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The Bermudez Triangle

by Maureen Johnson (Goodreads Author)

3.53 of 5 stars 3.53 · rating details · 5,314 ratings · 352 reviews

What happens when your two best friends fall in love...with each other?

"Their friendship went so far back, it bordered on the Biblical -- in the beginning, there was Nina and Avery and Mel." So says high school senior Nina Bermudez about herself and her two best friends, nicknamed "The Bermudez Triangle" by a jealous wannabe back on Nina's eleventh birthday. But the threes...more

Paperback, 370 pages

Published May 17th 2007 by Razorbill

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Best YA Fiction with GLBTQQI themes / characters

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13th out of 138 books — 181 voters

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Sep 14, 2007 A. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2006, fiction, queerinterest, young-adult

This is the book I wanted to read from Maureen Johnson; it's the story of Nina and her two best friends, Mel and Avery -- when Nina spends the summer at a pre-college program, Mel and Avery fall in love. Johnson handles the difficulties of coming out in high school deftly, and Mel -- who struggles with knowing that she's gay and knowing that Avery, her girlfriend, probably isn't -- is a wonderfully sympathetic character, possibly my favorite in the book. The real world of course doesn't always h...more

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Jun 26, 2008 Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!* rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-of-summer-08, 5-star-books, young-adult, realistic-fiction, romance

Wow! I really liked it! This is the third book I've read by Maureen Johnson, and it was definitely my fave of her books that I've read so far; although 13 Little Blue Envelopes is a very close second, i thought parts of it were a little far-fetched. But I thought that The Bermudez Triangle was a really good and believable story, and addressed an extremely important topic that a lot of people are uncomfortable to discuss w/family and friends. The characters were very well-developed, and the plot...more

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Dec 23, 2009 Lizzie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, young-adult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I love this book's premise so, so, so very much. I think it does a marvelous job with a marvelous idea, and becomes a rather useful story about gay teenagers and friendship. I'm really glad it's a book. Some of the stuff holding it up didn't work as well for me, so this is gonna go on the record with 3 stars, because that weakness holds it back from being a really wonderful book. But it is a wonderful subject.

A few things could have balanced a little better for me. My biggest problem was Nina an...more

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Apr 18, 2011 oliviasbooks rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, ya-contemporary, problem-focused

I've read 113 pages and I'll stop.
The story is about three best friends in their senior year at High School. While dominant Nina had been at leadership camp during summer break, witty Avery and shy, fragile Mel became lovers, which somehow shifted the angles of their former perfect triangle into a mismatched thing that leaves Nina feeling superfluous / not really wanted. The only person Nina would like to chew this out with is her absent and busy long-distance boyfriend Steve (a summer souvenir...more

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Jul 04, 2008 Brenna rated it 5 of 5 stars

My dad does this thing, where he reads the summaries of books I'm reading and then decides whether or not he is impressed. Whenever I'm reading some advanced adult literature or a classic, he just reads it and mumbles something about it being long or difficult. Whenever I read a book by Maureen Johnson, he takes one look at the cover and declares, "That doesn't look like your style of book," or, "That looks kind of like a beach read." And as much as I try to convince him that it is not the subje...more

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Dec 20, 2007 Keris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Maureen Johnson's second novel, The Bermudez Triangle, was famously banned by a school library in Oklahoma. Why? Lesbian content. I know! In a young adult book! Whatever next? Is it shocking and likely to corrupt our teenagers? Is it heck!

When Nina Bermudez goes attends a college study program during the summer, her best friends and the other two sides of the triangle (I wanted to say "titular triangle" there, but I thought, given the whole banning thing, I'd better not), Avery and Melanie don't...more

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May 10, 2013 Allison rated it 3 of 5 stars

At first I was going to give this book two stars for being... insipid. During the first half to two-thirds of the book, it seemed that all the characters were two-dimensional and overly stereotypical/characterized... think of the way Spice Girls or Babysitters Club created characters so that each reader/listener could happily identify with the girl of their choice. Nina is the responsible, brainy one (who just happens to be wildly beautiful), Avery is the artsy less-than-responsible one (but a t...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Hannah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

I feel guilty only giving this book two stars, since it really was worth at least 2.5, and as well, Maureen Johnson is one of my favourite authors. However, I couldn't bring myself to award it a full three stars.

