Justine's Thoughts: Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman

Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials
By Rosalind Wiseman

Pages:

288

Book Description:

Looking for a new beginning after a terrible mean girl past, Charlie Healey realizes there’s no escaping high school drama.

Charlie Healey thinks Harmony Falls is the beginning of a whole new life. Middle school was brutal. But high school is Charlie’s big chance to start over and stay out of drama, except that on her first day she runs into Will, her ex–best friend, who had moved away. Now a varsity athlete and hotter than Charlie
remembered, Will hangs with the crowd running the school. But Charlie doesn’t understand their power until an innocent delivery guy falls victim to a near-deadly hazing prank.

Torn between doing what’s right and her secret feelings for Will, Charlie must decide whether to turn in her very best friend or live with the guilt of knowing what he did.

A quote:

Why are girls still so weird about asking a guy to dance? We’re not this pathetic about anything else, are we?

Any thoughts:

Ah, the beginning of high school. I remember it just like it was yesterday. Reading this book made me remember all of it, especially how I wanted so bad to escape elementary. I mean, new life and new friends? Sounds like a fresh, new start! That’s exactly what Charlie Healey wants after a brutal middle-school life of following a couple of “mean girls”.

This book was totally enjoyable although predictable. I like the relationship between Will and Charlie, who haven’t seen each other in a while and later on Charlie gets these feelings for him. Adorable, yes? (Note: These are not spoilers; they are mentioned in the description.)

There are also a couple of sub-plots that eventually come together perfectly in the end. One of the most important ones is Charlie’s being a part of the school newspaper, in which she and her friend write an article that comes with a difficult decision -- whether to keep silent about the issue of hazing or spread its awareness. Betrayal and acceptance become an important topic in this certain situation.

Wiseman’s ability to turn something serious and real into something fun and light does not come unnoticed. This novel is certainly a must-read for teens, especially those about to enter high school.