"Alice on Board (Alice #24)" by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

288 pages

It's the last summer before college and Alice is determined to have one last adventure with her friends before everyone goes their separate ways. When they see that a Chesapeake Bay cruise ship is hiring maids and servers, they see the perfect opportunity to party and make money before heading out into the world. Alice, Pam, Elizabeth, Gwen, and Yolanda all sign up. But it turns out that the perfect summer job isn't so perfect. Angry customers, crazy weather, and seasickness are nothing, though, compared to the anxiety Alice feels over being separated from Patrick all summer, as he's got an internship in Europe. As Alice looks out into her wide-open future, she realizes that everything is about to change.

I just keep reading the Alice books, but I think they are getting worse. I adored the early titles in the series, and I've reread some of them recently and still loved them. This leads me to conclude that PRN is just better at writing for younger girls than teenagers. I think she's had some trouble keeping up with the times--all the texts are written like emails, for example--and the characters' vocabulary seems more fitting of tweens than seniors in high school. The plot of this one is fairly uneventful and predictable. Still, I'm going to finish the series simply for loyalty. Alice felt like a dear friend when I was in middle school, so I've got to find out how her life turns out. Word on the street is that the next Alice book will be the last and will cover Alice's life from age 18 to....60. That's right, 60. We'll see how that works out. I hope PRN rebounds and finishes strong for the series conclusion. 

"Wonder" by R.J. Palacio

313 pages

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity. Due to ongoing surgeries and his parents' desire to protect him, he's always been homeschooled and, for the most part, keeps to himself at home with his parents and protective older sister. But now he decides he's ready to try mainstream school, so he begins 5th grade at Beecher Prep. He knows going in that some kids will focus on his startling appearance, but he has no idea how difficult his adjustment will be.  Inside, Auggie feels like an ordinary kid, but his classmates don't necessarily see him that way. The rest of Auggie's fifth-grade story unfolds through his own eyes as well as those of his sister, her boyfriend, and Auggie's peers. 

This book totally broke my heart. Though it's fiction, it definitely reflects the experiences that some children have in real life, and it makes me sad that they have to live through things like this when they just want to play, learn, and socialize like normal. Still, this is ultimately an inspiring and uplifting story. In fact, my one complaint is that it's a little too rosy--I don't think the feel-good ending is very realistic--but in some ways I'm okay with it for this book since it is, after all, written for children. And, to be honest, I just like coming away from a story with a good feeling rather than a bad one. I think Palacio does a great job of creating each character's individual voice and showing how they grow throughout the book. I like that she included other perspectives as well as Auggie's to show how our lives all affect each other's. I loved so many of the secondary characters as well as Auggie, and their relationships feel real--loving but flawed. Overall, a very good story that I will be recommending to adults and teens as well as older elementary school kids and tweens. 

"A Girl Named Zippy" by Haven Kimmel

275  pages


In 1950s, Mooreland, Indiana, had a population of 300. In the 1960s, it was 300. In the 1970s, 300. You get the picture. It was a small town, and things didn't change much. But for Haven "Zippy" Kimmel, it's a special place. It's where she raised her cats, PeeDink and Smokey, as well as Skippy the Hamster. It's where she sat in church pews with her mother every single Sunday and "went to church" in the woods with her father. It's where her family bickered with the next door neighbor, who wanted to poison their rowdy dogs. It's where she grew up. In this memoir, Zippy shares all the ups and downs of growing up in small-town America.


You know how the most random things stick out in your memories? This is basically Zippy's recollection of some of those moments from her early years. Nowadays there are so many depressing memoirs out there, so it's super refreshing to read one that's about a childhood that was actually pretty happy. There are some downers--the legitimately creepy teacher and Zippy's dad's drinking problem, to name a few--but they make the story feel real. If everything was too perfect, it would seem like Zippy was leaving things out. And, for the most part, the tone is optimistic and upbeat. Even though her family didn't have a lot of money, they all had a good time. There are plenty of funny and heartwarming moments. My one complaint is that it's quite unorganized. The stories are all over the place and not necessarily in chronological order, so I often found myself confused about what happened when. I don't mind the randomness of the stories--as I mentioned earlier, our memories often work that way. I just would have liked to see those random things organized in some sort of order, either chronological or by topic. Still, it's an enjoyable read that made me think fondly of my own childhood. 

"Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?" by Jeannette Winterson

230 pages

In this funny but often heart-breaking memoir, Winterson recalls growing up in a Protestant fundamentalist home with her adopted parents. Nothing was ever good enough for her mother, who raged with untreated paranoia and anxiety disorder. Her father was more mild but didn't want to get between Jeannette and her mother, so she had no one on her side when her mom locked her out of the house or called her a devil child. When Jeannette grew older and realized she was a lesbian, things became even more strained between her and her parents, who believed that homosexuality is a sin. As an adult, she eventually began searching for her birth parents, and in the process learned to love herself and trust other people to love her too. 

Jeannette has a very interesting story, but for some reason I couldn't get into it. The narratives and themes seem all over the place, so I had trouble following it. Winterson does a really good job of bringing individual scenes to life and making them feel real, like we're right there with her, but the whole thing as a whole could have been arranged better, I think. I also felt like the author tries to be funny at parts that aren't really that funny, at least to me (but, to be fair, my sense of humor is, um, unique). Despite these complaints, I did enjoy this story after a while. As I said, Jeannette certainly had an unusual upbringing. Though my family is not as conservative as Jeannette's, I did grow up in a Southern Baptist Church and knew people who reminded me of Jeannette's relatives. I think she does a good job of pointing out the idiosyncrasies of fundamentalism without being unfair or whiny. 

"Age of Miracles" by Karen Thompson Walker

288 pages

Eleven-year-old Julia is a single child who feels like she doesn't quite fit in anywhere. She has only one real friend, and, at home, her parents are beginning to fight more and more. Then the unbelievable happens. After a massive earthquake, the rotation of the Earth begins to slow down. Scientists are at a loss to figure out how to fix it. The days and nights grow longer. Friends and neighbors begin to turn on each other as some people, dubbed "clock-timers," stick with the 24-hour day while others--the "real-timers"--live by the sun, and each group grows suspicious of the other. Readers see it all through the eyes of Julia, who is coming of age in a time of unprecedented uncertainty. 

This is very different from all the other apocalyptic fiction I've read, but I liked it. It's much more literary than I expected. Since we're seeing things from the perspective of a child, we don't get as much information about the scientific side of things or how the Slowing is affecting the rest of the world. I was curious about those things, but it fits with the point of view and it let me use my imagination a little, which was fun. I usually don't care for inconclusive endings, but I felt like it worked really well in this novel. The whole thing, actually, just seemed to flow and fit together perfectly. It felt like a real story, like something that could really happen, and Julia felt like a real girl. I certainly related to her on several levels. That, and the beautiful writing, make it one that I'm going to be recommending to a lot of people. 

"Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan

310 pages

In the middle of the night, two teenage boys named Will Grayson meet in a Chicago porn shop. How's that for a one-sentence summary? If I were going to expand upon that, I would say that these two Wills don't have much in common besides their name. The first Will Grayson (let's call him Will A) lives in Evanston with his workaholic doctor parents who care about him but don't have a lot of time for him. He's always felt like he's in the shadow of his larger-than-life (both literally and figuratively) best friend, Tiny Cooper. To paraphrase Will:  Tiny might not be the largest, gayest person in the world, but he is definitely the largest person who is really, really gay and the gayest person who is really, really large. Meanwhile, the other Will Grayson (Will B), who lives in Naperville,  is dealing with some tougher stuff. His dad left him alone with his mom years ago, and they've struggled to make ends meet ever since. He's got pretty severe clinical depression and, as if all that wasn't enough, he doesn't know how to tell his mom that he's gay. The only thing keeping him going is his online relationship with Isaac. When they finally decide to meet in person, Will B is shocked to arrive in Chicago and discover that the address Isaac gave him is a porn shop. Meanwhile, the Will A is in the city for a concert.  When his fake ID is spotted by the bouncer and his friends ditch him, he finds himself killing time in the porn store. Here the two Will Graysons run into each other, not knowing that their unlikely meeting will change both of their lives.

