Wildfire #81 The Ten Cupcake Romance and #82 The Wrong Love

81. The Ten Cupcake Romance, M. L. Kennedy, 1986

Every time Amy Miller falls in love she eats her heart out—literally.  Her latest craze is cupcakes, but when her friend Sharon finds Amy devouring a whole box of them, she knows Amy needs to find a hobby.  Why not become a romance novelist?

 Amy thinks it's a great idea, and Simon Adams, a cute English guy at school, fits right into the plot.  In fact, he's the main character!  Amy goes out with Simon to gather "data" for her book.  It's a good thing she’s sworn off boys.  She'd hate to let her feelings interfere with her work.  But what about Simon's feelings...?

This story is a bit silly, especially at the beginning.  The story was written in a humorous fashion.  The problem is that I don't want a funny Wildfire book.  The book is overall good, and I just marginally enjoyed it.

82. The Wrong Love, Kathryn Makris, 1986

When Carl Jenson first moved to the Texas border town where Sarita Valdez lives, he didn't even know what a taco was.  Sarita thought that was funny.  She liked Carl's sweetness and his warm blue eyes, too.  Sarita offers to show him around, and that's when she finds out that tacos aren't the only thing Carl knows nothing about.  Her friends' prejudice against "Snowbirds," or Anglos from the North, is very real.

Sarita never expected to fall in love with Carl, but now that she has, she's afraid her friends won't accept him, or—worse yet—that they'll expect her to break up with him.  How can Sarita's first love feel so right when everyone tells her it's so wrong?

The boyfriend is Karl, not Carl.  The name is spelled wrong in the synopsis.  Way to go, Scholastic!

On page 18, Sarita and her friend are referred to as the Bobbsey Twins.

The next paragraph spoils part of the ending.

Sarita realizes that her fears about her friends' prejudice were unfounded.  Carmen asks her, "Do you think that maybe the prejudice was coming from somewhere inside you, instead?"  Carmen further explains.  "Sometimes, Sarita, what we most fear in others is really inside ourselves."  I thought that this was an interesting development.  It also allowed for the author to wrap up the plot in a nice, neat package with everyone getting along happily ever after.

The cover photo really bothers me.  The girl looks like the typical Caucasian American.  Before I began reading the book, I barely glanced at the summary, since I find that the summaries often reveal way too much information that I would rather not know at the beginning of the book.  Since I barely glanced at the summary, I thought that the boyfriend would be the Latino, not the female protagonist.

The girl on the cover does not look Latino.  She could vaguely be, but she just looks like the girls on all of the covers.  This is so lame!  Scholastic should have used an obvious Latino girl.  I was so disappointed.

This is an excellent book.

#79 A Girl Named Summer and #80 Recipe for Romance

79. A Girl Named Summer, Julie Garwood, 1986

A little lie never hurt anyone.  That's what Summer Matthews thought when she met David Marshall and fell in love.  Summer would do anything for David, including letting him believe something about herself that isn't true.  When Summer finds out that David admires girl athletes, she decides to compete in a six-mile race to impress him, even though she's never raced before.  Behind David's back, she begins a rigorous training schedule, and two months later, her plan seems to be working.  She's ready for the big race. 

But then David tells Summer the only thing he can't stand is being lied to.  What will happen if he finds out about Summer's lie?  Will all her hard work have been for nothing?

I enjoyed this book.

80. Recipe For Romance, Terri Fields, 1986

Holly Hanson wants to be a great chef one day.  Her part-time job as an assistant cook in a fraternity house is giving her a head start on her career—but it's setting her love life back a long way!  Holly’s job should be a great way to meet guys, but her boss has one strict rule: no dating the frat men. 

Holly doesn't want to lose her job, so when Greg, a cute, funny guy, asks her out, she turns him down.  But Greg comes up with a plan...  If his recipe for romance flops, Holly will be out of a job and out of love.

This is an excellent book.

Wildfire #77 Dating Blues and #78 Brian's Girl

77. Dating Blues, Maud Johnson, 1986

For Beth-Ann Hughes, who just turned 16, "dating blues" used to mean "no dates."  But after great-looking Kenny and upperclassman Curtis start asking her out, Beth-Ann knows that having lots of dates—with the wrong boys—can be even worse!

