Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler (audio)

After her breakup with Ed, Min is going through the box of mementos from their short but emotional relationship. There she finds the reasons she loved him but also the reasons they broke up.

I really loved Min. Her voice is exactly right for a high school student though I was less keen on all of her movie references although it shows just which girl she is in high school. If I had to classify Min and her friends, the word "hipster" comes to mind though they don't seem obnoxious about it mostly. She is a smart and sassy girl but doesn't quite know how to handle falling in love so quickly with someone so different from her. As far Ed, I don't know about him. He seems like a typical high school jock, though he does try very hard for her. But, of course, something goes wrong and the reader learns just what as Min revisits the mementos of their relationship and the eventual reason why they broke up.

6 hours, 30 minutes

Khristine Hvam is the narrator and she did a great job of capturing the emotion of the book and the beauty of the written words. I really enjoyed her narration. It was crisp and clear.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Cadence comes from a rich family who summer on their own island. She and her cousins and a friend are basically the same age and they always have the time of their lives. But something happens summer fifteen and Cadence is left with a faulty memory and severe migraines. So on her return trip to the island summer seventeen she is determined to find out what happen.

It's hard to say just how brilliant this book is. So amazing. I kind of guessed the ending, not to be smug or anything, it just reminded me of another book I love.*  But even though I did, it was still so good and so effecting. It's hard to even review without giving away too much. But as Cadence digs into the events of summer fifteen more and more of the makeup and attitude of her family becomes apparent. It is a very layered book and reminds me of when you are old enough to really understand your parents and aunts and uncles and their relationships with each other and to your grandparents. No relationship is without its complexities and We Were Liars explores that through Cadence and her memory loss and her relationship with her cousins and friend, collectively called the Liars. Their relationship is everything especially on their magical summers on her family's island. And then an accident happens and Cadence can't remember. It's through the remembering that she finally finds the truth and also understands more of her family. It's hard to say more because I wouldn't want to spoil anyone. Just read it. You won't regret it.




*The Basic Eight.

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

A year and a half after her father's death, Macy is trying to be perfect. Trying not to grieve too much or upset her mother in anyway, she has pretty much withdrawn into herself. Facing a summer at the information desk with two snotty girls who clearly think she is not good enough, Macy is just trying to hang on. That is until she meets the catering crew at one of her mother's parties. Drawn to their chaotic but loveable style, Macy begins to pull out of herself and look around at the world and maybe finally deal with the loss of her father.

First, a small rant. Student workers at the information desk answering actual reference questions? No. I don't think so. At least not at any library I have worked at and certainly not high schoolers. That is what librarians are for. Allow me to get on my librarian soapbox for a minute. Not everyone who works at a library is a librarian. Shocking I know. Librarians are usually the one working the reference desk and do a lot in administration. Childrens programs are often (but not always) run by librarians. Same for teen programs. Usually there is a librarian in charge in either case. Librarians go to school to obtain their MLIS (Masters of Library and Information Science or the ilk) and have been trained to do this work. It may seem strange to an outsider and no one is expecting the public at large to know the difference between a librarian and a library specialist (paraprofessional). But the distinction is there. *end soapbox* So 3 high schoolers working the information desk is probably not a thing that would happen. Maybe it does and I just have never encountered that kind of library. But at most they would be pointing out the bathroom and where to find a novel. Not answering in depth reference questions. This aggravated me as it seemed there was no librarian (or adult for that matter) in charge of these girls and there clearly would have been in a real world situation. /rant

Anyway, this was a much better Sarah Dessen for me. I read This Lullaby a few years back and walked away with a sort of meh impression of Dessen. I couldn't figure out the hype. But I've recently gotten into a contemporary kind of mood and thought I'd give Dessen another try. This was better. I didn't feel too old to be reading it unlike the last book. I still don't think I'll ever be a Dessen superfan but I don't think I'll go 3 years in between books either.

