It took me a little bit to get into the journal format- but Jane's dry sarcasm helped. :) I'll champion any book that tackles mental health issues and makes them a regular part of life, which this book does. Jane attempts suicide and drops out of high school. She begins her new lease on life by enrolling in Community College and entering a reality show where she lives in a youtube filmed home with other students as she attempts to win a car. This reads like a play and I think teens will love it.

I really enjoyed this story. I'm not a big fan of reality TV, but I found it an interesting setting for the story and as a way to help the character grow. I also liked the formatting of the dialogue, more like a script than using quotation marks. I found Jane relatable and real and I was invested in her story. I also throughly disliked Marc, I don't know how anyone could live with him! :)

The style of this book made for a fast furious read - I couldn't put it down! The script style gave you a very real feel for the events as they unfolded. Some of the themes are pretty serious, but the contrast of those themes coexisting in a Facebook/YouTube/reality show world makes for a whole picture of who Jane is, and how she grows over the course of a few months. If she were a real reality star, she'd probably have an international following. I recommend this book.

A ton of interesting ideas in Nice Try, Jane Sinner. The story centers on an older teen who must complete her diploma at a community college after a suicide attempt, while readjusting to life outside a strict religious upbringing and a complicated relationship to family and best friends. Oelke seems to capture what it would be like to live in a Big Brother-style reality tv setting, and how hard it can be to define yourself after going through such a life-changing experience. While using the framing device of the journal could be a good way to experience Jane's voice unfiltered, its use could feel imbalanced. We experience too much through an imaginary psychologist, and are purposefully left in the dark with Jane's plans for parts of the reality competition. It was a funny and different read, but the tone could be all over the place at times.

Content warnings: Suicide, depression

DISCUSSION OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
Despite it not being mentioned until halfway through the book, a major theme is Jane's suicide attempt. Though it's not discussed until halfway through the book, I'm not marking this as a spoiler because, to be frank, mental health is not a spoiler. And the book still held up with me knowing about the attempt going in, which proves it wasn't one of those "just a plot twist" discussions of suicide. Which I'm eternally grateful for.

Jane's struggles with herself, her parents, and her little sister mirrored my own experiences with depression. Jane is discovering her identity, something depressed people can struggle with, and one way of doing that is signing up for the reality show House of Orange. Which, of course, leads to one disaster after another.

Jane's frank nature and nihilism make for an interesting depiction of a mentally ill character. I'm thrilled to see a mentally ill character whose character arc doesn't revolve around their mental illness, but still has nuanced discussions of how difficult everyday life when you don't want to exist is.

PRINCESS OF SNARK
Though this book touched on serious topics, Jane never lost her dry sense of humor. She belongs in the Queens of Snark museum. Her humorous little insights on life kept me turning the pages, along with the unique plot concept.

SERIOUSLY, THIS REALITY SHOW WAS WILD
House of Orange was like Survivor meets community college. So. Imagine the beautiful mess that would be. I don't want to spoil much about HOO because it's something you REALLY need to experience first hand. All I'll say is: psychological experiments. Online leaks. Curtains for bedroom walls. Also, the discussion of manipulation behind the scenes was fascinating.

A character you can root for! Full review on Goodreads

I was unfortunately unable to download this book to my kindle to review.

I was in the mood for a funny YA book and this book really hit the spot! I loved the way that Jane's story was written. The journal type writing was fantastic. The characters were well developed, and Jane was relatable. Definitly recomend this one!

I wasn't sure what to think about this book at first because of the writing format...since it's a script format. But I feel like it really worked for this case! I read this book extremely fast but it was so much fun! It's funny, dramatic, serious, and sad at times but totally worth the journey! I love how sassy and authentic the main character is. Definitely laugh out loud funny at times and hitting you in the feels other times. Would definitely recommend this book for others to read!

I'm very sorry. When I requested this title, I didn't realize it was not available for download to Kindle. I will not be able to review this title.

Well, it looks like you can't read this kind of file on a kindle. Sorry, I was looking forward to reading something funny, but I will not be able to review if I cannot open the file. If you are able to send in a different format, I'd still be happy to give it a go.

I REALLY enjoyed this one. It's a mix between big brother and a contemporary story, which I loved because Big Brother is one of my favorite tv shows.

**I received an ARC from NetGalley**

For reasons that are later revealed to the reader, Jane Sinner chooses to finish out high school in a program sponsored by the local community college. An institution so desperate to be cool they change their mascot to the HashTags and the third most popular group on campus is the McNugz Club (eat 20 nuggets in 20 minutes to get in).

