I cannot for the life of me remember why I checked out this book. It's completely not my kind of book. Maybe someone with a similar last name reserved it and the librarian accidentally gave it to me instead?

Anyways, it's not actually a bad book. Pretty good, actually. And I will likely not remember any of it in two weeks. ( )

I once got in a fight with a friend about Roseanne. Like an actual anger, didn’t talk to each other for an hour afterwards fight. We were having a discussion about what shows are funny and what shows are funny. Obviously, Roseanne is just kind of funny, but she was (and still is) adamant that that show is hilarious. Now, this friend is one of my favorite people ever. She is the same person that once found rollerblades in our garage and had our friend Dan pull her up the main drag in her pajamas on Alumni weekend while she smoked a cigarette. She is the same friend that wore a green sequined jacket out to the bars after another friend found it in her grandmother’s attic on vacation. I love her to death, but Roseanne is NOT funny. I don’t care how many times my friend tries to scat to cheer me up, Roseanne will never be funny. Spaceballs is funny. Arrested Development is funny. Two and a Half Men is NOT even amusing. [a:Leila Sales|3390621|Leila Sales|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1286822287p2/3390621.jpg] is funny, at least when it comes to YA books. I’ve only read the two books she’s published thus far, but I will read everything she writes from now on because I know she’ll be good for the laughs.

I picked this one up at the library after loving Sales’ sense of humor in [b:Past Perfect|291332|Past Perfect A Novel|Susan Isaacs|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173459109s/291332.jpg|282655], and [b:Mostly Good Girls|7775824|Mostly Good Girls|Leila Sales|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1301784343s/7775824.jpg|10682660], her debut novel, didn’t let me down. Violet Tunis and Katie Putnam have been best friends since the 7th grade and are now juniors at an all-girls prep school in Boston. Now, maybe I thought so much of this was hilarious because I went to an all-girls high school, but I think most readers would think it was funny. It’s a story about two best friends who are trying to do well in school, find a boyfriend when there are no boys around, and figure out who they are and what they want. The pacing is fantastically quick because the story is told in short vignettes rather than longer chapters. I read it in one sitting despite its 340 or so page length.

I was totally charmed by Katie and Violet’s friendship and the cast of characters in their social circle was hilariously spot-on. A plot roundup really isn’t in order because this is truly a story of a friendship. This book made me miss my high school friends like the desert misses the rain. Then again, I’m pretty sure approximately 27% of my body is made up of nostalgia.
( )

You could say MOSTLY GOOD GIRLS is about high school and its stresses. Or prep school. Or friendship. Or first loves. But I like to say that Leila Sales' debut novel is about growing up... the growing up that each and every one of does in high school, only more entertaining and witty than our own lives.

Violet is definitely her own person, but most girls will relate to her in one way or another. She's competitive, stressed about school, often feels second best, can't help but compare herself to her best friend, has been in love with the same boy for years, and she feels totally and completely overwhelmed the majority of the time. At multiple points throughout the novel, I found myself commiserating with Violet as she confronts the changes and challenges in her life.

What I enjoyed most about this novel is that there really wasn't one big issue. While I love novels that confront big, difficult topics like the death of a loved one, teen pregnancy, drug use, etc, etc, MOSTLY GOOD GIRLS took a different approach. There is some talk of bullying, but, for the most part, Violet is dealing with everyday, "normal" issues. Like grades and the distance that sometimes forms between previously inseparable best friends. Novels about those intense topics are needed and always appreciated, but there's something about Violet's story that pulls you in, even without those shocking twists and gutwrenching material.

MOSTLY GOOD GIRLS is a funny, relateable first novel and I can't wait for more from this talented author! ( )

Leila Sales is hilarious! She has given the voice inside my head a voice on the pages. She's also inspired the voice inside my head to be more clever. Not that I talk to myself or anything because that would be totally weird. Okay, maybe just a little.