Macy's mother is a ridiculous kind of mother though. I know she is dealing with a lot but she makes absolutely no time to talk to her daughter or understand her daughter's new friends. So it's no wonder their relationship has deteriorated to its current state. And Macy doesn't really help either with all her pretending to be fine-just-fine. If you say that enough then the person asking will start to believe you. It was nice to see her journey to opening up and exploring a new world and finding happiness. I liked Macy and I felt sorry for her. I liked Wes and the other people who work at Wish, the catering company Macy goes to work for. They are a motley crew but good people and a great group of friends for Macy. I do wish the ending hadn't wrapped up as neatly as it did. More needed to be explored between Macy and her mother. I would have liked to have more of their relationship and less of Macy and Wes. But maybe that's just me.

Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett (Confessions #1)

Rose is angry. She is angry about her father's day and her mother's withdrawal from their daily lives, about her brother's disappearance to college and her best friend's social climbing during their freshmen year. She is also confused by all of these things and by her feelings for the badass boy who sits with her at study hall. Rose has a lot going on and she can't seem to figure out any of it.

The rules of high school are completely, entirely, distrubingly mysterious to me.
But everyone else seems to get them.  p.64

Unputdownable. Which isn't a real word but is really what describes this book for me. Cause I'll tell this book really struck a cord with me. I was pleasantly surprised by this. It really brought me back to being this age and having all these feelings and not knowing what to do with them. And, okay, I can't relate to losing a dad at this age but I can relate to all the friendship stuff and the boy stuff. Things are really confusing at that age. Rose felt so real to me and her emotions were so dead on accurate especially the part with the boy. I liked Jamie. I think he knows better than to get involved with someone so much younger but some people just connect and I think that Jamie and Rose have some sort of a connection. Sometimes you can't explain attraction. The 35 year old part of me was not happy about a 14 year old girl and a 17ish boy getting involved but the 14 year old part of me was all squee. Those two have some serious chemistry. Kissing scenes like that don't come around in just every book. I'm glad there is another book because there is so much more to Rose's story and not just the Jamie part but the part about finding herself and dealing with friendship at this age.

Real Live Boyfriends by E. Lockhart

In this last installment (*sniff*) of the Ruby Oliver series, Ruby is once again experiencing boy troubles when Noel suddenly withdraws from their relationship.  Ruby is at a loss to explain what happened.  But as she tried to figure out what happened to her real live boyfriend, she realizes how her own behavior is affecting her life.

But you have to like him and he has to like you -  and everyone has to know you're together.
He's your real live boyfriend! p.2

First, let me say that I love, love the Ruby Oliver series.  It is one of the few series that I have read multiple times and now that it is complete I will have to do a complete read through once again.  They are some beautiful, sweet complex books and I love Ruby and all her heartbreak and the unfairness of it all. 

And this book perfectly completes the series.  Do I wish there was more?  Well, yes.  Because I really will miss Ruby.  But I am happy with how the story turned out.  It was a great ending for Ruby.  I'm glad that she finally came to terms with herself and I love with whom she ended up.  And I am often a sucker for footnotes (if they are done right. *cough Bartimaeus*) so I love the lists and the footnotes.  Really there is nothing else to say. A great end to a great series. 


Hogwarts: Muggle Studies

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

Levithan explores a couple's relationship in dictionary entries.

And the thing I hate the most is knowing how much hinges on my reaction, how your unburdening can only lead to me being burdened.
p.60 under composure, n.

This is pure poetry.  So simple and sweet and a little heart-breaking, all in short dictionary like entries.  Not an entire relationship but a snapshot, an idea of one until one pivotal moment.  I really truly love it.  I am going to have to buy this book, just to mark my favorite parts that spoke to my heart.  There is something about watching a love begin and then start to fall apart that most people can identify with.  And while this is not poetry, it is poetic.  And though the entries are mostly very short, it encompasses a couple's beginning and middle, but leaves off open-ended.  I think that it is wonderful how Levithan managed to do that.  How he managed to write a beautiful story in dictionary form is really amazing.  I really cannot say enough good things about this book.

