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The Charmed Life #1
So Not Happening
New York's social darling just woke up in a nightmare: Oklahoma. Problem is, it's right where God wants her.
Bella Kirkwood had it all: A-list friends at her prestigious private school, Broadway in her backyard, and Daddy's MasterCard in her wallet. Then her father, a plastic surgeon to the stars, decided to trade her mother in for a newer model.
When Bella's mom falls in love with a man she met on the Internet--a factory worker with two bratty sons--Bella has to pack up and move in with her new family in Truman, Oklahoma. On a farm no less!
Forced to trade her uber-trendy NYC lifestyle for down-home charm, Bella feels like a pair of Rock & Republic jeans in a sea of Wranglers.
At least some of the people in her new high school are pretty cool. Especially the hunky football player who invites her to lunch. And maybe even the annoying--but kinda hot--editor of the school newspaper.
But before long, Bella smells something rotten in the town of Truman, and it's not just the cow pasture. With her savvy reporter's instincts, she is determined to find the story behind all the secrets.
How can a girl go on when her charmed life is gone and God appears to be giving her the total smackdown?
Bella Kirkwood had it all: A-list friends at her prestigious private school, Broadway in her backyard, and Daddy's MasterCard in her wallet. Then her father, a plastic surgeon to the stars, decided to trade her mother in for a newer model.
When Bella's mom falls in love with a man she met on the Internet--a factory worker with two bratty sons--Bella has to pack up and move in with her new family in Truman, Oklahoma. On a farm no less!
Forced to trade her uber-trendy NYC lifestyle for down-home charm, Bella feels like a pair of Rock & Republic jeans in a sea of Wranglers.
At least some of the people in her new high school are pretty cool. Especially the hunky football player who invites her to lunch. And maybe even the annoying--but kinda hot--editor of the school newspaper.
But before long, Bella smells something rotten in the town of Truman, and it's not just the cow pasture. With her savvy reporter's instincts, she is determined to find the story behind all the secrets.
How can a girl go on when her charmed life is gone and God appears to be giving her the total smackdown?
330 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2009
238 people are currently reading
7287 people want to read
About the author
Jenny B. Jones
31 books2,191 followersFour-time Carol Award winner Jenny B. Jones writes contemporary romance with wit, sass, and Southern charm. Since writing for both women and teens leaves her with very little free time, she believes in spending her spare hours in meaningful, intellectual pursuits, such as watching E!, going to the movies and inhaling large buckets of popcorn, and writing her name in the dust on her furniture. www.jennybjones.com
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December 11, 2014
WOULD BELLA JUST GET WITH LUKE ALREADY?! AAAAAAH THE WAIT IS KILLING ME, THEY BETTER END UP TOGETHER... LIKE PLEASE!
July 10, 2021
{The content listed below is for the Revised 2nd edition. After the Final Thoughts, there is a section about what’s different from the first edition, in case you have picked up or found that version.}
About this book:
“Can an uptown teen solve a murder mystery in down-home Oklahoma?
Bella Kirkwood loves her glam life in New York City. But her faith is tested when her mom falls for a blue-collar country bumpkin and relocates them both to rural Oklahoma. After her brutally honest blog rant goes viral, the former trendsetter turns into a social reject.
Relegated to the school paper, Bella jumps at the chance to win over classmates she burned—and maybe even impress the hot editor. But when she overhears a cryptic conversation about a football player’s fatal so-called accident, she sets her sights on the scoop of a lifetime… one someone would kill to keep hidden.
Can Bella expose a small town’s shocking secret before she’s dead on arrival?”
Series: Book #1 in the “Charmed Life” series. (As of this time, the later books in this series will not be reviewed due to content found in this one.)
Spiritual Content- A couple Scriptures are quoted; Prayers/Talking to God (though some may come across as flippant); Blessings over food; Church and Bible study going (a few times each) & a few sermons/lessons (one about Mary and being outside of your comfort zone); Most ‘H’s are not capitalized when referring to God; Mentions of God (though some can come across as flippant) & Jesus; Mentions of prayer, praying, blessings over food, & thanking God (though some can come across as flippant); Mentions of churches & pastors; A few mentions of youth groups & mission work; A few mentions of miracles; A couple mentions of those in the Bible & the book of Revelation; A mention of Bible reading; A mention of nuns; A mention of a blessed event (which Bella puts in quotation marks);
*Note: There are a few parts where Bella wonders (flippantly) where certain issues she’s facing are in the Bible (a parent throwing your pet on to the street, a hideous stepbrother); A mention of Bella mentioning her “demon-possessed stepbrother”; A mention of Bella thinking Luke is a minion of Beelzebub and later calls him a spawn of Satan; A mention of a giant statue of Buddha at a restaurant; A mention of being in a shopping nirvana.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘buzz off’, a ‘gosh’, a ‘moron’, a ‘sucks’, a ‘stinkin’’, two ‘duh’s, two ‘dumb’s, two ‘shoot’s, three forms of ‘jack up’ (used as opposed to ‘screw[ing something] up’, ‘you don’t know jack about my life’, or stronger), six ‘idiot’s, six ‘oh, my gosh’s, eight forms of ‘crap’ (including a ‘holy crap’), eight forms of ‘shut up’, and sixteen ‘stupid’s; Lots of Eye rolling & Sarcasm (especially from Bella, but she does regret a few of the things after she says them); A few possible curses are cut-off; A mention of a curse (said, not written); A mention of flipping someone off; A mention of “some stuff’s hit the fan”; Being held at gunpoint, being shot, being slapped, being forced to eat pills (being told to overdose), pain, blood/bleeding, injuries, being forced to write a suicide letter, & passing out (semi-detailed); A fire, smoke, & pain (up to semi-detailed); Bella & her friends go to clubs and have virgin drinks; Mentions of car wrecks/accidents (up to semi-detailed), deaths, & someone being on life-support since (one person says he’s a permanent vegetable); Mentions of car racing & someone being seriously injured (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of someone who was said to have committed suicide (); Mentions of a fire, an arsonist, & someone setting the fire (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of planning a gas leak to kill someone; Mentions of mafias, a group of teens that are like a high school mafia, beat-ins, shootings, & initiations; Mentions of parties, drinking (including under-aged drinking, though Bella doesn’t drink), drinks/kegs, not getting drunk, & hangovers; Mentions of drugs (including slang names), planting drugs to frame someone, & drug smuggling; Mentions of jail/prison; Mentions of Bella’s parents’ divorce & other divorces; Mentions of threats; Mentions of lies, lying, liars, & eavesdropping; Mentions of gossip; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of tattoos; Mentions of throwing up & vomit; Mentions of animal poop (also called turds by a five-year-old), peeing, & other body functions (burping, etc.); A couple mentions of wondering if someone is a serial killer & a good place to take a girl if you’re a serial killer; A couple mentions of weapon manufacturing; A couple mentions of a father leaving his family after a tragedy; A mention of wars; A mention of death row; A mention of an addict in rehab; A mention of a drunk; A mention of a girl (not) setting her drink down at a party; A mention of getting mugged; A mention of (not) drinking goat’s blood;
*Note: Many mentions of designer brands & stores (Abercrombie, Adidas, Christian Siriano, Chanel, Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Louboutin, MAC, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Nike, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Tony Burch, Vuitton, Wranglers, Macy’s, Saks, Bergdorf’s, Bloomie’s, Barney’s, Pottery Barn, Wal-Mart); Mentions of singers, songs, celebrities, TV shows, movies, & channels (N*Sync, Maroon 5, Josh Groban, Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Dolly Parton, Anne Hathaway, Justin Timberlake, Reese Witherspoon, Jimmy Fallon, John Cena, Hulk Hogan, Survivor, General Hospital, Scooby Doo, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Jaws, The Incredibles, Sister Act, E!, PBS, CNN, Hallmark, & ESPN); Mentions of books, authors, & fictional characters (Lord of the Rings, The Scarlet Letter, Great Expectations, Death of a Salesman, Huck Finn, J. K. Rowling, Stephen King, Barbie, Superman, Spiderman, Winnie-the-Pooh, Fred Flinstone, & Voldemort); Mentions of car brands; Mentions of Starbucks (and drinking coffee from there); A few mentions of musicals (Wicked and The Wizard of Oz); A few mentions of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream; A couple mentions of books & series; A few mentions of climate change & global warming (a five-year-old comments that the Arctic Ocean could be ice-free by 2050, so he’s using recycled paper); A few mentions of Google, Netflix, Apple products, & Avon; A mention of Uber; A mention of Vogue; A mention of a UFO sighting; A mention of wanting to tell someone where they can stick their way.
