The DUFF: (Designated Ugly Fat Friend)

So overall I enjoyed the book. Bianca and Wes were fun, damaged and flirty. There are a bunch of great one liners. And Bianca's flaws were very real and I found myself thinking this girl was strong but vulnerable. I would recommend this book as a good beach read. My only major problem with the book is that I think the author attempted to tackle too much and then just swept major issues (ie divorce, alcoholism, and abandonment) to a quick resolution. I still think these issues needed to be included but I think I would of rated it higher if these issues resolved themselves in a much more credible manner.

It followed the book pretty well I just wish they would have left the dad as the one who stays in Bianca’s life instead of her mom like in the book. What’s wrong with portraying a the dad as a good guy and staying there for his daughter.

I Loved the main character and thought she was feisty and wonderful. This is unique and cute book. I am a therapist and even used the Duff analogy in my therapy. I really enjoyed this book. I wish there had been a little less sex and a little more bonding but then the book would have been different and that may not have been a good thing.

I absolutely loved this book! I really enjoy her frank and open writing style! This book really resonated with me and some feelings I have held. I wanted to read it before the movie comes out. I am glad I did because so far none of the movie ads matches up to what I read!!

I also recommend her other books, Shut Out and A Midsummer's Nightmare. I love how they are all interconnected but are also so open.

This was a decent read.. I wanted something that had substance, but didn't have a million sequels with it. There were no cliff hangers; just a clear, solid ending. While it may have been a predictable ending, it was nice to have something happen the way I wanted it to without the author splashing reality into my face.
This book also gives a new meaning to loving yourself and also to think before you're quick to judge someone by their appearance.
I've been seeing previews for the movie and the plot looks NOTHING like the book so I'm still torn on whether I'm going to see it..

This book is well written and has more substance than a lot of young adult books. The issues Bianca has are understandable and well illustrated and her emotional responses seem natural.
I would have liked to see a little more inside Wesley.
The only major complaint I have with the story is that so many people hurt Bianca deeply and really wronged her but are not held accountable-her dad hit her and called her horrible names, her mom totally abandoned her and is a major flake, and Wesley repeatedly used a derogatory name for her as a nickname, and Bianca just seems to accept it.

I thought this would be a fun, light-hearted read. I was pleasantly surprised this book had more depth and a deeper storyline. I know we all have seen the previews for this movie and it looks like a fun teen comedy, but this book tackled some hard hitting areas like bullying, alcoholism, etc. It was a decent book and could not beat the price of $1.99 for the Kindle version

Bianca is almost a good heroine. She's tough, she's strong, she's a good best friend. But when life gets a little too real for her, she finds a way to escape the s*** storm one tryst at a time. Ignoring her life at home and the problems she doesn't know how to deal with, she falls into an arrangement with Wesley, the school playboy. But can he save her? Can he help her save herself?

I'm going to start this review saying that I liked this book. However, I didn't think that it was a good book, if that makes sense. Bianca would be a great heroine if a.) she didn't push away her friends (who were clearly trying to be there for her) in favor of having escape sex with a guy she didn't even like and b.) she didn't sleep with a guy who she thought (even if it turned out not to be true) didn't give a crap about her and was actually kind of an ass to her and used her in an attempt to get play from her hotter friends. Like, really? We're going to sleep with that guy? Even though I did end up liking Wesley in the end, it was just a little tough for me to swallow. Especially because his DUFF comment about her sent her into a downward self esteem spiral and caused her to have some serious body issues.

The book is very character driven as opposed to event driven. You spend the entire novel in Bianca's head and it's not exactly a good place to be. Everything felt circular, we kept coming back to the same things which got boring for me after a while. The book placed most of the focus on her relationship with Wesley and skirted around her relationships with her father, mother, and friends which made the story seem juvenile and less interesting. Plus, I felt the characterization was off. Especially during the fight with her father. We weren't given any indications on how he acted as an alcoholic at all during the novel until he had the blowout fight with Bianca and then it was overkill. I would have liked to see evidence of his alcoholism affecting his personality before the big fight. It seemed like the build up was non-existent. Whereas, the relationship with Wesley was lavished upon and you could see the development as the story progressed.

