Review: The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

Release Date: September 7, 2010
Age Group: Young Adult
Received From: Around the World Tours
Other Info: 2010 Debut Author Challenge
IBSN: 9780316084239
Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “Duffy,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

When I opened this book I was expecting a fun read. But I didn’t know it would be that much fun! I would have died to have a book like this when I was a teen. It’s not sugarcoated or toned down. It’s the most real account of being a teen that I have read in a long time. I was halfway through the book before I realized why. Because the author is 18! That is very impressive! Not only did she write a book, but she wrote a damn good one!

All the blurbs say that Bianca is cynical. That’s a nice way of saying she’s bitchy. Bitchy in a good way though! I think Bianca and I have a lot in common. I might be a little more cheerful on the outside but deep down, I hate everything So, I could really relate to Bianca. Bianca is just going through some hard times and her way of dealing with that is Wesley. Wesley is a jerk, but I must admit that I loved him from the very beginning. At first, their relationship was necessary and purely physical, but after time they start to depend on each other. Bianca knows this can go nowhere. Wesley is a man whore! He’s not going to change  his ways for the Duff.

Like I said before, I really wish I would have has this book as a teen. Keplinger definitely tells it like it is, in this raw emotional story. But under all that is a great message, that we all feel like The Duff sometimes. I have a feeling parents are going to hate it, which means that teens will love it even more! So, I definitely recommend this. Read it!