Sexual Content- A cheek kiss, a forehead kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, and a make-out session (to keep people from noticing them, up to detailed); Recalling a kiss & wanting to kiss someone again (up to semi-detailed); Noticing a guy glancing at your lips; Touches, Tingles, Noticing Muscles, Dancing, Attraction, Noticing, Nearness, & Smelling (semi-detailed); A ‘skanks’ and five ‘hot’s when referring to someone’s appearance, Seeing a guy coming out of the shower with just a towel on (his abs are noticed by Bella, and another guy is upset that she was alone with a naked guy in his bedroom (nothing happened though)); Bella says she wants to still do things together with a guy and then hopes it doesn’t sound suggestive (she meant as going to the movies together, not as in “get horizontal on the couch”); Catching someone cheating & making-out with someone that’s not the person they’re dating; Bella sees her stepfather in a highly inappropriate position and outfit with another man (he’s training to be a wrestler, but Bella implies that she’s thinking he’s a “Spandexy perv” and willing to use it to get her mom to take her back to New York; Bella asks if he’s an exotic dancer, later says “he’s out of the spandex closet”); Bella flirts with guy & purrs over them; Bella helps another girl get the attention of her crush (this includes Bella mentioning that she shouldn’t cover up her great calves and tries to get her to get a dress that the friend isn’t comfortable in); Many mentions of dating, dates, boys, boyfriends, girlfriends, crushes, cheating, & exes; Mentions of make-out sessions; Mentions of dancing & nearness; Mentions of girls liking hot & sweaty guys; A few mentions of Bella’s dad’s bimbo-of-the-month club & him “working” (meeting women and negotiate kissing); A few mentions of seeing a married couple kiss; A few mentions of blushes & winks; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of a man leaving his wife for another woman (Bella says her mother relates to that); A couple mentions of Hester and her A for adulterer in “The Scarlet Letter”; A mention of not going off alone with anyone at a party; A mention of someone kissing like a movie star; A mention of a French kiss; A mention of canoodling; There is sexual tension between Bella & Luke;
*Note: In this 2019 revised edition, there is a bonus scene of Bella giving purses to a person who is hinted to be transgendered (the person is said to “flamboyantly dressed”, Bella’s never asked but she’s “pretty sure Louise was once a Louis” (and refers to the person as a she/her), and while the person may have squeezed themselves into Bella’s clothes, they “had boat-sized man feet, a fact that neither one of us acknowledged”); Bella has a conversation with a wrestler (male) about a designer (he says her shirt is “adorbs” and calls her “darlin’”) and she leaves before he starts giving her make-up advice; Bella accidentally walks in on her stepbrother in the bathroom in only his boxers; Bella helps a friend pick out a dress and while the friend feels naked in it, Bella says it’s very conservative, trendy and shows off her curves (the friend gets the dress she’s comfortable in); Mentions of Bella’s father being a plastic surgeon & nose and boob jobs; Mentions of feminine products & pads; Mentions of butts (including mentions of football players slapping each other on the butt, butting into a dance, butting out of someone’s life, someone butts up to someone else, a person’s spoiled butt); A few mentions of girls’ curves & showing them off; A few mentions of underwear & flashing your undies accidentally; A few mentions of waxing & shaving; A few mentions of birth control pills; A couple mentions of streaking; A couple mentions of guys’ six-pack abs; A couple mentions of a tight t-shirt & a girl feeling like her chest is trapped; A mention of Bella’s number being on the bathroom walls and not because she’s a good time; A mention of Bella would rather dance topless in the front yard than do something else; A mention of (not) dancing naked; A mention of getting out of the car in a delicate manner and not giving someone a free peep show; A mention of Bella lusting in her heart—over other people’s clothing; A mention of double D breasts; A mention of a too-tight bra; A mention of a strapless dress; A mention of an old man ordering boxes of frilly underwear online; A mention of a guy having a chick flick fetish (he cries during Hallmark movies); A mention of a mother that died in labor.
-Isabella “Bella” Kirkwood, age 16
1st person P.O.V. of Bella
316 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- One Star
My personal Rating- One Star
I first attempted to read this book in 2013, then later picked it back up in 2015 and rated it one star. Now in 2021, this popular YA book at used bookstores is officially reviewed on BFCG. However, this is a review (and therefore the content from) the 2019 revised edition of “So Not Happening” by Jenny B. Jones. There were some content details that were changed or omitted that I will list below.
When I first read this book, I thought Bella was selfish and shallow. This reread, though, I saw her more hurt than shallow and liked her better. But I’m not sure if any of those moments where I was annoyed at her selfishness were edited out or changed in this new edition. (This is the problem I have with new editions where details are changed. A cover change? Sure, no problem. Changing a storyline or the content, however, makes it harder on reviewers.)
Some of the more crude comments or “humor” that was originally in this first book are missing, and I think that’s why I enjoyed it more this time, however…
While I was planning to up my personal rating of this book to 2 stars, after reading a disappointing bonus scene about a “woman” that is hinted to have originally be a man (quoted in the Note section of the Sexual Content and below), it keeps its one-star rating from me. Very disappointing.
So What’s Different Between the Versions? In the Original:
Bella’s dad’s women friends (referred to as “bimbo”s very often in the original) are much more played down in this new version. In the original, his “barely legal girlfriends” are mentioned, including one that used to be a stripper. While there are still some, there’s less mentions of what Bella’s wearing (shorts, mini skirts, strapless dresses, bras, undies, etc); A mention of a transvestite (someone who dresses in clothes that are typically for the opposite gender; there part isn’t in the new edition but there is the bonus scene, noted below); There’s more mentions of butts and such; Many more comments about poop and whatnot; Celebrities of that time (2009) are mentioned frequently. A mention of the movie “Sex and the City”. That “chick flick fetish” Bella says a guy has isn’t Hallmark movies like this new edition, but Lifetime movies. Bella comes across as much more shallow and self-centered in the original edition.
**That bonus scene I mentioned in my final thoughts is not in the original edition, but included in this newer edition: In this 2019 revised edition, there is a bonus scene of Bella giving purses to a person who is hinted to be transgendered (the person is said to “flamboyantly dressed”, Bella’s never asked but she’s “pretty sure Louise was once a Louis” (and refers to the person as a she/her), and while the person may have squeezed themself into Bella’s clothes, they “had boat-sized man feet, a fact that neither one of us acknowledged”).
Link to review:
Coming soon.
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
About this book:
“Can an uptown teen solve a murder mystery in down-home Oklahoma?
Bella Kirkwood loves her glam life in New York City. But her faith is tested when her mom falls for a blue-collar country bumpkin and relocates them both to rural Oklahoma. After her brutally honest blog rant goes viral, the former trendsetter turns into a social reject.
Relegated to the school paper, Bella jumps at the chance to win over classmates she burned—and maybe even impress the hot editor. But when she overhears a cryptic conversation about a football player’s fatal so-called accident, she sets her sights on the scoop of a lifetime… one someone would kill to keep hidden.
Can Bella expose a small town’s shocking secret before she’s dead on arrival?”
Series: Book #1 in the “Charmed Life” series. (As of this time, the later books in this series will not be reviewed due to content found in this one.)
Spiritual Content- A couple Scriptures are quoted; Prayers/Talking to God (though some may come across as flippant); Blessings over food; Church and Bible study going (a few times each) & a few sermons/lessons (one about Mary and being outside of your comfort zone); Most ‘H’s are not capitalized when referring to God; Mentions of God (though some can come across as flippant) & Jesus; Mentions of prayer, praying, blessings over food, & thanking God (though some can come across as flippant); Mentions of churches & pastors; A few mentions of youth groups & mission work; A few mentions of miracles; A couple mentions of those in the Bible & the book of Revelation; A mention of Bible reading; A mention of nuns; A mention of a blessed event (which Bella puts in quotation marks);
*Note: There are a few parts where Bella wonders (flippantly) where certain issues she’s facing are in the Bible (a parent throwing your pet on to the street, a hideous stepbrother); A mention of Bella mentioning her “demon-possessed stepbrother”; A mention of Bella thinking Luke is a minion of Beelzebub and later calls him a spawn of Satan; A mention of a giant statue of Buddha at a restaurant; A mention of being in a shopping nirvana.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘buzz off’, a ‘gosh’, a ‘moron’, a ‘sucks’, a ‘stinkin’’, two ‘duh’s, two ‘dumb’s, two ‘shoot’s, three forms of ‘jack up’ (used as opposed to ‘screw[ing something] up’, ‘you don’t know jack about my life’, or stronger), six ‘idiot’s, six ‘oh, my gosh’s, eight forms of ‘crap’ (including a ‘holy crap’), eight forms of ‘shut up’, and sixteen ‘stupid’s; Lots of Eye rolling & Sarcasm (especially from Bella, but she does regret a few of the things after she says them); A few possible curses are cut-off; A mention of a curse (said, not written); A mention of flipping someone off; A mention of “some stuff’s hit the fan”; Being held at gunpoint, being shot, being slapped, being forced to eat pills (being told to overdose), pain, blood/bleeding, injuries, being forced to write a suicide letter, & passing out (semi-detailed); A fire, smoke, & pain (up to semi-detailed); Bella & her friends go to clubs and have virgin drinks; Mentions of car wrecks/accidents (up to semi-detailed), deaths, & someone being on life-support since (one person says he’s a permanent vegetable); Mentions of car racing & someone being seriously injured (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of someone who was said to have committed suicide (); Mentions of a fire, an arsonist, & someone setting the fire (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of planning a gas leak to kill someone; Mentions of mafias, a group of teens that are like a high school mafia, beat-ins, shootings, & initiations; Mentions of parties, drinking (including under-aged drinking, though Bella doesn’t drink), drinks/kegs, not getting drunk, & hangovers; Mentions of drugs (including slang names), planting drugs to frame someone, & drug smuggling; Mentions of jail/prison; Mentions of Bella’s parents’ divorce & other divorces; Mentions of threats; Mentions of lies, lying, liars, & eavesdropping; Mentions of gossip; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of tattoos; Mentions of throwing up & vomit; Mentions of animal poop (also called turds by a five-year-old), peeing, & other body functions (burping, etc.); A couple mentions of wondering if someone is a serial killer & a good place to take a girl if you’re a serial killer; A couple mentions of weapon manufacturing; A couple mentions of a father leaving his family after a tragedy; A mention of wars; A mention of death row; A mention of an addict in rehab; A mention of a drunk; A mention of a girl (not) setting her drink down at a party; A mention of getting mugged; A mention of (not) drinking goat’s blood;
*Note: Many mentions of designer brands & stores (Abercrombie, Adidas, Christian Siriano, Chanel, Jimmy Choo, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Louboutin, MAC, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Nike, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Tony Burch, Vuitton, Wranglers, Macy’s, Saks, Bergdorf’s, Bloomie’s, Barney’s, Pottery Barn, Wal-Mart); Mentions of singers, songs, celebrities, TV shows, movies, & channels (N*Sync, Maroon 5, Josh Groban, Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Dolly Parton, Anne Hathaway, Justin Timberlake, Reese Witherspoon, Jimmy Fallon, John Cena, Hulk Hogan, Survivor, General Hospital, Scooby Doo, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Jaws, The Incredibles, Sister Act, E!, PBS, CNN, Hallmark, & ESPN); Mentions of books, authors, & fictional characters (Lord of the Rings, The Scarlet Letter, Great Expectations, Death of a Salesman, Huck Finn, J. K. Rowling, Stephen King, Barbie, Superman, Spiderman, Winnie-the-Pooh, Fred Flinstone, & Voldemort); Mentions of car brands; Mentions of Starbucks (and drinking coffee from there); A few mentions of musicals (Wicked and The Wizard of Oz); A few mentions of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream; A couple mentions of books & series; A few mentions of climate change & global warming (a five-year-old comments that the Arctic Ocean could be ice-free by 2050, so he’s using recycled paper); A few mentions of Google, Netflix, Apple products, & Avon; A mention of Uber; A mention of Vogue; A mention of a UFO sighting; A mention of wanting to tell someone where they can stick their way.
