The After Life (by Daniel Ehrenhaft)

Each of the three teen characters in THE AFTER LIFE is a mess, each in his or her own way, and it's easy to understand why. Though they are messy and often jerks, strung out on drugs, alcohol, or just plain exhaustion, they are somehow easy to empathize with and root for. Likewise, their antics, like crashing a "New Democracy" party in the middle of nowhere, are outrageous, anxiety-producing, and still somehow humorous and compelling.

There is a lot about driving in this book: Will's uncle burned up in a car accident learning to drive, Will has yet to get his own license, and the whole book takes place on the road. Readers will understand the author's use of driving as symbol for control -- but they will find the car metaphor appropriate in another way, too: Reading this is a lot like watching a car wreck. It gets ugly, but it's hard to look away.