Dreams of Significant Girls by Cristina Garcia

Edition: 1st, Hardcover, 238
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR

Release Date: September 2011

Genre: Contemporary fiction, friendship, 1970s, social/teen issues

Overall Rating: 2/5

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Synopsis from Goodreads

Brought together each summer at a boarding school in Switzerland, three girls learn a lot more than just French and European culture. Shirin, an Iranian princess; Ingrid, a German-Canadian eccentric; and Vivien, a Cuban-Jewish New Yorker culinary phenom, are thrown into eachother's lives when they become roommates. This is a story of 3 paths slowly beginning to cross and merge as they spend the year apart, but the summers together. Through navigating the social-cultural shoals of the school, developing their adolescence, and learning the confusing and conflicting legacies of their families' past, Shirin, Ingrid, and Vivien form an unbreakable bond.

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Review
Advertised as being similar to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Dreams of Significant Girls was not at all what I expected it to be. First of all it takes places in the 1970s at a boarding school for wealthy girls. Not only do these girls attend the summer camp to get away from their parents, but to mingle with boys, take drugs, and drink. Perhaps not all of the three girls had these intentions but one girl in particular–Ingrid–was up to no good throughout most of the book. I dislike the atmosphere of the setting so much, after reading a 100 pages, I had to quit. 
The issues and events that came up in the story were not the only thing that bothered me. The plot itself was chaotic and jumped around from past to present, from girl to girl; I felt detached from them. Each character's voice was unique and different–I would have to say that was one of the few "good" things about this book. I did read the ending of Significant Girls and the story seemed to wrap up pretty well.


Overall, I just wasn't pleased with the whole subject of the story: puberty. Honestly it sadden me because I was excited to read Significant Girls. There are too many stories that deal with nothing but this, first hooking ups, etc. Perhaps there is more to the story but in those first 100 pages it seemed like the focal point of the girl's journey.
Also, I must add that the girls on the cover do NOT in anyway resemble girls from the 70s...I mean where the heck are the bell bottom jeans? The fringe? The babydoll tops? I don't think this was a smart choice for cover art.
So yes this was not the book for me but when choosing to read this book (or not!) my main point is that it was just too much like other books I've read–making it, shall we say, a not-so significant story. (Ages 16+)

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Content Awareness
Please be aware that this book contains mature elements such as sexual references/situations, language, drinking, and references to drugs. If you were to "watch" this book as a movie, I would definitely rate it PG-13.

After the Kiss by Terra Elan McVoy

Becca has been head-over-heels for Alec from the instant they met. He's a brainy jock with a poet's heart—in other words, perfect for her.
Camille is careful with her words and protective of her heart, especially since Chicago. Then a new boy in her new town catches her off guard with a surprise kiss. Too bad that new boy is Becca's boyfriend, Alec.
Camille and Becca have never met, but their lives will unravel and intertwine in surprising ways as they deal with what happens after the kiss.

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Part verse, part narrative, After the Kiss is about heartaches and love gone wrong after two lives are painfully intertwined with a single kiss. 

Innocents and lust do not mix; young love and true love are not the same. Camille’s life may seem to hover in serenity but in reality she dreams of escape. She makes a bunch of new friends, pokes around bookstores and coffee shops. Even volunteers at a local animal shelter–it distracts her from the things she left behind. As she desperately tries to burying herself in the now and not the past, Camille creates a weekly routine in her new of Atlanta, Georgia. Then she sees a boy who truly makes her forget...and remember. 

For Becca life is good as long as Alec is there. When a sudden car wreck causes Becca’s everyday life to change, it sets off a chain of events. That is why Alec was the the party...alone. 

It’s amazing how one little thing in one tiny moment can change several lives to the point where nothing will ever be the same again. After the Kiss a wonderful but heart-wrenching story of a misunderstanding and how easily a relationship can be destroyed, especially if its not true at all. I like how McVoy portrayed the two very different girls: Becca is fighting for love. She’s reckless and determined. Camille is fighting to get away from it and has a careful yet head-strong appeal. When the two girls are united by a boy who doesn’t understand how deeply they feel and love, they spin into a world of hurt, realization, loss, and what it means to be truly in love. Teens can relate to both girls and their stances as well as being touched by the poetic words and inspiration of their grieving voices.

