Merivale Mall #5 Better Than the Truth and #6 Junior Weekend

In Merivale Mall #5, Better Than the Truth, Lori agrees to travel into the mountains with her lab partner, Frank, to collect algae samples.  A snowstorm shuts down all travel, and the two teenagers are forced to spend the night together in Frank's family's mountain cabin.  Soon, everyone in Merivale knows that Lori and Frank spent the night together.  Nobody believes Lori's story that nothing happened, and Lori may lose Nick as a result.

On page 107, Lori's mother gives her some wise advice.  "Stop defending yourself.  When people defend themselves, other people just assume something's wrong.  But if you project confidence instead, and ignore the silly lies being spread about you, eventually you'll win everyone over. And if some of them don't come around?  Forget them.  Your true friends will be there for you, Lori. Even Nick."

This is true.  Sometimes a person has to defend oneself, but in many cases, getting defensive makes everything worse.

I greatly enjoyed this book, even though at the beginning I was annoyed about Lori making such a stupid decision to travel into the mountains with Frank.

In Merivale Mall #6, Junior Weekend, Danielle gets her sister, Christine, to invite her to Junior Weekend at the college.  Danielle's mission is to get Christine's friend, Jack, to fall in love with her. Unfortunately, Christine also invites Lori to go on the trip, and Danielle fears that Lori will cramp her style.  Danielle's problems grow when Jack is too busy studying to pay any attention to her.

Danielle is so stupid in this book.  She interrupts Jack at the library and acts flirty while he studies. He's not interested, girl.  Get a clue!

I enjoyed this book even though Danielle's behavior is so annoying.