Poison Ivy by Kathryn White

Synopsis: A novel about a female teenager who gets into trouble after an act of revenge.

Writing Style: Straightforward, prickly.

Pacing: Fast

Premise: A story of young people making mistakes based on opinions, beliefs, and assumptions.

Personal Highlights: Paired with the title, the cover was a sure ‘nough winner. The opening also won me over. After the first few sentences I couldn’t stop reading, or laughing. But then things grew more serious when the main character Ivy is confronted with peers and adults who do not share her beliefs about her personal intimate relationships, as well as it does not sit well with these outsiders that her sister has HIV. Ivy responds to these conflicts as a young person of her age might, which lands her in trouble having to learn some minor and large surprises, and hard lessons. Overall, the story was very engaging and an easy read, credited to its fast pacing and straightforward premise.