Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

This year I've decided that I want to try to do some book reviews. They probably won't be as insightful or as interesting as a lot of other blogs can find out there, but I thought it might be fun to try writing a few myself. Since I'm starting school this year, my reading time will be cut down and I don't think I will be doing a review for every book that I read but I'll try to do as many as I can.

Amazon Description: “My parents suck ass. Banning me from the phone and restricting my computer privileges are the most tyrannical parental gestures I can think of. Don’t they realize that Hope’s the only one who keeps me sane? . . . I don’t see how things could get any worse.”

When her best friend, Hope Weaver, moves away from Pineville, New Jersey, hyperobservant sixteen-year-old Jessica Darling is devastated. A fish out of water at school and a stranger at home, Jessica feels more lost than ever now that the only person with whom she could really communicate has gone. How is she supposed to deal with the boy- and shopping-crazy girls at school, her dad’s obsession with her track meets, her mother salivating over big sister Bethany’s lavish wedding, and her nonexistent love life?

A fresh, funny, utterly compelling fiction debut by first-time novelist Megan McCafferty, Sloppy Firsts is an insightful, true-to-life look at Jessica’s predicament as she embarks on another year of teenage torment--from the dark days of Hope’s departure through her months as a type-A personality turned insomniac to her completely mixed-up feelings about Marcus Flutie, the intelligent and mysterious “Dreg” who works his way into her heart. Like a John Hughes for the twenty-first century, Megan McCafferty taps into the inherent humor and drama of the teen experience. This poignant, hilarious novel is sure to appeal to readers who are still going through it, as well as those who are grateful that they don’t have to go back and grow up all over again.

My Rating: 5 out of 5

Book Thoughts: I have to admit I was pretty reluctant to read this book. The cover is weird and I can't say I'm a huge fan of the title but I read a lot of great reviews about this series so I decided to check it out. I'm SO glad I did.

The book is written through diary entries and a series of letters to Jessica's best friend Hope who
moved from New Jersey to Tennessee. I'm not sure if it was the format of the book, or just the start of the story but I felt that the beginning was a little slow. Once I got about 50 or so pages into it though, I was completely hooked. Jessica's relationships with her so called 'friends', her family, and even with Marcus were very real.

Jessica's writing style is also something I loved. She's very witty and somewhat snarky. I found myself laughing out loud at quite a few parts of this book. I even teared up when Jessica's sister Bethany decides not to come home for Thanksgiving, making Jessica's mom cry. I really loved this quote:

"And for the first time ever, I saw my mom not just as my mom, but as a real
person. A flesh-and-blood person who was hurt by rejection just like anyone else. Just like me."

Even though this is a young adult book, I think that a lot of the things that Jessica thinks and feels are very relatable to anyone. I'm sure everyone remembers how torturous high school could be. I'm planning on taking a break from paranormal books, or at least young adult books for a while and this book has been an excellent diversion. Since I've started this review, I've already finished book 2 and am pretty deep into book 3 so it's a series that I would very highly recommend for some quick, light reading.