*"I always thought we'd be friends to the end."*
Grace and Kya always do everything together, and nothing can get in the way of their friendship. They have a pact: Sisters Before Misters. Buds Before Studs.
Only Grace knows what Kya's been through, or how much she needs someone to stick by her. No matter what. Besides, Kya keeps life exciting―pulling Grace into things she'd never dare to do on her own. But inch by inch, daring is starting to turn dangerous. And Grace will have to decide how far she can go to save her friendship with Kya...before she ends up losing everything else.
"Fascinating and unique."―Jennifer Brown, author of *Hate List*, on *Who I Kissed*
"Gurtler handles complex issues of friendship and fidelity with laugh-out-loud humor and engaging frankness."―*RT Book Reviews*, on *If I Tell*
"Gurtler's writing unfurls with the exquisite grace of a flower."―Sarah Ockler, bestselling author of *Fixing Delilah* and *Twenty Boy Summer* on *I'm Not Her*
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### From School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up-Best friends Kya and Grace hope to make the Lady Grinders paintballing team in college. Rarely does anything come between them, but then Kya finds that drugs and alcohol make her feel better and help her forget the dark secret that she shares with very few people. Grace, the narrator, tries to keep Kya moving in a positive direction, even making excuses for her until she feels herself being dragged under the weight of her friend's destructive habits. This is a relatable story about nurturing a friendship, and it's not every day that teens will have the chance to read about paintballing. The lesson that Grace learns is a good one, and the strong female characters are a plus, but many readers will not wade through the details to get to the resolution.-Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton High School, Linden, MIα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
### From Booklist
“Buds Before Studs. Sisters Before Misters.” That’s the mantra repeated by best friends Grace and Kya. But the two couldn’t be more different; in spite of a shared love of playing paintball, and a desire to join the all-women’s team at Seattle University, Kya has a painful past, and it’s causing her to make poor decisions. This means one boy after the next, boozy nights, and letting Grace down time and again. And Grace takes it time and again. Eventually, Grace has to make the difficult decision many teens face: stick by your friend no matter what or finally prioritize your own needs and wants. While the “do what’s right for you” message feels a bit heavy-handed at times, and readers may have trouble identifying what it is Grace sees in manipulative Kya, the novel explores female friendships in a thought-provoking way. The paintball plotline adds a unique angle, as does the presence of a third close friend who happens to be a guy. There’s no hurt quite like best friend hurt, and that’s something Gurtler captures well. Grades 8-12. --Ann Kelley
Description:
*"I always thought we'd be friends to the end."* Grace and Kya always do everything together, and nothing can get in the way of their friendship. They have a pact: Sisters Before Misters. Buds Before Studs. Only Grace knows what Kya's been through, or how much she needs someone to stick by her. No matter what. Besides, Kya keeps life exciting―pulling Grace into things she'd never dare to do on her own. But inch by inch, daring is starting to turn dangerous. And Grace will have to decide how far she can go to save her friendship with Kya...before she ends up losing everything else. "Fascinating and unique."―Jennifer Brown, author of *Hate List*, on *Who I Kissed* "Gurtler handles complex issues of friendship and fidelity with laugh-out-loud humor and engaging frankness."―*RT Book Reviews*, on *If I Tell* "Gurtler's writing unfurls with the exquisite grace of a flower."―Sarah Ockler, bestselling author of *Fixing Delilah* and *Twenty Boy Summer* on *I'm Not Her* ** ### From School Library Journal Gr 8 Up-Best friends Kya and Grace hope to make the Lady Grinders paintballing team in college. Rarely does anything come between them, but then Kya finds that drugs and alcohol make her feel better and help her forget the dark secret that she shares with very few people. Grace, the narrator, tries to keep Kya moving in a positive direction, even making excuses for her until she feels herself being dragged under the weight of her friend's destructive habits. This is a relatable story about nurturing a friendship, and it's not every day that teens will have the chance to read about paintballing. The lesson that Grace learns is a good one, and the strong female characters are a plus, but many readers will not wade through the details to get to the resolution.-Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton High School, Linden, MIα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. ### From Booklist “Buds Before Studs. Sisters Before Misters.” That’s the mantra repeated by best friends Grace and Kya. But the two couldn’t be more different; in spite of a shared love of playing paintball, and a desire to join the all-women’s team at Seattle University, Kya has a painful past, and it’s causing her to make poor decisions. This means one boy after the next, boozy nights, and letting Grace down time and again. And Grace takes it time and again. Eventually, Grace has to make the difficult decision many teens face: stick by your friend no matter what or finally prioritize your own needs and wants. While the “do what’s right for you” message feels a bit heavy-handed at times, and readers may have trouble identifying what it is Grace sees in manipulative Kya, the novel explores female friendships in a thought-provoking way. The paintball plotline adds a unique angle, as does the presence of a third close friend who happens to be a guy. There’s no hurt quite like best friend hurt, and that’s something Gurtler captures well. Grades 8-12. --Ann Kelley