G-R-E-E-N-E is a heartfelt YA debut that captures the twists and turns of high school. The cast of characters will keep readers entertained, and the mystery will keep readers guessing! I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Elaine Clark Aldrete creates a true-to-life story peopled with young characters who have realistic strengths and foibles. Woven throughout the central mystery of G-R-E-E-N-E are the themes of friendship, integrity, and acceptance. As the story unfolds and the mystery is resolved, both the main character, Jen, and the reader are gently taught an important lesson regarding one of the major leading causes of death in America. Aldrete’s storytelling is top-notch — never moralistic, always genuine — making G-R-E-E-N-E a truly standout novel.

This story is an excellent reminder to us all not to jump to conclusions, especially when we recognize we lack all the facts. I was grateful for the mature way the girls handled their mission to discover more information before jumping headlong into a situation they didn’t have all the facts for.  Getting to know all the characters was enjoyable. It was also refreshing to see how they interacted with each other.  Overall, G-R-E-E-N-E is a good read.

G-R-E-E-N-E is a very surprising read. This book is about three young teen girls that have grown up together in a fairly small town and how they navigate through an accidental discovery from a conversation that one of the girls overheard.

“Typical teen read,” you might say. Well yes, but very different in many ways. The author takes you through their typical teen days of school, but the mystery lies with the overheard conversation and how this group of friends works through how to solve the mystery involving another girl and how to help her.

One of the most interesting aspects of this book is how the author weaves in education along with the story. I have read many books over the years, but this was a very enjoyable first. The author added vocabulary lessons and book reviews that the girls were learning during their time in school. Very different and as I traversed through the book, I found I really enjoyed the educational aspect.

You really need to read the book to appreciate it and learn something along the way. I highly recommend this not only for the teen group but to anyone that enjoys a well-written mystery.