3.5

Living in the shadow of your older sibling can be hard, especially when they are practically perfect.

Andi just wants everyone to see her for who she is, not Laina’s little sister. She is impulsive, and out there. She goes out of her way to be the exact opposite of Laina. Both Andi and Laina have so much to learn. They spend so much time wanting to be different that they don’t see how great they are.

I love how much Andi and Laina grow throughout this book. They don’t realize how much they need each other. But I love when they spend time together. I was giggling so much. Their girl’s night toward the beginning was so much fun. I think Andi tortures herself when it comes to her crush. She tries to make there be something when she should just leave it alone.

Twelve steps is a fun story about sisters, bonding, boys, and how to be comfortable with yourself. ( )

Coming-of-age stories are usually full of character growth, and some youthful drama. This book certainly has both of those, centering around a young, somewhat naive sixteen year-old girl, who feels as though she's trapped in the shadow of her older sister.

I found this book to be full of ironies - many that are very realistic, and probably happen more than we realize. I don't want to give away spoilers, so I won't mention the ironies specifically, but I will say they made me laugh, and really showed the growth of several characters involved with this 12-step drama.

This book was very well written, and the characters were all very easy to connect with. They seemed completely realistic, and I clearly pictured the scenario laid out in this book. It probably happened in my high school, as well as most other schools. I enjoyed the ending, the setting, and the personal dynamics between all the teenagers finding their way through life and love.

For fans of realistic fiction and coming-of-age stories, this is a good one. I would recommend it, and will probably end up reading it again.

*I was given an eCopy of this book, from the author, to read in exchange for an honest review.

See my blog post for this book! For a limited time, includes a giveaway!! Check it out here! ( )