The Jerk Magnet

Life at Kingston High #1

by Melody Carlson

When Chelsea Martin's future stepmother helps her transform from gawky and geeky into the hottest girl at her new school, Chelsea is pretty sure it's the best thing that ever happened to her. But her hot new look has a downside. She's attracting lots of guys who all have one thing in common: they're jerks. And stealing the attention of all the guys in school doesn't endear her to the girls either.

Chelsea finally finds a true friend in Janelle Parker, and a non-jerk, Nicholas, catches her eye. Janelle keeps telling her to be herself, but Nicholas is the only guy around who doesn't give her a second look. Can Chelsea and Janelle come up with a plan to get his attention? Or will Chelsea's new image ruin everything?

Teen favorite and bestselling author Melody Carlson helps girls uncover the real source of beauty in this true-to-life story of young love, friendship, and being yourself.

Genres: Young Adult, Christian, Fiction, Christian Fiction, High School, Teen, Chick Lit

217 pages, Paperback

First published February 17, 2012

About the author

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.

She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.

Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 2 out of 5]

About this book:

“When Chelsea Martin's future stepmother helps her transform from gawky and geeky into the hottest girl at her new school, Chelsea is pretty sure it's the best thing that ever happened to her. But her hot new look has a downside. She's attracting lots of guys who all have one thing in common: they're jerks. And stealing the attention of all the guys in school doesn't endear her to the girls either.
Chelsea finally finds a true friend in Janelle Parker, and a non-jerk, Nicholas, catches her eye. Janelle keeps telling her to be herself, but Nicholas is the only guy around who doesn't give her a second look. Can Chelsea and Janelle come up with a plan to get his attention? Or will Chelsea's new image ruin everything?”


Series: Book #1 in the “Life at Kingston Hill” series.


Spiritual Content- A couple Scriptures are mentioned; Prayers; Talks about God, being a Christian, & judging; ‘H’s are not capitalized when referring to God; Going to youth group events, hearing sermons/lessons, a Christian camp, & a Christian concert; At the concert, Chelsea prays for God to come into her life; Many mentions of youth groups, services, singing, churches, & pastors; Mentions of God, Jesus, & Christians; Mentions of prayers & praying; A couple mentions of sinners; A mention of a blessing over food; A mention of missionaries;
*Note: A mention of a room that’s like a shrine.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘crud’, a ‘doggone’, two forms of ‘dumb’, four ‘duh’s, and six ‘stupid’s; A few mentions of curses (said, not written); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Mentions of acne; A few mentions of PTSD and overseas fighting; A few mentions of the possibility of someone being a serial killer; A few mentions of divorces; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of rumors & gossip; A couple (teasing) mentions of hoping a sibling drowns; A couple mentions of beer & drinking; A couple mentions of hatred; A mention of a life of crime; A mention of the international slave market; A mention of a tattoo;
*Note: Many, many mentions of brand names, celebrities, actresses, movies, & TV shows; Mentions of Rob Pattinson & his character, Edward Cullen (Chelsea calls him “dreamy”), Twilight, & Dracula; A few mentions of Facebook; A couple mentions of car brands.


Sexual Content- a cheek kiss; Chelsea (before the make-over) believes she’s plain unattractive, bordering on ugly; Guys check out/gawk at girls & look like they want to gobble them up (including Chelsea); Chelsea’s dad warns her that boys only have one time on their minds when it comes to girls (he also mentions that church boys are the worst) and it’s discussed again later that some guys were only interested in an attractive girl because of her looks and to steal a kiss or something more intimate; A teacher flirts with Chelsea and tries to come on to her (barely-above-not-detailed, but because nothing happens, he is not reported even though there are rumors of his reputation); Another guy tries to kiss Chelsea (ends up a cheek kiss) & her friend is worried that he dragged her away to have his way with her; A bit of hand holding; Noticing & Nearness (including guys’ muscles, barely-above-not-detailed); An offensive word is cut-off, a ‘slut’, a ‘smoking’, ten ‘babe’s, and twenty-eight forms of ‘hot’; All about many mentions of boys, boyfriends, girlfriends, exes, breakups, being pressured, dating, dates, & crushes; Mentions of jealousy & girls being petty towards each other; A few mentions of kisses, kissing, & embracing; A few mentions of a honeymoon; A couple mentions of a dad having an affair; A couple mentions of asking if a girlfriend is pregnant (she is not); A couple mentions of people falling in and out of love all the time; A mention of wondering if a couple break up because of sex & if a guy took advantage of a girl; A mention of a guy who wants to own Chelsea “body and soul”; A mention of a part of a play that is not supposed to be steamy; A mention of guys wanting wrist candy; A mention of a blonde bombshell; Boys, boyfriends, dating, & all that drama;
*Note: Chelsea wears two skimpy bikinis as a test of her self-confidence (she is worried if her dad sees her wearing them); Chelsea also wears things to accentuate her legs and curves; Many mentions of breasts (getting them and the lack of them), bras, underwear, bikinis, & figures (including about people taking notice of Chelsea’s figure); Mentions of body dysmorphic disorder, what those with that disorder think, & the symptoms; A few mentions of AIDS and HIV; A few mentions of testosterone & hormones; A couple mentions of shorts & tank tops; A couple mentions of making a character in a play unisex; A couple mentions of wearing a burka to keep guys from gawking; A couple mentions of a chubby girl (Chelsea wonders how she became friends with an attractive guy); A mention of a Brazilian wax job.