Her best friend tells her she's too picky; there's no such thing as a perfect boy.  Then Beth-Ann meets Tony and she knows that isn't true.  Tony is perfect—but does he care for Beth-Ann as much as she cares for him?  Beth-Ann is finally in love, and everything should be wonderful.  So why is she still feeling those dating blues?

I find it interesting and a bit shocking that Beth-Ann's mom and her best friend, Fran, blame Beth-Ann for each failed date.  In one case, the boy expects Beth-Ann to sleep with him.  Beth-Ann refuses.  Fran chides Beth-Ann for breaking off the relationship, "Boys talk.  He could ruin your chances with other guys if he told them you were no fun."  Huh?  It sounds like Fran thinks Beth-Ann should have put out so that she would get more dates. 

This is a good to very good book.

78. Brian's Girl, Diane Hoh, 1986

Kate Ryan is Brian Donahue's girl.  Or at least she thought she was.  When Brian comes home from college for a visit, he devastates Kate by telling her he's in love with someone else.  But Kate isn't down for long.  She launches an all-out campaign to win him back.  

Adam Tranter, a new guy at school, is attracted to Kate, and he fits right into her plan.  She needs someone to make Brian jealous, and it doesn't hurt that Adam is cute and fun to be with.  Kate doesn't like using Adam, but she has no choice.  This is war!  

Suddenly everything is upside down.  Brian isn't the boy on her mind—Adam is—but he's not even speaking to her anymore.  Has Kate let her obsessive love for Brian ruin her chance for a romance with Adam?

Kate is prone to violent thoughts.  On page 20, she wants to shoot Brian's new girlfriend.  On page 39, Kate reflects that she would "cut her throat" before showing tears.

I enjoyed seeing how Kate gradually comes to figure out what she really wants.  This is a very good book.

Wildfire #75 Love to the Rescue and #76 Senior Prom

75. Love to the Rescue, Deborah Kent, 1985

Lifeguards have all the fun.  That's what Laurie Cavanaugh used to think before she became one.  Now she knows there's more to the job than looking great in a bathing suit.  It's demanding work and a big responsibility.  But there would be some time for fun in the sun if Andy Hawthorne, the head lifeguard, wasn't such a creep.  He watches every move Laurie makes and criticizes her constantly.  Why does he have to be the cutest boy she has ever seen?  Laurie is confused, but she's sure of one thing.  Being a lifeguard may not be fun, but it's never boring either!

This is an excellent book.  I really enjoyed it.

76. Senior Prom, Patricia Aks, 1985

Last year Amy thought she'd found Mr. Right, but Jeff turned out to be oh-so-wrong.  With her new-found confidence, Amy realizes she doesn't need just one boyfriend—she's ready to play the field!  Even if she doesn't have much in common with any of the boys she dates, she loves being popular.  Best of all, Amy doesn't have to worry about a date for the senior prom.  This year her biggest worry is deciding which of her three invitations to accept!

Then Amy sees Jeff with another girl and the stab of pain in her heart tells her what she knew inside all along:  She still loves Jeff.  What good are a million dates for the prom, when you can't have the only one you want?

Fortunately, Amy isn't as stupid as she was in the previous book, Junior Prom.  This is a good book but nothing special.

Wildfire #73 The Boy Barrier and #74 The Yes Girl

73. The Boy Barrier, Jesse DuKore, 1985

"Love" means zero in tennis.  That's a score that Stacey King, the Number One player on the girls' tennis team, never earns on the court.  Off the court, it's another story.  There her love life scores a big fat zero!  Stacey was always too busy playing tennis to learn how to talk to boys.  Now she'd like the chance to change all that—especially since she's met Keith Flowers, the Number One player on the boys' team.  But the boy barrier is harder to break than Stacey had realized.  It gets even harder when the coach of the boys' team asks Stacey to join. If she accepts, will she become "just one of the boys"?  Can Stacey be Number One in Keith's heart if she takes his place as Number One on the team?

Stacey's best friend is Sally, and the similar names kept confusing me.  Also, too many people are introduced all at once in the same scene at the beginning of the story, which made my confusion even worse.  I cannot remember characters when they are thrown at me all at once.

I was confused on page 70.  The reader is told that Stacey's mother never went to college because it was the time of the Great Depression.  The Great Depression lasted from 1929 to 1939.  Either this book is set way back in the past, or else Stacey's mother is much older than would be expected.  The book was published in 1985, so Stacey's mother would have been at least 65 years old.  This is possible, but it is not how these books are usually set up.

