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Wicked Jealous
Simone never saw herself as the “cute girl”—she was always the chunky, band tee wearing, France-obsessed smart girl. But now that Simone’s a few pounds lighter and sporting a new retro style, things have gotten, well, weird. Her crush Jason seems to actually know she exists. And when Simone’s soon-to-be stepmonster Hillary stops ignoring her, Simone knows something is up. When Simone’s brother offers to let her move in with him and his six roommates on the beach for the summer, Simone jumps at the chance. But living with seven very different college boys isn’t exactly helping her land her very own happily ever after.
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 19, 2012
13 people are currently reading
1652 people want to read
About the author
Robin Palmer
30 books298 followersRobin Palmer grew up in Massachusetts and New Jersey, and after graduating from Boston University, moved to Hollywood. Starting as an assistant in the television literary department of the William Morris Agency, she quickly moved up the ranks and spent the next decade as a literary agent, producer, and television network executive at Lifetime Television, where she developed over one hundred scripts and oversaw the production of many of the network's original movies.
In 2001, she remembered that she had originally intended to spend her life either as a writer or a toll booth collector (so she could indulge her penchant for spending her days alone reading), but as there are no toll roads in southern California, she decided to give the writing thing a try. Since then, she's written everything from "To Do" lists to screenplays to essays to love letters and, of course, novels.
She currently resides in New York City.
In 2001, she remembered that she had originally intended to spend her life either as a writer or a toll booth collector (so she could indulge her penchant for spending her days alone reading), but as there are no toll roads in southern California, she decided to give the writing thing a try. Since then, she's written everything from "To Do" lists to screenplays to essays to love letters and, of course, novels.
She currently resides in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
July 29, 2016
Well, I'm unimpressed.
In fairness, maybe this novel wasn't written for me. Because, of course, there are YA novels and then there are YA novels. Some (such as Hunger Games/Harry Potter) have crossover appeal, some (say Gossip Girl, Secrets of my Hollywood Life) not so much. However, I think that when you're doing a FAIRYTALE retelling, the appeal SHOULD be there.
In short, a good book should be a good book for any age, regardless of who it's marketed to.
And while the teen pandering in this one didn't really offend me the way others in the modern fairytale genre have, I did find it a touch grating and unreadable.
Also, I felt like Robin Palmer (with her constant sentence breaks and parentheses) kept nudging me (or rather her POV character did the nudging on her behalf) with various side points and callbacks, dragging me out of the story.
This book also suffers, not from lack of creativity, but simply from TRYING WAY TOO HARD. It just felt like everything about looks and vanity and LA were being purposefully jammed into this one retelling and it all fell flat. Palmer really does do a great job (early on) of describing teen depression and eating disorders, but her tone is too lighthearted and it just feels glossed over by the middle of the book.
Another of my problems was that while I HATED Hillary (the stepmother figure) as much as I believe the author wanted me to, she was just NOT a threat to our Snow White character AT ALL. It felt like Simone was always just one step ahead of her idiocity, right to the end. She doesn't even REALLY EAT THE APPLE (which by the way she's allergic to, which was a cliché yet still somewhat clever touch on the author's part)! She just fakes it and records it to show to her dad!
Contrast Hillary with Violet (the stepmother from Mirrored, another modern Snow White retelling) and it's laughable. I hated Violet too, but she WAS a threat, she wasn't just a fly in the story's ointment.
If I may compare this with Mirrored once more in this review, the Snow White character, Simone was also lacking. She is relatable early on, but Palmer seems not to have any idea what to do with her as the story progresses. By the middle of the book, she's no longer "the fat girl" but she doesn't have confidence in herself and she still lets others push her around. It seems like all her choices are wimpy "Well it's easier to just..." 99.9 percent of the time. Whereas Celine was a compliant but also moral-driven person, Simone just comes across as apathetic.
I realize it's a little unfair to compare this book to one I loved to bits and thus may have some favorable bias towards, but rest assured I never expected Wicked Jealous to BE Mirrored, just to have it's OWN compelling take on snow white, which I didn't feel it did.
In fairness, maybe this novel wasn't written for me. Because, of course, there are YA novels and then there are YA novels. Some (such as Hunger Games/Harry Potter) have crossover appeal, some (say Gossip Girl, Secrets of my Hollywood Life) not so much. However, I think that when you're doing a FAIRYTALE retelling, the appeal SHOULD be there.
In short, a good book should be a good book for any age, regardless of who it's marketed to.
And while the teen pandering in this one didn't really offend me the way others in the modern fairytale genre have, I did find it a touch grating and unreadable.
Also, I felt like Robin Palmer (with her constant sentence breaks and parentheses) kept nudging me (or rather her POV character did the nudging on her behalf) with various side points and callbacks, dragging me out of the story.
This book also suffers, not from lack of creativity, but simply from TRYING WAY TOO HARD. It just felt like everything about looks and vanity and LA were being purposefully jammed into this one retelling and it all fell flat. Palmer really does do a great job (early on) of describing teen depression and eating disorders, but her tone is too lighthearted and it just feels glossed over by the middle of the book.
Another of my problems was that while I HATED Hillary (the stepmother figure) as much as I believe the author wanted me to, she was just NOT a threat to our Snow White character AT ALL. It felt like Simone was always just one step ahead of her idiocity, right to the end. She doesn't even REALLY EAT THE APPLE (which by the way she's allergic to, which was a cliché yet still somewhat clever touch on the author's part)! She just fakes it and records it to show to her dad!
