Teens Read and Write: YA Book Review & Giveaway: GIRL WONDER by Alexa Martin

Saturday, October 1, 2011

YA Book Review & Giveaway: GIRL WONDER by Alexa Martin

GIRL WONDER
Alexa Martin
pub: May 2011
Genre: YA Contemporary Coming of Age

As if transferring senior year weren't hard enough, Charlotte Locke has been bumped to lower level classes at her new school. With no friends, a terrible math SAT score, and looming college application deadlines, the future is starting to seem like an oncoming train for which she has no ticket.
Then Amanda enters her orbit like a hot-pink meteor, offering Charlotte a ticket to something else: popularity. Amanda is fearless, beautiful, brilliant, and rich. As her new side kick, Charlotte is brought into the elite clique of the debate team—and closer to Neal, Amanda's equally brilliant friend and the most perfect boy Charlotte has ever seen.
But just when senior year is looking up, Charlotte’s life starts to crumble. The more things heat up between Charlotte and Neal, the more Neal wants to hide their relationship. Is he ashamed? Meanwhile, Amanda is starting to act strangely competitive, and she's keeping a secret Charlotte doesn't want to know.
Talented newcomer Alexa Martin delivers a poignant story of first love, jealousy and friendship, where the ups and downs of senior year have never been so complicated. What else can Charlotte do but throw her hands up and ride?

Reading GIRL WONDER was like watching a train wreck. I wanted to look away as Charlotte drove herself full-tilt into disaster.

Crap starts piling up and Charlotte doesn't handle it well. Her parents, who are part of the problem, are too self-absorbed to notice, let alone help. Left on her own, sad, desperate, and trying to fit in, Charlotte makes one bonehead move after another.

On a certain level, I couldn't relate to Charlotte because I've never had to deal with her kinds of problems - Hallelujah! - but that's not to say I couldn't understand how she kept digging herself deeper into a very dangerous hole. I think Charlotte's honest voice will resonate with a lot of teens. Alone, lost and drowning in high school's shark-infested waters.

Amanda - the pink-haired girl wonder - just screams "Bad News!" but Charlotte gravitates to her light, bright as a nuclear blast - and just as beneficial. Then there's Charlotte's "secret" boyfriend, Neal, the perfect prince and hottest catch at school...just ask him.

Charlotte doesn't see all the red flags. Which is irritating. Most of the time I wanted to slap her silly. But she's written in such a real way that I believed she could make every stupid choice she made.

GIRL WONDER jumps head first into serious issues. The peer-pressure, parental pressure, lies, self-loathing, betrayals, drugs, alcohol, and sex swirl into a toxic mess. I was wondering if Charlotte would survive or spiral to a depressing end.

This well-written story has oodles of messages about what NOT to do, and through her struggles, Charlotte grows and matures. She understands herself better, makes smarter choices, and finds a new level of strength. GIRL WONDER is a good choice for contemporary fans interested in a darker, realistic coming-of-age.