On page 44, the story starts getting interesting when Stacey joins the boy's team.  However, the story then falls flat.  I only read part of the book.  The book has too much content about tennis, and the characters are boring.  I did not care about the story. 

74. The Yes Girl, Kathryn Makris, 1985

Gwen’s favorite word is yes.  She says yes to Susan who asks for free math tutoring, yes to any friend who needs help... even a yes to nice but boring Mitch who asks her for dates.  Gwen doesn't have a minute to herself.  

Unfortunately, she hardly has any time for Phil, either.  Phil is funny, handsome, and definitely not boring.  And Gwen likes him a lot.  When he asks her out, Gwen says yes... with delight.  But she is still saying yes to Mitch, too. 

Phil soon becomes tired of being Gwen's second choice, and tells her so angrily.  Now Gwen is torn.  If she starts saying no, she may lose her friends. If she can't stop saying yes, she'll lose Phil.

I do not find it enjoyable to read about a girl who is letting everyone take advantage of her so that she doesn't have any fun.  Going out with boys she doesn't like is appalling.

I read a little of the book, skimmed some, then I read the ending.  The only part of the book that interested me was the last couple of chapters.

Wildfire #71 Kisses for Sale and #72 Crazy Crush

Wildfire #71 Kisses For Sale, Judith Enderle, 1985

Even though Lindsay is through with Ross, she still misses him, still longs to hear his voice, still is pained when she sees him in school with a new girlfriend.  But she doesn't miss his bossiness.  It's time for her to be independent!  

Her best friend Blaine says being independent doesn't mean spending all of her time alone.  Why not help organize the Spring Carnival?  At least it will keep her mind off Ross and who knows who she will meet?  But Lindsay isn't prepared for handsome Bill Stark—or for falling in love.

This book might be okay to other readers, but it did not interest me.  I read just some of the book and then quit.

It is at this point that I begin to hate the cover art for the remaining books in the series.  I look at this cover and want to run away.

Wildfire #72 Crazy Crush, Stephanie Gordon Tessler, 1985

Joey Jacobs is just crazy about Link Zinc, lead singer in the town’s hottest rock band.  But he doesn't even know she's alive!  Determined to win him, she plans to audition as the band's new drummer.  Then Link will be sure to notice her!  

There's just one small catch—Joey can't read music, let alone play the drums.  Handsome Todd Perlman, a musician in the school orchestra, volunteers to help her learn, and Joey's well on her way to fulfilling her dream.  So how come everything feels wrong?

Because it is wrong.  A girl who has no clue how to read music or play the drums somehow expects to learn to drum well enough to be chosen as a band's new drummer.  That is just stupid. 

I also cannot stand books which feature fake rock groups that I, as the reader, somehow am supposed to appreciate and admire.  Why should I care about a fake rock group?  And Link Zinc... gag.

I read some of the book, skimmed a bit, and then quit.

Wildfire #69 My Summer Love and #70 Once Upon a Kiss

69. My Summer Love, Elisabeth Ogilvie, 1985

Diana may have flunked all her classes but she had fun doing it.  And now she’s got an exciting summer planned.  

But Diana's mother has plans of her own.  She ships Diana off to a broken-down farm to be tutored by an old friend.  Diana is prepared for the most boring summer of her life.  How will she survive it? 

But as soon as Diana arrives, sparks start flying.  Mac and Josh Thornton, two great-looking cousins, are in the middle of a fight over the farm, and Diana has to choose sides.  The most boring summer of Diana's life turns into the most exciting, but now she's still wondering how she will survive it.

This is another example of Scholastic providing a summary that does not really tell about the story.  This book is about how the Thornton heirs plan to sell the property that Mac, his mother, and his brother live on.  The heirs want to raze the property and build a resort.  At first, Diane doesn't care, but she gradually realizes that the property must be saved.

I had fun trying to figure out how the house and property would be saved.  I kept searching for clues as the story progressed.

This is an excellent book.

70. Once Upon a Kiss, Susan Mendonca, 1985

Paula can hardly believe it's happening.  She goes to a costume ball dressed as Cinderella... she shares a special kiss with Kevin, who's dressed as Prince Charming... she even loses her shoe at midnight!  It sounds just like the fairy tale, but Paula knows fairy tales don't come true.  She's not Cinderella, and Kevin isn't Prince Charming.  He's too much like the boy who broke her heart.  Kevin is trying to discover who the masked Cinderella really is.  But Paula's not sure she wants to be discovered.