This is young adult literature--actually, literature, period--at its best. It's laugh-out-loud funny but it also gives you a lot to think about--mainly about what it means to be a friend. My favorite part of this story, as you might guess, is the characters. The Will Graysons are complex people with problems that readers can relate to. It's Tiny, however, who really steals the show. He's kind of self-centered, but he has a huge heart and he totally cracks me up. Green and Levithan work incredibly well together. They write alternating chapters (John Green writes Will A's perspective while Levithan writes from Will B's point of view), and this method gives each character a very unique voice. It doesn't throw off the pace, though, because the stories weave together so well. Also, it's nice to see a young adult novel with gay characters that isn't completely wrapped up in sexual orientation. Sometimes when a character being gay is all that propels a story, it makes it seem like that's all there is to their character. There's a lot more going on in Will Grayson, Will Grayson and it's a book I would recommend to almost anyone, gay or straight, teen or adult. 

"Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt

360 pages


Things aren't going so well for Doug Swieteck. His brother is off fighting in the Vietnam War, which has his sweet mom worried and his rough father even more brutal than usual. His dad has trouble keeping a job, so now they have to move to "stupid Maryville," a tiny town in New York where his dad's friend has found a place for him to work. At first, Doug hates the place. There's nothing to do and he misses his old friends. But then he starts getting to know people. He meets spunky Lil Spencer, whose father hires Doug to work as a delivery boy in his deli. He befriends Mr. Powell, a local librarian, who introduces him to drawing. He even gets a babysitting gig for a broad of feisty kids and buddies up with an elderly woman who is writing a play. Through these relationships, Doug discovers new parts of himself and learns to stand up for the things that are important to him.

This is definitely one of the best books I've read so far this year. From the first page, I loved Doug's voice and his goofy observations. I really like his snark and how he talks to audience sometimes. There's the dark stuff in this story (the war, Doug's abusive father)--which I like because it gives us a lot to think about-- but it totally cracked me up as well. The pacing works well, too. Even though there's not a lot of action per se, all of the little things Doug goes through combined with the engaging narration equals a book that I couldn't put down. Plus there's an awesome librarian! What more could one want from a book?

"Bittersweet" by Sarah Ockler

378 pages


Three years ago, Hudson had her future all figured out. She was on track to become one of the top figure skaters in the country, and then it would be on to the Olympics. All of a sudden, in one day, her life fell apart. Afterward, she abandoned skating and focused on working in her mother's diner and creating amazing new cupcake recipes. Now she's seventeen, and when an opportunity to skate again comes up she can't keep her mind off it. She begins training again--in secret. In secret at first, that is. When one of the members of her school's embarrassingly bad hockey team sees her on the ice, he talks her into helping the team learn to skate better. Turns out, one of those hockey players is special--so special that he makes Hudson want to tear down the walls she's built around herself and let someone in. Problem is, he's sending some seriously mixed signals. To make matters more complicated, an old crush (also on the team) is suddenly paying attention to her as well. Hudson has to figure out what she really wants--with the guys, with her skating, and with the rest of her life. 


Only Sarah Ockler can get me to read such "girly" books. Thing is, her stories are about so much more than just romance. I didn't like this one quite as much as her amazing Twenty Boy Summer, but that really doesn't say much. Bittersweet has the same depth and lovable, believable characters that Ockler is so skilled at bringing to life. Even though I know nothing about figure skating or baking, I found plenty to relate to in Hudson. Most of us have been confused about who we are and what we want to do with our lives at some point, so we feel for Hudson as she deals with all of these issues. I really loved the ending, too. Part of it is totally predictable, but I didn't care because it's what I wanted to happen. A different part of the conclusion completely surprised me, so there is some variety there. Also, I was glad that it ended on a happy note but everything wasn't completely fixed and wrapped up with a bow--it would seem fake if it had a fairy tale ending. I'll definitely be recommending this one to Ockler fans and anyone who wants a story that will not only entertain but also make them think. 

"School of Fear: The Final Exam" (School of Fear #3) by Gitty Daneshvari

336 pages


Madeleine, Garrison, Lulu, and Theo are back for their third summer at School of Fear. They made lots of progress during their previous visits, but, as much as they hate to admit it, they each have some more work to do in conquering their phobias. Problem is, things aren't looking good for the School of Fear. A nosy reporter is planning an expose on Mrs. Wellington that will ruin her reputation and the school's, possibly even causing the school to be shut down. If that happens, not only will Mrs. Wellington and her trusty sidekick, Schmidty, be devastated, but the kids will have no hope of acquiring the fear-free lives they long for. Once again, they have to band together and face their fears.


