Review Detail

Confessions of a Not It Girl starts off with a quiz, introducing you to Jan Miller. Jan, named after a favorite artist, is supposed to be pronounced "Yahn," but does not correct people when they call her "Jan." In fact, she prefers it.

Thankfully, neither she nor this book are a "Yahn." Jan's series of adventures in babysitting lead her to fall for her charge's older brother -- a male classmate that Jan hadn't looked twice at before. Suddenly, he's the object of her affection. Jan must balance this new crush with school, college applications and procrastinations, not to mention her best friend being named a New York "It Girl."

Kudos to Melissa Kantor for giving us a teen romantic comedy that is both funny and clean. The writing is fresh and modern without relying too heavily on pop culture references, so it will stand the test of time. It will appeal to adults and teenagers alike, as Jan is G-rated enough for the younger set but she is also fumbling and quirky enough for the twentysomethings trying to make their way through.

If you like the lively pace of books like Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen, The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot and the Gossip Girl series, you will love Confessions of a Not It Girl. Give it a try and you'll find yourself laughing almost immediately.