn't spit in the face of convention just to watch people squirm.In spite of this resolution, Ella just can't stifle her provocateur nature. When her art teacher asks her to submit a piece in the school art show, Raphaelle reemerges to create a work of art so daring it sets off a chain reaction of consequences, including criminal charges and expulsion from the school.Amidst the fallout from the art show, Raphaelle must also navigate her relationship with her quasi-boyfriend Samir. Raphaelle is a vehement atheist, and Samir is Muslim. As you can guess, this causes all sorts of tension, which I found to be the most compelling aspect of the story.So far, this probably sounds pretty good. At the very least, it doesn't sound bad, right? So what's with the hair pulling and frustration I mentioned in the beginning of this review?The closest I can come to an explanation is that Raphaelle pisses me off. She's too set in her ways, too focused on shocking people and putting up walls between herself and others. I don't have a whole lot of patience for people who do or say things for no other reason than to cause an uproar. Controversy for the sake of something you believe in or are passionate about is courageous; controversy just to stir the proverbial pot is childish and stupid.Raphaelle uses being a misfit as an excuse to keep from getting close to people, and when she does develop a relationship with someone, she refuses to give an inch in anything. There is a fine line between being true to yourself and being too proud to compromise, and Raphaelle crosses that line. I felt like she was trying to sabotage her own happiness, making stupid decisions in a sadistic effort to root all of the good out of her life. This was especially true of the ending, which I absolutely HATED. I don't want to share any spoilers, but I will say that the ending is a large part of why I didn't like this book as much as I could have. It was unnecessary and pointless and sums up everything I didn't like about Raphaelle.As frustrated as Audacious made me, though, I would still recommend it. It has interesting themes - censorship, family tragedy, faith and religion - and it would be a shame to miss out on them simply because the heroine is flawed.There's also the bonus that Prendergast wrote Audacious in verse. There are times when the rhymes sound a bit corny or contrived, but there are also sections that are lyrical and insightful. My favorite is a stanza that talks about Raphaelle's infant brother, who lived for only three minutes after his birth, and the effect that the baby's death had on the family:"Darling Gabriel,Whose only task on earthWas to break my mother's heart.It took him his whole life."I also liked this verse:"Strong as time andTenacious as space butIf love is never to be testedOr challenged then it is worthNothing."In the end, I'm glad I read Audacious, even if it did leave me angry and dissatisfied. If you're a fan of writers like Ellen Hopkins, and if you can accept a less-than-happy ending, Audacious might be a book for you.This review can also be found on my blog, http://AngelasLibrary.com.

Have you read the blurb? It sounds seriously amazing and different! I knew I had to read Audacious as soon as I read that blurb. Pornography charges for artwork? That is definitely something I have never read about before. However, the story ended up being about so much more than just Raphaelle's controversial painting. The author covers a lot of bases in Audacious: censorship, mental health, family dynamics, love, race, religion, and sex. It may seem like she tried to do too much, but everything fits together nicely as Ella tries to reinvent herself and find her true self.Told in verse, Audacious is a very quick read, but it's few words don't hinder the messages in any way. Raphaelle is a girl who pushes all the wrong buttons just by being herself. Now he family is moving to a new town, and she plans to become someone new. Someone who blends in and coasts under the radar. This goes well until her art teacher asks Ella and Samir (the boy she ends up falling for) to do special pieces for the upcoming art exhibit. Ella wants to make a statement, but she has no idea about the consequences her painting will make. The painting in question was not what I was expecting at all, but I applaud Ella (and the author) for taking that risk. Ella gets the reaction she wants, but she also faces jail time. While she stands by her work, it does cause Ella to question decisions she's been making and the person she's becoming.I loved the romance in Audacious! Ella is Irish and kind of Catholic, and Samir is Palestinian and Muslim. He's not suppose to date her because of his religion, but love follows no rules. They bond over art and really get to know each other. They comfort each other in times of need, and support each other in times of conflict. I was really rooting for these two despite their differences! Their relationship does take a turn that I was expecting, but I do think it works based on what we know about each of them. And I absolutely loved that final chapter! You go, Raphaelle!In the end, I really enjoyed Audacious. It covers a lot of sensitive issues, but I do think the author handled them all respectfully and in an approachable way. Ella is definitely a character that I admired and I enjoyed watching her grow as a person and learn about herself and the world. There's a lot going on storywise, so I think a lot of different readers will be able to identify with various parts.*Disclaimer: I received this book from the author for review. No compensation was offered or accepted.