I really liked this. My memories of high school are pretty dusty, but as far as I can tell, Peters got it just right. The narrative character, Holland Jaeger, is in her senior year, dealing with a heavy class load, the usual high school sets of cliques, family issues, decisions about college, and a boyfriend who mainly seems to see her as a supply of sex. Then both suddenly and gradually, something changes.

This is one of the better young love stories I've ever read, and it's also a terrific coming out story. Holland seems very real as she becomes aware of what she's feeling, and wrestles with the consequences. Peters doesn't over-dramatize anything, and she also avoids easy answers. You'll be wondering what happens next to Holland, but by the end of the book you're sure she has the strength to handle whatever it might be.

But that's just one person's opinion. Future readers, what do YOU think of this book?

Placed in GoryDetails' GLBT Bookbox

Taken with thanks from GoryDetails's LGBT shrinking bookbox. I found Luna a worthwhile read, so I thought I'd give this one a try too.

Good stuff. I wasn't dealing with coming out..but my high school self was very familiar with many of the other issues Holland faces. I'm guessing that teenage girls will be able to relate to this book easily.

It would've been nice to discover a previously unsuspected talent in the middle of all the stress of senior year. :)

Going out as part of the replacement for GoryDetails's shrinking LGBT bookbox.

I took this from the LGBT bookbox. I read this one some years ago, and had it in mind as an option for a teen book club that I ran, but we ended up reading Peter's Far from Xanadu instead. Thank you!

I enjoyed re-reading this as much as I did reading it the first time. Julie Anne Peter's books tend to hit-or-miss but this one is a hit. It does wander into the land of improbable melodrama a few times, but considering the fairly high-strung set of characters, it doesn't feel too jarring. Most of the characters feel authentic, although a lot of the side characters lack depth, merely serving their purpose for the sake of keeping the plot moving. There are a few spots where Peter's research seems a little shaky, ex. Buffy the Vampire Slayer may feature vampire in the title, but it is hardly a "goth" show, or the fact that the Q in LGBTQ is as likely to stand for (gender)Queer as Questioning and if CeCe intended to start a club including Questioning folks, why the temper-tantrum about the possibility of straight people attending?

Left on the base of one of the columns out front.