girlfriend fiction – Page 2

The Sweet Life, by Rebecca Lim

Skin crawling, Janey clicked on Fellini’s profile. All it said was that ‘Fellini’ was male, twenty-one and Italian, and had logged in as recently as today. His page was largely blank, as he had no blogs, blurbs or other photos posted. Which said exactly zero about him. Scanning the rest of his meagre page, she saw that the guy had just one friend and that one friend was…her.

When her mother dies, Janey is all alone in the world. Well, not completely alone as she is fortunate enough to have some really good friends. But she has no family at all. Until, as she cleans up her mother’s belongings, she discovers a secret. Soon, she is contact with an aunt she didn’t know she had, who lives in Italy. When Janey goes to Rome for a holiday with the aunt, she gets more than she bargained for – an absentee aunt, a resentful cousin, and her very own stalker. Who is following her around Italy, and what do they want?

The Sweet Life is an interesting blend of teen fiction. Part romance, part mystery and part realistic, the story deals with the issue of cyber stalking at the same time as providing a gentle romance and a mystery for the reader to solve.

Part of the Girlfriend Fiction series, The Sweet Life is aimed at teenage girls of all reading abilities and is sure to find an eager readership there.

The Sweet Life, by Rebecca Lim
Allen & Unwin, 2008

This book can be purchased online atFishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

The (not quite) Perfect Boyfriend, by Lili Wilkinson

‘I did meet a Boy. I met him at the library.’ I say. ‘He has wavy brown hair, and he’s English. He’s gone back to England.’

When Midge returns to school after the holidays, her friend Tahni gives her a hard time about still not having a boyfriend, so Midge does what any crazy sixteen year old would do – and makes one up. Soon her imaginary boyfriend has a name, a background, even a Myspace page. But when Ben turns up at school one day, Midge wonders if she could really have conjured up her imaginary boyfriend. Her small lie is becoming a huge one, and the real life Ben seems to be playing along.

There’s another new boy at school, too. Nothing like Ben, he tucks in his shirt, draws pictures of dragons in his text books, and doesn’t fit in at all, but Midge has bene paired with him for a major assignment. As her lies spiral out of control, Midge wonders if George might be her only friend – or does he have secrets of his own, too?

The (not quite) Perfect Boyfriend is a gritty, yet not depressing, read for teenage girls, with Midge facing issues of peer pressure, first relationships, friendship and family breakup. Whilst there is some romance involved, this is not simply a romance book, with the issues being explored far more important than the romantic element. Midge is a first person narrator who admits her flaws, and shares her experiences honestly, even though sometimes the reader can guess at things which are not apparent to Midge.

Part of the Girlfriend Fiction series, The (not quite) Perfect Boyfriend is an absorbing read.

The (not quite) Perfect Boyfriend, by Lili Wilkinson
Allen & Unwin, 2008

This book can be purchased online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

the indigo girls, by Penni Russon

‘Summer always seems to start when we get to Indigo. Christmas and December, it’s like summer’s dress rehearsal. It isn’t really summer until we turn down the dirt road, until we see Point Indigo for the first time, until we see the sparkling ocean.’

Summer holidays mean camping on the foreshore at Point Indigo for the Indigo Girls – Zara, Tilly and Meike. Only this year Meike won’t be there until later. Zara and Tilly both secretly consider Meike to be the connection that keeps them together and neither is sure whether they can be friends without her. They only see each other for these two summer weeks. Short, brainy Tilly and tall, gorgeous Zara think they have little in common, little to build a friendship on. But as the days progress, their relationship changes. They complete the old rituals without Meike and begin some new ones of their own. Along the way they discover a lot about each other and even more about themselves.

the indigo girls is the second title in a new series from Allen & Unwin, developed in collaboration with ‘Girlfriend’ magazine. Zara and Tilly are dual main characters, with the story being told in first person in alternate chapters. Zara is a classic beach beauty – blue-eyed and golden-haired, but hides her questions and fears behind a ‘botox-bored’ face. Tilly, while lacking confidence in her appearance, can’t wait for university and the company of those who think like her. The girls overtly and covertly admire things about each other, often those they perceive themselves as lacking. The characters are well-developed and the action keeps the reader hooked. Themes of self-esteem, risk-taking behaviour, sexuality and friendship provide opportunities for readers to explore their own emerging independence and the responsibilities and risks that go with it. Recommended for lower- to mid-secondary readers.

the indigo girls, by Penni Russon
Allen& Unwin 2008
ISBN: 9781741752922

This book can be purchased online through Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.

She's With the Band, by Georgia Clark

Life never starts when you think it will. When I turned fifteen, I figured I’d be tossed the keys to the city, make out with a hottie, and have a modest parade thrown in my honour. But all that happened was that I got out of doing the washing up.
My dad’s life didn’t really start until about six years ago when he painted this huge, ridiculously ugly portrait of yours truly, won a big international art prize, stopped being Dad and started being ‘world-renowned artist Sal Mannix’, and suddenly became the person to say you met at parties.
The day we moved to Sydney was supposed to be the start of the new Mia Mannix – confident, charming, taller. But so far, it sucked.

Fifteen year-old Mia Mannix, daughter of famous painter, Sal Mannix, is thrilled when she convinces her father to move away from their backwater home in the Snowy Mountains to the excitement of Sydney. She’s had to promise to give up music to concentrate on her art, but she’s sure it will be worth it. Her new school, Silver Street High, is a school ‘…for those intending to or already pursuing, careers in the performing arts or entertainment.’ She starts school, makes some new friends and discovers that giving up what you love most isn’t as easy as she thought it would be. There are compensations though, and one of the most attractive is Justin, hot rock star.

Starting at a new school is never easy, even when it’s what you most want to be doing. Starting at a school like Silver Street High is no different. In She’s With the Band, Mia is a bright and talented teenager who’s promised her father to abandon her beloved music to concentrate on ‘real art’. She intends to keep this promise, but is soon convinced to play in a band with friends Seb and Lexie. Her life may be exciting, but it takes her to places she’s not really ready to go and introduces her to people who are not quite as they seem. Mia is a spirited main character, her enthusiasm and strength getting her both into and out of trouble. She learns about friendship and about the impact her words and actions have on others. Title 3 in the new ‘Girlfriend fiction’ series from Allen & Unwin, She’s With the Band is a realistic look at the passions and challenges of mid-teen girls. Chapter headings are song titles and come with a mood rating. Recommended for lower- to mid-secondary students.

She’s With the Band, by Georgia Clark
Allen & Unwin 2008
ISBN: 9781741752878

This title is available online from Fishpond. Buying through this link supports Aussiereviews.