What do you think?
Rate this book
Baby Doll #1
Barbie Girl
The only thing that 17 year old Barbie Starr wants to do is graduate high school so she and her little brother, Everett, can get out of Alabama. She doesn’t care about the rumors that are spread around about her like wild fire. Rumors are nothing new to her. Sure, maybe she could change her reputation, but why bother. She is leaving Alabama as soon as she can. That is, if she can pass algebra and graduate.
The only thing Dylan Knight would like to do is go through high school unnoticed; he has had enough of the drama that is high school. He took the whole of last summer to bulk-up: finally he is not being called names or being shoved into lockers. He wants to remain on the outside of the circle of constant rumors that surround the so-called popular kids who get all the attention. He would not, however, mind if his long time crush Katie took notice of him.
But it is Barbie who notices Dylan and she offers him a deal he can’t pass up: if he helps her pass algebra, she’ll help him get the girl of his dreams. Dylan agrees, but, as it turns out, nothing is simple when it comes to Barbie. Somehow, she can’t help but draw attention to herself — and to him. Soon Dylan finds himself tossed into the whirlwind of rumors that seem to follow Barbie everywhere. Can he save his reputation and still get the girl of his dreams? Or will Barbie be the one to break through his carefully-built facade?
The only thing Dylan Knight would like to do is go through high school unnoticed; he has had enough of the drama that is high school. He took the whole of last summer to bulk-up: finally he is not being called names or being shoved into lockers. He wants to remain on the outside of the circle of constant rumors that surround the so-called popular kids who get all the attention. He would not, however, mind if his long time crush Katie took notice of him.
But it is Barbie who notices Dylan and she offers him a deal he can’t pass up: if he helps her pass algebra, she’ll help him get the girl of his dreams. Dylan agrees, but, as it turns out, nothing is simple when it comes to Barbie. Somehow, she can’t help but draw attention to herself — and to him. Soon Dylan finds himself tossed into the whirlwind of rumors that seem to follow Barbie everywhere. Can he save his reputation and still get the girl of his dreams? Or will Barbie be the one to break through his carefully-built facade?
273 pages, ebook
First published November 1, 2012
126 people are currently reading
1070 people want to read
About the author
Heidi Acosta
6 books235 followersI was born on Long Island, New York. I moved around a lot when I was younger, I lived in New York, Arizona, New York (again), Washington, Georgia, and Florida, and now I’m back in New York. Each place has offered me something special.
I started writing as soon as I could spell. When I was three, yes three, my mother gave me a copy of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House in the Big Woods; this became my most prized possession.
Writing was a form of therapy for me when I realized that no matter what was happening in my life, I could find an escape in my writing.
I have a degree in Humanities and English literature. I now reside in New York with my husband, and daughter, one hyper Chihuahua, two sweet cats, and one very fat moody cat.
My novels include the Baby Doll Series: Barbie Girl, Barbie World, and Doll Face. The Heart of Feaylon Series published by CHBB Publishing: Dark and Twisted Games.
I started writing as soon as I could spell. When I was three, yes three, my mother gave me a copy of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House in the Big Woods; this became my most prized possession.
Writing was a form of therapy for me when I realized that no matter what was happening in my life, I could find an escape in my writing.
I have a degree in Humanities and English literature. I now reside in New York with my husband, and daughter, one hyper Chihuahua, two sweet cats, and one very fat moody cat.
My novels include the Baby Doll Series: Barbie Girl, Barbie World, and Doll Face. The Heart of Feaylon Series published by CHBB Publishing: Dark and Twisted Games.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
November 29, 2012
That ending!!!! ARGGGGGHHHH
MOTHER OF ALL CLIFFHANGERS!!!!
I enjoyed it though. It was quite good.
But damn! I still have to wait for the 2nd book.~le sigh~
3.5 STARS!
MOTHER OF ALL CLIFFHANGERS!!!!
I enjoyed it though. It was quite good.
But damn! I still have to wait for the 2nd book.~le sigh~
3.5 STARS!
November 17, 2012
“I want nothing more than to drown in her”
Barbie Girl by Heidi Acosta was a totally different read, it was a contemporary romance, but none like I've ever read! You always read romances about the guy that’s a player ending up with the nerdy girl, well what if it was a nerdy boy, and what if the girl was the school slut? (although she really isn't) This was a great read, not only was the romance unique, but our main character Barbie, was nothing but unforgettable.
I’m going to go ahead and just jump into my problems with the characters so I can move onto the awesome things about this book. Now to say I didn't like the characters would be completely wrong, I did rather enjoy each of the characters, they were very unique, and for the most part very likable. The only character that really frustrated me while reading Barbie Girl was Dylan, our main male character/love interest. To me Dylan just came off rather stuck up, and just frustrating. There were multiple times when he was still getting to know Barbie that he would think horrible things about her character, and say horrible things to her. The things he would say and think, he had no right to. He didn't know Barbie, he was just judging her like everyone else does. Although Dylan was frustrating, at the end of Barbie Girl I did learn to like him, actually quite a bit too. I think he realized his mistakes, and in the end he pulled through!
Then there was our main girl Barbie. Oh how I loved her! She was so…different. I can easily say she is a character I will never forget! I have literally never read a book with a character like her. I have to say, while I did love Barbie, I didn't really understand her. The whole school sees her as some slut, and she portrays herself as one by the way she dresses and how she flirts a lot, but she isn't actually a slut…like at all. Barbie would say that she didn't care what other people thought of her, cause she knows who she is. While I think that is a great thing to think…I still found myself getting so mad during Barbie Girl! I wouldn't get mad at Barbie, but mad at the other students who would say the awful things about her.
Barbie was just one of those characters I think readers will fall in love with, I know I sure did. Throughout Barbie Girl when anyone would say something rude to her or about Barbie I found myself just wishing I could be in the book so I could tell that person to shut up and they have no idea what their talking about! (and then maybe punch them in the face too) Barbie was just flat out an amazing character, I love how careless she was, how strong she was, and overall how loving she was even if she didn't get shown love in return. I hope I can meet more unique characters like her in the future.
Aside from the characters I really loved Heidi’s writing! The story and romance between Dylan and Barbie was amazing, and the writing was just beautiful! After reading Barbie Girl I can easily say I am super excited for anything this author writes in the future.
