There are certain things teenagers are not supposed to do: live alone, buy a hot tub, throw a wild party. April does these and more in the newest novel from Sarah Mlynowski (Gimme a Call; Magic in Manhattan series). When April's father and stepmother tell her of their plans to move from Westport, Conn., to Cleveland, Ohio, in the middle of her junior year, she immediately decides, "If I didn't leave Westport to move to Paris with Mom... I wasn't leaving to move to Cleveland with them." April proposes moving in with her friend Vi so she can finish out the school year. Meanwhile Vi's single mother has landed the lead role in a national tour, leaving Vi on her own. The girls hatch a plan to assure April's father that Vi's mom will be there, while promising Vi's mom that April's father is fine with them living alone.
Two teenage girls on their own quickly run into trouble. The problems range from funny, such as April's first attempt to run the dishwasher, to more serious, such as the complications that arise after losing your virginity. Flashing between her life with Vi and the years before, the book reveals April slowly becoming more mature. Independence forces April to come to terms with her insecurities and question what she wants for the future. This light, entertaining summer read deals with some surprisingly serious issues. To Mlynowski's credit, the morals come across without preaching at the reader. The author captures the voice of a teenage girl perfectly while creating a cast of lovably imperfect characters. --Kyla Paterno