Catherine Lo

I listened to this novel when audiobook sync released it in the summer of 2020. It's realistic fiction that should be read by girls and boys in high school. They also need to read Luckiest Girl Alive for another layer of reality.

What happened? A year ago Troy, Jenna's boyfriend, posted revealing photos of Jenna on Twitter. Jenna's devastation caused her to completely change her appearance and refuse to say Troy's name and to even burn his truck. No one was punished. Jenna was told by Ms. Bailey that she should speak to the law class about her mistake, and the administration at the school refused to investigate because it could upset some sports figures on campus. She's been depending on Mouse, her childhood friend, for social interaction, as she's been dropped by her former friends.

Now. Pictures of Mrs. Bailey got posted online and Jenna, Mouse, and Drew seem to know something about it.

Four weeks ago. Law class. It's easy--everyone takes it because the teacher, Ms. Bailey, never changes the course. You can see all the tests online, making it an easy grade. The only assignment students accomplish on their own is the project. Mouse, Jenna, and Drew end up as partners for the assignment. Mouse really wants to cover a case about privacy on the Internet, where a video of a girl was posted and she committed suicide. Drew worries Jenna will be upset, but she eventually agrees because she wants them to study the case with her to understand why she disagrees with society's opinion that the girl should take the entire blame. After all, she should have known better. They meet over the next four weeks discussing the case. They're an unlikely team. Drew's best friend is Troy and is part of the athletes who exploited Jenna's photos. Mouse is also the cousin of Troy. Jenna decides to give them a chance to prove themselves with this case.

Jenna. Her mother nicknames her Butterfly and raised Jenna to be strong. Take twenty-four hours to cry and be upset but then carry on. Jenna has gone to school with her head held high even though she feels pushed aside for the athletes, ignored because her gender makes her guilty.

Mouse. His father abuses him and Mouse wants to get away. He plans to apply to MIT and leave forever. He has spent the last year taking any computer job needed at school in order to make money to pay for his applications. He's very smart but has always loved Jenna secretly. He's enjoyed spending time with her this past year. He wants Jenna to realize they're perfect for each other. He also wants out at the end of the year. He wants to leave and never return to his parents.

Drew. His father prefers his older son, but they have money and Drew is generally left alone. He may not be the greatest athlete, but he does well enough to be on varsity. He's amazingly good looking and charming. Last year there was a contest for which guy could get the most naked photos from girls at school. Drew easily won.

I really enjoyed this mystery. I didn't give the novel five stars because I figured it out early on. Maybe the reader is supposed to, but I think--perhaps--we were supposed to be surprised. I would loved to discuss the ending because there's a lot to talk about. Who sinned more? What is justice? What's fair? It would be great to have a book club of high school boys and girls and hash out the ending.… (més)

FROM AMAZON: Only three students had access to a teacher’s racy photos before they went viral. There’s Mouse, a brainy overachiever so desperate to escape his father and go to MIT that he would do almost anything, legal or not. Then there’s Drew, the star athlete who can get any girl’s number - and private photos - with his charm but has a history of passing those photos around. And finally, there’s Jenna, a good-girl-turned-rebel after her own shocking photos made the rounds at school last year, who is still waiting for justice.

All three deny leaking the photos, but someone has to take the fall. This edgy whodunit tackles hot-button issues of sexting and gossip, and will have listeners eagerly awaiting the final reveal… (més)

A YA book that my thirteen-year-old checked out of the library and then insisted I read when he finished. Very of the moment -- the plot centers on sexting and social media and apps used for bullying and "nice guys." Told through jumps between two timelines, it is unraveling the mystery of who publicly shared revealing photos of a teacher, told through the point of view of the only three teens who should have had access to the photos -- Jenna, a girl whose life was upended a year ago when her own topless photos were shared, Drew, a jock and best friend of Jenna's ex, and "Mouse," a quiet blerd and long-time close friend of Jenna.

About two-thirds of the way through this book I became filled with the conviction that there was only one way this book could end that would make it "okay." That's the way it ended. As it turns out Jenna leaked the photos -- crushing a teacher who was casually cruel to her in her own moment of humiliation. AND FRAMING THE TWO BOYS WHO LEAKED HER OWN PHOTOS AT THE SAME TIME. Very satisfying. I like that the book allowed for moral messiness -- showing us good sides to both Drew and Mouse, but absolutely not letting them off the hook for the fucked up shit they did to Jenna (and many other girls.)… (més)

This book is so awesome! It's so complex! That's where the real joy of the book lies. All of the characters have multiple facets to them. Every single one. And you're never quite sure what to think about them. The book uses its multiple viewpoints to amazing effect. For instance, you see Jessie's mom flip out on Jessie, and then you see her being extremely kind to Annie, and you realize, this is the same person. These two behaviors spring from the same place. And it makes you realize how complex a personality is, and how the same psyche can react to different situations in such different ways.

It would not be an understatement to say that every character in this book is complex and surprising (even the wicked stepmother! Even the clique of mean girls!) And what's great is that this isn't simply a reversal in character. They don't change and become good. Instead you simply realize how terribly complex they were all along.

Anyway, loved the book. The one it most closely reminded me of was another slice of life book, Megan McCafferty's SLOPPY FIRSTS.

Okay, so finally, I will have some real talk. The book is all about creating characters and then making us see them in different ways. But because of that, the first 80 pages of the book seem like a collection of stereotypes: the clique of mean girls; the evil stepmom; the kooky-but-warm family; the heartthrob who's secretly into the hero; the girl who's an outcast but who is really SO original and SO fun. It's tough. The writing is always good, but you don't _know_ the author yet, and you don't know that the book is going to rise above this beginning. But it does. Trust me, it does. And it's so worth it. Seen from page 280, you'll see than even the most stereotypical stuff on pages 1-80 was put there for a reason.

(Disclosure: I got this ARC through an ARC tour, but it wasn't sent to me with any expectation of a review, positive or otherwise).… (més)