Review: Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have)

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

June 7, 2011

HarperTeen

From Goodreads:
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.

My Review:
Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) is a lightning fast read that I couldn't put down! I am not kidding you about that. I started this on the day I came back from ALA (when I was soo tired) and didn't put it down until the last page. The contemporary genre is nice and refreshing with all of the paranormal novels in YA. I need more, more, more from Sarah Mlynowski!

April is a sweet and vulnerable girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She has been broken inside since her parents divorce, and while having a boyfriend and caring friends helps her to stay strong, she still feels lonely. Ten Things We Did is all about April coming into herself and confronting the issues that she has been unconsciously ignoring for years. Sure, she has to get a little wild and crazy to learn, but she wouldn't have made her discoveries otherwise. Also, drama and craziness thrown into a book makes for an exciting read.

Vi and Marissa are definitely my favorite best friends of YA. They are always there for April when she needs them, and they act like true friends. It was awesome to see the best friends work together to help each other jump over hurdles blocking them from living life to the fullest. And then there is Noah...I will not say anything about him for the sake of those who haven't read this, but I am sure you will feel exactly how I feel about them after everything goes down. Dean and Hudson are quite the charmers. Dean has his way with his humor, and Hudson sure knows how to make a girl swoon!

Yes, this book may seem predictable. You may think, "The title says it all. Why waste my time with this one?" Well, sure the title may say that April and friends are going to do some crazy stuff, but I was shocked at the outcome of their executions! And this book is just too good to pass up! It is wonderful, funny, sad, hilarious, and wrapped up beautifully.

Ten Things We Did is a fabulous read that left me thinking. Definitely pick up a copy of this one if you haven't already!

My Rating: