Diane Schwemm

I'm very slowly rereading all of my childhood favorites before giving them away and this was such an enjoyable reread. The fact that I remembered the plot after 15+ years is kind of amazing. Lily reluctantly signs up for a writing class and is forced to read her story out loud, people laugh when they're not supposed to and to get through the embarrassing moment she develops a new persona right on the spot so her classmates laugh with her instead of at her. Lily was a girl with an "aesthetic" long before Tumblr was a thing and every girl had an aesthetic. She was truly ahead of her time. The book is incredibly short, so most of it deals with her navigating high school with this new sarcastic goth girl aesthetic. There's some background family drama, a very cute romance, and writerly angst that makes it the perfect book for any teen girl who fancies herself a writer.

This book was honestly perfect. It was super enjoyable and hit me in the feels. The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is that I don't think its a book I need to read again.

And, slight tangent, this plot actually reminds me a lot of the movie Teen Witch which I also love. I think what I like about both is that the protagonists are smart enough to manipulate their way into a more popular social circle. They have a high level of social competence. And, of course, in the end they realize the popular kids were losers all along. Being capable of getting what you want and then rejecting it when you have it gets me every time. It's a common plot trope that I can read/watch again and again.… (mais)

this book is my second favorite book i have read. the book is basically four different books in one which is one the things i like most about it because it is four very different perspectives. there are sister yet each has something huge and life changing happen to them on the year they turn 16 and it takes you through their perspective while also flashing back to other sisters experiences and how they influenced the current sister's experience. it goes in age order and are clearly marked making the story line is easy to follow even with four different story lines happening throughout.… (mais)