This conclusion to the School of Fear trilogy is as fun and charming as the first two books in the series. The characters really drive these stories. They totally crack me up, and a lot of young (and older!) readers will relate to them. We're all afraid of something, even if we don't have a full-blown phobia. By this point in the series, the characters all know each other really well so they interact with each other in hilarious ways. As far as the plot goes, I think this is the weakest of the series. There just doesn't seem to be as much going on and they're kind of wandering around for a while. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed The Final Exam, and I found it to be a satisfying conclusion to the series.

"Scumble" by Ingrid Law

400 pages

In "Savvy," we read about the wild adventure Mibs had after she turned thirteen and gained her "savvy"--the special, unique power everyone in her family gets when they become teenagers. Now, in "Scumble," it's nine years later and Mibs' cousin Ledger is trying to adjust to his own savvy. He's feeling pretty disappointed about it because instead of a "cool" savvy like the ability to shift mountains, mind-reading, or the power to control electricity, Ledger's savvy is more of a pain than a power: things just fall apart when he's around. His parents decide he should spend the summer on his grandfather's ranch in Wyoming instead of their home in Indiana so he has some space to adjust to his savvy and can learn from his relatives. Before long, it's become clear that Ledge's savvy is more powerful--and more difficult to control (or "scumble," as they call it)--than anyone thought. Even worse, he's being hounded by Sarah Jane Cabot, a local amateur reporter who's caught wind of his family's special talents. Now he has to keep Sarah from finding out the truth and learn to scumble his savvy before things get out of control.

I loved "Savvy," and this companion novel did not disappoint me. It's just a heart-warming, fun story--the kind of book that gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling. Ledge and his relatives obviously make mistakes, but they're so warm and supportive of each other that I want to be part of their family! I like that "Scumble" lets me know what the characters from "Savvy" are up to but puts the focus on new characters. There's not as much action in "Scumble" as the first book, but that allows for more character development so we really get to see Ledger's internal struggles and growth. I think he's a character a lot of people, kids and adults alike, can relate to. His self-esteem is totally shaken by the savvy thing and he feels like he's a disappointment to his dad, and those things resonate with a lot of people (okay, not the savvy part, but the self esteem part). The end is predictable but satisfying. Overall, a very pleasing sequel!

"An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green

227 pages

By his own definition, Colin Singleton is a prodigy. His peers says he's a genius, but he insists that he's not because he hasn't created or discovered anything new. He has potential, though, and his biggest desire is to matter. He wants to use his potential for something important. His biggest weakness and distraction, however, is Katherines. Katherines are his type. He's dated and been dumped by nineteen--yes, nineteen!--Katherines. The latest, K19 (Katherine the 19th), was the love of his life and their break-up left him devastated. To get him out of his funk, his best pal, Hassan, decides to take Colin on a road trip. Without an itinerary or even a destination, the boys head south from Chicago and eventually end up in Gutshot, Tennessee, where they meet Lindsey Lee Wells and her gregarious mother, Hollis, who offers the boys summer jobs in the tampon string factory she owns. City boys Colin and Hassan are totally out of their element in tiny, rural Gutshot, but they stick around and discover that the little town might have something to teach them after all.

I really, really love the way John Green writes. He has such a goofy but also insightful way of telling a story. There's not a lot of action in An Abundance of Katherines, and although I tend to favor fast-paced books I have to admit that this story really doesn't need it. The characters more than make up for any lack of excitement. Colin is someone who, I bet, would be totally annoying in real life but is endearing on paper. He's neurotic and nerdy and sometimes self-absorbed, but I think everyone can relate to him in some way. He's much smarter than the average person, but he feels like it's not enough and I definitely know what it's like to think I'll never meet my own expectations. Hassan, my favorite, is the comic relief. He totally cracks me up, but you can tell that he also has a lot of heart in the way that he looks out for Colin. He's got some issues of his own, though, as he can't seem to grow up. Then there's Lindsey, who can't figure out who she really is (who can't relate to that?) and the rest of the residents of Gutshot, who are hilarious. Although the conclusion is pretty predictable, I didn't care. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and watching them grow so much that it didn't matter to me.

