So, my daughter grabbed this book, "The Upside of Falling," off the school library shelf because she said the cover was cute. It's about a girl named Becca who, feeling pressured, lies about having a boyfriend and then has to scramble to make it believable. Classic teen romance set up, right? If your kid is into that kind of fake-dating trope and the whole 'finding yourself' thing, this might be a good one to check out.
Honestly, she flew through it. She's usually glued to her phone, but I actually saw her reading this instead a couple of times, which is always a win. She said it was pretty predictable but still enjoyable. There aren't any pictures, obviously, it's a novel. The writing is pretty straightforward, not too flowery or complicated, so it's an easy read. She didn't mention being confused by anything, and she actually seemed invested in whether Becca and her 'fake boyfriend' would end up together.
It's an AR level 4.3, which meant it was a breeze for her, and it was worth 9.0 AR points. She's in high school so the Upper Grades interest level is spot on. It clocks in at just under 60,000 words, which is a decent length for a quick read without feeling like a huge commitment.
I think this book is perfect for a kid who enjoys lighthearted romance and doesn't mind a bit of predictability. It's got that sweet, feel-good vibe that some teens really love. It does contain some mild profanity, so if that’s a dealbreaker in your house, you might want to skip it, but my daughter said it wasn't excessive at all. If your teen is looking for a brain-candy kind of book, this could definitely fit the bill.