Just Visiting

January 1, 2016

Gr 10 Up-Reagan Forrester and Victoria Reyes have a simple plan: pick a college and get out of town together. But as the best friends start their weekend road trips to college campuses, things get complicated fast. Their relationship strains under the weight of old secrets and new experiences. Adler's latest book revolves around two very different girls-poor outcast Reagan and Latina fashionista Victoria-who love each other fiercely despite the secrets they hide from each other. This work begins like a cotton-candy romp but quickly delves into frank discussions of sex, poverty, and bullying. Regardless, Adler never lets the story stray far from the friendship at its heart. Rea and Vic leap from the page with enough genuine life and emotion to smooth over the fact that background characters often stray too close to caricature, and the ending is satisfying despite being a little too tidy. The book's biggest strength comes from Adler's talent for pinpointing the raw emotion of every situation and building them into the feeling of a freight train barreling toward the girls as they try to decide their futures. VERDICT A complex emotional story in a lighthearted package. Highly recommended for older teens.-Amy Diegelman, Vineyard Haven Public Library, MA

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