by Sara Ryan

Nicola Lancaster is spending the summer at the Siegel Institute Summer Program for Gifted Youth where people of different talents and skills come together, living like college students for eight weeks.

Nic's had friends from theater and orchestra but never friends, like friends for keeps whom she can hang out with. She never had a relationship but she soon learns the complexity of it when she met Katrina the Manic Computer Chick who surprisingly also smokes but never does drugs, Isaac the Nice-Guy-Despite-Himself, Kevin the Inarticulate Composer... and Battle.

She's this girl whom Nic meets on the first day and refers to her as Beautiful Hair Girl and is somehow the opposite of Nic. They became friends, and as days pass spending their time together they become startlingly more than friends.

"What do you do when you think you're attracted to guys, and then you meet a girl who steals your heart?"

I loved this story that it almost turned me out into a lesbian. Kidding aside, I loved Nic's character because of her constant sweetness to Battle, whom she refers to her as Empress of the World because for Nic she stands out from the rest. Nic tries to talk to Battle but there are just some points when she can't understand her. Battle's character represents the adorable and irresistable girl you'd commonly meet along the hallway, she's more of the 'action speaks louder than words' type and has really nice hair so I don't wonder much why Nic fell in love with her.

Rating: 4 stars - I just finished this today, covering 2 days. The plot of the story was great. I never read anything like this before and to be honest, I liked it much although I just don't understand Battle's reason why she hooked up with another after knowing that Nic has a present for her. There are also some points where there are gentle vulgarity involved that will really make you think it's some kind of a true story. Ryan did great on this book narrating Nic's point of view and presenting the complexities of loving the same sex. I say, this is an inspirational book and a gift from Sara Ryan that should be read by teens.