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merin

Read and Reviewed

Merin is a teacher, a book blogger, a baseball addict (Go Cardinals!), lover of music, movies and TV crime dramas, and YA/MG connoisseur. Follow me on my blog at http://ahandfulofconfetti.wordpress.com!

Currently reading

Her Highness, the Traitor
Susan Higginbotham
Progress: 23/323 pages
Jane Eyre
Ruben Toledo, Charlotte Brontë
Progress: 162/453 pages
The School for Good and Evil
Soman Chainani
Progress: 40 %
Fangirl
Rainbow Rowell
Progress: 46/433 pages
Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend - Louise Rozett I have not been shy when it comes to announcing exactly how much I loved Confessions of An Angry Girl. I find Rose refreshingly real, with an indomitable spirit, quick wit, and sharp tongue, who I can easily relate to on pretty much every single level. Her journey in the first book made me laugh, cringe and cry in equal measures, and I knew that she would quickly become one of my favorite fictional narrators. I therefore dove into Confessions of An Almost-Girlfriend with eager joy, hoping and praying that it would be as good as the first. And not only is it as good, it's actually even better; I came away from this book with more feelings than I knew what to do with, much like Rose herself.What I love most about Rose is the way she is trying her best to cope with her life. She's still grieving over her father's death, but now has an incommunicado Jamie on her hands, who she can't stop thinking about. Add to that her brother's own personal issues, and finding herself once again caught up in some sort of school scandal, and it's pretty clear that Rose isn't going to get the peaceful sophomore year she was hoping for. This book was very much about Rose's personal journey: she's searching for who she wants to be and reconciling that with who she actually is. I loved the steps she took to actually find some happiness and to find herself; her introspection at times brought tears to my eyes with the depth of emotions she's feeling pretty much constantly. I can't imagine having all of what she's dealing with going through my head at one time.Along with Rose, though, is an amazing supporting cast of characters, each with their own set of issues and their own unique personalities. I loved the addition of Holly, who is just a really nice person. I liked the growth and change in Tracy and Rose's friendship, and the reintroduction of a newly-revamped Angelo. And then, of course, there's Jamie, who still makes me swoon even when I kind of want to smack him. I was so happy to finally get some background on him, because it allowed not only Rose but the reader as well to feel like they finally knew him. Or, at least, knew him better than before. The way Ms. Rozett wrote the relationship between Rose and Jamie was so well done, with the awkward conversations and the way he really seemed to get her, and her him. There were so many scenes between the two that I wanted to highlight and keep in order to re-read them over and over - Christmas Eve, outside Tracy's house, the restaurant - and even when their interactions didn't go the way I was wanting them to, I still loved them because of the end result: a stronger, more sure of herself Rose. And since Rose is the main draw of these books, ultimately it's her I'm rooting for more than anything else.There are also so many issues tackled in each of these books: peer pressure, bullying, abuse, tolerance, etc., and they're all handled in such an understated and strong way. While Rose keeps telling herself she's not going to get involved in other people's problems, it becomes quite apparent that she just can't let things be when she knows she should act. I especially liked the whole dynamic with Conrad - another very strongly crafted character - and the way he really forced her to rethink and re-evaluate her choices, decisions, and preconceived notions.All I can really say is that, if you haven't read these books yet, you are seriously missing out. There is so much to love about these books: a realistic portrayal of high school, a strong main character who's doing her best to find herself, a swoon-worthy love interest, and the way issues are handled in a sensitive way that really make you think. Just do yourself a favor, and check them out as soon as you can!An e-galley was provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!