Being Sixteen by Allyson Condie

Juliet Kendall has been looking forward to her sixteenth birthday for what feels like forever. At first, it seems like being sixteen will be as perfect as she dreamed---she has great friends, a cute almost-boyfriend, a spot on the varsity girls' basketball team, and even a car of her own. But, as the year goes on, she discovers that her sister Carly, is hiding a secret and realizes that, in fact, being sixteen may be her hardest year yet.

Being Sixteen is a coming-of-age story about two sister and their different struggles. It addresses what it means to have a testimony, what it meant to be a friend and a sister, and what's involved in the dealing with and overcoming an eating disorder.

Being Sixteen is well done LDS fiction. This is the first novel by Allyson Braithwaite Condie that I have read and I will definitely give her other books a try. Being Sixteen delves into the dynamics of a less than perfect LDS family who are doing the best they can. A touching story that brought tears to my eyes. Unlike many books in this genre Being Sixteen is not overly cheesy or preachy. A realistic look at some of the challenges an LDS teen faces.

Content: This is a clean read recommended to LDS readers ages 13+.

Rating: 4 Stars