Sexual Content- A cheek kiss, a forehead kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, and a make-out session (to keep people from noticing them, up to detailed); Recalling a kiss & wanting to kiss someone again (up to semi-detailed); Noticing a guy glancing at your lips; Touches, Tingles, Noticing Muscles, Dancing, Attraction, Noticing, Nearness, & Smelling (semi-detailed); A ‘skanks’ and five ‘hot’s when referring to someone’s appearance, Seeing a guy coming out of the shower with just a towel on (his abs are noticed by Bella, and another guy is upset that she was alone with a naked guy in his bedroom (nothing happened though)); Bella says she wants to still do things together with a guy and then hopes it doesn’t sound suggestive (she meant as going to the movies together, not as in “get horizontal on the couch”); Catching someone cheating & making-out with someone that’s not the person they’re dating; Bella sees her stepfather in a highly inappropriate position and outfit with another man (he’s training to be a wrestler, but Bella implies that she’s thinking he’s a “Spandexy perv” and willing to use it to get her mom to take her back to New York; Bella asks if he’s an exotic dancer, later says “he’s out of the spandex closet”); Bella flirts with guy & purrs over them; Bella helps another girl get the attention of her crush (this includes Bella mentioning that she shouldn’t cover up her great calves and tries to get her to get a dress that the friend isn’t comfortable in); Many mentions of dating, dates, boys, boyfriends, girlfriends, crushes, cheating, & exes; Mentions of make-out sessions; Mentions of dancing & nearness; Mentions of girls liking hot & sweaty guys; A few mentions of Bella’s dad’s bimbo-of-the-month club & him “working” (meeting women and negotiate kissing); A few mentions of seeing a married couple kiss; A few mentions of blushes & winks; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of a man leaving his wife for another woman (Bella says her mother relates to that); A couple mentions of Hester and her A for adulterer in “The Scarlet Letter”; A mention of not going off alone with anyone at a party; A mention of someone kissing like a movie star; A mention of a French kiss; A mention of canoodling; There is sexual tension between Bella & Luke;
*Note: In this 2019 revised edition, there is a bonus scene of Bella giving purses to a person who is hinted to be transgendered (the person is said to “flamboyantly dressed”, Bella’s never asked but she’s “pretty sure Louise was once a Louis” (and refers to the person as a she/her), and while the person may have squeezed themselves into Bella’s clothes, they “had boat-sized man feet, a fact that neither one of us acknowledged”); Bella has a conversation with a wrestler (male) about a designer (he says her shirt is “adorbs” and calls her “darlin’”) and she leaves before he starts giving her make-up advice; Bella accidentally walks in on her stepbrother in the bathroom in only his boxers; Bella helps a friend pick out a dress and while the friend feels naked in it, Bella says it’s very conservative, trendy and shows off her curves (the friend gets the dress she’s comfortable in); Mentions of Bella’s father being a plastic surgeon & nose and boob jobs; Mentions of feminine products & pads; Mentions of butts (including mentions of football players slapping each other on the butt, butting into a dance, butting out of someone’s life, someone butts up to someone else, a person’s spoiled butt); A few mentions of girls’ curves & showing them off; A few mentions of underwear & flashing your undies accidentally; A few mentions of waxing & shaving; A few mentions of birth control pills; A couple mentions of streaking; A couple mentions of guys’ six-pack abs; A couple mentions of a tight t-shirt & a girl feeling like her chest is trapped; A mention of Bella’s number being on the bathroom walls and not because she’s a good time; A mention of Bella would rather dance topless in the front yard than do something else; A mention of (not) dancing naked; A mention of getting out of the car in a delicate manner and not giving someone a free peep show; A mention of Bella lusting in her heart—over other people’s clothing; A mention of double D breasts; A mention of a too-tight bra; A mention of a strapless dress; A mention of an old man ordering boxes of frilly underwear online; A mention of a guy having a chick flick fetish (he cries during Hallmark movies); A mention of a mother that died in labor.
-Isabella “Bella” Kirkwood, age 16
1st person P.O.V. of Bella
316 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- One Star
My personal Rating- One Star
I first attempted to read this book in 2013, then later picked it back up in 2015 and rated it one star. Now in 2021, this popular YA book at used bookstores is officially reviewed on BFCG. However, this is a review (and therefore the content from) the 2019 revised edition of “So Not Happening” by Jenny B. Jones. There were some content details that were changed or omitted that I will list below.
When I first read this book, I thought Bella was selfish and shallow. This reread, though, I saw her more hurt than shallow and liked her better. But I’m not sure if any of those moments where I was annoyed at her selfishness were edited out or changed in this new edition. (This is the problem I have with new editions where details are changed. A cover change? Sure, no problem. Changing a storyline or the content, however, makes it harder on reviewers.)
Some of the more crude comments or “humor” that was originally in this first book are missing, and I think that’s why I enjoyed it more this time, however…
While I was planning to up my personal rating of this book to 2 stars, after reading a disappointing bonus scene about a “woman” that is hinted to have originally be a man (quoted in the Note section of the Sexual Content and below), it keeps its one-star rating from me. Very disappointing.
So What’s Different Between the Versions? In the Original:
Bella’s dad’s women friends (referred to as “bimbo”s very often in the original) are much more played down in this new version. In the original, his “barely legal girlfriends” are mentioned, including one that used to be a stripper. While there are still some, there’s less mentions of what Bella’s wearing (shorts, mini skirts, strapless dresses, bras, undies, etc); A mention of a transvestite (someone who dresses in clothes that are typically for the opposite gender; there part isn’t in the new edition but there is the bonus scene, noted below); There’s more mentions of butts and such; Many more comments about poop and whatnot; Celebrities of that time (2009) are mentioned frequently. A mention of the movie “Sex and the City”. That “chick flick fetish” Bella says a guy has isn’t Hallmark movies like this new edition, but Lifetime movies. Bella comes across as much more shallow and self-centered in the original edition.
**That bonus scene I mentioned in my final thoughts is not in the original edition, but included in this newer edition: In this 2019 revised edition, there is a bonus scene of Bella giving purses to a person who is hinted to be transgendered (the person is said to “flamboyantly dressed”, Bella’s never asked but she’s “pretty sure Louise was once a Louis” (and refers to the person as a she/her), and while the person may have squeezed themself into Bella’s clothes, they “had boat-sized man feet, a fact that neither one of us acknowledged”).
Link to review:
Coming soon.
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
December 2, 2018
Synopsis: Bella Kirkwood is living it up in New York...until her mother's remarriage forces her to move to a small town and live on a farm with two unruly stepbrothers. In frustration, she vents about her dire situation on a blog...only for it to be discovered by her entire new school, which causes them to despise her. When Bella gets assigned to the school newspaper, she is told to do a story on the school's dumpster; however, while digging through the garbage, she overhears something that sounds stinkier than the trash she was wading in. Will she get to the bottom of it? Will she even be allowed to try? Or will the new, fish-out-of water circumstances get the best of her?
Review: This may sound like strange reading material for a guy who is a quarter-century old, but keep in mind that I was raised in a house full of women, and have absolutely no qualms about reading such a book; hey, I watched Princess Diaries of my own volition, and enjoyed it every time I did! Anyway, though this book wasn't exactly spectacular, it was definitely entertaining and kept me involved until the end. Fans of the "young adult" writings of other Christian authors, such as Beverly Lewis or Melody Carlson, will find plenty to like about So Not Happening. The edition I bought at LifeWay was originally priced at $2.99, but was reduced to $1.47, which is an amazing deal on a new book.
Content Concerns: Some crude slang, mostly relating to either bodily functions or Bella's dad's occupation as a plastic surgeon. Also, it is discussed that Bella's father is a bit of a womanizer, and the climactic finale is a bit violent. However, none of it verges past "PG" territory; still, über-senstive readers should use a bit of caution.
Score: 3.5/5
Review: This may sound like strange reading material for a guy who is a quarter-century old, but keep in mind that I was raised in a house full of women, and have absolutely no qualms about reading such a book; hey, I watched Princess Diaries of my own volition, and enjoyed it every time I did! Anyway, though this book wasn't exactly spectacular, it was definitely entertaining and kept me involved until the end. Fans of the "young adult" writings of other Christian authors, such as Beverly Lewis or Melody Carlson, will find plenty to like about So Not Happening. The edition I bought at LifeWay was originally priced at $2.99, but was reduced to $1.47, which is an amazing deal on a new book.