I didn't find any of the main characters particularly likeable. Avery is aloof and flake-ish, and ultimately never takes responsibility for her actions. Mel is the typical weak personality, relies on everybody else to speak and think for her. She's also incredibly clingy, to basically ev...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Caly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, realistic, lgbt-characters

This book was one that I almost bought while out book-shopping with my favourite friendly Pittsburgh book reccer. Afterward, I read baout the controversy of it being almost-not-quite-banned-but-totally-illegally-banned-by-a-school-and-got-caught. After that, I really wanted to read it, because it was bad enough for the drama and had lesbians.

The book itself is more about teenage relationships and how dating and preparing for colleges effects friendships. The three characters are interesting cha...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Ruthie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had no idea what to expect when I picked up this book. All I really knew about it was that one of my favorite authors (John Green) is friends with the author, Maureen Johnson, and that there was some controversy awhile ago over whether or not the book was appropriate for school libraries. John Green had at the time said that it was a ridiculous discussion because there was nothing in the book that was remotely ban-worthy. Curious, I ordered the book, and I agree with him, there's no reason to...more I had no idea what to expect when I picked up this book. All I really knew about it was that one of my favorite authors (John Green) is friends with the author, Maureen Johnson, and that there was some controversy awhile ago over whether or not the book was appropriate for school libraries. John Green had at the time said that it was a ridiculous discussion because there was nothing in the book that was remotely ban-worthy. Curious, I ordered the book, and I agree with him, there's no reason to ban this book.

"The Bermudez Triangle" deals with the topics of teen homosexuality, coming out, friendships, acceptance, and different kinds of love. Nina, Avery, and Mel have been friends for years and years, then Nina comes home from a summer learning experience to discover that Avery and Mel have started dating, and the world just gets more confusing from there.

I thought this was beautifully handled. Regardless about how a person feels personally about homosexuality, the fact is that it's out there, and that some people feel that way and we need to love them, and our personal opinion of their choice shouldn't matter. These girls have to work through all of that, deal with haters and prejudice, and the general confusion of being teenagers in love. It's not easy for any of them, but in the end they work their way through it.

One of the best things about this book is that the characters and situations feel realistic. Now that may sound strange coming from the mouth of someone who primarily reads fantasy, but within that genre my favorite books tend to be the one's where I can see the characters as being realistic people (in their given situation). Nina, Avery, Mel, and their friends, all felt like people that you could meet walking down the street. They each have their quirks of course, and they make mistakes, but the situations and their responses are some that you could find in any high school in America. It provides a perfect setting for the message of understanding that is laced through out the book.(less)

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Mar 19, 2011 Sherwood Smith added it

Shelves: fiction

This is a mainstream YA novel centered on three high school girls before and half-way through their senior year. They are known as the "Bermudez Triangle" (Bermudez being last name of Nina, one of the three) who have been friends since grammar school. They are so tight they still use their school yard rituals. Nina, whose parents are comfortably off, is sent west to Stanford for a summer program in academic leadership; the other two girls, short, rebellious Avery (she's taken up smoking just bec...more This is a mainstream YA novel centered on three high school girls before and half-way through their senior year. They are known as the "Bermudez Triangle" (Bermudez being last name of Nina, one of the three) who have been friends since grammar school. They are so tight they still use their school yard rituals. Nina, whose parents are comfortably off, is sent west to Stanford for a summer program in academic leadership; the other two girls, short, rebellious Avery (she's taken up smoking just because everyone, including her two friends, hates it) and tiny, fairy-like Mel, take a summer job as servers at a horrible dinner house called P.J. Mortimer's. (Ex-waitresses will wince in sympathy at the demeaning details, right down to the horrible manager, Bob.) Everything is fine because at least Avery and Mel have each other so they can laugh about the horrible job—and they meet a fellow-worker named Parker, whose sense of humor instantly jives with them both. He's attracted to Mel. As usual. (Avery notes wryly that without making the least effort, Mel inspires epic crushes in guys, causing them to listen to slow music and iron their clothes.) But complications ensue when Mel and Avery spend a night after work …and Avery idly wonders what it would be like to kiss Mel. Who has been hiding the same urge for quite a long time. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Nina's got the roommate from hell, which drives her out—to meet a crunchy-granola ecowarrior called Steve. At first she's intrigued but put off, but after an all-night study session he becomes human to her—and then the spark of attraction ignites.

