PRETTY AMY brought me back to the chaotic halls of my own high school. I too had a friend like Lila, who always had to be the prettiest one in the room. I too was a middle-class white girl who was as exotic as a blueberry muffin (oh how I love that line!). And, most importantly, I too had a tendency to define who I was by how others saw me, by how easily I fit in, and how well I was liked.

Truth be told, I’m still a little like Amy.

Lisa Burstein knows how to capture adolescence and the turbulent teen years with perfection, and she does it with an amazing blend of laughter, seriousness, cringe-worthy moments, silliness, and a whole lot of heart. She populates her world with so many fresh and varied characters that completely leap from the page, sucking you even further into the story and Amy’s life. Lisa doesn’t hold back. She tells an authentic, realistic, sometimes shocking young adult story, with a voice that is creepy in how spot on it is. It actually kinda makes me wonder how old Ms. Burstein really is…

Amy is endearing and wonderfully flawed. Her best friends, Lila and Cassie, perfectly illustrate the kind of girls I knew in high school, and they serve as the perfect catalysts for Amy’s journey of discovery. And let me not forget the hottie boys. PRETTY AMY has two excellent specimens –Aaron, the mysterious bad boy, and Joe, the adorable boy next door—and they are both quite scrumptious. As this will remain a spoilerific free review, let me just say that I picked my team early, cheered my man on throughout the novel, and in the end, totally won. (*raucous cheer*)

Yes, I love my main man. And I’m totally in awe of Amy, and how beautifully crafted her and her friends are. But actually, the minor characters are what completely wow me. From Amy’s bird, AJ, to the hippie counselor Daniel. From Connor, the surprisingly well-rounded (and well-meaning) co-worker, to Dick, the corny-joke telling lawyer. And finally, Amy’s hilarious parents…and particularly crazy mother. They make the story real. They are what bring the funny, and their presence is what helps Amy achieve her own psychedelic Wizard of Oz reenactment. PRETTY AMY ends up going so much deeper than I expected, and it is through scenes with these richly drawn characters that real growth occurs. Along with an exceptionally hilarious, shockingly unique, church bathroom scene, that had me wiping my eyes from laughing so hard. I will never look at a chocolate milkshake in quite the same way again.

Bottom line? PRETTY AMY is young adult Contemporary at its finest. It speaks to the teenage experience, provides valuable insight, and does it all through a thoroughly entertaining ride. It has definitely earned its place on my shelf of favorites, and I hope it will be on yours, too.