An agonizing narrative that will leave you hanging on every verse, After the Kiss wonderfully animates that sometimes love is worth fighting for and other times, it is not.

Recommendation: Lovely contemporary novel of, well love, both true and reckless. Breath-taking finish–definitely a story you won’t forget. I’m looking forward to reading McVoy other books. Recommend to ages 14+

Content: Sensuality, some language, and underage drinking (PG)

Other Books by This Author: Pure, The Summer of Firsts and Lasts

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|Pages: 400|Release Date: May 2010|Publisher: Simon Pulse|

|Genre: Contemporary fiction, teen issues, romance, relationships|

|Content Rating: 4/5|Cover Rating: 4/5|Overall: 4/5|

Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson

When Jessa catches her boyfriend, Sean, making out with Natalie "the boob job" Stone three days before her drama club's departure to Italy, she completely freaks. Stuck with a front-row view of Sean and Natalie making out against the backdrop of a country that oozes romance, Jessa promises to follow all of the outrageous instructions in her best friend's care package and open her heart to new experiences. Enter cute Italian boy stage left. Jessa had prepared to play the role of humiliated ex-girlfriend, but with Carissa directing her life from afar it's finally time to take a shot at being a star.

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I thought Culbertson’s first novel Songs for a Teenage Nomad was a great story so I was anxious to read another book by her. Instructions for a Broken Heart however did not impress me as much...it was sort of ho-hum. There are tons of books with plots that deal with relationships, break-ups, and dating but if it doesn’t have some sort of unique aspect or characters that make the book different from the rest, it will more than likely won’t be a big hit. That’s exactly what it was for me. Because it really wasn’t anything super special, I honestly didn’t enjoy it like I did Nomad. Although I know break-ups can be a hard thing to handle, I just couldn’t connect with Jessa and her longing to get back together with her cheating boyfriend. She was way too juvenile about the whole thing and I didn’t care for the third-person dialogue in this particular case. A few of the characters did stand-out: Tyler was a cool and Dylan Thomas was an interesting British boy. Alas, the entire book focused on Sean and how Jessa’s best friend was making her “get-over” him so there was not very much room for anything else to happen. The part of the so-called Italian crush (mentioned in the synopsis) was...weird. He only appeared a few times and he didn’t have much effect on Jessa or the story.

Really wish Instructions for a Broken Heart was better. Even so I still like Culbertson and I will definitely read another book by her in the future.

Recommendation: Overall, Instructions for a Broken Heart was an ok-book, the message/story just wasn’t significant enough for me to really enjoy it. If you want to read a book by Culbertson, try reading Songs for a Teenage Nomad if you think this one isn’t your style. Ages 14+

Content: Some language and sensuality. (PG)

More Books by This Author: Songs for a Teenage Nomad

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|Pages: 292|Release Date: May 2011|Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire|

|Genre: Contemporary, relationships, teen issues, travel|

|Content Rating: 4/5|Cover: 5/5|Overall: 3/5|

This review is copyrighted by Books and Literature for Teens. Special thanks to Derry and Sourcebooks.

Purple Daze by Sherry Shahan

Purple Daze is a young adult novel set in suburban Los Angeles in 1965. Six high school students share their experiences and feelings in interconnected free verse and traditional poems about war, feminism, riots, love, racism, rock 'n' roll, high school, and friendship.
Although there have been verse novels published recently, none explore the changing and volatile 1960's in America-- a time when young people drove a cultural and political revolution. With themes like the costs and casualties of war, the consequences of sex, and the complex relationships between teens, their peers, and their parents, this story is still as relevant today as it was 45 years ago.

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Purple Daze recounts the stories (based on real letters) of four teenagers on the brink of the Vietnam War and their last year of high school in the 1970s. While examining the current events of the time, the foursome face war, protest, a messy love triangle and the consequences of their mistakes as well as friendship. Eventually, the characters’s lives become as scattered as the world around them.

The most interesting thing about this book is the way it is written: a cross-between verse and prose. While the very short-style passages that are suppose to resemble the teenage mind is fun, the plot is not much more than blips of randomness. Understanding some of the dialogue or relationships between a few of the characters is a bit difficult because the passages were so quick and vague. Also, please be aware that there is a lot of talk of drugs, drinking, sexual references and content so this is not a good book for younger readers.