Content Concerns: Some crude slang, mostly relating to either bodily functions or Bella's dad's occupation as a plastic surgeon. Also, it is discussed that Bella's father is a bit of a womanizer, and the climactic finale is a bit violent. However, none of it verges past "PG" territory; still, über-senstive readers should use a bit of caution.
Score: 3.5/5
May 29, 2017
This was a good YA book. Looking forward to reading the sequels.
June 1, 2022
So Not Happening had some cute moments. It just took me a really long time to actually like the main character, Bella. She just rubbed me the wrong way and I didn't like her attitude for most of this. Besides her, I think her mom was kind of unfair towards her with this whole big move. Especially when it came to giving up her cat. Yeah, that part made zero sense to me but whatever.
Other than that, the mystery was actually pretty interesting. The whole mini cult mentality for a football team to win was just wild. You'd think practicing would make them better but details. Then there's the potential romantic interest with Luke. Now him, I liked. Hopefully he can make Bella into a more likable person.
In the end, a lot of what happened was predictable. If the next book is free on KU, I might jump into it. If not, then maybe it just wasn't meant to be.
Other than that, the mystery was actually pretty interesting. The whole mini cult mentality for a football team to win was just wild. You'd think practicing would make them better but details. Then there's the potential romantic interest with Luke. Now him, I liked. Hopefully he can make Bella into a more likable person.
In the end, a lot of what happened was predictable. If the next book is free on KU, I might jump into it. If not, then maybe it just wasn't meant to be.
April 29, 2016
So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones.
The Characters.
Bella (The main character) I felt was very unlikable. She seemed like the stereotypical city girl, and if I was a city girl, I would be deeply offended by the portrayal of Bella. Luke was, no question, my favorite character. He knocked Bella down a peg or two. (Making her a bit more likable, thank goodness.) I'm sorry to say Bella was my least favorite character through out the book.
The Plot.
The plot for the last half of the book had me. The whole, Bella-is-a-poor-cityslicker-who-only-cares-about-shopping-shoes-and-her-own-life, plot had me feeling frustrated. I just wanted to throw something. And okay, I live in the country…sorta…and the people that drive fords, wear wrangler, and take care of cows are surprisingly proud of the fact. I felt how the country life portrayed was totally false.
My Overall Thoughts
Though I greatly disliked the first part of the story, the last part grabbed my attention, and did not let me go. Bella got nicer too, and the ending shocked me. Definitely cool plot twist! Though if you read this book, I will tell you right now, the next book is waaaaayyyyy better.
One thing that also I didn’t like is, so, some of the things mentioned in the book made me very uncomfortable. And they weren’t even necessary to the plot. I guess I can live with the uncomfortable stuff that did contribute to the plot, but it was just annoying to have awkward stuff in, that was totally unnecessary.
The Characters.
Bella (The main character) I felt was very unlikable. She seemed like the stereotypical city girl, and if I was a city girl, I would be deeply offended by the portrayal of Bella. Luke was, no question, my favorite character. He knocked Bella down a peg or two. (Making her a bit more likable, thank goodness.) I'm sorry to say Bella was my least favorite character through out the book.
The Plot.
The plot for the last half of the book had me. The whole, Bella-is-a-poor-cityslicker-who-only-cares-about-shopping-shoes-and-her-own-life, plot had me feeling frustrated. I just wanted to throw something. And okay, I live in the country…sorta…and the people that drive fords, wear wrangler, and take care of cows are surprisingly proud of the fact. I felt how the country life portrayed was totally false.
My Overall Thoughts
Though I greatly disliked the first part of the story, the last part grabbed my attention, and did not let me go. Bella got nicer too, and the ending shocked me. Definitely cool plot twist! Though if you read this book, I will tell you right now, the next book is waaaaayyyyy better.
One thing that also I didn’t like is, so, some of the things mentioned in the book made me very uncomfortable. And they weren’t even necessary to the plot. I guess I can live with the uncomfortable stuff that did contribute to the plot, but it was just annoying to have awkward stuff in, that was totally unnecessary.
Want to read
July 7, 2025I bought the 2019 edition in paperback but for some reason Goodreads only has that cover on kindle, so just for clarity, I own a paperback of this edition
August 26, 2018
I think this is the kind of book that all diverse/POC books should strive to be like.
U might say oh this one has a Christian MC, therefore its not diverse.
To each their own for the definition of "diversity"
Most "diverse" book u read this day its more about the identity/race/culture of the MC more than the actual content of the book. Its mostly of constantly shoving their identity/race/culture down your throat and the "ewww u are white ppl u wont understand" bullshit.
You can showcase your culture without belittling white ppl and also make sure your diverse book have an actual plot ok?
I swear some of this "diverse" book I read really made me cringe even when its about my culture. Most of us don't go around preaching about our culture and every conversation must be about my culture. ME ME ME.
So Not Happening of cuz has some reference about Jesus and God but it wasn't in an annoying way. It wasn't overly Christian to the point that u feel like this book is trying to be preachy. IT ACTUALLY HAVE A PLOT and fun conversations.
What happens when rich and stuck up snob girl Bella is forced to move from glamorous New York City to the small farming town of Truman , Oklohama? Yup u guess it, a lot of trashy girl drama as Bella navigate herself in a totally new environment. And then she met Luke who hates her guts. Sinister things are going on in this town and Luke and Bella have to work together despite their differences to uncover it all
I just can't help falling in love with how witty both Bella and Luke are
U might say oh this one has a Christian MC, therefore its not diverse.
To each their own for the definition of "diversity"
Most "diverse" book u read this day its more about the identity/race/culture of the MC more than the actual content of the book. Its mostly of constantly shoving their identity/race/culture down your throat and the "ewww u are white ppl u wont understand" bullshit.
You can showcase your culture without belittling white ppl and also make sure your diverse book have an actual plot ok?
I swear some of this "diverse" book I read really made me cringe even when its about my culture. Most of us don't go around preaching about our culture and every conversation must be about my culture. ME ME ME.
So Not Happening of cuz has some reference about Jesus and God but it wasn't in an annoying way. It wasn't overly Christian to the point that u feel like this book is trying to be preachy. IT ACTUALLY HAVE A PLOT and fun conversations.
What happens when rich and stuck up snob girl Bella is forced to move from glamorous New York City to the small farming town of Truman , Oklohama? Yup u guess it, a lot of trashy girl drama as Bella navigate herself in a totally new environment. And then she met Luke who hates her guts. Sinister things are going on in this town and Luke and Bella have to work together despite their differences to uncover it all
I just can't help falling in love with how witty both Bella and Luke are
June 20, 2011
Bella Kirkwood -New York socialite, fashionista, school advice columnist and Oklahoma Cowgirl? Bella doesn’t think so either, and she’s determined to get a one-way ticket back to her glamorous life in the city, one way or another. But, God has other plans, like new friends, and irritating editor and a mystery that Bella just can’t help but stick her nose in.
“So Not Happening” is the funniest book I’ve ever read, and my favorite read of this year. I mean, you’d be hard pressed to find a YA novel where the characters don’t morph, turn or transits into some mythical teen creature, with really good taste in clothes. Jenny B. Jones has written a snarky New Yorker, named Bella, and I can’t tell you how much I LOVE her. She is so fresh, salad would be jealous, and in Bella’s mind, her life is a royal mess, but as long as her Jimmy Choos don’t have cow poop on them, it’s not completely over. Bella is very real and believable, and I feel like she could be my sister from another mister. LOL And don’t even get me started on Luke Sullivan. He is super hot without even having to take his shirt off. Edward, without the lame sparkles and freaky pale skin. Jacob, without the long Rapunzle hair and need to howl at the moon. Like Justin Timberlake, before….well, you get what mean. Anyways, even with all the hilarity, the book carries a strong Godly message about being open to whatever God may have planned for you, whether that means talking to strange people, or moving to a Podunk town in the middle of Oklahoma, and all without having to bore you to tears.
And though it’s summer, there was some serious chemistry between Bella and her too-handsome-for-words, cowboy editor, Luke. I love they’re love-hate relationship. Bella can’t stand Luke, and for that matter, neither can Luke, but there are more than just snarky words flying between these two. I can’t wait to see where Ms. Jones takes her “A Charmed Life” characters next, and since I came into this series late, it won’t be long. This book is the perfect summer read, for the young adult and young at heart!
“So Not Happening” is the funniest book I’ve ever read, and my favorite read of this year. I mean, you’d be hard pressed to find a YA novel where the characters don’t morph, turn or transits into some mythical teen creature, with really good taste in clothes. Jenny B. Jones has written a snarky New Yorker, named Bella, and I can’t tell you how much I LOVE her. She is so fresh, salad would be jealous, and in Bella’s mind, her life is a royal mess, but as long as her Jimmy Choos don’t have cow poop on them, it’s not completely over. Bella is very real and believable, and I feel like she could be my sister from another mister. LOL And don’t even get me started on Luke Sullivan. He is super hot without even having to take his shirt off. Edward, without the lame sparkles and freaky pale skin. Jacob, without the long Rapunzle hair and need to howl at the moon. Like Justin Timberlake, before….well, you get what mean. Anyways, even with all the hilarity, the book carries a strong Godly message about being open to whatever God may have planned for you, whether that means talking to strange people, or moving to a Podunk town in the middle of Oklahoma, and all without having to bore you to tears.
