Of All the Stupid Things by Alexandra Diaz
Release Date: December 22, 2009
Publisher: Egmont USA
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 272
Source: ALA Annual Conference
Interest: Debut Author
Buy the Book/Associate Links:Amazon
/Indiebound
When a rumor starts circulating that Tara's boyfriend Brent has been sleeping with one of the guy cheerleaders, the innuendo doesn't just hurt Tara. It marks the beginning of the end for an inseparable trio of friends. Tara's training for a marathon, but also running from her fear of abandonment after being deserted by her father. Whitney Blaire seems to have everything, but an empty mansion and absentee parents leave this beauty to look for meaning in all the wrong places. And Pinkie has a compulsive need to mother everyone to make up for the mom she's never stopped missing. This friendship that promised to last forever is starting to break under the pressure of the girls' differences.
And then new-girl Riley arrives in school with her long black hair, athletic body, and her blasé attitude, and suddenly Tara starts to feel things she's never felt before for a girl--and to reassess her feelings about Brent and what he may/may not have done. Is Tara gay--or does she just love Riley? And can her deepest friendships survive when all of the rules have changed?
Three words; enlightening, intriguing & scandalous.
This was an interesting debut from author Alexandra Diaz. Diaz was able to accurately capture the voices of three teenage girls, teenage girls that are dealing with issues that I know even I faced or knew someone that is currently facing as a teen. I had a hard time connecting to one character over the others with the alternating chapters between the three girls, but still I enjoyed the insight to each character.
On the other hand, due to the alternating chapters, I didn't feel the characters were developed enough for my liking. They had certain strong character traits, but those weren't enough, it distinguished them from each other, sure, but that was about it. (I found the characters a little annoying actually, but that might just be me.)
There is an part in the novel, where you get to see the same situation from the vantage point of two different girls, it's incredible how differently they view each other.
I loved the novels theme of acceptance for yourself and from your peers. It was an excellent message.
Overall a fast, intriguing debut novel. Touching on themes of friendship, self discovery, sexuality, and unconditional love.