When her best friend, Hope Weaver, moves away from Pineville, New Jersey, hyperobservant sixteen-year-old Jessica Darling is devastated. A fish out of water at school and a stranger at home, Jessica feels more lost than ever now that the only person with whom she could really communicate has gone. How is she supposed to deal with the boy- and shopping-crazy girls at school, her dad's obsession with her track meets, her mother salivating over big sister Bethany's wedding, and her nonexistant love life?(Summary from jacket flap)
The Jessica Darling books are super well known. Everyone says that they're fabulous. But I don't quite buy it yet. Sloppy Firsts didn't show me where all the hype is coming from. It's an okay book, sure, but there's nothing ground breaking in there. It's just kind of mediocre.
When I picked up the book, I thought that the thing I would like the most about it would be the true to life characters and plot twists. It was all very true to life but within that, surprisingly boring. Most everyone's life is boring and not fit to be written about. I'll be the first to admit that. If someone wrote a book about me, it would seriously suck. I don't do anything! There's nothing exciting or crazy going on with me. Wake up, eat, school, homework, sleep. That's it.
And to me, that's kind of all that Jessica did in this book. She did lose her best friend, she did alienate her social circle, she did meet up with the mysterious Marcus Flutie, but it was all hidden under a layer of meh. It could have all been quite interesting but it wasn't. I just didn't get it.
There were a few redeeming things that I saw, though. I did enjoy the not boring parts of the book. I loved Marcus, I loved how Jessica had a crazy social life at some points, and I enjoyed the letters and lists that she made. Those shining moments somewhat made up for the crappy parts. They added a little spice.
I am going to continue to read the series, I think, because I want to see if any of the other books change my mind about Ms. Jessica Darling. When everyone's so hyped about a group of books, you kind of have to see it through. So I'm going to.
I just sincerely hope that Marcus doesn't go away. He's the guy who made this book readable. He was AWESOME.
So don't ruin it for me, but does Marcus stick around?
I can't quite recommend this series yet, but I might be able to give you guys a diagnosis after I read Second Helpings. All you lovers of the Darling books, cross your fingers for me. I want to like it. :)