The story is okay at the start.  I liked the idea of Paula running away from the party, which set up what should have been a romantic story.  Instead, Paula vehemently denies that she is the girl even after it is painfully apparent that Kevin must know.  It's so annoying and stupid.

I did not read most of the book.

Wildfire #67 Loving That O'Connor Boy and #68 Love Signs

67. Loving That O'Connor Boy, Diane Hoh, 1985

Pam Morrison has never gone against her parents' wishes.  Until now.  She's dating "that O'Connor boy," as her disapproving father calls the dashing but difficult Bud O'Connor.  He does have a well-deserved reputation as a troublemaker.  But only Pam knows the real Bud, a wonderful boy who longs for attention since he's had so little at home.

Gossip and past mistakes seem to haunt their relationship.  But if Pam really loves Bud, does it matter what other people think?

This book is excellent from start to finish.  I read it in one day.

68. Love Signs, M. L. Kennedy, 1985

The strangest things are  happening to Tracy.  And strangest of all is that she always knows they're going to—her horoscope tells her.  She's been right about so many things, it's eerie.  The stars predict she'll meet a handsome stranger, and Jeff shows up.  Tracy and Jeff have so much in common, everything seems wonderful at first.  But the stars also warn Tracy not to mistake friendship for love.  Beside, Pisces and Libra are an impossible combination.

Then Steve, star quarterback for the football team, asks Tracy for a date, and this time it's a perfect match, according to the stars.  But Tracy can't get Jeff out of her mind.  And she can't help thinking that maybe the stars are wrong.

On page eight, Tracey's brother speaks about the new computer at work.  It has 512K of memory!  Ooh, such fantastic technology from the 1980s!

I enjoyed this book at first, but Tracey's decision not to date a boy just because of her horoscope is too stupid.  She ignores her own feelings just because of the prediction.  I skimmed most of the book.

Wildfire #65 Out of Bounds and #66 Senior Dreams Can Come True

65. Out of Bounds, Eileen Hehl, 1985

Only an airhead would go for a guy nicknamed "Killer."  But Tobie Tanner is no airhead.  A serious, intelligent student, Tobie has most of her life planned, up to the moment she finishes her first novel.  But once she interviews Lou "Killer" Keller for the school newspaper, Tobie is lost, and wonderfully in love.  Off the field, Lou is bright and sweet, but Tobie can't forget that football is a violent game.  Can a peace-loving writer find happiness with a guy who has to leave his gentle ways in the locker room?

I enjoyed this book, although portions of it are a bit slow.

66. Senior Dreams Can Come True, Jane Claypool Miner, 1985

After a tough school year, it's finally the summer before Ellynne's senior year.  Her mother wants her to find a job, but Ellynne looks forward to spending long, lazy days relaxing on the beach.  It's time for some fun!

She really misses her steady, Kip, who's away working.  He's afraid she'll find someone new—and she does.  Blond, easygoing Kenny is different from any boys she's ever known.  He's free from responsibilities for the summer and just wants to have a good time.  Ellynne's sure that all work and no play makes a dull girl.  But what about all play?

The first book about Ellynne is Wildfire #9, Dreams Can Come True.

This book is boring, and I read very little of it.

Wildfire #63 The Boy Next Door and #64 Angel

63. The Boy Next Door, Vicky Martin, 1984

Jenny and her sister Emily instantly approve of their new next-door neighbors, Rob and Paul.  Jenny finds she can talk easily to Rob, especially about her art.  For all of them, the summer seems to be full of promise.

Yet even though Rob gives Jenny confidence, he can also take it away.  She has to question a relationship that would cause her so much love, and so much pain.

Scholastic once again gives a summary that doesn't describe the story.  The story is mostly about Jenny's relationship with Rob and Paul's mother, who is one childish, troubled woman.

All of the adults are called by their first names, which is confusing.  Sometimes the adult is initially addressed by their first name with no explanation as to their identity, such as being a parent to another character.  I could hardly keep the characters straight.

The Wildfire books are supposed to be set in ordinary smaller cities or towns.  The exact location is often never mentioned.  This book is apparently set in England, even though the text never states the location.  The towns have English names, and London is mentioned numerous times.

I did not enjoy this book.