Overall, if you’re looking for a good contemporary romance, that has some very different characters, than Barbie Girl is a book for you! I loved it, and hope you will too (:
-Also I just noticed on amazon this is going to be a series...WHAT!?!?!? I am so freakin excited! :D
Barbie Girl by Heidi Acosta was a totally different read, it was a contemporary romance, but none like I've ever read! You always read romances about the guy that’s a player ending up with the nerdy girl, well what if it was a nerdy boy, and what if the girl was the school slut? (although she really isn't) This was a great read, not only was the romance unique, but our main character Barbie, was nothing but unforgettable.
I’m going to go ahead and just jump into my problems with the characters so I can move onto the awesome things about this book. Now to say I didn't like the characters would be completely wrong, I did rather enjoy each of the characters, they were very unique, and for the most part very likable. The only character that really frustrated me while reading Barbie Girl was Dylan, our main male character/love interest. To me Dylan just came off rather stuck up, and just frustrating. There were multiple times when he was still getting to know Barbie that he would think horrible things about her character, and say horrible things to her. The things he would say and think, he had no right to. He didn't know Barbie, he was just judging her like everyone else does. Although Dylan was frustrating, at the end of Barbie Girl I did learn to like him, actually quite a bit too. I think he realized his mistakes, and in the end he pulled through!
Then there was our main girl Barbie. Oh how I loved her! She was so…different. I can easily say she is a character I will never forget! I have literally never read a book with a character like her. I have to say, while I did love Barbie, I didn't really understand her. The whole school sees her as some slut, and she portrays herself as one by the way she dresses and how she flirts a lot, but she isn't actually a slut…like at all. Barbie would say that she didn't care what other people thought of her, cause she knows who she is. While I think that is a great thing to think…I still found myself getting so mad during Barbie Girl! I wouldn't get mad at Barbie, but mad at the other students who would say the awful things about her.
Barbie was just one of those characters I think readers will fall in love with, I know I sure did. Throughout Barbie Girl when anyone would say something rude to her or about Barbie I found myself just wishing I could be in the book so I could tell that person to shut up and they have no idea what their talking about! (and then maybe punch them in the face too) Barbie was just flat out an amazing character, I love how careless she was, how strong she was, and overall how loving she was even if she didn't get shown love in return. I hope I can meet more unique characters like her in the future.
Aside from the characters I really loved Heidi’s writing! The story and romance between Dylan and Barbie was amazing, and the writing was just beautiful! After reading Barbie Girl I can easily say I am super excited for anything this author writes in the future.
Overall, if you’re looking for a good contemporary romance, that has some very different characters, than Barbie Girl is a book for you! I loved it, and hope you will too (:
-Also I just noticed on amazon this is going to be a series...WHAT!?!?!? I am so freakin excited! :D
February 18, 2013
Barbie Girl has the potential to be a great YA read, if not for a few minor flaws and one fairly big one. I'll get to that; first, let me tell you all the things that are right about this book.
Barbie is a damaged girl from a broken home. Not damaged in the way everyone thinks; she wears a tough skin, flirts and teases to get what she needs, and doesn't let anyone give her any crap for it. Everyone thinks she is nothing more than drugged out crazy slut. Though she doesn't argue with them, she is none of those things. What she really is, is a poor girl with a drugged out crazy mother and an autistic little brother who relies on Barbie for care. Barbie will do anything to graduate and get Everett away from Alabama and their mother. Graduating means passing Algebra, which she currently is not doing. Hoping Dylan can tutor her into graduation, she bites the bullet and asks for his help. Something she does not often do and especially not from Dylan.
I liked Barbie, quite a lot actually. She's a rare beast in the teen world. The skirts she wears would put me in an early grave if I was her mother, but she's a good girl at heart. Always there to take care of everyone else with no thought to herself.
Dylan has all the makings of a good guy, if he could just get out of his own head and the perfect imaginary world he's designed there. He wants to do the right thing but he's so far out of the loop that he doesn't always realize what that is. Dylan aggravated me, often, but to no fault of his own. It's more through circumstance than choice and I could empathize with him, for the most part.
Acosta created some very intriguing characters. Not only with Barbie and Dylan but also their families and friends. Third, Dylan's best friend, is amazing. I loved him from start to finish. If only we could all have a Third in our lives. Roxie, a goth (ish ~ her room is pink, and she listens to Taylor Swift) girl comes in late to the story but in a huge way. I liked her very much too and hope to get much more of both of these two in Barbie World (book #2).
This book did not take me where I thought it would. I expected it to be a bit fluffy (really, her name is Barbie Starr), but it was much darker. Barbie is not a little princess with normal teenage girl problems. Her life is tragic and Dylan is the first bright spot she's ever allowed herself to hope for. But life never works out quite like we hope for, does it? The ride these kids take is tragic and heartbreaking at its core and it's not the happiest of endings. This isn't a fairytale where Malibu Barbie gets her Ken and they drive off into the sunset in a pink convertible Corvette, missing every speed bump in the way.
The problems I mentioned earlier are few and small. Except for one. The one major thing that holds this novel back is the editing. Now, I am a fan of indie authors and read a ton of self published books and usually make no comments about editing. I understand how incredibly hard it is to self edit and to pay for professional editing. That said, Barbie Girl needs it and I hope it becomes successful enough to get a bit of extra help there because the story itself is a good one. But there were too many times where I felt like I was reading a print out from one of those software programs where you speak and it types it for you. Too many words were, well... just wrong. I am not going to say any more about it though, I understood what was happening throughout the book and that is really what matters. I just know some have a problem with it and I would not feel right not mentioning it.
I also want to take a second to applaud Acosta for dealing with some fairly mature subject matter without ever making it feel cheap or too sleazy or crude. I think she really kept her target audience in mind and wrote a book about struggle, growth, love, responsibility and bravery.
Barbie is a damaged girl from a broken home. Not damaged in the way everyone thinks; she wears a tough skin, flirts and teases to get what she needs, and doesn't let anyone give her any crap for it. Everyone thinks she is nothing more than drugged out crazy slut. Though she doesn't argue with them, she is none of those things. What she really is, is a poor girl with a drugged out crazy mother and an autistic little brother who relies on Barbie for care. Barbie will do anything to graduate and get Everett away from Alabama and their mother. Graduating means passing Algebra, which she currently is not doing. Hoping Dylan can tutor her into graduation, she bites the bullet and asks for his help. Something she does not often do and especially not from Dylan.