Johnson does not make this book a "gay Issue" book. Nor does she get into physical details. What she focuses on with humor, grace, and sympathy, is the emotional fallout of being teen, discovering attraction while still trying to cope with friendship with one's own gender, friendship with the other gender, and don't forget evolving plans for what one is going to do in the future. Those are tough enough, so what happens to friendship, whether old or new, whether between genders of within, when one suddenly finds oneself staring into the blinding sun of attraction? When you stare into the sun, everything else fades to shadow, and you stumble about half blind but it's so powerfully overwhelming, how can you possibly turn away? Add to that the complications of becoming a couple, whether same-gender or not, when you still have to get on with your life—whether at a distance (Nina) or close by (Avery and music school). What if one is, in fact, not gay, it's just …this one single person? Then there are the boys. Steve across the country, who messes up …and Parker near by, who does everything right—he hits every single note for the Modern Sensitive Male—and still ends up getting badly hurt. I thought it a terrific novel.(less)

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Nov 29, 2010 Lizz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 23, 2010 Nina rated it 4 of 5 stars

The real reason I bought this book was not because the plot seemed intriguing (that was the second), but because I have the same name as one of the characters, Nina Bermudez.

I like that the story is more friendship-themed than romantic-themed. I like that it tackled gay relationships, even more, I like that it tackled falling in love with your friend - stuff that a lot of teens have a hard time coping with. In a now more gender-open society, it is still not uncommon for gay people to have a har...more The real reason I bought this book was not because the plot seemed intriguing (that was the second), but because I have the same name as one of the characters, Nina Bermudez.

I like that the story is more friendship-themed than romantic-themed. I like that it tackled gay relationships, even more, I like that it tackled falling in love with your friend - stuff that a lot of teens have a hard time coping with. In a now more gender-open society, it is still not uncommon for gay people to have a hard time coming out. I like how the author crafted Mel's character in that in the end, although she had already come to terms with her own sexuality a long time ago, she was also able to come out and gain a little perspective and strength to stand up for herself and what she is. On the other hand, the relationship between Parker and Nina and Avery and Mel showed the difficulties of falling in love with a friend, which is almost always the reason why most people think it's a complicated set-up. One day you're best friends, the next day you're lovers, and the next day you're lost - breaking up not the just the relationship but also the friendship in the process. In the end, I like how the author makes them come together and resolve their differences, as that is how real friendship is supposed to be.

However, I felt that most of my interest in the story is not focused on the main characters. Not even by Nina, who's my namesake and who seemed just a little bit too, well, me. Even though I could see a lot of myself in her, it felt that she and her two friends were too flat for their own good. There's the smart one, the cute one, and the cool one. The blue one, the pink one, and the green one. After a while, I got tired of reading about how Nina was too busy with student council and is the morally upright rich citizen, how Mel was too shy and sappy and the one with the secret, and how Avery is all grunge and spunk and plays kickass music. What saved the day, though, were the secondary characters, Parker in particular, who I liked a lot because he's got some more substance. He seemed to be the big brother type but is also cute, loves to joke, has great comebacks for almost anything hurled in his way, and proved to be a very loyal friend. Not really yellow, but not just orange - more like yellow-orange, and I think you'll agree that it looks better than either colors on their own.

As for the story, the pacing was good, warm, and entertaining. All my questions were answered by the end of the novel. I'm pretty sure that this book's target audience, young adults, would definitely enjoy reading this story with its simple, undemanding personality. As for an 'older' person like me, it suddenly brought back memories, and a sense of nostalgia for old friends and the part they played in creating the person that I am now. This coming-of-age story of a friendship of three girls will definitely have you laughing, crying, falling in love, and smiling at how real friends complete you and help you mature.(less)

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Sep 16, 2010 Booksignblades rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've never been the "homophobic" type. As a kid, I kind of went... "but why?" when I thought about homosexual people, but in recent years, my mind's been opened to the idea that love is love, no matter in what shape or form it is. The Bermudez Triangle made my opinion on it clearer to me.

