10 Steps to Girlfriend Status

Bird Face #2

by Cynthia T. Toney

A Cajun family secret, two very different boys, and a fight to keep a grandmother’s love—who would’ve guessed that looking through old photo albums could get Wendy into so much trouble?

Wendy Robichaud is on schedule to have everything she wants at the start of high school: two loyal best friends, a complete and happy family, and a hunky boyfriend she’s had a crush on since eighth grade—until she and Mrs. Villaturo look at old photo albums together. That’s when Mrs. V sees her dead husband and hints at a 1960s family scandal down in Cajun country. Faster than you can say “crawdad,” Wendy digs into the scandal and into trouble. She risks losing boyfriend David by befriending Mrs. V’s deaf grandson, alienates stepsister Alice by having a boyfriend in the first place, and upsets her friend Gayle without knowing why. Will Wendy be able to prevent Mrs. V from being taken thousands of miles away? And will she lose all the friends she’s fought so hard to gain?

This story uses humor and hope to address issues of adapting to a blended family, having a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s, and struggling through that first innocent romantic relationship.

Genres: Young Adult, Christian Fiction

202 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2015

About the author

Cynthia chose to write for young people to show them how wonderful, powerful, and valuable they are. She creates complex characters and twisty plots—because life is complicated. Ask any teen! Her stories address issues that young people face today, but they are full of hope and laced with humor. Her characters are diverse in culture and ethnicity and include deaf and Jewish teens.

Cynthia's contemporary Bird Face series includes 8 Notes to a Nobody, 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status, 6 Dates to Disaster, and 3 Things to Forget. Her first coming-of-age historical, The Other Side of Freedom, takes place in the rural southern U.S. in 1925. It has received literary awards from Independent Author Network Book of the Year Awards (2018 Outstanding Fiction Children/Juvenile and Second Place Fiction Book of the Year), Next Generation Indie Book Awards (2018 First Place Grand Prize and First Place Children's/Juvenile Fiction), Catholic Press Association (2018 CPA Book Awards, Third Place, Children's), and Readers' Favorite Book Awards (2018 Gold Medal, Children: Coming of Age).

In addition to writing, Cynthia has a passion for rescuing dogs from animal shelters and encourages others to save a life by adopting a shelter pet. In her spare time, she grows herbs and studies the complex history of the friendly southern U.S., where she lives with her husband and several canines.

She loves hearing from readers. Connect with her at cynthiattoney.com, birdfacewendy.wordpress.com, facebook.com/birdfacewendy, on Twitter and Instagram @CynthiaTToney, and on Pinterest.

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 4 out of 5]

About this book:

“A Cajun family secret, two very different boys, and a fight to keep a grandmother’s love—who would’ve guessed that looking through old photo albums could get Wendy into so much trouble?
Wendy Robichaud is on schedule to have everything she wants at the start of high school: two loyal best friends, a complete and happy family, and a hunky boyfriend she’s had a crush on since eighth grade—until she and Mrs. Villaturo look at old photo albums together. That’s when Mrs. V sees her dead husband and hints at a 1960s family scandal down in Cajun country. Faster than you can say “crawdad,” Wendy digs into the scandal and into trouble. She risks losing boyfriend David by befriending Mrs. V’s deaf grandson, alienates stepsister Alice by having a boyfriend in the first place, and upsets her friend Gayle without knowing why. Will Wendy be able to prevent Mrs. V from being taken thousands of miles away? And will she lose all the friends she’s fought so hard to gain?”


Series: Book #2 in the “Bird Face” series. (Read review of the first book, Here!)


Spiritual Content- A couple prayers; Wendy wears a crucifix & is Catholic; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers; Mentions of Church & Mass.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blah, blah’, a ‘TGIF’, a ‘shut up’, a ‘wimp’, a ‘witch’, two ‘idiot’s, two ‘rats!’, three ‘stupid’s; A couple cuss words try to escape from Wendy’s mouth; A mention of suicide in book #1; A mention of smoking.


