chrstnareads's review
4.0
I loved the narrator's voice. She made me laugh out loud a few times. It's a really cute story, and I don't really want to get into it all right here, but let's just say that Marcus is easier to take if you pretend he doesn't have dreadlocks. I mean, really.
Also really weird? It takes place in the so-far-as-I-can-tell fictional town of Pineville, NJ, which REALLY throws me of because I grew up in Pineville, NC... and now live in NJ. It's just really weird to read things like "Pineville Elementary" (the name of my elementary school), and just the name of the town in general. But kind of cool.
Top 5 Reason Why This Book Is Worth The Read
5. Jessica is depressed for most of the book, but her view remains really kind of plucky.
4. It has elements of Mean Girls, only lacks the annoying Lohan.
3. There are several laugh-out-loud moments thanks to Jessica's wit.
2. McCafferty really nails down the crazy in us all.
1. Marcus Flutie. (It helped that I pictured him looking like Tate from American Horror Story. Because, really. Reddish dreadlocks aimed to make me swoon? I think not.)
Also really weird? It takes place in the so-far-as-I-can-tell fictional town of Pineville, NJ, which REALLY throws me of because I grew up in Pineville, NC... and now live in NJ. It's just really weird to read things like "Pineville Elementary" (the name of my elementary school), and just the name of the town in general. But kind of cool.
Top 5 Reason Why This Book Is Worth The Read
5. Jessica is depressed for most of the book, but her view remains really kind of plucky.
4. It has elements of Mean Girls, only lacks the annoying Lohan.
3. There are several laugh-out-loud moments thanks to Jessica's wit.
2. McCafferty really nails down the crazy in us all.
1. Marcus Flutie. (It helped that I pictured him looking like Tate from American Horror Story. Because, really. Reddish dreadlocks aimed to make me swoon? I think not.)
kricketa's review
5.0
snark!
just read it again in preparation for a book discussion group with the teens at work. and because you can never read this book too many times.
it sounds like a typical teen angst fest: sophomore jessica "notso" darling's best friend, hope, has moved away and jess is left to face pineville high on her own. jess journals about her other friends, who suck, her parents, who suck, the new girl hy, who might not suck, and marcus flutie, the enigmatic bad boy who definitely sucks but makes jess' heart go aflutter.
what makes this book stand out is jess' voice: brilliant, snappy, sarcastic, hilarious. i love her for her moodiness and snark, for her painful honesty which is even directed at herself, and for her ironic pop culture references. one of those books where you wish the main character was real and worked in your office.
first read: summer 2002
second read: summer 2003
third read: march 2008
fourth read: october 2014
just read it again in preparation for a book discussion group with the teens at work. and because you can never read this book too many times.
it sounds like a typical teen angst fest: sophomore jessica "notso" darling's best friend, hope, has moved away and jess is left to face pineville high on her own. jess journals about her other friends, who suck, her parents, who suck, the new girl hy, who might not suck, and marcus flutie, the enigmatic bad boy who definitely sucks but makes jess' heart go aflutter.
what makes this book stand out is jess' voice: brilliant, snappy, sarcastic, hilarious. i love her for her moodiness and snark, for her painful honesty which is even directed at herself, and for her ironic pop culture references. one of those books where you wish the main character was real and worked in your office.
first read: summer 2002
second read: summer 2003
third read: march 2008
fourth read: october 2014
raloveridge's review
4.0
Welp, I absolutely demolished this in like 18 hours.
This was really fun! I spent half of the time wishing that I could, like, MENTOR JESSICA INTO BEING LESS OF AN ASS, and the other half just thinking, "oh, honey." Because this book is totally set during what was MY sophomore year of high school, which put me into a pretty hilarious "high school is the absolute worst" tailspin. Totally going to fly through this series; it's great summer reading. :D
This was really fun! I spent half of the time wishing that I could, like, MENTOR JESSICA INTO BEING LESS OF AN ASS, and the other half just thinking, "oh, honey." Because this book is totally set during what was MY sophomore year of high school, which put me into a pretty hilarious "high school is the absolute worst" tailspin. Totally going to fly through this series; it's great summer reading. :D
vikcs's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
saaniaks's review
4.0
fucking stupid book she’s so embarrassing i hate her like i hate her she’s so annoying but i do like marcus
glkrose's review
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jleaabell's review
5.0
I thought that this book was very enjoyable and reminded me how I felt a lot of the tine in high school. Can't wait for the next one.
thepuncess's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
paws_in_pages's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75