Not the Girls You're Looking For

Gr 9 Up—Lulu Saad is ready to tackle junior year with her three best friends by her side. They'll continue to attend house parties where she'll make out with cute guys. But after one hookup goes sour, her friendships start to tear apart. To make matters worse, she's on thin ice with her mom. Lulu struggles to put back the pieces of her life and find herself in the process. This character-driven, coming-of-age novel explores relationships and identity in many forms. A burgeoning romance facilitates an honest look at consent and being responsibly sexually active. However, the romance takes a backseat to the female friendships, which are the driving force of this story. These authentic teen girls are smart, complicated, sexual, and sensitive. Their friendships can be mean and messy, but they are also fiercely loyal. This rich story also explores biracial and mixed culture identity (Lulu has a white mom and an Arab dad) in all its joys and struggles. The plot sometimes suffers from uneven pacing, but the witty writing and strong voice more than make up for it.