Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List

Readers may be initially drawn to Naomi and Ely because they are so cool: They are beautiful, dress funky, and their conversations are full of fun turns, swear words, and energy -- and they are living in the same cool neighborhood in cool New York City, going to cool New York University. Naomi even cleverly peppers her narration with cute little icons. The premise, too, is hip and engaging. But as the fight between the two protagonists intensifies, readers will begin to wonder if they couldn't redirect their angst into something a bit less shallow.

Part of the problem may be that there are so many different narrators in this book, from a sensitive doorman to the boy who first causes the fight between the two protagonists. Maybe if the authors had just stuck to Naomi and Ely, we would have learned to like them better. Instead, they just seem mean: They use people, are rude to them, and can even be cruel to one another. They ultimately do learn some valuable lessons, though: Naomi learns that she needs to stop living in a fantasy world, and Ely realizes that real relationships -- romantic and not -- require work. Readers will be impressed that the authors offer up some complex lessons instead of a pat reconciliation. In the end, this is just an average book, and while there are great moments -- like that inevitable reconciliation, which is quite tender -- readers may get bored before they get there.