Basically, this book focused on a teen romance amidst a plethora of greater storylines ripe for the telling that were ignored. And while I enjoy a good book about teen love, I don't like a good book that doesn't explore the whole picture outside of the love story. I liked it, but then again, I didn't. I finished it in a few hours and it kept my attention, but I didn't really get a positive feeling from it upon finishing- just an unsettling one.

I couldn't put this book down! Thoroughly enjoyed it! I could identify with Bianca, my mom left when I was in high school, her struggles are very honest. Having been the duff in my friend groups, this book has such a real quality, even as an adult I can relate to the story line. I laughed out loud, as well as teared up a bit. Great, honest story!

This was not by any means an intelligent read. It was selected for my book club. Very easy read, finished in two days. I think the only thing I really took away from this was that we are all the DUFF at one point or the other. Typical high school plot with cynical main character.

I couldn't put this book down! Thoroughly enjoyed it! I could identify with Bianca, my mom left when I was in high school, her struggles are very honest. Having been the duff in my friend groups, this book has such a real quality, even as an adult I can relate to the story line. I laughed out loud, as well as teared up a bit. Great, honest story!

This was not by any means an intelligent read. It was selected for my book club. Very easy read, finished in two days. I think the only thing I really took away from this was that we are all the DUFF at one point or the other. Typical high school plot with cynical main character.

great book even though parts seemed unrealistic for the real life of duffs. it was great to read and full filled the fantasies all us duffs have about the typical guy that would never fall for us falling for us.

Wow! This book was impressive.

This was 18 year old Kody Keplinger's debut novel (although I think I read somewhere she was 17 when she wrote it). It has been called The Catcher in the Rye for this generation--and did you get the part that she is a teenager??

The Duff stands for Designated Ugly Fat Friend, and haven't we all felt like that at some point? In fact, that is Kody's whole point. This term, or a close variation, was around when I was in high school, too, and it's just a reminder of how the more things change, the more things stay the same.

As a writer, I was able to appreciate how she created such a fun, snarky character like Bianca, but totally had us loving and rooting for her. She created a realistic boy character that was somehow believable when we was a complete womanizing jerk and also when he was a gushy romantic (not easy to do). The minor characters all had clear and strong personalities, too, and I could easily identify with them.

I loved how she showed dysfunctional parents and families BUT the core family relationship (Bianca and her father) in the book was one that was mostly stable and loving. Yeah it had a momentary set back, as is life, but you could always tell they loved each other. I'm tired of YA books that have parents completely sucking or being non-existent. While this is an unfortunate occurrence for some families, it is in no way the norm, and I appreciate good parenting in books!

Finally, as a writer of YA, I loved reading a real teen's writing. It has been just over 10 years since I was officially in high school, and while I love doing research by watching all those fun teen shows, there's no mistaking the fact that times have changed. Even reading other YA books written by authors my age and older might not always totally show the realistic teen experience for today because we aren't there everyday anymore. You can't say that about Kody! And I was pleased to find out that while there are some fun new expressions, really life isn't that different. It just gave me more confidence in my writing, reading and seeing that a lot of what I've done in my current WIP fits in Kody's world.

This is a good story with a good message and even if all that wasn't true, it would be worth buying just to support an amazing young woman who was able to write such a thought-provoking, well-written debut novel, oh yeah and she happens to be a TEENAGER!

I usually love romcom books that feature a heroine that doesn't always look like supermodel, however, this book didn't hit the mark for me.

The dialogue is mainly what ruined it for me. It had no flow, felt like a middle schooler wrote it half the time and the parts that were supposed to be romantic we're so cheesy that it made me cringe.

The saving grace of this book was the plot no matter how badly written it was but it still isn't enough for me too recommend this book or confidently say I liked it.

