Helpful Score: 7
An atypicial telling of typical teenage angst. This is the story of Jessica Darling who writes in her journal about her life in high school, the somewhat popular but self-absorbed group she belongs to, and all her interactions with boys - which are very confusing. While there were some funny insights in the novel, I felt a sadness and loneliness hanging over everything that Jessica goes through. Her best friend Hope is always missing from her daily life, she feels alienated from her "friends", and hanging above her head are the expectations of her parents and the haunting sadness of her and Hope's dead older brothers. A very well-written and absorbing book.
Stephanie S. (skywriter319) -
Helpful Score: 5
16-year-old Jessica Darling is in hell. Her best friend and the only person who understands her, Hope, has moved away, leaving her to rot in the pathetic town of Pineville, NJ, with her pseudo-friends, a group of superficial girls whom Jessica christens the Clueless Crew, who speak in "omigod"s and "like"s. Her older sister Bethany, who was one of those extremely popular social butterfly types Jessica despises in high school, is getting married to the most boring moneymaker in the world. Marcus Flutie, a mysterious druggie and male slut, is sending Jessica mixed signals, signals that Jessica would rather ignore, but can't help responding to. Top it off with an absent period and A-level insomnia, and you've got a whangdoodle of an angsty teenage life.
It's a good thing Jessica has her unfailing sense of humor to help her get along. Often making up words such as "assplosion" (for a diarrhea attack) and accurately writing down the dialect of a summer beachgoer, Jessica's journal entries are nearly unmatched in wit and humor. Readers will kill themselves laughing, and then kill themselves again as they wait for the sequel.
It's a good thing Jessica has her unfailing sense of humor to help her get along. Often making up words such as "assplosion" (for a diarrhea attack) and accurately writing down the dialect of a summer beachgoer, Jessica's journal entries are nearly unmatched in wit and humor. Readers will kill themselves laughing, and then kill themselves again as they wait for the sequel.
Helpful Score: 3
The narrator has a really great voice. You'll find yourself cringing and laughing along with all the "lessons" she receives.
Helpful Score: 3
A book about high school from the perspective of Jessica Darling, a cynical girl who has the nickname of Notso as in not-so-darling. The book was entertaining. While one may not be able to relate to the specific situations Jessica finds herself in, the general sense of everything seeming like such a big deal definitely brings back memories of the drama that was high school.
Helpful Score: 2
This book was just ok, nothing really special about it, I wont be reading the sequel
Helpful Score: 2
At first I didn't enjoy the book, but then it did get better. I'm still not sure if I really enjoyed it. I already own the next two in the series so hopefully it gets better.
Helpful Score: 1
High school angst from a loner cynic's perspective. Jessica Darling is witty and insightful. The book is constructed in a journal which was great because it gave the reader Jessica's reactions to all the events. I did find the letters that were mixed in to be distracting, but I think that's because I wasn't fully convinced that Hope was actually real.
But overall I loved the book and just ordered the rest of the series.
But overall I loved the book and just ordered the rest of the series.
Helpful Score: 1
Very entertaining read! Made me laugh out loud a few times remembering my own teenage years. Bad ending, though!
Helpful Score: 1
very cute book. I want to read more.
Helpful Score: 1
A truly amazing book!
Helpful Score: 1
Cutsy, fluff read for adults. Enjoyed it on my vacation.
Helpful Score: 1
Makes me feel like I was back in middle school.
Helpful Score: 1
Great read!
Helpful Score: 1
This is an awesome book that will keep you hooked! I could not put this down until i finished it. A really great story!!!
It was good but much different that I eventually expected. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.
Excellent book. I can't wait to see what Jessica Darling is up to next.
Haley Joy F. (Joynessdotcom) reviewed Sloppy Firsts (Jessica Darling, Bk 1) on + 53 more book reviews
OMG!! So cute! I thought it was going to be awful, but it was so fun and interesting. I reccomend it to all.
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 boy- and shoppong-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 Firts, is an isightful, 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 of type-A personality turned insomniac to her completely mixed up feelings about Marcus Flutie, the intelligent and mysterious "Dreg" who works his way onto 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.