I liked Barbie, quite a lot actually. She's a rare beast in the teen world. The skirts she wears would put me in an early grave if I was her mother, but she's a good girl at heart. Always there to take care of everyone else with no thought to herself.
Dylan has all the makings of a good guy, if he could just get out of his own head and the perfect imaginary world he's designed there. He wants to do the right thing but he's so far out of the loop that he doesn't always realize what that is. Dylan aggravated me, often, but to no fault of his own. It's more through circumstance than choice and I could empathize with him, for the most part.
Acosta created some very intriguing characters. Not only with Barbie and Dylan but also their families and friends. Third, Dylan's best friend, is amazing. I loved him from start to finish. If only we could all have a Third in our lives. Roxie, a goth (ish ~ her room is pink, and she listens to Taylor Swift) girl comes in late to the story but in a huge way. I liked her very much too and hope to get much more of both of these two in Barbie World (book #2).
This book did not take me where I thought it would. I expected it to be a bit fluffy (really, her name is Barbie Starr), but it was much darker. Barbie is not a little princess with normal teenage girl problems. Her life is tragic and Dylan is the first bright spot she's ever allowed herself to hope for. But life never works out quite like we hope for, does it? The ride these kids take is tragic and heartbreaking at its core and it's not the happiest of endings. This isn't a fairytale where Malibu Barbie gets her Ken and they drive off into the sunset in a pink convertible Corvette, missing every speed bump in the way.
The problems I mentioned earlier are few and small. Except for one. The one major thing that holds this novel back is the editing. Now, I am a fan of indie authors and read a ton of self published books and usually make no comments about editing. I understand how incredibly hard it is to self edit and to pay for professional editing. That said, Barbie Girl needs it and I hope it becomes successful enough to get a bit of extra help there because the story itself is a good one. But there were too many times where I felt like I was reading a print out from one of those software programs where you speak and it types it for you. Too many words were, well... just wrong. I am not going to say any more about it though, I understood what was happening throughout the book and that is really what matters. I just know some have a problem with it and I would not feel right not mentioning it.
I also want to take a second to applaud Acosta for dealing with some fairly mature subject matter without ever making it feel cheap or too sleazy or crude. I think she really kept her target audience in mind and wrote a book about struggle, growth, love, responsibility and bravery.
February 19, 2016
I tried to enjoy this book and got into the cutesy idea of it at first, but by the end I actually wanted to throw my kindle against the wall. For starters, the grammar is horrific. Did no one else edit this thing before she published it? Then there is the proper etiquette. Is it really that difficult to include contractions like it's? Next comes the random points in the story where something happens and the timing of it makes no sense. For instance, when Barbie comes home to find her mother doing something innappropriate so goes out and walks with her brother till midnight when they go to stay with the neighbor which beomes a thing for the next couple of nights, but then by the next paragraph you realized that must have actually been an afternoon. So confusing. Now let's start in on the Characters.
Barbie - strong girl but really got tired of hearing her wining about how dylan was so much better than her. Just because you aren't richc and your mother could hardly be called does not make you worthless.
Dylan-why is he the love interest? He is insecure, a Star Wars gaming nerd, and loves his sister. That's all you know about him other than the fact that he is an utter douche bag. Please explain the draw.
Third-favorite character hands down. He was funny, a perv, but honest and completely caring. He wasn't a judger. He's the kind of guy that tells you how it is and you love him for it. I would rather date him.
And may I say, probably one of the worst endings ever! The girl gets the shit beaten out of her, ends up living at her paramours home and even though he has told he loves her, he stays with his evil girlfriend? Anyone get that?
So in the end I just want to say don't read this. You will only be super frustrated by the whole thing.
Barbie - strong girl but really got tired of hearing her wining about how dylan was so much better than her. Just because you aren't richc and your mother could hardly be called does not make you worthless.
Dylan-why is he the love interest? He is insecure, a Star Wars gaming nerd, and loves his sister. That's all you know about him other than the fact that he is an utter douche bag. Please explain the draw.
Third-favorite character hands down. He was funny, a perv, but honest and completely caring. He wasn't a judger. He's the kind of guy that tells you how it is and you love him for it. I would rather date him.
And may I say, probably one of the worst endings ever! The girl gets the shit beaten out of her, ends up living at her paramours home and even though he has told he loves her, he stays with his evil girlfriend? Anyone get that?
So in the end I just want to say don't read this. You will only be super frustrated by the whole thing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2013
Barbie is trashy. Her mom works at a strip club, and the whole school thinks that she's a whore. She lets them think it's true, because all she really cares about is getting her little brother away from her mom and out of town. It's for him that she suffers through school and her small Alabama town. Dylan is a nerd who wants nothing more than to be with Katie. So, he makes a deal with the blonde devil herself. She'll help him snag the girl, if he helps tutor her. Only, things don't necessarily go as planned....
---
This review is going to be short and sweet, because I don't have much to say.
I only made it about halfway through this book. There were some glaring issues that I had with it that limited my enjoyment of the novel, and made me unwilling to put the time forward to read it start to finish.
-The biggest of these issues for me was the grammar. There was an extreme under-use of commas, making the text read like run on sentences. Either that, or the sentences were choppy and too short. I even noticed one instance where an entire word was missing, "No wonder he is love with her." It's not an isolated mistake, but one of many.
-On a similar note, I found the dialog between these high school aged characters to be too proper. There were almost no contractions. I understand that it makes your writing seem better, and that it lengthens the pages. But I don't know many high schoolers who say "I do not know what you mean" or "I am not quite sure." Sure, it's proper English, but it made the youth sound older and robotic. I'm sure this is my own personal preference, however.
-+The next issue is neither positive nor negative, and is about the chapters. They alternate between the two main characters' perspectives, Dylan and Barbie. Only, there's no indication that there's a switch in POV. All of a sudden, I was really confused as to why Dylan was thinking about being a stripper at his mom's work. It took me a few paragraphs to realize that, oh, it's a Barbie chapter now. I got used to it, but at first it was quite muddling.
