Audrey, Wait!- Robin Benway

Last fall when I arrived back on campus Audrey, Wait! was the book that I brought to read on the airplane over. By the time the semester had ended, I must have read it seven times. I like to reread books, but this was a record, even for me.

A couple of years ago I was a volunteer at the Festival of Books in Los Angeles, and I attended a panel of young adult writers and Robin Benway was one of the authors, promoting her new novel, Audrey, Wait! It was a really good panel, I enjoyed hearing about how adult authors managed to relate to their young adult readerships. And by the end of it, I knew that I had to read the books that were featured. If nothing else, I like to feel like i have more of a connection to a book than just stumbling upon it in a bookstore. not only did I see these authors speak, but they were from my area, writing about my demographic. At least, my demographic at the time.

Audrey, Wait! is about a girl who breaks up with her boyfriend because it's not working out anymore. She had grown up beyond him and did not see a future with him. Of course, he's in a band, and of course, he writes a song about it. The only thing that's unusual about this story is that this song makes Evan famous, and Audrey infamous.

It's a different take on the teenager becomes famous story, because Evan is not really important. Instead it is Audrey's adventures of running away from the paparazzi with her new boyfriend, or going to concerts and being able to watch from the VIP area. It's not a revolutionary story, but so few teenage novels are. It's a really fun read, and I would highly recommend it.

I think what made this story great were the characters more than the plot. Audrey is definitely more real girl than a lot of heroines in this genre and her best friend Victoria is one of the funniest tough-girl best friends I have ever read. It's not often that the best friend does not take the role of sidekick, but I really felt that the two of them were on even keel. If anything Victoria was stronger.

I have to admit, I've a sucker for books that I can feel a connection to. A story set in an area that's familiar by an author I was able to hear speak was undoubedtly on my list. But even if I just stumbled upon this book in a bookstore I would find it awesome. It's good enough to read seven times in eight months. Enough said.