So I started following this blog called Forever YA (for those who are a little less Y and a little more A). They have some great scientific analyses of Peeta vs. Gale.

Anywho, the Jessica Darling series kept coming up on this blog, which inspired me to go back and read it, even though it came out when I myself was still a teenager (though just barely).

What can I say? If I could dig out my own diaries from high school, I feel like they would read as if in the voice of Jessica. It was almost scary. I, too, agonized over things that didn't matter and was even more agonized that I was agonizing over things that didn't matter. I, too, was seen by my friends as a cynical brainiac, while I was completely baffled by their happiness. (I was not, however, skinny, a runner, or in love with a hot bad boy who actually talked to me.)

In terms of realism, I have to give this an A . In terms of enjoyability, it wavers between an A- and an F because it's painful for me to think too hard about my wonder years.

When I finished I immediately downloaded the second one and quickly devoured it. ( )

For me personally, I was “too old” to be familiar with this series. In the 90’s I was a teenager and reading books that adults my age now would never imagine reading. Given that, I felt I was reading a book from before my pre-teen years and I have since expect more lol.

However, I would recommend this book and series to a pre-teen girl and would love to discuss what their viewpoint is about the world in c. 2000 compared to c 2020’s. How is it different/same. It would be a fascinating discussion ( )

Talk about the last person to hear about something awesome!! I read YA books like it's my job (mostly bc I wish it was my job), and I've been missing out on this one for over 10 years!?!? I don't know where I've been that I only ever even knew it existed about a year ago... but anyhow I LOVE!!!
Jessica Darling is a high school junior whose best friend has moved away. Now she has to make nice with the Clueless Crew?! This is not going to go well. Jessica is too smart and cynical to enjoy being with people who say "Omigod" and "quote unquote". But suffer she must because WHAT ELSE IS SHE GONNA DO? She continues on her junior year running track, avoiding Krispy Kreme (the school druggy who takes an interest in her), avoiding Scotty (the jock who has/had a crush on her), and avoiding the Clueless Crew (including the new girl Hy), preparing for her sister's wedding, and dealing with her parents and the pressure she feels from them to be someone she's not.... all while giving hilariously honest commentary on her situations.

Like I said before I don't know how it's been so long with me not reading this book, but I'm so happy I finally did! Although i wasnt like Jessica all that much in HS, I feel like I totally relate to her in so many ways. I feel like I think similarly to her.... kinda negative, kinda mean, but not near as funny or witty. I love how the beginning of each chapter was a letter to Hope, this broke everything up nicely. And I love how the author didn't censor stuff like sex, drugs, swearing. Sorry but it drives me nuts in books when teens go to parties and they drink pop and eat chips... what planet are these people living on?? I get it's about the message, but it's not reality!
If you want to read a book that pretty accurately portrays teenage life, this is so it!
(I may also be slightly biased because I went to hs around the same time this was written, so with all the pop-culture references it feels like high school to me :)


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I wasn't sure about this at first-seemed like the standard too-clever-by-half teen making snarky judgements on everyone around her. I was glad I stayed with it to see that this character has more to her than that, and that this wasn't just the fluffy read I expected it to be. The realizations Jessica reaches don't come easily and there's no triteness to her growth and the promise of more growth in future volumes. The transformations come across very naturally and realistically, from her relationship with her mother to her relationships with people she had written off with an easy sarcastic label. Jessica is still "notso" Darling, but by the end of this book, she'd worked her way into my affections. ( )

I can't think of the last time I disliked a book so thoroughly. These characters are horrible people. I can't even. ( )