-Chelsea Martin, age 16
P.O.V. of Chelsea
217 pages

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Two Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Two Stars
{ Ratings would be higher for those in Public School or older girls who have been in these situations. }
This is my second time reading this book, but my thoughts feel the same. As a homeschool graduate, I really couldn’t have related to Chelsea’s problems in the public school sense, but I did understand what she mentions often about outward appearance and how people treat others because of that appearance.
Rereading this book though, I noticed more about certain actions Chelsea did or certain comments of her or Kate’s that I personally do not agree with. After her makeover, Kate (Chelsea’s stepmom-to-be) buys her a couple skimpy bikinis and Chelsea ends up wearing the skimpiest one as a test of her self-confidence. Once she goes through a very uncomfortable encounter, she tells her dad that she won’t be wearing it again, but later wears them somewhat-often in their new backyard. Later she decides to forgo the bikini.
Kate also comments prior that if Chelsea works out a bit her figure would be flawless and once she wears the right clothes, people would notice her figure. I really don’t support this train of thought, but it should be noted that nothing is said is Kate is a Christian or not.
Another character, Nicholas, comes across as a judgmental Christian towards pretty girls and really only talks to those considered “unpretty”. There is learning and conversations about this and why he’s being like this that show better growth on his end towards the end of the book.
All in all, it’s an interesting read, but definitely not my favorite series by this author.


Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...



*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty girls don’t always get the good guys, high school junior Chelsea Martin learns.

A geeky frump, especially since her mom died, Chelsea suffers from awful teeth, hair and skin, and hides from her image. Worse than zits, her dad blindsides her with a double whammy: he’s getting married again and they’re moving. Chelsea barely knows her new drop-dead gorgeous stepmom2B and grudgingly accepts her advice for new clothes, skin and hair treatment and confidence-building exercises. Realizing she has the chance to start all over in a new city, Chelsea decides to go for it and by the time she’s made friends with the new neighbor girl Janelle and others in her church youth group, school begins.

Since she understands what it feels like to be the one never chosen, a complete makeover from the outside in helps Chelsea deal with prejudice from a direction she never considered. While most of the guys hover over the new hot-babe Chelsea, the girls keep her at arm’s length. Janelle comes clean when they have a heart2heart. Chelsea’s attracting jerk guys who want more than clueless Chelsea can provide. The two of them cook up a scheme to give their friends a lesson they can’t learn in class, but Chelsea’s new-found faith in Jesus may be the only true friend she has left if they bomb.

This is a such a sweet book. I wouldn’t hesitate to give it to the girlchildren in my life. There are lots of tips about what really counts in life, how to read hormonal guys and to consider a person’s true motives. Empathy and sympathy go hand in hand in good relationships. Melody Carlson has a huge, lengthy career, and her high school fashion and talk feels natural to me, although I know the bits and pieces of high school life she shares are more what I wish than reality. With teachers in my family, I dislike the portrayal of predator teachers, but I know they’re out there and the students’ instincts and actions are correctly portrayed in this piece of fiction. The pacing of the story kept me turning pages, the premise achieved without feeling like every loose end is tied up in a pink bow and delivered with sweets.