Hogwarts: Muggle Studies
GLBT

Illyria by Elizabeth Hand

Rogan and Maddy are cousins who have fallen in love with each other. But, even as they hide it from their families, they begin to explore their talents.

I touched my fingers to his lips, then kissed him.  I was afraid to guess at what might be there, beyond the tiny stage; afraid to give a name to what we saw there, just as I couldn't give a name to what I felt for my cousin.
Magic; love.   p.50

You'd expect the main theme of this novella to be the incestal relationship of the cousins.  Surprisingly it's not.  It definitely factors into the whole book since the relationship of Maddy and Rogan is such a huge part of her life.  But really I think this is not only about love, but art.  Rogan has a huge natural talent while Maddy is much more plain.  But their aunt sees more in Maddy than Rogan since Rogan is inclined to be more reckless and wasteful.  Maddy is a steady kind of girl, more inclined to hide in Rogan's shadow than stand out.  But, as this book shows, sometimes it is better to the rock than the star.

I expected to be squicked out by Rogan and Maddy, but I felt sad for them.   That no one was going to accept their relationship and that they had to hide it (though I don't think they did that good a job at it since everyone seemed to know) was a little heartbreaking for me.  It was sweet to see how much they loved each other.  I thought the actual sex scenes were well done and described tastefully, not exploitative at all.   

It is a book worth reading; full of love and sadness and magic.  The relationship was very well developed and idea of talent and how it is used is an interesting one.

Hogwarts: Charms

The Kid Table by Andrea Seigel

Despite being close to high school graduation, Ingrid is still assigned to the kid table with her cousins all about her age except for her four year cousin.  When one of the cousins is suddenly assigned to the adult table, Ingrid and the other cousins try to figure out where the status of kid ends and adult begins.

And was it really possible for anyone to ever know you better than you knew yourself, or (as I looked around my Kid Table comrades) should we all just be thankful for the rare true glimpses we actually get of each other?   p.123

I believe I am indebted to Amanda at the Zen Leaf for bringing this absolutely amazing book to my attention. And to the author, Andrea Seigel, for sending me a copy.  I'm not sure how to express my love for this book.  Because I really and truly loved it.  There was just so much I related to and so much realness in this book.

I have a large family on both my parents' sides.  But the side we spend the most time with is my father's.  I have 10 cousins on my dad's side, making 12 with me and my sister.  We are divided up into the Older Six and the Younger Six.  The older ones are the ones who are much older than me; whose kids are closer to my age than my actual cousins.  The younger ones are the ones closer in age to me.  My best friend is my youngest first cousin.  We are the ones who sat together all the time, who hung out on vacations.  There was nothing so dramatic as what happens in this book, but I can completely relate to the whole idea of the Kid Table.  I have my very own.

That being said,  I completely loved Ingrid.  Her wittiness, her need to make everyone love her, she is so great.  She was so funny and there were quite a very laugh out loud moments in this book.  I loved Cricket and even Brianne, the annoying cousin who I have a feeling that I am a lot like sometimes (B.S. in Psychology over here).  The whole storyline about Brianne's boyfriend and Ingrid flirting felt very real.  I liked the resolution for that and thought it was appropriate and hopeful though very dramatic which was fun. 

I'm not sure I can express everything that this book said to me, especially without giving a lot of myself away.  But it meant a lot to me and I think that might be enough.

Hogwarts: Muggle Studies
Take Another Chance

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

Bianca is having a hard time.  Her parents are fighting and she is sick with self-doubt after being called The DUFF, The Designated Ugly Fat Friend, by Wesley, one of the most obnoxious and hottest guys in schools.  Unfortunately, Bianca discovers that sleeping with Wesley will bring about a temporary relief from her problems and so she begins to use him like a drug. 

