Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters – Meredith Zeitlin

Evan’s ESS = 7 out of 10

Erin’s ESS = out of 10

Content = PG-13 (Mild Language, Adult Content, Teenage Angst, High School Drama)  

“Behind us, kids are heading inside, taking pictures, laughing, and generally not having chats with their mothers.”

Why:  We decided to step a little out of our comfort zone and head back to high school for some good old fashion teenage drama.  Plus, the title made this one nearly impossible to pass up...

Let’s just start by saying that Kelsey Finkelstein has some lofty expectations for High School.  Surrounded by her 3 BFFs she sets out to accomplish some serious image building.  Yet, as you might imagine, things take a turn for the worse as soon as the first day of school begins.  Bullies, misunderstandings, and boy trouble quickly become the norm as Kelsey must fight to salvage her year.

Probably the thing we liked best about Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters was the way the novel captured the High School-ish feel and everything that goes along with THAT.   The drama at school felt real.  The overreacting and misunderstandings amongst friends came across as genuine.  Even the oft delicate relationship between parent and teen was reminiscent of years gone past.

We also enjoyed reading about the numerous misadventures of Kelsey.  Whether it was on the soccer field or the stage, nothing came easy.  It’s also very difficult to write a character with so much frustration, yet Meredith Zeitlin managed to keep the main character likable throughout.  The dialogue at the beginning was a little forced while trying to acclimate the reader to the story, but once things got going the plot contained plenty of unpredictable commotion to keep things interesting until the very end.    

 

Overall, Freshman Year and Other Unnatural Disasters was an enjoyable read that did nothing to help reduce our own parental fears of the forthcoming high school years... *gulp*

Editors Note:  This book was generously provided as an advanced review e-book.