They Could Have Named Her Anything by Stephanie Jimenez

Every morning, seventeen-year-old Maria Anís Rosario takes the subway an hour from her boisterous and close-knit family in Queens to her private high school on the Upper East Side, where she struggles to fit in as one of the only Latina students—until Rocky welcomes her into this new life. White, rebellious, and ignored by her wealthy parents, Rocky uses her money toward one goal: to get away with anything. To Maria, it’s a dazzling privilege.

As a bond develops between these unlikely friends, neither can see what they share most—jealousy and the desire for each other’s lives. But crackling under the surface of their seemingly supportive alliance, the girls begin to commit little betrayals as they strive to get closer to their ideals regardless of the consequences. 

Told from the perspectives of Maria, Rocky, and their fathers, They Could Have Named Her Anything explores the heartfelt expectation of what it means to live up to the name you’ve been given and the more rewarding discovery of what really matters.

REVIEW:

This book was just ok for me -- the writing is at times lyrically beautiful, and Maria's story as a scholarship kid thrown into a world of privilege is authentic and compelling, but I found myself so irritated with her for most of the book that I had a hard time connecting with it. Maria's relationship with her boyfriend Andres is so toxic that I simply couldn't believe she would continue to date him, her status as a lonely, angsty teen notwithstanding. I think the author did a good job capturing the intensity of emotion and drama that many adolescents experience, but overall I just wanted to finish the book and put it away. 3 stars.