Supergirl Mixtapes by Meagan Brothers-NO

Brothers, Meagan, Supergirl Mixtapes Henry Holt and Company, 2012. Pgs. 245. Language: R (102 swears, 33 “f”s), Violence: PG-13, Sexual Content;  PG-13

After a bad break up with her boyfriend, Maria moves from North Carolina to New York to live with her mother and her boyfriend. Her mother and boyfriend are druggies and can barely take care of themselves in a small, one bedroom apartment, let alone her. Her grandmother has paid for her to go to a fancy private school, but the kids at the school are cruel and she doesn’t feel like she fits in. Maria finally starts to feel something when she meets a boy named Gram and a lady named Nina. They both make her realize that there are more things to life than the mixed music cassette tapes she likes to listen to. Things seem to get harder, however, when her mom starts to become verbally abusive and more neglectful when they move to a bad part of town in an apartment over a strip club. Can Maria find her place in life? Will it be in New York or back home in North Carolina?

The plot is thin and drags in places. Most of the characters are shallow, but the main character is fairly likable. The swearing is excessive and detract from the book. The biggest drawback, however, is the fact that there are cassette tapes and vinyl records widely listened to in this book. Due to most of the teen audience of today never having seen a record or really played a cassette tape, the audience appeal would be limited. Would not recommend for most libraries. HS. NO. Reviewer: Kira M, Youth Services Librarian, WHI Public Library.