Of All the Stupid Things

This is a good book about friendship. I really enjoyed it and I think it had a great message.

Although, the characters weren't developed as much as I would like and I did have a very strong dislike of one of the characters in the second half of the book. I also wish there would have been more about Tara and Rileys relationship.

In the end, it was a cute and fast read and I think everyone that likes YA books should give this one a read. ( )

My Thoughts
While in NYC for BEA and BBC, I attended the Teen Author Carnival where Alexandra Diaz was promoting her debut book, Of All the Stupid Things. During the panel discussion, she presented the novel as a story about three girlfriends and what happens when one of those friends falls in love with a new girl in town. Copies of the book weren't available at the time, but I later saw her at the BEA in the autographing area and was able to snag a copy. The GLBT premise and the very awesome cover had me excited to read this. Unfortunately, the book didn't quite cut it for me.

First off, the elevator pitch she gave and the subtitle there on the cover - Three Friends, One Forbidden Love Affair - are rather misleading. While a lesbian relationship does exist in the book, I think it's a great stretch to say it is the focus. Actually, the story would have been much, much better had Diaz narrowed in on this idea. As it, there is just too much going on.

Each of the three girls - Tara, Whitney, and Pinkie - have their own issues, absent father, unconcerned parents, dead mother, and yet these issues are never really explored. They simply form a superficial backdrop for some of the mini-plots of the story. Even character actions occur with little explanation, and I found myself questioning choices the characters were making and feelings they were having. The novel was just too shallow, a constant skimming of the surface even as some rather serious events happen: betrayal, loss of virginity, coming out, all those parent problems...

I do think that Diaz has potential; after all, this book has a host of unique plot-lines which would make interesting stand-alone books. Hopefully on the next go round, she narrows her focus and sets her sights on truly exploring a single idea. ( )

It’s a good book, but it’s a chick book, just a warning. It’s actually real for once, and so the story can speak to you. The characters feel real. If you want them to be happy, you find yourself sympathizing with them. It shows the struggles real teens have to deal with. It’s also a fun and entertaining read that won’t disappoint you. It sounded good and it’s more of a “chick book.” AHS/NC

Reviewed by McKenzie Tritt for TeensReadToo.com

Rumors are flying that Tara's boyfriend, Brent, cheated on her. With another guy.

Scandalous, to say the least.

Tara, Pinkie, and Whitney Blaire have always been an odd group of friends, but they've been able to stick together. But with the addition of Riley, the sultry new girl, things aren't looking so good. Tara can't resist Riley, and she's incredibly confused by this attraction. Now, she's questioning everything she's ever known about herself.

OF ALL THE STUPID THINGS easily could have been fluff, but it developed into so much more. Told in alternating perspectives of the three best friends, this story has some major drama. The pacing was a bit too up-and-down, but the ups were so darn exciting that they made up for the lulls. The plot seemed believable. Emotions went crazy, as did the girls.

I liked the characters, for the most part. Tara, the most central character, was a bit under-emotional and tough, but that's why I connected with her. Whitney Blaire was way too over the top for me, with her crazy temper. Pinkie was so clingy. Honestly girl, stop worrying! She was incredibly annoying, but I still found myself sympathizing with her because you could tell she was the odd one out. Riley seemed like a bad person based on everyone else's reaction to her, but she really wasn't that bad. I liked her quite a bit by the end of the story.

The problems in this novel were created by the classic the-main-characters-just-won't-talk-and-get-it-over-with syndrome. You know the one. It's so obvious that all the characters have to do is talk it out, but they're stubborn and refuse to.

However, I was very happy with the ending. It was happy, but not in a sickly sweet way. Everything wasn't perfect and magically fixed. It was realistic. ( )

The book has three main characters: Pinkie, who lost her mother at a young age and is unable to restrain her own mother-hen instinct; Whitney Blaire, a beautiful and wealthy (but manipulative) girl who is always referred to by her first and last names; and Tara, who uses running to distance herself from her emotions, and the disturbing rumor that her boyfriend might be getting it on with another guy. These three lifelong friends are thrown into chaos by the arrival on the scene of the new girl, Riley. Whitney Blaire is convinced that Riley is out to steal Tara's now-ex-boyfriend, while Tara finds herself fascinated by Riley and her beautiful hair. Pinkie, caught in the middle, also finds herself caught up in a serious flirtation with a student teacher. Can their friendship survive when everyone starts taking sides?

This definitely had a "first novel" feel to it, in that it sometimes felt like Diaz had bitten off more than she could chew in the space allotted. Written in alternating chapters from each of the girls' perspectives, I often found myself wishing for more depth or perhaps fewer plotlines (each girl has several). The book addressed a whirlwind of issues: friendship, sexuality, communication, death, marriage, body image, class, etc, to the point where I wondered what was being left out. The issue of Tara's (ex)boyfriend and his possible dalliance with a male cheerleader was an intriguing catalyst for the action. I did like the fact that instead of being a coming-out book, in which the lesbian romance was the focus of the story, Tara's attraction to Riley was just one of several ongoing plots (albeit one that triggers a series of subplots). I also enjoyed the hints at character development that appeared throughout the course of the book. I'm not sure a whole lot of new ground was broken, but I found it an enjoyable and easy read. ( )