64. Angel, Helen Cavanagh, 1984

Somehow Angel had managed to tell Jody and Tania exactly the opposite of the truth about a classmate.  Angel likes to tell the best stories possible, and sometimes the truth just isn't all that exciting.  

But the lies, for all their drama, are also confusing, and Angel has to make up new stories just to cover her old ones.  The only story she can't make up is Jay's—he seems to love Angel, but he confides in Jody.  And with jealousy as her inspiration, Angel gets ready to tell the biggest lie of all...

The cover photo is great.  Angel looks like she is a naughty girl.

I really enjoy stories like this one.  Angel has a real problem, and she causes lots of trouble.  This is a very good book.

Wildfire #60 Nice Girls Don't and #62 Kiss and Tell

59. Christy’s Love, Maud Johnson, 1984 — reviewed here

60. Nice Girls Don't, Caroline B. Cooney, 1984

Tory Travis just wanted to play ball.  But little things started to get to her.  The boys' team went by in a bus while Tory and her teammates were squished into a station wagon.  The boys were budgeted for uniforms while the girls had to have a bake sale to raise the money.  But her mother and Kenny remind her that nice girls don't make fusses.

Only Jonathan is on Tory's side.  He's on her side when she comes up with a plan to change things.  But Tory knows that if she's going to battle the school board, she risks losing the support of the people she loves the most.

The title and cover photo are misleading, since Tory isn't doing that.

Some parts of the story are pretty good while other parts drag.  The story is overall good but not that interesting.

61. Christy’s Senior Year,  Maud Johnson, 1984 — reviewed here

62. Kiss and Tell, Helen Cavanagh, 1984

Denise is outgoing and warm, basking in her family's noisy love.  Jason is a quiet loner, from a difficult family background.  She is enchanted by his intelligence and solitary style, and he has found in her a trusted friend, at last.

But Denise wants to share her new-found love, while for Jason, romance is a private thing.  And Denise worries that sometimes, this time, love just isn't going to be enough.

Jason obviously has serious emotional problems.  It is clear that he isn't right for Denise.  I overall enjoyed this book.

Wildfire #57 Miss Perfect and #58 On Your Toes

57. Miss Perfect, Jill Ross Klevin, 1984

Super athlete, straight-A student, president of her class, editor of the school newspaper—Kim
excelled at everything.  That's what her father expected of her.  But her friends notice that Kim doesn't smile much anymore, and her boyfriend Brad is afraid that Kim doesn't have
time even for him.

Kim is so busy, Kim is perfect. But her achievements are beginning to demand a very high price...

Kim annoyed me, and something about the way she was portrayed didn't feel right to me.

I was not interested in this book.  I could not read it.

58. On Your Toes, Terry Morris, 1984

Until she meets David.  Even then, he understands how much time she needs to practice, to prepare for the tryout that could launch her career.

They find time to date, and everything is perfect.  Pam knows she's in love.  But when David is hurt in an accident, he innocently forces Pam to choose her love... or her dream.

I also was not interested in this story at all and could not read it.

This was the fifth consecutive book in the set that I did not enjoy.  During this stretch of reading, I became quite disgusted and came very close to quitting the set.  Fortunately I continued, since some of the later titles are quite good.

Wildfire #55 Love Games and #56 Call Me

55. Love Games, Deborah Aydt, 1984

Molly has always loved her mother, and her stepfather, who raised her as his own.  Now she loves Sam Rutledge, too.  Then the father who left her as a baby comes back, expecting Molly's love.  He's tearing her family apart—and Sam seems to be on his side!  Is that any way for the boy you love to act?

Who cares?  The only thing about the book that I slightly like is the quote on page 10 where Molly describes her mother and stepfather as sitting on a couch "looking like the Bobbsey twins."  That is pretty much the only marginally entertaining statement in the book.

This book did not interest me at all, and I skimmed through it.

56. Call Me, Jane Claypool Miner, 1984

Michelle and Adam promise not to date other people when Adam moves away.  Their phone calls are their only contact.  But Michelle finds that her days are lonely and lonesome, and her parents urge her to go out with anyone.  Michelle chooses good old Charlie. 

She doesn't expect to have fun—but she does.  She doesn't think Charlie is handsome—but he is.  She doesn't want her life to be any more complicated—but it is.  

Adam is coming back.

My problem with this book was that I didn't like either boy.  I can't care about Michelle and her romance problems when both boys are nothing to me.  

I don't care for this book.

