September 1, 2012
Fifteen-year-old Rose Zarelli has every right to be angry, but she needs to figure out a way to control it, or she risks losing everything she loves. Still reeling from the death of her father and, to a lesser degree, the departure of her college-bound brother, Rose quickly finds that high school is nothing like she hoped and everything like she feared. When her best friend, Tracy, disappears into the world of cheerleading and partying, and her mother shuts down because of her own grief, the unexpected attention of troubled Jamie seems like a dream come true, but Jamie's jealous girlfriend is nothing short of a nightmare. The familiar story of smart girl meets bad boy is enhanced by Rose's intelligent and authentic voice. Unfortunately the rest of the story reads more like an episode of Jersey Shore. Copious amounts of alcohol, a homecoming striptease and a catfight are only a sampling. Rose, who claims to have too much self-respect to participate in the bad behavior, has no problem sneaking around with Jamie. Even prom is compromised, as Jamie is jailed for buying with a fake ID. In the end, anger may be the least of Rose's issues. Like reading bad television. (Fiction. 14 & up)
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