Review: Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters 2-29

Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin is a hilarious, sweet and honest story of Kelsey, a girl dealing with friends, boys, sports, mean girls, parties and parents while juggling being a freshman.

I was really excited to read this book (I had it on my radar for the Debut Author Challenge)---the title alone sold me (it reminded me of a Georgia Nicholson book, and you guys know how much I love those!)---so when I got an email from Meredith's publicist, I jumped at the chance to read and review it.  And (trumpets blaring), tomorrow, you're in for a treat---my first ever author interview with Meredith!

Here's the summary from amazon (with a link so you can go buy it!)
Let's say you're fourteen and live in New York City. You'd think your life would be like a glamorous TV show, right? And yet . . . You don't have a checking account, much less a personal Black American Express card. You've never been to a club, and the only couture in your closet is a Halloween costume your mom made from an old laundry bag.

In other words? You're Kelsey Finkelstein - fourteen and frustrated. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled. Kelsey wants to rebrand herself for high school to make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny. But just because Kelsey has a plan for greatness . . . it doesn't mean the rest of the world is in on it.

Kelsey's hilarious commentary and sardonic narration of her freshman year will have readers laughing out loud - while being thankful that they're not in her shoes, of course. 

But before we get in to my thoughts...here's a couple pictures of me from freshman year (we think---no dates on the backs of some).  

Why yes, I'm heart smart!

My Christmas outfit for that year.  Apparently the look I was going for was "Little House on the Prairie reject". 

My sister and I on the first day of school.  Her shirt reads "Reading is cool" and mine says "Hukt on Fonikz wurkt fer me"

Not cool.  Not cool at all.  But I soooooooooo wanted to be!  Seriously...why did my mom ever let me out of the house?

In real life, I doubt Kelsey would want to be my friend, but in Literary Land, we're tight.

 Kelsey is pretty cool.  She plays soccer (though after her attempt at being nice to a junior mean girl backfires, she is now goalie), her middle school arch-nemesis has moved and she's got her heart set on a boy.  She's got her girls to back her up (though....there is some drama there...be warned!)

I loved the story, too.    It was light, it was funny, but it wasn't cheesy.  Kelsey's fears and hopes are very real.  To me, its exactly how a high school age girl acts and feels. 

My favorite part was when Kelsey was at her friend's house, and they were drinking, and something horrible happened.  But then, she had to come up with a "plausible" explanation to her mom---classic!  I groaned outloud when, on Monday, she was called to the front of the auditorium to win a sports award, and again, hilarity insues.

Do yourself a favor and check this book out.