Review: The DUFF

     

Title: The DUFF
Author: Kody Keplinger

Series: None
Pages: 343

Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Release Date: April 5th 2012 (UK)
Source: For Review
Rating: 5 stars
100 Book challenge: #6

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face. 

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley. 

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

In 2011 I read The DUFF and absolutely adored it. When I was given the opportunity to review it I was ecstatic to read this wonderful novel again. I will post my original review and share my views on the book after my second reading.

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I really enjoyed The DUFF. I hadn’t planned on reading it for a while but it kept calling to me so in the end I gave in. I read the whole thing from start to finish, not once putting it down. It was that good.

I loved the whole message throughout the novel. I think everyone has felt like the DUFF (designated ugly fat friend) at least once. I know I have on more than one occasion. The message really stuck the whole way through and it was really central to the plot.

Bianca was awesome. Sarcastic, witty and catty. She isn’t someone I should like but I couldn’t help but love both her strength and her vulnerability. She was very sure of herself and confident on the outside and whilst she genuinely is confident she, like every girl, has insecurities which are made worse by Wesley, resident manwhore of her school.

I heart Wesley. I know. Sure, he was a complete bastard jerk but he grew throughout the novel and became incredibly sweet and just pure perfection. Definitely my favourite character.

The thing I loved about the characters was that they are so real. They were just teenagers. I felt like I could know them in real life. The plot also felt realistic, though I don’t know if it is.

Now lets talk about sex. There is sex in this book. If you hate sex stay away. There is quite a bit of sex. However, I thought it was tastefully done despite the fact that the reason why they were having sex wasn't overly so. It wasn’t unnecessarily graphic and wasn't off putting (for me anyway).

I’m not a prude and I know some teenagers have sex. I can accept this, being a teenager myself. If I heard about a girl doing this in my school I would roll my eyes and judge. This book, however, completely changed my mind. I am not saying that I agree with Bianca using sex as a distraction for her problems, especially with a guy that she hated. I can understand why she did it though. Kody Keplinger managed to get me to sympathise with a character than in real life I would judge. She has mad skills.

The writing was great. It was intense and raw and just real. It wasn't flowery or overly descriptive it just told it like it was. Bianca’s voice was very distinctive and gripping.

Kody also managed to address a lot of issues in addition to sex and self esteem. There were mentions of divorce and alcoholism and she also touched slightly upon the aftermath of sex.

I really like the ending. It felt really fitting and true to the novel and the characters. It wasn’t overly sweet and unrealistic. It had the right amount of cute and realism.

That is basically all I have to say. It rocked. I want to read it again, like, right now. I am off to go flick through and find my favourite bits!

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The DUFF was just as good the second time round. Kody is a really talented author and isn't afraid to tackle difficult issues. The DUFF will always be a book I can just pick up when I need to read something great. It will always have a home on my bookshelf.

Review: Ticket to Love

   

Title: Ticket to Love
Author: Marilyn Kaye

Series: Ticket to Love #1
Pages: 320

Publisher: Hodder
Release Date: Released
Source: For Review
Rating: 3.5 stars
100 Book challenge: #18

Erica, Megan, Jen and Serena are on the brink of their adult lives, hoping for fun together before the serious future sets in. So when Jennifer wins a competition and the prize is a long weekend in New York for all four of them, it couldn't have come at a better time. Erica will finally get to meet her online friend Dan ...Serena can't wait to hit Manhattan's cultural hotspots...Jen's going to stalk as many celebs as possible...and shopaholic Megan plans to give her credit card a serious work-out! But things don't always to run to plan, as each of the four girls discover. The weekend is full of surprises and some unexpected romance...By the time the plane touches back down in London, some big decisions will have been made...A funny, engaging and glamorous page turner!

The book had a very 'Sex and the City' meets 'Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants' vibe. These friendship books with individual stories of each girl showing their romances really appeals to me which is why I enjoyed this.