I've only ever read 13 Little Blue Envelopes and Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson, and this was so different, in my mind. It's definitely among my favorites from Ms. Johnson, because of the idea and the moral o...more

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Dec 22, 2009 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, young-adult

Full review at http://yannabe.com/2009/12/20/review-...

Summary: Mel, Avery, and Nina do everything together, and they always have. But the summer before senior year, Nina goes to leadership camp, leaving Mel and Avery to figure out how to be the Bermudez Triangle minus the Nina Bermudez side.

Review: I am officially caught up on all of MJ’s novels. More, please! (No, fo rilz. When is her next coming out?!)

This one wasn’t my favorite of hers, but it was an enjoyable read. Alternating points of vie...more

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Dec 04, 2009 Alsha rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a light, fun read and I finished it over the course two days, so very readable. The beginning had me smiling and gleeing. Overall, though, I found the Snarky Girl/Shy Girl/Overachiever Girl characterisations to be somewhat simplistic and less individual than I'd hoped (although you could say that's part of the book's style). Shy Girl in particular could have been portrayed better, I thought - more whiny and clingy than she was supposed to be - although I very much approve of the non-ste...more

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Nov 13, 2009 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book raised a lot of good questions about the effect of romantic involvement on friend groups, but this isn't what struck me the most. What I got hung up on was the setting. The Bermudez Triangle is set in Saratoga Springs....where I grew up. Having a deep familiarity with the setting, I now have a new understanding of the liberties taken by authors in this realm. It is clear that Maureen Johnson has spent some time in Saratoga, but I wonder just how much time. Some details were spot on, ot...more This book raised a lot of good questions about the effect of romantic involvement on friend groups, but this isn't what struck me the most. What I got hung up on was the setting. The Bermudez Triangle is set in Saratoga Springs....where I grew up. Having a deep familiarity with the setting, I now have a new understanding of the liberties taken by authors in this realm. It is clear that Maureen Johnson has spent some time in Saratoga, but I wonder just how much time. Some details were spot on, others were changed in a way that seemed to attempt to protect MJ from lawsuits, and some were just plain off. A school in Halfmoon. Is there even a school in Halfmoon? Maybe an elementary school, but certainly not a high school as can be gleaned from the text. The outlet mall described seems to be entirely imported from somewhere outside the greater capital district. Even the opinions of the girls about snow in March. It snows in March. March is a clear part of winter. Around these parts, anyhow. Hm...as for the changing names things...The high school. SSHS no longer, but AHH...Alexander Hamilton High, and all of the details about the school were more or less fabricated and not holding to SSHS, which I suppose if we're making up a high school, it doesn't need to hold to any real standards....but going to public school in Saratoga meant the details I experienced. Like the part where no one is allowed to leave for lunch. We received senior IDs for that very purpose, and the sign with the movable letters....I'm 80% sure we didn't have any sort of sign like that. Hmmm....Also, she changed Phila St to Philadelphia Ave, or maybe she was describing Caroline St. Broadway she called like it is. She perfectly described Uncommon Grounds (which we referred to as "uncommon" or "ucg" even though un and common are not separate words)referring to it as the Grind (which is a nickname for the Daily Grind is Albany and Troy...where I lived and live)describing the Skidmore student staff with the messy - scraggly- underbathed hippie aura...even mentioning the boardgames, and the tension between it and Starbucks. She describes downtown with convincing authenticity, even mentioning diddling about in Borders, ice skating on Lake Lonely (which hardly deserves to be called a lake....but mentions it is off a gated community. We don't even have gated communities.)