Contrast Hillary with Violet (the stepmother from Mirrored, another modern Snow White retelling) and it's laughable. I hated Violet too, but she WAS a threat, she wasn't just a fly in the story's ointment.
If I may compare this with Mirrored once more in this review, the Snow White character, Simone was also lacking. She is relatable early on, but Palmer seems not to have any idea what to do with her as the story progresses. By the middle of the book, she's no longer "the fat girl" but she doesn't have confidence in herself and she still lets others push her around. It seems like all her choices are wimpy "Well it's easier to just..." 99.9 percent of the time. Whereas Celine was a compliant but also moral-driven person, Simone just comes across as apathetic.
I realize it's a little unfair to compare this book to one I loved to bits and thus may have some favorable bias towards, but rest assured I never expected Wicked Jealous to BE Mirrored, just to have it's OWN compelling take on snow white, which I didn't feel it did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2012
Wicked Jealous by Robin Palmer is a modern day retelling of Snow White. Simone Walker does have skin as white as snow and hair as black as ink and lips as red as blood. But she also has a love of snack foods which have earned her the moniker “Weird Fat Girl.” One day Simone accidentally wanders into a Zumba class. She reluctantly begins taking classes and meets her Zumba loving fairy godmothers. As Simone begins losing weight she gains confidence and a new look that makes her beautiful. Simone’s father is dating an evil and odd woman named Hilary. Hilary and Simone’s father decides to take a trip to Italy without Simone. So Simone is forced to live with her brother and his friends who have particular traits similar to those of the seven dwarfs. With the help of the “godmothers and dwarves”, Simone gains confidence and a date with Jason the Prince Charming of her school. But Prince Charming is not always so charming and wicked stepmother are always plotting. Simone will have to gain confidence to become comfortable with herself and to find a Prince Charming who loves her inside and outside. I thought this retelling was very cute and funny. Simone is a character many of us can relate to. Everyone has inner struggles as well as outer struggles. I would recommend Wicked Jealous to readers who enjoy fairy tale retellings.
January 24, 2013
When a book makes me laugh so hard that I almost choke/pee my pants, it's a winner! If you are the kind of person who gets the January Blah's, then you must read this book!
Robin Palmer's writing is absolutely hilarious! Plus, I really enjoyed the story, a modern day retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Simone has grown up with out a mother, since her mom died in childbirth. Simone has drowned her grief over not having a mother in sweets, especially krusty cakes. When Simone's Father gets a young, ambitious girlfriend, she un-invites Simone from the family vacation. Simone goes to stay with her college-age brother in his house with 6 room-mates (these are the 7 dwarves). The guys all act as a bunch of big brothers to Simone and help her navigate the pitfalls of dating. She also takes up Zumba and gets some fun pseudo-moms in the process, as well as losing a ton of weight. Hilary (dad's girlfriend) is super jealous of Simone and is always coming up with subtle ways to do Simone harm.
This was seriously one of the best books I've read in long time! I really laughed my head off, and I loved the story!
Robin Palmer's writing is absolutely hilarious! Plus, I really enjoyed the story, a modern day retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Simone has grown up with out a mother, since her mom died in childbirth. Simone has drowned her grief over not having a mother in sweets, especially krusty cakes. When Simone's Father gets a young, ambitious girlfriend, she un-invites Simone from the family vacation. Simone goes to stay with her college-age brother in his house with 6 room-mates (these are the 7 dwarves). The guys all act as a bunch of big brothers to Simone and help her navigate the pitfalls of dating. She also takes up Zumba and gets some fun pseudo-moms in the process, as well as losing a ton of weight. Hilary (dad's girlfriend) is super jealous of Simone and is always coming up with subtle ways to do Simone harm.
This was seriously one of the best books I've read in long time! I really laughed my head off, and I loved the story!
August 4, 2012
A fun addition for those who love the fairytale retelling genre--to be avoided by all others. Completely predictable and mostly unbelievable. Did not like the incorporation of Snow White's apple, and I resent the time it took me to remember all seven of Disney's dwarves.
I would just like to point out, that I HATE retellings of DISNEY fairytales. Go back to the original for retellings please!
I would just like to point out, that I HATE retellings of DISNEY fairytales. Go back to the original for retellings please!
May 23, 2021
First off I'm not into YA books. But Robin Palmer is a talented writer. She created likable characters and interweaved a believable fairy tale set in L.A. She did exactly what I was not expecting and I'm grateful. My favorite character was Doc because when Simone told him to have realistic expectations of others I felt exposed. Because I do the exact same thing! But the best part is how funny and realistic the magic is.
October 2, 2018
Simone is the best girl ever. I hate Hilllary and how she is always trying to "poison" Simone with apples. I love how Simone joins the Zumba group and becomes fit. I love how she finally finds the right guy and learns to love Blush. Great story.
August 15, 2020
As corny as it sounded, and as much as I found fairy tales to be really offensive because they portrayed girls as helpless beings who needed to be saved by dumb princes, I felt like a character who was about to go on some big adventure.
August 22, 2020
Retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves set in modern times. This was an easy ready.
