Review: Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein

Pretty Amy

Lisa Burstein

Copyright 2012, Entangled Publishing

Amy is fine living in the shadows of beautiful Lila and uber-cool Cassie, because at least she’s somewhat beautiful and uber-cool by association. But when their dates stand them up for prom, and the girls take matters into their own hands—earning them a night in jail outfitted in satin, stilettos, and Spanx—Amy discovers even a prom spent in handcuffs might be better than the humiliating “rehabilitation techniques” now filling up her summer. Worse, with Lila and Cassie parentally banned, Amy feels like she has nothing—like she is nothing.

Navigating unlikely alliances with her new coworker, two very different boys, and possibly even her parents, Amy struggles to decide if it’s worth being a best friend when it makes you a public enemy. Bringing readers along on an often hilarious and heartwarming journey, Amy finds that maybe getting a life only happens once you think your life is over. -- Goodreads

I had such a hard time with this book in the beginning. Not in a "bad book" kind of way, but in a "way too close to home" kind of way - with some major differences that made me want to choke the living shit out of Amy.

Laci from Love Passion Books has been pimping this book to me and well, anyone who will listen. Seeing as we spend at least two nights a week together, well, you get the idea. And then she handed it over. Her baby. Her personalized copy that she loves more than her hubby...maybe...it might be close. So of course I started it right away, because I do not want to be responsible for that kind of treasure!! My first text to Lace was "I hate Amy."

I'm pretty open about my past, maybe you don't care, maybe that's why I don't have a gazillion followers, but oh well. I started this blog for me, so HA. :)

Amy has NO self esteem. She's only visible to her group as the tag along and at home she's forced to be something she doesn't think she is. Her only friends are Lila and Cassie. And Joe, if she'd let him, but noooo she's a "mean" girl now, so how could she be friends with him? He's a jock. A cute jock. Who knows who she used to be. That's too dangerous, too close to vulnerability, but of course she's a hard headed teen so she puts the blame on him. Because really, when he hasn't changed and she has, it's obviously on him that they aren't friends anymore. UGH. WAKE UP.

I was a tag along. I was the one the cool kids showed pictures of the parties they had over the weekend too. Was never invited to said parties, but hell I got to see the pictures, so that's something right?! I could have stayed there, too. Been the go to nodder in a conversation, someone to add to a study group, an assured vote for popularity contests. Granted, my friends weren't smoking or doing drugs or even being mean, but when you're constantly surrounded by people who you place as more important than yourself, you get that mentality. It took me awhile to figure it out but then I left. I ate by myself and you know what? It sucked. But it was the first step in a long race to figure out who I was and how much value I placed in myself. 

There's a part of the book when Amy is thinking to herself that being nice didn't get her anywhere and she's still trying to figure out where being mean will. And literally, I screamed at the book and then text Laci. IT GETS YOU PUT IN JAIL! THAT'S WHERE! UGH!!

When you see the hashtag or the shirts so many of us have that say YA SAVES, I think a lot of people jump to conclusions about  just what they YA's are being saved from.  Some will say right away, they're being saved from themself! They can admit that they are different, that it's ok to be different! But in the case of Pretty Amy, I think it's even more than that. I think that any girl who takes the time to read it will be screaming with me, wanting Amy to value herself. And I really believe that after they read it, when they're out in their real world they will stop and think about themself and how they want to be stronger than they are. That they won't tolerate being invisible, they won't just go along for the ride - that they are somebody, and that counts for a lot.