"Stupid Fast" by Geoff Herbach

311 pages

Felton has always been sort of a nerd. He's scrawny, he's uncoordinated, and his nickname is "Squirrel Nut." But that all changes when he's fifteen and suddenly grows seven inches and gains forty pounds and gets stupid fast. Suddenly, the jocks are talking to him. The football coach is recruiting him for the team, and he meets Aleah, the girl of his dreams. As well as things are going at school and with his peers, his home life leaves much to be desired. In fact, things are getting pretty bad. His dad killed himself when he was little, and although his mom's always kept it together until now, something has suddenly made her slide into a deep depression. Felton and his younger brother, Andrew, are left to fend for themselves, which drives sensitive Andrew even further into his own little world. As fast as he is, he learns that he can't run from his problems (feel free to groan at that cheesy line--I couldn't resist).

I really liked this book! The plot and major issues are pretty standard for young adult fiction, but the tone is unique and that's what made the book stand out to me. I loved Felton's goofy but insightful way of looking at things. His growing-up struggles are totally relatable. The story cracked me up over and over, but it's got a lot of heart, too. In conclusion, I'll just share a few of my favorite lines:

"It was perfect and great to be with these honkies."

"This summer I saw no fewer than ten thousand old ladies in their underwear."

"No peace, no justice. I'm gonna make you barf."

"I'm writing a book about spies who eat tacos and hide in large houseplants."

"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

528 pages

This classic novel chronicles the life of young Francie Nolan as she grows up in the slums of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, NY, in the early 20th century. The rest of her family consists of her mother, Katie, a practical woman who works tirelessly for her children; her father, Johnny, a warm, friendly dreamer who makes wonderful plans that are ruined by his alcoholism; her younger brother, Neeley, who shares her childhood adventures. Young Francie seems to have traits of both her parents: in many ways she is logical, like her mother, but she is also a dreamer like her father. More than anything else, Francie wants to get an education so she can become someone important. No matter how many obstacles get in her way, Francie perseveres. As she tells Francie's story, the author paints a vivid picture of life in Brooklyn during the early 20th century.

For a long time, this book was on my Librarian's List of Shame. Honestly, I avoided reading it because I thought it would be long and dull because whenever I heard it described there didn't seem to be much action. I was totally wrong about it being boring, though! Even though it's driven by the characters rather than the plot, it never felt tedious. There are plenty of little interesting stories throughout the book, and the characters come to life extremely well. Even though my situation was very different from Francie's when I was growing up, I still totally related to her. I think anyone who struggles to find their place in the world and fit in with their peers will find a connection with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

"Growing Up Amish" by Ira Wagner

272 pages

Ira Wagler was the ninth child of a Canadian Amish couple's eleven children. As a restless, independent spirit, he always felt out of place in the strict society he grew up in. At seventeen, in the middle of the night, he left home for the first time. This kicked off nearly a decade of going back and forth between the Amish world and the secular as he struggled to figure out where he belonged. In this memoir, he describes what it was like growing up Old World Amish and what it felt like to leave it for a strange new world.

I grew up in a small town with a considerable Amish population, so this book grabbed my eye when I saw it on the shelf. The Amish I knew were friendly but kept many things to themselves, so I was curious about what it was like to be part of that community. Wagler is open and honest about his experience, sharing both the good (tight sense of community and a strong support system) with the bad (black-and-white thinking, discouragement of independent thinking). Some parts seemed a bit repetitive to me, and I think he could have summarized some of the experiences and left out redundant details. Nevertheless, this is a really interesting story gives readers an inside look at Amish culture. It's also a story about one man growing up and finding his place in the world, which almost everyone can relate to.

"Vast Fields of Ordinary" by Nick Burd

309 pages

It's Dade's last summer at home. He has a crappy job at Food World, a "boyfriend" who won't publicly acknowledge his existence, and parents on the verge of a divorce. All that keeps Dade going is the knowledge that he's getting away by going to college in a few months. Then he meets the mysterious Alex Kincaid. Falling in love finally gives Dade the courage to come out of the closet. But just when true happiness has set in, tragedy shatters the dreamy curtain of summer.

I really like Dade, and I'm glad that there's another realistic LGBT character out there that teens might be able to relate to. There are a couple of fantastic secondary characters as well. However, the plot just felt really choppy to me. Some parts seemed slow, and then all of a sudden a bunch of stuff would happen at once. I wasn't crazy about the ending, either. I thought it was worth reading, but definitely not one I was crazy about.

"Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self" by Danielle Evans

229 pages

This collection os short stories offers a perspective on the experience of being young and African-American or mixed-race in modern-day America. Evans addresses the inequalities that these young people face, as well as more universal experiences such as family tension, broken hearts, and insecurity. I really enjoyed every single story! Some made me laugh and some made me sad. Some of them don't have conclusive endings, which usually bugs me, but it seems to fit for stories about young people whose futures are wide-open and uncertain. I like the way that the stories give me a perspective on the black/mixed-race experience but still offer something that I can personally relate to.

The Language of Flowers

The Language of Flowers, Vanessa Diffenbaugh
322 pages

I was worred that this was going to be one of those books that drags you down every time you read a few chapters-- I am relieved to say that it wasn't. The story was wonderful with a great mix of emotion and a little suspenseful at times. The relationships of the characters was incredible I loved the ebb and flow of all the characters. What a great book - I see what all the buzz is about!

"Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging" by Louise Dennison

247 pages

The tone and plot of this book are best summed up by one of the opening passages, which is actually a list:

There are six things very wrong with my life:

1. I have one of those under-the-skin spots that will never come to a head but lurk in a red way for the next two years.
2. It is on my nose
3. I have a three-year-old sister who may have peed somewhere in my room.
4. In fourteen days the summer hols will be over and then it will be back to Stalag 14 and Oberfuhrer Frau Simpson and her bunch of sadistic teachers.
5. I am very ugly and need to go into an ugly home.
6. I went to a party dressed as a stuffed olive.

The story continues through teenage Georgia's journal. In addition to the troubles listed above, she has to deal with fighting parents and the angst of her crush on Robbie the Sex God, who is unfortunately dating a total weirdo instead of Georgia.

This book totally cracked me up! The crazy antics of Georgia, her insane cat Angus, and her goofy little sister Libby kept me laughing the whole time. The teen drama is a little over the top for me, but I think most people can relate to it if they remember anything at all about being a teenager. This definitely isn't the most stimulating book out there, but it's great for when you want something light and funny to take a break from heavier reads.

“Starting with Alice” by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

181 pages

This is the first of three prequels to the juvenile/young adult Alice series. Here, Alice is eight years old and in third grade. She’s just moved from Chicago to Takoma Park, Maryland, with her dad and 15-year-old brother, Lester (her mom died when she was four). As Alice struggles to fit into her new school, she finds herself getting into trouble at school for the first time and having difficulty making friends.

Alice is one of my favorite characters from my childhood books, and I like her just as much as a little kid as a pre-teen and teenager. I’ve recently read some of the latest Alice books, in which she is a senior in high school, and I’m amazed by how consistent some parts of her character are, while she still grows and matures throughout the series. As I’ve said in reviews of other Alice books, the secondary characters are phenomenal as well. I think almost anyone can relate to Alice and her friends’ struggles, insecurities, and awkwardness.

"The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things" by Carolyn Mackler

246 pages

Fifteen-year-old Virginia just doesn't fit in with her family. They're all thin and good-looking while she's increasingly overweight and insecure about her looks. Her 24-year-old sister Anais and 19-year-old brother Byron are athletic, suave, and popular; Virginia puts herself somewhere between "regular" and "dork." Although her mother is a hot-shot adolescent psychologist, she can't seem to understand or accept Virginia as she is. On top of all this, Virginia's best friend has recently moved across the country and she's developing romantic feelings for her secret makeout buddy, Froggy Welsh the 4th, but he doesn't seem to want to acknowledge her in public. Then, out of nowhere, Virginia's so-called perfect family is shaken when Byron is accused of an awful crime.

The plot surprised me, in a good way. When I started reading, enjoyed Virginia's funky narration but I thought it would be a typical teen book about boys, friends, parent troubles, etc. Then Byron's incident came out of nowhere and added a lot of depth to the story. It got me thinking on a lot of different levels.

As I was reading this, I was reminded of my 15-year-old self so many times. Although I didn't experience many of Virginia's specific issues, I totally related to her general self-consciousness and her struggle to identify herself as an individual instead of a member of her family or peers. She's trying to figure out how to be herself instead of conforming to the roles that she's always filled with her family and at school, and that's something that teens and adults alike can connect with.