Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski
Publisher: HaperTeen (June 7th, 2011)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 368 pages
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house – parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have.
If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe"opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1:"Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up"Skipping School" (#3),"Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8),"Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um,"Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them.
Review: This is just the perfect summer read! It will have you laughing from the start and thinking that maybe living with a friend at age 16 is more complicated than first imagined. April learns that her dad and step-mom are moving and she panics. She doesn't want to leave her town, her friends, or her boyfriend. Her and her friend Vi come up with a plan that seems perfect.or… maybe not.
April begins living at Vi's house, even though her mom is away doing a play. April's dad doesn't know this, of course, and the entire time he thinks his daughter is being well cared for. Obviously, as we can imagine, April and Vi have a blast living together. They throw parties, buy a hot tub, skip school. Ya know, all the fun stuff! But all of this turns out to be a little too much for April to juggle at once.
April was a wonderful young character. She wasn't too extreme on any level --not too good, or too bad. She's what I picture as a very typical teenage girl. Vi is a little more adventurous and she brings out some of the wild side in April. They talk about everything possible and even the hard issues of love, sex, and family. In many ways they soon had a sisterly bond, which was exactly what they both needed.
Noah was April's first love and they had been together for 2 years. Noah isn't thrilled with April's living arrangements and they eventually start having issues in their relationship. But, there is much more to Noah than meets the eye. I was pretty surprised by some of the revelations that took place throughout the book. But, I could see why April fell for him and how it would seem they were the perfect pair.
Which then brings me to Mr. Awesome-- Hudson. Ahh, he was like a breath of fresh air. Hudson has to be one of the sweetest male characters I've ever seen in a book. His maturity and kind nature helped April see another side of things.
When I picked up this book I was looking for a light read with great characters and a funny plot. This fit that perfectly! Although it does contain some very serious issues and lessons, I was laughing out loud many times during the book and wishing I could go back to high school just to have fun like that again. Not that I did the 10 things they did.but, ya know.: )
If you are looking for a book that has teen drama, romance, and hilarious situations, pick up Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have). You won't regret it!
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