December 14, 2012
Wicked Jealous
Robin Palmer
Romance
It all starts when Simone Walker’s dad says she can say with her brother for a couple of months. It’s already bad enough that her evil step-mother Hillary, is a rich snob, who obviously is trying to get rid of her. She goes and lives with her brother and his 3 roommates, Narc, Blush, and Noob. Simone wants to fit into her favorite blue dress at One Person’s Garbage Another One’s Treasure. It’s a size 8 and she is a size 14. She decides she wants to loose weight. She starts taking zumba classes and the weight instantly comes off. Then, a popular jock Jason starts to notice her, but she has already noticed him for a while, so when he asks her out, she is surprised. But, something about him makes her want to second guess herself. Blush is also being really sweet and nice to her, and something about him makes her want to tell him all her secrets, and everything about her because he is so caring. Will she pick Blush or Jason? Will her dad get married to the dreaded Hillary? Will Hillary finally get rid of Simone? Will she ever fit into the dress? Find out by reading this amazing book.
This book was very good, and it was always hard for me to put it down! That’s how great it is. Robin Palmer’s novel is really funny, and it shows that you can fall in love with anyone at anytime. I think this writer was trying to show that, and she did very well. She also showed that it doesn’t matter what you weigh, how pretty you are etc. its the inside that matters. And that is what she got across to me, and what she will get across to anyone else who reads this book.
Robin Palmer
Romance
It all starts when Simone Walker’s dad says she can say with her brother for a couple of months. It’s already bad enough that her evil step-mother Hillary, is a rich snob, who obviously is trying to get rid of her. She goes and lives with her brother and his 3 roommates, Narc, Blush, and Noob. Simone wants to fit into her favorite blue dress at One Person’s Garbage Another One’s Treasure. It’s a size 8 and she is a size 14. She decides she wants to loose weight. She starts taking zumba classes and the weight instantly comes off. Then, a popular jock Jason starts to notice her, but she has already noticed him for a while, so when he asks her out, she is surprised. But, something about him makes her want to second guess herself. Blush is also being really sweet and nice to her, and something about him makes her want to tell him all her secrets, and everything about her because he is so caring. Will she pick Blush or Jason? Will her dad get married to the dreaded Hillary? Will Hillary finally get rid of Simone? Will she ever fit into the dress? Find out by reading this amazing book.
This book was very good, and it was always hard for me to put it down! That’s how great it is. Robin Palmer’s novel is really funny, and it shows that you can fall in love with anyone at anytime. I think this writer was trying to show that, and she did very well. She also showed that it doesn’t matter what you weigh, how pretty you are etc. its the inside that matters. And that is what she got across to me, and what she will get across to anyone else who reads this book.
December 16, 2012
i really loved this book, I've always been a fan of modern fairy-tales books and they're isn't a lot of snow white ones so this was a really good.
March 17, 2016
This was so stupid.
The main character is supposed to be someone who went through an eating disorder. her personality deosn't not fit that though, and everything was just terrible.
The main character is supposed to be someone who went through an eating disorder. her personality deosn't not fit that though, and everything was just terrible.
November 28, 2018
Slightly spoiler-ish: this was a good modern retelling of Snow White. I wasn't overly impressed but I didn't hate it either. Snow White is Simone the motherless neglected child of a TV writer who is too attached to his devices to notice her or to notice that his new girlfriend Hillary, is a backhanded, manipulative golddigger so jealous of his daughter that she keeps trying to kill the girl. And that's Hillary's whole motivation: just shallow jealously which I know is always the evil stepmother's M.O. but I guess I've been spoiled by other retellings that have moved the women's focus away from who's prettiest.
What bothered me...the father. What a jerk. He's so mesmerized by his younger girlfriend and so wrapped up in his career he doesn't at first notice that Simone is binge eating, that Hillary has kicked Simone off the family vacation without actaully being family herself and for being cool with his teenage daughter living with his son's 6 male roommates. I don't care what fantasy land Robin Palmer is from, no real father will be cool with that. The whole predictable series of losing weight, getting a makeover, getting a guy business. I feel as if the whole weight issue was written just to fill space and manipulate the reader to immediately fall in sympathy/love with Simone. I feel a little resentful that I was set up to root for one "Prince" only to have that changed at the end for another "Prince." I would have rather by far Palmer put all my effort into Prince 2. I was done with this book halfway through-- despite not hating it-- the only reason I finished what is essentially a teenage soap opera was to see how Palmer executed the rest of the stepmother/Snow White battle. It was a little disappointing. It wrapped up way too fast and was much too happy to redirect our attention back to the boys, what else.
What I liked was the inclusion of a brother for Simone, Snow White is often an only child which seems lonely. The roommates that act as the dwarves, the inclusion of the suffocating corset/dress from the original story, the Zumba ladies who maybe are godmothers that really do nothing for the story but I liked them anyway. Overall, some of the modern updates of the Snow White tale were clever but I would have preferred more Snow White and less boy obsession.