Purple Daze is a unique way of expressing life but I just didn’t like the plot nor the “focus” of some bits of the story. I did however, like the inspiration of one of the male characters (Phil). His character was based on a real guy the author knew in high school. She even dedicated the book to him: To Phillip Cole...because you waited.

Recommendation: Enjoyed the style but not the actual “story”. However I believe it was a good message about consequences and choices; not recommended for anyone younger than age 16.

Content: Language, drugs, alcohol, sexual content, descriptions of war (R)

|Pages: 197|Release Date: March 2011|Publisher: Running Press|

|Genre: Contemporary, historical fiction, war, love, friendship|

|Content Rating: 1/5|Cover Rating: 5/5|Overall: 2/5|

This Review is copyrighted© by Books and Literature for Teens. Special thanks to Nicole.

Bitter Melon by Cara Chow

What would you do if your mother planned every step in your life...and demanded you follow?
Frances has one job in life. To get into Berkeley and become a doctor so that her mother's ambitions for her will be realized. And Frances doesn't think there's anything wrong with that - until the day she accidentally steps into a speech class.
Frances turns out to be a natural at debate and public speaking. But to win in competition, Frances needs to say things she really believes - and to hide what she's doing from her mother. And once Frances steps out beyond her narrowly prescribed life, she begins to question many things about the way she is raised. Frances knows she must be obedient to her mother, who has sacrificed so much for her education. But how much is Frances living out the life her mother wants her to have, instead of the life that's right for Frances?

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Bitter Melon is an emotional journey of one girl’s struggle between perfection and what it means to be truly happy. Frances must be good...at everything. She is pushed to the limit in school as well as in every other aspect of life so that she will be able to get into Berkley, become a doctor, and take care of her mother. That is the plan–or so Frances thinks until a teacher inspires her to follower her dreams.
The struggle to please parents, and more importantly ones who aren’t pleased with themselves, is a wide issue among teens. Having achievement, perfection, and specific results demanded are emotionally brutal, especially when it turns into abuse. Loosely based on Chow’s own experiences, Bitter Melon is a rare find in a sea of stories of teen anguish and is one that will be remembered.

America advertises the ability to follow your dreams but according to Chinese upbringing, there is only duty and obedience in Frances’s future. Frances is told by her mother that once she tastes bitterness, she will get use to it and eventually like it. 

Although high academic and overall life success is mostly common in Asian culture (as showcased in Bitter Melon), this sort of pressure can of course pop in any race. 

On a personal level I connected with Frances’s story very well. Even I do not have an exceedingly severe level of pressure to do certain things, I have had experiences similar to Frances’s mother’s abusive ways. Teens who also share these issues will find this story special because it offers a glimpse of hope that the future can be changed.
Besides Frances’s struggle for happiness, Bitter Melon also has a few “side-stories” that intertwine throughout the book. Frances meets a boy whom she becomes very enticed with and finds confidence in the speeches she writes for competitions–all which make the book even more worthwhile. Overall, Bitter Melon was a wonderful debut novel. Can’t wait to see what Chow writes next.


Recommendation: Highly recommend to teens ages 12+
Content: PG - family violence/abuse


|Pages: 309|Publisher: Egmont USA|Release Date: Dec. 2010|
|Genre: Contemporary fiction, family violence, teen issues|
|Cover: 4/5|Content Rating: 5/5|Overall: 5/5|

Review copyrighted© by Books and Literature for Teens.

Out With the In Crowd by Stephanie Morrill

WARNING!: This is a review of a book within a series and contains spoilers! Please read my review of Me, Just Different, Book 1 in this series.
Skylar Hoyt may have vowed to change her partying ways, but it's not so easy to change her friends. Even though the old Skylar is gone, she's still not sure who this new Skylar really is. Add to that two parents battling for her loyalty, a younger sister struggling with a crisis pregnancy, and a new boyfriend wishing for more of her time, and Skylar feels like she can't win. After all, how do you choose favorites among people you love most?

