Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

Description: Kelsey Finkelstein is fourteen and FRUSTRATED. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled – by her impossible parents, her annoying little sister, and life in general. But with her first day of high school coming up, Kelsey is positive that things are going to change. Enlisting the help of her three best friends — sweet and quiet Em, theatrical Cass, and wild JoJo — Kelsey gets ready to rebrand herself and make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny. 

Things start out great - her arch-nemesis has moved across the country, giving Kelsey the perfect opportunity to stand out on the soccer team and finally catch the eye of her long-time crush. But soon enough, an evil junior’s thirst for revenge, a mysterious photographer, and a series of other catastrophes make it clear that just because KELSEY has a plan for greatness… it doesn't mean the rest of the world is in on it. 

Kelsey’s hilarious commentary throughout her disastrous freshman year will have you laughing out loud—while being thankful that you’re not in her shoes, of course…

Epic Wins:

• Kelsey- She had an annoyingly positive attitude despite all of the challenges or disasters presented to her. She was headstrong and determined not to have an awful year. 
• The voice was perfect. I kept thinking Kelsey sounded too young but she's starting her freshman year so immaturity, as I recall, is to be expected. I also found after the initial annoyance Kelsey's voice was funny. 
• The 'Unnatural Disasters'- as I said Kelsey faced a ton of challenges through the story, things that twisted her this way and that. Fights with her best friends, trying to figure out guys in general, bad pictures of her in the newspaper, and mean girls with a bone to pick.
• The newspaper photographer- Unintentionally this person continually puts awkward photos of her (weird face, missing teeth, etc.) into the newspaper. I'll let you figure out who this person is. :)
• Her friends- They all had such different personalities but somehow they all got along (for the part). She could always lean on them when needed.
• Message 1- This bug is one, huge metaphor of life. We picture this perfect situation, how we think it should be when reality is usually totally different. We are thrown trial upon trial, right on top of each other, one right after another until we realize nothing went as planned. 
• Message 2- Keep your head up. I mentioned Kelsey's positiveness right? Nothing could seem to get this girl down and mainly because she wouldn't let it. 
• Message 3- Don't over stress things. When you over stress the importance of the little things it can only end in disaster as Kelsey's whole freshman year proves. Breath, relax, and then think. 

Overall: A very funny novel about one girl's disaster of a freshman year. Never said it was a bad disaster...

just sayin, 

-Kare