...I suppose it throws me off when the mix the lies in with the truth. The Bermudez Triangle is a work of fiction, but there are definitely parts that are true.....I don't know...I just want to rant about the lies you've told about the place I know intimately. Other than that, it was an enjoyable read. Way to write 'em, MJ.(less)

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Oct 24, 2009 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: lgbt, young-adult, favorites

I've read every Maureen Johnson book, I am proud to say. I always turn to her books or her blog when I'm feeling down, because her work is medicine for the soul. The Bermudez Triangle is one of the best Johnson books (right up there with Devilish and Suite Scarlett.) And, though I've read quite a few young adult LGBT novels, I would probably choose The Bermudez Triangle as my favorite if it came down to it. A few people have told me that they found it a bit average. I think The Bermudez Triangle...more I've read every Maureen Johnson book, I am proud to say. I always turn to her books or her blog when I'm feeling down, because her work is medicine for the soul. The Bermudez Triangle is one of the best Johnson books (right up there with Devilish and Suite Scarlett.) And, though I've read quite a few young adult LGBT novels, I would probably choose The Bermudez Triangle as my favorite if it came down to it. A few people have told me that they found it a bit average. I think The Bermudez Triangle is one of those books that came along at the right time in my life. And I want to talk about what struck me about it.

And I’m sorry of this review is a bit stream-of-conscious.

The thing I love most about Maureen Johnson novels is the atmosphere that she manages to invoke. The Bermudez Triangle, though, would get my vote for Most Atmospheric. And though it is labeled as an LGBT novel the true focus of the story is the friendship of three girls: Nina, Mel, and Avery.

I love these girls. They were the kind of characters that became your friends through the course of the story. They had their own quirks, their own hopes and concerns and their own trials and tribulations to deal with. The descriptions of the world they live in are fresh and familiar. (The weird people you knew in high school? All of the issues big and small that consumed your world? They’re all there.)

The other character I came to love was the sweet and witty Parker. He was what tied the story together and put a bow on top.

Now onto the book itself.

The book goes through the course of a normal school year and is divided into section by holidays. (St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, etc.) The point of view rotates among Nina, Mel, and Avery who are each dealing with their own problems. Each girl provides a unique perspective of story events which is something that I love to find in a book.

I can’t really pinpoint a favorite part of the book since I love so much of it. Plus I wouldn’t want to accidentally give anything away. I can say, though, that my copy is marked up with dozens of colorful annotation flags—these are mostly witty lines, which this book is chock full of.

And despite what the description might suggest, it’s not a teen melodrama. (This was the first impression I got.) It’s also not a book that’s trying too hard to be spectacular or glamorous. It’s truthful, for lack of a better word, and that’s what made me love it so much.

This book has been challenged in a few places, which is a shame. I want to show my full support of The Bermudez Triangle with this review: not only does it belong in library and bookstore shelves, it belongs in your hands right now. Happy reading.(less)

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Aug 24, 2009 Bunker rated it 5 of 5 stars

Three friends, Nina, the leader, Avery, the musician, and Melanie, the shy, beautiful one, have been inseparable for what seems like ever. However, the summer before their senior year, Nina, their high school's student council president, travels to Stanford University for a leadership training course, leaving Avery and Melanie in upstate New York to work at P. J. Mortimer's, an Irish restaurant in the local strip mall. Nina, annoyed with her roommate and unable to commiserate with her best frien...more

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Jul 02, 2009 Bridget rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fic, lgbtq-characters

I think Maureen Johnson is awesome. This is not a secret. (Also, she IS awesome, and if you think otherwise you’re just wrong. Yes, you are.) But I specifically picked Bermudez up because of the whole kerfluffle over the two women in Florida who think it is so scandalous that it ought to be shelved in the adult fiction section of the library. My radar that detects people who are lame beeped loudly to alert me that they were wrong. My Lamedar (which does not need a cooler name because it is all a...more

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Jun 04, 2009 Rhi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-you-have-my-heart, 2009, 3-stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I have to say, I was disappointed in this book. I had heard great things, read great reviews, was aware that it had been banned in one library in Oklahoma! (wtf was that about?) and I quite like the other books I have read by Maureen Johnson.

Snaps for:
* A book about a teenage lesbian romance. (We need more of these.)
* A really quite moving coming out scene. (I think it was handled wonderfully.)
* Friendship, and the forgiveness that inevitably comes along with all good friendships.

Here is where i...more I have to say, I was disappointed in this book. I had heard great things, read great reviews, was aware that it had been banned in one library in Oklahoma! (wtf was that about?) and I quite like the other books I have read by Maureen Johnson.

