Book Review: "A Little Help From My Friends" by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt

Zoe is used to being overlooked. As the youngest and shyest Miracle Girl, she was happy to fade into the background last year. But when she sheds her baby fat and shoots up four inches the summer before her junior year, everything changes. Now she's turning heads at school, and this new attention is beginning to strain her relationship with her sweet, serious boyfriend, Marcus. Pressure builds when Zoe's assigned partner for history class is Dean Foster--a handsome New York transplant who isn't afraid to show her how he feels. ..

Zoe's character has somehow always stood in the background for me in this series. It's probably because she's soft spoken and shy which made me not really notice her too much in the other books. The other three Miracle girls have such loud personalities that they tend to overpower Zoe. Therefore I was glad that she got her own book with her own storyline so we could focus on her because I think her life was really interesting. Her parents are unlike the other girls and it's always fun to read about having to struggle with feelings between two boys. I liked Dean a lot and I thought he was a good match for Zoe.

In addition to Zoe's story is another subplot about their mentor Ms. Moore. I found this story to be extremely interesting because it involves a situation that many teacher fear will happen to them, where they try to do a good deed and instead become punished for it. The girls' determination to prove justice is admirable and even more astounding is the source of the unexpected help that comes their way.

One thing I've always liked about Anne and May's books is how well the story flows together. With some books, it is very obvious that there are two authors, as character's personalities or POV's will change when the authors switch writing. This can be very distracting as you feel pulled away from the novel and can be a big jolt. Luckily you never experience this in their books which is a huge plus.

As I've said before in the past, I'm a HUGE fan of Anne and May's books. They really know how to write for teens and they do it so extremely well. The stories are relatable and down to earth, showcase Christians in the real world without being preachy, and are able to reach to two audiences at the same time. Every teen girl should read their books (and adults who like YA too as well!) because not only are they good stories, but they speak to you as well. I cannot wait for Riley's story to come out next year to round out the series. VERY Highly recommended.

A Little Help From My Friends by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt is published by Faithwords (2009)

This review copy was provided for a blog tour with the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance.