scribesprite's review
3.0
This book is really funny and entertaining. I thought the girl (Maggie) was a bit mean, even in the beginning when she thinks that she can't possibly ever think of dorks as freinds. Also Maggie did not do a good job in not being popular. She could've tried to be standoffish and blend in to become invisible. That would keep her from getting freinds.
Its a fun read but not a must read.
Its a fun read but not a must read.
lumos_libros's review
4.0
Sugar Magnolia, weird name right? But our main character prefers to go by Maggie. It would be an understatement to say that she moves A LOT. Her parents are the "free sprited" type and don't get tied down to one place. She is fed up with losing friends (and now boyfriend) everytime she moves, so she comes up with a brillant plan (well she thinks it's brillant). At her next school she is going to do everything possible to be the most unpopular student ever, so she'll never have to lose anybody again.
As you can already tell things don't go as planned...
This was a really funny book and it was hard for me to decide how many stars I should give it. I really enjoyed it but there were some things that I don't know... irked me. First of all her parents are probably are an extreme stereotype (I'm assuming), which is bad and good. Her parents bring a lot of comedic moments, but I never have met anybody who really is like her parents. I guess that doesn't mean those kind of people don't exist though. The other thing that bothered me was that realistically Maggie could have done better to become unpopular. She could have been rude, mean, and crude and then defintely she would have been friendless. But if she really did those things we wouldn't have this great story.
You really feel Maggie's pain, and there is one part in the book that I really had to push myself through (you'll get what I mean when you get there). I understand why the author had her do that, but still it was hard to watch.
Wonderful lesson, wish I had read this book in high school.
As you can already tell things don't go as planned...
This was a really funny book and it was hard for me to decide how many stars I should give it. I really enjoyed it but there were some things that I don't know... irked me. First of all her parents are probably are an extreme stereotype (I'm assuming), which is bad and good. Her parents bring a lot of comedic moments, but I never have met anybody who really is like her parents. I guess that doesn't mean those kind of people don't exist though. The other thing that bothered me was that realistically Maggie could have done better to become unpopular. She could have been rude, mean, and crude and then defintely she would have been friendless. But if she really did those things we wouldn't have this great story.
You really feel Maggie's pain, and there is one part in the book that I really had to push myself through (you'll get what I mean when you get there). I understand why the author had her do that, but still it was hard to watch.
Wonderful lesson, wish I had read this book in high school.
belles_bookshelves's review
4.0
This book was incredibly funny, though it's mostly because the main character embarasses herself so often. I found myself being embarassed for her a few times myself.
Qucik Overview: Maggie(Sugar Magnolia being her given name) has been moving around with her hippie parents her whole life and she's tired of it. Having to say goodbye to friends she just made, and having to be the new girl all over again. This last move was different though because this time she had to leave a boyfriend behind. A boyfriend that broke up with her because she's moving away. She makes a decision that this time she isn't going to make any friends. She's going to be by herself that way she can leave with no strings attached. Maggie is on a quest to be unpopular, but finds that she makes friends with a group of geeks and still manages to be more popular than ever.
I thought that Maggie would be a little more of a likable character, but she complained through practically the whole book. You understand her and feel for her though so it isn't too annoying. She does some pretty ridiculous stuff in her effort to be unpopular. Even though at times I wondered, she really does have a logical train of thought (although I would never come to the conclusions and courses of action that she does).In other reviews people mention how they hate when Maggie's mean to her friends. I admit that I almost hated her for doing it. I could see it coming, it was futile but I freaked out about how it was all going to go down. Really though it doesn't last very long at all so it's bearable. The message of the book is an old one but the author does a really good job of driving the point home. Showing us why we shouldn't care so much about what people think. Especially the ones that don't matter or that we don't like. Also the authors assessment of the high school dynamic was hilariously accurate (having moved around myself I can say that it's true for the most part).
