Kristin Billerbeck's Perfectly Dateless ~ Reviewed

Perfectly Dateless: A Universally Misunderstood Novel
Kristin Billerbeck
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 259 pages
Publisher: Revell; 1 edition (July 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800734394

Description:

Daisy Crispin has 242 days to find the right date for the prom. There's only one problem--her parents won't let her date or even talk to a guy on the phone. Oh, and she's totally invisible at school, has to wear lame homemade clothes, and has no social skills. Okay, so maybe there's more than one problem. Can she talk her parents into letting her go to the prom? Or will they succeed at their obvious attempt to completely ruin her life?

Review :

First up, I don't usually read YA fiction but I've always enjoyed Kristin's books and was keen to see how she turned her hand to the teenage set.

Perfectly Dateless is a great read, witty, entertaining and ultimately thought provoking, challenging young readers to look beyond the superficial in their clothing as well as their relationships. Daisy it a likable young girl with Christian parents who keep a firm hand on her activities, dress and future choices. Kristin draws out both the positive and negative impact this kind of parenting has on Daisy. The climax of the story turns the book from being a lighthearted, quirky read into something more meaningful and challenging. I'm looking forward to where Kristin takes this series.

Reviewed by: Rel Mollet

Bonus Review:

I've read and reviewed some of Kristin Billerbeck's adult novels in the recent past and have thoroughly enjoyed them; this one pretty good, but it is more geared towards a high school audience. Written as a cross between Daisy's "Prom Diary" and her direct perspective on situations gave me a lot of insight as to what she did and said and what she was really thinking and feeling. The book's focus starting out as prom and popularity did come off as a bit shallow, but the moral of the book at the end made up for that and the format made the book more realistic (in a 'normal' teens world) on the whole. Be prepared to laugh a lot as you read this book! (again, recommended for those in highschool for best effect.)

Reviewed by: Rachael Schnitker