The Duff : (Designated Ugly Fat Friend)

Favourite Quote: “Wesley Rush doesn’t chase girls, but I’m chasing you” After re-reading this book, I’ve decided this time I ought to write a review! Kody Keplinger wrote this book when she was 18 and I thought it was incredible someone who was my age could produce a book that I love so much! 5/5 stars from me! The thing I loved most about this book were the characters. Bianca, although she was deeply cynical, I managed to relate too. Some of her views, I whole-heartedly agreed with and her insecurities also made it easily to relate to her. Then there’s Wesley, who I just adored even though he had his flaws! He just grow on me and by the end of the book I was in love with him, he was funny, sweet, sexy, sensitive and so much more! The side characters were also interesting, Jessica was a lil sweetheart and Casey was someone I’d love to be friends with! The other characters were not in it much but I liked what we got to see. As for the book, I wouldn’t call this book deep but it does touch a little on deep issues such as alcoholism, broken families, judgment of others etc and I thought they were all done well. The pacing was quick and I flew through this book with ease! Overall this book was a great contemporary novel and is definitely in my top five contemporaries of all time! Highly recommend!show more

I was expecting a boring-to-dead book; usually I don?t read books like seems to be an OC?s episode, because normal people with too much drama isn?t my thing. But I DO like this book very much!! At the beginning I was kind of frustrated, because Bianca behave like an EMO girl all the time and I totally don?t understand why she couldn?t be normal, affective. And then I was involved in Bianca?s issues: her absent mother, her devote father, her low self-esteem (something we all got) and the one that make me grin through the book several times: her new sex toy. I found Wesley pathetic at the beginning; as you could see, I didn?t like the first pages of The Duff. The family drama made me cry. I have a SOB father, so when I read those pages, where the author explain the Bianca?s father misery, I was broken-heart in that instant too. I really liked this book; the plot grew more and more interesting, I finally understood Bianca (her defensive attitude against the world), I realized how beautiful is a friend relationship, and I loved Wesley!! Hey, the guy was a womanizer (I listened in my head that song through the entire book, LOL) and she managed to change that fact, even without doing anything. Don?t you know how hard is change someone? Do not even try, please =). I gave 4.7 stars of 5 stars just for the boring first pages; remember, don?t get me wrong, I enjoyed this book and I already pre-ordered it in Amazon. Congrats to you, Kody; I?m just one year older than you! A new great author is coming!show more

Seventeen-year-old Bianca is loyal, cynical, and the uglier one, in her opinion, of her friends. When a jerk at school named Wesley tries to flirt and get the attention of her, she at first ignores him, due in part to his nickname for her: DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend). Plus, things at home start getting rough with her parents' divorce. During a particularly low point in her life, she has sex with Wesley and starts an enemies-with-benefits relationship. Until it all goes bad and she starts falling for him! Will Wesley return her feelings, or will Bianca get horribly burned by love? Although the characters are slightly one-sided and there's a lot of swearing, sexual references, and mature content, the author creates a main character who is relatable and easy to sympathize with. The friend characters are likable and true to their characters throughout the book. The issues in the book are the same that many have faced and well-dealt with. Those who can look past the language and sexual content will enjoy how well the author seems to have captured the heart of adolescence and coming of the age of adulthood. Readers who like romance, friendships, and realistic fiction will enjoy reading THE DUFF.show more

