Select one of the keywords
Love (and other uses for duct tape)    by Carrie Jones Amazon.com order for
Love (and other uses for duct tape)
by Carrie Jones
Order:  USA  Can
Flux, 2008 (2008)
Hardcover
* *   Reviewed by Lyn Seippel

Belle has faced a lot of changes during her last year of high school. Some good; some not so good. She's managed to get over the breakup with her gay boyfriend and continues to love him as a friend. She's dating Tom and her mother is going out with a newspaper guy. Em is going out with Tom's best friend Shawn. Em is having sex with Shawn and Belle is not having sex with Tom. Who knows about her mother.

As the school year comes to an end, Belle is swamped with insecurities. Does Tom still like Mimi who is determined to win him back? Are the number and duration of her seizures increasing? Will she win the talent show for all the wrong reasons if no one will vote for Dylan because he's gay? Do her seizures turn Tom off? Is that why they haven't had sex?

Em finds out she is pregnant and Belle is the keeper of her secret. Em promises to tell Shawn, but keeps backing out. Always protective, Belle worries that Em will be labeled a slut like Mimi. Belle doesn't believe in labels, not for herself or anyone else, but people insist on using them.

Love (and other uses for duct tape) begins where Tips on Having an (ex) Gay Boyfriend ends. Carrie Jones brings Belle and her friends to life. The book ends with many problems unsolved, but the reader won't be dissatisfied. It looks like there's at least one more sequel for Belle and her friends which I hope won't take the author long to write.

Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons.

Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews