Ready or Not (All-American Girl #2)

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3.6 (18)

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Author(s)

Meg Cabot

Publisher

HarperCollins Publishers

Genre(s)

General Fiction

Age Range

12+

Release Date

July 26, 2005

ISBN

0060724501

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Top ten things Samantha Madison isn't ready for: 10. Spending Thanksgiving at Camp David 9. With her boyfriend, the president's son

8. Who appears to want to take their relationship to the Next Level

7. Which Sam inadvertently and shockingly announces live on MTV

6. While appearing to support the president's dubious policies on families, morals, and yes, sex

5. Juggling her new after-school job at Potomac Video

4. Even though she already has a job as teen ambassador to the UN (that she doesn't get paid for)

3. Riding the Metro and getting accosted because she's "the redheaded girl who saved the president's life," in spite of her new, semipermanent Midnight Ebony tresses

2. Experiencing total role reversal with her popular sister Lucy, who for once can't get the guy she wants

And the number-one thing Sam isn't ready for?

1. Finding out the hard way that in art class, "life drawing" means "naked people."

Top ten things Samantha Madison isn't ready for: 10. Spending Thanksgiving at Camp David 9. With her boyfriend, the president's son

8. Who appears to want to take their relationship to the Next Level

7. Which Sam inadvertently and shockingly announces live on MTV

6. While appearing to support the president's dubious policies on families, morals, and yes, sex

5. Juggling her new after-school job at Potomac Video

4. Even though she already has a job as teen ambassador to the UN (that she doesn't get paid for)

3. Riding the Metro and getting accosted because she's "the redheaded girl who saved the president's life," in spite of her new, semipermanent Midnight Ebony tresses

2. Experiencing total role reversal with her popular sister Lucy, who for once can't get the guy she wants

And the number-one thing Sam isn't ready for?

1. Finding out the hard way that in art class, "life drawing" means "naked people."

Editor reviews

2 reviews

Are you ready for this?

August 10, 2005

Overall rating

5.0

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I liked Sam in the original All-American Girl novel and I actually like her even more now, in the sequel Ready or Not. Unlike Mia in the Princess Diaries series, Sam is a bit naive, but not totally clueless when it comes to dating.

She and David (the president's son, if you haven't read the first book) have been dating for a year now. When he asks her if she wants to go to Camp David for Thanksgiving with them and play Parcheesi, etc., she assumes that he's using Parcheesi as a euphemism for...it. That's right. The big IT. S-E-X.

The entire book is mostly Sam's journey to finding out whether she really is ready&or not, to do the deed with David. She wavers back and forth over the big decision and even turns to her big sister Lucy for advice.

I'd like to say here that Meg Cabot lets out one of womankind's big secrets via Lucy's advice. I'm not going to tell you what it is here, but I will say, to any guys out there reading this: dudes, don't read it. There are some things you don't want to know and we don't want you to know. Really. I mean it (of course, hordes of boys are now going to rush out and read the book in secret, but I did my best).

In between (and no, I'm not going to tell you what happens at Camp David you'll just have to find out for yourself), Sam stands up to the President and his family initiative, which includes some provisions she can't stand behind, and battles with the 'Right Way' group at school, led by the ever-annoying and smarmy Kris Parks. She goes through some tough times, but always manages to find some way out that keeps her true to herself.

Given the book's topic, I should insert a small warning here that sex is definitely discussed (in some depth), as is the use of condoms and other contraceptives. If you're a parent with a younger teen, this would be a great book to read together and get those lines of communication open. Nothing's really too explicit, so the age range recommended by the publisher (12 and up) is valid, though I imagine some parents would put a 14 and up label on it (of course, still others would put an 18 and up label, but let's not go there).

Fans of the first book will definitely like this one. The tie-in with her art lessons is also again present, and leads to some funny moments (like when Sam doesn't realize that 'life drawing' = naked people). This is another fun book from Meg Cabot that her fans will surely enjoy.

Kimberly Pauley Top 50 Reviewer 393 reviews

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User reviews

18 reviews

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1 star

17%

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3.6

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The first one was better

October 17, 2007

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4.0

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Reader reviewed by ToRi

I found this book a little less entertaining thanthe first All American Girl but otherwise it was still a good book.

Samantha Madison is tired of people thinking that she is following the president and doesn't want to look like a goody-goody. She dyes her hair black to show the people she works with that she is not a perfect person and she wants to be cool too. She also does this in hopes of staying unregognisable but isn't so lucky.

Now everythings changing and everyone thinks she's ready. David, Miss Boone and the president for all different things.
Samantha is not so sure she's ready to handle all of these things. She's only 16.

But is she ready???

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Are you ready yet?

October 08, 2007

Overall rating

5.0

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Reader reviewed by Melissa

This book, Ready or Not, is the sequel to the book All-American Girl. In the book All- American Girl, the main topic was about how Samantha Madison, the main character, saved the president's life from assassination. Samantha is now 16-years-old and is in junior high school. Samantha is ready to stop being the girl who saved the president's life, so she dyes her hair black to hide her identity. Samantha is invited to Camp David for Thanskgiving with the President's family. David wants to play Parchessi, which she thinks is another way of saying he wants to... DO IT. I'm not going to give away the whole story, you'll have to read it, but Samantha goes through many obstacles a normal teen goes through. Failing grades, sex, parent problems, etc. This book is wrote in the first person. All teen girls, and for this matter, all teen boys, think about these things sometime in their lives. If the author, Meg Cabot, hadn't touched upon this subject, it would have been an unrealistic view of a teenager's life. I think the age groups that would most likely read this is 12 and up. The setting is in Washington D.C. In this book you will learn the meaning of life drawing-- I didn't know what it meant. This book is hilarious, spunky, witty, and fun to read. I hope you read this book, I recommend it!!