And though it’s summer, there was some serious chemistry between Bella and her too-handsome-for-words, cowboy editor, Luke. I love they’re love-hate relationship. Bella can’t stand Luke, and for that matter, neither can Luke, but there are more than just snarky words flying between these two. I can’t wait to see where Ms. Jones takes her “A Charmed Life” characters next, and since I came into this series late, it won’t be long. This book is the perfect summer read, for the young adult and young at heart!
May 29, 2013
So Not Happening totally happens. I spent a day reading and laughing myself silly with my daughter looking daggers at me, making me shut up till she could get her mitts on Jones’ fourth outing. The book was so captivating, I took it with me to friends' and finished reading it over pizza. My rudeness is so the fault of Jenny B. Jones’ hilarious prose. I refused to give the book up until I went back and reread my favorite parts—like the kiss—while my daughter stood by tapping her foot.
Lest you think So Not Happening only appeals to women old enough to have young adult kids, my daughter devoured the book in one day—guffawing all the way. The opinion of two generations at my house is that we so, so adore Bella’s romance. The love interest has brains, brawn, and Jesus. What more could a girl want? Seriously.
Bella is lands on an Oklahoma cow patty with a new step father in lycra, a loathing step brother and a high school that turns on her in twenty-four hours. She copes through sarcasm that is both laugh-out-loud funny and full of angst. So Not Happening’s rapid-fire pace and well-conceived plot knock Jones’ novel out of the park, making her four for four.
Lest you think So Not Happening only appeals to women old enough to have young adult kids, my daughter devoured the book in one day—guffawing all the way. The opinion of two generations at my house is that we so, so adore Bella’s romance. The love interest has brains, brawn, and Jesus. What more could a girl want? Seriously.
Bella is lands on an Oklahoma cow patty with a new step father in lycra, a loathing step brother and a high school that turns on her in twenty-four hours. She copes through sarcasm that is both laugh-out-loud funny and full of angst. So Not Happening’s rapid-fire pace and well-conceived plot knock Jones’ novel out of the park, making her four for four.
March 5, 2010
Wow, this author has sarcasm down to an art! I've really never read a book whose character was SO sarcastic. I do admit to enjoying a good bit of sarcastic humor and there were definitely places in this book that made me laugh. I have the second book of this series to read, but I think I'll read a few other books first as not to overdose on the heavy sarcasm. This book had no foul language or swearing. No sex either. I REALLY appreciated that.
May 21, 2009
Review by Jill Williamson
Bella Kirkwood’s mother is getting remarried, whether Bella likes it or not. But that’s not the worst thing that could happen to this Manhattan girl. Bella’s new stepfather lives in Truman, Oklahoma, and, since Bella’s dad is going through a selfish phase, she has no choice to move from her fast-paced uptown life to Cow Town, USA.
Bella start out okay, but a harsh venting session about small town life on her old Ask Miss Hillard blog gets the wrong kind of attention: the Truman kind. She quickly becomes a social outcast in Truman and must start over if she is going to survive at all. She joins the school paper. While sitting in a dumpster on the lowest assignment ever, she overhears something more rotten than the banana peel stuck to her arm: a real story!
This could be Bella’s chance to move from social outcast to acceptable human being. She chases the story of a lifetime, despite the fact that her super hot—but extremely bossy and annoying—editor tells her it’s too dangerous. But as usual, Bella gets more than she bargained for.
Having absolutely loved the Katie Parker books, I was not at all surprised that Jenny B. Jones’ new series would have me laughing out loud. Jones has a knack for wonderfully sarcastic characters and books you can’t put down. Her characters are true to life in the best ways. I highly recommend this new series and am anxiously awaiting Bella’s next adventure.
Bella Kirkwood’s mother is getting remarried, whether Bella likes it or not. But that’s not the worst thing that could happen to this Manhattan girl. Bella’s new stepfather lives in Truman, Oklahoma, and, since Bella’s dad is going through a selfish phase, she has no choice to move from her fast-paced uptown life to Cow Town, USA.
Bella start out okay, but a harsh venting session about small town life on her old Ask Miss Hillard blog gets the wrong kind of attention: the Truman kind. She quickly becomes a social outcast in Truman and must start over if she is going to survive at all. She joins the school paper. While sitting in a dumpster on the lowest assignment ever, she overhears something more rotten than the banana peel stuck to her arm: a real story!
This could be Bella’s chance to move from social outcast to acceptable human being. She chases the story of a lifetime, despite the fact that her super hot—but extremely bossy and annoying—editor tells her it’s too dangerous. But as usual, Bella gets more than she bargained for.
Having absolutely loved the Katie Parker books, I was not at all surprised that Jenny B. Jones’ new series would have me laughing out loud. Jones has a knack for wonderfully sarcastic characters and books you can’t put down. Her characters are true to life in the best ways. I highly recommend this new series and am anxiously awaiting Bella’s next adventure.
April 1, 2010
Bella Kirkwood was living the life of luxury. She had her own credit cards, lived in Manhattan, the best boyfriend, in the “in-group” at her all-girls school. That life changes when her mother re-marries and she is forced to move to Truman, Oklahoma.
From the moment she arrives things do not seem to go well. In an effort to unite the family her mother cancels all of her credit cards. She is forced to ride to school with her step-brother in his “hearse”. When she writes some non-flattering things about the people in Truman and posts them on her blog things go from bad to worse. At every turn she is trying to find anything to get her back to Manhattan.
Being forced to work on the school paper she meets Luke the newspaper editor. Immediately sparks fly between the 2 of them. Being invited to a secret party, she uncovers a mystery that puts her and Luke together on a story that will affect the whole town.
Bella’s character seems to mature throughout the story. At first her prima-donna attitude kind of got on my nerves, but as she matured and grew out of herself I started enjoying the book more. Bella’s humor is very amusing and the climax of the book has the reader turning the pages as fast as they can! I don’t know that I would consider this book “Christian” although God and Jesus and prayer are mentioned, that theme is not what the story revolves around. It is a clean read that keeps the reader involved with humor, mystery and suspense. Well done!
From the moment she arrives things do not seem to go well. In an effort to unite the family her mother cancels all of her credit cards. She is forced to ride to school with her step-brother in his “hearse”. When she writes some non-flattering things about the people in Truman and posts them on her blog things go from bad to worse. At every turn she is trying to find anything to get her back to Manhattan.
Being forced to work on the school paper she meets Luke the newspaper editor. Immediately sparks fly between the 2 of them. Being invited to a secret party, she uncovers a mystery that puts her and Luke together on a story that will affect the whole town.
Bella’s character seems to mature throughout the story. At first her prima-donna attitude kind of got on my nerves, but as she matured and grew out of herself I started enjoying the book more. Bella’s humor is very amusing and the climax of the book has the reader turning the pages as fast as they can! I don’t know that I would consider this book “Christian” although God and Jesus and prayer are mentioned, that theme is not what the story revolves around. It is a clean read that keeps the reader involved with humor, mystery and suspense. Well done!
January 11, 2016
When first meeting Bella, I was worried this story was going to be about a classic white girl. Taken away from her privileged life, Bella would have to learn to adapt to the new scenery. It is simple to read about. I never felt like I had to struggle through a part of the book. I enjoyed reading about Bella’s part in the newspaper. I thought Luke and Bella would be an adorable couple. I do wish that their relationship, whatever it may be, would have progressed quicker. I felt like Bella matured as we went through the story. This was good; she needed to be able to appreciate the things around her, and she couldn’t do that in New York City...
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Read more here!
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June 13, 2017
If someone asked me if I could meet one author in the entire world, without blinking I would say Jenny B. Jones. Then I'd start to bust out laughing just thinking about her hysterical books! My sister asked me too explain this book to her and I said, "Well, it's a mystery, romance, comedy, country, city, girly-girl, christian novel." She looked at me like I was nuts! But it's true! If you are ever wondering what type of book to read, I would definitely recommend this book. It's the full package.
June 1, 2013
Oh my goodness, what a fabulous book!! I can't wait to read the next one in the series :) not as LOL funny as her others but I still laughed in parts and it was fun to have a mystery to boot! :) I really sympathized with Bella in the beginning for all she endured but I'm glad for her growth (as well as the other characters) by the end. I'd give this more stars if I could!
March 28, 2015
It's more like 2 and half..
December 18, 2021
I love the characters in this book. So much snark and laugh-out-loud dialogue. And I loved that there wasn't so much of an evangelical message, but more of an immediate nod to the main character's Christian beliefs, and those beliefs filter into her every-day decisions/thought processes. I gave it 4 stars because there were a decent amount of formatting/grammar issues that were distracting. Still, if you haven’t read any of these books, check them out! Now I'm off to read the sequel :)
Read
January 16, 2025rereading my 12-year-old self’s fave books bc i’m visiting my childhood bedroom <3
obvi the book doesn’t hold up, the homophobic comments def threw me, and the story is not in any way believable, but it was A FUN TIME OK
obvi the book doesn’t hold up, the homophobic comments def threw me, and the story is not in any way believable, but it was A FUN TIME OK
October 10, 2022
Quick fast paced ya mystery! Let’s just say in the end there was justice!
June 24, 2025
⭐️4.25
April 30, 2009
Rating: 3.6/5
Age R: 13+
Release Date: May 5
Thoughts:
So Not Happening is about 16 year old Bella Kirkwood who's mom gets married to a guy she barely knows, Jacob Ralph Finley. Unfortunately the "fun" doesn't stop there, she is forced to leave her home sweet home in NYC and move to Oklahoma. This is something Bella absolutely hates! She does not want to live in a place where people can't tell the difference between "Payless shoes and Prada." Besides that, she now has two new step brothers, one of which seems unberable!
