Review: Not that Kind of Girl (Vivian)

Title: Not That Kind of Girl
Author: Vivian
Genre: Fiction, High School, Friendship, Dating
Pages: 336
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Natalie wants everything to go as planned because she is going places, and high school is just a pit stop. That includes winning the election for student council president, having loyal friends, and finding the right guy.

The story begins with Natalie recounting a story that’s become legend at Ross Academy, a story about a freshman girl who started dating a senior boy, and when she wasn’t ready for anything too physical, he ruined her reputation, and changed her life. Natalie uses this story (of what happened to her best friend Autumn) as one of the reasons why she has chosen to opt out of the dating circle completely.  She has no intention of having her life ruined by a bad reputation.

Natalie is appalled when she encounters new-girl Spencer, a freshman who is brazen, overtly flirtatious, and doesn't seem to have any limits to what she will do to get attention.  Natalie decides she must teach Spencer a lesson in what self-respect means.  But when Natalie starts to fall for a guy she never thought she would, in might just be Spencer that teaches her a thing or two...

This is a story that poses many questions that are good to think about.  Can you love someone and be true to yourself? Who is in charge of your reputation? Is it okay for girls to be powerful and aware of who they are? Do you have to be a winner or a loser, or can there be a wonderful place in-between?