"You didn't, like, stab the boy, did you?  I mean, I totally disapprove of murdering hotties, but if you need help burying the body, you know I'll bring the shovel." 
p.73 ARC

While I'm reasonably certain that using someone else to forget your problems is a bad idea, it makes for a great book.  I went expecting it to be a typical chic lit type book, more in line with Sarah Dessen, but I found that The DUFF was very witty and much more relatable for me.  Not that I ever did what Bianca did, but I understand the impulse to want to lose yourself in something.  But that never works out.

So anyway, I actually liked Bianca.  She has some really horrible problems that she didn't deal with well.  But her friends were great and very supportive.  All the characters felt very real and very natural.  It was a very engaging book and I hated putting it down.  I wasn't sure how I was going to like it and I really didn't know how Wesley was going to become a sympathetic character and I also didn't care for the term of the "Duff" but it was interesting to see that evolve too and I thought that Keplinger pulled it off impressively.

Provided by Traveling ARC Tours
Hogwarts: Muggle Studies

Does My Head Look Big in This?

Goodreads:
Sixteen-year-old Amal makes the decision to start wearing the hijab full- time and everyone has a reaction. Her parents, her teachers, her friends, people on the street. But she stands by her decision to embrace her faith and all that it is, even if it does make her a little different from everyone else.

Putting on the hijab isn't the end of the journey.  It's just the beginning of it.  p.333

This was a great exploration of one girl choosing to show her beliefs to the world and the consequences that come with those big decisions.  Amal is cool and cocky and definitely 16.  She has a typical relationship with her parents and has some great friendships at school.  She attends a prep school in Australia so when she first decides to wear the hijab she doesn't know how it will go over there.  But she works through that obstacle and a few others.

The novel is in first person and that sometimes threw the tone off for me.  Some books I don't notice it, but I was always aware of it for this book.  It made some of the conversations stilted for me.  But it was nice to be in Amal's head and see how she viewed others.  Sometimes she was paranoid that strangers were judging her and sometimes she was right and sometimes not.  There were many interesting parallels drawn to her situation and that of her overweight friend and to the Greek next door neighbor and to her Japanese friend and to some of her extended family who pretend not to be Muslim.  There was a great message of tolerance and remaining true to your beliefs and yourself.  And I learned a little about Islam and a lot about what the hijab means.

cross posted with Annie, I think

ETA: corrected

Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature (audio)

Mena is having a hard time lately.  Ostracized by her church for telling on the youth group, she is also blamed for the lawsuits against all their parents and the church.  See Mena's youth group did something that wasn't very nice and when Mena apologized to the victim, all hell broke loose.  Adding to this is her new science teacher who wants to teach evolution against the objections of that church and her geeky cute science lab partner.  Mena has to learn how to stand up for herself and why it is ok to stand up for others.

This was my pick for the World Religion Challenge for two reasons.  One, it shows the bad side of Christianity.  The judgmental "Christians" who give the rest a bad name.  Mena's formers friends are the mean girls of the church, meaning they are very popular but also very bitchy.  And no one calls them on it because it is all in the name of doing God's work, so they say.  And pardon me for saying so but this are the kinds of Christians that I can't stand.  Holier than thou and meaner than hell, the good Christians who go to church regularly and spout the Scripture but treat others with contempt and disrespect.  And that is how the church kids in her class treat Mena.  All because she wanted to put a stop to contemptible behavior.  But she takes the pushing and verbal abuse like she deserves it and doesn't realize at the beginning that she can tell them to stop.  She is so worried about what they think of her.  She reminded me of a Meg Cabot character at times.  When she starts obsessing about a boy and thinking she is not good enough for him and worrying about her friends and her parents,  Mena grated a bit.

But it's the second reason that I choose this book that is why I really liked it.  Mena's journey to reconcile evolution with the Bible and the way she was brought up so extremely interesting.  She doesn't want to sacrifice her beliefs for science, but she knows that science is right.  So she goes about figuring out how she can believe in both.  She also learns about self-respect and integrity and standing up for what you believe in. That was where this book really interested me.  I was annoyed at times when she went on and on about the boy, but I recognize that this is a YA novel so there is bound to me some of that.  But I was glad that it went deeper.

Nothing Pink

Vincent knows he is gay and as hard as he prays he cannot get God to fix him.  He knows his minister father and his mother would not understand so he trys as hard as possible not to be gay.  But when his father moves to a new church Vincent meets Robert and he begins to think maybe he doesn't need to be fix after all.

It won't be hard for them to see how gay I am.  They'll know right off what my sin is. p.8

This is a very short book, only a little over 100 pages, but the message is amazing.  It is set in the 1970's and so the attitudes and language reflect that. Vincent believes that he is a sinner and is going to Hell because he is gay.  He's never even kissed another boy but he just knows.  His parents believe that homosexuality is a sin and one that cannot be forgiven and so Vincent believes it too.  His parents also ignore the signs that Vincent is gay so he tries to ignore them too.  But one day at the new church Vincent meets Robert and develops a crush on him.  And as their relationship grows Vincent begins to understand that there is nothing wrong with him. 

It was interesting to see the subject of faith and homosexuality explored.  Vincent is bought up to think one way and so cannot fanthom any other ideas about what he is.  He is afraid of what his parents will think and what God thinks and tries over and over to repent but cannot understand why God won't take the gay out of him.  Vincent's faith is a huge part of this book.  And I liked the fact that he never loses that faith even when he accepts his homosexuality is not sinful; that he never feels like God has abandoned him, that He is on his side.  In a way, Vincent's relationship with Robert is almost secondary.  But Robert is a good guy and they are so wonderful together.  It is a very sweet.  And I love the story that goes with the very pretty cover.

The Straight Road to Kylie

Jonathan is living the good life.  He's out and proud with three of the best girlfriends and having a fine time.  But during a drunken night, he accidentally has sex with a girl and now everyone is after him for something and wondering if he is actually straight.  When one of the popular girls in school offers him a bargain: act like her boyfriend and she'll take him to see his favorite pop star, Kylie Minogue.  But the straight road to Kylie leads to much drama.

Favorite quote: "She's even turning her back on me via Chick-fil-A! I'm gonna de-friend her on MySpace."  Carrie and Juan gasped.


I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into before I picked up this book.  The description sounded fun.  And this was, hands-down, a fun book.  It was very pink and frilly and frantic.  It was also just a tad too long.  I really felt sorry for Jonathan.  He just starts digging a hole after he sleeps with this girl and just digs and digs and digs.  And every time he tries to get out, he falls right back in.  All he wants to do is go see Kylie Minogue, his pop hero, but he makes a deal with the devil and drags all his friends along with him.  I saw a couple of his problems coming before he did with a couple of his friends.  Also he yells a lot.  I knew that is strange, but he was yelling or screaming on like every page.  I don't think the author knew how to convey excitement without making someone yell.  So that was weird.

Jonathan's friends were pretty awesome too and very well defined.  I've had friends like these in the my life especially the Carrie character.  They were well written and the drama was so very high school.  I will mention that there is a lot of cursing, sex (nothing explicit though), talk about sex, drinking and drugs.  Normally I don't mention stuff like that, but I feel like I have to on this one.  It's not quite adult, but it's a little more than YA.  I would say about on par with the Gossip Girl series.  So if you don't want your kid reading those, then this isn't going to work for them either.

Something that wasn't really touched on or said explicitly, but I think Jonathan had to use his "straight" self to figure out his gay self.  He knew he was gay, but had never kissed a boy or dated one really.  So in the course of pretending to be straight, he found what he was looking for, the life he was looking for as a gay male.  I don't really recommend this route, but it made for an good book.

Evermore

After her entire family dies in a car accident, Ever is sent to live with her aunt.  An outcast and blaming herself for the accident, Ever spends most of her time drowning out other people's thoughts and feelings, a talent she picked up after her near death experience. When the new guy at school, Damen, arrives, his presence gives Ever peace from others.  But he is very mysterious and soon Ever is trying to figure out what exactly is going on with Damen and her friends.