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Skylar is back and ready to tackle the school halls but is she truly ready for the trials ahead? In Me, Just Different, the first book in the Reinventions of Skylar Hoyt series, Sky decides she no longer wants to be known as the school's party-harty girl. Instead, Sky slips from the "it" crowd and makes changes in her life. Meanwhile, her younger sister is about to go through some changes all her own. In this book, Sky is faced not only with her sister's pregnancy, the constant reminders of her "old" self, but the choice between love or duty.

Teen pregnancy plays a big part in this book and goes into detail about how the girls deal with their consequences. Another great teen-pleaser voiced in Out With the In Crowd is relationships: boys, friends, enemies. During the book, Sky is faced with backstabbing friends and a boyfriend stealer. Stephanie does a fantastic job of setting Sky in real-life circumstances and getting results that any teen girl could relate to. Although The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt might be–in some places–categorized under "religious fiction" there is absolutely no preachiness or anything that some might find offensive to read. In short, I'd recommend to anyone without hesitation. 

I think Stephanie's books are a great alternative for fans or non-fans of "it" girl novels. Instead of reading something about a party-girl, you get to see someone fight against it... to realize there is something more than hanging with the "it" crowd.

Recommendation: I believe I enjoyed reading this second installation to the series even better than the first. Great read for teen girls ages 14+. (Don't forget to read Me, Just Different first!)

Content: Some kisses and intensive family drama. (PG) 14 and up because topics are a little heavy for younger readers.

The Last Straw: Randome passage, pg. 129.

He pressed a kiss onto my hand as a smile crept into his face. "Sorry girl. You can't get rid of me so easy."

|Pages: 249|Publisher: Revell|Published: Jan. 2010|Price: Soft. $11.99|

|Genre: Contemporary fiction, romance, high school, family drama, relationships|

|Age Group: YA, ages 14+|Content: PG|
|Series? Yes, The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt|Order: Book 2|

|Enjoyed It: 5/5|Content: 4/5|Cover: 4/5|

|Overall: 5/5|

Thanks for sending this Stephanie!

This review is copyrighted ©2010 by Books and Literature for Teens.

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan

"Here comes the bride"–if she can pass chemistry. Eighteen-year-old Bronwen Oliver has a secret: She's really Phoebe, the lost daughter of the loving Lilywhite family. That's the only way to explain her image-obessed mother; a kind but distant stepfather; and a brother who has a small personality complex (he thinks he's Jesus). Bronwen must have been switched a birth, and she can't wait to get away from her family for good. Then she meets Jared Sondervan. He's sweet, funny, everything she wants–and he has the family Bronwen has always wanted, too. She falls head over heels in love, and when he proposes marriage, she joyfully accepts. But is it Jared she truly needs? And if he's not, she has to ask: What would Phoebe Lilywhite do?

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If I only had one word to describe I Now Pronounce You Someone Else I would say personality. Not very often do books have a personality all to their own. This book not only brings an almost-untouched plot to the table of YA, I Now Pronounce You throws in various aspects of a girl's life and a unique circumstance that most teens fear to tread.
Bronwen. That's a different name. It goes perfect with the story because this story isn't your typical YA novel. Bronwen, the narrator of this book, has a unique dilemma. Not only does Bronwen have a background of identity issues, insecurity, and family frustrations, she just told her boyfriend “no”. Oh, did I also mention she's getting married? Toppling on a sea of big life decisions, readers will watch Bronwen pull through... but not without a few twists in the mix. One thing I liked about I Now Pronounce You is that–no matter how many times I tried to guess the situation–Bronwen always surprised me.
Out of all the themes I Now Pronounce Someone Else incorporates: friendship, love, family, identity, and dealing with life decisions–I think perhaps the topic that stood out the most for me was the value of purity. No, no, this isn't a book about one of those girls who goes around talking about purity-rings or her virginity. No, instead our heroine displays a very strong sense of morals and heartfelt devotion. In a world almost void of virtues and innocences, Browden’s voice rings true. I believe many teen girls will relate to Bronwen's struggles, maybe even give them hope for the road ahead.
Bronwen's issues with her family and personal identity will also hit home-base with many teenagers. Because Bronwen's relationship with her mother is falling apart and is constantly hurt by her stepfather's seemingly uncaring actions, Bronwen feels unloved. In turn, she invents a sort of alter-ego, Miss Lilywhite. Family life is such a broad topic and although it is showing up more frequently in the market these days, parent interaction with teen characters is often largely ignored. Bronwen's battle with big decisions doesn't stop at college; Bronwen is swept off her feet by a man (yes, a man) who she believes to be The One. Whatever shall she do? Only Bronwen can decide... and the results?–a stunning drama you don't want to miss.

