The Duff: Designated Ugly Fat Friend

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.

 4 STARS out of 5
TITLE: The Duff: Designated Ugly Fat Friend
AUTHOR: Kody Keplinger
GENRE: Young Adult

GOODREADS UPDATE (10/23/12):

This is the first time I'm doing this -- subtracting a star weeks after I reviewed it and removing it from my faves shelf.

I've read really good books lately. And whenever I visit my "favorites" shelf, I felt that this book does not belong there anymore. After awhile, it just doesn't have the same impact like the other books which I've learned to love.

ORIGINAL REVIEW (9/18/12):

This book surprised me so much.

At first, I doubted if Wesley, the hero, was redeemable. According to Bianca:

He’s arrogant, and he sleeps with everything he can get his filthy hands on. Most of the time, I just want to claw his creepy eyes out. How could I like him?

And if our intelligent, sassy, sarcastic, cynical, neurotic, loyal, compassionate heroine doesn't like him, how could I, a mere reader, like him??

So I read on. Curious, and a bit hopeful that something will change my mind regarding Wesley's character.

And I was not disappointed.

Just when I decided that a "4 stars" rating is generous enough, Miss Kody chose that time to give me a peek at Wesley's world. So okay, I was convinced that he has enough flaws that could somehow justify his earlier actions.. More as a realistic part of a novel, and NOT like in real life (don't get me wrong, being a man whore as a coping mechanism will never be justified IMO).

I loved the writing and the highschool drama. Nothing too heavy.. not even a single tear-inducing moment for me.

Unlike other books which I feel like I'm reading so I could get to the end ASAP, I was savoring every moment of the story. Actually, if reading this was like watching a sitcom, I surely had laughed at all the punchlines.

This isn't your average YA novel. This is a story that speaks volumes about the importance of self-esteem.

Upon reading Wesley's letter to Bianca, I knew instantly that this story just climbed a bit higher at the totem pole.

All grown up, but a part of me will always be a DUFF.  So this one goes straight to my favorites shelf.