My Invented Life

It's bad enough that Roz's older sister, Eva, dumped her as a best friend; on top of that, Roz is in love with Eva's boyfriend, Bryan. But Roz begins to suspect that perfect “Eva the Diva” might be a lesbian, so she pretends she is a lesbian and reports back to Eva about what it's like to come out, hence Roz's “invented” life. (Roz comes out in response to a dare on Eva's part, though her decision never feels entirely believable. Is this an attempt to get back in her sister's good graces? A snap action born out of anger?) However, what begins as a lie soon turns into a genuinely eye-opening experience. Bjorkman sets her debut amid the high school theater crowd, peppering Roz's internal narration with imagined scenarios and Shakespearean humor, evoking all the drama inherent in putting on a play. Roz's voice is witty and genuine as she moves through the ups and downs of coming out (and eventually coming clean). Evocative of Boy Meets Boy and Dramarama , this makes for fun, thought-provoking reading. Ages 14–up. (Oct.)