Speed of Life

Twins Crystal and Amber have the same goal: to be the first in their family to graduate high school and make something of their lives. When one gets pregnant during their junior year, they promise to raise the baby together. It’s not easy, but between their after-school jobs, they’re scraping by. Crystal’s grades catch the attention of the new guidance counselor, who tells her about a college that offers a degree in automotive restoration, perfect for the car buff she is. When she secretly applies-and gets in-new opportunities threaten their once-certain plans, and Crystal must make a choice: follow her dreams or stay behind and honor the promise she made to her sister. AGES: 14 and up AUTHOR: J.M. Kelly loves the rain, which is good because she was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. She spent her childhood with her nose in a book, often in the backseat of whatever old car her dad had at the time. She’s worked as an actress, a Minor League Baseball souvenir hawker, Snow White at birthday parties, and various other not-so-odd jobs. Now she mostly writes novels, but she still dabbles in sketch comedy, nonfiction articles, and teaching writing to both kids and adults. She recently wrote and starred in her first full-length play, along with her husband and his guitar. REVIEWS: the book remains a believable portrait of blue-collar teens struggling to make it work against tough odds. Details and Permalink