How to Be Bad -- E. Lockhart, Lauren Myracle, Sarah Mlynowski (Book Review)

Reading with my kitten!

The reason I selected this book was that I have read two books by E.Lockhart and love her writing style! The book starts out with three friends who take a road trip.  They all work at the Waffle House, which I am starting to see as a popular location in young adult fiction now.   Jesse and Vicks have been friends for awhile working at the Waffle House. Mel is the hostesses who is new to the area from Canada.  

The story is told from three points of views.  Each girls gets a chapter telling everything that is happening from their own perspective.  It is easy to follow the chapters as they trail off and pick up at the exact same spot.  I was surprised to read in the end that each author wrote one of the characters and in my mind they flowed so well together that it seemed like one stream of consciousness.

The girls embark upon a road trip to go see Vicks's boyfriend Brady at University of Miami.  Each girl is along for the trip for different reasons.  Jesse is trying to avoid her mom since her mother was diagnosis with cancer.  Jesse doesn't know how to process what is going on and also how to act towards her mother now.   Mel is trying to not be afraid and live her own life, she is the middle child and the constant tie-breaker vote in her family.  She feels she doesn't really have true friends.  Vicks is actually not wanting to see her boyfriend since he hasn't called her once since he got to college, only a text message late at night.   Vicks is trying so hard to let her feelings go instead of fighting for her relationship.

As the trip begins the reader can see the different relationships the characters have and what has brought them to this point in their lives.  The character development keeps the book moving and you want to know what happens to each character.  I found myself routing for each of the girls to overcome any obstacles put in their way.  I was really hoping Mel would overcome some of her fears and that they would all become best friends at the end!  I guess I want the sappy ending!

I think one of the major themes is that while growing up everyone has something in there life that they would like to change.  Sometimes the perfect life or relationship might not be exactly as it seems.  You need to take charge of your life and make your own decisions.   It is important to go after your dreams and make things in your life happen versus waiting around for something to happen.  Also, communication is key every relationships that you have in your life.  All the girls eventually open up to one another and work through their own individual problems.

This is a quick read to me, you want to know what is going to happen to each of the girls.  This is a weekend read in my mind when you want to just relax and take your mind off of everything! 

My Rating 3/5
Author website http://www.emilylockhart.com/, http://www.laurenmyracle.com,
http://www.sarahm.com/
Publisher HarperTeen
ISBN 9780062405685
Length 352
Format Paperback