The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions)

January 11, 2016
Spalding (Kissing Ted Callahan) adds an element of betrayal to the age-old theme of opposites attracting in this lively if somewhat stereotypical romance featuring a workaholic heroine and a former boy band idol. Jules’s mind is on editing the school newspaper and getting into an Ivy League college when she begins her senior year, but when the school welcomes a new student, the once-famous pop star Alex Powell, she can’t help being distracted, especially when it becomes clear than Alex, now intent on leading a normal life, wants more than just friendship with her. Before a romance can spring off the ground, Alex does something unforgivable: he joins the staff of the school’s video news show, which is in direct competition with the school paper. Will Jules and Alex become archenemies, or will love conquer all? The answer brings both suspense and laughs. Characters and plot are painted in broad, bright strokes; Spalding has a quick, easy sense of humor; and while the resolution is perhaps too neatly packaged, it paves the way for an upbeat, gratifying ending. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kate Schafer Testerman, KT Literary.

January 1, 2016
For years, every minute in Jules McAllister-Morgan's day has been carefully scheduled and committed to a single cause: getting accepted at Brown University. Straight A's? Check. Volunteer work? Check. Student government? Check. And now, editor of Eagle Vista Academy's 104-year-old newspaper? Check. Just when it seems that nothing could possibly derail her plans for college domination, Alex Powell comes to town. With a little nudging from her two moms and her best friend, Sadie, Jules opens herself up to the idea that making some time for romance might not be the end of the world. Fortunately for readers, the sparks that fly between Jules and Alex, the ex-boy band star and newest addition to the senior class, are hot enough to make them a couple worth rooting for. Unfortunately for readers, Jules' over-the-top reaction to Alex's seemingly harmless role supporting a media rival to the school paper turns all that delicious lust into hate prematurely. What follows is a choppy read, in which Jules' quirky, overachieving charm turns into an off-putting and seemingly unbalanced obsession with crushing the competition no matter the cost. What could have been another light and entertaining addition to the tried-and-true smart-girl-falls-for-bad-boy romp fizzles as Jules loses her grip on reality. Far too little kissing. Far too much fussing. (Fiction. 13-16)

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February 1, 2016

Gr 7-10-Jules McCallister-Morgan has first-world problems. It's her senior year, and this overachieving, neurotic, privileged perfectionist might possibly explode unless a few things happen first: 1) her favorite Ivy League school accepts her application, and 2) she becomes the new editor in chief of her high school's newspaper. Just as things seem to be going well for Jules, her senior year veers off course when she falls for a hot former boybander with a mysterious past. Then, a rival journalist creates a video newscast, throwing her beloved newspaper under the bus. Even her volunteer job as a dog walker is compromised. It doesn't take long before there is an all-out, vicious war between the print and the video journalists, with Jules at the helm. Spalding excels at creating flawed characters whose own issues and mistakes propel the plot forward. Readers will grind their teeth over some of Jules's narcissistic and selfish decisions, such as publishing a hurtful article about a person she really cares about and ignoring and lying to her best friend for months. Her change of perspective at the end feels a bit contrived but does create a satisfying end. Jules's two moms add a layer of diversity, but many readers will find this Los Angeles prep school drama difficult to relate to. VERDICT A cute and fluffy read, this book will appeal to those who want a gentle high school drama with a touch of romance.-Leighanne Law, Scriber Lake High School, WA

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