-I didn't like Dylan at all. Actually, he's kind of a really big douche bag. I wouldn't have wanted to help him do anything, if I were Barbie.
+With all that aside, I DID like the character Barbie. She's sassy and a bit of a rebel who's protecting a gooey emotional center deep down in her slutty looking heart. I read a blog post by the author that said she pictured Taylor Momsen as Barbie, and I was pleasantly surprised by this. That's who I pictured in this role too.
+The cover is cute. I would have picked this up in a heartbeat off of the shelf. I like the font and the image is eye catching.
All in all, this is a complicated book to rate. I think that this story could be really good, assuming that all the technical errors are cleaned up. If an editor or big publisher gets a hold of this and tidies it up, I will gladly give this book another try, and even revise my rating if I feel that it's improved (which I firmly believe would be the case). But for right now, I'm only rating based on what I was given, and sadly it wasn't enough.
Thank you to Word Spelunking blog for my copy of this book, and this review can also be found on my review blog, Bitches n Prose.
---
This review is going to be short and sweet, because I don't have much to say.
I only made it about halfway through this book. There were some glaring issues that I had with it that limited my enjoyment of the novel, and made me unwilling to put the time forward to read it start to finish.
-The biggest of these issues for me was the grammar. There was an extreme under-use of commas, making the text read like run on sentences. Either that, or the sentences were choppy and too short. I even noticed one instance where an entire word was missing, "No wonder he is love with her." It's not an isolated mistake, but one of many.
-On a similar note, I found the dialog between these high school aged characters to be too proper. There were almost no contractions. I understand that it makes your writing seem better, and that it lengthens the pages. But I don't know many high schoolers who say "I do not know what you mean" or "I am not quite sure." Sure, it's proper English, but it made the youth sound older and robotic. I'm sure this is my own personal preference, however.
-+The next issue is neither positive nor negative, and is about the chapters. They alternate between the two main characters' perspectives, Dylan and Barbie. Only, there's no indication that there's a switch in POV. All of a sudden, I was really confused as to why Dylan was thinking about being a stripper at his mom's work. It took me a few paragraphs to realize that, oh, it's a Barbie chapter now. I got used to it, but at first it was quite muddling.
-I didn't like Dylan at all. Actually, he's kind of a really big douche bag. I wouldn't have wanted to help him do anything, if I were Barbie.
+With all that aside, I DID like the character Barbie. She's sassy and a bit of a rebel who's protecting a gooey emotional center deep down in her slutty looking heart. I read a blog post by the author that said she pictured Taylor Momsen as Barbie, and I was pleasantly surprised by this. That's who I pictured in this role too.
+The cover is cute. I would have picked this up in a heartbeat off of the shelf. I like the font and the image is eye catching.
All in all, this is a complicated book to rate. I think that this story could be really good, assuming that all the technical errors are cleaned up. If an editor or big publisher gets a hold of this and tidies it up, I will gladly give this book another try, and even revise my rating if I feel that it's improved (which I firmly believe would be the case). But for right now, I'm only rating based on what I was given, and sadly it wasn't enough.
Thank you to Word Spelunking blog for my copy of this book, and this review can also be found on my review blog, Bitches n Prose.
September 1, 2022
Barbie Starr is the girl you love to hate, she is beautiful with a body that could make a sidewalk melt. She is popular, not for the reasons you would think tough, she is talked about and the rumors swirling around about the promiscuous druggie are scandalous enough everyone wants a piece of her. The problem most of the rumors are untrue, heck Barbie made up several of those herself.
Barbie just wants to graduate, she will acknowledge she is a horrible student, but once she has that degree in her hand she is taking her brother and saying goodbye to her home in Alabama. It looks like another hurdle in her path when she finds out she needs a tutor to pass one of the classes.
Dylan Knight does not want to tutor Barbie, she is trouble with a capital T. He just wants to stare at the girl of his dreams Katie and eventually ask her out. Problem is he is not even on her radar, until Barbie strikes a bargain that will catapult him into popularity and the girl of his dreams. Sounds like a fairly simple solution to his problems, but Barbie is a magnet for attention and even though he doesn't want to like her he finds he does.
Lines are crossed, lies are told, and when the unimaginable happens you are torn on who to root for.
I so wanted to be Barbie, she is the girl you can respect, even though she is not perfect. I thought Barbie was interesting from the very beginning, she is complicated and does not trust easily. Dylan you wanted to hug him, thump him, and rally around him even though he makes a ton of mistakes. The extra characters you get to know are all someone you have met, you have the jocks, the nerds, the princesses, it was easy to identify with each of the characters. Excellent series.
Barbie just wants to graduate, she will acknowledge she is a horrible student, but once she has that degree in her hand she is taking her brother and saying goodbye to her home in Alabama. It looks like another hurdle in her path when she finds out she needs a tutor to pass one of the classes.
Dylan Knight does not want to tutor Barbie, she is trouble with a capital T. He just wants to stare at the girl of his dreams Katie and eventually ask her out. Problem is he is not even on her radar, until Barbie strikes a bargain that will catapult him into popularity and the girl of his dreams. Sounds like a fairly simple solution to his problems, but Barbie is a magnet for attention and even though he doesn't want to like her he finds he does.
Lines are crossed, lies are told, and when the unimaginable happens you are torn on who to root for.
I so wanted to be Barbie, she is the girl you can respect, even though she is not perfect. I thought Barbie was interesting from the very beginning, she is complicated and does not trust easily. Dylan you wanted to hug him, thump him, and rally around him even though he makes a ton of mistakes. The extra characters you get to know are all someone you have met, you have the jocks, the nerds, the princesses, it was easy to identify with each of the characters. Excellent series.
November 20, 2012
Thank you Heidi Acosta for posting your Smashwords code in ♥Teen Romance♥!
Synopsis:
Dylan wants Katie. Katie wants Tyler. Barbie just wants to leave.
With Barbie's failing grade in math and Dylan known as a math whiz, of course she'd go to him. But Barbie, the rumored slut, is using one card she can. She can get Katie to notice him. Dylan agrees, tentatively, and Third, his best friend, is all for.
Slowly, but surely, Dylan is finally being noticed by Katie. But is Barbie okay with that and even more so, is Dylan?
Prosecution:
Fire the editor. Seriously.
