Charly's Epic Fiascos

August 20, 2012
London (Cali Boys) pens an over-the-top story about a girl trying to escape her problems by making it big. Sixteen-year-old Charly St. James lives outside Chicago with her mother, Brigette, "a modern-day, demon-licious witch" who is forever quashing her dreams, and her younger sister, Stormy. Charly is tough, stylish, loyal, full of attitude, and has a lot on her plate: she is working as a waitress, saving up to buy a smartphoneâboth to impress Mason ("the new guy around and the man of her dreams") and to further her acting career. After Charly's mother steals her savings, Charly hears about auditions for a reality show at a network where her aunt works, and she sets out for New York City to kickstart her career, as well as save herself and Stormy. Nothing goes according to plan. London provides an â¨entertaining combination of a rapid-fire plot, flamboyant (if sometimes caricatured) characters, feisty dialogue, and a persistent heroine. Readers will simultaneously cringe at Charly's bad judgment and want to see her through to the story's cliffhanger ending. Ages 14âup.

August 1, 2012
A rough-around-the-edges road-trip story with a heart of gold.Charly lives in the small town of Belvidere, Ill., with her younger sister and a mother who regularly insults her, yells at her and steals the money Charly is saving to pay the household bills. With her job at a neighborhood diner, Charly has saved almost enough to buy a phone she's been wanting for years. Then she discovers her mother has taken the cash she's stashed in her room, and it's the last straw. One bus ticket later, Charly and one week's wages are headed to New York City, where she hopes to stay with her aunt and audition for the cast of a new reality TV show. Charly's adventures range from harrowing (near-homelessness in Chicago) to heartwarming (rescuing and keeping a puppy) to scatological (an incident with a laxative tea). Her friends and chosen family serve as a strong and warm support network, even from afar. Charly's naivete often lands her in dangerous situations, but her determination and her willingness to take risks propel her onward. A lengthy introductory section before the road trip begins may deter some readers, but those who stick it out will be rewarded. Just enough realism to be believable--and plenty of wish fulfillment, too. (Fiction. 12-16)

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