Wildfire #53 Little Lies and #54 Broken Dreams

53. Little Lies, Audrey Johnson, 1984

How much could one little lie hurt?  Shannon isn't sure, but she's afraid the truth is worse than the lie.  Why would Blake, the wealthiest boy on the beach, give her a second look?  She's only a mother's helper, but she lets him think that she's a guest at the beach house where she works and that she's going to an exclusive girls school in the fall. 

The more she loves Blake, the more she wants him to know the real story.  But Shannon puts off the moment until her lies, like the waves on the beach come crashing in on her...

This is a very good book.

54. Broken Dreams, Susan Mendonca, 1984

Strong, hopeful, in love... they were the perfect couple.  Then Scott is injured, maybe permanently, and Kelly can't seem to help him.  The Scott who once cheered for her at swim meets now stares sullenly at her from his hospital bed, taunting her for loving him, begging her to leave him.  But behind his angry words, Kelly senses something else.  Could Scott love her after all?  Can they go on despite their broken dreams?

This book is just okay and is not very interesting.

Wildfire #51 Blind Date and #52 That Other Girl

51. Blind Date, Priscilla Maynard, 1983

Lately Kim has felt different from her friends... so left out.  All they talk about is boys and parties, and Kim's not interested, at least not until she meets Ted.  Ted is her brothers' friend.  He comes to their house a lot, but is it to see Kim or her brothers—or Beth, next door?

When Beth arranges a blind date for her, Kim decides to go.  She's excited and nervous, but she never expects the date to change her whole life.

I don't like Kim's best friend, Beth.  I'm not convinced that her actions are really that of a best friend.  It doesn't feel right.

This is a very good book.

52. That Other Girl, Conrad Nowels, 1983

Donna is older, carefree, and so beautiful, but she is going off to college and plans to date other guys.  Larry thinks he'll never stop loving her—until he meets Judy.  Shy and sweet, she can't compete with Donna, but she captures Larry's wounded heart.

Then Donna returns and makes it very clear she wants Larry back.  Suddenly, he isn't so sure he's  over Donna at all... and all three of them are caught in a crazy love triangle.

In this story, the narrator is a boy.  I might have been able to deal with that change, except that Larry is a thoughtless idiot.  The story is also boring.  I could not finish this book and skimmed what little I read.

Wildfire #49 Spring Love and #50 No Boys?

49. Spring Love, Jennifer Sarasin, 1983

Becca's senior year is hardly what she expected.  Her mother has left home, and Becca is stuck in New York with her overprotective, critical father.  She feels abandoned and alone—until she meets Mark. 

Mark is tender and understanding, and soon he and Becca become inseparable!  But Becca's father is always between them, putting limits on Becca and treating her like a child. 

Can Mark help convince Becca to stand up for herself, and to convince her father that she can be trusted?

Rather than romance, this story is mainly about Becca's extreme insecurity and her relationship with her father.  This book is excellent.

50. No Boys?, McClure Jones, 1983

Janet has been raised by two uncles who still treat her like a baby.  So when Eric starts asking her out, she doesn't know what to do.  She can't bring him to her house, since her uncles won't let her date "strange" boys.  Finally she begins seeing him secretly—which leads to more trouble than she ever imagined…

This book is very good to excellent.

Wildfire #47 Homecoming Queen and #48 Holly in Love

47. Homecoming Queen, Winifred Madison, 1983

Laurie thinks she's the luckiest girl in the world the night she's crowned Homecoming Queen, and her boyfriend Bob is crowned king.  They have everything going for them.  So what if Bob expects Laurie to give up all the things she's interested in for him?

Then Alison moves to town, and Bob and Laurie drift apart.  Laurie feels lost and empty, so she joins the school chorus, makes new friends, and takes up jogging.  When she meets Greg and falls in love with him, she doesn't know what she's more afraid of—that Greg will never notice her, or that she'll get hurt again...

The book is hard to enjoy at first because Bob is so obviously manipulative.  As Laurie moves away from Bob, the book gets better and better.  The last one-third to one-half of the story is excellent.

48. Holly in Love, Caroline B. Cooney, 1983

If there's one thing Holly can't stand it's cold weather.  And, it seems, the only other person in her whole town who feels the same way is Jamie.  

Jamie is the first boy Holly has ever really liked, but her friends accuse her of "robbing the cradle"—for Jamie is a full year younger than Holly.  

