90 DAYS OF DIFFERENT

After her boyfriend breaks up with her, claiming she is too predictable, 18-year-old Sophie agrees to a plan that is sure to get her out of her comfort zone.

For Sophie, control is everything. Whether it is getting the highest grades possible, keeping her things organized, or hovering over her father and little brother (she’s taken care of them ever since her mother died), she needs to have a plan. But when her best friend, Ella, challenges her to do something new every day for 90 days, Sophie reluctantly accepts. While picking a different ice cream or creating a greater social media presence are easy, however, Ella’s other plans are far more difficult. As Sophie begins to open up to risk and change, she uncovers the real reason for her structured life. While Sophie’s evolution is engaging, the too-restrictive plot device stunts the emotional effect of her transformation. The result is a 91-chapter effort that reads more as a how-to book for creating the ultimate summer than as a story of one girl’s emotional journey from pain to healing. Improbable dialogue, a lack of diversity (white is the strong default), and rushed pacing combine to form a story that is anything but different.

Overly structured and flat.