ambyr

This is really not my thing, but I found myself draw into it anyway. The author manages the difficult task of taking a concept that could be saccharine as all hell and presenting it in a clear, slightly wry manner that doesn't devolve into instant sentimentalism. The final chapters do become treacly, but it's impressive the author sustains things so well for as long as she does. I liked the different viewpoints and thought they all added something distinct and important to the story. (I did not like the choice to write one of them without capital letters, which came across as a cheap trick.)

Not so much teen-issues as preteen-issues, but hell if I'm going to make another shelf just for that.