Recommendation: I Now Pronounce You Someone Else is a great book for teen girls. Finding a book that deals with these subjects so honestly and maturely yet with the lightness of a classic Young Adult novel is rare. My suggestion: skip your next read and pick up this one instead. Recommended to ages 12+.


This Book is For: Teens and older young adults who enjoy a good drama or romance story.
Content: Mild sensuality, coupe of bad words (_am), and some emotional family situations. A-okay for ages 12 and up.


The Last Straw: "Agreeing with crazy people is so much easier–and certainly more diplomatic–than disagreeing." - pg. 3 of I Now Pronounce You Someone Else


|Pages: 258|Published: June 2010| Publisher: Scholastics|Price: Hard. $16.99|
|Genre: Contemporary fiction, teen romance, drama, family drama, friendship|
|Age Group: YA, ages 12+|Content: PG|
|Enjoyed It: 4/5|Content Rating: 4/5|Cover: 5/5|
|Overall: 5/5|

OTHER SIMILAR AUTHORS & BOOKS:

The Lonely Hearts Club - Elizabeth Eulberg

Love Rules - Dandi Daley MacKall

Melody Carlson (Notes From a Spinning Planet series)

Lipstick Apology - Jennifer Jabaley

This review is copyrighted ©2010 by Books and Literature for Teens.

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper (by Guest Reviewer)

Imagine having a photographic memory, imagine being extremely smart..... Well that's exactly how eleven year old Melody is except there is one problem, she can't talk or walk. Every day she goes to school to a special class for kids that have problems and every day they go over the alphabet. For her, though, she is past just learning the alphabet. Melody belongs in advanced classes but she has no way of letting anyone know that. Doctors and experts diagnosed her with cerebral palsy and insisted that she wasn't capable of learning. Little did they know she is destined to prove them wrong. With a little help from a friend and a lot of hope, Melody finds what she's been looking for all her life. She will prove to the world what she can accomplish.

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I've never read any of Sharon Draper's books before, but what caught my eye on this book was the cover. It is very interesting how the fish is jumping out of its bowl and it goes very well with the title. The characters were written very well and sometimes I found myself getting frustrated with some of Melody's problems. I started worrying if it would end okay. Even though it had some sad parts I really enjoyed reading Out of My Mind. I would recommend this for kids 11 and up.

|Pages: 304|Year Published: March 2010|Publisher: Atheneum|

|Genre: Contemporary fiction, teen issues, drama, tragedy|

|Age Group: YA or 11+|Content: None|

|Enjoyed It: 4/5|Content Rating: 5/5|Cover: 5/5|

|Overall|

Review by Margaret May

At Face Value by Emily Franklin

A tennis champion, straight-A student, and editor of the school paper, Cyrie Bergerac has learned to live with her (ahem) peculiar proboscis. And she's got an armory of witty retorts for every schnoz joke that comes her way. But despite her talents and charm, Cyrie is convinced that no guy—hot or otherwise—would deem her crush-worthy. Certainly not Eddie "Rox" Roxanninoff, who's gorgeous, smart, and genuinely nice to boot! There's someone else smitten with Rox, too. It's Leyla, Cyrie's pretty yet tongue-tied best friend. Helping Leyla seduce Rox through email provides a wonderful way for Cyrie to express her true feelings. But watching her crush hook up with Leyla may be more than she can take. Will Cyrie find the strength to risk it all—nose be damned—and confess her love?