What bothered me...the father. What a jerk. He's so mesmerized by his younger girlfriend and so wrapped up in his career he doesn't at first notice that Simone is binge eating, that Hillary has kicked Simone off the family vacation without actaully being family herself and for being cool with his teenage daughter living with his son's 6 male roommates. I don't care what fantasy land Robin Palmer is from, no real father will be cool with that. The whole predictable series of losing weight, getting a makeover, getting a guy business. I feel as if the whole weight issue was written just to fill space and manipulate the reader to immediately fall in sympathy/love with Simone. I feel a little resentful that I was set up to root for one "Prince" only to have that changed at the end for another "Prince." I would have rather by far Palmer put all my effort into Prince 2. I was done with this book halfway through-- despite not hating it-- the only reason I finished what is essentially a teenage soap opera was to see how Palmer executed the rest of the stepmother/Snow White battle. It was a little disappointing. It wrapped up way too fast and was much too happy to redirect our attention back to the boys, what else.
What I liked was the inclusion of a brother for Simone, Snow White is often an only child which seems lonely. The roommates that act as the dwarves, the inclusion of the suffocating corset/dress from the original story, the Zumba ladies who maybe are godmothers that really do nothing for the story but I liked them anyway. Overall, some of the modern updates of the Snow White tale were clever but I would have preferred more Snow White and less boy obsession.
October 9, 2016
Alrighty, my first review on this site, let's go!
This book, like most of the other books by Robin Palmer, is based quite a bit upon the fairytale Snow White. Simone Walker is a very shy, kind of nerdy girl who is quite invisible in school, to where even the film geeks don't notice her. After going into high school, Simone discovers the unique taste and texture of a snack called Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets, and that, along with sheet cakes from Ralph's and her diminishing friends list has made her gain quite a bit of weight. Her father, the producer and director of a human stuck in a dog's body show called Ruh-Roh, starts dating a woman named Hillary, who is not only clawing her way one manicured fingernail at a time into Simone and her brother's lives by trying to marry their father, but is also jealous of Simone's looks, which, like Snow White, is described as "very dark hair, very pale skin, and lips that look as though they were perpetually stained by a cherry popsicle," and thus does everything she can to get rid of her.
In order to avoid speaking, or running into Hillary, who has felt it best to move into her house (permanently) while her condo floors are being done, Simone decides to pick up a hobby at the suggestion of friend and store owner of One Person's Garbage Is Another's Treasure, Brad, and other friend Nicole. At the nearby All Faiths Community Center, Simone gets roped into doing Zumba after the pottery class she signs up for is cancelled, and thus begins the first part of her transformation. Despite her inner protests to never go back, Nicole finds herself returning over and over, mainly to get away from Hillary, but also because she is enjoying herself. After a few classes, her taste for junk food wanes, replaced by a want for vegetables, which remind her of France, a country she admires, especially for their cinematography. The weight comes off, and at the urging of Nicole, she throws away her cargo pants and oversized band T-shirts for dresses, skirts, a bob haircut and a pair of glasses.
Simone is slowly getting used to the looks that come her way, and the attention of Jason Frank, a guy in school she's had a major crush on. After her transformation, she reluctantly agrees to live with her brother and the six other dwarv- I mean- roommates for the summer after Hillary edges Simone out of the "family" trip to Italy. With the advice of the boys, Brad, her Zumba godmothers and Nicole, Simone builds up some confidence and eventually learns to accept herself, even if she isn't the perfect size, stand up for herself, against the stepmother who wants her dead, and to find her happily ever after, with a guy who isn't what she expected.
Right, so, looking on the reviews for this book, I see that a lot of people have criticized it for the whole losing weight to get the guy shtick. Personally, I find that Simone not being a perfect bodied girl (like Dylan in Geek Charming), or a stick thin girl (like Cindy Gold and Sophie Green in Cindy Ella and Little Miss Red) to be a lot more original, and also makes the book stand out a bit from the other books that take place in this same universe. Moreover, Simone, while having issues with her body, is not clinically depressed or compares her body to other people's all the time, and, dare I say it, seemed happy, even before she started losing weight. Don't get me wrong though, she is happier after losing the weight and changing her look a bit, I won't deny that. But she didn't lose weight and change her style for the sake of a guy, or to please others, but rather, to please herself. And, at the end of the book, she is about a size 8, eight sizes down from her previous 16, so it's not like she loses so much weight she becomes a completely different character outright.
Hillary, oh boy, what a character. Hillary is supposed to represent the wicked stepmother from Snow White, except she technically isn't the stepmother, since she was, for most of the book, Simone's father's girlfriend, until towards the end where she got engaged. The wicked stepmother was obsessed with appearance, and wanted to be the fairest of them all, thus why she wanted to kill Snow White. Hillary is the same way: obsessed with her title, her looks, and the guy she wants to nab as her husband. So the fact that she's shallow, narrow-minded, and direct about everything and anything she wants, fits the character she is portraying in a modern setting quite well.
Now, the seven guys she lives with, one of them including her brother, obviously represents the seven dwarves Snow White went to live/hide with. The six guys all go by names according to their personalities: Narc, who suffers from narcolepsy, Noob, which is a gamer term for someone who will never know how to really play a game, no matter how much they play it, Wheezer, who is allergic to everything, Doc, who is, predictably, a pre-med major, Blush, who blushes a lot because he is shy, Thor, who rants like your everyday internet forum user, and lastly, Max, who is Simone's brother. Quite honestly, I do tend to find stories about girls who go live with a lot of guys and fall in love with one of the guys stories to be rather dull, and going into the second half of the book where she lives with them, I expected it to be just that. I was somewhat right. Simone manages to get along with them, blend in with them, and help them out a bit too, and not just with cleaning around the house, which delights Wheezer and Doc who happily help out. And in turn, the guys care deeply about Simone, to the point where after planning to throw a party for Simone coming to live with them, and Nicole inviting Jason Frank, they stage a fake scenario to help Simone find what to talk about with him. And of course, let's not forget that Simone isn't living with them forever, and the guys are not all in love with her because OMG! THERE'S A CUTE GIRL IN THE HOUSE.
