Still, there are some great books out there for those that have moved on from high school drama but don't really want ladies' book club books either. These books take you beyond the secondary school hallways. Pick up one of these before it's time to head back to campus.
Fangirl, Rainbow Rowell
Cath can best be described as an introvert, but she's very close to her family and prefers to spend her time writing Simon Snow fan fiction anyway. But when she's in college, her sister says that she wants to spread her wings a little, leaving Cath to her own devices. She is forced out of her comfort zone when her writing professor doesn't like fanfiction and when her roommate forces her to attend social events. I don't think it needed the subplot about the estranged mother, especially because it vanishes halfway through the book, but it's fun for self-proclaimed fangirls. It's also fun picking out the Harry Potter references. 3 stars
Finding Alice, Melody Carlson
Alice's life hasn't always been easy under the regime of her super-religious mother. It doesn't get easier when her own mind turns on her. Embarking on a mission to rewrite the Bible with imaginary friend Amelia in tow, her life begins falling apart. Her church members believe that she is possessed by demons, and the local mental health care facility has their own methods of "treating" Alice's problems. Eventually she runs away and is rescued from homelessness by an older woman, and it's then that her life will start to turn around. I did find that Alice found herself in the right place at the right time too often, and that's not usually how life works. I also couldn't determine when, exactly, this book took place; there are so many references to times past that I had absolutely no clue if we were in the 60s or 2000s. But its a nice story with a little redemption for everyone in the end. 3 stars
Kisses from Katie, Katie Davis
Have you ever wondered if college wasn't right for you, but maybe something bigger? Katie Davis felt the same way. Instead of going to college (after 1 semester to please her parents), she traveled to Uganda to start a new life: one where she adopted many children and taught them the word of God. Throughout challenges such as poverty, illness, and sometimes speaking different languages, Katie might not have her luxurious life anymore. But she found something bigger: a purpose. This book is going to make you feel really super inadequate and really give you a wake-up call as to how you spend your life. So obviously, you should read it. 5 stars
The Opposite of Loneliness, Marina Keegan
I'm not totally at liberty to review this book, because I haven't yet read the whole thing. The premise is basically that a promising writing student tragically passed away days after graduation. Her works, fiction and nonfiction, are compiled here. I find the expository-style writing to be most interesting- we need more of those stories-but the short stories will interest you too.
Roomies, Sara Zarr & Tara Altebrando
Elizabeth and Lauren don't know each other, but they will. They are going to be roommates during their freshman year. They send simple emails to coordinate the basics, but soon they find themselves taking about the problems in their lives when it seems like they have nobody else to go to. But they go a little too far, and arguments happen. Will they go into school hating each other? I liked the themes of change, getting to know another person remotely, and the idea of college students being included, but other issues have been done to death (ENOUGH. ESTRANGED. PARENTS. ALREADY. It's really hard to care about missing fathers when they've, well, never been introduced, and so many novels use this idea anymore.). There was a little more high-school drama than readers may be looking for, however. 3.5 starsYOLO, Lauren Myracle
Remember Zoe, Angela, and Maddie from the Internet Girls series? They're back, and this time in college. Zoe is struggling with the quintessential high school relationship breakup, Angela is struggling with whether or not she wants to pledge a sorority, and Maddie is having all sorts of wild adventures with her suitemates, in true Maddie style. The whole story is told through their texts, not IMs as the previously published-in-2007 books did. Although they are all having separate experiences, they bond through their texts and help each other through the challenges. It's a seriously fun read, especially seeing how the high school mean girl's life was turning more and more miserable. I only took issue with the sorority subplot...it was woefully outdated and I don't think many behave like that anymore. 4 starsZeta or Omega?, Kate Harmon
This is purely fun escapist fiction that will make you look forward to college, and the reading level is simple enough so that I think even middle schoolers could read it easily. However, new college students and late high school kids will enjoy it more since the subject material is more relevant to them.
Three girls end up at a Florida school and end up going for sorority recruitment. Wealthy Roni wants to escape her overbearing parents who like to control her life and do something different. Sassy Lora-Leigh is excited for college, but she is only going through sorority recruitment because her mom is making her. And sweet band geek Jenna hopes to go through the whole process with her roommate. It's one of those books that simply follows the lives of its characters, as they date, make new friends, and butt heads with parents. The ending is predictable, but it's about the journey just as much as the destination. It's also a great example of how books don't need to be great literature to tell good, enriching stories. Also look for The New Sisters and The Formal. 5 stars
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