Review: My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman

Title: My Invented Life
Author: Bjorkman, Lauren.
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Release Date: September 29th, 2009.
Pages: 240
ISBN: 0805089500 (isbn13: 9780805089509)
Age: Young Adult

With Roz and Eva everything becomes a contest—who can snag the best role in the school play, have the cutest boyfriend, pull off the craziest prank. Still, they’re as close as sisters can be. Until Eva deletes Roz from her life like so much junk e-mail for no reason that Roz understands. Now Eva hangs out with the annoyingly petite cheerleaders, and Roz fantasizes about slipping bovine growth hormone into their Gatorade.
Roz has a suspicion about Eva. In turn, Eva taunts Roz with a dare, which leads to an act of total insanity. Drama geeks clamor for attention, Shakespearean insults fly, and Roz steals the show in Lauren Bjorkman’s hilarious debut novel.

Wow. I didn't know what to expect from this book, but it was a nice surprise.

Roz is crazy, but I like her. With a weird personality; she is just another teenager growing up and trying to look for her real self. She definitely needs someone taking care of her, but her parents are very occupied with Eva, the perfect daughter, and she doesn't really have friends. I understand her way of acting, and why its so important for her not to loose Eva's friendship.

When Roz started to have suspicions about Eva's sexuality, instead of leaving her along, she starts to act as a lesbian to give Eva security about her sexuality. What she didn't expected was that while doing that, she was going to start exploring herself, thinking about how it will feel to be with a girl. Is it different? Will she like it? Does it matter?.

Roz actually steals the show. She is very unique and I had fun reading her. Actually, I couldn't stop reading! She made me laugh every time she answered things as: "my father is not prostitute". She has becomes one of my favorite characters.

The other characters (Eva, and their friends) are very real and well done too. Sometimes mean, but exactly as teenagers are. And it helped a lot that the writing was awesome too. It was fluid, light, exactly as any teenager will think/speak. It amazed me.

Its a light reading, but brutally honest. Sexuality and acceptance are the main themes of this book, and I believe the author manages them perfectly.

Filled with teen-age drama, but also humor, I enjoyed it very much (but maybe not everyone will). I don't have issues reading GLBT literature, but if you don't feel confortable with this, then don't read it.

Also, I think the cover is great. Very eye-catching, and it feels perfect for this book. Excellent picture.

Rating: 

More about this book at laurenbjorkman.com

Goodreads

I received this book through International Book Tours.