Based on A Midsummer Night's Dream
, Sutherland's (Meet Mo and Ella
) first YA novel is told through the notes, e-mail exchanges and instant messages of best friends Hermia and Helena, plus their own diary entries and narration. Hermia, whom Helena describes in her diary as a "hyperactive people person," loves Alex, while "silly soulful" Helena (in Hermia's words) considers Dmitri—a striking but pompous new student—her soul mate. Alex invites Hermia to The Faeries' Quarrel
, a hot new interactive play, and Helena begins writing dreadful love poems to Dmitri. But a long-standing rivalry between the guys leads to misunderstandings. It takes a fairy queen (or the actress playing her) to remedy the situation. The author pens fun touches: both girls are shocked when the drama teacher decides on an all-male Romeo and Juliet
(as are the football players cast), and at The Faeries' Quarrel
, Hermia sings a karaoke love song to Alex in front of the audience. Even the epilogue features a hilarious review of Romeo and Juliet
from the school paper. Helena's overwrought personality is hard to handle (of Dmitri she writes, "Our fates are linked together like... like rays of moonlight pouring in silver silken silence over dappled forest glades"); readers might wonder what feisty Hermia sees in her. Ultimately, clever touches and an encouraging message about taking control of one's destiny make this entertaining, if not magical. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)
