Biggest Flirts

March 3, 2014
Tia Cruz is National Merit Scholar–smart, a star drummer in her school’s marching band, and is set to become the first person in her family to go to college. She’s also the school’s official drunken party girl, who has a steady friend with benefits for when “nobody more intriguing is available”—and she likes it that way. But Tia’s plans to avoid love and long-term boyfriends are in flux after new-guy Will arrives in Miami from Minnesota. What started as a one-time drunken hookup is suddenly causing havoc in Will’s and Tia’s lives, especially after they are both elected Biggest Flirts for the yearbook. The drumming thread in Echols’s (Dirty Little Secret) romance, first in the Superlatives series, gives Tia and Will needed dimension—despite their steamy instant connection, it’s hard to buy into their banter as legitimate chemistry or dialogue. Most of the novel feels like drama for drama’s sake, with Tia self-sabotaging her reputation for no real reason and Will dating another girl even as he pursues Tia. Ages 14–up. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency.

April 15, 2014
Tia Cruz doesn't live by a lot of rules. She's the first to arrive to a party and the last to leave. Her aversion to responsibility carries over to school, where she keeps her photographic memory on the down low and intentionally scores a C in Spanish despite being bilingual. But Tia's no-strings-attached playbook gets put to the test when Will Matthews moves to town. Sparks fly when the two meet, and the one-night stand that follows is both inevitable and swoon-worthy. But despite their undeniable chemistry, Tia is determined not to break the one rule she does live by: Never get attached. Tia's reasons for never wanting a boyfriend are deep-rooted, and perhaps that is why she is able to convince herself that she's fine when Will lands himself another girl. Plus, girlfriend or not, Tia and Will can't seem to keep their hands off each other at band practice. But when the senior class votes them "Biggest Flirts," things get serious, and Tia is forced to choose between her feelings and her fears. Tia's breezy narration carries readers through the book with a witty profanity that doesn't quite cover up her insecurity and ably shows off her innate smarts. Teen romance fans on the hunt for a flirty fix will find plenty to enjoy in this sexy, fun beach read. (Fiction. 14-17)

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April 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-Tia's sisters definitely influenced her ideas about love. They fell in love and then, when things went wrong, they found themselves in bad situations. Drum captain Tia is determined not to repeat their mistakes. She keeps guys at arm's length: just close enough for a good hookup but far enough away that love isn't a possibility. When her newest hookup, Will, turns out to be a guy who is her equal in the drumline and in wits, though, she finds it hard to stop thinking about him. And she serves as an excellent distraction to the chaos that Will's life has become, since being uprooted just before his senior year. Though a simple story about a girl and a guy, it highlights how one's past experiences and expectations may make it hard to accept happiness. There is a pretty intense makeout scene fairly early on, which might give the impression that the book will be filled with such scenes, but this is not the case. The author's characters are more memorable than those in her Major Crush (S. & S., 2006), and her depiction of high school life is entertaining and engaging. While this may be just a summer beach read, it's a fun one.-Kelly Jo Lasher, Middle Township High School, Cape May Court House, NJ

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
When Will moves to town, Tia hooks up with him that first night. She's not into serious dating and prefers making out with no obligations, but something about Will makes that attitude hard to uphold. Realistic protagonist Tia, brainy yet committed to her role as class flirt, comes to satisfying self-realizations in this entertaining, readable series-opener.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)