Available January 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

Reading the blurb on the back of this book makes it seem RIGHT up my alley.
Frumpy girl gets makeover, now she's suddenly hot and has to figure out how to deal with the new attention. Awesome! Right? Wrong.....

Suddenly, this fun, easy reading book turns into a preaching Christian religious book with a morality tale on every page. I liked the characters, I liked the plot, but I did NOT like having God shoved down my throat every other page.

Promote this book for what it is. Christian Fiction.

Oh, and the dialogue sounds like it came from the script of an after school special. Not realistic at all. This could have been more like Mean Girls, but it ended up more like-as I said-an after school (church) special. :\

The good news was that it was a SUPER fast read.
I will not be reading the rest of the series though.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know what it is about Melody Carlson's YA books published by Revell that I love so much, but it probably has to do with the relevant, timely subject matter and how well she puts everything together in a story that anyone can relate to. If the rest of the series is half as enjoyable as this book was, then I'm reading them all. In fact, I read this story through in one sitting. I didn't get out of the chair until I'd turned the last page. Not even to take a break. That's a great book if I don't want to put it down for any reason.

I loved the theme in this book about how people treat each other based on outward appearances and that all people, good-looking and unattractive alike, have feelings that shouldn't be messed with based on preconceived notions people may have about them. I discovered when I was a teenager that acting like myself and having a brain didn't attract boys. But ramp up the appearance a bit and play the ditsy blonde, and then I couldn't get them to leave me alone.

I've been at fault myself for judging people based on their outward appearance even as an adult. I assumed once back in the 1990s that our new pastor's young wife (who was my age) had plenty of friends because she was pretty and nice, only to find out everyone else thought she had plenty of friends, too, and for the same reason. Come to find out she had NO friends. Everyone assumed wrong. We ended up becoming friends and bonded over the movie "Sense and Sensibility" with some other ladies at church who had also judged incorrectly and we finally got to know each other. I'm glad we did.

What I enjoyed most about this book was how it showed that beautiful people have emotional insecurities too. While everyone says they want to be that way, the truth is if guys only wanted to date you because you were beautiful, and no one wanted to commit to you because they felt you were too pretty, you'd see it's a pretty lonely life. And no one likes to be surrounded by catty, competitive women, even as adults. So this book was a great reminder that even Christians fall into that trap, though I can honestly say that at my church I feel like we all blend very well and befriend each other with no biases, but I'm sure that's not always the case.

Regardless, we need to get to know each other on the inside first, and let that be the measuring stick we use to determine whether or not we want to get to know someone better or not. The Jerk Magnet did a great job at presented all sides and reminding the reader not to be shallow and judgmental, but to love each other as Christ loved us. And most of all, to give each other a chance. We're all flawed, but we're all loved by the same God. Because this book spoke to my heart and I couldn't stop reading it, it's making my favorite fiction list for 2012. So far what I've been reading has been amazing for 2012. I'm sure it won't stay that way forever, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis: Chelsea Martin is a big-time geek.  Not only does she focus on academics and other "nerdy" subjects, but she is very socially awkward, and guys don't really take notice of her.  However, she is in for some big changes: Her widower father is getting married, and she is moving to San José, California!  To prepare Chelsea for her new life, her fashionista stepmother-to-be Kate gives her a makeover, which causes her to be the belle of the ball at her new school.  However, Chelsea's new-found good looks are attracting some of the wrong guys and causing some of her female classmates to despise her, and it's making her uncomfortable; with the help of her friend Janelle, they show everyone the real truth about physical appearance.



Story: 3.75/5

We've all seen the movies where the homely girl turns into a knock-out; anyone remember Princess Diaries and My Big Fat Greek Wedding? Still, instead of just using the female lead as a showpiece, this story makes a good point that I refuse to give away in this review.



Writing: 4.25/5

Though there were some rough spots, Mrs. Carlson's writing is just as good as, if not better than, it usually is.  I've read some of her other works--the first few True Colors books, every Carter House Girls novel except for the last one, and even some of her Christmas fiction--and this is right up to par with all of that.



Content: 3.25/5

If you have a "Y" chromosome, you might find some of the descriptions to be too much; if you don't, you'll likely understand where the characters are coming from.  Discussions of Chelsea wearing "skimpy" swimsuits, all of which are worn around guys, appear several times, though she is uncomfortable with it every single time, and ends up deciding not to do it anymore.  Also mentioned are overly tight bras and deep cleavage.  I realize that a twenty-five-year-old guy such as myself isn't exactly the target audience for this novel, and most female readers will likely laugh it off; still, I felt it worth mentioning.



