How My Summer Went Up in Flames

March 18, 2013
In a fit of rage, high school junior Rosie Catalano torches keepsakes from her relationship with her cheating boyfriend, accidentally setting fire to his car. This results in a restraining order, horrifying Rosie, her friends, and her parents, who have to pony up for a lawyer and prepare for a court date in two weeks. To keep Rosie away from Joey, Rosie’s parents agree to let her travel from New Jersey to Arizona and back with her trustworthy neighbor Matty and his geeky friends Spencer and Logan. Debut author Doktorski’s writing is full of emotion and wit; Rosie is willing to speak her mind and stand up for herself, with a beauty that comes from real curves, a real appetite, and a sassy attitude. Matty, Spencer, and Logan are all worthy romantic heroes in their own ways, and readers may have difficulty deciding who they want Rosie to end up with. Throw in a couple of excellent, loyal girlfriends—one old and one new—and the result is an entertaining road trip novel about heartbreak and starting over. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kerry Sparks, Levine Greenberg Literary Agency.

April 1, 2013
When she can't seem to stop trying to contact ex-boyfriend Joey even after a temporary restraining order, Rosie's parents decide to send her on a road trip from New Jersey to Arizona with three guys. Matty, the neighbor kid who is a year younger than Rosie and practically a member of the family, has been planning the trip with buddy Spencer, whose brother Logan wants to take his car to college. The hope is that Rosie will learn to control her impulsive nature along the way and show some maturity and thoughtfulness. The result is not particularly suspenseful or surprising. The country tunes that make up the book's soundtrack also indicate the stops along the way: Luray Caverns, Dollywood, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Grand Ole Opry and Graceland. The story revs up a bit at an all-ages nightclub near Dallas, and then they move on to the Grand Canyon. A love triangle among Rosie, Logan, the hot older brother, and Matty, the boy next door, adds a level of trite, as does Avery, the incredibly rich, dedicated-to-humanity girl whom Logan wants to stop and see. Is that two love triangles? At any rate, Rosie gradually learns to think of someone besides herself and to see her ex more realistically. Country hokum with a playlist to match. (Romance. 12-16)

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May 1, 2013

Gr 8 Up-Rosalita Ariana Catalano is not starting off her summer vacation quite the way she imagined. Instead of having fun in the sun, she receives a temporary restraining order from Joey, her ex-boyfriend, all because she sent him a series of text messages and accidentally set his car on fire. She only wanted to know why he had cheated on her with a blond freshman. Rosie's parents decide to get her as far away from Joey as possible until her court date, so they send her off on a road trip with her neighbor, Matty, and his two friends. Rosie, much to her surprise, starts to realize that she just might be having the summer of her life. Although the premise sounds entertaining and lighthearted, the story and underdeveloped characters are formulaic and predictable. Rosie is hard to connect with and her voice seems forced. Also, her dramatic Ecuadorian mom and loud Italian dad at times come across as caricatures. And, although she does go through a transformation, resulting in the new, caring Rosie, the hot-tempered protagonist remains unconvincing right through the happy ending. Teens who like road-trip books might enjoy this story, but there are better titles out there. Give them Morgan Matson's Amy & Roger's Epic Detour (S & S, 2010) or Julie Halpern's Don't Stop Now (Feiwel & Friends, 2011) to satisfy their open-road captivation.-Traci Glass, Eugene Public Library, OR

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2013
Grades 7-10 After Rosie receives a TRO (temporary restraining order) from her ex, summer vacation looks bleak. When she further proves to have faulty impulse control and tries to contact him, Rosie's family decides that she needs to leave town for awhile. To Rosie's dismay, she is sent on a road trip from New Jersey to Arizona with three guys whose detailed itinerary allows no time for using the round brush on her hair, or any other female fluffery. At first, it's an awful experience. But in true road-trip fashion, the three guys and the girl ride out emotional upheaval, sexual tension, and the ever-present threat of the TRO. Rosie is a funny, endearing narrator, propelled by impulse and passion that sometimes obliterate common sense. Her portrayal of her male companions is often hilarious, as she tunes into their conversations on college football, superheroes, girls, and the Hubble Space Telescope. While some of the emotional resolutions come a bit too easily, this debut novel is still a great ride.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)