Snaps for:
* A book about a teenage lesbian romance. (We need more of these.)
* A really quite moving coming out scene. (I think it was handled wonderfully.)
* Friendship, and the forgiveness that inevitably comes along with all good friendships.

Here is where is disappoints:

*Where did whats his name go? You know. Tie boy. He just disappeared off the face of the book!

* Three girls who were aparently the best of friends, who constantly referred to themselves as the best of friends, but who I didn't really understand why they were friends. Why? Why, Maureen, why? I don't know if it was bad character development or what. Nina fell in love with a boy whilst away for the summer, yet he was never once discussed amongst her friends? I get they were wrapped up in their own little sexually fuelled drama, but to not have one convo?

* The main male character Parker was genius. He was actually my favorite character, yet I don't feel he was developed enough. He was caring, kind, funny, yet everyone just seemed to overlook him. Also, his friendship with Mel just appeared out of no where. Probably came from the same place Mel and Avery decided to get.it.ooooowwwwwn.

* Eco warrior Steve was actually a bit of a knob-head. I felt Steve and Nina's relationship was all a bit ridiculous.
So what you live far away. So what Steve doesn't have a cell. Ever heard of a pen and paper? And hells, how about a vacation? Nina was aparently loaded enough, she could have planned a trip out to see him as soon as she got back.
But no. These are not the point. The point is, Steve was a knob-head. Things got a little tough, a little distance got him down, and he became knob-head Steve.

Over all. A disappointing read, although I'm sure it would be inspiring and encouraging for anyone dealing with sexuality questions. Maybe.
(less)

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May 25, 2009 Paige rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am not sure if I would have ever read this young adult novel if not for a complaint/potential book challenge in the school library where I am the librarian (and the person responsible for hand selecting this book for the collection).

This book has much to offer as a myriad of topics are covered: figuring out who you are and how you fit in; dealing with the stress of your senior year of high school; how to handle being disappointed and feeling betrayed by your friends then learning to forgive t...more

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May 06, 2009 Nichole rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-09, y-a

About halfway through this book, I thought "I don't like these characters." And it was true. But somehow by the end, Maureen Johnson had me rooting for all of them. It was especially rewarding to see Mel come to terms with herself and her sexuality and how that really had an effect on her life. I think that even when I didn't like the girls, they were very realistic; they made the same decisions in relationships that almost everyone I know has made, good or bad. There were some plot points that...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Abbie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You know, Maureen Johnson tells stories the way I like to read them. Heavy on character development, funny and readable, etc. I love her.

This book was great. I read a lot of LGBT things actually, but there seem to be far fewer books about lesbians than gay males - especially about teenagers - so I was glad to find one. Also, the storyline was really interesting. I kept wondering what I would have done in Nina/Avery/Mel's various positions.

On the one hand, I love the ending. I love that not every...more

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Dec 09, 2011 Alex rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, didn-t-live-up-to-the-hype, teen-ya

At First Sight: Nina, Avery and Mel have been best friends since what feels like forever, they were given the nickname The Bermudez Triangle by a snide little rival - because Nina's last name is Bermudez - and it stuck. But now the triangle is about to part for the first time ever, the summer before senior year of high school as Nina is going to a pre-college course in San Francisco, and Mel and Avery are staying behind in Saratoga.

But a lot of things can happen in one summer as all the girls fa...more At First Sight: Nina, Avery and Mel have been best friends since what feels like forever, they were given the nickname The Bermudez Triangle by a snide little rival - because Nina's last name is Bermudez - and it stuck. But now the triangle is about to part for the first time ever, the summer before senior year of high school as Nina is going to a pre-college course in San Francisco, and Mel and Avery are staying behind in Saratoga.

But a lot of things can happen in one summer as all the girls fall in love. Nina with an environmental warrior, third generation hippie boy she meets while away. And Avery and Mel fall for each other.

Once the triangle is reunited, things quickly unravel, as Nina is more busy than ever, struggles with a long distance relationship and with the realization that there is something between Mel and Avery that they aren't telling her. And things don't improve after she realize what their secret is.

As the weeks pass, the triangle starts to fall apart, once Nina finds herself keeping secrets from Mel, who seems to finally be ready to admit to herself -and others - that she's gay; and as Avery pulls away, not ready to do the same.

