The Boy Recession    by Flynn Meaney Order:  USA  Can Poppy, 2012 (2012) Hardcover     Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto If you are looking for a light, entertaining YA contemporary, Flynn Meaney's The Boy Recession is it. There is nothing really deep or unique about this story, but it is just a fun read. After budget cuts force their football coach to leave, Julius P. Heil High School finds itself missing a good number of boys. Everyone reacts to the boy recession differently. Outgoing Aviva sees it as a great column for the school blog. Awkward Eugene sees it as a way to actually get a girl. But two students, Hunter and Kelly, could care less. Both are more upset about the loss of band than the lack of boys. Together, they start a peer music program teaching third-graders to play instruments, and along the way, realize they have feelings for each other. However, no relationship is smooth, and if these two are going to start one, they will have to navigate their way through the craziness that is the boy recession. While this is the story of Kelly and Hunter's relationship (and it alternates points-of-view between the two), Hunter seems like the true protagonist. He is the one who changes the most through the course of the story and is a tad more sympathetic than Kelly. However both are true teenagers going through regular teen stuff, but in that light way than can only happen in this type of novel. Flynn Meaney has a fun writing style that makes reading this evenly-paced book enjoyable. The Boy Recession is a great book to pick up when you need a break from the trials of real life. 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