Here we go with the first TLP Reads for this February! I spotted How (Not) to Find a Boyfriend at National Bookstore while I was in the Philippines, and truth be told, it wasn't exactly something I was really desperate to buy. But because none of the titles I was looking for were available (which is always a huge bummer), I decided to give this one a go, crossing my fingers that it would be worth my time. Well... it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, let's say. I laughed, I rolled my eyes, I sighed heavily... what do you make of that?
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Nora Fulbright is the most talented new cheerleader at Riverbend High. She may have been a friendless over-achiever in the past, but this year Nora is determined to transform from social larva to full-blown butterfly. But when Adam moves to town and steals Nora's heart with his ultra-smarts, she devises a plan to wow him with her intellect. Every move she makes getting closer to Adam is more complicated, and she quickly loses control of her strategy. Can Nora prove that she's not a complete airhead while keeping her image in check?
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I'll be honest, it took me quite a while to get into this. 20 pages in, I had to stop, put it down and mentally psych myself to finish it. Not that I have anything against cheerleaders. Heck no way - I even dressed up as one many Halloweens ago. That's not what bothered me.
It's that Nora acts like the stereotypical type of girl who is trying so hard to be in the 'in crowd'. In the first 20 pages of this book, you already know that whatever Nora has planned to achieve anything, it'll backfire on her. Like with Lindsay Lohan's character in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen or even Mean Girls (by the way, who else remembers those movies?) This book embodies that type of thing. Not to say that it was horrible, but it wasn't an easy read for someone like me who doesn't like taking other people's crap or 'perfect plans' to get a guy. Just, no. So you know, fair warning, if you're like me, a little bit of perseverance and patience is needed to get half way through this book where it really starts to get good.
Nora Fulbright is supposedly book smart, and uber talented when it comes to cheerleading/gymnastics. She could potentially be enjoying the best of both worlds but no, apparently she goes to a school like the one from High School Musical. You gotta stick to the status quo. So she does her best to downplay her smarts despite her mother pestering her about being too preoccupied with dancing and waving pom poms in the air. It sucks for her. You feel some sympathy for Nora - she's trying to please everyone that's around her.
Nora's love interest Adam Hood is sweet, smart and definitely into Nora. He's pretty hilarious too, especially towards the end of the book. So he gets my vote, no doubt about that. The dynamic between Nora and Adam is pretty nice, and it almost makes up for the stupid things Nora gets herself into. She devises all these plans to get closer to him, not knowing that she doesn't even have to try that hard. Yes, it's the classic case of misunderstandings leading to embarrassing situations. Whether it was all worth it in the end, well, I know I personally wouldn't go through all that trouble just to get a guy to like me.
But like I said, the book wasn't all that bad. My favourite aspect would have to be the family parts - Nora bonding with her little brother Joshie, and later on her older brother Phil. I loved her interactions with them, and it made me wish I had brothers. Joshie is adorable and super supportive, and Phil is pretty cool with his kickass smarts. Perhaps what really gets you though is the estranged father-bitter daughter dynamic this book also has. I don't want to spoil anything, but those moments are pretty sweet too.
So yes, this book is the epitome of the classic high school drama. And I don't even mean good drama like from Hilary Duff's A Cinderella Story or Bring It On. If there weren't so much drama, maybe I would have loved this book more and given it a massive two thumbs up. The title is an apt description for what this book embodies. THIS IS NOT HOW YOU GO ABOUT GETTING A BOYFRIEND. Granted, it works out for Nora in the end (bless her), but seriously. No one needs to go through this much trouble.
If you're into humourous, and pretty outrageous, girly high-school drama, then I would suggest this for you. It's a nice way of taking a break from all the serious and darker reading material out there, I guess. I wouldn't exactly urge anyone to rush out and buy this, but if you have nothing better to read, well then, give this a go.
Happy discovering!
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Nora Fulbright is the most talented new cheerleader at Riverbend High. She may have been a friendless over-achiever in the past, but this year Nora is determined to transform from social larva to full-blown butterfly. But when Adam moves to town and steals Nora's heart with his ultra-smarts, she devises a plan to wow him with her intellect. Every move she makes getting closer to Adam is more complicated, and she quickly loses control of her strategy. Can Nora prove that she's not a complete airhead while keeping her image in check?
---
I'll be honest, it took me quite a while to get into this. 20 pages in, I had to stop, put it down and mentally psych myself to finish it. Not that I have anything against cheerleaders. Heck no way - I even dressed up as one many Halloweens ago. That's not what bothered me.
It's that Nora acts like the stereotypical type of girl who is trying so hard to be in the 'in crowd'. In the first 20 pages of this book, you already know that whatever Nora has planned to achieve anything, it'll backfire on her. Like with Lindsay Lohan's character in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen or even Mean Girls (by the way, who else remembers those movies?) This book embodies that type of thing. Not to say that it was horrible, but it wasn't an easy read for someone like me who doesn't like taking other people's crap or 'perfect plans' to get a guy. Just, no. So you know, fair warning, if you're like me, a little bit of perseverance and patience is needed to get half way through this book where it really starts to get good.
Nora Fulbright is supposedly book smart, and uber talented when it comes to cheerleading/gymnastics. She could potentially be enjoying the best of both worlds but no, apparently she goes to a school like the one from High School Musical. You gotta stick to the status quo. So she does her best to downplay her smarts despite her mother pestering her about being too preoccupied with dancing and waving pom poms in the air. It sucks for her. You feel some sympathy for Nora - she's trying to please everyone that's around her.
Nora's love interest Adam Hood is sweet, smart and definitely into Nora. He's pretty hilarious too, especially towards the end of the book. So he gets my vote, no doubt about that. The dynamic between Nora and Adam is pretty nice, and it almost makes up for the stupid things Nora gets herself into. She devises all these plans to get closer to him, not knowing that she doesn't even have to try that hard. Yes, it's the classic case of misunderstandings leading to embarrassing situations. Whether it was all worth it in the end, well, I know I personally wouldn't go through all that trouble just to get a guy to like me.
But like I said, the book wasn't all that bad. My favourite aspect would have to be the family parts - Nora bonding with her little brother Joshie, and later on her older brother Phil. I loved her interactions with them, and it made me wish I had brothers. Joshie is adorable and super supportive, and Phil is pretty cool with his kickass smarts. Perhaps what really gets you though is the estranged father-bitter daughter dynamic this book also has. I don't want to spoil anything, but those moments are pretty sweet too.
So yes, this book is the epitome of the classic high school drama. And I don't even mean good drama like from Hilary Duff's A Cinderella Story or Bring It On. If there weren't so much drama, maybe I would have loved this book more and given it a massive two thumbs up. The title is an apt description for what this book embodies. THIS IS NOT HOW YOU GO ABOUT GETTING A BOYFRIEND. Granted, it works out for Nora in the end (bless her), but seriously. No one needs to go through this much trouble.
If you're into humourous, and pretty outrageous, girly high-school drama, then I would suggest this for you. It's a nice way of taking a break from all the serious and darker reading material out there, I guess. I wouldn't exactly urge anyone to rush out and buy this, but if you have nothing better to read, well then, give this a go.
Happy discovering!
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