Defense:
This book is like an onion. Slowly, Barbie's and Dylan's memories and interactions are being pulled back to give a raw and in depth look into their lives. At first, Barbie is portrayed as a party girl, getting high and moving on. But as the story progresses and continues, Barbie is shown as what she is. She's just down on her luck and trying to get away from her mother, brother in tow. Dylan, I didn't connect with him as much as I did with Barbie. This was really just Barbie's story and included Dylan. I found him a little uptight and kind of annoying at times and really just seemed to be tolerating everyone in his life. He wasn't as there for Barbie as he should have.
Third was absolutely beautiful. I'm such a sucker for someone who really has a soft side while trying to hide it. Even though he's Dylan's best friend, he still takes care of Barbie. That's what a real man does and I'm more than happy that Barbie has that.
To read my verdict, go to From Bows to Books..♥
Synopsis:
Dylan wants Katie. Katie wants Tyler. Barbie just wants to leave.
With Barbie's failing grade in math and Dylan known as a math whiz, of course she'd go to him. But Barbie, the rumored slut, is using one card she can. She can get Katie to notice him. Dylan agrees, tentatively, and Third, his best friend, is all for.
Slowly, but surely, Dylan is finally being noticed by Katie. But is Barbie okay with that and even more so, is Dylan?
Prosecution:
Fire the editor. Seriously.
Defense:
This book is like an onion. Slowly, Barbie's and Dylan's memories and interactions are being pulled back to give a raw and in depth look into their lives. At first, Barbie is portrayed as a party girl, getting high and moving on. But as the story progresses and continues, Barbie is shown as what she is. She's just down on her luck and trying to get away from her mother, brother in tow. Dylan, I didn't connect with him as much as I did with Barbie. This was really just Barbie's story and included Dylan. I found him a little uptight and kind of annoying at times and really just seemed to be tolerating everyone in his life. He wasn't as there for Barbie as he should have.
Third was absolutely beautiful. I'm such a sucker for someone who really has a soft side while trying to hide it. Even though he's Dylan's best friend, he still takes care of Barbie. That's what a real man does and I'm more than happy that Barbie has that.
To read my verdict, go to From Bows to Books..♥
October 13, 2016
1.5
This is one of the worst books I've ever had the misfortune of passing my eyes over. I was totally right when I said it would lean towards "really stupid", although in this case it flat out landed on "really stupid". Just so you get an idea of what happened:
Dylan, is a smart boy who goes to a high school of which we do not learn the name until the end. It's called Central High School. Creative. Dylan is crushing over Katie the perfect redhead and wants her to notice him. Cue Barbie Starr, the school slut who is secretly a virgin. Barbie has a troubled family. Her mother is a drunkard who works at a stripper club and has a very sleazy boss. They live in a trailer. Her little brother Everett has autism and doesn't understand the situation very well. Barbie wants to graduate so she can take her brother and leave her mother behind because she is so unreliable and is ruining their lives. Her mother spends spends all her money on alcohol. Unfortunately, Barbie can't graduate high school if she is failing math (which she is), so she needs to get a tutor. Who is this tutor, you may ask?
Why, Dylan, of course. But, Barbie can't pay him since she has almost zero money, so they agree that Barbie will get Dylan the girl of his dreams: Katie.
The writing in this book is horrible, aside from the plot line. By the end I did garner some sympathy for Barbie and her situation, but not nearly as much as I should have.
Not only is the writing horrible and immature, but there are also too many typos to go unnoticed or to count as a coincidence.
Also it's missing lots of critical details. Where does this book take place?
Why, unknown source, I'm glad you asked. It takes place in Alabama. How do I know? From the Goodreads blurb. That's right! It wasn't even mentioned in the freaking book!!
So there is almost no setting and almost non-existent characterization.
Zero characterization of Barbie's little brother Everett. Also all the other characters weren't very well written. The story is told from both Dylan and Barbie's first person point of view, however every time the POVs switch, they each seem like different people. Their first person personalities don't match their third person personalities. It's like there were four main characters instead of two!
I will say I liked Dylan's little sister. She was cute. Dylan, however.....not so much.
Throughout the book, Dylan's opinion of Barbie changes from hot -->beautiful and slutty-->angelic. The second one was irony if I ever saw it! At first he sees her as everyone else does, a slut, but then he sees her as this pure figure. WHAT? No explanation of that opinion flip!
Also, Dylan's best friend's name is Bartholomew Norbert the Third. But that doesn't matter because we don't learn that until the very end of the book. Instead, throughout the entire book we are fooled into thinking his name is simply "Third" because that's what everyone calls him.
THIRD???? That's even more embarrassing than "Bartholomew".
At one point in the book, Katie gives Barbie the "stank" eye instead of the "stink" eye. Gee I didn't know that was a thing!
Towards the beginning, when Barbie is with Dylan asking him about tutoring, Third is whispering in his ear about her amazing cleavage. What does Dylan tell readers in response?
What decent guy (which Dylan supposedly is) says that about himself? That's so self-derogatory!
Stupid disgusting Sleaze-ball Ronnie whom Barbie's mom "likes" who beats Everett with a metal coat hanger and runs the stripper club and gets Barbie's mom addicted to drugs!
Barbie's neighbor mysteriously goes from Ms. Sophie to Mrs. Sophie.
Sentence structure and punctuation is shit. There are many many missing commas.
Dylan's also always like "She smells like candy" or whatever (about Barbie). YEAH RIGHT! She lives with a mom who drinks and smokes. That's called second hand smoke peeps! There is no way the smell hasn't rubbed off on her or her clothes!
Barbie wraps her arms around her middle way too many times. If I have to hear that phrase again I will punch someone.
Hmmmmmm did you mean "clearly"? Because according to English grammar "clearly" is the adverb that should be used after the verb in this context....duuuuh!
Their prom takes place at the school GYM?? LOL okay then.
Dylan and Barbie fall in love with each other. Oooookayyyyy.
So to whom would I recommend this book? Yeah...um like NO ONE! Unless you enjoy reading disastrous books.
Enough said.
