No More Us for You, David Hernandez

Hernandez, David (2009).
No More Us For You
New York: HarperTeen
978-0061173332
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Isabel and Carlos, both seventeen, find themselves growing closer after an unexpected accident forces them to confront both the harshness and the beauty of life.
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Carlos works as a security guard at the Long Beach Museum; he has just found out that his girlfriend, whom his parents adore, is cheating on him. Isabel, whose boyfriend died a year ago in a car accident, walks through life in a cloudy haze as she contemplates hers and everyone else’s mortality. The two narrate the novel in alternating chapters; the narrations converge when they meet through mutual friend, Vanessa-the new girl at school-who also works at the museum and tries to set the two up on a date. Hernandez includes the bizarre, mundane, and tragic of a teens’ life: Carlos’ best friend gets his girl pregnant, his other close friend, Snake, is at risk of suspension and Carlos is saving his money up for clothes, etc. while Isabel tries to decide if her butt is too big and whether she is ready to go partying on the weekends. The two double date with Vanessa and Snake to the school dance. While Carlos and Isabel decide to go into the dance, Snake and Vanessa claim that they will be in shortly so they can finish up their drinks. When Carlos and Isabel return to the parking lot, they realize the car is gone. The next day, amid all the high sschool gossip, Carlos and Isabel learn that Vanessa and Snake have been in a tragic car accident; Vanessa is dead and Snake is in a coma.

Hernandez presents a realistic portrayal of two teens attempting to deal with their grief and still longing for a mutual connection. Both suffer guilt and despair and readers will be drawn into their hearts. Hernandez uses the museum as a vehicle to bring hope and love back into the teens’ hearts and lives together.

headlong, Kathe Koja

Koja, Kathe (2008).
headlong
New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux
9780374329129
Genre: Realistic Fiction

High school sophomore Lily opens herself to new possibilities when, despite warnings, she becomes friends with “ghetto girl” Hazel, a new student at the private Vaughn School which Lily, following in her elitist mother’s footsteps, has attended since preschool.
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Lily Noble has attended the Vaughn School since preschool, and now as a junior, she seems restless and unhappy. She’s built a stellar reputation at the wealthy private school and when she meets and befriends Hazel, a girl from a urban public school, Lily’s teachers and parents warn Lily about the friendship and its effects on her reputation. The novel hopscotches back and forth between the beginning of Lily’s junior year and the end of the years. Readers witness the beginning of the friendship as well as its end. The author also includes memos written about the school and Lily’s progress. Readers will be more intrigued by subversive, sarcastic Hazel who initially doesn’t want to attend the Vaughn School. Later Lily and readers will think that Hazel has transitioned and become a representative of Vaughn- yet Koja surprises readers as the two girls drift apart. At points, Lily seems to idolize Hazel and gets caught up in the idea of Hazels’ family which consists of her gay brother and his partner. Astute readers will identify with Lily’s longing to fit in and find her place; superficial readers will probably think that Lily has a crush on Hazel! Koja deftly portrays the life at a boarding school; she captures the tone of the wealthy headmaster and the included memos allow readers to decide who is the best judge of character- the school staff or Lily or Hazel? Ultimately, both Likely and Hazel recognize and embrace their different backgrounds as they drift apart. Readers who look for Disney-type endings will have to look elsewhere!

Confessions of a Serial Kisser, Wendelin Van Draanen

Van Draanen, Wendelin (2008).
Confessions of a Serial Kisser
New York: Alfred A. Knopf
9780375942488
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Chick-Lit

After reading her mother’s secret collection of romance novels during her parents’ difficult separation, seventeen-year-old Evangeline Logan begins a quest for the prefect kiss.
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Music–loving Evangeline used to be happy-go-lucky until her father had an affair, and her parents separated. After months of wallowing in depression, Evangeline finds her mother’s secret stash of romance novels, and Evangeline decides to change her attitude. In particular, Crimson Kiss grabs Evangeline’s attention and after a do-it-herself makeover and the advice from one of her mom’s self help books, Evangeline decides to turn her fantasy into reality and seeks the passion of a crimson kiss. Unfortunately, Evangeline kisses one too many people- from the popular jock at school, the bookish quiet guy, the random guy at Starbucks, her best friend’s brother and even, unbeknownst to Evangeline, her best friend’s crush. As she flounders through her innocent kisses, Evangeline cannot understand why such perfect looking guys cannot deliver the crimson kiss and why she gains a bad reputation- even her teachers are talking! All the while Evangeline refuses to forgive her father even though her mother seems to be reconciling with him. Only when Evangeline’s best friend refuses to forgive her does Evangeline see any parallels between the two situations. Two thirds into the novel, I worried Evangeline was perpetuating dismal female stereotypes- the hysterical, emotional non-thinking female and/or the promiscuous whore. However, Van Draanen restores my faith as she reunites Evangeline with her love of music via the local record storeowner. Evangeline learns to channel her passion, forgive her father and regains her best friend. Van Draanen’s open ending with respect to two possible love interests for Evangeline is extremely realistic, and readers will overlook the didactic message because Evangeline’s voice is so endearing and likeable.

Fake Boyfriend, Kate Brian

Brian, Kate. (2007).
Fake Boyfriend.
New York: Simon & Schuster.
9781416913672
Genre: Realistic Fiction/ Chick-Lit

Vivi and Lane create an online “fake boyfriend” so that their best friend Isabelle will not return to her despicable boyfriend. When Isabelle becomes interested in her new online friend, Vivi and Lane have to devise a plan to make the fake boyfriend exist in real time.
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This teen soap opera is a page-turner! Isabelle just got publicly dumped by her slutty boyfriend (aka Sluttig)—right before the prom. Isabelle’s BFFs, somewhat pushy Vivi and shy Lane decide to create “Brandon” on myspace to distract Izzy from going back to her ex. When Isabelle wants to meet Brandon, Vivi and Lane have to find someone to act the part. Vivi finds Jonathan, who goes to a different school, to play Brandon. The plot thickens as Vivi starts to fall for Jonathan, and Lane’s fallen madly in love with her other best friend, Curtis. Each character narrates alternating chapter for a fun, sweet, look at the love triangles and friendship foibles that happen right before prom.

Some Like It Hot: An A List Novel, Zoey Dean

Dean, Zoey. (2006).
Some Like It Hot: An A List Novel.
New York: Little, Brown and Company.
978-0316010931
Genre: Realistic fiction, Chick-Lit

Each of the A-list girls experiences the fast-paced world of Beverly Hills and high school as they prepare for prom.
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Fast-paced and brimming with intrigue, the sixth volume of the A-List series focuses on the glamour, the stress and drama of being an A-lister in high school during prom. Anna loves that Ben has come back for the summer but can she trust him with soon-to-be transformed Maddy? Cammie searches for her mother and enlists the help of her boyfriend, Adam, yet she becomes embarrassed and overwhelmed by her findings. Will Adam tell? Dee gets a hall pass from the hospital to attend prom and immediately falls for Jack, Bens’ roommate, but things are never easy on the A-list…Sam, the only one who shuns the prom, becomes involved in saving prom when a fire claims the ideal prom location-an L.A. landmark. Although they each have their own drama to contend with, the A-listers stick together amid the twists and turns of high school romance, Hollywood drama and couture fashion. Zoey seamlessly weaves teen issues of love, psychiatry, and popularity throughout the contemporary series; readers will clamor for the next title to see what the girls do next.