Secrets of My Suburban Life, Lauren Baratz-Logstead

Baratz-Logstead, Lauren (2008).
Secrets of My Suburban Life
New York: Simon Pulse.
9781416925255
Genre: Realistic Fiction

When Ren discovers that her biggest enemy at her new school, Farrin, has been conversing with an older man on-line and they are planning to meet, she knows that she cannot let Farrin go through with it.
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Harry Potter killed Ren’s mom. Not Harry Potter himself, but thousands of the books, explains Ren, a popular Manhattan teen. After her mother’s death, Ren’s father decides the two of them should relocate to Connecticut. Ren’s new school is culture shock for Ren; she desperately tries to fit in with all of the wealthy kids, but Farrin, the “it girl” thwarts Ren’s every attempt. As Ren blunders her way through each day of high school, she writes letters to her deceased mother in an effort to sort out her feelings. When Ren and Farrin accidentally switch pink fur-trimmed binders, Ren learns that Farrin has an ad on an internet dating site, and Farrin has been emailing an older man. Ren takes on Farrin’s online identity and suspects that Farrin has been emailing her father! Ren decides to save the young girl from disaster and confront her father; she plans to meet the man at a seedy hotel. The climactic scene (no pun intended) demonstrates that Ren has made a few friends who actually like her for who she is and that Ren should have never doubted her father’s morals. Now her English teacher is a different story…. Ultimately Ren is able to conclude her letters to her mother and look forward to school and her new life. Baratz-Longstead captures the drama and confusion of high school rather well; Ren is a kind hearted, well-intentioned girl who really doesn’t understand that Farrin is simply jealous and threatened by her. I kept thinking it was Gossip Girl Lite; SLJ too referenced Gossip Girl- only Secrets of My Suburban Life will most likely be more accessible to the younger at heart.