If I would have read a sample of this first, I never would have bought it.

This is a very quick read. And I absolutely loved it. The two characters were very relatable and like able. I highly recommend. The only reason it's a four star instead of a five, is because of the price. Considering how quick of a read it was, I would've liked for the book to be a bit cheaper. But, I did enjoy the story and the characters.

I wanted to review this book because it became an American teen comedy in 2015. We all know what Hollywood has a tendency to dramatically change story lines of book with potential of a cult following; so I decided that I would give this book a shot. Well, that and my book club made me read it. (I digress.)

Upon finishing this book, I sat here at my screen for more than a few minutes puzzled, and I did what no book reviewer should do - I looked at other reviews. Some raved about the book; others provided very low ratings. But, I must say that the mixed reviews makes me feel better and provides confidence in my review...

This most definitely is a teenage book; however, I would advise and caution adults against letting just any teenager read this. There is a profound message here - beauty is confidence. It reminds me of the Parisian approach on elegance and style. The you’re-only-as-beautiful-as-you-feel or only-as-beautiful-as-you-carry-yourself mentality, which personally I agree with. There is also a deep message of being your true self that elevates and inspires, compared to one that conforms and begs for acceptance. All very valuable lessons for teens everywhere. However there is a huge disconnect between the story and the audience.

Bianca is our nonconformist - our intellectual that goes beyond labels. She has conviction and inner strength, but has her share life’s obstacles. So, this story isn’t about a cookie-cutter life suddenly faced with curve balls. (I love this by the way.) She deals with real problems for the get go, and life gets harder as the story continues.

She finds refuge and comfort in dealing with life’s curve balls by having causal sex with the school’s playboy - who shockingly is looking for more than a physical connection or notch on his bedpost.

My point is that the writing is very much for that younger teen, and therefore, could not be labeled as young adult. However, it would take a very mature teen and avid reader to walk away these messages. If your daughter or son has read or will read this book, make sure they walk away with the writer’s intended message, and just focus on the story and the ending.

For you adult YA lovers, this may be entertaining, but the writing is very teen audience driven. For the reason above, I would give this story a 2.75 to a solid 3 stars. Like I said, the audience and their maturity level is key. (FYI - judging my the previews, the movie story is nothing like the book. So, please don’t rush into any awkward talks just because your teenager saw the movie!)

~*Disclaimer: This post was written by Andrea'. All opinions are honest and my own.*~ 

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Very different from the movie - but I enjoyed both for very different reasons.
The movie looks at the character's situations from a hyper, silly, social media perspective and adds a Pygmalion twist. It was a good conversation starter with my pre-teens without being dramatic or patronizing.

The book is more serious - the character's situations are heavier burdens to carry and their methods of coping are realistic and sad. For all those slamming Bianca for her treatment of Wes....I get why you'd think that, but I don't agree. You've got two damaged, hurting kids who are dealing the one way they know how - it was a two way street. The same goes for her treatment of her friends - you hurt the ones you love the most - right?

So if you're looking for the same funny, good time that the movie offered - go watch the movie again. If you want something a little more poignant and satisfying, try the book.

First of all love Wesley and Bianca. Their relationship is unconventional but, it works for them and makes them seem so vulnerable and insecure. They have so much in common that I guess on a deeper level their subconscious must have registered it and it's the reason they gravitate towards each other.

Really liked it. Good for a few hours of escapism. I'm in my mid 30s, but sometimes you just need a fluff book. Was surprised at the amount of talk about sex or sex scenes. This was not in any teen book I ever read in my youth.

My best friends little sister really liked this book, so I gave it a shot - and while I maintain that the first tweet or so pages were painful - the rest kept me reading until the very end. I liked a lot of the messages in the book (even if they were heavy handed) and props for referencing some of my favorite pieces of literature.

I bought this because I saw the movie previews. Well, the book didn't seem to be anything like the previews. All the best lines in the previews weren't even in the book.