Sexual Content- two cheek kisses, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, and a boarder-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; Touches, Embraces & Dancing (up to semi-detailed); Noticing; Wendy has a list of “10 Steps to Girlfriend Status” & tries to achieve it (steps include: hand holding, cheek kisses, PDA, & a date); Boys, boyfriends, breaking up, dating, & being a couple and a girlfriend; Jealousy; Talks about dating; A guy is called a ‘hunk’; A couple mentions of book #1’s girl who had an eating disorder; A mention of a baby & when it was conceived (no details); Mentions of crushes; Mentions of crushes & hand holding; Mentions of falling in love;
*Note: a mention of a bottom, “bounced on my butt on the mattress.”.

- Wendy Robichaud, age 14
1st person P.O.V. of Wendy
202 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Four Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
{Add a star for girls in Public School}
“10 Steps to Girlfriend Status” was very well written, very true to young teens and emotions. Wendy has grown since book #1, “8 Notes to a Nobody”. I personally found it a bit odd to read about a 14 year old having a boyfriend, dating and a couple kisses, but I know that's pretty normal out in the public school world. I also found it a bit odd, that once Wendy's mom got married, they (Mom and Papa D) left Wendy and April (ages 14) stay at home alone, watching their six year old brother for a week. I can't see any parents I know who would do that, personally. The “scandal” added a neat (& somewhat sad) mystery to this teen book. I wish there was more Spiritual Content, though.
I do hope there will be more “Bird Face” novels, since the writing was great and I enjoyed this one. :)


Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.

[Janice Palko · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for teens. It deals with contemporary issues such as Alzheimer's disease, step families, and teen romance in a realistic, entertaining, and informative way. It also includes a bit of a mystery that compels the reader to keep turning those pages. I enjoyed learning about Bayou country.

[Erin Cupp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwarming & heartening, this story for teens deals with first dates, new stepfamilies, jealousy, (possible?) final goodbyes, and friendships put on shaky ground by all of the above. 10 Steps deals with so many issues teenagers face, and the story does so with charm and aplomb. This is a reading treat for any teen in your life!

[Susan Peek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book of Cynthia Toney's immensely enjoyable "Bird Face" series for Catholic teens. After reading her first book, "8 Notes to a Nobody," I was eager to find out what happened next to the lovable character Wendy. This story follows on with her mother's remarriage and Wendy's adjustment to a new family. I love Toney's style. She gets straight into the heart and mind of teenagers, and the plot is absorbing, well crafted, compassionate, and at times hilarious. Yet within the lightheartedness of the book, there is much tragedy, soul-searching, and heroism.
The reason I withheld the fifth star is that the author seemed to condone divorce and remarriage within the confines of a book for Catholic teens. I struggled with that. But putting that aside, this is a very enjoyable novel by a highly talented author.

[Ann Campanella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading Cynthia Toney's 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status. The title told me I was definitely venturing into "teenager land." The author handles some challenging topics with a deft hand and a feeling of authenticity. Cynthia does a beautiful job of getting inside the head of a teenager living within the dynamic of a newly blended family. Wendy, an innocent girl on the cusp of dating, rides the roller coaster of new relationships and adolescent emotions. The depth of Wendy's heart is revealed in her friendship with Mrs. V, a neighbor who has Alzheimer's and who happens to be involved in a family mystery. I was deeply touched by this story and, as the mom of a teenager, I highly recommend it!

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This past summer author Susan Peek posted a list of Catholic Teen Fiction a day for June, I believe the list originally comes from Theresa Linden. Of the 30 books in the list I had already read and reviewed 20 of the titles and will likely read another 7 or 8 of them. It has proved to be an introduction to some great stories. I have discovered some authors that are now amongst my favourites. But the title of the first book in this series, 8 Notes to a Nobody, really grabbed my attention. And to be honest I had bought books 2 and 3 before even finishing book 1. So this book was the second by Cynthia T. Toney, that I have read, but it will not be my last.

What I love about the books by Cynthia T. Tooney is that they are good clean reads. They are not overly preachy, but they do teach a lesson. The characters do have struggles and often make mistakes. But they are not smutty, they do not portray alternative lifestyles just for the sake of having it in the book. It is realistic fiction much along the lines of Madeleine L'Engle's Chronos books. Now in this book we do have a blended family. Or it takes place during the book.