As I was reading Evermore, I had a weird thought.  The characters reminded me a lot of My So-Called Life.  It was Ever's friend, Miles.  He reminded me of Ricky and then I kept thinking of Haven as Rayanne Graff, and Ever as Angela Chase. Ever even has a younger sister.  Anyway, this thought colored the first part of the book.  Not that it matters, but I wanted to share this.  Also I got some major Twilight flashbacks. Beautiful mysterious man tries to stay away from beautiful shy girl but their love is too epic and true.  Blah blah.  I was ready to write this book off, but then in the second half it got really good and actually surprised me.  The direction it took was not unexpected, but the details were and that is a very good thing.  I hope this keeps up in the sequel, Blue Moon.

Abandoned - The Possiblities of Sainthood

From the book jacket:

Antonia Lucia Labella has two secrets: at fifteen, she’s still waiting for her first kiss, and she wants to be a saint. An official one. Seem strange? Well, to Antonia, saints are royalty, and she wants her chance at being a princess. All her life she’s kept company with these kings and queens of small favors, knowing exactly whom to pray to on every occasion. Unfortunately, the two events Antonia’s prayed for seem equally unlikely to happen. It’s not for lack of trying. For how long has she been hoping to gain the attention of the love of her life – the tall, dark, and so good-looking Andy Rotellini? Too long to mention. And every month for the last eight years, Antonia has sent a petition to the Vatican proposing a new patron saint and bravely offering herself for the post. So what if she’s not dead?
But as Antonia learns, in matters of the heart and sainthood, things are about as straightforward as wound-up linguini, and sometimes you need to recognize the signs.


This is a cute concept and I'm sure it is a cute book, but I could not get into it. I tried, but I was bored so I'm moving on. Maybe one day I'll come back to it, just not right now.

Pride and Prejudice - 2005 (Based on a Book)

I watched this one yesterday from about 1 pm to 8 pm. Yes, it took me 7 hours to finish a movie that is 2 hours long, but there was a lot going on. Anyway, I don't know why I'm telling you this, but kids and cars, you know? Something always needs to be fixed.

I won't summarize because it is Pride and Prejudice. I love this version. It is beautiful shot and the director made some interesting choices as far as lighting and location. It is definitely an abbreviated version with some supporting characters left out (Mr. & Mrs. Hurst, the Philips, etc) but they aren't really necessary. The location for some scenes were changed too. Darcy proposes outside by a lake instead of in the parsonage. Wickham is meet outside and they talk about his relationship with Darcy outside under a tree instead of at a party playing cards. I didn't have a problem with any of that. The only thing I questioned was why Lizzie was always staring in a mirror? I get that it showed passage of time, but I felt there was a deeper meaning than that.

The cast is perfect. I love Kiera Knightley's Lizzie, so proud and smart and quick-witted. And I love the little laugh when she first sees Pemberley. I love Matthew Macfadyen's Mr. Darcy. He is so awkward and delicious. Sigh. Rosamund Pike as Jane is so great. She is so beautiful and ethereal and sweet, like Jane ought to be. And I wanted to slap Lydia around a little. Jena Malone is good at playing annoying characters.

So all in all, a beautiful movie with a great cast. It skips a lot for time, but still retains the essence of Pride and Prejudice.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (Audio)

Frankie attends Alabaster Preparatory, an elite school for both old and new money alike. She begins dating Matthew Livingston, one of the most popular senior boys, her sophomore year. Matthew is a member of the school's most secret male society and Frankie wants in. Underestimated by the boys and tired of being "adorable," she makes it her mission to become the brains behind the brawn.

I've now read everything by E. Lockhart with the exception of Fly on the Wall. And I've enjoyed everything I've read. She writes such smart, witty, and real girls. Frankie is an amazing girl even I felt like smacking her now and then. She lives in a world of privilege but doesn't want to accept the status quo and won't let herself become regulate to being one of the girlfriends or just a cute girl. She wants to be powerful and recognized for her intelligence. I admire the way she went about getting what she wanted and recognize that ambition in myself. Not to the point of Frankie, but still that need to be the one in charge, to be the controller. The boys I recognize from school and from friends, boys who just are without needing to try. The way they effortlessly exist while the girls have to watch what they say or how they act lest someone assign a label to them. I think that is what Frankie is looking for, to be herself without being labeled.