Bella at first seems to be fitting in at her new high school but then she does something that gets everyone to hate her. For that part in the book, a LOT of people can relate because for a while she's a complete outcast. My heart went out to her there even if she somewhat deserved it. Because of her mistake she ends up stuck working with the editor of the school newspaper, a guy that is just not nice! Something fishy seems to be happening with the football players and it's up to her and the editor, Luke, to find out what it is before people get hurt (actually, before more people get hurt).
This book was pretty cool, I enjoyed reading it, but I didn't love it. The writing, story, characters and suspense kept my interest but there were some things I just did not like.
When you get to a point in chapter three it's as if the Bella changes completely. You already get that she's a brat but it becomes more emphasized really fast and it seems like she becomes a completely different person, which is weird. I get what the author was trying to do, but it just wasn't done well.
I had a huge issue with the fact that most of this story is almost exactly the same as this episode of Smallville where there is something fishy going on with the football players since the coach is a nut job. Oh and there's this dream Bella has that is very similar to the scene with the fire in that episode. Obviously the author's a fan because the guy's last name is Sullivan who's an editor (remember Chloe Sullivan anyone?), he looks like Tom Welling, there are references to Smallville, and the little boy's almost always dressed as Superman. On the other hand the author does a nice twist to the story so that's pretty cool and cute. :)
I also wasn't really a huge fan of the protagonist, Bella. She was just such a brat!! Her personality just kept getting on my dang nerves! Even when her life is threatened, she still acts like a brat, it really irked me. Another thing that just made me angry with her was that she is so superficial. A girl from her school, Linda, asks her to help her get a guy to like her and guess what Bella does? She completely tries to change the girl and turn her into a brat too. Basically Bella thinks that there's no way the guy would like Linda for who she is, as if she has too change her hair color, attitude, and clothes in order to get his attention. I was NOT a fan of Bellas's way of thinking.
The story was also somewhat predictable which is a no-no for me. You could just tell that Bella was going to start off like a brat and most likely change for the better. This didn't really happen, but...it seems like it will later on in the series. Okay that's not the predictable part though. What was predictable was the whole mystery part of the story, I won't elaborate because I wouldn't want to spoil it.
If you don't mind that then you'll probably like this book way more than me. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad read, it's pretty good, it's just not for everyone.
Age R: 13+
Release Date: May 5
Thoughts:
So Not Happening is about 16 year old Bella Kirkwood who's mom gets married to a guy she barely knows, Jacob Ralph Finley. Unfortunately the "fun" doesn't stop there, she is forced to leave her home sweet home in NYC and move to Oklahoma. This is something Bella absolutely hates! She does not want to live in a place where people can't tell the difference between "Payless shoes and Prada." Besides that, she now has two new step brothers, one of which seems unberable!
Bella at first seems to be fitting in at her new high school but then she does something that gets everyone to hate her. For that part in the book, a LOT of people can relate because for a while she's a complete outcast. My heart went out to her there even if she somewhat deserved it. Because of her mistake she ends up stuck working with the editor of the school newspaper, a guy that is just not nice! Something fishy seems to be happening with the football players and it's up to her and the editor, Luke, to find out what it is before people get hurt (actually, before more people get hurt).
This book was pretty cool, I enjoyed reading it, but I didn't love it. The writing, story, characters and suspense kept my interest but there were some things I just did not like.
When you get to a point in chapter three it's as if the Bella changes completely. You already get that she's a brat but it becomes more emphasized really fast and it seems like she becomes a completely different person, which is weird. I get what the author was trying to do, but it just wasn't done well.
I had a huge issue with the fact that most of this story is almost exactly the same as this episode of Smallville where there is something fishy going on with the football players since the coach is a nut job. Oh and there's this dream Bella has that is very similar to the scene with the fire in that episode. Obviously the author's a fan because the guy's last name is Sullivan who's an editor (remember Chloe Sullivan anyone?), he looks like Tom Welling, there are references to Smallville, and the little boy's almost always dressed as Superman. On the other hand the author does a nice twist to the story so that's pretty cool and cute. :)
I also wasn't really a huge fan of the protagonist, Bella. She was just such a brat!! Her personality just kept getting on my dang nerves! Even when her life is threatened, she still acts like a brat, it really irked me. Another thing that just made me angry with her was that she is so superficial. A girl from her school, Linda, asks her to help her get a guy to like her and guess what Bella does? She completely tries to change the girl and turn her into a brat too. Basically Bella thinks that there's no way the guy would like Linda for who she is, as if she has too change her hair color, attitude, and clothes in order to get his attention. I was NOT a fan of Bellas's way of thinking.
The story was also somewhat predictable which is a no-no for me. You could just tell that Bella was going to start off like a brat and most likely change for the better. This didn't really happen, but...it seems like it will later on in the series. Okay that's not the predictable part though. What was predictable was the whole mystery part of the story, I won't elaborate because I wouldn't want to spoil it.
If you don't mind that then you'll probably like this book way more than me. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad read, it's pretty good, it's just not for everyone.
March 7, 2018
This book was great! Jenny B. Jones is such an incredible author. While I could definitely see similarites between Bella and Katie from A Katie Parker Production, there was still enough of a difference that Bella was totally her own person. This was, overall, and incredible work.
One thing I really love about Jenny B Jones’ books are that they are so long. Most of the time I tend to think long novels are drawn out, but in this case, they are just incredible. You meet the character, come to love her, and then get three or more 300+ page books on her! Once you meet a character from Jenny B. Jones, you never get bored and the few long books there are on her don’t even seem long enough. You come to care so much about these characters that simply following them around in everyday life is amazing.
This book was really, really well done. The characters and plotline were well developed. The writing was great; Bella sounds just like an average teen, without all the slang and casualness. Her friendships are well written, as well are her relationships with family and step family. The one thing I felt was missing was we did not get a lot on her father, only that he doesn’t really care and that it hurts Bella. Beyond that, there was really no further development. Luisa seemed a little one-dimensional, too, but mostly just because she was in so few scenes. Besides that, though, every other character was phenomenal.
The plotline was definitely for an older audience, but it wasn’t too intense; rather, there were more mature elements. I will note everything is appropriate and wholesome, however.
Speaking of which, I really, really liked Bella from a Christian perspective. Differing from Katie Parker, Bella’s definitely a Christian girl. She feels distant from Him, but she’s not embarrassed and prays on a regular basis. And not praying as in get-on-my-knees-formally-because-I-have-to, but more spur-of-the-moment “Help me, God,” which seemed more realistic (and more legite). Bella still has her doubts and worries, but they don’t hold her back. She likes to do things her way, but ultimately, from what I’ve read so far, it seems she relies a lot on Christ.
And I have to mention the romance. It was not at all inappropriate, but rather a bit hilarious. Generally I am not a fan of YA romance, but the way this was done—in a clean, Christian voice—was really good; it was actually entertaining. It was written realistically without being inappropriate, and unlike most YA, it actually seemed like part of Bella’s story, rather than being some pointless clichè added on to make the story more dramatic. Because of this, I didn’t even mind when the story dived a bit toward a love triangle. (It never really ended up that way, though.)
All together, though, this was another amazing work from Jenny B. Jones. I am so happy I discovered her books, and I’m highly looking forward to the next books in this series (two more! yay!) Wholesome, intriguing, and straight-out hilarious in some parts, So Not Happening was an incredible read and I’d recommend it for all teens (ages 13+). FIVE STARS!!!!
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One thing I really love about Jenny B Jones’ books are that they are so long. Most of the time I tend to think long novels are drawn out, but in this case, they are just incredible. You meet the character, come to love her, and then get three or more 300+ page books on her! Once you meet a character from Jenny B. Jones, you never get bored and the few long books there are on her don’t even seem long enough. You come to care so much about these characters that simply following them around in everyday life is amazing.
This book was really, really well done. The characters and plotline were well developed. The writing was great; Bella sounds just like an average teen, without all the slang and casualness. Her friendships are well written, as well are her relationships with family and step family. The one thing I felt was missing was we did not get a lot on her father, only that he doesn’t really care and that it hurts Bella. Beyond that, there was really no further development. Luisa seemed a little one-dimensional, too, but mostly just because she was in so few scenes. Besides that, though, every other character was phenomenal.
The plotline was definitely for an older audience, but it wasn’t too intense; rather, there were more mature elements. I will note everything is appropriate and wholesome, however.
Speaking of which, I really, really liked Bella from a Christian perspective. Differing from Katie Parker, Bella’s definitely a Christian girl. She feels distant from Him, but she’s not embarrassed and prays on a regular basis. And not praying as in get-on-my-knees-formally-because-I-have-to, but more spur-of-the-moment “Help me, God,” which seemed more realistic (and more legite). Bella still has her doubts and worries, but they don’t hold her back. She likes to do things her way, but ultimately, from what I’ve read so far, it seems she relies a lot on Christ.
And I have to mention the romance. It was not at all inappropriate, but rather a bit hilarious. Generally I am not a fan of YA romance, but the way this was done—in a clean, Christian voice—was really good; it was actually entertaining. It was written realistically without being inappropriate, and unlike most YA, it actually seemed like part of Bella’s story, rather than being some pointless clichè added on to make the story more dramatic. Because of this, I didn’t even mind when the story dived a bit toward a love triangle. (It never really ended up that way, though.)
All together, though, this was another amazing work from Jenny B. Jones. I am so happy I discovered her books, and I’m highly looking forward to the next books in this series (two more! yay!) Wholesome, intriguing, and straight-out hilarious in some parts, So Not Happening was an incredible read and I’d recommend it for all teens (ages 13+). FIVE STARS!!!!
