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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
I ended up really enjoying this book and I think the primary reason is because of the "voice" of the main character, Bianca Piper.
Bianca is 17 years old and is counting down the minutes until she can escape from her high school. Bianca reminded me of a few friends I had in high school. Sarcastic and witty in equal turns we find out that Bianca has a lot of barriers up because of a previous relationship and the current state of her parent's marriage. After a night out with her two gorgeous best friends Bianca is told by the popular and womanizing guy at her high school (Wesley Rush) that she is the DUFF in her group. DUFF he explains is the designated fat ugly friend. He explains in excruciating detail that him being nice to her makes her friends like him more so that way he can parlay that into one of them sleeping with him (yeah he's a winner). Bianca at that point who knew that she wasn't the most gorgeous out of her group of friends finds herself thrown into a tailspin where she starts obsessively comparing herself to her two friends and shockingly enough enters into a "hook up only" relationship with Wesley in order to avoid her personal life which is quickly coming undone.
I felt as if the other characters in the story were just as well done as Bianca. Everyone sounds like teenagers and have dreams of going to Prom with someone and falling in love. And just like teenagers there are stupid fights to overcome and apologies that need to be uttered.
I was ready to hate the character of Wesley, but I found myself warming and ultimately liking him just as much as Bianca. What teen boy hasn't been an idiot and instantly regretted it afterwards. You start to see how much pain he is in just like Bianca and you realize that for all of his popularity Wesley really doesn't have friends.
Bianca's two best friends Cassie and Jessica were just as well written. I would love to read a follow-up novel following these two and to hear more about Bianca as well. I think every teen out there needs friends who keep you balanced and don't put up with your shit when you are acting like an idiot (and like Bianca did a dozen times in this book).
The plot really is about Bianca trying to come to terms with everything that is going on in her life right now. Her parent's marriage, an ex boyfriend who used her terribly coming home to visit, and her crush on the perfect guy that may just lead to something real.
The setting of Hamilton feels very small townish and I thought worked very well in the overall context of the novel.
The pace and writing of the book worked great and I honestly didn't have any issues with it.
The only reason why I gave this book four stars is that the ending and a sub-plot with Bianca's dad really didn't work. There were problems and suddenly they were fixed. With regards to the sub-plot with Bianca's dad, I wish that Bianca had told her mother or her friends what was going on instead of sticking her head in the sand about how huge the issues were that were going on. And though I love the ending, it didn't really feel earned in a way. I mean I smiled (hey I don't have a heart of stone here), but I wanted it to be epic, like Lloyd Dobbler standing in the rain with a boombox epic.
Bianca is 17 years old and is counting down the minutes until she can escape from her high school. Bianca reminded me of a few friends I had in high school. Sarcastic and witty in equal turns we find out that Bianca has a lot of barriers up because of a previous relationship and the current state of her parent's marriage. After a night out with her two gorgeous best friends Bianca is told by the popular and womanizing guy at her high school (Wesley Rush) that she is the DUFF in her group. DUFF he explains is the designated fat ugly friend. He explains in excruciating detail that him being nice to her makes her friends like him more so that way he can parlay that into one of them sleeping with him (yeah he's a winner). Bianca at that point who knew that she wasn't the most gorgeous out of her group of friends finds herself thrown into a tailspin where she starts obsessively comparing herself to her two friends and shockingly enough enters into a "hook up only" relationship with Wesley in order to avoid her personal life which is quickly coming undone.
I felt as if the other characters in the story were just as well done as Bianca. Everyone sounds like teenagers and have dreams of going to Prom with someone and falling in love. And just like teenagers there are stupid fights to overcome and apologies that need to be uttered.
I was ready to hate the character of Wesley, but I found myself warming and ultimately liking him just as much as Bianca. What teen boy hasn't been an idiot and instantly regretted it afterwards. You start to see how much pain he is in just like Bianca and you realize that for all of his popularity Wesley really doesn't have friends.
Bianca's two best friends Cassie and Jessica were just as well written. I would love to read a follow-up novel following these two and to hear more about Bianca as well. I think every teen out there needs friends who keep you balanced and don't put up with your shit when you are acting like an idiot (and like Bianca did a dozen times in this book).
The plot really is about Bianca trying to come to terms with everything that is going on in her life right now. Her parent's marriage, an ex boyfriend who used her terribly coming home to visit, and her crush on the perfect guy that may just lead to something real.
The setting of Hamilton feels very small townish and I thought worked very well in the overall context of the novel.
The pace and writing of the book worked great and I honestly didn't have any issues with it.
The only reason why I gave this book four stars is that the ending and a sub-plot with Bianca's dad really didn't work. There were problems and suddenly they were fixed. With regards to the sub-plot with Bianca's dad, I wish that Bianca had told her mother or her friends what was going on instead of sticking her head in the sand about how huge the issues were that were going on. And though I love the ending, it didn't really feel earned in a way. I mean I smiled (hey I don't have a heart of stone here), but I wanted it to be epic, like Lloyd Dobbler standing in the rain with a boombox epic.
I admit I only read this because I knew there was a movie out with the same name....but I really enjoyed it. Really. I'm glad it was the last book to complete my 2015 reading goal! :)
I definitely preferred the book to the movie (which I saw first; it basically revamped the plot to "You Drive Me Crazy" rather than using its actual source material for inspiration).
My main issue was with Wesley- he's a bit flat as a character. I think we see him interact with maybe two other people, besides Bianca, and that limits his world to just her (yes, I understand its first person from Bianca's point of view, but he has apparently no friends or set social group, yet is somehow the most popular/desirable guy in school- it makes no sense).
Still a fun read and it does deal with some of the heavier issues a teen can face, so I applaud that
My main issue was with Wesley- he's a bit flat as a character. I think we see him interact with maybe two other people, besides Bianca, and that limits his world to just her (yes, I understand its first person from Bianca's point of view, but he has apparently no friends or set social group, yet is somehow the most popular/desirable guy in school- it makes no sense).
Still a fun read and it does deal with some of the heavier issues a teen can face, so I applaud that
Fast read ... very ya romance but entertaining . Did not appreciate the constant reference to committing suicide as a way to be funny
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Good read
I stayed up all night to read this book! Couldn't put it down. Nice story line and I enjoyed the characters.
I stayed up all night to read this book! Couldn't put it down. Nice story line and I enjoyed the characters.
My first audiobook. I was surprised how well I understood it. And, of course, best book ever. Read it, if you haven't already. Or reread it :D
A protagonist whose 'holier than thou' attitude towards other girls makes it difficult to sympathise with her when things go wrong. And that's pretty much the whole book - you think Bianca has a moment of personal growth only to disappoint a moment later. Unfortunately, the other characters were so cookie-cutter and bland and you really need people that stand out in a good girl/bad boy formula storyline.