The ABC's of Kissing Boys by Tina Ferraro Book Review

The ABC's of Kissing Boys by Tina Ferraro
(Delacorte Press, Paperback, 2009)

Parker will do just about anything to make the varsity soccer team. So when her older brother and his best friend come up with a scheme involving a kissing booth, Parker is all in. There's only one small problem...Parker has to make the kiss look convincing and, even though she's a junior in high school, she's never really kissed a guy before. So she enlists the help of her next door neighbor, Tristan, even though he's only a freshman.

My favorite part about this book was the chapter headings. Each chapter title is devoted to one letter of the alphabet and gives a short lesson on kissing. For example, "Quixotic: Take the lead from Don Quixote: when it comes to a kiss, there's no such thing as too romantic." The book takes its cue from these light-hearted lessons and is a fun, upbeat read. Some of the plot elements were a little far-fetched (we all know that it is social suicide to date someone two grades younger than you). As long as you're willing to excuse a little creative plotting, you'll enjoy this hilarious, romantic novel. My favorite addition was the Romeo & Juliet side plot - who knew feuding neighbors could take their lawn care so seriously?

One last chapter heading to give you an idea of this book's playfulness...most reviewers have mentioned this one as their favorite: "Graduation: For many girls, great kissing is a diploma in itself; for many guys, it's a prerequisite to a bigger course of study." Ahh, so true. :-)

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How to Hook a Hottie by Tina Ferraro Book Review

How to Hook a Hottie by Tina Ferraro
(Random House, Paperback)
Rating:

Kate is a no-nonsense girl, intent on becoming a millionaire before the age of twenty. She has a deal with her parents - raise $5,000 before senior year is over and she doesn't have to waste four precious, potential money-earning years in college. Her piggy bank is looking a little grim until the hottest guy in school asks her out. Now all of a sudden, every girl in school is asking Kate for help on how to hook a hottie. That's when she comes up with her Six Point Plan. For only $100, any girl in school can learn Kate's Hexagon For Hooking Hotties. But does Kate really know what she's talking about?

I'm not sure I would pay $100 to learn how to snag a cute guy, but Kate's story is laugh-out-loud funny. Enter in a super cute best guy friend, Dal, and Kate's predicament is even funnier. Dal's her best friend, plus he has a girlfriend, and yet Kate can't stop comparing every guy to him. Luckily, Dal is helping her hoodwink the girls in school and his hottie-hooking tips seem to be working. My favorite tip was the one that Dal saved for last. Look for this novel on shelves in January. It's a quick read and sure to be a good diversion on a snowy day.