Overall, I give this book 5 stars. I find Simone's struggle with her weight, and how she sees herself, to be relatable and familiar, especially if you're a girl like me who struggles with such a thing too. The way she loses weight, but stays true to herself, while finding other styles that best convey her personality can be seen as inspirational.
The ending, to be honest, felt a bit rushed, especially with Hillary trying to kill her, and Simone conveniently having enough evidence to go to the police, though the guy she ends up having her happily ever after with is much better than the one she was pining for originally. Finally, my only con with this book are all the guy characters. Half of them are naive, and the other half seem completely dorky (yes, even Jason Frank!), there is not really any in-between. Other than that, I'd recommend this book to people who are fans of Robin Palmer's other books, or who like the modern retelling of the fairytale Snow White. The book is quite predictable (aside from the weight issue, which Snow White didn't have), but that's because we all know what's going to happen anyway, so have fun seeing the similarities between the fairytale and the retelling!
This book, like most of the other books by Robin Palmer, is based quite a bit upon the fairytale Snow White. Simone Walker is a very shy, kind of nerdy girl who is quite invisible in school, to where even the film geeks don't notice her. After going into high school, Simone discovers the unique taste and texture of a snack called Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets, and that, along with sheet cakes from Ralph's and her diminishing friends list has made her gain quite a bit of weight. Her father, the producer and director of a human stuck in a dog's body show called Ruh-Roh, starts dating a woman named Hillary, who is not only clawing her way one manicured fingernail at a time into Simone and her brother's lives by trying to marry their father, but is also jealous of Simone's looks, which, like Snow White, is described as "very dark hair, very pale skin, and lips that look as though they were perpetually stained by a cherry popsicle," and thus does everything she can to get rid of her.
In order to avoid speaking, or running into Hillary, who has felt it best to move into her house (permanently) while her condo floors are being done, Simone decides to pick up a hobby at the suggestion of friend and store owner of One Person's Garbage Is Another's Treasure, Brad, and other friend Nicole. At the nearby All Faiths Community Center, Simone gets roped into doing Zumba after the pottery class she signs up for is cancelled, and thus begins the first part of her transformation. Despite her inner protests to never go back, Nicole finds herself returning over and over, mainly to get away from Hillary, but also because she is enjoying herself. After a few classes, her taste for junk food wanes, replaced by a want for vegetables, which remind her of France, a country she admires, especially for their cinematography. The weight comes off, and at the urging of Nicole, she throws away her cargo pants and oversized band T-shirts for dresses, skirts, a bob haircut and a pair of glasses.
Simone is slowly getting used to the looks that come her way, and the attention of Jason Frank, a guy in school she's had a major crush on. After her transformation, she reluctantly agrees to live with her brother and the six other dwarv- I mean- roommates for the summer after Hillary edges Simone out of the "family" trip to Italy. With the advice of the boys, Brad, her Zumba godmothers and Nicole, Simone builds up some confidence and eventually learns to accept herself, even if she isn't the perfect size, stand up for herself, against the stepmother who wants her dead, and to find her happily ever after, with a guy who isn't what she expected.
Right, so, looking on the reviews for this book, I see that a lot of people have criticized it for the whole losing weight to get the guy shtick. Personally, I find that Simone not being a perfect bodied girl (like Dylan in Geek Charming), or a stick thin girl (like Cindy Gold and Sophie Green in Cindy Ella and Little Miss Red) to be a lot more original, and also makes the book stand out a bit from the other books that take place in this same universe. Moreover, Simone, while having issues with her body, is not clinically depressed or compares her body to other people's all the time, and, dare I say it, seemed happy, even before she started losing weight. Don't get me wrong though, she is happier after losing the weight and changing her look a bit, I won't deny that. But she didn't lose weight and change her style for the sake of a guy, or to please others, but rather, to please herself. And, at the end of the book, she is about a size 8, eight sizes down from her previous 16, so it's not like she loses so much weight she becomes a completely different character outright.
Hillary, oh boy, what a character. Hillary is supposed to represent the wicked stepmother from Snow White, except she technically isn't the stepmother, since she was, for most of the book, Simone's father's girlfriend, until towards the end where she got engaged. The wicked stepmother was obsessed with appearance, and wanted to be the fairest of them all, thus why she wanted to kill Snow White. Hillary is the same way: obsessed with her title, her looks, and the guy she wants to nab as her husband. So the fact that she's shallow, narrow-minded, and direct about everything and anything she wants, fits the character she is portraying in a modern setting quite well.