This is one of the worst books I've ever had the misfortune of passing my eyes over. I was totally right when I said it would lean towards "really stupid", although in this case it flat out landed on "really stupid". Just so you get an idea of what happened:
Dylan, is a smart boy who goes to a high school of which we do not learn the name until the end. It's called Central High School. Creative. Dylan is crushing over Katie the perfect redhead and wants her to notice him. Cue Barbie Starr, the school slut who is secretly a virgin. Barbie has a troubled family. Her mother is a drunkard who works at a stripper club and has a very sleazy boss. They live in a trailer. Her little brother Everett has autism and doesn't understand the situation very well. Barbie wants to graduate so she can take her brother and leave her mother behind because she is so unreliable and is ruining their lives. Her mother spends spends all her money on alcohol. Unfortunately, Barbie can't graduate high school if she is failing math (which she is), so she needs to get a tutor. Who is this tutor, you may ask?
Why, Dylan, of course. But, Barbie can't pay him since she has almost zero money, so they agree that Barbie will get Dylan the girl of his dreams: Katie.
The writing in this book is horrible, aside from the plot line. By the end I did garner some sympathy for Barbie and her situation, but not nearly as much as I should have.
Not only is the writing horrible and immature, but there are also too many typos to go unnoticed or to count as a coincidence.
Also it's missing lots of critical details. Where does this book take place?
Why, unknown source, I'm glad you asked. It takes place in Alabama. How do I know? From the Goodreads blurb. That's right! It wasn't even mentioned in the freaking book!!
So there is almost no setting and almost non-existent characterization.
Zero characterization of Barbie's little brother Everett. Also all the other characters weren't very well written. The story is told from both Dylan and Barbie's first person point of view, however every time the POVs switch, they each seem like different people. Their first person personalities don't match their third person personalities. It's like there were four main characters instead of two!
I will say I liked Dylan's little sister. She was cute. Dylan, however.....not so much.
Throughout the book, Dylan's opinion of Barbie changes from hot -->beautiful and slutty-->angelic. The second one was irony if I ever saw it! At first he sees her as everyone else does, a slut, but then he sees her as this pure figure. WHAT? No explanation of that opinion flip!
Also, Dylan's best friend's name is Bartholomew Norbert the Third. But that doesn't matter because we don't learn that until the very end of the book. Instead, throughout the entire book we are fooled into thinking his name is simply "Third" because that's what everyone calls him.
THIRD???? That's even more embarrassing than "Bartholomew".
At one point in the book, Katie gives Barbie the "stank" eye instead of the "stink" eye. Gee I didn't know that was a thing!
Towards the beginning, when Barbie is with Dylan asking him about tutoring, Third is whispering in his ear about her amazing cleavage. What does Dylan tell readers in response?
"'Yeah, I noticed.' I am a guy, how could I not notice?"
What decent guy (which Dylan supposedly is) says that about himself? That's so self-derogatory!
Stupid disgusting Sleaze-ball Ronnie whom Barbie's mom "likes" who beats Everett with a metal coat hanger and runs the stripper club and gets Barbie's mom addicted to drugs!
Barbie's neighbor mysteriously goes from Ms. Sophie to Mrs. Sophie.
Sentence structure and punctuation is shit. There are many many missing commas.
Dylan's also always like "She smells like candy" or whatever (about Barbie). YEAH RIGHT! She lives with a mom who drinks and smokes. That's called second hand smoke peeps! There is no way the smell hasn't rubbed off on her or her clothes!
Barbie wraps her arms around her middle way too many times. If I have to hear that phrase again I will punch someone.
"I was just so damn mad I could not think clear."
Hmmmmmm did you mean "clearly"? Because according to English grammar "clearly" is the adverb that should be used after the verb in this context....duuuuh!
Their prom takes place at the school GYM?? LOL okay then.
Dylan and Barbie fall in love with each other. Oooookayyyyy.
So to whom would I recommend this book? Yeah...um like NO ONE! Unless you enjoy reading disastrous books.
Enough said.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2013
What was good:
The elements of surprise: When I saw this book on Smashwords I really did not know what to expect. I was drawn by the summary, but then again it would not be a first time that behind great summary is something unreadable. But in this case the story lives up to my expectation. Another surprise factor was definitely a name of the main character - Barbie. My first association was Barbie doll: blond, pretty, plastic. Again I was wrong. Barbie is now very high on my top ten list of strong heroines. She is in such a sh***y situation, and there are so many rumors about her in school. She is a social outcast and a loner. On the other hand she is doing her best to make life bearable, not just for herself but also for her little brother who have autism. She does not whines, she fights.
The narrative: I liked the way the story was written. The author focused only on important staff, not wasting time on long descriptions and explanations.
The characters: All characters are three dimensional, main and secondary. They all are more than meet the eye (except Dylan. I already mentioned Barbie, but there is Third, Roxy and Dylan. While Dylan is a good boy and his character is without any surprises (although he learned few really important lessons and those are: “do not trust gossip, trust your guts” and “do not judge the book by its cover – or girl by her look”), Third and Roxy are interesting. I was annoyed by Third at first, but he turned out to be a really good friend. Roxy is also mystery, she is a Goth girl on the outside, but actually she likes . Third, Roxy and Barbie come from totally different social and economic backgrounds, but they came together because all three of them are social outcasts, and I cannot wait to read more about their groovy friendship.
What was not so good:
Head hopping: the story is told from Dylan and Barbie’s POV, but the author decide not to put the names of the narrator in the titles of the chapters. So sometimes it took me a few sentences to figure out who is narrating particular chapter.
Predictability: maybe is just me, because I read too much YA books, but I knew that something bad have to happened in order Barbie’s situation to start resolve in positive matter. And I kind of knew what will happen.
At the end:
This is a story worth reading. It is sad and sweet; it is emotional and has its moments of angst (more Dylan’s side). At the same time it is beautiful and loving. I recommend this book to all people who enjoy contemporary YA books dealing with social issues and teen love.
And the very last thing:
Ending is a cliffhanger, but there is a sequel. I cannot wait to read it
The elements of surprise: When I saw this book on Smashwords I really did not know what to expect. I was drawn by the summary, but then again it would not be a first time that behind great summary is something unreadable. But in this case the story lives up to my expectation. Another surprise factor was definitely a name of the main character - Barbie. My first association was Barbie doll: blond, pretty, plastic. Again I was wrong. Barbie is now very high on my top ten list of strong heroines. She is in such a sh***y situation, and there are so many rumors about her in school. She is a social outcast and a loner. On the other hand she is doing her best to make life bearable, not just for herself but also for her little brother who have autism. She does not whines, she fights.
