Skinny: She was starving to fit in...

Skinny: She was starving to fit in... (False Reflections Book 1) by Laura L. Smith

I had this book on my "to read" list with a note that it has a "Bizarre Love Triangle" reference. I wish I could remember how I found out the reference. In the book, the song is mentioned at the very end as a a dance number that the lead character is performing: "It's a jazz routine with a killer beat. You know that 80s tune I've been playing, 'Bizarre Love Triangle'?"

That was it for the reference. The book does name drop a number of songs and artists, including popular bands like the Beatles as well as Christian bands like Audio Adrenaline. the author seems to enjoy doing this, but it is not critical to the story.

As for the book itself, it was not bad. Melissa is a freshman in high school. She is smart and on the dance team. However, she feels that she is too fat. She takes even little comments about weight as something directly towards her. She carefully watches what she eats. She even worries about putting "peaches and cream" lotion or brushing her teeth because that might add weight. Generally she just controls what she takes in. However, there is a case where finds herself indulging in what she feels is too much food and then turns around and vomits up her excess food, and then works to cover it up.

In school, a new boy from Louisiana joins her French class. They fall for each other and begin a budding teen relationship. Things seem to go well. However, after basketball season starts, his parents do not want her spending much time together. This breaks her heart and makes her think that the they have broken up (because, you know, teenagers.) 

She is active on her school's dance team and is going to extra early morning "captain tryout" practices.  Captainship is open to all girls, and she is the only freshman trying out. However, her eating habits end up hurting her. She doesn't eat before the practice and ends up fainting. After the second time, the dance coach sends her home and won't let her come back until her family takes her to the doctor. She sees the doctor, gets diagnosed with an eating disorder and gets ordered to gain more weight. After she makes the effort to comply, her life starts to get back in order. She actively participates in the dance team and can now spend time with her boy again.

The characters in the book are church-going Christians. However, it deals primarily with the "secular" in-school activities. The girl will read her bible in the evening and write in her journal about her life and how some teachings relate to her life. The characters will also occasionally talk about church activities. Church is part of their lives, but the problems are general ones that happen to everyone. 

Dragon Hoops

Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang

The author has always been a bit nerdy and preferred to focus on his comics. He never saw the fascination that other people had with sports, but he couldn't resist the enthusiasm that people had. He decided to talk with coach. He discovered that he was as relatable guy and was once a gangly teenager. The team is great and has made it to the state championship game many times, but has never won. He became smitten by the basketball team. He decides to write his book on their season.

The book goes through the basketball season and ties in school and basketball history. He tries to go in depth with many of the players. The histories are fairly positive, with the players feeling friendly and well-grounded. The team is mostly black, with a future NBA player. However, there are also other players, including a white "redneck", a Punjabi and Chinese student. They endure some racial taunts, but rub it off. The book mostly covers the on-court struggles of the team, together with the challenges of the author and his life. There are even notes at the end of the graphic novel. Some players are great and anticipate future experience playing basketball, while others are looking more at the "student" part of it. It ends as a nice happy sports-story ending.

Cyclorama

Cyclorama by Adam Langer

A group of students at a special high school in Evanston, Illinois performs the Diary of Anne Frank play in the 1980s. They have many vices and struggles. The drama teacher seems to have perverted tendencies that the kids want to trace down. The students have their own issues, with relationships, battles with family, drugs and other vices. Some things break out after a performance with multiple "lovers" getting into fights, with the black guy ending up in jail. Later at a party, there is an attempted rape and violence. The story then pivots to a more modern time in the Trump administration. The school is performing a "modern" version of Anne Frank. Some of the original students have children in the play. The students are now older and have different positions in life, but still have some of the same bad characteristics they had as kids. This feels like a dark version of John Hughes comedy that then pivots to see "where they are today." The portrayal of Evanston and North Chicago is well done.

Election

Election by Tom Perrotta

A school president election is about to take place. Tracy Flick has been trying for this for all of her life. However, a smart jock has also decided to enter the race. Then at the last minute, his sister enters. However, she seems to be more interested and getting suspended and going to a Catholic girls' school. There are a whole bunch of affairs. Tracy also manages to unintentionally get a couple teachers fired. Stylistically, it is great as the book rapidly takes us into the minds of various characters. The characters themselves are all really messed up.