Now, the seven guys she lives with, one of them including her brother, obviously represents the seven dwarves Snow White went to live/hide with. The six guys all go by names according to their personalities: Narc, who suffers from narcolepsy, Noob, which is a gamer term for someone who will never know how to really play a game, no matter how much they play it, Wheezer, who is allergic to everything, Doc, who is, predictably, a pre-med major, Blush, who blushes a lot because he is shy, Thor, who rants like your everyday internet forum user, and lastly, Max, who is Simone's brother. Quite honestly, I do tend to find stories about girls who go live with a lot of guys and fall in love with one of the guys stories to be rather dull, and going into the second half of the book where she lives with them, I expected it to be just that. I was somewhat right. Simone manages to get along with them, blend in with them, and help them out a bit too, and not just with cleaning around the house, which delights Wheezer and Doc who happily help out. And in turn, the guys care deeply about Simone, to the point where after planning to throw a party for Simone coming to live with them, and Nicole inviting Jason Frank, they stage a fake scenario to help Simone find what to talk about with him. And of course, let's not forget that Simone isn't living with them forever, and the guys are not all in love with her because OMG! THERE'S A CUTE GIRL IN THE HOUSE.
Overall, I give this book 5 stars. I find Simone's struggle with her weight, and how she sees herself, to be relatable and familiar, especially if you're a girl like me who struggles with such a thing too. The way she loses weight, but stays true to herself, while finding other styles that best convey her personality can be seen as inspirational.
The ending, to be honest, felt a bit rushed, especially with Hillary trying to kill her, and Simone conveniently having enough evidence to go to the police, though the guy she ends up having her happily ever after with is much better than the one she was pining for originally. Finally, my only con with this book are all the guy characters. Half of them are naive, and the other half seem completely dorky (yes, even Jason Frank!), there is not really any in-between. Other than that, I'd recommend this book to people who are fans of Robin Palmer's other books, or who like the modern retelling of the fairytale Snow White. The book is quite predictable (aside from the weight issue, which Snow White didn't have), but that's because we all know what's going to happen anyway, so have fun seeing the similarities between the fairytale and the retelling!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2017
This book is actually a solid 3.5. Fairly enjoyable to read, completely over the top, retelling of Snow White. Simone is a Molly Ringwald-esque high-schooler (a point made explicit, because who needs a metaphor), overweight, with one really good friend, constantly having to fend off passive-aggressive actions and remarks from her father’s scheming girlfriend. The utter incomprehension of her father borders on child abuse, including sending your teenage daughter into a houseful of college boys (who, of course, act as your dwarves, and so are not creepy rapists, at least... but still, fairly inappropriate). All in all, a quick fluffy read if you are willing to suspend disbelief.
December 19, 2022
3.5, rounded up. A fast and fun retelling. If you are at all familiar with the story of Snow White, you will know exactly where the plot of this book is going. But the author gives just enough additional detail to make it an enjoyable read, just go into it knowing what you are going to get. I was a bit concerned with the weight issue, and I will say that as a fellow stress-eater, I appreciate that it continues to be a struggle throughout the book. Yes, she seems to get into better shape rather quickly (conveniently discovering a love of roasted veggies) but take it for what it is, a FAIRYTALE. Not supposed to be 100% believable, just fun.
January 4, 2024
I know this book is for teens but reading this as an adult who is about to be a parent; I would never let my daughter read this. There were a few things in the book that shouldn’t even be in there.
Yes, it’s a good book and interesting twist of Snow White but still not a good book for teen girls. I hate to say it but that’s the truth.
As a teen I’ve read cleaner books than this and they were re-tellings of Snow White!!
Yes, it’s a good book and interesting twist of Snow White but still not a good book for teen girls. I hate to say it but that’s the truth.
As a teen I’ve read cleaner books than this and they were re-tellings of Snow White!!
August 24, 2023
this is my version of GIRL DINNER
i personally love a good fairytale retelling and while this felt very Sydney White, sadly she didn't live up to my expectations. i love all of Robin Palmer's other novels in this collection but this one was off in many ways. the characters were bland and the messaging was very chick-lit-circa-2007. however, it was super fun to relive 2012 pop culture.
i personally love a good fairytale retelling and while this felt very Sydney White, sadly she didn't live up to my expectations. i love all of Robin Palmer's other novels in this collection but this one was off in many ways. the characters were bland and the messaging was very chick-lit-circa-2007. however, it was super fun to relive 2012 pop culture.
February 25, 2018
I'm waaaay outside the intended age for this book, but it was still really enjoyable. Trying to match the characters to Snow White had me doing a search for the 7 dwarfs when I couldn't remember all of their names. I'd recommend this to anyone searching for a fun, light read.
November 1, 2022
A silly retelling of Snow White. I enjoyed Geek Charming much more. This one was a little slow paced. I also want to just let people like whatever music they like. The MC was very judgy about other’s music tastes and it made her much less likeable.
May 25, 2017
Fun retelling of Snow White! It was an easy beach read for vacation 😄
June 24, 2017
made me smile
August 14, 2018
Super cute, loved the modern HS spin on a traditional fairy tale
March 6, 2019
A cute book and an easy read
May 22, 2019
A very good modern story of Snow White and the Evil Queen
June 27, 2019
Review by A.J. : "I liked everything about this book. People who'd like this would be romance liking people."
February 2, 2024
Decent story with a fairly good message. That said, it’s still fat shaming.
September 5, 2013
Wicked Jealous is an interesting retelling of the "Snow White" fairy tale taking place within a modern high school "slice-of-life" setting. Broadly faithful to the original tale, it nonetheless provides interesting twists here and there.
