Just Another Girl Review

TITLE: Just Another Girl
AUTHOR: Melody Carlson
PUB DATE: January 2009
PAGES: 221

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Aster Flynn wants a life of her own.

At seventeen, she’d like to date, hang with friends, maybe even find a summer job. Instead, she’s stuck at home with her younger sister–who seems to get needier by the minute. Her older sister is all about, well . . . herself. And Aster’s parents . . . Don’t even ask.

But things are about to change. Or so she hopes. Enter: a cool guy and some new friends, and Aster is ready to get out and grab a slice of normal life.

But will her family get in her way?

MY THOUGHTS:

Just Another Girl was a book I received from Library Things Secret Santa exchange this past Christmas. I was so thrilled to get this book as I am a huge Melody Carlson fan and I am slowly starting to read all her books.

Aster is not your typical seventeen year old girl but she wishes she was. She longs to date, to hang out with her friends, to have a summer job and well basically be a teenager and do what teenagers do.

Aster comes from a single parent family. Her dad isn’t in the picture and you wonder why he isn’t there until much later in the book.

She has an older sister, Rose. She works and has a boyfriend and is looking forward to the day she is out of the house. She tells Aster that she needs to develop a back bone and to stand up to her mother.

Her mother works to support the family and even when she comes home, it seems like she can’t be bothered with the family.

Aster has a younger sister, Lily. Lily is mentally handicapped. Aster is basically her care giver. Making sure Lily is feed, bathed and dressed. Which is alot of responsibility for a young person to have.

The book opens up with Aster trying to get Lily dressed and out the door for her summer day camp. As they are rushing down the street they are stopped by Owen. He offers them a ride but as they are going to the rec center they see the bus pulling out of the yard. Owen offers to drive them to the Stanley Pool.

Once Lily is safely with the group Owen and Aster make plans to go for a bike ride. Aster is finally happy but how long will this happiness last? Will Aster be able to finally stand up to her mom and make her realize that Lily isn’t her responsibility?

This was such a cute and funny book. There were many parts of the book that I was laughing out.