ECONOGAL

Gina Lynn Larsen debuts as an author of Young Adult (YA) fiction with the release of Fun Fact: I Love You. The novel follows many themes of the genre such as first kisses, unrequited love and difficult parent/child relationships. However, Larsen throws in much more angst and grief. Fun Fact: I Love You is a tearjerker along the way to the happy ending.

The leading pair have been friends forever. However, their friendship took a backseat to high school. Nellie and Jensen run in the same social circle. But she is unaware of how he feels about her. Then a high school prank goes awry, quickly followed by real life tragedy, and the pair are thrown together again.

Nellie is the school valedictorian with a five-year plan. She will graduate with an associate’s degree and a high school diploma and looks forward to leaving home for UNLV. She is close to her dad and at odds with her mom. Occasionally she forgets her studies to crush on school heart throb Sterling. Until he pranks her. Also unsettling for Nellie is the prankster’s cohort in crime is her best friend, Britta.

Jensen is on a different path. No college in the immediate future. Instead, he plans to continue his current (secret) work.  Unbeknownst to his classmates and teachers, Jensen Nichols is writing sci-fi/fantasy under the pen name Jen Dimes. Only a few people know of his secret life including his mom, and Nellie’s dad.

Relationships change over time. This is one of the key themes to Larsen’s story. Furthermore, life throws out hardship at different times. For Jensen, the timing was very early on. For Nellie, just before high school graduation. How one handles the difficulties of life is the true test of growth as a person. Much of Fun Fact: I Love You explores this tenet.

Gina Lynn Larsen is outstanding in her debut novel. Perhaps there were a few weaknesses. (How on Earth could Nellie and Britta be BFF all the way through High School?) Yet, I found Fun Fact: I Love You to resonate with realism with respect to Nellie. And Jensen? I am sure there are many teen writers out there with various levels of success. So, I found the story stirring with emotion, satisfying on a plot level and over the top with respect to the growth of the characters. I highly recommend for teens and above. I really need to start reading more YA! Closing the book yielded satisfaction from a really good story.