Plot: Simone wants to become more popular at Castle Heights High School and to grab the hot guy she has a crush on, but her (lack of) exercise and healthy eating habits are starting to get in the way. Making things worse is the envy of her new stepmother - or is Simone just being paranoid? To escape the craziness, she moves in with her college-bound brother and his six room mates while she tries to sort through the truth and her own life.
Wicked Jealous, the thus-far final book in Robin Palmer's "Castle Heights" series of modern-setting fairy tales, continues Palmer's well-crafted characterizations and twist tellings. Once again Palmer's greatest strength is in the "small moments" that build up her characters. Such examples include Simone's attempts to improve herself, such as signing up for a Zumba class with elderly grandmothers (several scenes which end up being quite humorous and charming) an the twist ending where Simone finds out that some people are not who they seem - while others are exactly who they appear to be. A great addition to the "Castle Heights" series and a must-read for fans of the "slice-of-life" high school genre and fans of well-written characters.
Primarily for teen girls; male readers may be put off by the pacing and genre. Older readers nostalgic for high school "slice-of-life" stories may also highly enjoy this.
Positives:
- Protagonist Simone makes positive and self-determined changes to better her life
- Positive relationships between teens and elderly
- excellently-written characterizations
- reading difficulty: medium (a few hours)
- extended scenes that are very well-written, humorous, and charming
Negatives:
- certain mixed-messages conflict with positive role models
- too close adherence to traditional fairy tales results in somewhat over-the-top resolution
Other similar works by author:
- "Castle Heights" series, of which Wicked Jealous is the most recent (Cindy Ella, Geek Charming, Little Miss Red)
- "The Corner of Bitter and Sweet"
Other similar works by different authors:
- "The Clique" by Lisi Harrison (fewer positive messages, flatter writing)
- "The A-List" by Zoey Dean (much fewer positive messages, much flatter writing)
- "How My Personal, Private Journal Become a National Best-Seller" by Julia DeVillers (easier reading level)
Plot: Simone wants to become more popular at Castle Heights High School and to grab the hot guy she has a crush on, but her (lack of) exercise and healthy eating habits are starting to get in the way. Making things worse is the envy of her new stepmother - or is Simone just being paranoid? To escape the craziness, she moves in with her college-bound brother and his six room mates while she tries to sort through the truth and her own life.
Wicked Jealous, the thus-far final book in Robin Palmer's "Castle Heights" series of modern-setting fairy tales, continues Palmer's well-crafted characterizations and twist tellings. Once again Palmer's greatest strength is in the "small moments" that build up her characters. Such examples include Simone's attempts to improve herself, such as signing up for a Zumba class with elderly grandmothers (several scenes which end up being quite humorous and charming) an the twist ending where Simone finds out that some people are not who they seem - while others are exactly who they appear to be. A great addition to the "Castle Heights" series and a must-read for fans of the "slice-of-life" high school genre and fans of well-written characters.
Primarily for teen girls; male readers may be put off by the pacing and genre. Older readers nostalgic for high school "slice-of-life" stories may also highly enjoy this.
Positives:
- Protagonist Simone makes positive and self-determined changes to better her life
- Positive relationships between teens and elderly
- excellently-written characterizations
- reading difficulty: medium (a few hours)
- extended scenes that are very well-written, humorous, and charming
Negatives:
- certain mixed-messages conflict with positive role models
- too close adherence to traditional fairy tales results in somewhat over-the-top resolution
Other similar works by author:
- "Castle Heights" series, of which Wicked Jealous is the most recent (Cindy Ella, Geek Charming, Little Miss Red)
- "The Corner of Bitter and Sweet"
Other similar works by different authors:
- "The Clique" by Lisi Harrison (fewer positive messages, flatter writing)
- "The A-List" by Zoey Dean (much fewer positive messages, much flatter writing)
- "How My Personal, Private Journal Become a National Best-Seller" by Julia DeVillers (easier reading level)
June 11, 2012
What an adorable book! Wicked Jealous: A Love Story is a modern re-telling of Snow White and it is super cute, entertaining, and you'll find yourself rooting against the evil step-monster-to-be and rooting for the sweet girl who is slowly coming into her own. This is the perfect feel good summer book and everyone should scoop it up when it releases on July 19th.
The book begins by introducing us to Simone, the "Weird Fat Girl" who is most comfortable when she feels invisible, hiding from the world behind baggy clothes, extra pounds, and lots of super long hair. Simone never knew her mother, who died giving birth to her, and has turned to food for longer than she can remember for comfort. Just when Simone thinks things couldn't be worse, enter Hillary, a self-absorbed, over-bearing, and potentially evil woman who begins dating Simone's father. Things turn serious between the two which is how Simone finds herself shipped off to her brother's house for a month in the summer while her dad and Hillary take the family vacation--alone.
But before this happens, a miraculous thing happens to Simone... she begins losing weight. Inspired by Zumba, and some friendly middle-aged women who take the class with her, Simone begins focusing on a healthier life style. Simone's best friend, Nicola, takes the opportunity to perform the makeover of ALL makeovers on Simone, taking her from the sidelines of life and shoving her into the spotlight. Because hidden behind all of Simone's defenses was one seriously smokin' and interesting girl.