Violet attends a pricey prep school where the expectations are to play by certain rules. Dress just so, be just so, and always, ALWAYS strive for success by doing your best. Katie is Violet's best friend. Katie is tired of playing the game. Katie wants to feel validation for herself and who she is rather than following rules and adhering to expectations.

Truth is, I hit page 114 still waiting for the conflict or just to answer the question, "What is this book about?" On page 114, I realized that my face hurt. I couldn't stop smiling. The book was Seinfeld - a book about nothing but about everything and it was hilarious. The conflict came but I mostly enjoyed the parts where it was about nothing. As a good blogger knows, a good post is about nothing with a twist be it humor, meaning, or a dangling participle.

Hilarious.

There are mature themes incorporated into the story. Language is not always for mostly good girls. Kind of like watching Seinfeld reruns but knowing the punchline is inappropriate for your children's ears and having to mute while they discuss being sponge - worthy (although sex is only an innuendo in the book).

The chapters are short and succinct which only adds to the humor. One chapter is entitled, "Genevieve is anorexic." The evidence is laid out for the reader as Violet makes the case for Genevieve being anorexic. She's absent. She only drinks Diet Coke. Every couple of weeks she will make some gooey, creamy concoction, like tiramisu, and she will bring it into homeroom, and she will demand in a crazed tone that the rest of us eat it. "All of it!" she will shrill. "As much as you want! Help yourselves! Yum!" etc.

Two chapters later, "Genevieve is not anorexic." In its entirety:

"Genevieve was back in school today. Turns out she just had the flu and was too delirious with fever to let any of her friends know where she was.

"When she found out about the anorexic rumor, she got all indignant and went around complaining, I can't believe you thought I'd been hospitalized!" Though she also sounded a little proud to be so skinny that her classmates had mistaken her for being in advanced stages of a life-threatening eating disorder.

"Whatever, Genevieve. It was a totally rational assumption."

It still hurts. I'm still smiling. ( )

Leila Sales is hilarious! She has given the voice inside my head a voice on the pages. She's also inspired the voice inside my head to be more clever. Not that I talk to myself or anything because that would be totally weird. Okay, maybe just a little.

Violet attends a pricey prep school where the expectations are to play by certain rules. Dress just so, be just so, and always, ALWAYS strive for success by doing your best. Katie is Violet's best friend. Katie is tired of playing the game. Katie wants to feel validation for herself and who she is rather than following rules and adhering to expectations.

Truth is, I hit page 114 still waiting for the conflict or just to answer the question, "What is this book about?" On page 114, I realized that my face hurt. I couldn't stop smiling. The book was Seinfeld - a book about nothing but about everything and it was hilarious. The conflict came but I mostly enjoyed the parts where it was about nothing. As a good blogger knows, a good post is about nothing with a twist be it humor, meaning, or a dangling participle.

Hilarious.

There are mature themes incorporated into the story. Language is not always for mostly good girls. Kind of like watching Seinfeld reruns but knowing the punchline is inappropriate for your children's ears and having to mute while they discuss being sponge - worthy (although sex is only an innuendo in the book).

The chapters are short and succinct which only adds to the humor. One chapter is entitled, "Genevieve is anorexic." The evidence is laid out for the reader as Violet makes the case for Genevieve being anorexic. She's absent. She only drinks Diet Coke. Every couple of weeks she will make some gooey, creamy concoction, like tiramisu, and she will bring it into homeroom, and she will demand in a crazed tone that the rest of us eat it. "All of it!" she will shrill. "As much as you want! Help yourselves! Yum!" etc.

Two chapters later, "Genevieve is not anorexic." In its entirety:

"Genevieve was back in school today. Turns out she just had the flu and was too delirious with fever to let any of her friends know where she was.

"When she found out about the anorexic rumor, she got all indignant and went around complaining, I can't believe you thought I'd been hospitalized!" Though she also sounded a little proud to be so skinny that her classmates had mistaken her for being in advanced stages of a life-threatening eating disorder.

"Whatever, Genevieve. It was a totally rational assumption."

It still hurts. I'm still smiling. ( )