Holly tries to let the teasing roll off her back, but she can't.  And one day she goes along with it too far, hurting Jamie's feelings.  

Holly wants desperately to make up with him but how?

I found this book to be completely uninteresting.  I could not read it.

Wildfire #45 Phone Calls and #46 Just You and Me

45. Phone Calls, Ann Reit, 1983

Juliet has a lot of friends who are boys, but no real boyfriend.  Why can't she be like her younger sister?  Even Barbara has a boyfriend.  

Then comes the voice on the first phone call.  "Did my heart love till now?" asks a boys voice, quoting from Shakespeare.  The caller hangs up without telling Juliet his name, but the voice sounds familiar...

One week later, comes another call.  And after that, another, and another.  Someone really cares about her!  But who?  Is one of Juliet's friends her secret Romeo?

I had fun trying to figure out which boy is calling Juliet.  At the same time, the idea of an unknown person calling Juliet is a bit creepy.

I enjoyed this book.

46. Just You and Me, Ann Martin, 1983

Mollie's been going out with Jamie for almost a year.  He's a great guy, but he never takes her seriously—and that hurts.  Then Matt moves to town, and Mollie can tell how much he likes her. But she and Matt are competing for a big college scholarship, and it seems impossible for them to get along.  

Matt wants Mollie to be more than just a friend; Jamie won't let go.  And Mollie wants to have it all—the scholarship, good friends, and a boy who really cares for her—but how can she win at everything?

I could not stand Jamie and his stupid jokes. The first part of the book was so hard to read.  The book is finally good once Mollie and Matt get together.

Wildfire #43 The Boy for Me and #44 Class Ring

43. The Boy for Me, Jane Claypool Miner, 1983

Maggie has been in love with Tony for almost a year—and he doesn't even know it!  Tony is her
older brother's best friend.  He's forever hanging around the house, but all he seems interested in is fixing up cars with Bob. 

Then Maggie begins dating other guys—and suddenly Tony starts paying a lot of attention to her.  But she can't tell if he's being protective, or if he's actually jealous. 

Will Tony always think Maggie is just Bob’s little sister?

I found this book good enough that I finished it.  However, I did not find it very interesting and would never read it again.

44. Class Ring, Josephine Wunsch, 1983

Jill breezes into Sherry's life one spring day, and after that nothing is the same.  Sherry is fascinated by her—at first—and introduces her to all her friends.  

So she’s shocked when Jill starts spending time with Kent. He's Sherry's boyfriend.  They've been going steady for a year, and Sherry's even wearing his class ring.  

But Jill is serious about Kent, and soon he stops calling Sherry or mentioning the prom.  Sherry wonders if Kent ever loved her at all.

I read Class Ring when I was in junior high, and I am quite confident that it is the only Wildfire book that I read as a teenager.  I recall that I enjoyed the book.  The story holds up well.  This book is excellent.

Wildfire #41 The Wrong Boy and #42 Make a Wish

40. Christy’s Choice, Maud Johnson — reviewed here

41. The Wrong Boy, Carol Stanley, 1982

Kyle Harmon was absolutely the last boy Meg would ever have dreamed of being interested in.  He did crazy things and dressed in crazy clothes and never went anywhere without his motorcycle.

Then Meg is assigned to work on a chemistry project with him and finds that, underneath his wraparound shades and leather jacket, he's a very special person—and Kyle thinks Meg's pretty special, too.

But as soon as they get serious about each other, their problems start.  Meg's parents think Kyle is strange, and her friends make fun of him.  Worse, Kyle refuses to change, but he expects Meg to change for him.  Since she can't, Meg knows she'll have to make some important decisions...

On page 166, Meg tries to find a way to show her mother that she is "not about to run off and join a cult or a motorcycle gang."  This reminds me of Jessica Wakefield who is prone to similar stunts, like in Sweet Valley High #82, Kidnapped by the Cult!

The first part of the story is a bit tedious, but the rest of the book is excellent.

42. Make A Wish, Nancy Smiler Levinson, 1983

Jana and Shep have known each other for years.  And now that Jana is almost seventeen, she wants Shep to be more than just her good friend.  But Shep asks Holly to the May dance.

Hurt, Jana throws herself into a new part-time job at the department store.  It's not very exciting, but there's Ross Dantine to talk to.  Jana is flattered when he asks her out.  She likes Ross very much, but she can't stop thinking of Shep, even though she knows it's time to let him go...

This is a very good book.