REVIEW: The Duff: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face. But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him. Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.~Goodreads

The Duff: Designated Ugly Fat Friend
By: Kody Keplinger
Published: September 7, 2010
Little Brown, 280pgs
Source: Library


I love, love this story. It was such an exciting fast pace read. There were situations that tugged at my heart strings and made me want to cry. This book covered so many things and issues teens deal with such as self-esteem, name calling.

At times I just wanted to reach into the book and hug Bianca. I mean seriously someone can only deal with so much in their lives before they crack. The two main characters were so real I felt as if I could have been either of them like my life was being read back to me.

You don’t realize how it sometimes hard to deal with the situations you face and sometimes running and not facing your issues seem so much easier. But, in reality they never go away sometimes they just get worse.

Take a cynical character, toss her world upside down and see how she deals with it. She’s very vivacious and a strong character and I loved being able to see that she had weaknesses too, this is what made her so realistic to me. In everyone and everything there is always some good and sometimes you are lucky enough to find it.

This is a book that I wished I didn't wait so long to read but I am definitely going to dive right into Shut Out now. This book is about finding yourself and realizing that it’s okay to sometimes need someone to confide in, that it’s only human to show your weaknesses.


Thank you Ms. Keplinger for writing such an honest and heartbreaking real story.