How To Be Bad
by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski,
& Lauren Myracle

    HOW TO BE BAD by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski, & Lauren Myracle
    Category:  Anthology
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  5/6/08
    Publisher:  HarperTeen
    Reviewed by:  Jaglvr
    Rating:  5 Stars


    HOW TO BE BAD is the perfect book for a girl-bonding summer road trip adventure!

    Three girls, each with their own internal struggles, head out on a weekend road trip to Miami to visit the one girl’s
    boyfriend.  Vicks and Jesse are best friends.  Mel is the newcomer but envies the friendship Vicks and Jesse share
    and invites herself along for the trip, offering to pay for lodging, snacks, and fuel.

    Jesse is dealing with her mother’s recent cancer diagnosis.  She wants more than anything to tell Vicks, for they share
    everything, but hasn’t been able to bring herself to do it.

    Vicks is trying to not be a needy girlfriend.  Her boyfriend has left for freshman year of university and has barely
    contacted her in the two weeks he’s been gone.  She misses him terribly and is convinced he’s fooling around with a
    hot college girl.

    Mel’s family has just moved to Florida from Montreal, Canada.  Florida is an entirely different world to her.  She is
    reserved and lives in the shadow of her popular older sister.  She desperately wants to break out of her shell, but
    doesn’t know how.  She hopes some of Vicks’ outgoing personality will rub off on her.  

    They begin their trip Friday once Vicks gets off work.  Jesse takes her mom’s car without proper permission, and the
    three are off.    Their adventures bring them to a giant preserved alligator, a cute hitchhiker, a house party with too
    much alcohol, Disney World, and a few other places along the way.   

    As will happen when confined with each other for far too long in a way too hot car, tempers flair, emotions erupt, and
    friendships are solidified.

    HOW TO BE BAD is creatively written in alternating chapters by three popular authors.   The story flows seamlessly
    between each chapter, making the reader curious as to which character belongs to which author.  The story is
    emotional, triumphant, and you come away feeling like you’ve just received a great big hug.  Each author is amazing
    on her own merits, but as a team, they’ve taken it up a notch and have written a fantastic book.  One that every girl
    and her best friends will come to love.