Diana Rodriguez, Wallach Amigas and School Scandals

Amigas and School Scandals

Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Kensington, October 28 2008, $9.95

ISBN: 9780758225559

After spending her summer with her older brother in Puerto Rico with family she never met before, Mariana Ruiz returns home to suburban Spring Mills, Pennsylvania to go back to high school. Her cousin Lilly Sanchez has come with her to attend Spring Mills High School as a freshman. To everyone's shock except perhaps Mariana, Lilly is the most popular frosh in the school after only one day. Mariana's best friends Madison and Emily are outraged and envious of Lilly's stratospheric nanosecond rise.

Having missed Madison's Sweet Sixteen party due to her PR vacation, Mariana and her pals plan one for her. Meanwhile her estranged aunt pleads with the family to take her back, but her uncles and her parents have doubts as their anger is bone deep. In spite of her summer fling, Mariana is attracted to her locker buddy, Bobby, but hides her feelings because she is unsure if Emily, who dated him once during the summer, is interested.

This is an entertaining teen drama as Mariana struggles with balancing her loyalty to her friends with welcoming her cousin, as Lilly did for her in 'Amor And Summer Secrets.'Mariana's difficulties ring true with her being pulled in several directions. Fans will appreciate her return home as 'Amigas And School Scandals' is an engaging contemporary.

Harriet Klausner