High School Pick: Nice Try, Jane Sinner

Nice Try, Jane Sinner
by Lianne Oelke
Clarion Books
2018
436 pages
ISBN: 9780544867857

Jane Sinner is a character that most readers will never forget. She is at a crossroads when she begins writing her diary and readers learn that Jane has been asked to leave high school because of an "event" she refers to but doesn't share the details until much later in the book. In order to find herself, free herself from her family and her parents' constant hovering, Jane enrolls in a local community college and takes a psychology course. She also sees a chance to escape her house and her younger sister Carol. Jane is accepted into a campus low budget reality show that another student film maker is filming and posting to YouTube. The grand prize is a used car and one perk of the show is contestants share a crumby house for low rent. Jane's bedroom is a small mattress separated by a sheet from others. There is no privacy and cameras roll 24/7.

Jane is excited to be "free" and writes her feelings and the events of the house and competition in her diary. It is here that Jane shines. She is self-deprecating, snarky, intelligent to the point of genius level, and over the top competitive. Jane wants to win and because of it, she is dangerous. She sizes up her competition and when she sees a way to win she takes it. Her antics at the paintball competition are comic genius and will have readers laughing out loud. She pretends to partner with others, but shoots them in the back and pretends that someone else shot them. And better yet, she is able to get away with it.

Some of the entries are imagined conversations with Jane's fake psychiatrist. Her answers to him are downright hysterical and his pseudo-psycho babble are brilliant. Jane has not attended her real therapy sessions and it is probably not helping her through her transition from high school to college and her problems that caused "the event." Fans of reality television will compare this novel to "Big Brother" and "The Real World."

The novel is tagged as "Christian" by Amazon and Barnes and Noble, but if readers are looking for an uplifting experience about God, Nice Try, Jane Sinner isn't that book.

Highly recommended for grade 9 and up. American readers will probably like the book's setting at a community college in Canada. Some mental health topics, profanity, sex, drugs, drinking.

Tales From a Not-So-Glam TV Star (Dork Diaries, 7)

Tales From a Not-So-Glam TV Star
by Rachel Renee Russell
with Nikki Russell and Erin Russell
Aladdin
2014
320 pages
ISBN: 9781442487673


Rachel Renee Russell just keeps getting it right; this time, with the help of her two young daughters. They each co-wrote the book with their mother and their voice shines through and captivates. This Dork Diaries delivers!

Nikki Maxwell is back and she's true to her loveable dorky self. When she gets a phone call from famous  television producer Trevor Chase to meet him at the local Bad Boyz concert to discuss recording her band's song, Nikki accepts back stage passes for herself and her BFFs Zoey and Chloe. The girls are told to pick up their passes at the box office. There's only one problem: MacKenzie! Mean girl MacKenzie just happens to be at the box office when they show up and she swipes their passes and masquerades with her friends as Nikki's entourage. A cranky security guard denies Nikki and her BFFs access into the concert, even though they tell him their passes are either stolen or missing. The girls sneak in and are mistaken as backup dancers and glammed up by the make up and hair team. An outrageous run in with all parties  backstage turns into a true melee until Trevor Chase shows up and sorts everything out.

He offers Nikki a reality tv show, much to MacKenzie's seething chagrin! Everywhere Nikki goes with cameras following her, MacKenzie is sure to show up and try to steal Nikki's thunder. Lucky for Nikki, each time she ends up  on top with more and more fans.

Even though being a pop princess and a reality show star sounds glamorous, Nikki can't find time for Brandon without cameras following her. As she becomes more famous, she is pushed away from Brandon and she worries about it.

Girls will cheer on Nikki! It's nice to see the underdog achieve success and trump the beautiful and evil girl. Nikki is charming, adorable, and dorky. She will encourage all of us to embrace our inner dork. The Dork Diaries series picks up speed with each book, gaining more and more of a worldwide following. It has everything a young reader could ask for: a perky, funny, captivating protagonist, an evil, manipulative villain--MacKenzie, two sidekicks who truly have Nikki's back, a cute and sweet love interest--Brandon, quirky parents--Nikki's father owns an extermination service and drives around in a van with a giant cockroach on top, and a cast of minor characters--each enriching the story and Nikki's character.

This is a winning book that is sure to please.

Highly, highly recommended grade 5-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)