The narrative: I liked the way the story was written. The author focused only on important staff, not wasting time on long descriptions and explanations.
The characters: All characters are three dimensional, main and secondary. They all are more than meet the eye (except Dylan. I already mentioned Barbie, but there is Third, Roxy and Dylan. While Dylan is a good boy and his character is without any surprises (although he learned few really important lessons and those are: “do not trust gossip, trust your guts” and “do not judge the book by its cover – or girl by her look”), Third and Roxy are interesting. I was annoyed by Third at first, but he turned out to be a really good friend. Roxy is also mystery, she is a Goth girl on the outside, but actually she likes . Third, Roxy and Barbie come from totally different social and economic backgrounds, but they came together because all three of them are social outcasts, and I cannot wait to read more about their groovy friendship.
What was not so good:
Head hopping: the story is told from Dylan and Barbie’s POV, but the author decide not to put the names of the narrator in the titles of the chapters. So sometimes it took me a few sentences to figure out who is narrating particular chapter.
Predictability: maybe is just me, because I read too much YA books, but I knew that something bad have to happened in order Barbie’s situation to start resolve in positive matter. And I kind of knew what will happen.
At the end:
This is a story worth reading. It is sad and sweet; it is emotional and has its moments of angst (more Dylan’s side). At the same time it is beautiful and loving. I recommend this book to all people who enjoy contemporary YA books dealing with social issues and teen love.
And the very last thing:
Ending is a cliffhanger, but there is a sequel. I cannot wait to read it
November 15, 2012
Barbie Girl by Heidi Acosta
Reviewed by Nanette Bradford
YATR Review Panel
Date read: 14 November 2012
I'm really enjoying barbie and Dylan's stories. This book wasn't what i thought it would be at all. Yeah ok so i thought "Barbie Girl", this is going to be
another hot stuck up girl who wants to be popular and hurt everyone along the way. OMG! I was soooo wrong. This book is nothing like that at all.
Barbie might look like the typical Barbie Doll but she does not act like one at all. She is just a confused girl trying to numb her problems away. Until the day
Dylan comes into her life that is and everything changes. I love Dylan but i was so frustrated with him only seeing barbie in the way all the
rumors at school portrayed her to be. Boys are so naive. Dylan starts to tutor Barbie in math and as they spend time together he starts to see
Barbie in a new way. Barbie doesn't care what people say about her. She's just Barbie, messed up family and all. Dylan wants so much to be able to be like
her but can't get over the fact of what the kid at school might think.
Barbie has finally let the walls around her heart fall down to let Dylan in. Shes actually falling really hard for him. They are great until there is a huge
miss understanding at Thirds house, Dylan's supposed best friend.. Dylan wont let Third or Barbie explain and turns his back on them. Ok, I'm thinking huge jerk now.
What do you think Dylan does now? Stupid Stupid boy..
I love Third. He reminds me of a great friend I had back in high school. He's a bit chubby and awkward but a great friend. The one's you could just
be yourself with and let loose. Third understands Barbie and he see's her for what she truly is inside. Barbie has never had a friend like him before.
Barbie isn't all tight clothes and bad attitude. Shes got a soft side screaming to come out. that is if you just let her be herself and get beyond that huge wall
she's put up.
I am seriously in ah of what that girl went through. No one should ever be put in a situation like that. oh and whats with the ending?? OMG!
I checked goodreads looking for the next book. I don't see it. please oh please tell me its coming soon. I need more Dylan and Barbie and so will you once
you've read this really great book. . :)
January 1, 2014
I fell in love with this book. It was amazing. I'm speechless on what to say about this book. To me you don't see this story plot that often. Here is a quick summary.
Dylan wants Katie. He would do anything to get the coolest girl I'm school. Does that include tutoring the most trouble girl in school, Barbie. Everybody thinks she is a druggie and a hooker. When she is not. She pretends to be his boyfriend. Which lead her discover that she likes him. She is afraid to let him in her heart, but it is too late. Now that he kisses Katie he realizes he doesn't want her. He wants Barbie. He ends up hurting her. Will he ever be able to get her back?
Barbie doesn't care what other people think about her and I think why she is a good main character. She went through a lot and she wants to be better than her mom. Dylan is a uptight person. He learns not to care what people have to think about him to some extent. He still cares. This where his fault is. The only part I didn't like is the cliffhanger. It wasn't a major one. It left you wonder what happens. This is where the second book Barbie World comes in to play.
Dylan wants Katie. He would do anything to get the coolest girl I'm school. Does that include tutoring the most trouble girl in school, Barbie. Everybody thinks she is a druggie and a hooker. When she is not. She pretends to be his boyfriend. Which lead her discover that she likes him. She is afraid to let him in her heart, but it is too late. Now that he kisses Katie he realizes he doesn't want her. He wants Barbie. He ends up hurting her. Will he ever be able to get her back?
Barbie doesn't care what other people think about her and I think why she is a good main character. She went through a lot and she wants to be better than her mom. Dylan is a uptight person. He learns not to care what people have to think about him to some extent. He still cares. This where his fault is. The only part I didn't like is the cliffhanger. It wasn't a major one. It left you wonder what happens. This is where the second book Barbie World comes in to play.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2019
I absolutely loved this story! Barbie is such a unique and real character. Third kept the humor around and Dylan...our confused nerd turned hot stud (thanks to Barbie). This story was so well done that it is an emotional roller coaster as you swim through Barbie & Dylan's very different lives. They are each finding themselves and finding each other and seeing how they fit together.
I can't wait to read book 2!!!
I can't wait to read book 2!!!
