Same Difference by Siobhan Vivian

Title: Same Difference
Author: Siobhan Vivian
ISBN: 9780545004077
Publisher: PUSH, Scholastic

Summary:
"The last thing sixteen-year-old Emily wants is to pool hop and tan her way through another summer in Cherry Grove. Now that her best friend has a boyfriend, everything feels... different in a way Emily doesn't quite understand. So when offered a spot at a prestigious art program in Philadelphia, Emily jumps at the chance to leave her hometown for a few hours a day.

But it takes more than a change of scenery and a new group of friends to discover yourself. As Emily bounces between a suburb where everyone tries to fit in and a city where everyone wants to be unique, she struggles to find her own identity. And while the rules may change, the pressures remain the same. Friendships can be hard to navigate. Boys are both deeply mysterious and utterly predictable. And the line between right and wrong is always a little blurry."
_____________________________________________
Review:

This was the perfect realistic fiction/modern story that didn't cross the line over into "chick lit." It still had that hint of romance and such, but it wasn't so overwhelming that it was all you noticed.

I know that the "finding yourself" topic is really popular with the young adult crowd, but this one did it seamlessly - and almost effortlessly. At first you're not totally sure if you're going to like the characters, but eventually you end up wanting only the best for them. It's a beautiful, yet probably a little unrealistic, look at those years of change and self discovery (I don't know that all parents would be quite so understanding).

I'd definitely recommend this to girls or anyone who loves art. I feel like I learned more about art in this book than I did in high school art class. It's just a beautiful way to tell a story - through art.
_____________________________________________
Other blog reviews:

ReaderGirlz
Dog-Eared and Well-Read
The Page Flipper
Liv's Book Reviews
A Garden of Books