Book Review: Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski

Published June 7th, 2011 by HarperTeen
368 pages (Hardcover)

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. 

In this hilarious and bittersweet tale, Sarah Mlynowski mines the heart and mind of a girl on her own for the first time. To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart . . . one thing-she-shouldn't-have-done at a time. (From GoodReads)

I have a love/hate for books like this.  I love them because they make me laugh.  I hate them because they make me feel like I wasted my high school years.  

However, despite feeling like I need to repeat my high school experience and get it right this time, I loved this book.  I would call this a great beach read.  It was fast-paced and witty.  I'm usually not a fan of flashbacks, but the writing style of this book made it work.  If you have a few hours to simply lounge around in the sun, pick up this book.

And don't get me started on the ending!  I thought I had it all figured out (I was kinda right), but there are a couple of extra tidbits added in that just pull everything together wonderfully.

When I finished it, I actually had a little freak-out and hoped there was a sequel (which there isn't and there should be!)  I wanted more!  SO much more!  I want more Hudson!

In summary, read this.  Yup.

Much love, Samantha