Perfectly Good White Boy by Carrie Mesrobian

Perfectly Good White Boy by Carrie Mesrobian
To Be Released in October 2014

Sean is a junior and has just fallen in love for the first time.  His first love is Hallie, a senior and she's leaving him behind for college at the end of the summer.  He is pretty sure he is not going to college and feels limited in his future possibilities.

Perfectly Good White Boy chronicles Sean's senior year and how he navigates family, work, his ex-girlfriend and his new friendship with a girl named Neecie.  Ultimately every senior must make a decision about their plans after high school.  Sean is thinking about joining the Marines.  He wants to leave and never come back.  His Dad is a drunkard, his parents are divorcing and they live is rental house that embarrasses him.  He can't wait to get out of town.

Carrie Mesrobian has written a book about the decisions that every teen must face.  The biggest decision being what to do after high school but their are many other decisions teens make, like to have sex or not, to drink underage or not and more.  She has created a cast of characters that are likable, flawed and struggling to find their place in the world.  One of my favorite parts of the story is that everyone keeps talking about the iconic film Full Metal Jacket.  I think I might have to go and watch it again now.

Perfectly Good White Boy is not as shocking as Sex & Violence but it is similar in that it is brutally honest, gritty and raw.  Carrie captures the teenage experience once again and does not shy away from difficult teen issues.  Mesrobian is a courageous writer that older teens will love.  I love that Carrie takes on mature teen themes and does not sugar coat it or disguise them.  She just writes what needs to be written and makes it look easy.  You go, girl!