cover image Theodora Twist

Theodora Twist

Melissa Senate, . . Delacorte, $15.95 (216pp) ISBN 978-0-385-73301-4

Sixteen-year-old star Theodora Twist needs to improve her well-deserved bad girl reputation, so she agrees to return "to her hometown for one month to live in the house she grew up in." Her life—and those of the family members who live in the house now, including former friend Emily—will be filmed for a reality show called Theodora Twist: Just a Regular Teen! Senate (See Jane Date , for adults) sets up a tantalizing premise, and the plot is equally entertaining, if predictable: Emily gets a taste of fame (even participating in a photo shoot in New York City), learning along the way that looks are not everything. Meanwhile Theodora—suddenly dumped by her twin musician boyfriends—finds a healthy relationship of her own. The story unfolds through Theodora and Emily's alternating perspectives, incorporating press releases, e-mails and news items. Readers may be troubled by some of the book's grittier material. To land her first role at 13, Theodora is coerced into performing oral sex on a producer. Later she reveals to Emily that sex helps her deal with her troubles, including the death of her father ("When I am fooling around or having sex, I feel amazing. I forget about everything. It's like magic"). These heavier moments seem out of step with the overall lighthearted tone. Even so, this is a fast-paced read, and goodhearted at its core—just like Theodora. Ages 14-up. (May)