Book Review: The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams

Title: The International Kissing Club
Author: Ivy Adams
Genre: Teen Fiction,
Publication Date: January 3, 2012  (YEP, It comes out tomorrow!!!)
Publisher: Walker Childrens
ISBN-13 Book: 9780802723185
Source: I received a copy from the author for review as part of the {Teen} Book Scene Tours. This is my honest review.

The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Four teen girls, best friends, have wished their entire lives to get out of their small town of Paris, Texas.  When the opportunity arises for the four of them to participate in a foreign exchange program the girls jump at the chance.  Piper will go to Paris, Mei to China, Cassidy to Australia, and Izzy will remain in Texas because her parents can't afford her trip.  Four girls, 10 weeks, and many exciting experiences, new guys, new kisses, but will they be the same people they were before they left?  Welcome to the International Kissing Club.

There is no way to avoid the comparison.  The first thing I thought of when I saw this book listed was Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (SOTTP).  As much as I would like to there is no escaping the comparison.  There is even an allusion to that series in this novel that definitely made me chuckle.  Like SOTTP, this novel features four best friends separating for the first time in their lives. Each teen has her own reasons for wanting to leave their tiny town and start fresh somewhere else.  Like SOTTP, these girls are searching for identity, and to some extent their first real encounter with love.

The characters in this novel are easy to relate to--you know them or have even been them.  First there is Piper, who longs to escape the bullying and harassment of the queen bee of their school Germaine.  Ever since falling victim to a cruel pageant prank, Piper has been known as Kiss the Pig Girl.  Every where she goes the nickname and insulting oinks follow.  She longs to get away and go somewhere where she can find a boy who isn't familiar with her notorious past.

Mei is the overachiever trying to prove that she is worthy of her adoptive parents who love her.  She is the smart sensible member of the group, but she really wants to know more about who she really is.  Little does she realize that in China, the students will see her as one more Chinese girl among millions--one that was unwanted.

Cassidy is the only daughter of a single mother who had her while she was a teenager.  Her family has lived in Paris for generations, and Cassidy longs to seek adventure elsewhere.  She wants to escape the stereotypes of her small town life and have people know her for who she is rather than where she is from. 

Finally ther is Izzy whose breakup with her boyfriend has left her reeling.  She had hoped to get away from her chaotic family life and the painful memories of her breakup, but when her irritating older brother breaks his hand and has no hope at a football scholarship, Izzy is forced to give up her trip and stay without her friends in their small town.

While they are apart the girls form the International Kissing Club, a Facebook page for them to share their adventures and conquests.  But the page becomes so much more as more and more people begin to follow and support these young adventurers. 

The technological aspects of the story, and various pop culture references may eventually date the story, but the themes of growing up and searching for your own identity will remain true.  All of these young women are charming characters who you would want to know.  You can even see bits of yourself in each of them.  The novel manages to tackle serious topics such as bullying, and identity without taking itself to seriously.  I love that this novel could make me laugh and cry.

Overall this charming novel is a great addition to the realistic fiction genre.  I can see it appealing to fans of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and many others.  This is a really fun read.



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