A fresh, funny utterly compelling fiction debut by first time novelist Megan McCafferty, Sloppy Firts, is an isightful, 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 of type-A personality turned insomniac to her completely mixed up feelings about Marcus Flutie, the intelligent and mysterious "Dreg" who works his way onto 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.
Great read, captures the tumultous feelings of high school.
Reviewed by Amanda Dissinger for TeensReadToo.com
Ever get the feeling you're trapped in your current life, and won't be able to get out for, oh, all of eternity? Are you bored with your so-called "friends," bored with your so-called good grades, bored with your so-called life? Then you'll identify with SLOPPY FIRSTS, the witty, moving debut novel from author Megan McCafferty.
SLOPPY FIRSTS is the story of 16-year-old Jessica Darling, a girl who feels completely out of sync with everyone around her with the exception of her best friend, Hope. When Hope suddenly moves out of their Pineville, New Jersey, hometown, Jess feels even more depressed than ever now that she is forced to deal with all of the people in her life that annoy her without her best friend. Faced with vapid, materialistic girls at her high school, her dad's desire to make her the best track star that ever lived, and her new desire to be with the school's resident pseudo- intellectual bad boy, Marcus Flutie, Jessica records all of her hilarious, rambling thoughts in her journal for all readers to see.
SLOPPY FIRSTS is a creative and honest book about what normal teenagers experience in their day-to-day lives. It will please not only young readers, but also adult women who want to relive those cringe-worthy high school years, and look back on the memories. It's heartbreaking, fresh, and sure to become a classic among readers who like a little angst in their lives.
Ever get the feeling you're trapped in your current life, and won't be able to get out for, oh, all of eternity? Are you bored with your so-called "friends," bored with your so-called good grades, bored with your so-called life? Then you'll identify with SLOPPY FIRSTS, the witty, moving debut novel from author Megan McCafferty.
SLOPPY FIRSTS is the story of 16-year-old Jessica Darling, a girl who feels completely out of sync with everyone around her with the exception of her best friend, Hope. When Hope suddenly moves out of their Pineville, New Jersey, hometown, Jess feels even more depressed than ever now that she is forced to deal with all of the people in her life that annoy her without her best friend. Faced with vapid, materialistic girls at her high school, her dad's desire to make her the best track star that ever lived, and her new desire to be with the school's resident pseudo- intellectual bad boy, Marcus Flutie, Jessica records all of her hilarious, rambling thoughts in her journal for all readers to see.
SLOPPY FIRSTS is a creative and honest book about what normal teenagers experience in their day-to-day lives. It will please not only young readers, but also adult women who want to relive those cringe-worthy high school years, and look back on the memories. It's heartbreaking, fresh, and sure to become a classic among readers who like a little angst in their lives.
I really love this first-person narrative style of writing. I really liked the tapping into the inner-thoughts and feelings of the main character Jessica, as the book is the rendering of her journal. I thought this was a good representation of what a teenager, who's naturally miles ahead of her peers, feels as she tries to go about life her way when so few around her are on the same page.
Amanda H. (loveofjoe11) -
We're never too old to relate to kids discovering themselves during high school. I'm so glad I finally read this book and McCafferty did an excellent job of character development!
This was a funny, witty, and realistic teenager book. It shows all the issues in high school and with your parents. I loved the dialogue!
Smart & funny YA. To quote the Wall Street Journal, "Judy Blume meets Dorothy Parker."
Nicole Z. (majorphilosopher) reviewed Sloppy Firsts (Jessica Darling, Bk 1) on + 20 more book reviews
I read this in high school and I really loved it. I felt I could relate to Jessica in a lot of different ways. Good read.
Courtney M. (courtneymartin) reviewed Sloppy Firsts (Jessica Darling, Bk 1) on + 10 more book reviews
I began this series in high school and followed it until her last book during my 20s. Megan McCafferty created one of the most relatable and endearing characters in Jessica Darling. The diary format left you feeling so involved in the story that by the end, Jessica Darling feels like an old best friend. This is the beginning of one of my favorite series and I highly recommend it.
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. MCCAFFERTY TAPS INTO THE INHERENT HUMOR AND RAMA OF THE TEEN EXPERIENCE. THIS POIGNANT, HILARIOUS NOVEL IS SURE TO APPEAL TO READER 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.
