Gr 7-10 Amy Nelson Barak, introduced in How to Ruin a Summer Vacation (Flux, 2006), is back. She's living in a Chicago high-rise with her Israeli-born father, a security consultant and workaholic, and a dog named Mutt, a gift from her summertime Israeli "non-boyfriend," Avi. Amy has been enjoying a new religious education and exploration of her heritage, which got a running start during her trip to Israel, but the list of annoyances potentially ruining her life is almost too much for her. Dad needs a date and a life, so she signs him up for a Jewish online dating service using his credit card without mentioning it. Her mom and stepdad are expecting a baby, which freaks Amy out. Avi is out of touch while doing basic training in the Israeli army. Perhaps the biggest insult is from Nathan, a geeky-looking but intriguing new guy who completely rubs her the wrong way, but she kisses him anyway. A retaliation kiss from him in the cafeteria is hard to explain when Avi shows up for a surprise visit. Readers picking up the book without prior knowledge can settle into Amy's brink-of-ruination life easily, and they will enjoy her take on the world. This is an undemanding read in which what's wrong can be made right by the last pagejust the choice for teens who seek realistic YA fiction free from heavy issues but with appealingly ordinary drama and humor. Suzanne Gordon, Peachtree Ridge High School, Suwanee, GA

Amy Barak is a Chicago teen who has moved in with her father because her mother has married and moved to the suburbs. She has two best friends and does well in school. She owns an endearing dog named Mutt who escapes or farts at the most inopportune moments. She met her boyfriend, Avi, while in Israel with her father. She calls him her non-boyfriend because of the distance between them, but she has high hopes for their relationship. She is in classes to convert to the Jewish religion. Then Amy uses her dad's credit card to sign him up for an online dating service, Amy's mom announces that she is pregnant, and a new boy, Nathan, moves into the apartment building. Amy must get a job to deal with the credit card fiasco, face becoming a big sister, and find a way to handle Nathan-something that is complicated by the unexpected arrival of Avi. This book has laugh-out-loud moments. Amy manages to mess up her life in very funny ways, attending dates that she set up for her father and interviewing prospective stepmothers, kissing Nathan in the elevator, being kissed by Nathan in front of the entire school cafeteria, and kidnapping Avi with plastic handcuffs to fix their relationship. Amy is an intelligent, caring character. Readers will be glad to see that she can handle relationships with both Avi and Nathan. Amy's thoughtfulness and depth raise this book above most of the chick-lit genre.-Cindy Faughnan.