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Based on the originial big-nosed romantic, Cyrano de Bergerac; At Face Value  is a charming and witty novel exploring friendship, love, and self-confidence. Everyone has a part of them they don't like. Noses, bean-pole body, skinny legs, big ears, too short (that's me) and so on. It's caused by lack of self-confidence and brought on by teasing and insecurity just as Cyrie experiences in this semi-romantic narration. Personally, I loved reading this book because of its classic, yet suspenseful love triangle at the center of this story. The characters were just as lovable with their humor, awkwardness, and cleverness which keeps you in touch in reality and that will ring true to many teen girls.
I have read-not a lot- but enough to where I know what I want from a YA romance novel: I want to be kept guessing, end of story. I have read many a teen romance in which I have guessed right on the dot what was going to happen. With At Face Value however, Franklin kept me surprised and I honestly think that this book will please even the pickiest of readers. Even though the acceptance and friendship themes are expected, I still think the romantic side of the novel does have a few twists up its sleeve. The best part of this charming novel is not the romance nor the characters, but how the school scene and Cyrie's comedic mistakes are portrayed. Cyrie will make you laugh or shake your head as she falls head over heels and pokes her nose in places it shouldn't be in.

Overall, At Face Value is a lovable story of several smitten boys, the school's "it" chicks, and one big nosed girl who must discover that value doesn't lie on the outside, but the inside. I highly recommend to any teen girl.

Emily Franklin is the author of dozens of books for teens including The Principals of Love series, the Chalet series, and The Other Half of Me.

|Pages: 264|Year Published: 2008|Publisher: Flux|

|Genre: Contemporary fiction, teen romance, friendship, teen issues|

|Age Group:YA, ages 12+|Content:Very mild language and mild sensuality|

|Enjoy It: 4/5|Content Rating: 4/5|Cover: 5/5|

|Overall|

Sliding on the Edge by C. Lee McKenzie

Shawna Stone, sixteen, can handle anything from a Las Vegas hustle to skipping out on the rent. Scarred inside and out, she's survived with a tough, hardened attitude. Yet she's thrown when her mother abandons her in Vegas with only a bus ticket and the name and number of a stranger to call. Now this troubled, desperate teen finds herself on a Northern California horse ranch with Kay Stone, her steely, youngish, disillusioned grandmother,who overwhelms Shawna with rules and daily barn chores. Shawna will baffle Kay with her foul mouthed anger and shrugging indifference to everything--except the maltreated horse on the ranch next door. But it's worse than even Kay suspects: Shawna's driven to cut herself by that strange voice inside her head,which at times has been her only steady companion.Kay, brittle from the loss of her marriage and her only son, struggles to keep the ranch going with only Kenny, the broken down drifter she hired, to lean on. Wondering what secrets hide behind Shawna's barricade, Kay fears that unless she somehow helps this troubled girl, she could lose her last living family member. And Kay's own secret is the very one that's kept Shawna and her mother away for all these years. As this unlikely pair struggles to co-exist, will they overcome their inner suffering to build a bridge to each other, and together find the strength to transcend the past? - from book jacket

*****

Sliding on the Edge is an emotional and edgy story of one girl’s journey to recovery. Shawna is a tough girl, she has to be to survive some of America’s roughest cities. When her mom leaves her alone in Las Vegas with only a hundred bucks to buy a bus ticket and a phone number, Shawna soon finds herself on a Californian horse ranch living with a grandmother she never knew existed. Besides her problematic anger issues and rough exterior, Shawna turns to cutting herself when a she can’t handle the pressure any longer.

With the help of a mistreated horse, the truth, and a some friends, Shawna learns that hurting herself will not make the anger and pain she feels go away.

Sliding on the Edge’s characters are very real and you get to read two different perspectives: Shawna’s and Kay’s. I believe teens can relate and learn from Shawna and her grandmother as they discover how to accept and face their problems.

Overall, Sliding on the Edge is a touching and vivid message of pain, sadness, and hope by debut author C. Lee McKenzie. Wether you’re looking for something edgy or experiencing problems like Shawna, this book is great for teens and would be a great addition to any YA library collection. Hope to see more from McKenzie!

~C. Lee McKenzie is a native of California and has been a university lecturer and administrator. She has written and published various non-fiction articles, edited university newspapers, and short stories. Sliding on the Edge is her first novel for Young Adults.~

|Pages: 266|Year Published: April 2009|Publisher: WestSide|

|Genre: Contemporary fiction, drama, family, teen issues|

|Age Group: YA, ages 14+|Content: Language, sensuality, and cutting|

|Enjoyed It: 3/5|Content Rating: 3/5|Cover: 2/5|

|Overall|