Wendy Robichaud's life is coming together in a way that it has never been. Her mother is remarrying and not only is she getting a step dad but one of her closest friends is about to become her sister. She has a boy she is interested in, and he is interested in her as well. But things quickly start to go sideways. He elderly friend Mrs. Villaturo is suffering from Alzheimer's. But she has let a family secret out of the bag. The Cajan side of her family, her father's side, has a secret. And throw all of that plus school and Wendy's life has become far more complicated than she ever wanted it to be.

Part of the story revolves around her 10 steps to girlfriend status;, which are:
1. Meeting before school (Check.)
2. Eating lunch together (Check.)
3. Hand holding (Check.)
4. Cheek kissing (Check.)
5. Embracing.
6. … to find out the rest you will need to read the book.

This book was an interesting read. It does a great job of capturing high school, blending families and also dealing with Alzheimer's. It was engaging and had a great pace and a few twists. One in particular caught me completely by surprise. The writing is very tight.

There are a few way I judge really good books. First could I see myself rereading it. Second can I think of people I would recommend it to right away. And finally would I want to see my children read it when it is age appropriate. This book scores well in all three categories. This was a great read, and I am already anticipating reading book three. And the latest book by Toney that was released this fall.

Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Cynthia T. Toney.

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2017 Catholic Reading Plan!

[Theresa Linden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun book! 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status by Cynthia Toney is a sweet story of Wendy Robichaud, a freshman in high school. Wendy seems to have everything together. She knows exactly what she wants and all the steps it will take to get it. But she’s in for a few surprises that throw her off her game. When neighbor lady Mrs. V, who Wendy loves dearly as if she were her own grandmother, begins to show signs of trouble, everything changes. Wendy’s attention is divided several ways. She still wants to achieve girlfriend status, but now she wants to look after Mrs. V, and Mrs. V has just hinted there may be a scandalous mystery from the past. Additionally, her mother has just remarried and her best friend has become her sister, adding struggles she hadn’t foreseen into the mix.

I loved the humor, fun writing style, and character development in this story, just as I did in the first book in this series, 8 Notes to a Nobody. The characters do not fit neatly into any stereotypes, often seeming to surprise Wendy with their behavior. My favorite character was Sam, the deaf grandson of Mrs. V. Too often we jump to conclusions about people with special needs or challenges, but Wendy soon discovers this character faces his own fears, goals, challenges, and needs, just like any teen. I hope that Sam will be in the next book in this series!

While I particularly enjoyed watching the mystery of the scandal from the past unfold, I was able to relate to the challenges of fitting in and finding yourself in high school. I remember how starting a new school threw everything in my life out of whack, and I often felt like a fish out of water. This story shows the importance of deciding what type of person you want to be. Wendy and all the characters grow in this story of friendship and forgiveness, a story teen and preteens are sure to enjoy.

[Therese Heckenkamp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story quickly pulled me in, and though I’m in my thirties now, this novel brought me back to age fourteen like it was yesterday. Wendy, the main character in 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status, is easy to identify with, and her authentic teen girl’s voice carried this story along at an enjoyable, breezy pace. She’s fresh with hopes and dreams as she begins ninth grade with many changes on the horizon: some exciting, some mysterious, and some worrisome. How she deals with them makes for a lovely story of growth and discovery.

The author wields words well, immersing the reader in the moment, with no unnecessary verbosity clouding the novel. The story deals with some heavy issues in a sensitive way without making the story depressing, including Alzheimer’s, blended families, and first time dating. Lessons are learned about remaining true to oneself and remaining a caring, kind person—even when things don’t go the way one wants.

While this book is second in The Bird Face Series, it can easily be read as a standalone novel (I didn’t read the first one yet, and this didn’t present any issues for me). 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status is a wonderful read for preteen and teen girls, with many themes they can relate to and learn from, all in a highly enjoyable and entertaining form.

Reviewed by:
Therese Heckenkamp
Christian author of Past Suspicion, Frozen Footprints, and After the Thaw

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 Steps to Girlfriend Status picks up where Book 1 in the Bird Face series left off but could be read as a standalone without any problem.

Wendy is now a high school freshman, but that's not the only or biggest change in her life. Her mother is about to remarry, which means the addition of a stepfather and two siblings as well as moving to a new house in a new neighborhood. Her surrogate grandmother is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and she's navigating her first boy-girl relationship with crush David.