Simone enters into a summer, living with a house full of boys, that will change her life forever. She begins to learn who she really is, the things that matter to her, and gains confidence in her ability to know what is best for her and her life. It's possible that Simone just may fall in love, but will Hillary find a way to mess that up... permanently? You've got to read it to find out!
I really, really, really enjoyed this book. It was a super cute and relatable book and Simone was just a doll. I guess I can relate to her because I've struggled with weight and know how hiding behind those kinds of things can be a safety barrier. I found myself rooting for her, desperate to see her achieve true happiness. And the love thing? All I can say is, I saw that one coming and it couldn't have come fast enough! Definitely recommend this to all. Great, great read! Enjoy! *XOXO*
The book begins by introducing us to Simone, the "Weird Fat Girl" who is most comfortable when she feels invisible, hiding from the world behind baggy clothes, extra pounds, and lots of super long hair. Simone never knew her mother, who died giving birth to her, and has turned to food for longer than she can remember for comfort. Just when Simone thinks things couldn't be worse, enter Hillary, a self-absorbed, over-bearing, and potentially evil woman who begins dating Simone's father. Things turn serious between the two which is how Simone finds herself shipped off to her brother's house for a month in the summer while her dad and Hillary take the family vacation--alone.
But before this happens, a miraculous thing happens to Simone... she begins losing weight. Inspired by Zumba, and some friendly middle-aged women who take the class with her, Simone begins focusing on a healthier life style. Simone's best friend, Nicola, takes the opportunity to perform the makeover of ALL makeovers on Simone, taking her from the sidelines of life and shoving her into the spotlight. Because hidden behind all of Simone's defenses was one seriously smokin' and interesting girl.
Simone enters into a summer, living with a house full of boys, that will change her life forever. She begins to learn who she really is, the things that matter to her, and gains confidence in her ability to know what is best for her and her life. It's possible that Simone just may fall in love, but will Hillary find a way to mess that up... permanently? You've got to read it to find out!
I really, really, really enjoyed this book. It was a super cute and relatable book and Simone was just a doll. I guess I can relate to her because I've struggled with weight and know how hiding behind those kinds of things can be a safety barrier. I found myself rooting for her, desperate to see her achieve true happiness. And the love thing? All I can say is, I saw that one coming and it couldn't have come fast enough! Definitely recommend this to all. Great, great read! Enjoy! *XOXO*
July 5, 2012
Used to being known as That Weird Fat Girl, Simone Walker has no problem with keeping her head down and staying invisible. But when Hillary, her "stepmother-to-be" (despite the fact that Simone's workaholic father is avoiding the whole "marriage" issue) moves in and takes over, Simone has to find a way to get out of the house. Even if it means inadvertently joining a Zumba class full of middle-aged women. Soon, she's looking and feeling healthier -- which is lucky, because when Hillary kicks her out of what was supposed to be a family vacation, Simone ends up living with her older brother and six of his college buddies. Now, with her best friend insisting on a makeover and a popular boy who actually notices her, the advice of seven college guys is helpful, but it also makes things pretty complicated.
Okay, here's the deal: this is an updated, contemporary version of Snow White, with Simone in the starring role of the princess herself. It's a love story (as the subtitle says), but it's also a story of Simone's jealous stepmother-to-be, and more importantly her own journey to becoming a healthier, happier, more sure-of-herself girl. Which is, incidentally, exactly the type of book I enjoy reading. Robin Palmer does a great job of keeping the trademark elements of Snow White while changing and updating the story to make it a realistic, contemporary tale. Though this is something Palmer always seems to do well, I was especially impressed with this novel -- the well-placed bits from the traditional Snow White elevate this sweet tale. Simone's brother and his six roommates (you know, like the seven dwarves) just made this book for me. The camaraderie between them and Simone was great and the scenes between them were some of the funniest, best, and sometimes cutest in the book. All of them were such great characters with awesome, distinct personalities.
Though the storyline between Simone and Hilary, her dad's girlfriend, is a bit far-fetched and hard to believe at times, this is an easy thing to forgive in light of how fun and, yes, pretty realistic, the rest of the story is. For readers who like fairytale retellings or just lighthearted contemporary YA, this is a great one to put on your list. It's quickly become my favorite of Robin Palmer's novels.
Okay, here's the deal: this is an updated, contemporary version of Snow White, with Simone in the starring role of the princess herself. It's a love story (as the subtitle says), but it's also a story of Simone's jealous stepmother-to-be, and more importantly her own journey to becoming a healthier, happier, more sure-of-herself girl. Which is, incidentally, exactly the type of book I enjoy reading. Robin Palmer does a great job of keeping the trademark elements of Snow White while changing and updating the story to make it a realistic, contemporary tale. Though this is something Palmer always seems to do well, I was especially impressed with this novel -- the well-placed bits from the traditional Snow White elevate this sweet tale. Simone's brother and his six roommates (you know, like the seven dwarves) just made this book for me. The camaraderie between them and Simone was great and the scenes between them were some of the funniest, best, and sometimes cutest in the book. All of them were such great characters with awesome, distinct personalities.
Though the storyline between Simone and Hilary, her dad's girlfriend, is a bit far-fetched and hard to believe at times, this is an easy thing to forgive in light of how fun and, yes, pretty realistic, the rest of the story is. For readers who like fairytale retellings or just lighthearted contemporary YA, this is a great one to put on your list. It's quickly become my favorite of Robin Palmer's novels.
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