JANE STAYS DREAMING

Jane projects all her daydreams and fantasies into her popular online blog, complicating her longtime friendship with childhood pal Leo.

Fifteen-year-old Jane’s blog, AnaStaysDreaming, written under the pseudonym “Anastasia,” has amassed quite a following. Her readers log on to hear about Anastasia’s picture-perfect life and dreamy boyfriend—and revel in snarky comments about “Izzy,” the name Jane uses for her real-life best friend, Camila. The blog offers Jane a place to imagine the type of life (and boyfriend) she’s always wanted. An anonymous person—who seems from contextual clues to be new classmate Brynn—starts writing to Jane’s weekly dating advice column about her crush, whose name is Leo. Jane, who feels threatened by Brynn (about both Leo’s attention and her role on the school paper), uses her blog to sabotage Brynn and Leo’s budding relationship. Interest from her crush, Ethan, complicates Jane’s friendship with Leo, provoking confusing feelings—and revelations about the blog challenge Jane’s relationships, forcing honest conversations and opportunities for self-reflection. Jane is realistically flawed, but the development of her character arc and her late, rather hasty redemption may leave readers struggling to sympathize with her for much of the story: She’s cavalier with Leo’s feelings, uninterested in Camila’s life, and at times manipulative. Leo is a likable, patient, and gentle foil, and readers will wish for more tension to build between him and Jane. Jane presents white, Leo has Brazilian and Italian ancestry, and Camila is cued Latine.

A lukewarm story with an unevenly developed lead.