The beautiful thing about 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status is that Cynthia Toney doesn't try to wrap it all up in a neat little package. Like life, there are fits and starts - bursts of maturity and clarity and slides into uncertainty and childishness. In other words, it's real. There are arguments, disappointments, and loss but also forgiveness, new beginnings, and hope.

The strain in the relationship between Wendy and her step-sister/best friend Alice is spot on, repeated countless times the world over as one friend acquires a boyfriend before the other and an unintended rivalry is born. Neither Wendy nor Alice handle it perfectly, but they learn and they forgive.

The romance is sweet and perfect for young teens. I loved the little tidbits of life on the Cajun bayou intertwined in the story. A light mystery with a little history also adds a bit of suspense and intrigue. The intergenerational relationships are refreshing, especially since so often teen stories are populated with only teens.

(I received a complimentary copy for my honest review. The author is a fellow member of the Catholic Writers Guild.)

[Mary Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I'm well in middle age, this book brought back all the uncertainty of first love. The author's clever way of dealing with teenage girls' common concern--getting a boyfriend--made the book fun to read.

Wendy Robichaud is well on her way to getting the boy she wants. But in her freshman year of high school, she must also deal with her mother's remarriage and the subsequent blended family, a beloved neighbor diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and of course, the jealousy and misunderstandings that go along with girlfriends and boyfriends. Added in as a somewhat parallel story is a mysterious great uncle who was the subject of a scandal way back in the 1960's.

The mystery kept me reading, and Wendy learns some valuable lessons throughout the book about herself and relating to others as she navigates a rough freshman year where the rules of engagement aren't always clear. Is it okay to be friends with other guys besides your boyfriend? How old should you be before you start dating? Why does love sometimes hurt? And can friendship survive long distances?

If you're looking for a great book for a tween or young teen girl, this is the one.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Annette O'Hare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cynthia Toney’s second book, 10 Steps To Girlfriend Status is a great read for anyone aged 10 to 100! The main character, Wendy is someone that teens could easily relate to. Following her parent’s divorce, her mother marries a man with two other children, a girl close to her age and her younger brother. Wendy deals with so much conflict in this book. First she’s an only child who now must learn how to live with two siblings while going through all the trauma of “going out” with her first boyfriend. Then she stumbles onto a mystery concerning an uncle who disappeared in the past while dealing with the heartbreak of a loved one that has Alzheimer’s. There’s a lot more going on in this book that I’m not even revealing! You’ll fall in love with Wendy Robichaud. She’s such an honest, caring girl. Not only with her family, but also with others around her, even when they don’t make it easy. I would highly recommend this book for any teen or pre-teen girl, or even an all grown up girl like myself. It’s truly a great read, but…get your tissues ready for that last chapter, you might just need them!

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cynthia Toney's second novel picks up where 8 Notes to a Nobody (originally published as Bird Face) left off. It's no surprise that this novel also addresses tough topics this time it's blending families, Alzheimer's Disease, deafness, family secrets, friendship and boyfriend struggles. Like 8 Notes, the novel is humorous and full of hope. Wendy is as funny as ever although the transition from junior high to high school has matured her, and the zaniness is replaced with wittiness. One thing I loved about 8 Notes was that the secondary characters were as well-developed as Wendy herself. That remains the case with 10 Steps. All of our favorite characters are back but they too have evolved. Some of Wendy's friends have moved on others change in ways that are both realistic and a bit uncomfortable - that's a good thing! Of course, the story can't be completely devoid of a crazy Cajun adventure. In this case, it's a decades old mystery involving a family scandal that Wendy is determined to solve.

[Glenn Haggerty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wendy Robichaud steps into ninth grade with two girlfriends and the eye of a baseball-playing-hunk at LaMoyne High School. Now mom is marrying her best friend’s dad and life is looking good. However, as Wendy ticks off her 10 steps to girlfriend status, her friendships with Gayle and Alice suffer. And when another boy enters the scene and grabbed her attention, Wendy discovers that romantic relationships are more complicated than she’d thought.

Cynthia Toney does a masterful job of delving into a young teen’s first crush. Girls will find the relational issues entertaining and educational, and sleuthing out an ancestral scandal kept the plot moving forward. In Birdface Book 1, Wendy overcame wicked bullying, isolation, and parental divorce with courage and humor. In Birdface Book 2, she applies the same humor and courage to the next set of young teen issues. And faith and common sense win out in the end.

