Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian

Published: September 1, 2010 by Scholastic, Inc.
Received: bought from Borders online

Natalie Sterling wants to be in control. She wants her friends to be loyal. She wants her classmates to elect her student council president. She wants to find the right guy, not the usual jerk her school has to offer. She wants a good reputation, because she believes that will lead to good things.

But life is messy, and it's very hard to be in control of it. Not when there are freshman girls running around in a pack, trying to get senior guys to sleep with them. Not when your friends have secrets they're no longer comfortable sharing. Not when the boy you once dismissed ends up being the boy you want to sleep with yourself - but only in secret, with nobody ever finding out.

Slut or saint? Winner or loser? Natalie is getting tired of these forced choices - and is now going to find a way to live life in the sometimes messy, sometimes wonderful in-between. {taken from goodreads.com}

I really enjoyed this book for what it was.  A story about a young girl finding herself among the many stereotypes associated with being a teenager, & what it means to be sexual - in a tasteful way.  The message behind this book is something that will last the test of time.  Unfortunately, there will always be the boy who gets praise for making a home run with a girl; and the girl who gets ridiculed & looked down on because she just so happened went to first base.  It's an awful truth that has always existed.  Not That Kind of Girl portrays this among it's pages, but also sheds light on the fact that it doesn't always have to be this way.

Natalie Sterling is the type of character who was sewn from a different piece of cloth.  Her goals in high school are to become the student council president, make the best grades possible, study as hard as she can for a perfect score on the SATs, & maintain a positive reputation for the school to follow.  She functions best when she has a full plate & admires the guidance she has always received from her beloved teacher, Ms. Bee.  Natalie has seen first hand what the cruelty of high school can do to someone.  Her best friend, Autumn, was made fun of because she wouldn't "go all the way" with a certain senior boy when they were only freshmen.  Autumn was tagged as "Fish Sticks" & the haunting nightmare always lingered in the back of her mind.  Natalie did what any best friend would do, she stood by Autumn's side & supported her friend, no matter what.

As their senior year of high school begins, Natalie is focused on student council events & preparing for the SATs.  The other girls in her school seem to be focused on boys, & how to get their attention.  This bothers Natalie to no end.  Why would these young, talented girls feel as though they have to subject themselves to such male chauvinistic pigs just to get a date to a dance? or even be considered to walk in their presence?  This thought, along with other recent events, sparks an idea inside Natalie's head.  She can teach these girls how to carry themselves with pride & honor.  Show them what it means to be a woman, by keeping your legs closed & opening up your minds.  With the help of Autumn, Ms. Bee, and a few other classmates Natalie begins her mission.  However, the idea does not pan out as she'd hoped it would.

Natalie finds herself in the worst possible situation.  When a certain boy by the name of Connor takes notice in her, she completely loses sight of what matters most: student council, SATs, & even her own best friend Autumn.  Natalie finds herself in the most uncompromising position.  But what makes it even worse for her: she likes it.  Natalie begins to secretly see Connor late at night.  The two begin to fool around & she realizes that this could be something more than just physical attraction.  She refuses to believe that though.  Isn't this the sort of thing she always thought against?  Is she just one big hypocrite for teaching those other girls to rise above this same sort of action?  Or has Natalie's heart taken the driver's seat & is now running the show?  Poor Natalie is left confused in an uncharted territory.  The decisions she makes now could possibly effect her future. 

I really enjoyed this author's writing style.  It was smooth & kept you intrigued.  Becoming connected with Natalie's character occurred instantly & I felt all the things that she was feeling.  I loved reading about the idea of what it meant to be a teenage girl & the stereotypes that surrounded it.  I see so many young girls today thinking that if they wear a tighter pair of pants, or a lower cut shirt, then perhaps that beautiful boy over there will notice them.  That idea is so wrong.  Girls need to realize that it's their minds that will get them much further in life than any spot of cleavage will.  But I also liked the flip side to this story; don't be afraid to take a chance on a relationship ether.  Not every boy out there is just wanting to get in your pants.  Sometimes, they really do want to see what's inside your brain too :-)  This book took me back to high school & how I remember thinking that grades were so important.  That being the best academically is what mattered most.  It's not though.  Finding the balance between academics & being social is just as important.  A girl can learn a lot from her peers, that she never could in a textbook.