Tanya Eby is the narrator and she does an excellent job. At first I thought that she read too quickly, but later realized it was tailored to the scence. Her voice is pleasant and she makes everything Frankie does seem natural and intelligent.

An Abundance of Katherines (Audio)

Colin Singleton has dated 19 Katherines and been dumped by them all. After his latest dumping by K19, he heads out on a road trip with his best (and only) friend Hassan. They end up in Gutshot, Tennessee where they meet Lindsey Lee Wells, whose family owns the local tampon string making factory. Here Colin learns that people are unpredictable and that not everything revolves around a Katherine.

It took me a long time to get through this book. Not because it wasn't good but because I was listening to it at work and didn't have a lot of opportunities to listen to it recently. I only mention this because, since it took me so long, this felt like a long book and it's not. If I had just read it, I would have had it done in a couple of days, a week max.

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. I liked the concept. Colin was not my favorite character though. He was really whiny and self-absorbed which was the point of his character, I know, but still. I liked Hasson and Lindsey Lee Wells a lot and I like how they called her boyfriend TOC (The Other Colin). That was funny. Jeff Woodman was the narrator and he did a fairly good job, but I would still recommend reading this instead of listening to it.

Boy Meets Boy

Paul lives in a town where being gay or a drag-queen quarterback is not given a second thought. He has a core group of friends some of whom are really outrageous (see aforementioned drag-queen quarterback). One night he meets Noah and he just knows that this is the right boy for him. But ex-boyfriends and best friends get in his way and Paul has to figure out how to make all his relationships work.

This is one of those books I've meaning to read for a long time, but the GLBT challenge made it the perfect time to pick it up. In a way this book reads like wish fulfillment. It is a simplified world that Paul lives in. He announced when he was 5 that he was gay after seeing it on his kindergarten teacher's report and he knew it to be true. His parents seem to have adjusted to it well and his life is not challenged in anyway. His whole town is accepting of the GLBT lifestyle. The school quarterback is a drag-queen. On the other hand, Paul's friend Tony lives in a different town with very religious families who don't approve of his lifestyle and won't let him hang out unless there are girls there. It's an interesting contrast between the two guys and provides Paul with some insight later in the book.

I liked the relationship between Noah and Paul. It was sweet and a typical "chic lit" plot except with two boys. Boy finds boy, boy likes boy, something comes between boys, well you know the rest. But the relationship I liked best was Paul and Tony's. It was so real and so right. That is probably what I'll remember most. Well, that and Infinite Darlene cause who can forget her.

The Treasure Map of Boys

Ruby Oliver is back and just can't stay out of trouble. After last year's disaster where she is branded the school slut and lost all of her friends, Ruby is trying to live her life without upsetting everyone. But her crush on Noel is complicated by her friend Nora's own crush and suddenly all of Ruby's old boyfriends (or whatever) are popping up. Ruby is still in therapy and still having trouble coping with situations in her life.


I will say that I may be biased towards this book. I love love the others in this series, The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book, so I was really looking forward to this book. Thankfully, it lived up to my expectations. I love Ruby and I feel so bad for her. I just want her to make the right decisions and quit worrying about how people feel about her. But at the same time I can still remember that need that teenagers have to be like (frankly, everyone has that need) and I understood her devastation when her friends completely dropped her in the first book even though she wasn't the only one at fault. I do like how Ruby stands up for herself and others and wants to do the right thing and tries to do the right thing, but doesn't always succeed in doing the right thing. That is generally how things go.

Anyway, I'm completely in love with this book and the whole series. I'm going to have to do a series re-read now. It's just that good.

*ARC from publisher