Trouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly is the book that Amazon and I have been fangirling about for the past week. There are few obscure books in this world that I think deserve their own full-on fandom, and within one week this book has made it onto that list (that list includes Nimona by Noelle Stevenson, the Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley, etc.) Here is a list of things that we liked from it.
1. The Characters- The characters were definitely my favorite part. You will honestly fall in love with each one of them instantly. The story follows main trio characters Zoe, Digby, and Henry; the girl-next-door-new-girl, the mysterious but super funny guy, and the unexpectedly helpful jock. There are a few more supporting characters; and regardless who they are, each person is given a distinct personality and backstory. Too often a person might be tossed in as a prop character; only there to further the protagonist's story-no one in Trouble is a Friend of Mine feels like. They all feel real, relate able, and relevant to the plot. The dynamics between everyone are even better. The dialogue between Digby and Zoe, Henry and Digby, Zoe and Sloane, etc. are a mixture of hilarious, sad (like, you will cry sad) and snarky. You will wish (like I do) that your conversations were this smart sounding.
2. The Genre- I was a Nancy Drew kid. I loved Harriet the Spy, and Liar & Spy, and the occasional 'How to solve a mystery' type books from the library. I like my mysteries, and I still do. It's not often that you find good YA fiction that achieves the mystery genre without being cheesy and too film noir like. The plot is well-thought out; the clues seem realistic and clear, but nothing comes too easily to the characters. A good mystery anything needs three things; 1. Realistic discovery; nothing can be too easy for the protagonists. 2. Good timing- Too quick and it doesn't achieve the first thing, too slow and you are bored out of your gourd. 3. A goal you care about- if you have no attachment to the end goal of solving the mystery then you don't care how they solve it. A lot is tied up with 'solving it' in Trouble is a Friend of Mine and it makes the ending even more satisfying and surprising.
3. It's not typical- Every week I go to the library in town, into the teens section, and spend the next thirty minutes to rule out a decent book. I've got criteria. It has to pass my morals test (1. Can't drop the f-bomb more than 5 times 2. Appropriate relationships 3. No one can purposefully take drugs) and it can't be just another typical YA fiction novel about 'the chosen one' or 'finding the one' or 'discovering loooove' or 'you're not like them!' kind of thing. There are too many of those. It's very rare that I find something that matches all of that criteria. Does Trouble is a Friend of Mine pass? Yes. Oh yes it does. It satisfies my love for realistic fiction without being sappy and sad. It satisfies my love for mystery without being too secret agent. It satisfies my love of cute ships in books while still being appropriate. It's funny. It's personal. It should be the next book on your reading list.
playlist to go with the book
1. The Road to Perdition- Quiet Company
2. Take it All- Sawyer Fredericks
3. Didn't Know You- Karmin
4. Best Day of my Life- American Authors
5. Go Big or Go Home- American Authors
6. The Judge- Twenty One Pilots
7. Easier Said- Sunflower Bean
Hooray for book reviews! And did you know there's a song by Lenka called Trouble is a Friend? :)
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