For years, Rory has been keeping a list of things her overprotective parents have said they'll allow when she turns twelve, and now it's finally here! But it's not like she imagined, and the transition from being micromanaged to being independent is difficult. Fortunately, Rory's best friend Annabelle stands by her (even when trying contacts instead of glasses means Rory winds up with an eye patch like a pirate; getting her ears pierced is how she discovers she's allergic to gold and swells up; and shaving her legs is an experiment gone wrong). Throughout several major hiccups, Rory displays flashes of kindness, and in the end, it turns out that all the people she's helped belong to the same family (including "Auntie" Angelina).

Leo and Amanda from Eleven Birthdays make appearances. On the whole, Eleven has a stronger premise and holds up much better than Finally, which features lots of details about cell phone technology that are outdated now.

Quotes

"You won't get what you want, Rory Swenson, until you see what you need." (8)

I get tired just thinking about all the times in my life I'm going to have to find the right clothes for the right occasions. I'm so bad at it. (238)

I'm not sure about a lot of things anymore. (262)

"Truly being able to see the needs of others around you, that is a rare gift. Only when you embrace it will you start to learn who you are, and begin going after what you really want." (Angelina to Rory, 292)

"There is more to life than increasing its speed." (Mom, quoting Gandhi, 296) ( )

I was disappointed to find this sequel doesn't follow the same characters, and the pet advice given was criminally bad, but the lessons learned were good (though they'll likely fly over the heads of most younger readers). ( )

Couldn't get into it. Sweet but too young/ simplistic for me I guess. ( )

Rory Swenson has been keeping a list of things she'll be allowed to do once she turns twelve, and although she's sure her parents have forgotten a lot of the things they've promised over the years, she has the documentation to prove that they agreed to a variety of things.

Rory is a wonderful character and her big dreams may seem small to some, but when you’ve been waiting FOREVER for a cell phone, a pet, and to be left alone in the house (just to name a few of her wishes), they seem like the key to happiness. Rory plunges into achieving those dreams with reckless abandon that leaves her a bit batter, bruised, and hopped up on caffeine—all while being paid to be an extra in the teen movie being filmed at her school. Along the way, Rory helps others achieve their dreams too, and she does it with such subtlety that there’s a great lesson for readers within the pages of the book without feeling hit over the head with it.

Rory’s parents offer a fine balance between strict and understanding, and her three-year-old brother, Sawyer, offers some excellent comic moments through the course of the book.

Mass’s book reminds me a bit of Judy Blume’s offerings for this age group. Unfortunately there are hints of magical realism that fall flat—especially at the end—and that lowered the number of stars I give it to four.

Read this book to hang out with Rory and her friends. She’s an incredibly likable pre-teen and she handles the many misadventures that come with turning twelve like someone much older—but not in an unrealistic way. The book is completely suitable for its target age range and a refreshingly light read while remaining interesting.

My thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my unbiased review. ( )

Very cute, funny. Not Mass's best. You might want to read [b:11 Birthdays|4835838|11 Birthdays|Wendy Mass|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255792439s/4835838.jpg|4901046] first as it's set in the same school and those characters are friendly with the main chr. in this (and it's a better book imo). This needed a little more depth, a bit more intensity, I think. ( )