Harry (short for Harriet) is a level-headed teenager who lives with her sociologist mother, who is "Single by Choice." Harry has always known that she is donor-conceived, and has never had any interest in finding her half-siblings or discovering the identity of her donor. But it's summer, and, despite working three jobs, Harry is lonely and missing her best friend, who is traveling overseas, and her ex-boyfriend, who moved to New York. Curiosity gets the better of Harry and she does a little digging, discovering the identity of two half-siblings who are also in Seattle. Enthusiastic Lucy is a joy, while troubled Meredith is much more difficult to like, and the mutual attraction between Harry and Meredith's best friend, Alex, complicates the situation further. There is a kitchen-sink feel to this book as the social issues pile up, occasionally muddying the story. But there's a truthfulness to the messiness as well, and this will have appeal for readers who enjoy contemporary, issue-driven stories.

Harriet (Harry) is alone and miserable when she breaks up with her boyfriend. After a pep talk from Verna, her sort-of grandmother, Harry decides to shake up her world and post her name to the donor services registrya task that Harry has avoided since finding out she is a donor-conceived child. She immediately hears from two of her half-siblings: spunky fifteen-year-old Lucy and shifty, hard-to-read Meredith. And by spending time with Meredith, Harry gets to hang out with Meredith's best friend, Alex. As the three half-sisters spend more time together, Harry becomes suspicious of Meredith and her secrets . . . and angry with the girl's lies. While digging into Meredith's past, Harry finds out that Alex has a secret of his ownhe was born female. Harry is confused at first, but ultimately this secret strengthens their attraction, and the two grow closer together. But their relationship makes Meredith jealous, angry to the point of violence.Spirit Level gets to the heart of what makes a family and what makes a good relationship. Though there is much going on, the adults in the story guide the three girls, and Harry remains introspective and levelheadedshe does not overreact or display angst as one might expect from so many changes. This creates a simple and straightforward text that would be a good choice for struggling or reluctant readers.Stacy Holbrook.Although written like summer chick lit, Spirit Level tries to take on a multitude of difficult topics, giving it an identity problem. From issues with donor siblings to transgender characters, there just are not enough pages in the novel to cover everything in the depth it deserves. Character relationships feel rushed. High school girls searching for an easy read with more going on than the average romance will be intrigued by Harry's story. 3Q, 4P.Victoria Quint, Teen Reviewer.