Review: NemeSIS by Susan Marshall

Dad has moved out and Mom has checked out, leaving the door wide open for the beautiful, erratic Rachel to torment her "loser, loner" younger sister, Nadine. With her family in full meltdown mode, Nadine is alone, trying to cope with Rachel’s increasingly unpredictable moods. Friendless, but determined to turn her life around, Nadine meets Anne, who introduces her to field hockey and to her hot twin brothers, Matt and Cameron.

As Nadine’s star begins to rise, however, Rachel plots to bring her back down, and the tension ratchets up when Rachel starts dating Matt just as Nadine is getting to know Cameron better. When Matt’s interest starts to fade, Rachel goes into overdrive. Is Nadine ready to risk it all in a final showdown with her sister?

Shona's review 3 of 5 stars

Something you should probably be aware of before starting this book, the ideal reading age range would be early to mid teens. Older readers may still enjoy this, but it can sometimes feel a little immature and a little repetitive; how many times do we have to hear how her father left and her mother couldn't deal with stuff... ?

In the beginning Nadine seems nice enough, but it isn't long before she shows herself to be a typical teenager. She has just started eating in the cafeteria with her new friend Anne when she is making fun of another girl.... but then when her other new friend Mei admits to calling a fellow hockey player Sasquatch Nadine is all offended for her and thinks her team mates are being cruel.
Even with her friends she isn't so nice. Once she becomes friends with Mei she almost pushes Anne away, admittedly its because she doesn't want Anne at her house in case Rachel is mean, and she cant face going to Anne's house in case her attractive older brother is there. But when Mei and Matt start texting and Mei lets slip that Matt has broken up with Rachel, Nadine is quick to have a go at Mei and lay the blame with her.

In short this is the tale of a loner who decides she needs to get out of the library and make some friends, perhaps find a boyfriend.... and as soon as she decides this she is suddenly ticking everything off her list. Oh and she stands up to her bullying big sister and diagnoses her with a mental illness to help excuse Rachel's awful treatment of her.

I like a happy ending as much as the next person but this one seems to be too sickly sweet...