Invisible - Marni Bates

Invisible by Marni Bates
Series: Awkward #2
Publisher: K-Teen
Publication Date: August 1, 2013
Source/Format: Publisher (Thank you Kensington!) || Paperback

[I received this book from the publisher. This in no way affects the thoughts expressed in my review.]

Jane Smith has survived three years of high school without making a single enemy, all by keeping a low profile. Not even her three best friends, Kenzie, Corey and Isobel, can say the same. But with Corey dating the lead singer from ReadySet and Kenzie in a relationship too, being invisible tends to be lonely. But now she's written an article for her school newspaper that has accidentally snagged the attention of some celebrities. Turns out, people get really upset when their innermost secrets are splashed all over the front page. And new her well-ordered life is being blasted to hell, with results that are wildly unexpected. (from Goodreads)

If you're looking for a book that will make you smile, or a book that will take your back to your days in high school, Invisible would be a great contender. Written with Bates' signature sense of humor, the novel is pure entertainment, laced with experiences that feel very, very real.

Jane Smith isn't a name that would strike you right away, and so it's not surprising that she hasn't made much of a mark at all. Her reticence and hesitance, coupled with her shyness, were very relatable. But what Bates really handled best of all was showing how Jane felt completely overshadowed by her much more exuberant best friends, as that was something I went through as well. Even though Jane's story starts out a bit sad, it gets better as she grows into herself and discovers that she wants to be (and can be) so much more than Invisible. 

Invisible is a fun, quirky read that I really enjoyed, in spite of not yet having read Awkward (although I have read Decked with Holly, which is just as cute!). It really brought me back to my high school days by telling Jane's story in a way that felt real in spite of not so plausible details (the celebrity aspect in their lives, mostly). The novel's certainly made a mark, and I look forward to reading Awkward and the upcoming Notable.