Review Detail

I picked this book up and expected to read just a few pages but ended up reading the entire thing in a few hours! I was surprised to find out that this was the author's first novel and that she was so young but I think her age lends credibility to the topic.

Ironically, I was just saying to a friend of mine that I enjoy reading YA books because they usually lack the sex and foul language of some Adult books but this one made me retract that comment within the first few pages. I realize they're main stream teens though.

I thought the main characters, Bianca and Wesley, even Casey were strong, well written and believable. In fact, I was surprised at how well I related to Bianca and her "Duff" feelings even though I've been out of high school for a few years. (I often felt like I was always the "BFF of the pretty girl") I thought that the author did a great job of showing that nothing and no one is exactly what they seem, from the outside anyway and that often times, we don't see ourselves as we really are. I liked that despite their differences, Bianca and Casey's friendship stood the test of time. Casey is the kind of lifelong BFF anyone would wish to have!

Bianca and Wesley's "relationship" if you can call it that is messed up right from the start and while it's obvious they are only using each other to fill a void, they do have redeeming qualities. They both are loyal to and protective of their family and friends, they keep each others secrets when it would seem they could easily wound one another by spreading them around school and they make amends for their mistakes.

The old saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." is so not true, especially when those words come from boys in regards to a girl's appearance. Girls need to be nice as well.