Conclusion: After enduring some terrible novels, The Jerk Magnet was a breath of fresh air.  A captivating, engrossing story with great writing? How much better can you get? Though the book wasn't perfect--see above for why--it was still an amazing read that read like a Disney Channel Original Movie.  Fans of Christian young adult fiction should check this out immediately!



Score: 4.25/5

[Gabs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melody Carlson...this my be my favorite book by you yet. It was just so good. I'm serious, guys, I was contemplating giving this 5 stars, but there was one plot element that I wasn't okay with. I'll get to those in a second.

This book handles teen issues from a Christian perspective. It's probably the edgiest novel I've ever read; I'm not saying that it IS edgy, I'm saying that I'm not edgy at all. Even slightly. I still stick mainly to the Juvenile section, honestly. But this book didn't bother me at all with it's slightly more mature themes; (I'll be honest, they are pretty slight compared to what else is out there) I liked that Ms. Carlso handeled them from a Christian perspective, instead of just doing an average, safe Christian novel.

The one thing that I didn't like is that the plot kind of hinted, to me at least, that if you wear really cute clothes you'll attract a bunch of jerks. I get what the author was trying to say- that you shouldn't judge others before you get to know them- but still, it did bother me.

Anyway, I would recommend this to teens ages 12-13+. It's a great story with a good message, for the most part. I am definitely going to read on in this series!

This review can be found on http://myfullbookshelfreviews.blogspo...

[Helena]

I think that this was a great book. It looks at teenage friendships, self esteem, modesty and some effects of lack of modesty, the way people can judge and withhold friendship based on appearance (without getting to know them).
Helena

[Off Market578 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my thing. If you're religious you will like it.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little too much high school drama for my tastes, but it was an okay read. It showed that looks aren't everything and you need to be comfortable in your own skin.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jerk Magnet
by: Melody Carlson

I read the jerk magnet this book is about a teenage girl whose name is Chelsea she lives with her dad because her mom recently got in a car crash about 5 or 6 months ago. Chelsea is a quit outgoing girl who is like a normal girl from school the acne sometimes braces but once all of this started happening and her mother died all the people from school started ignoring her. Plus her best friends have they only gone to her birthday party because they felt bad. Then a little later in the book Chelsea’s dad decides to tell her that she is imaged to a new girl named Kate and they are going to get married soon and like normal teenage girls most of them don’t take it very well speaking of which she doesn’t really know her that much either on the down side. As they start a relationship Chelsea and Kate. Kate decided to take Chelsea shopping and to get her all pretty up Chelsea doesn’t take that very well and she thinks that she likes herself for who she is and not on the outside that counts. Chelsea decides to go with the flow with Kate and let her do everything her makeup hair and even tanning. Chelsea the once brown hair acne faced and old clothes is now turned into the blonde hair tanned skin new clothes and new you. When they go out to each Chelsea’s dad could hardly recognize her she was totally different even the guy that watered there table did he was nice then he was before. Soon after all of this happens Chelsea and her dad move to San José and Kate has to stay home to sell her condo. Chelsea and her dad stop at many places along the way hotels resturants rest stops. Soon they stop at a hotel not far from San Jose. Chelsea decided to try on this swimming suit that Kate got her it shows way too much as she tells herself but decided to wear it anyway then this boy down at the pool won’t leave her alone until her dad shows up then we all know where that is going at haha. As soon as the morning arrives they are on their way to San José they make it and find a house they move in a couple days later and Chelsea meets a friend named Janelle she’s about the same age in the same grade and she pretty. She invites her to youth group and they meet more people Chelsea soon realizes that there’s more than skin deep when she realizes that the boy she really likes doesn’t like her. To summarize my book there is more to a person then looks you can’t always judge a person by their cover you actually have to read the inside to know what’s up.
The End

[Jennifer Madero (Boricuan Bookworms) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars

Synopsis: Chelsea Martins is a big time geek. When her dad announces he's remarrying and moving to San Jose in a matter of weeks, she thinks that her life couldn't get worse. But it actually takes an unexpected turn when she starts to like her step-mom-to-be, specially when she's making a make-over of her appearance. When Chelsea and her Dad get to San Jose, Chelsea makes a friend trying to act a different and more confident way than she's used to, becoming a Jerk Magnet. She thinks that's great at first, except when she gets interested in a boy that detests her for how she looks.


