From What I Remember...

April 1, 2012
What happens in Mexico stays in Mexico, unless it forces you to show up late to high-school graduation in a squad car wearing a red Mexican wedding dress. Just how did Kylie Flores, class valedictorian from the wrong side of the tracks, and Max Langston, the king of Freiburg Academy's richest and hottest, wind up in bed together in Ensenada, Mexico, on graduation morning? This breezy romp takes readers along for the ride as the teens piece together the details of their wild night. Kylie's best friend Will, her brother Jake and Max's girlfriend Lily also lend their voices to the story. Jake, who suffers from Asperger's, adds a particularly distinctive perspective. And while the number of teens coming out may push the believability factor, the depiction of their relationships with both friends and love interests feels real and positive. It's no surprise that both Kramer and Thomas share common roots in the film industry. Their love of the medium comes through not only in Kylie and Will's passion for quoting movies but also in the fast-paced action sequences that seem made for the big screen. Though some subplots feel superfluous, the twists and turns make for an enjoyable ride that readers will likely remember. (Fiction. 14 & up)

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May 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-On the morning of her high school graduation, valedictorian Kylie Flores wakes up in Mexico next to gorgeous and popular Max Langston with no recollection of how she got there. What follows is an account of the 48 hours leading up to her rude awakening. Told in the alternating voices of Kylie; her flamboyantly gay best friend, Will; her brother, Jake, who has Asperger's; Max; and his catty girlfriend, Lily, the story is pieced together. The authors touch upon many hot-button topics (homosexuality, crime, immigration, underage drinking, and family troubles) that would generally cause a story to suffer from a lack of focus, but, interestingly enough, it works here. There are definite holes in the plot, but the quick pace and the hot-and-cold relationship between Kylie and Max will keep readers interested and rooting for them until the very end. Far from flawless, the characters seem real. While Kylie's uptight yet impulsive girl-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-tracks is a walking contradiction at times-how does such a smart girl neglect to back up her work-in-progress screenplay?-readers can't help but identify with her insecurities and defense mechanisms. What could have been a cliche-riddled teen romp turns out to be a fun, adventurous, and romantic side trip into those final days of high school-Audrey Sumser, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH

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