Sweethearts by Sara Zarr

Jennifer Harris now Jenna Vaughn and Cameron Quick used to be best friends as children. They were the outcasts. Jenna used to be bullied for her lisp and because he was chubby. She would cry a lot which inevitably gave the bullies more fuel to their fire calling her Cry Baby. She like Cameron had a tough home life. Well maybe not as much as Cameron... Jenna's mom is never home. She spent hours without her and when she really needed her she couldn't go to her. She has no father and no one else. She is alone.

Cameron has a similar situation in which he is also alone. His home life is tougher. You get a piece of it when Jenna slowly starts to tell you the story of her ninth birthday at his house with his father. And then soon afterwards he disappeared. Just. Like. That. But now he has suddenly reappeared. That boy who loved her. That boy who cared for her. That boy who made her feel safe. But now Jennifer is Jenna. She has a stepdad and she lives in a nice house, has friends, and even has a boyfriend. She's also skinny and will always watch her weight, what she wants to say (mainly that she's not always happy like her boyfriend wants her to be), and that she always smile even when she wants to cry. She is shocked when discovering that Cameron's back. He's supposed to be dead. And with him comes a whole set of feelings that she thought was left behind with her nine year old self. And now he wants to relive it.

This was a great book. When you finish it you start to contemplate life. But there is also this wanting more at the end. It had some "unfinished business" that needed to be addressed. First Jenna herself. She completely changed her name and at the end it was like she was okay with it. Maybe now that I think about it it did address it a little. It did say that maybe this was her now. But it was very vague. Also the food. She did start to eat more when Cameron came and let herself indulge in some things but it also was not really addressed. Those things could have added more to this otherwise great book. But I have to complain about the end before I continue. Well.. I have to be more specific now. The relationship at the end. It was so ridiculous how it ended. Can't say more without giving anything away.

So other than that it was quite good. There was the mystery of what happened on her birthday, her mother frustrating the hell out of me, and Cameron himself. Cameron was so weird. But I think he was always quiet like that. It was just weird seeing him in Jenna's world. The ring was odd too. It sent mix signals for the obvious reasons as well as it was kind of stalkerish creepy... Now Jenna and her boyfriend.... she spoke her mind once. Everything she said I was totally agreeing with her on. It was a pretty memorable moment that would make all women out there go "yeah!" So even though I've complained a bunch about the book know that all around it was really great.

Rating: 4 stars

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

Snarky Bianca Piper couldn't be more different than her two friends. They are the tall, all legs, blond hair, bubbly, cheerleading type of people. It doesn't matter really. She's known Casey since Kindergarten after she defended her from schoolyard bullies and she has been doing the same ever since because Bianca likes to bottle things up so she worries about her. Jessica is always as sweet as can be and is unaware that her brother caused her pain many years ago.

Her real problems consist of a mother who never is home and a father who might break if she doesn't.Things start to get tough at home and her pure hatred towards the slut Wesley turns into desperation because he can offer her an excuse, an escape... distraction but when he starts to be a little more bearable and a little more understanding actually listening to her she questions whether or not she has feelings other than hatred towards the guy.

Honestly, I must have skipped the part where it says friends with benefits because that is NOT what I thought this would have. I thought they would just kiss or something... I guess my mind is a little bit innocent. Well not too much because I read it and may I add liked the book. First of all I was so happy that the problems in her life didn't feel fake. One thing I hate is when authors say how hard their characters life is but doesn't provide the emotion for it. Ahem *coughs* Perfect Chemistry...

Oh the most important thing I forgot to mention.  The DUFF stands for Designated Ugly Fat Friend. It's a nickname Wesley dubbed her. He explains that there is one in every group and you are considered The DUFF when you meet the description of the DUFF and you have really hot friends. He continues to say that if her friends see him with her he will win points with them and will have a better chance of getting them in bed. This little speech forces her to dump a cherry coke in his face. For good reason.

Why did I decide to read this you ask? Well you know how bad boys never change in real life? In books they do and I love when that happens. You may roll your eyes at me but I don't care. I can dream right? Wesley turns out all right in the end. There is a certain moment that you see the change and I absolutely loved it. It's a fist in the air type moment. Bianca unfortunately gets a little and I mean a little bit irritating. Her comments and the way she acted was kind of getting old towards the end but then the book ends so I didn't have that feeling for very long. Casey also kind of got on my nerves because she liked to poke around in Bianca's business way too much. She wanted to save her it felt all the time. Like she was that kindergartener that needed help from getting her pigtails from being pulled or whatever it was. I would be annoyed with her too if I was Bianca but Casey changed my mind and by the end I was liking her. Authors are always changing my mind at the end of books.

Speaking of authors. This one? Kody Keplinger? I always read the authors summary at the end of the book and really? REALLY!? You are 19 and are on your THIRD book? How I envy you... I have a bad feeling thought that Shut Out which I really want to read is going to be exactly like this one. We'll see I guess. Hopefully she stays on this promising author run.

And the end you learn a lesson. Haven't had a lesson laid out to me like that since I don't know when. So be prepared.

                                      Rating: 4 Stars