Sunday

Smith, Emily Wing. Back When You Were Easier To Love
Joy isn’t overly fond of Haven High School’s plastic perfection and stereotypical gangs of teenagers, but it was made tolerable by the existence of Zan, her boyfriend who shared her interested in books and alternative lifestyle. So why did he leave? How is she supposed to go on? Why is his best friend, Noah, hanging around her so much? He’s a stereotypical jock and one of the reasons that Zan has left Haven and gone to college in California early. Why didn’t he say goodbye? When she gets a chance to go for a college visit to the school where Zan studies (which is also in the town from which she moved), she takes off with Noah to try to figure out her past... and her future.

Strengths: *Sigh* I love girly romance books. LURVE the cover of this, from the pink Keds to the library step stool. Nothing much really happens in this book. It’s all about the all-consuming, overwhelming feeling of liking someone and having that person not like you back. You wouldn’t think this would make for a riveting read; if this is the case, why are 98% of teen journal entries about this very thing?
Weaknesses:The Mormon angle on this was odd, but not over powering. Led to a few plot twists; just unusual. Oh, and the school librarian was not flatteringly portrayed!