Second Glance: The Bermudez Triangle has been in my TO BE READ list for quite a few years but somehow I never got around reading it. Until now... and I'm sad to say that I was, over all, a little disappointed with it all. I never could really connect with any of the girls and I frankly found them a little too self-absorbed.

The one I somewhat liked was Mel and Nina - a little -toward the late middle, before she did something to another character that pissed me off. I liked Parker - a friend Mel makes at her job - and the digs at the Irish restaurant where they work, but otherwise, I just didn't much care either way about what happened to the characters.

The ending was kind of cute though.

Bottom Line: I think this is one of those books where you need to connect to enjoy the book, I didn't, but it's well written and even funny at times. I didn't mind the gay stuff, it wasn't overdone or heavy handed, I just didn't much like the characters themselves - particularly Avery.(less)

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Jul 04, 2011 Gabe rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: teenagers, LGBT

Shelves: ya-is-for-lovers, 2011-24-book-challenge

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I liked this book a lot, but I feel like it ended weird. Kind of like the story was getting long & it needed to end, so okay! Here's a place where we could end it. But I feel like there were too many things that were left unanswered. I understand that not all things are meant to be wrapped up, and it's good to have some things left open. But I kinda feel like almost everything was left open. That being said, I really liked the subject matter in this book. I honestly had NO idea what I was ab...more

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Sep 23, 2009 Mara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: friendship, fiction, glbtq, school, ya

An article about efforts to ban this book in Oklahoma: http://www.examiner-enterprise.com/ar...

My response: I can't claim to be shocked that this book was challenged, since it does deal with teenage girls questioning and discovering their sexuality, but as always I'm disappointed when people choose to bury their heads in the sand rather than accepting that people are different, and choosing to recognize a book that deals with real issues in a sensitive and realistic manner.

I thought that Johnson...more

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Jun 14, 2009 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2008-2009-advisory-books

When I was in Barnes and Noble one day, just looking for a quick and fun read, I stumbled upon "The Bermudez Triangle." I recognized the authors name immediately from reading one of her other teen novels, so I decided to give this book a try. This story was centralized around the friendship of three girls, Nina Bermudez, Avery Dekker, and Melanie Forest. They had been best friends since they were little and before they begin their senior year, they are all split up for the summer. Nina is focuse...more

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Aug 10, 2011 kb rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 4ever-young-adult

The reason I put off reading Maureen Johnson books is because I kind of by default stow away from realistic novels with a third person POV. But I really couldn't put it off any longer when I had a hard cover of this one, staring up at me with a marked-down price tag, could I? I was sick and was generally having an out-of-body experience when I was reading this book, but it didn't tire me out. Johnson managed to tell a story in such a consistently interesting manner. Which was important because i...more

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May 25, 2009 Angie Nichols rated it 5 of 5 stars

So, all through high school while my friends were hanging out in book stores instead of partying, we had a running joke about how all the new books that came out were about lesbians, then once we got to college it changed to books about vampires.

I picked up Bermudez Triangle when I saw it in the library because it was by Maureen Johnson. I had really liked Let it Snow, and John and Hank like Maureen Johnson, that seemed like reason enough.

All that being said I didn't realise this was one of th...more

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Other Editions (11)

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Young Adult

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Glbt

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Romance

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Contemporary

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Glbt > Queer

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Realistic Fiction

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Young Adult > Teen

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Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

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Young Adult > High School

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Glbt > Gay

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About Maureen Johnson

Maureen knew from an early age she wanted to be a writer. She went to high school at an all-girls' Catholic school and graduated from University of Delaware with a degree in writing. She now lives and writes in New York City.

Many of the adventures Maureen's characters face in her books are based on real-life stories. Maureen has traveled all over Europe, and is a Secret Sister to vlog brothers Han...more

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Books by Maureen Johnson

13 Little Blue Envelopes (Little Blue Envelope, #1)

The Name of the Star (Shades of London, #1)

The Last Little Blue Envelope (Little Blue Envelope, #2)

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Quotes from The Bermudez Triangle

“I sleep better knowing that a naked cork-eater is not sneaking around at night, stealing my underwear. ” — 23 people liked it

“She wasn't only gay, she was a gay elf.” — 14 people liked it

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