Wednesday, November 26, 2014

{REVIEW} The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger

Title: The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend
Author: Kody Keplinger
Rating: ★★★★

Blurb from Goodreads:

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 “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.

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

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out 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.

My Rating/Thoughts:

“No matter where you go or what you do to distract yourself, reality catches up with you eventually.” 

I'm going to be honest, I only picked this book up because I kept seeing it everyone on Instagram, but the plot seemed a little eh to me, but when my real motivation came when I found out it was going to be a movie. Of course I have to read it now, right!? Well I did and I was pleasantly surprised. I actually loved this book. I loved the characters. I loved the relationships. I loved everything that this book stood for. It's a little darker, but shows readers the ugly side of what some teens have to go through with families. I totally sympathized for Bianca when her alcoholic father relapsed and she had no idea what to do. Her once content little home was turning upside down and she didn't know what to do. So she goes to the only outlet that seemed to offer some release...Wesley. This no strings attached, purely physical arrangement turned into something much more. We all knew that. We all called it from the moment Bianca poured her drink at him, not only because it's right there in the book description, but because there was just too much chemistry right off the bat!

First:
"Wesley Rush doesn’t chase girls. They chase him.”

Then:
“You’re right. Wesley Rush doesn’t chase girls, and I’m not chasing you”

But in the end:
"Wesley Rush doesn’t chase girls, but I’m chasing you" ♥

I loved Bianca and Wesley! I loved their relationship even if they were only having sex together. They were just so perfect for each other and I am so glad it led to much much more. They both were there for each other when the other needed them. Wesley showed just how beautiful she actually was and she is more than the Duff. Bianca showed Wesley that he needed to face his parents and stand up for himself and his sister, leave his womanizing lifestyle and bring some stability back into his life. In the end I am just so touched that Bianca changed Wesley's view of girls and relationships and actually made him want to chase her...because Wesley Rush doesn't chase girls...come on.  But that ending? *sighs* it was so cute and perfect, I loved it. I am happy.

"Just remember to do what makes you happy, okay? Don’t lie to yourself because you think it’s safer. Reality doesn't work like that"

What I loved most too was Bianca's friends Jessica and Casey. Jessica is the sweet and innocent, ditsy girl that is just so fun to have around. Casey is the sensible cheerleader, but sweet and always there to protect and help Bianca. What made me most upset was that Bianca was being such a jerk to her. Casey was openly trying to figure out what was wrong with Bianca and wanted to be there for her, but Bianca was just bottling everything up and ditching her friends. Granted, yes she was running off to Wesley, but it was so sad that she was pushing her friends aside. She could have been honest with them and it was just so sad because Casey was so hurt because of it. I am glad that they made up and it didn't blow up to be way worse than it could have because great friendships like this are hard to find. I am glad that Keplinger played this Duff business the way she wrote it as well. At first when I found out that Bianca was the so called "Duff" I thought her friends only kept her around for this reason, but then we found out that they had no idea what the Duff actually was and were actually upset that Bianca would ever even think that she's the ugly freak of a friend. To Casey and Jessica, they were the Duff. I think that's what I loved most about this book. Everyone feels insecure and the freak. The ugly one, the fat one, the one who is too short or too tall, but at the end of the day, we are all different and have our insecurities but we are all beautiful. This book brings a wonderful theme and I wish I had read it sooner.

This book was just a great read. It's funny, it's sweet, it makes you think. It's a perfect read for teenage girls and I really enjoyed it. Now I hope the movie does it justice!

Would I recommend? Yes. Fair warning though, it has some "mature language"

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