Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson

So what's cool about this book is that it's based in the same school as another one of her books is (Speak). And the character actually runs into Melinda from the author book and refers to her as "Melinda-something!" How awesome is that?
Catalyst is about this control-freak girl who admits she has two parts: Good Kate and Bad Kate. Good Kate will willingly do chores because she knows it helps her family out and it it sort of calming while Bad Kate says, "Screw chores, they need to learn to pick up after themselves."
Kate is trying to get into MIT. She applied only to that school and not to any other safety schools, which was probably a Bad Kate move, and when MIT doesn't accept her, her whole perfectly-cotnrolled world starts to spiral. Actually, it acts as a CATALYST to start the spiraling, haha.
There's also Teri. Teri is a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who has a soft-in-the-head mother and a little brother that lights up everyone's day. After their house burn down, Katre's preacher father takes them in. Now, Kate and Teri are worst enemies, and now they're sharing a room. Not good.
You'll be surprised how it turns out, though.
I love Laurie Halse Anderson for writing about huge problems with such a good sense of humor, this book was really good and I loved how it tied into Speak.