I'd divide this book in three sections:
-One being her transformation
-Second being her attracting the boys attention. Yes, we get it. She attracts a lot of guys...
-Three how people treat her indifferently and a reflection.

I have to admit this book was good in a way. While reading it I became bored, hoping for some real action to happen. When it came to the plot, it wasn't what I expected from what I read on the description.

Though I have to give credit to the author. The book was nicely written and it gives us a good message. Not all books do that.

While reading it might it look lame, but once you finish, the pieces fall together. Chelsea is mistreated for being a nerd and not caring much of her appearance. But when she goes to the other extreme of being overly hot, it's also bad. She tries to be someone she's not, constantly acting and over-calculating her moves. That is an example that we shouldn't be what we aren't. that we should be, behave and look comfortable and be happy with it, not caring what others say about it.

At the end of the story things become more interesting. It makes us reflect on how we judge others by how they look without thinking of how they feel towards that. It makes a big emphasis too that Christians aren't perfect people, but that they try to be better people and that God loves us for how we are inside, not outside.

And I think that this books is good on that manner, on showing us that not everything is as it seems. We can't judge by appearances, rather by how a person is once we decide to know them.

If you like things related to God, read this book.
If you like things related to social behavior, read it.
If you like a read that makes you reflect once you finish, read it.

If you hope to find something romantic to read, don't read it.

Other than that, it was an entertaining and fast read.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you got an author that you love so much, that whenever they release a book - you just have to sit there and read it. For me , one of those authors is Melody Carlson. Ever since I read her book "Finding Alice" at 16 , I fell in love with her writing and since then plowed my way through her numerous series. So it was just natural, that when I saw she had a new series out that I purchase the book to read.
Her new series takes us to the world of Kingston High,and in Book #1 we meet Chelsea, ever since her mum died when she was eleven. It has been her and her dad, and in a way she has referred herself to being like Dracula - afraid of mirrors as she views herself as a wallflower - a plain, ugly and unattractive on the outside but within herself she has a sparkling and awesome personality but having the great personality doesn't get you the confidence, friends and guys.
With her dad marrying again, her stepmother to be is trying to win Chelsea's affections by swooping in to be her Makeover Fairy Godmother and changing Chelsea's outside appearance and making it as beautiful on the exterior as in the interior. The transformation is definitely one for the books as she goes from Ugly Duckling to the Beautiful Swan. However, Chelsea is about to learn the hard way that when you are striking and beautiful - people judge you only on your looks and you become what is known as a "Jerk Magnet" - attracting all the wrong attention.
With the help of her new friend Janelle, the pair of them will try an experiment and show really whether people - even Christians judge a person from the outside without taking much stock on what type of person they are in the inside.
Like most of Melody Carlson's books, each of them teaches the readers a lesson in
The Jerk Magnet which is a great read. It is definitely one of those books that makes you think and re-evaluate to see whether being beautiful or plain is really what it is cracked up to be and whether it is better to have a beautiful exterior or interior.

[Abbie Riddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ugly duckling turned swan, the wall flower turned center attraction. What if you could become something that you never were before? What if you discover first hand that beauty really is more than just skin deep - because you are the transformed one - the overlooked that becomes the looked upon? That is just what unfolds in this teenage drama.

Chelsea Martin has long been the one to fade into the background. She has managed high school by just blending into the crowd, where no one notices her. That is until her father decides to marry a woman that is both beautiful and fashionable. Kate, the soon to be step-mom sees herself in Chelsea. Wanting to connect with her step-daughter she offers to give Chelsea a make-over, and what better time than when they will be moving to a new state. Chelsea has the unique opportunity of truly starting over.

Little did she know how different her life would become when she changes her appearance just a little.

This novel brings about a very interesting topic that most girls will be able to easily relate to. The very question that most girls struggle with is inner beauty enough, and can you have outer beauty and still be just as beautiful on the inside?

Chelsea goes from being the one that people pity, avoid or overlook to the one that people flock to, drool over, and even envy and hate. She quickly learns that being beautiful on the outside isn't what it was cracked up to be when people don't even take the time to get to know who she is on the inside and being overlooked isn't great for the same reason. So, how do you find the balance - what is it that Christ has called you to do?

