Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters
Kelsey Finkelstein is fourteen and FRUSTRATED. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled – by her impossible parents, her annoying little sister, and life in general. But with her first day of high school coming up, Kelsey is positive that things are going to change. Enlisting the help of her three best friends — sweet and quiet Em, theatrical Cass, and wild JoJo — Kelsey gets ready to rebrand herself and make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny.
Things start out great – her arch-nemesis has moved across the country, giving Kelsey the perfect opportunity to stand out on the soccer team and finally catch the eye of her long-time crush. But soon enough, an evil junior’s thirst for revenge, a mysterious photographer, and a series of other catastrophes make it clear that just because KELSEY has a plan for greatness… it doesn’t mean the rest of the world is in on it.
Kelsey’s hilarious commentary throughout her disastrous freshman year will have you laughing out loud—while being thankful that you’re not in her shoes, of course…
This book is so cute! I wasn’t sure if I was going to like reading from a 14 year-old’s perspective but Kelsey Finkelstein ended up being a great narrator. Her frequent, well, disasters, were hilarious to witness and I found myself laughing out loud throughout the entire book.
Kesley Finkelstein has got her Freshman year of high school all planned out. This year she’s finally going stand out. She’s going to get the position on the soccer team that’s she been wanting for years and her crush is going to recognize her. Unfortunately for Kelsey, the universe has different plans for her freshman year.
The characters really made this book great. Kelsey and her friends are all quirky, witty, and very realistic characters. Although at times their loyalty to each other is put to the test, they are supportive and awesome friends. It’s fun to read about them hanging out, texting, partying, and even fighting (even the best of friends have their disputes). Kelsey has her typical teenager moments that can be irritating at times but more often I found her drama funny.
Meredith Zeitlin did a fantastic job of getting into the mind of a high school freshman. Her book brought me back to what it was like to be a freshman. Even my experience was different than Kelsey’s, Zeitlin captured the emotions and mentality of a freshman and I don’t consider that an easy feat. Additionally, the story is unique, steadily paced, and genuinely feels like a real high school experience. There are good messages for teens and bad messages for teens but that’s what makes the book real and engaging.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters. Zeitlin created interesting and realistic characters as well as a story that will bring a smile to your face. It’s a cute, fun, laugh out loud read that made you want to keep reading.