I loved the friendships that Maggie develops. All her geeky friends are so weird that you have to love them. Even though Penny's awkward she's a great friend. It peeved me at first that the ending isn't totally wrapped up. The whole open ending thing kinda irks me. Most everything is resolved, but there's still room for other possibilities, but it makes sense. The author doesn't want other things to overshadow the true meaning of the book. One thing that I really feel needs to be mentoined is that it's a lot easier to be unpopular than Maggie portrays. If it was that easy to be accepted just about everyone would be popular. Still though a great funny, funny book with a good meassage that we have to keep on learning.
Qucik Overview: Maggie(Sugar Magnolia being her given name) has been moving around with her hippie parents her whole life and she's tired of it. Having to say goodbye to friends she just made, and having to be the new girl all over again. This last move was different though because this time she had to leave a boyfriend behind. A boyfriend that broke up with her because she's moving away. She makes a decision that this time she isn't going to make any friends. She's going to be by herself that way she can leave with no strings attached. Maggie is on a quest to be unpopular, but finds that she makes friends with a group of geeks and still manages to be more popular than ever.
I thought that Maggie would be a little more of a likable character, but she complained through practically the whole book. You understand her and feel for her though so it isn't too annoying. She does some pretty ridiculous stuff in her effort to be unpopular. Even though at times I wondered, she really does have a logical train of thought (although I would never come to the conclusions and courses of action that she does).In other reviews people mention how they hate when Maggie's mean to her friends. I admit that I almost hated her for doing it. I could see it coming, it was futile but I freaked out about how it was all going to go down. Really though it doesn't last very long at all so it's bearable. The message of the book is an old one but the author does a really good job of driving the point home. Showing us why we shouldn't care so much about what people think. Especially the ones that don't matter or that we don't like. Also the authors assessment of the high school dynamic was hilariously accurate (having moved around myself I can say that it's true for the most part).
I loved the friendships that Maggie develops. All her geeky friends are so weird that you have to love them. Even though Penny's awkward she's a great friend. It peeved me at first that the ending isn't totally wrapped up. The whole open ending thing kinda irks me. Most everything is resolved, but there's still room for other possibilities, but it makes sense. The author doesn't want other things to overshadow the true meaning of the book. One thing that I really feel needs to be mentoined is that it's a lot easier to be unpopular than Maggie portrays. If it was that easy to be accepted just about everyone would be popular. Still though a great funny, funny book with a good meassage that we have to keep on learning.
thepaperreels's review against another edition
2.0
This is one of those 'Why-the-heck-did-you-buy-that?!' kind of book.
The answer is: I don't know.. I really don't. All I know is that I wasted my money on it. It just sounds so fun, you know. I'm really looking for a laugh-out-loud kind of read since what I've been reading lately is making me sad or depressed. But I didn't get the 'fun' or 'laughs' on this one.
I can't even type this without yawning.
librariann's review against another edition
3.0
If Stargirl were fluffy chick lit, it would be this book. Daughter of hippies moves to Austin, Texas and decides to be unpopular to avoid getting hurt, but instead becomes a trendsetter. Oh, those wacky Austinites. Humorous! Recommend to those who enjoyed Hot Lunch.
book_nut's review against another edition
4.0
It's chock-full of high school stereotypes (popular people = snobby, geeks = cool), but I have to admit that I fell for it. Thoroughly enjoyable.
ryannreads's review against another edition
4.0
Maggie's parents believe that if people were meant to stay in one place then they would be plants. The last move has left her hearbroken and she is determined not to go through the pain of losing boyfriends or friends again. So, when she starts her new life in Austin she decides she will do everything possible NOT to be popular: wearing outrageous outfits from her parent's thrift store, inviting her parents to eat with her in the cafeteria, and doing everything possible to make her unavoidable date with Young Republican Jack turn into a total disaster. As you might guess, things don't go quite as planned. She turns the social scene at her school upside-down while making several surprising discoveries about her own life.
A funny, breezy read that would be good for lovers of young chic-lit that also presents opportunities for discussion about life in high school and beyond. Fun!
A funny, breezy read that would be good for lovers of young chic-lit that also presents opportunities for discussion about life in high school and beyond. Fun!
jeanwk's review against another edition
5.0
This book was laugh-out-loud funny, with a strong message about individualism to boot. Every time I finished a chapter, I wanted to tell someone, "Guess what Maggie did now!"