Oh my god, this was amazing (but also quite tragic and depressing). I have to let this sink in before I can write a proper review. 
 UPDATE: 
 4.5 stars 
 The only reason I cannot give this book 5 stars is that it was too true to life (and a little too personal) and I like my books to have a little escapism in them :) But, that's just me. 
 Francesca has just started a new school year (junior year) at a new school that has very few girls. The private school was traditionally a boys school, but over the last couple of years, has begun allowing girls in the higher grades. You'd think this would be ideal for a 16 year old girl,, lots of boys to pick from. However, Francesca has a lot going on. Francesca's mom suddenly wakes up one day and she does not leave her bed. Even though Francesca and her mom, Mia have battled over everything, she still loves her mom very much, and not knowing what is going on or when Mia will climb out of her depression and climb out of bed is killing Francesca. 
 Francesca is not a happy girl, and everyone can see it written all over her face. 
 "I like you, Francesca. I like the way you treat your brother. Like he's your friend, and that's why I'm telling you this. Guys don't like chicks who are down all the time." 
 She struggles to find new friends and form new friendships at her new school, while trying to hold on to her "old" friends who have all matriculated to an all girls private school, together. What Francesca learns is that these "friends" of hers were really not true friends, and this brought back a lot of painful memories for me. 
 Saving Francesca isn't about others saving her, although the people she begins to count on as friends certainly try to do so. It's about Francesca finding the strength to be the person she is, and to love that person. 
 Dialog like this is why this book was so real. 
 I can hardly speak but I try. "I was born seventeen years ago," I tell him. "Do you think people have noticed that I'm around?" 
 "I notice when you're not. Does that count?" 
 I'm pretty sure that Melina Marchetta got a hold of my journal when I was in high school, because Francesca could be me,,, I am her. I would recommend just about anyone who remembers what it was to be a girl (or boy) in high school.