Each girl had her own personality so it was easy to distinguish between them. They all had their own 'quirks' like fashion or stalking celebrities which made them easy to identify. I liked how different they were and yet their friendship was still so strong. I did, however, find they were very mature for their age and they could have been a lot older than they were.

The romances were done really well. Jen's romance had to be my favourite I think. Things weren't always easy in the romance department for the girls and there were lots of obstacles in the way!

Ticket to Love is a light fun read that will leave you with a happy feeling. Nothing super special but really enjoyable none the less!

In My Mailbox {35}

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren

(no video as I am sick and my voice sounds terrible)

For Review:

Partials by Dan Wells

Fateful by Claudia Gray
Faery Tales & Nightmares by Melissa Marr
Power of Six by Pittacus Lore
The Immortal Rules (signed) by Julia Kagawa

Bought with a birthday gift card (from September):

Paper Towns by John Green
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler
Sisterhood Everlasting (Book #4) by Ann Brashares

What did you get in your mailbox?

In My Mailbox {34}

In My Mailbox {33}

For Review:

Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb
A Million Suns by Beth Revis
The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting
Fated by Alyson Noel
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

what did you get in your mailbox?

Help Needed

Hello Everyone :) Sorry I have been a little MIA lately but I'm hoping you'll forgive me and give me some advice.

I got an email from my sister's boyfriend's mother asking for some book advice. She sent me this:

Dear Alice

Hi, I got your email address from lauren so I could ask your advice.  Our son Tom's finacee is French and her mum is learning English (rather late in the day).  I am emaling her from time to time to help with this!

She has been reading some of the Alex Rider books which I think she enjoys.  She is coming here at Easter and I said i would find some other books for teenagers that she would like.  Can you recommend any that are a) quite easy to read and b) would appeal to a middle-aged woman!

i did think of Jacquleine Wilson, but thought they might be a bit too young - what do you think?

Thanks a lot!

Denise 

I wondered if you guys had any suggestions. I would love to hear them. Thanks :)

Review: 172 Hours on the Moon

     

Title: 172 Hours on the Moon
Author: Johan Harstad

Series: None
Pages: 359

Publisher: ATOM
Release Date: April 5th 2012 (UK)
Source: For Review
Rating: 4 stars
100 Book challenge: #7

Three teenagers are going on the trip of a lifetime. Only one is coming back. It's been more than forty years since NASA sent the first men to the moon, and to grab some much-needed funding and attention, they decide to launch an historic international lottery in which three lucky teenagers can win a week-long trip to moon base DARLAH 2-a place that no one but top government officials even knew existed until now. The three winners, Antoine, Midori, and Mia, come from all over the world. But just before the scheduled launch, the teenagers each experience strange, inexplicable events. Little do they know that there was a reason NASA never sent anyone back there until now-a sinister reason. But the countdown has already begun. 

172 Hours on the Moon was a wonderfully written book, full of suspense, fascination and mystery. From the very beginning I was intrigued by the plot and the further I got through the novel, the more secrets there seemed to be. Anyone who loves mystery, space and a touch of fear factor will really love this one!

The plot was so fascinating. I love Space and the idea of teenagers venturing up to the moon really attracted me to this book. From the start there are hints that things aren't quite right with the intentions of the trip and there is a slow drip drip of information throughout the novel. However, it seems as though when one question is answered, two more are formed. I loved the suspense and mystery and this aspect held my attention whilst reading.

I liked all the main characters. Mia was probably my favourite, though. I felt attached to all of them, despite the 3^rd person narration. The back stories of these characters really shaped them and allowed the reader to connect to them.

I knew the book looked a little sinister and the idea of things going wrong in Space is terrifying but I wasn’t expecting how eerie the book was. I definitely had trouble reading it at night before I went to bed.

Overall, I really really enjoyed 172 Hours on the Moon. I recommend it to those who are interested in Space and love a good mystery with a splash of scary thrown in!