[A.J. Cattapan · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 Steps to Girlfriend Status is a lovely tale about a young teen (freshman in high school) who is learning how to manage her many changing relationships. First, she's hoping her guy friend will become more than just a friend. Second, her mom has just remarried, so she's figuring out how to be part of a blended family, complete with a stepdad, stepsister, and stepbrother. Third, her surrogate grandmother who lived next door to her old house is developing Alzheimer's.

As someone who recently lost her mother, I found this last changing relationship the most emotionally moving. While my mother didn't have Alzheimer's, it's never easy to see someone you love lose their grip on life. Cynthia Toney does a lovely job handling this difficult topic.

Parents, this is a "clean" read for your young teen. It has a light faith element in the story, but definitely nothing overly preachy. A very enjoyable read.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first novel in the Bird Face series and the second book did not disappoint. You don't have to read the first book to understand what's happening in the second thanks to some skillful exposition right up front that didn't feel repetitious.

This novel begins at the start of Wendy's freshman year of high school, during which she's navigating the world of boys, friends, and friends who are boys as well as finding her place in her new blended family, and learning that her former neighbor (and surrogate grandmother) is in failing health. That's a lot of stress for a 14-year-old. Add in a bunch of mysterious letters detailing one of those family-history things nobody talks about and you get a compelling story.

This YA novel is appropriate for middle-school students and older and lends itself to good discussion on friendships, relationships and honesty.

[Michelle Kaderly Welsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think teen girls will enjoy and relate to 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status by Cynthia Toney. While this is the second book in the Bird Face series, you don’t need to read the first to understand the story. The story is realistic as Wendy deals with adjusting to a new family situation since her mom remarries, deals with the fears and emotions of discovering someone she loves has Alzheimer’s, and works through the issues teens face with their peers and dating. I especially liked how the mystery she is solving helps her work through her current stressful boy situation. Seeing how Wendy grows through her trials to become a more confidant young woman who knows what she wants is satisfying. The novel’s hints of romance and surprises will keep readers turning the pages.

[Tim Speer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Ten Steps to Girlfriend Status" is the story of a fourteen year old girl who must learn to cope with, and adjust to an ever changing life. Wendy, the girl in the story, is dealing with her freshman year in high school, and her first love. In addition, her parents are divorced, and her mom is getting remarried to one of her best friends dad. Wendy must adjust to a new "father", having a best friend now become a sister, and moving into a new home. Her moving into a new home, includes moving away from an elderly neighbor that she loves. Along the way, Wendy learns a number of valuable lessons about life, and relationships.

Written for younger teens, this is a well crafted and enjoyable story.

[Leslea Wahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is actually the second book in Cynthia Toney’s Birdface series, but you don’t have to read the first book to enjoy this wonderful YA novel. I actually read this one first but found the characters so intriguing I had to pick up the first book, 8 Notes to a Nobody, to find out more about the characters. I loved that this novel was about a regular girl who faces real issues – misunderstandings with friends, complexities of blended families, difficulties with aging loved ones and complicated feelings of a new relationship. Toney expertly blends all of this around an intriguing family mystery which makes the story even more compelling. This is the kind of book so many parents search for – a thoroughly enjoyable wholesome story with issues that teen readers can relate to.

[Marissa Shrock · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 10 Steps to Girlfriend Status teenager Wendy must adjust to life with a new stepfamily and navigate a blossoming relationship with the hunky David Griffin. Not only that, but Wendy also has to deal with the fact that her neighbor (and grandmother figure) Mrs. V has Alzheimer’s. Then Wendy begins to unravel a decades-old family mystery. This novel has conflict, romance, and mystery that teenagers will find relatable and fun.

I received a free e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Lisa Godfrees · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like a little mystery to go along with your young adult fiction?