I relate to this book so much as I am sure that many if not all girls can. It deals with being the designated ugly fat friend, and I know that I often feel out of place, not right in my own skin, wonder why people hang out with me, and think that my looks are inferior to my friends. Bianca's character could pretty much be me, pessimistic, sarcastic but funny in that dry quirky way, loyal, insecure, smart, too trusting at times, not trusting enough others. It was a breeze to be in her head, and to understand her feelings and reactions. Her family life is going through a rough patch and she is looking for an escape- and finds it in the jerk- hot jerk nonetheless- Wesley. But what happens if she develops feelings that she feels will never be returned? (I have been there too) Spoiler paragraph-- This book should only be for older teens, because she does use sex as an escape. It is not overly explicit, but there are sexual situations, and even though B realizes what she is doing is wrong and inappropriate- and makes the decision in the end to slow things down, it still happens. There is also some curse words- it does not distract from the story, but also disclaimer. There is also an instance of domestic violence but it is not a continued thing and the involved party gets help. This looks at some of the gritty parts of being a teenager, but does not glorify it, and explores reasons, reactions, emotions, guilt, etc. Her friends are amazing, and I have a few like that-- who will tell me like it is, who know my moods, and who are there. They are the best kind! There is also a love triangle, one of course is the bad-boy, bad a**, womanizer with the soft side and the hidden fears and insecurities- Wesley. The other is a perfect gentlemen, but a nerd-Toby. (Not judging- my hubby is a nerd, but Wesley (types) makes me melt in ways Toby can't begin to... but can't say any more without spoiling). And to think that I almost dismissed this book without even reading the synopsis because I thought it was about or written by Hilary Duff. Yes, you can laugh and point now :) On a more serious note, some of the revelations that B comes to made me almost shiver. It conveys a rough image to start, but she realizes some fundamental truths, and she has an important message to get across. I really enjoyed this one!show more

In spite of her good grades and apparent confidence, Bianca Piper doesn't feel as pretty as her two best friends, gorgeous Casey and Jessica. When Wesley, notorious womanizer and a guy she hates, nicknames her Duff (the designated ugly fat friend), she's so furious she throws her Coke in his face. But things at home aren't very good for Bianca, what with her absent mother and alcoholic father. In order to take her mind off her problems, she kisses Wesley... and likes it, so much that she starts secretly sleeping with him. It should be a no-string-attached thing, and Bianca knows it very well; Wesley is not a guy who gets attached to any girl. But soon she discovers that he's a good listener, too, and that he's got family issues of his own. Bianca can't believe it, but she might start having feelings for him... I loved this book; it was a perfect example of good YA romance fiction. The characterization is very good and feels real, especially for the two main characters: Bianca and Wesley's banter is sexy, witty, and fiery, even though they are a perfect match for each other. An extremely good YA novel, which I'd recommend to older teens and romance fans.show more

I have to start out by saying that this was not a book I thought I would really be a big fan of, or be able to really get into, but I had read some positive reviews and decided to jump on the tour despite my hesitations. Boy am I glad I did! I was pleasantly surprised to find that I became far more invested in this book than I thought I would. Kody Keplinger is an author who drew me into the story and had me relating to characters I never thought I would. I think this is going to be a book that will end up taking people off guard. You get the chance to see more of people than just the stereotype and category you/others might have filed them under previously. I didn't think that I would ever champion a womanizing, spoiled rich boy who treats people like their pawns to be moved around a chess board, but here I am, doing just that. Wesley surprised me and his relationship (or whatever you might call it) with Bianca and it had me invested the whole way through. I was laughing at them when they were ridiculous, and sympathizing with them when they were struggling with the events taking place. Keplinger had me from their first introduction and after that there was no way I could let go. The DUFF was a new term for my vocabulary and at first I thought it meant exactly what it stood for (the designated ugly fat friend) but eventually further into the story, I think readers will agree and realize as I did that it's more than just an acronym, it's a state of mind that goes far beyond what I'd originally given it credit for. Keplinger gave this story and scenario depth that I didn't think it would or had the potential for. I always love when I've been waiting for a book to come out that I've been dying to read and it turns out to be just as great and enjoyable as I knew it would be. What I like even more is when a book comes along like The DUFF, that I either didn't know enough about or wasn't expecting much from, and then turns out to be wonderful! It was so much fun to read. To me this was a book that turned out to be a dark horse that I wasn't anticipating or expecting and it surpassed my expectations by miles. That was The DUFF, a complete dark horse for me that I'm so glad I gave the chance and took the time to read, totally worth every minute.show more