This is a great teen novel. Once again Carlson has done an excellent job of tackling the subject of self-esteem and the struggle of becoming who you were always meant to be.

Thank you Revell for this review copy.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sixteen year old Chelsea Martin’s life is about to get turned upside down. Chelsea’s father informs her that his job has transferred him and he is getting remarried. Chelsea wants to part of her dad’s plans and she especially does not want to get to know her soon to be step mother, Kate. Though, once Chelsea does get to know Kate she likes her. In fact, Kate takes Chelsea on a shopping spree for a new make over. The transformation is great. It seems that others have noticed Chelsea’s make over as well. The others being guys. Chelsea has never received so much attention from all these guys. This would not be such a bad thing if it weren’t for the simple fact that the guys are jerks!

The Jerk Magnet is book one of the Life at Kingston High series. I have read several books by this author. She writes for the young adult genre. I think that Melody does a good job portraying the emotions and what type of situations a teen goes though.

I felt bad for Chelsea. While, the make over her step mom gave her was nice, Chelsea was not ready for all the attention she received right away from the guys. Though, I thought Chelsea handled herself really well in these situations. She never flirted with the guys to lead them on. She was up front with them about just wanting to be friends. It was just that as the title of this book is called The Jerk Magnet; Chelsea could not help it that all the guys that hit on her were “jerks”. Reading this book, it is sad though that we as a society put so much emphasize on the outer appearance versus what someone is really like on the inside. This was a good book to start of this new series from author Melody Carlson.

[Stormi (StormReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jerk Magnet was a cute, interesting look at what happens when a young girl goes from a geek to a hotty, and how it changes her life.



Most girls, might say that if they could be as hot as the other girls in school, they wouldn't turn into those mean girls. We think we will be just like we were before, but it doesn't always turn out that way. Chelsea, always thought of herself as a geek, she even thought her and Dracula had something in common, they both hated mirrors. Then her soon to be step-mother helps her transform from a plain Jane to the girl all the guys want to love.



At first Chelsea is very uncomfortable in her new skin, she was never use to guys taking notice, but it doesn't take long for it to start making her feel good. Chelsea didn't realize being pretty would gain the attention of ever teenage jerk around, being pretty does have a downside after all.



The one guy that Chelsea would like to have some attention from though doesn't even act like she exist, so how can she get his attention?



The Jerk Magnet, deals with an issue that a lot of young ladies struggle with as they are growing up. Can your outer beauty, corrupt your inter beauty, or can you still be just as beautiful on the inside as on the outside.



It was a fun, teenage Christian novel and I would recommend it to anyone who has teens.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Jerk Magnet" is the story of Chelsea Martin. Chelsea had been eleven years old when the death of her mother changed her world forever. Now it's five years later and it's still hard to think about it, so when her dad tells her he wants to marry his girlfriend Kate and that his job is transferring him to another town, virtually turning her life upside down. She isn't looking forward to starting her junior year in a new high school, but when her soon to be step mom decides to give Chelsea a makeover could it be the boost that Chelsea needs?

Melody Carlson is one of my favorite authors and I know when I read one of her books that not only am I going to get a good story, but also one with positive inspirational messages woven in, and the message that teens will take from this book is about self image. Chelsea would have never described herself as pretty, instead she was a shy insecure girl, who considered herself plain. When she gets the make over and becomes a knock out she starts attracting attention but it wasn't the attention she really wanted. While this book is geared toward teens many of us struggle with self esteem issues making the message one that many will relate to. Another great read from Melody Carlson!

*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

[Jill Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review by Jill Williamson

Chelsea’s dad drops two bombs on the same night.
1. He has a new job and they’re moving! 2. He’s getting married!

Woah.

At first, Chelsea is overwhelmed in a negative way. Can’t say that I blame her! But her future stepmom starts to grow on her when she gives Chelsea a live-changing makeover. When Chelsea starts school, it’s like she’s a completely different person—at least that’s how people are treating her. She’s attracting all the wrong guys, and the one she really likes won’t even talk to her. What’s the deal?

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Seriously. At first I thought it was just your regular girl-gets-makeover-and-her-life-becomes-amazing book. I was thrilled to be so wrong! Melody Carlson wrote a great, thought-provoking story about the way we tend to stereotype people based on how they look. This is a wonderful story for all ages, but I highly recommend it for all teen girls. It will really make them think.