Like my reviews? Follow my blog:
http://jcbuchanan.com
June 17, 2011
Review posted here at my blog.
I love the euphoric feeling I get when I read a book by a new-to-me author and love it completely and totally. I think I’ve found a new favorite and can’t wait to gobble up everything else that author has written. Sometimes the book I loved turns out to be a fluke, but other times, as in the case of Jenny B. Jones, my initial reaction was right and I’ve found a new bookish BFF. I loved Save the Date and was thrilled to learn that it was not Jenny’s first work!
So Not Happening is a different kind of story, but still just as engaging, funny, sweet, and thought-provoking, I was very happy to learn. I read it in a few days while sick on my couch with a terrible sinus infection and a wicked case of bronchitis, and it made me happy and kept my mind off how awful I was feeling! And isn’t that one of the best things about a good book?
Bella Kirkwood has it all. She lives in New York City and her father is a plastic surgeon to the rich and famous. She has a great best friend, a dreamy boyfriend, and an advice column for her ritzy all-girl school’s blog. But Bella’s world unravels after her parents divorce and her mother meets a man online. He lives in Oklahoma, which, to Bella, may as well be another planet. To Bella’s horror, her mother marries her online suitor and moves the two of them to Truman, Oklahoma.
Bella is a fish out of water. Her stepbrothers are weird, and it’s clear one of them hates her. The house is old and small and looks like it hasnt’ been updated since the 70s. Add to that the fact that Bella’s new stepfather seems to have a dark secret, and the kids of Truman High wouldn’t know Prada from Payless, and Bella is downright miserable.
But there’s hope. Bella meets some kids who seem nice, and she starts to fit in at her school. And despite making a huge mistake that costs her a lot of her reputation, there are a few kids who stick by her. She ends up on the school’s newspaper staff and has a hard time ignoring the fact that her hard-working and demanding editor, Luke, is pretty hot.
I’ve whined and complained for ages that there’s not any contemporary romance in YA that has a twist of a mystery. So imagine my happy surprise when I realized that’s exactly the path this book took. Bella and Luke work together to solve a mystery surrounding the football team, growing closer in the process. It’s like a cozy mystery for teens, and it thrilled me to bits.
Jenny B. Jones is an excellent story-teller and writer. Now knowing she can do mystery, too, just makes me like her even more. I can’t wait to devour the next two books in this series, and get everything else she’s ever written!
I love the euphoric feeling I get when I read a book by a new-to-me author and love it completely and totally. I think I’ve found a new favorite and can’t wait to gobble up everything else that author has written. Sometimes the book I loved turns out to be a fluke, but other times, as in the case of Jenny B. Jones, my initial reaction was right and I’ve found a new bookish BFF. I loved Save the Date and was thrilled to learn that it was not Jenny’s first work!
So Not Happening is a different kind of story, but still just as engaging, funny, sweet, and thought-provoking, I was very happy to learn. I read it in a few days while sick on my couch with a terrible sinus infection and a wicked case of bronchitis, and it made me happy and kept my mind off how awful I was feeling! And isn’t that one of the best things about a good book?
Bella Kirkwood has it all. She lives in New York City and her father is a plastic surgeon to the rich and famous. She has a great best friend, a dreamy boyfriend, and an advice column for her ritzy all-girl school’s blog. But Bella’s world unravels after her parents divorce and her mother meets a man online. He lives in Oklahoma, which, to Bella, may as well be another planet. To Bella’s horror, her mother marries her online suitor and moves the two of them to Truman, Oklahoma.
Bella is a fish out of water. Her stepbrothers are weird, and it’s clear one of them hates her. The house is old and small and looks like it hasnt’ been updated since the 70s. Add to that the fact that Bella’s new stepfather seems to have a dark secret, and the kids of Truman High wouldn’t know Prada from Payless, and Bella is downright miserable.
But there’s hope. Bella meets some kids who seem nice, and she starts to fit in at her school. And despite making a huge mistake that costs her a lot of her reputation, there are a few kids who stick by her. She ends up on the school’s newspaper staff and has a hard time ignoring the fact that her hard-working and demanding editor, Luke, is pretty hot.
I’ve whined and complained for ages that there’s not any contemporary romance in YA that has a twist of a mystery. So imagine my happy surprise when I realized that’s exactly the path this book took. Bella and Luke work together to solve a mystery surrounding the football team, growing closer in the process. It’s like a cozy mystery for teens, and it thrilled me to bits.
Jenny B. Jones is an excellent story-teller and writer. Now knowing she can do mystery, too, just makes me like her even more. I can’t wait to devour the next two books in this series, and get everything else she’s ever written!
April 28, 2009
Bella's life has been turned upside down. In the blink of an eye she has gone from living in NYC with her "plastic surgeon to the stars" father and her charity, fund-raising mom - to living in Truman, Oklahoma. On a farm, no less, with her mom, new step-dad, and two step brothers. The oldest which seems to be going to great lengths to make her life impossible.
To make matters worse, she manages to alienate herself further when she blogs at her old school's website (Hilliard School for Girls) about the lack of fashion, brains and everything in between at Truman. This information spreads quickly throughout Truman High School, her new alma-mater.
As a form of punishment she is placed on the school's newspaper staff, where she meets the 'sorta hot' editor Luke. His first assignment for her is to sit in the school's trash dumpster and see if she can dig anything up.
She manages to overhear a conversation between two football players which puts her on the scent of a real story. A story that may or may not explain the apparent suicide of a player the previous year, a car crash that landed one student in a nursing home wasting away and why her stepbrother is so hostile to everyone.
Even though Luke tells her to stay out of the story she thinks she has uncovered and stay focused on her "trash" story, Bella can't seem to contain her nosy nature.
Come join her in an adventure which threatens her life as well as her younger stepbrother's, takes her to a sweaty wrestling gym and to a railroad overpass.
This was a cute read. Although Bella is a Christian, you don't see a lot of evidence to support this. She spends a lot of time lamenting about her suddenly awful life and why everyone should feel sorry for her. She doesn't bother to consider that her presence in her new home may make others uncomfortable as well. She was in many instances where she could have called on God, but just sort of relied on luck. (It also seems to be missing how her mother went from her somewhat shallow life in NYC to becoming a Christian and marrying this man in Oklahoma because she felt it was God's will.) I do sort of think that a lot of Christian teens live this sort of self-centered life these days. I think that part of being a teen is learning to let go of believing you are the center of the universe. There also seems to be a lack of good role models for today's teens. Bella was a good person, but she could have taken a more "cross-centered" approach to many of her problems.
To make matters worse, she manages to alienate herself further when she blogs at her old school's website (Hilliard School for Girls) about the lack of fashion, brains and everything in between at Truman. This information spreads quickly throughout Truman High School, her new alma-mater.
As a form of punishment she is placed on the school's newspaper staff, where she meets the 'sorta hot' editor Luke. His first assignment for her is to sit in the school's trash dumpster and see if she can dig anything up.
She manages to overhear a conversation between two football players which puts her on the scent of a real story. A story that may or may not explain the apparent suicide of a player the previous year, a car crash that landed one student in a nursing home wasting away and why her stepbrother is so hostile to everyone.
Even though Luke tells her to stay out of the story she thinks she has uncovered and stay focused on her "trash" story, Bella can't seem to contain her nosy nature.
Come join her in an adventure which threatens her life as well as her younger stepbrother's, takes her to a sweaty wrestling gym and to a railroad overpass.
This was a cute read. Although Bella is a Christian, you don't see a lot of evidence to support this. She spends a lot of time lamenting about her suddenly awful life and why everyone should feel sorry for her. She doesn't bother to consider that her presence in her new home may make others uncomfortable as well. She was in many instances where she could have called on God, but just sort of relied on luck. (It also seems to be missing how her mother went from her somewhat shallow life in NYC to becoming a Christian and marrying this man in Oklahoma because she felt it was God's will.) I do sort of think that a lot of Christian teens live this sort of self-centered life these days. I think that part of being a teen is learning to let go of believing you are the center of the universe. There also seems to be a lack of good role models for today's teens. Bella was a good person, but she could have taken a more "cross-centered" approach to many of her problems.
November 3, 2009
Jenny B. Jones is the queen of all things funny. So Not Happening has it all. Romance, intrigue, humor, mystery, yummy kisses, hilarious and memorable moments, etc. The author's unusual way of phrasing things is always original and the character's internal dialog is often downright hysterical (like one character's thoughts about the mixture of pills they are forced to take.) I've learned to read Jenny's books in the privacy of my own home to avoid potential embarrassment in public.
Yet, the author has her serious moments, too. While dealt with in a light-hearted manner, the issues her characters encounter are not easy. On a stress scale from one to ten Bella ranks about a twenty in this story. When things get bad the author turn it up another notch and increases the pressure. She had me squirming with the suspense element, too. The plot was very strong and the tension kept building.
The subtle attraction between Bella and several other characters made me smile, too. I loved the way the author drew her characters together in a romantic sense. That undercover stuff was especially delicious in one particular scene. It's hard not to impart a spoiler here because I want to tell you what I loved so much about that scene, but I'll refrain. There were so many great things that happened in this book. I just don't want to share them and ruin your fun. I am desperately wanting to read the next installment.
Bottom line...I'm hooked on this series and I've only just started it. Not only is this book making my best fiction of 2009 list, it's also presently my favorite Jenny B. Jones story. I didn't think anything could top her other YA series with the psycho grandma, but she did it with this book.
I highly recommend anything this author writes because there is always a solid message underlying the story that inspires me. The author knows human behavior and her characterization is flawless. She's the best author in the CBA when it comes to developing likeable, unique, quirky characters who are memorable, and yet very real at the same time.
