Sunday, January 31, 2010

A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker (Around The World Tours)

Published: February 4th 2010 by Razorbill
Trade Paperback, 277 pages
ISBN: 1595142576
ISBN13: 9781595142573
When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can’t get any worse. Then she marries her “husband”: Jerky jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona’s long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very mysterious Johnny Mercer. Pranks, fights, misunderstandings, and reconciliations ensue in an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors about mistaken first impressions, convoluted coupling, and hidden crushes.

Review:

Should have known, that's what Fiona's first thought was. Could you blame her? Her life has seemed to be nothing but the mass collection of Friday the 13's bad luck. It starts with their principal's horrible love life, and transcends into the catastrophe of Marriage Education. Somehow, the seniors of her high school are supposed to build a budget, a relationship with their partner, and visit the school counselor for marriage counseling every week. When Fiona finds out that her partner is her enemy's ass of a boyfriend, Todd, I think it's safe to say all hell breaks loose between the student (insert high school name here)'s senior class. That's also possibly due to the fact that the enemy, Amanda, got paired up with Gabe; as in Fiona's biggest crush since a little prince-charming moment a few years back. Pranks between the odd couple, Fiona and Todd, lead to a surprising tolerance and possible liking between the two, but it only took one night to bring every thing crashing down. Secrets, obvious misunderstandings, and jealousy all lead back to Fiona questioning herself on selfishness. Is she the type of girl that can't see blossoming changes happening right in front of her face? Is she subconsciously ignoring the manifestation of people she cares about most and reading the people she's supposed to hate completely wrong? How is a girl with ideals of people and judgments she's had about them her whole life supposed to change in the matter of days? Well, with a little outside/family help, Fiona knows that in order to fix her mistakes she must begin with a whole lot of apologizing.

What I loved most about A Match Made in High School was that by forcing the students in the senior class to prepare themselves for the outside world and marriage, the principal involuntarily gave them something else to think about, different experiences they had to go through. I appreciated the attempt that the principal made to make the students see the challenges they'll be facing but, like Fiona, I knew it wasn't going to turn out the way she planned. I liked that there were different characters that had there own statuses that would not normally connect, were it not for Marriage Ed. The beginning captured me, but it was definitely the ending that gave the novel the finishing touch of a great, funny read.

Recommended to all who are looking for a fun read, and a lesson being learned along the way.

Grade: A-

LiLi

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