Reading, Writing, and Me

It's back to school season which means that schools are refreshing their handbooks, and students are hitting the store for the perfect first day of school outfit. Just remember to check the dress code before you fall in love. While boys can easily pick out a few pairs of shorts, shirts, and maybe some jeans, girls will spend hours crawling through the store, aisle by aisle, looking for something that might not get them sent to the office, or, worse, sent home. For many tween and teen girls, back to school comes with plenty of anxiety before you realize that the school wants you to wear clothes that simply don't exist. For some it causes mere frustration, for others, it can create a real problem. Lower income families quite literally can't afford to make a wrong move when buying new clothes for back to school. If the item might get flagged, it's not bought because clothes are expensive and not being able to wear the shirts you bought to school because they're not...

12 Steps to Normal  by Farrah Penn Overview: Kira is back in Cederville after spending sophomore year in Portland with her aunt while her father went to rehab for alcoholism. When she walks back into her old house, she expects it to feel quieter after her Gram's passing. Instead, it's bursting with noise thanks to the three new people in the house that her father brought home from rehab. To make matters worse, her friends all treat her differently, and one of her best friend has started dating her freshman year boyfriend. Life has gotten out of control. Luckily, Kira has a twelve step plan to get her life back to normal. But is that even what she wants? Overall: 4  Characters: 4 Some characters I connected with more than others because I feel like some were built to be more human in a way. I loved Alex. He's the peripheral best friend that will obviously become something more. While he could have gotten as tropey as the rest of her former friends, Penn puts a lot of hea...

The Inconceivable Life of Quinn  by Marianna Baer (375 pages) Overview: Quinn learns she's pregnant by happenstance. She was visiting a new doctor when they told her the news, which is why she wrote it off. Because she was a virgin, and there was no way she could be pregnant. The new doctor didn't know her; the exam, urine test, and blood test were all jumping to unfounded conclusions. It was so outlandish, Quinn decides to tell a lady at her dad's campaign party about her supposed pregnancy because it was such a funny joke. Once word gets out to the press, Quinn's family's home is hounded by press and people who think she's like the Virgin Mary. While Quinn tries to come to grips with what happened to her, she's also worried about her boyfriend, friendships, and her father's crumbling run for congress. Overall: 3  Characters: 3 Though the author made the characters come off the page, none of them were of much interest to me. Her family and therapist...