Author: Jaimie Admans
Title: Not Pretty Enough
Date of Publication: August 1st 2013
Genre: YA Contemporary Comedy
Goodreads link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18142578-not-pretty-enough
Purchase links: Amazon
SYNOPSIS
“New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Lloyd Layton will know I exist. He once said three whole words to me, so this is obviously progress. If I don’t get a proper conversation out of him soon, then I’ll take my top off and streak through the cafeteria, because nobody could fail to notice these boobs.
2. I will not get expelled for streaking through the cafeteria.”
Those are the words that begin her mission.
Chessie is fourteen, not pretty enough, and very much in love. Lloyd Layton is hot, popular, and unaware of Chessie’s existence.
Her goal is clear: to get Lloyd to love her as much as she loves him, and she has exactly one year to do it.
As Chessie’s obsession with Lloyd reaches boiling point and she starts to spin a web of lies that spiral out of control, Lloyd turns out to be not quite the prince she thought he was. Can Chessie avoid the gathering storm before things go too far?
Not Pretty Enough is a contemporary young adult comedy suitable for ages thirteen and over.
Book two in the series will be released early 2014.
EXCERPT
In technology that afternoon, I’m not concentrating on the block of wood I’m supposed to be sawing, and I don’t even realise I’m still moving the saw until Debs clicks her fingers in my face and says, “Chessie, what are you doing?”
Oops.
I look down and the saw is halfway through the workbench. It’s embedded. In fact, it’s downright stuck. I pull and wiggle it but it won’t come out.
Oh, hell. Why do I always manage to mess something up?
I stick my hand up in the air and hope the teacher won’t make a scene about it. It was an accident, after all. I really don’t need Lloyd thinking that this is another lesson that I’m totally incompetent in. Is it too much to ask that he might think I’m good at something? Even just one thing?
“Miss Clemenfield?” Mr Vale asks in his most patronising voice.
“Sir, I, um, had a little accident,” I say, stepping back so he can see the saw that’s gone right through the wooden workbench.
“Oh dear. A little overzealous with the sawing, were we?”
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I thought I was still doing my block. My mind was somewhere else.”
“Thinking about boys, no doubt, eh? I know what kids your age are like.”
I’m just about to put in that I was actually thinking about ways to improve our technology lessons when suddenly Mr Vale’s voice is booming around the classroom.
“Everybody, gather round,” he’s saying, and gesturing with his hand to come over to our table.
Thirty students gather around us. I can feel Lloyd’s imposing frame right behind me. If I leaned back a little I’d be touching him. I wish I had the courage to do that. I wish we were friends. I wish he’d comfort me and tell me that it doesn’t matter that I’ve embarrassed myself yet again and the teacher is making a scene about it. But I don’t really get a chance, because Mr Vale prods me out of the way a little too forcefully, and I fall off my stool. I go to grab something to hold me up, and horror of horrors, I grab at the one thing that I never wanted to meet with in this way.
I have grabbed Lloyd Layton’s crotch.
Oh, crap.
The entire class is practically rolling on the floor in fits of giggles, and up until now, I would have thought it humanly impossible to turn red so fast.
It occurs to me that it might be a good idea to let go, and I drop my hand and jump back like I’ve been burnt.
Even the teacher is laughing. I don’t dare to look up at Lloyd, but I would imagine he’s gone bright red too. At least he’s not laughing like all the others.
“Sorry,” I mumble in an upward direction, and settle myself back on my stool, trying in vain to hide my head in my hands.
“That’s enough excitement for one day,” Mr Vale says finally, even though he’s still giggling himself. “I just wanted you all to see what happens when someone like Miss Clemenfield pays more attention to Mr Layton’s work than to her own.”
Crap. He noticed that?
Oh well, I don’t see what it matters because my face cannot get any redder right now.
Eventually the class file away and Mr Vale removes the saw from the bench and hands it back to me with a grin. I sneak a glance over towards Lloyd. There is a definite hint of a blush in his cheeks.
Great, not only do I embarrass myself beyond belief but I make him feel bad too.
Perfect.
“At least you can’t say he hasn’t noticed you anymore,” Debs whispers.
“Thank you. That makes me feel so much better.”
REVIEW
What a brilliant writer Jaimie is! Not Pretty Enough is about a 14 year old girl called Chessie (great nickname) who really really likes a boy in her year called Lloyd Layton. The problem is he doesn't seem to like her back and Chessie does all sorts of really crazy things to make him like her! And when I say crazy, I mean seriously cringeworthy, extremely awkward, laugh-out-loud things.
I really liked Chessie, she reminded me of me at school. I will thankfully say I was not quite as extreme as Chessie, but I was always getting into embarrassing situations that still make me cringe today! When I say Chessie will do anything to get Lloyd to like her, she really will do anything. There were some serious laugh-out-loud, hysterical moments for me in this and as I do a lot of reading on my commute, I did get some quite funny looks when I couldn't contain my laughter! I've got to hand it to Chessie, there were a lot of things she did that I would not have had the confidence to do at that age. She seems to take things in her stride when they don't quite go according to plan.
Throughout this, I was really hoping that Chessie would see sense and realise that Lloyd Layton was not worth her time of day. He's a complete idiot and does not deserve Chessie's attentions. I did get a little frustrated with her at times, because she didn't seem to be learning from her mistakes and I did think, how many crazy situations can one person get themselves into. However I'm sure a lot of 14 year olds will be able to relate to Chessie and I absolutely loved the ending. It came as a little surprise, but I think it's a great message for young girls to take away with them.
This was a great young adult read that I read really quickly. It will definitely have you laughing out loud and I'm already looking forward to Book Two. Well done Jaimie!
8/10
ABOUT JAIMIE
Jaimie is a 28-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, drinking tea and watching horror movies. She hates spiders and cheese & onion crisps. She has been writing for years but has never before plucked up the courage to tell people. Afterlife Academy is her third novel and she hopes you enjoy it. There are plenty more on the way!
Website: http://www.jaimieadmans.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/be_the_spark
Facebook: http://facebook.com/jaimieadmansbooks
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/oDXZj
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I know I thanked you on Twitter but just wanted to say thank you so much again! I'm so glad you liked the book, and thank you for writing such a lovely review! I'm glad you liked the ending too, I questioned it a lot when I was editing it! And I also got myself into embarrassing situations at school that still make me cringe today so you're not alone there!
ReplyDeleteI am so pleased I read it! I'm so glad you went with the ending that you did, it was brilliant. Haha so glad I'm not alone there! *cringe*
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