I really enjoyed Hot Pink in the City by Medeia Sharif. It brought back lots of memories of the 80s. I remember recording songs off the radio and making mix tapes, so I could relate to Asma and her cousin. I think many people during that time taped over something important and tried to fix it. Oh how difficult it was back then! The characters were very believable and I enjoyed learning more about Asma's culture. The summer turns out to be a learning experience for her and through a series of events she grows to know herself better and stands up for herself in ways she never had in the past. I especially liked going back to a time before cell phones, the internet, and all the technology we are surrounded by today. A lot can happen over the course of a summer, read Asma's story to find out about hers. ( )

Who didn't love the 80s? This story will put you smack dab in the middle of them and leave you with a sense of nostalgia. You go through a summer adventure with a girl and you have to hold on because the ridwe is something to behold. With all the bumps you are sure to be left breathless. Like a "True Blue" "Material Girl", you get "Live and Tell" about the ride and "Express Yourself" while you do. ( )

Being a teen is tough. There are parents who think they know what is best for you. There are friends that may not be the friends you think they are. And don’t forget the boys.

In HOT PINK IN THE CITY, by Author Medeia Sharif, sixteen-year-old Asma Bashir, tomboy, soccer star and typical teen is spending a couple of weeks during her summer vacation with her uncle and his family in New York, which is quite a change from her home in Florida. She hopes to see Madonna, who she is crazy about, as well as check out guys. (Yep, typical teen.) Things don’t turn out quite the way she planned, however. Asma and her cousin Nasreen accidentally erase Nasreen’s father’s favorite tape and soon find themselves in hot water as they attempt to replace the tape before he discovers what they did.

Add a couple of bad guys and a gorgeous teen boy named Abe, that Asma met on the plane and who she runs into again in the city, and the girls’ attempts to find a new tape get even more complicated. The author has created teens that are believable and fun, and that you can’t help but laugh at their situation (at least I couldn’t) while you feel for them too and cheer them on to achieve their goal so they don’t embarrass themselves and their strict families.

Medeia Sharif is super at showing the emotions of the characters. I could feel the girls’ panic when things went wrong and wondered if they would succeed in their quest. HOT PINK IN THE CITY is a story that teen readers should be able to relate to as it touches on many of the crises that they face. This novel would make a great addition to school classrooms and libraries, as well as public libraries and of course your own.

The author provided me with an e-copy of the book for my honest review.

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