My Loco Life [Mass Market Paperback]

Lee McClain (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

THE RULES OF FASHION: DO design a sexy, one-of-a-kind dress to win a scholarship to the fashion institute in Madrid so you can get out of the foster-care system once and for all. Bonus points if that dress helps attract the attention of your hunky new neighbor.

DON’T let on you don’t know Spanish, even though everyone assumes you’re a native speaker.

DO enlist the help of hunky neighbor to bring over his sister’s Spanish Cosmos for a little private tutoring. You might learn a lot more than a new language.

DON’T let jealous girlfriends, pushy parents, or a quirky computer game get in the way of making your dreams come true.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 178 pages
• Publisher: Dorchester Publishing Company (April 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0843956615
• ISBN-13: 978-0843956610
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,875,816 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lee McClain grew up in Columbus, Ohio, attended Ohio State University, and earned her Ph.D. at the University of Colorado. She teaches in the MFA program at Seton Hill University. Her tween daughter and niece keep her up-to-date on the eye-rolling YA world. Visit her online at www.leemcclain.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A story that talks about real teen issues., April 29, 2008

By 

Jennifer Dieleman "book worm" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Loco Life (Mass Market Paperback)

I enjoyed the thuth and reality of this story. It talks about the foster system and what happens to kids as they grow up. I enjoyed Alicia's personality and drive to never give. I do wish the story was a little longer, it didn't seem to really touch on a lot of the issues that Brianna had. What were the reasons why she had such a hard life? I hope there is a story about her adventure in Madrid.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars warm insightful teen tale, April 13, 2006

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Loco Life (Mass Market Paperback)

Teen Alicia Jimenez likes her latest foster parents and enjoys her new high school especially since the school offers her a design class. She hopes that her talent will enable her to win a scholarship to attend design school in Spain.

However, Alicia accepts that besides having to win a competition, she has one minor problem. She has not spoken Spanish since her family abandoned her years ago. She turns to the hunk next door Hector Cardona to tutor her in speaking Spanish though she would not mind instruction in biology too. However, he is dating the school queen, her rival in the fashion design contest. Alicia sets her mind at winning the competition for the scholarship and for Hector.

In her third "My Life" novel (see MY ALTERNATE LIFE and MY ABNORMAL LIFE), Lee McClain provides a warm insightful teen tale that young adults will enjoy because they will understand and commiserate with Alicia. While Hector is a caring hunk, Alicia owns the tale as she sets goals for herself that she strives to achieve. For a change, the foster parents are nice, kind people and not out of a psycho ward. This is a fine entry in a wonderful series.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like Pringles, you can't stop after just one - or, in this case, after one page..., April 5, 2006

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Loco Life (Mass Market Paperback)

Alicia Jiminez is sick of people assuming that she's your regular, run-of-the-mill Latina, simply because she has olive colored skin, and dark eyes and hair. She's especially sick of her new classmates at Linden High speaking to her in Spanish. After all, she may be Latina, but she doesn't know a word of the language, but to save face must pretend to understand what people are saying to her - even though it sounds like nothing more than gibberish. But Alicia has more important things to worry about than a foreign language. Numero uno on her list? Designing a one-of-a-kind hot and sexy dress in an attempt to win a scholarship to the fashion institute of Madrid - a place that will help her escape the foster system that she has been a part of for years. Second on her to-do list? Track down her hot neighbor and enlist him to help Alicia learn the language of love - Spanish - with a little help from his sisters many issues of Spanish COSMO. And last, but not least, Alicia must avoid pushy parents - or, rather, foster parents - whiny girlfriends, and a ridiculous computer game, otherwise her dreams will be dashed forever, and she'll be stuck in the same place for the rest of eternity. It may sound like an easy idea, but for Alicia, it's sure to be difficult and tricky - all rolled into one.

Lee McClain is, without a doubt, one of the new controversial writers for young adults on the market today, based on the fact that she touches on issues that many writers ignore - the foster system, adoption, and various other serious issues. MY LOCO LIFE is no exception to this trend. Alicia is a brazen, interesting character, who refuses to be pushed around, and plans on making her way to the top - no matter what she has to do to get there. Her quirky personality, accompanied by her to-die-for fashion sense make her an appealing character, and will leave teen readers clamoring for McClain's next novel. An introspective new novel that must be read in one sitting - like Pringles, you can't stop after just one - or, in this case, after one page.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper