In Breathing Underwater (2005), Flinn told the story of Nick, a kid who seems flawless but beats his girlfriend, Caitlin. Diva is Caitlin's story. Some time has passed. Nick is abiding by the restraining order keeping him away from Caitlin, and she is still trying to understand herself. She no longer believes she is the fat no-talent Nick insisted she was, but she's still obsessed with her weight and unsure about trying out for a performing-arts high school and exploring her passion for opera. Then there's her mother, who wants people to think they are sisters and is having an affair with a married man. Written partly as an online diary, the story neatly delineates teens' concerns me contemporary, others ages old. Caitlin makes the grade at her new school and begins to appreciate her talent, but things are rockier with friends and boyfriends. The most interesting relationship is between Caitlin and her mother; Flinn turns a fine eye on the seemingly never-ending mother-daughter dance, in which someone is always out of step. A fast read, but there's meat here, too.

More dresses, drinks, and drama dominate this final volume chronicling the exploits of the three young flappers, Clara, Gloria, and Lorraine. Their friendship recovers and their moral missteps are repaired as the three unite to stop real criminals and focus on true love. Plausibility is never paramount in the diverting plot, but Gloria's undercover work for the FBI is particularly absurd.

Determined to become an opera diva, 16-year-old Caitlin McCourt transfers to Miami High School of the Arts (MHSA), where at first fitting in with her talented new classmates is difficult. However, thanks to her mother and ex-boyfriend, Nick, her transition is even more complicated. Flinn first introduced Caitlin and Nick's physically abusive relationship in Breathing Underwater (2001), and although the couple is separated, aftershocks from this earlier text are still palpable, especially Caitlin's major confidence issues, in particular regarding her weight. Although Nick makes several appearances (despite a restraining order), Caitlin slowly and plausibly moves past this destructive relationship by focusing on her transition to MHSA, her funky new friends, who are drawn with great depth, and the discovery of her powerful voice, both on stage and off, especially when dealing with her mother. Realistic and thoughtful. (Fiction. YA)

Gr 7-10-Caitlin, who was abused by her 16-year-old boyfriend, Nick, in Flinn's Breathing Underwater (HarperCollins, 2001), wants to put that relationship behind her. A talented opera singer, she gets into Miami High School for the Performing Arts despite her own nervousness and her mother's objections. Even there she feels like an outcast as she can't dance or sing pop and she obsesses about her weight. Her mother dresses like a teenager, is dating a married man, and seems to live off her ex-husband. At auditions, she meets another talented opera singer, Sean, but just as Caitlin's starting to fall for him, she realizes he's gay. While she's struggling to put all this into perspective, her singing instructor suggests that she try out for a summer opera program in New York. In the end, the teenager patches things up with her ex, who has reformed through counseling. After she gains new respect for her mother, and new confidence, she decides to pursue her dream and is accepted to the program in New York. Caitlin tells her story partly through online journal entries. Although her understanding of her mother comes too rapidly, this is a solid story, full of self-deprecating humor, snappy dialogue, and well-developed characters and situations.-Tina Zubak, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

There is more to being a diva than wearing a T-shirt with sparkles. You need drive and vocal talent. Caitlin-who can nail the C above high C-admires the real divas of the world, such as Maria Callas. She wants a career in opera and secretly auditions for the Miami High School of the Arts. Her audition, though, does not just come as the result of wanting to join the ranks of Joan Sutherland. Ex-boyfriend Nick, who was abusive, still attends her current high school. Caitlin's "friends" don't understand her love of opera. Makeup and weight loss seem to be the only things that her mother cares about. A change of environment would not only help Caitlin further her dream of singing professionally, but it also might just give her a place where she can belong, make real friends, and definitely not think about Nick. But first, she has to survive dance class. Flinn, a trained coloratura soprano, gives Caitlin the opportunity to use all the determination she has in her singing to overcome her obstacles, even making parallels between operas and Caitlin's life. This sequel to Breathing Underwater (HarperCollins, 2001/VOYA June 2001) can stand alone. There are many themes in this book, including family relations, friendship, sacrifice, and deception, that complement each other and tie up well at the end. Chick lit fans will come to this book for the cover, but they will stay for Caitlin's strength and personal growth.-Carlisle Kraft Webber.