E. Katherine Kottaras

How to Be Brave by E. Katherine Kottaras is an engaging and realistic young adult novel about friendship, grief and moving on after a terrible loss.

High school senior Georgia Askeridis begins her senior year of high school still deeply mourning the loss of her mother from complications of diabetes and obesity. Her father has left her to deal with her grief on her own as he works long hours in the family's restaurant. The school year is off to a rocky beginning as the school's "mean girls" show more target her but her close friend Liss comes to her rescue with some well aimed barbs at the popular teens. Taking her mother's last words and letter to heart, the two young ladies devise a list of things to accomplish that will hopefully help Georgia live life to the fullest. Aiding them on their journey is new student, Evelyn, and the three quickly begin checking items off the list. However, after a terrible mistake ruins her friendship with Liss, Georgia cannot help but wonder whether the list is truly helping her cope with her loss.

Georgia is a bit directionless without her mom but she has no choice to deal with the cards life has handed her. Her efforts to be positive in the face of her loss are quite heartening although this is a goal she struggles to meet. Her list is a mix of fun and easy to accomplish items but most of what she hopes to accomplish is well out of her comfort zone. Despite how uneasy some of her tasks make her feel, Georgia (with some not so gentle nudging from Liss) gamely sets about fulfilling her goals. After things go too far one night, her friendship with Liss is threatened and she begins avoiding Evelyn. Giving up on her list, she concentrates on what is probably the most important item she originally set out to accomplish and Georgia throws herself into a huge art assignment which yields very surprising results.

Written in first person from Georgia's perspective, How to Be Brave touches on relevant issues facing teens today such as bullying, experimenting with drugs and struggling with self image. E. Katherine Kottaras's depictions of Georgia's actions and thought processes ring true as do her overprotective father's reaction when he discovers what she has been doing with her friends. The growth of the characters is absolutely phenomenal and watching Georgia find the courage to stand up for herself is immensely gratifying. All in all, a very unique and enjoyable journey of self discovery that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys contemporary young adult novels. show less

The anxiety of the narrator comes across very clearly in this book - it opens with Viviana having panic attack after taking AP exams. As she approaches her senior year of high school, Viviana is facing a lot - her last relationship ended with nude photos being shared across her school, her father has mysteriously left for months, and her best friend is moving across town. While her summer does have a few bright spots, it becomes a train-wreck as Viviana slowly starts to realize the show more complexity of her father's relationship with the rest of the family and that the truth may be more obscure than she's always believed. A very enjoyable read and I applaud the author for creating a compelling book and a main character who is able to move on from her past. show less

4.5 stars.

In The Best Possible Answer by E. Katherine Kottaras, a teenager's lapse in judgment results in a heartrending betrayal that soon pushes her to the breaking point.

Viviana "Vivi" Rabanovich-Lowe is an overachiever whose parents' unrealistic expectations are quickly escalating into an impossible burden for her to bear. The oldest daughter, she is under intense pressure to get accepted by her father's alma mater, but a scandal with a vindictive ex-boyfriend ruins her reputation and show more sets the stage for her downward spiral. With an enormous amount of pressure on her to do well in her AP classes, excel on her college entrance exams and turn in college applications, Vivi briefly lands in the hospital which results in her doctor ordering her to relax and stop pushing herself. When her best friend Sammie Salazar gets her a summer job working with her at their apartment building's swimming pool, their friendship is tested when Sammie's crush Evan Witlock expresses interest in Vivi. Finally learning to let loose, Vivi's world is upended by summer's end after she discovers a shocking family secret and she learns about a few other unexpected changes.

Vivi always followed her family's strict rules until she fell for her ex-boyfriend. In the aftermath of their breakup, her father moved out and her mother put her on an even tighter leash. Under extreme stress due to her classmates' bullying and resentful of her parents' inability to forgive her, Vivi begins experiencing panic attacks. Still trying to live up their unrealistic expectations, she continues pushing herself to excel in her classes and ace her exams but her exhaustion leads to a bike accident that ends in a brief hospital stay. Still feeling like she is too blame for all that is wrong with her family, Vivi has a difficult time speaking up about her frustrations and the pressure she is under to excel. Even when she does work up the courage to voice her opinions about what is important to her, her parents overrule her objections which just adds to her ever growing feelings of hopelessness. At first dreading working at the pool, Vivi is delighted by her newfound friendships with her co-workers but she is determined to ignore her growing feelings for Evan for Sammie's sake.

Vivi's friendship with Sammie easily withstands all of their various ups and downs but it is not always picture perfect. They are one another's sounding boards and they unconditionally support each other no matter what. Their bond is tight enough to withstand the conflict surrounding Sammie's crush on Evan and his subsequent interest in Vivi. Tempers flare and feelings are hurt, but when Vivi needs Sammie's help navigating the new "normal" for her family, Sammie is there for her, no questions asked. Sammie has Vivi's best interests at heart and she selflessly encourages her bestie to act on her feelings for Evan. Sammie also gives Vivi advice that she might not want to hear, but in the end, it is what she needs to hear in order to make positive changes in her life.

The Best Possible Answer is an engaging young adult novel that will resonate with readers who have dealt with betrayal and high expectations from family members. The friendship between Vivi and Sammie is incredibly heartwarming and it is quite refreshing seeing such a positive portrayal of teenage friendship. The story arc about Vivi's family secrets is a little overly dramatic but this discovery is the impetus for much needed changes in their lives. Although there is a slight romantic element to the storyline, it is very understated and it plays a very minor role in the novel. This latest release by E. Katherine Kottaras is an entertaining and insightful novel of healing that I highly recommend to readers of all ages. show less

I'm uncertain about this one. It's utterly beautiful, certainly, but the words and the subject matter are really rather advanced for the ages that the book seems to be targeting. Chakras and ayurveda are tricky concepts, and their introductions might need a bit more playfulness to them in order to maintain the attention of little listeners. But it is definitely a pretty book, and maybe if used more as a reference guide alongside other introductions to the basic yoga poses, it'll find a plce.