By Autumn Cornwell

This young adult novel kept this old adult captivated.  Vassare Spore is an overachieving sophomore who has her summer planned with AP classes to keep her on her fast track and assure that her future holds valedictorian honors, as well as a spot in a prestigious women's college.  Her parents named her Vassar for that veryreason.  However, a phone call from a mysterious, eccentric relative with an invitation to travel to Malaysia, Cambodia and Laos sets an entirely different kind of summer adventure in motion.  Learning to LIM (Live in the Moment), Vassar finds adventure, danger and a handsome young cowboy (?).  Well written by a former missionary kid from New Papua, this book is full of bugs, climate challenges and food adventures that only a resident of Southeast Asia would know.    Reviewed by Susan Richmond