*I received this book free for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[David Hudnut · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Melody Carlson at a book fair where she was selling her books. She was so nice and interesting to talk to, I figured her books would be the same. I grabbed one at random, The Jerk Magnet, having no idea what to expect. I was not wrong. Melody Carlson is an amazing writer. While The Jerk Magnet is probably not a book I would have ever picked up normally, being that it's aimed at YA girls, I'm really glad I read it. I found it to be entertaining and engaging from page one, extremely well written and a brilliant character study. It addressed the universal issue of personal beauty and how much of it any of us have or wish we had, and how that can affect our lives for the better AND for the worse. There was a distinct Christian flavor to this book (the "Inspirational" aspect) but I feel the story is relevant to anybody, especially teens, whether you enjoy Christian literature or not.

And if you are one of those people who can read a book from any genre and enjoy it as long as the writing is good, you will love The Jerk Magnet.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure what I thought this book was going to be about, but what it ended up being wasn't quite it. It was a little deeper than I expected, not so frilly and silly, and that was a good thing. Also, it was a bit religious, and I wasn't expecting that either, but it didn't bother me. Not bad for a book I got for free on my Kindle. I liked it. 3 1/2-4 stars.

*edited February 2017*

Ok, it says I read this for the first time just now, but it's really the second time. I must not have put the dates read last time... Anyway, maybe it's because I knew what was coming, and also the whole thing about rape culture has become a hot topic since I last read this, but I liked it a lot more this time around and found the topics more relevant than I thought. I related to it on a deeper level. Because of this, I officially upped the stars to 4 stars, which doesn't mean too much since I rounded up from my 3 1/2 stars before for Goodreads rating purposes. *shrug*

[Amanda J · Rating 1 out of 5]

So this book was free, it fit a monthly challenge and it was a quick read, but the Pros end there.

The plot was forced and the dialog felt fake and unnatural. The author beat you over the head with the Christian message of salvation rather than weaving it into the story.

The life lesson was not to judge people based on appearances, but the whole reason the protagonist got a make over was because her stepmother thought she was ugly on the outside, "(quote forthcoming)." And yet the stepmother is heralded as some kind of hero.

This book was truly bizzare as the message was so convoluted. I would NOT recommend it to any teenager girls, especially ones struggling with self esteem or body image issues.

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was afraid this book was going to become a DNF for me. I always feel guilty when that happens on books I request for review, because I try not to request books unless I think I will like them. However, this book started out slowly and it looked as if Chelsea was going to become one of those vain girls who focus only on her outward appearance, and this was barely 20 pages in! Luckily, the plot picked up quickly and I flew through this book with ease. The characters are all lovable, even some of the sleazy guys who redeemed themselves. This book opens your eyes on what high school girls focus on to attract the guys!

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jerk Magnet by Melody Carlson really hit me emotionally. It is not a sad story, but the reality behind the main characters life and thoughts relates to me so much. I'm a cheerleader, but you could never tell just by looking at me. I get judged based on appearances and connections every day, and so does Chelsea, the main character. This is definitely a chick lit book, and I'd gladly read it over and over again.

[Dawn Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story captured my attention from page one. Not only does Melody do a fabulous job of nailing down the way a teenager thinks and reacts to their circumstances and peers, the "lesson" in this book is something that is, sadly, so overlooked today. A thoroughly enjoyable read. I look forward to passing it along to my teenage nieces for their enjoyment.

[Emily Rittenberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! I think that most teenage girls can somehow relate to this story. Learning not to judge people based on what they look like is a valuable lesson, an this book proves that people are not always as they appear to be. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially teenage girls. Very inspiring!

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The main theme of the Jerk Magnet is to not judge others based on their appearances, but rather on their character. I loved Chelsea and Janelle, they were easy to relate to and identify with. I can't wait to read the other books in this series.

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked reading this book. You can't tell from the back cover or anything, but it's teen Christian fiction. It's written in the third person and the narration is a bit disconnected, but the story is fun and intriguing. It would be a great story to read on vacation or if you need a break. :)

[Sophia Eldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

i think its really funny with chelsea and janelle acting like different people and how chelsea has a crush on nicholas

[mae]

It's awesome!!!!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably one of my fave melody carlson books:-)

[Elizabeth Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book because it opened my eyes to the fact that I judge people and I shouldn't. I loved how real life it was and how I can relate.