Meredith Zeitlin

SO FUNNY!!!! LOVED LOVED LOVED!
Kelsey Finkelstein is starting high school, only she's determined to stand out this year! What she didn't consider is that she might stand out, just not in the most flattering ways. First her arch-nemesis Gemma moves away, only to be replaced by new arch-nemesis & upperclassman Julie Nelson. Then one of her besties, Cass, steals her long-time (and newly single) crush Jordan. Her dreams of becoming star left wing of the JV soccer team are dashed when she is made (gasp!) goalie, ouch! The spring musical goes equally off track when she get a lead (!!!) but then discovers it's for a male part (a gross fat wolf-man male part). And through all of this she keeps winding up in picutes in the school paper, only the shots are rather unfortunate. She meets new friends, fights with her current ones, has disappointing encouters with boys, and not to mention dealing with her parents and super-annoying sister! How will she ever survive this crazy year?

Kelsey is my new best friend. I loved her so much... so much! This book is so freaking cute and funny I can't even say enough about it. I love it when a book makes me laugh out loud (it's so rare!). When she said"
"Apparently, she can't find her Annie costume (could someone have hidden it behind the washing machine? I wonder...)"
I almost fell off my chair laughing! But seriously, the best part of this book is it's so realistic. Teens do drink, they mostly don't have absentee parents, they think about sex and wonder when and if they should be doing it, they don't have unlimited access to credit cards and high fashion. I love a book that has that honest feel.
It's a must read for YA-ers!

My blog:
http://pinkpolkadotbookblog.blogspot.com/… (meer)

If you're looking for a sweet and genuinely funny read, Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters is just the ticket! Seriously, I'm kicking myself for not getting to this sooner. It has stolen my heart! Kelsey Finkelstein wants nothing more than to make a mark in her new high school. You know, stand out. What she doesn't realize, is that she'll stand out alright! Just not in the way she was hoping. I loved traveling with Kelsey as she navigated the horrors of high school, complete with evil older girls and unbelievably hot guys. This book was just too cute for words!

Kelsey, Cassidy, JoJo and Em are just so much fun! They really took me back to my high school days. Here is a group of girls who do literally everything together. Kelsey especially stole my heart, and who can blame her? She's funny, sarcastic, and absolutely hilarious! I loved the way that she always seemed to be able to take everything in stride. Sure, there are points where she overreacts just like any normal teen. Still, she always managed to see the lighter side (and cause me to laugh) and things were off and running again. I adore this girl!

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters is the prefect mix of light-hearted reading and real teen issues. Zeitlin shows that girls Kelsey's age are faced with a lot of issues, but that they still have the power to make good decisions. Kelsey and her friends do drink and party in this book, although they do it in a mostly responsible way. Once in a while they do make the wrong choice in a situation, but they always learn from it and move on. Honestly, Kelsey reminds readers that high school isn't the easiest place to be. However with the right head on your shoulders, and the help of some great friends, it's totally do-able!

Add in the craziest (and cutest) build up to a relationship that I've ever seen, and you have a book that just blew me away. I absolutely loved Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters and I know that you will too! Go get yourself a copy and dive in. You won't regret it!
… (meer)

If you like cute, summer time type reading, you’ll like this realistic fiction novel.

It’s always been Zona and her dad after her mom died after giving birth to Zona. They’ve happily taken care of each other with headline notes and being together. Dad is a journalist, and Zona is on the staff at the school newspaper, hence, the notes written like headlines in their apartment! One day Zona’s dad says they are moving to Greece for six months so that he can write a book on what’s happening with the Greece people and the economy. Zona is NOT happy. Another part of the trip is that she is going to meet her mom’s entire Greek family. As far as Zona is concerned, she can go her whole life without meeting them. They abandoned her mother and have never wanted to talk to her, so why now?

Zona has many friends and really doesn’t want to leave. What she finds in Greece though is surprising. She rarely gets to socialize with her father because he works constantly. She attends an international school where they speak English. Customs and life is very different in Greece than the United States. You’ll enjoy seeing the differences. When Zona finally spends time with her Greek family, she learns what really happened between them and her mother.

If you have a free afternoon and want a fun, make-you-smile novel to read, pick this one up!… (meer)