Jane is also desperate to change things up in her life and to move out from under her hyper-religious parents roof, so she applies to be a contestant on a new reality show, House of Orange, filmed by a group of students. Competing for glory (and a five year old used car), she is determined to be the last one standing.

Nice Try was an enjoyable read. The only thing that took some getting used to was the fact that the dialogue was written out like a script, but since the story is written in diary format it works. Throughout the story, one of the major conflicts involves Jane coming to terms with the fact that her religious beliefs may not match up with the beliefs of her parents and friends. I thought the author handled this conflict well. In some stories, this type of conflict can either come across as religious bashing or preachy-preachy. This story, in my opinion, did neither.

There were other tough subjects that the author handled well, and for that I applaud and appreciate her. I enjoyed the book and look forward adding it to my library collection.

Great, fresh voice and an entertaining book. I'll be purchasing this one for my classroom library! Jane Sinner is a memorable, layered character and the reader roots for her despite everything. I really enjoyed this book and I'll look forward to more from this author.

This book was well written and the main character, Jane, had a strong voice and backstory. However, the reality TV plot was not as believable or engaging as I would have liked. Maybe this book would go down better with reality TV fans.

I was sent a copy of this from the publisher. I was very excited for this one. However; I could not get into the writing style and format. This may be due to getting this for my Kindle and having to format it since it was not Kindle friendly. It was hard to follow and I did not like how conversations were listed with headings of the character more than a dialogue.

I may try reading this more on my computer since the formatting may be better. I just could not get into it.

Nice Try, Jane Sinner is a quirky, fantastic novel. I read a lot of YA and I don't think I've ever encountered such a unique narrator/protagonist who both infuriates readers and makes them fall in love with her. Jane's life is not going as planned. After a recent EVENT Jane is expelled from high school and her only choice to graduate is to enroll in her local community college. In an attempt to figure it all out and move out of her parent's house, she signs up to participate in a reality TV show with a chance to win a car and a college scholarship. As you may imagine, this isn't necessarily a sound plan but Jane weathers the bumps in the road and the unexpected consequences of her actions with humor and a sassy, self-deprecating attitude. The novel is almost entirely told through Jane's journal entries - and the conversations in her head. Ultimately, this is a novel about the challenges of being authentic and the importance of second chances as we figure out who we are and what the future holds. A great read!

Jane Sinner has a secret–a secret she’s trying to keep from everyone who doesn’t already know her past. Something happens Jane’s senior year of high school to cause her to drop out of school and finish her diploma at the local community college. When Jane begins the online reality show House of Orange, it appears that secret Jane is trying to keep will be exposed. So how well did Jane want it hidden? Told through diary entries, Jane’s voice is loud and snarky. If you liked We Were Liars or Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, you’ll like this.

Jane Sinner is not your typical main character. She is sassy, and a smart ass, and unapologetically herself. She's been through some tough experiences in her life, but they've helped shape her into the person that she is. I think one of the things that I love most about Jane is that she sticks to what she believes in, and she doesn't let others try to sway her. In the beginning of the book, Jane is faced with the decision of what to do after being kicked out of high school months before graduation. She knows that living at home isn't the best environment for her, because she doesn't have the same views as her parents and doesn't want them to constantly judge her and her actions. So she agrees to go to community college to finish her high school diploma, as long as she can move out of the house. I admire Jane's strength and tenacity.

Jane's story is told through the perspective of her diary, which is such a great format for this book. Seeing as though Jane is a contestant on a student-run reality show similar to Big Brother, being able to know Jane's deepest inner thoughts really allows the reader to get to know her. I've never been a huge fan of reality competition shows, but Big Brother has always been my guilty pleasure, and I loved that Jane Sinner took it's own spin on the show.

Jane's family is extremely religious, and the irony that their last name is Sinner is not lost on me. Being from a family that has religious values that I don't agree with, I was able to understand Jane's struggles with the issue. Jane can't really figure out a way to let her parents know that she doesn't believe in God without them thinking that there's something wrong with her.

Jane is so snarky, and I love it! For most of the novel, I felt like Jane's thoughts mirrored many of my own internal thoughts that I tend to keep to myself. She, however, has no qualms about speaking her mind and letting her thoughts be known. She is blunt and doesn't beat around the bush. I really think that more people should be like Jane Sinner, because the world would be so much less confusing.

The supporting cast of characters is so varied and lively. They are all so well developed, and you can tell that they each have their own motivations behind their actions. I really believe that none of the characters in Nice Try, Jane Sinner are like any others that I've seen before. 

I really don't think I could have asked for any more in this book. I devoured it so fast, and was immensely satisfied. It surprised me in the best ways, and took turns that were entirely unexpected. Jane Sinner is refreshingly unique, and should be at the top of every YA lover's 2018 TBR.