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Worst Meg Cabot Book

August 22, 2007

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1.0

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Reader reviewed by Ema

All American Girl was funny, addicting, and lovable. It was great in all it's repects and i was looking forward to reading this book. What I want to know is where did all the original magic from the first one go?

The first one was larger than life in a good way. This one is just to big to swallow. It's an insult to the main charecter, who in the first one was laughable and clever. Here she has just lost all her fire and is stupid.

Even the lists have gone down hill. (Which made the first one so funny.)

It was so bad that I didn't even care when the climax appears. The ending was horrible. The problem with meg Cabot is she doesn't know when to stop writing. In my humble opinion, I think she should have left well enough alone.

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Sequel to a Hit

December 07, 2006

Overall rating

4.0

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Reader reviewed by Katrina

This book is the sequel from All American Girl written by Meg Cabot. The main character Sam shows how relationships are not really easy to handle. She is faced with the decision of wheter or not she wants to take her relationship to a whole new level. This may be a little too mature for younger readers but it still has that flavor that fans of Meg Cabot love about her. A definite read.

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BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May 28, 2006

Overall rating

2.0

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Reader reviewed by ysb1993

very boring. The first book American Girl was so much better, this book can easily be named snooze fest. To much sex relatedd material to lead up to a none sexualy related ending. You wate and wate for it to happen but then its kinda iffy if it did happen andthen you keep wondering if they did and then you dont fined out untill most people would have put down the book. I literally fell asleep.Meg Cabot is one of my favorite author andthis was the only oneof her books i could not stand. Please do nt read this try reading her Mediator series its amazing please just skip this book.

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A Little Too...

March 14, 2006

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2.0

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Reader reviewed by Milanna R.

All American Girl was the first book. it came before ready or not. ready or not was not one of the best books i have read. it is mainly about a girl ( Samantha Madison) that has a boyfriend ( the first son). he invites her on a getaway to camp david. an overnight camp. she does not know if she is ready to spend the night alone with him. witness this book and see for yourself why it is not as good as all american girl.

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Ready Umm Yes and No

January 10, 2006

Overall rating

3.0

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Reader reviewed by Val

I persoally don't really enjoy the All-American girl series. I'm saying this because reading the mediator series sets a pretty high bar that few series can sucessfully come to par with. I thought this book was ok. I thought that maybe the book would be better than the last one but it really wasn't if anything it was worse. I thought the book although good natured was really more a beach novel. Nothing that makes you want to read until its 3 in the morning. There are some humorous parts like the whole parchessy miscommunication but i thought it was overplayed. I found myself getting annoyed and wishing that she would let it slip or something. I mean its a good book no doubt but i think in that the all american girl series is that, just good.

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not ready for this

January 07, 2006

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1.0

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Reader reviewed by artemis

The sequel is even worse than the first one. Nothing really changes and all Sam talks about is her weird sisters and the fact that she doesn't get paid for being a U.N. ambassador. Oh, and the fact that the First Son still likes her and wants to kick the relationship up a notch. Boring! I've read better teen books than this. Not amusing. Her sisters are too shallow for me. Again, boring.

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ready and loved it!

December 24, 2005

Overall rating

4.0

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Reader reviewed by sarah v.

Meg Cabot, author of the PRINCESS DIARIES series and possibly the most popular teen and YA fiction writer since Judy Blume has recently released one of the highly anticipated novels of 2005. READY OR NOT, the long awaited sequel to the #1 New York Times Best-selling ALL AMERICAN GIRL tells the first person narrative from the point of view of everyones favorite national heroine, Samantha Madison.

Sam is back and this time with a whole new set of problems (like a feeble attempt at disguising her trademark red hair with a dye-job that doesnt get quite the reaction she wanted).

Not like its hard enough being the ambassador to the UN while juggling her new job at Potomac Video but now she has to take a new Life drawing class (FYI life drawing means naked people AH!).Not to mention her boyfriend (who just happened to be the first son of the United States of America!) asks her to spend thanksgiving with him at Camp David and initiates that they could play Parcheesi (if you know what I mean). Sams got to decide if she and David are ready or not to take their love to the next level.

I enjoyed this book, though not as much as the first book, which to me is a classic and Megs best. But READY OR NOT brings up some relevant subject matter that was long over due (GO MEG!). There were a few discussions with Sams sister, Lucy, which are probably not suitable for the younger set, though they were very informative (and hilarious).
I would recommend this book for 14 and up.

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Are You Ready??

December 18, 2005

Overall rating

5.0

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Reader reviewed by Ruby

You have to be ready to read this! It one of those books that you cannot put down, but know whats gonna happen next, so predictable, but way too good! Can't wait till the next book come out from this series, well i should expect one! When Sam thinks her boyfriend wants "parchessi" with her...well she freaks out!! Sam doesn't think she ready to take her realtionship to the next level...or maybe she doesn't get his language??

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