cover image BRINGING UP THE BONES

BRINGING UP THE BONES

Lara M. Zeises, . . Delacorte, $12.95 (224pp) ISBN 978-0-385-73001-3

In her first novel, Zeises dishes out a heavy slice of realism, suggesting that happily-ever-after endings don't come easily and some questions can never be answered. Bridget, the 18-year-old narrator, is still reeling from the shock of her ex-boyfriend's sudden death. Her studio apartment, where she's been living since graduating from high school, doubles as a kind of shrine to the departed Benji, who might or might not have loved her back. But when Bridget meets Jasper, a college student, she finds herself caught in a perverse romantic triangle with Jasper competing against her dead ex for her affection. While the protagonist reflects on her relationships with the opposite sex, she realizes that in trying so hard to please others, she has lost sight of who she herself really is. The author avoids pat resolutions and instead focuses on her heroine's small and large revelations. Girls suffering from broken hearts will relate to Bridget's changing perceptions and may even find themselves fortified in the process. Ages 14-up. (Oct.)