Cynthia Toney does an excellent job of navigating the waters of blended families, the yo-yo of life when you have a boyfriend and your BFF does not, and the difficulties of losing someone you care about. Racial issues, dealing with an aging loved one, and a peek at 1960's America--this book has it all. Deftly written, set in Louisiana. Appropriate for tweens but engaging enough for adults to enjoy. It even made me cry. :'(

Highly recommended.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Linda Sammaritan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second book in the Bird Face series, we follow Wendy from eighth grade into her first year of high school. Not only must she deal with the ups and downs of romance, her new family situation throws her a few curve balls, and she must learn how to deal with loss. Toss in a mystery involving her long lost great uncle and a cute deaf guy who snags Wendy's attention, and you've got plenty to keep you turning pages until The End.

[Beth Steury · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful continuation to Wendy's story, begun in "Bird Face" now titled "8 Notes to a Nobody". A relevant story about the realities of high school, family life/blended families, young love, friendship and the all important "who am I?" questions all young people face. A GREAT read!

[Corinna Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great read. There’s so much to like in this book. I think my favourite thing was the deaf character, Sam, who speaks American Sign Language—it’s always so great to see convincingly portrayed characters with disabilities as significant players in a book. And he’s so lovely!

A close second was Wendy’s relationship with her elderly neighbour, Mrs V., who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. The elderly are so often invisible in our society—and in our entertainment—so this significant relationship and important plot strand were very welcome. It also played out in a convincing and moving way.

I also loved the mystery involving an interracial romance at a time when that was not widely accepted. However, I both liked, and disliked, the fact that it all ended up tying up so very neatly in the modern day. Very contradictory of me, I know, but I can’t quite decide how I feel about that!

Another thing I couldn’t quite decide how I felt about was the presentation of the ‘blended’ family. With divorce and remarriage so prevalent nowadays, this is a reality for many teens, and it’s great for them to see an honest treatment of it, not minimising the challenges, but showing that it can be made to work well. But I’m always, simultaneously, uneasy about the consequences of taking the normalising of something of this nature too far. No one wants teens in this situation to feel bad, to struggle, let alone to be bullied. But if divorce and remarriage are normalised in their minds, they are more likely to repeat the cycle themselves. This dilemma is not specific to this book, of course, and I have chewed on it for a long time and have no answer. The portrayal of a blended family is certainly done very well in this book and should help teens dealing with such situations.

This next bit of this review is only relevant to Catholics. I was under the impression that this was a ‘Catholic’ book about a Catholic protagonist and family. Quite honestly, that’s not made clear at all—though I should note that I have not read book 1, so maybe it is made crystal clear there. To check that I hadn’t missed anything in this book (I was reading fast, very eager to find out what was going to happen) I actually did a search for specifically Catholic words and the only one I found was ‘Mass’, which appears once. So if you’re looking for a specifically Catholic book, this isn’t the one for you. It’s a vaguely, gently Christian book and a very nice read, but I’d hesitate to label it as specifically ‘Catholic’.

This raises a slight problem for Catholic readers, because consistent with the lack of explicit Catholicism, the author also omits even one single sentence, one tiny nod, to the idea that the mother of the protagonist might have acquired an annulment before remarrying. Since the protagonist’s father is alive, this gives an extremely bad impression. I read somewhere that the author felt that readers would ‘assume’ the annulment. But with such a deafening silence on the subject and with the family’s Catholicism not made explicit, I would have assumed the exact opposite and I imagine many teens growing up in our current culture will as well. So if you are Catholic, you will NEED to have a conversation with your teens about annulments after they read this book and make sure they did understand that ‘of course Wendy’s mother wouldn’t have remarried without one’.

Catholic bit over!

The only other thing that made me slightly uncomfortable in this book was that the teen protagonist kisses a boy on her first date. Not her first date with that particular boy, but her very first date, EVER. And that’s presented as normal and healthy. There seems to be a bit of a convention in teen fiction that a kiss doesn’t ‘count’ as sexual activity, but as something utterly sweet and innocent, and this book is far from alone in following this convention. However, this doesn’t really tally with reality and I do question how easily teens getting physical right from the get-go are going to manage to wait for marriage.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed the book, and I think it could be a great jumping off point for conversations about a really wide range of issues and topics. I’m certainly looking forward to reading the rest of the series, and especially to seeing more of Sam! I think he’s definitely my favourite character.

[I am acquainted with the author through author groups but purchased my own copy of this book to read and review. Opinions my own.]

[Kasey Giard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the first book in the series (then called Bird Face... now called 8 Notes to a Nobody) and really connected with Wendy. She's one of those kids who has a plan for everything. If only life would go according to her plans! I love her heart for her new step-sister and her elderly neighbor.

In the story, Wendy wants to work up to being David's girlfriend. She breaks down the process into ten steps which she hopes to complete. It's all innocent stuff - holding his hand, meeting his parents, that sort of thing. Her journey to understand what it is to be someone's girlfriend made me laugh and tear up a little bit remembering my own experiences. Wendy's life is full of relationship changes. Her mom has just married her step-dad. One of her friends becomes her step-sister. She learns about a scandal in her family's past that makes her rethink some things she thought she knew about love and family.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I think the innocent approach to dating makes this a great read especially for younger readers who are just starting to explore dating relationships. It's also a great story for anyone who's experienced or will experience the transition into a blended family. I definitely recommend this one.

[Patrice Fagnant-macarthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "10 Steps to Girlfriend Status," Cynthia Toney continues the first-person narrative of Wendy Robichaud that she began in “8 Notes to a Nobody.” Like the first book in the Bird Face Series, the sequel is issue-driven fiction for teens. This time around, Wendy is struggling to cope with a blended family after her mom remarries. Wendy’s best friend Alice is now her sister and she has gained a six-year old brother. The whole family needs to adjust. In addition, her former next-door neighbor and adopted grandmother, Mrs. V., is suffering from Alzheimer’s. And, to make life more emotionally complex, Wendy is starting to date.

Thrown into the fictional mix is a mystery Wendy is trying to solve about a great uncle that disappeared many years earlier after falling in love with a girl his family didn’t approve of.

"10 Steps to Girlfriend Status" is an enjoyable read. Those who read the first two books in the Bird Face series will be eager for Toney to pen more stories about Wendy and her life.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

10 Steps is a YA novel centering around 14-year-old Wendy. The girl has many things happening in her life that keep the novel quick-paced. Her mother is remarrying and she is moving in with her new step family. She is interested in a boy at school and is trying to make sense of all her emotions. She struggles with understanding friendships and how to be a good person. Her elderly neighbor is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and she is heartbroken. There is also a side plot of an old family mystery that works as an intriguing addition.
I think this story would appeal most to middle school girls, especially navigating the emotional ups and downs of growing up. I appreciated the normalcy of religion and prayer in the story. Wendy’s sweet heart for her neighbor was a real driving thrust in the story and I loved seeing the import Toney placed upon it.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read 8 Notes to a Nobody, I was eager to continue Wendy's story, and this book does not disappoint. The author has managed to reconnect with her 14 year old emotions. They all ring true! As with the first book, this story goes beyond the problems of being a girlfriend and tackles realistic, serious problems that many young people will face: blended families, effects of divorce, family tragedy, and serious illness. I give this installment 4.5 stars only because there were a few scenes I thought ended too abruptly, but younger readers probably won't mind the shorter scenes and snappy pacing. There are some great discussion questions at the end which keep the reader thinking long after the last satisfying page of the story is read!

[Kristen Parnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toney had me from page one where her heroine describes her budding relationship as expanding "like a Cajun cornbread hushpuppy in hot oil." Little does Wendy know how a boyfriend will complicate her life, and little does she understand what matters most in a relationship. But she's about to learn.

With fresh descriptions, conversational dialogue, and relatable characters, this book was a delight to read. I especially appreciated how the characters dealt with real-life struggles that face blended families and people with disabilities. Toney showed that these situations provide a unique opportunity for developing meaningful relationships amid the challenges.

[T.M. Gaouette · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this novel, Toney takes the reader to where she left off in her first book in the Bird Face series, "8 Notes to Nobody." This novel has the main character, Wendy, dealing with the complications of a relationship, not only with her crush, but with her friends and family. Again, Toney introduces a juicy mystery into the mix, and this time, with a Cajun touch. Both Toney's novels are coming of age stories that young teens can relate to. The author did give me a copy of this novel for review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life isn't always wrapped up in pretty packages, and that's what the author presents in this book.
Wendy is a likable character who's figuring out her way. She makes some mistakes along the way but learns from them.
I loved the character of Sam. I hope that if there's a third book, that he's around for it.

This is a great book for readers who enjoy a good, solid, clean read.