As for the book itself, I didn't hate it. But I didn't like it a whole lot either.

This book is lighthearted and incredibly funny. I wanted to read it because the previous for the movie looked absolutely hilarious and even in well out of high school I still found this entertaining. Wesley and Bianca's banter is adorable and her friends are the best.

I loved this book. Some of the language was unnecessary but it was funny, quirky and the story kept me intrigued. I was excited for the characters and kind of fell into their stories. I haven't seen the movie yet but plan to rent it when it comes out.

When popular, gorgeous Wesley Rush refers to Bianca Piper as a Duff--Designated Ugly Fat Friend, the insult changes her life and changes her--in how she sees herself and how she sees others. Body issues are prevalent among today and yesterday's teens--this book doesn't preach, but it does give teens a great perspective on the cruelties of life and how to be strong inside. Plus, it's a massively fun read!

I translated the movie for the Polish cinema and I loved it, so I had high hopes for the book. I was sorely disappointed. The book is sort of mean-spirited, the main characters bland, the dialogue weak. I am really glad that the movie seems only inspired by the main idea of the book and does not follow it faithfully, because that would be unfortunate. So I highly recommend the movie. The book? Not so much.

Likable enough story. If you are comparing to the lovie, only a few things are the same, such as character names. Personalities of people are different and for the most part, I like the characters of the book.

This will be a good teen movie minus the language. I wouldn't want my teenager to read it. And it's too juvenile for an adult. I like the characters, but you either need to write a teen romance or an adult novel. This book straddles both which make it enjoyable.

Having seen the previews of The Duff, I decided to read the book. I have to say it was entertaining and I don't regret my decision. It's maybe a teenager's story, but be aware there are some adult scenes in the novel. It's worth the time and effort.

Having gone through a similar experience, I loved this book. I'm sarcastic and pessimistic and when someone like that finds love, it can be hard to accept it as reality. This book spoke to me in a very real way.

This book was great. I really enjoyed the characters. I thought they were all true to real life high school kids. It was refreshing from the usual supernatural teens I read about. It was very addictive. I finished it in only 2 days.

This book should deserve more than 5 stars. I finished this book in one day because it was a page Turner and so FREAKING ADDICTING!!!! There needs to be a The DUFF 2! This will have you on the edge of your feet every ending of a chapter. I totally ship Bianca and Wes. At first when I was reading the first couple of chapters I almost thought it was going to be a teenage 50 shades of grey. But this was nothing like it. I think that teens like me can all relate to Bianca some time in our life. And you know what? I'm a Duff and proud. The movie is WAY different from the book but you should still watch the movie too.

This was a very cute contemporary book. Even though half the time I found Bianca a little annoying, she was going through a lot of things throughout the story. This was an adorable love story and I can't wait to watch the movie

I loved this book, and the strong message it sent. Loving yourself is an incredibly important message to send to young women. If you're on the fence about this book... Just get it. Cute, fun, quick read.

The two main characters come together not through love, like, or attraction but through a mutual use of the others body. Somehow the author makes the two "fall in love." By that I mean he wants them to end up together. Bianca and Wesley lacked chemistry and didn't work well together.

Go Bianca! Loved the strong, sarcastic and pessimistic main character. Her growth and learning throughout the book is wonderful. Loved the message of the story and how relatable it still is and probably always will be to high school.

This is the first YA contemporary I've ever read. I thought maybe I was too old to enjoy the genre, but a friend convinced me I was wrong. I'm so glad I listened because I absolutely loved this book. I'm definitely a Kody fan.

There I go. Again. Reading the book before the movie. Comparing plots. Now, I have very little desire to watch the movie. Oh. I'll still watch. But now I'm content to wait for it to come out on DirecTV.

Just awful. Promotes the fantasy of turning the "bad boy" good - and is basically a book glorifying sex as an escape from problems. Please don't let your teenager read this. A book meant to encourage self-acceptance fully missed the mark.