Yet, the author has her serious moments, too. While dealt with in a light-hearted manner, the issues her characters encounter are not easy. On a stress scale from one to ten Bella ranks about a twenty in this story. When things get bad the author turn it up another notch and increases the pressure. She had me squirming with the suspense element, too. The plot was very strong and the tension kept building.
The subtle attraction between Bella and several other characters made me smile, too. I loved the way the author drew her characters together in a romantic sense. That undercover stuff was especially delicious in one particular scene. It's hard not to impart a spoiler here because I want to tell you what I loved so much about that scene, but I'll refrain. There were so many great things that happened in this book. I just don't want to share them and ruin your fun. I am desperately wanting to read the next installment.
Bottom line...I'm hooked on this series and I've only just started it. Not only is this book making my best fiction of 2009 list, it's also presently my favorite Jenny B. Jones story. I didn't think anything could top her other YA series with the psycho grandma, but she did it with this book.
I highly recommend anything this author writes because there is always a solid message underlying the story that inspires me. The author knows human behavior and her characterization is flawless. She's the best author in the CBA when it comes to developing likeable, unique, quirky characters who are memorable, and yet very real at the same time.
October 5, 2009
I stayed up late last night to finish this book, cause the last part got intense! I was thinking I was just reading your typical YA chick-lit, but I was wrong. So Not Happening was the first book I've read by Jenny B. Jones. Sidenote: I can't get past the author's name. I either think of Jenny Jones the talk show host, or Junie B. Jones, the childrens series.
Anyway, the book is about Bella, a teenage girl whose parents are divorced. She lives in and loves New York. Her mom gets remarried, and she has to move to live with her mom and new step-dad in a small town in Oklahoma. Needless to say, she has a difficult time adjusting. Then weird things start happening, and I can't say more so I don't spoil anything!
This was a really quick read, and I enjoyed it. I'm not sure what kind of draw there is for me reading about a teenage girl and her angst, but I was interested. I know I'm not the only woman, because there are all those Twilight lovin' ladies (and that is one craze I just don't get). I would have liked to see more character growth, but I understand this is just the first in a series. And I've also got to remember that I'm reading about a young girl, and not a mature woman.
The only complaints I have is that I felt like the main character did a few really unbelievable things to further the plot along. Sometimes I think there just can't be anybody that stupid. There was also a few pretty predictable parts, but I think when you read enough books, you can start seeing things from a mile away. Either that, or I'm just extra smart. ;)
I would rate this book 4/5, and I liked it enough that I'm eagerly awaiting the next in the series that comes out in November (I think). I would recommend this to teenage girls, women who like chick-lit, and anyone looking for a light read.
Anyway, the book is about Bella, a teenage girl whose parents are divorced. She lives in and loves New York. Her mom gets remarried, and she has to move to live with her mom and new step-dad in a small town in Oklahoma. Needless to say, she has a difficult time adjusting. Then weird things start happening, and I can't say more so I don't spoil anything!
This was a really quick read, and I enjoyed it. I'm not sure what kind of draw there is for me reading about a teenage girl and her angst, but I was interested. I know I'm not the only woman, because there are all those Twilight lovin' ladies (and that is one craze I just don't get). I would have liked to see more character growth, but I understand this is just the first in a series. And I've also got to remember that I'm reading about a young girl, and not a mature woman.
The only complaints I have is that I felt like the main character did a few really unbelievable things to further the plot along. Sometimes I think there just can't be anybody that stupid. There was also a few pretty predictable parts, but I think when you read enough books, you can start seeing things from a mile away. Either that, or I'm just extra smart. ;)
I would rate this book 4/5, and I liked it enough that I'm eagerly awaiting the next in the series that comes out in November (I think). I would recommend this to teenage girls, women who like chick-lit, and anyone looking for a light read.
January 5, 2012
So Not Happening is just fabulous! At first, I didn't quite know what to think about this 16-year-old spoiled brat of a girl who was a New York transplant in Oklahoma. I mean, Bella's a little self-absorbed, a little snobbish, but she's all kinds of snappy--as in the Queen of One-Liners--except when she says a little bit too much on a blog for the whole town of Truman to see. Not that there's a lot of folks in Truman, but there's enough there that her friends scale slides to zero really quick!
So, while she recovers from all that drama (not to mention the drama at home), she makes one friend, then two, and then, she scores a spot on the newspaper staff with the most horrible editor on the planet. (Really, this guy does NOT make a good first impression.) While on her very first assignment for the paper, she overhears a sneaky conversation between a couple of guys, and her radar goes up fast. And wouldn't you know...when she tries to take it to the editor, he brushes her off! But patience is key here, and before they know it, they are almost in over their heads with the story of the school year.
I never expected all the twists and turns that took place in this story. First of all, it's down right hilarious in some places. I cannot remember the last time I read a novel and laughed that much! Secondly, there's a little mystery on the side that pops up about halfway through the book that had my jaw on the floor by the time it was solved! Third, there were life lessons galore, and they fit in seamlessly through the whole story. Not only were they for Bella, but for her mom, dad, new stepdad, and stepbrothers. I highly recommend So Not Happening, especially for the older teenage audience. And who am I kidding...this grown-up loved it, too!
So, while she recovers from all that drama (not to mention the drama at home), she makes one friend, then two, and then, she scores a spot on the newspaper staff with the most horrible editor on the planet. (Really, this guy does NOT make a good first impression.) While on her very first assignment for the paper, she overhears a sneaky conversation between a couple of guys, and her radar goes up fast. And wouldn't you know...when she tries to take it to the editor, he brushes her off! But patience is key here, and before they know it, they are almost in over their heads with the story of the school year.
I never expected all the twists and turns that took place in this story. First of all, it's down right hilarious in some places. I cannot remember the last time I read a novel and laughed that much! Secondly, there's a little mystery on the side that pops up about halfway through the book that had my jaw on the floor by the time it was solved! Third, there were life lessons galore, and they fit in seamlessly through the whole story. Not only were they for Bella, but for her mom, dad, new stepdad, and stepbrothers. I highly recommend So Not Happening, especially for the older teenage audience. And who am I kidding...this grown-up loved it, too!
May 15, 2009
Rating C+
Review This book got on my nerves so thoroughly throughout that I had to force myself to keep going, but I persevered and it ended up being... not bad.
The plot started off ridiculously slow, but picked up at the last fifty pages (enough to get me to pick up the next book in the series... I'm such a sucker for a series).
The reason this book was a C+ (slightly above average) was because at times (albeit rarely) the dialogue actually made me laugh out loud. Literally. Not text speak. Literally laughing out loud. Want an example? Okay... here's a scene where Budge (Bella's high-school-aged step brother) is bidding Robbie (Bella's first-grade-aged step brother, Budge's actual brother) a good day at his first day of school:
Robbie was my favorite character. If you're looking for a funny, clean, quick read with a good plot, decent characters, and some funny dialogue, you might want to pick this up. Note: I had to pick this up at my Christian book store, so keep that in mind (or get it online at your favorite online realtor) if you want to get it.
Review This book got on my nerves so thoroughly throughout that I had to force myself to keep going, but I persevered and it ended up being... not bad.
The plot started off ridiculously slow, but picked up at the last fifty pages (enough to get me to pick up the next book in the series... I'm such a sucker for a series).
The reason this book was a C+ (slightly above average) was because at times (albeit rarely) the dialogue actually made me laugh out loud. Literally. Not text speak. Literally laughing out loud. Want an example? Okay... here's a scene where Budge (Bella's high-school-aged step brother) is bidding Robbie (Bella's first-grade-aged step brother, Budge's actual brother) a good day at his first day of school:
"[Budge:] stands beside his brother and holds out his fist. Robbie hits it with his own. 'Make me proud today, Robmesiter. Keep your hands to yourself and remember rule number one above all things.'
'Don't discuss politics.'
'No, the other one.'
Robbie nods. 'Don't eat glue.' He drops his chin. 'It's my weakness,'" (p. 27).
Robbie was my favorite character. If you're looking for a funny, clean, quick read with a good plot, decent characters, and some funny dialogue, you might want to pick this up. Note: I had to pick this up at my Christian book store, so keep that in mind (or get it online at your favorite online realtor) if you want to get it.
January 25, 2010
My Thoughts: The first time I saw this was down the book aisle at Wal-mart. It caught my eye. I just knew I had to read it. We meet Bella who is just a normal girl from New York. She likes fashion and is somewhat spoiled. She is forced to move to a country town in Oklahoma because her mom got remarried to some guy she met on the Internet. Bella gets stuck with two stepbrothers, one which is around the same age as she is. We also meet her boyfriend Hunter from New York. I did not like him at all, from the get go. Something about the guy just annoyed me. We also meet Luke, who works on the newspaper at the new school with Bella. Now, I did like him. Bella finds a interesting story with the football players of town. I don't want to give away the book but this is such a cute story. There were a lot of laugh out loud moments throughout the book. Also, enough quality characters to keep the story interesting. Even though i could see what was going to happen with Bella's best friend, I still wanted the smack the best friend a few times! Arrg! I also really liked Bella and Luke. Their first kiss was so amazing, it had me smiling as it was happening! What is the mystery story behind the football players? What about with Bella and Hunter? Bella and Luke? I can't wait to read book 2.
Overall: Really liked it a lot. Liked the characters and it was a cute story.
Cover: Makes me want to know the story between the green purse and the pig.
Overall: Really liked it a lot. Liked the characters and it was a cute story.
Cover: Makes me want to know the story between the green purse and the pig.
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