January 26, 2020
This is a book that I have had on my kindle for years and I brought it originally as I loved the cover. Barbie Girl by Heidi Acosta is an Edgy YA novel and shows readers not to judge others by what they look like on the exterior as in this book we have two female leads Barbie and Katie. Barbie is the girl from the wrong side of the tracks, she looks rough and there are always rumors about her flying around that she has done drugs and sleeps around whereas Katie gets the perfect grades, has a good family and looks wholesome and clean as she is saving herself supposedly for marriage. The truth is though that these girls couldn't be as different from the facade they put out. Barbie is failing in maths and so she gets a tutor - Dylan whom they were friends in second grade. As the book goes along, Dylan agrees to help Barbie on the condition she can help make Katie fall in love with him. Barbie agrees as she needs to pass so she can make a life out of the trailer park for her autistic brother and herself. I loved this part as some of Barbie's stories resonated with my own upbringing including having a sibling with autism. During the book though Dylan starts to have feelings for Barbie, she won't let him in and he gets jealous as Barbie is becoming good friends with Dylan's BFF Third. I have to say I hated Dylan's character as he judged too much whereas his best friend actually got to see the real Barbie and her family and accepted her for who she really was. This was a good edgy YA Novel filled with angst and showed us that beautiful on the outside doesn't necessarily mean you are beautiful and a nice person on the inside aka Don't judge a book by its cover.
Want to read
March 31, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon & on iBooks today (3/31/2020)! 🎁
March 21, 2022
Barbie (that’s her real name) is very interesting. this is a very cute book BUT i kinda got sad when she dyed her hair at the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2014
Barbie Girl is a different kind of YA Contemporary Romance, and it's one that I absolutely adored! This story puts a twist on the typical nerd gets the popular girl plot. We have Dylan who tries to remain under the radar after years of being stuff into lockers, Barbie who has a reputation of being the school slut, and Katie, the typical good girl who's loved by the whole school. Dylan wants Katie, but she has no idea he exists, until Barbie steps in to help him in exchange for some math tutoring.
This is told in my favorite multiple POV! First we meet Dylan, who unfortunately believes the rumors about Barbie and is reluctant to help her at first. He's worked hard to change his image into something less noticeable, so he doesn't want the attention that Barbie naturally attracts.
Barbie is such a great character. She's not at all what she seems. Sure she puts on this tough girl front and makes out with boys under the bleachers, but she's far from the girl her classmates think she is. She's not sleeping around or doing drugs. She's actually responsible for taking care of her younger brother and their drunken mother. It's a struggle for Barbie to keep her small family fed and safe, but she doesn't let anyone see this vulnerable side of her. At least, not until Dylan enters her life.
Oddly, my favorite relationship was Barbie and Third, Dylan's best friend. At the beginning I found him annoying and rude, but then he started to grow on me. He becomes a really good friend to Barbie and doesn't judge her, and he's there for her when she hits rock bottom. He's looking for acceptance just as much as she is, and I'm glad they were able to find each other. This might be one of my favorite friendships I've read in YA so far.
The one bad thing that stood out to me about Barbie Girl was the stiff dialogue that I've begun to notice is common in self-published books. There's also a few typos, but neither of these problems hindered my enjoyment of the overall story. They're just minor annoyances.
Barbie Girl is a wonderful story. It starts as a sweet romance, but then morphs into something much more. There are some heavy issues that I think are handled quite well. I was rooting for Barbie the whole time. She deserves so much more than life has given her, and I admired the strength that she showed. The ending isn't perfect, and I was super frustrated with Dylan. But I was happy to see Barbie in a better place.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
This is told in my favorite multiple POV! First we meet Dylan, who unfortunately believes the rumors about Barbie and is reluctant to help her at first. He's worked hard to change his image into something less noticeable, so he doesn't want the attention that Barbie naturally attracts.
Barbie is such a great character. She's not at all what she seems. Sure she puts on this tough girl front and makes out with boys under the bleachers, but she's far from the girl her classmates think she is. She's not sleeping around or doing drugs. She's actually responsible for taking care of her younger brother and their drunken mother. It's a struggle for Barbie to keep her small family fed and safe, but she doesn't let anyone see this vulnerable side of her. At least, not until Dylan enters her life.
Oddly, my favorite relationship was Barbie and Third, Dylan's best friend. At the beginning I found him annoying and rude, but then he started to grow on me. He becomes a really good friend to Barbie and doesn't judge her, and he's there for her when she hits rock bottom. He's looking for acceptance just as much as she is, and I'm glad they were able to find each other. This might be one of my favorite friendships I've read in YA so far.
The one bad thing that stood out to me about Barbie Girl was the stiff dialogue that I've begun to notice is common in self-published books. There's also a few typos, but neither of these problems hindered my enjoyment of the overall story. They're just minor annoyances.
Barbie Girl is a wonderful story. It starts as a sweet romance, but then morphs into something much more. There are some heavy issues that I think are handled quite well. I was rooting for Barbie the whole time. She deserves so much more than life has given her, and I admired the strength that she showed. The ending isn't perfect, and I was super frustrated with Dylan. But I was happy to see Barbie in a better place.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
February 23, 2013
Heidi Acosta's Barbie Girl reminds me of Cindy C Bennett's Heart On A Chain & Geek Girl-Don't ask me why,it just does.I loved both Heart on a Chain & Geek Girl so I mean this in a good way.If you've read either book & enjoyed it you have to read Barbie Girl.
I gotta admit that when I stumbled across Barbie Girl I was a little bit wary-maybe it's the cover or the word "Barbie" in the title name?
But Barbie Girl was quite a surprise,definitely not the fluffy read that I expected!
The protagonist,Barbie(Don't judge.I promise that there's a story behind this name) is a character with a lot of layers and her fair share of flaws and issues.On the outside she's a Barbie look-alike but she's far from being a perfect lil girl.I loved her 'I don't care what ya think' attitude,she was NOT the person that she appears to be(i.e. a slut)-deep down she's a really nice person.Barbie doesn't attempt to prove that she's not a slut-she thinks that if no one can get close to her they won't be able to figure out her secrets.And Boy Oh Boy she DOES have a lot of secrets.
Dylan is the guy that Barbie's crushing on,he's also her Math tutor.He's the cute nerdy guy who's pining after Kate,the school's popular girl aka his long time crush.I was alternating between wanting to drool over him and wanting to smack him on the head for not seeing what was right in front of his eyes!
The story is told alternatively from both Barbie's and Dylan's POV.
And Third,Dylan's adorable friend-Aw this guy was HILARIOUS. Every time Dylan acted like a tool Third was there for Barbie.And Roxie,the goth girl who loves pink-No one can accuse her of being a stereotype.Like Third she was there for Barbie during the tough times.
This book was bittersweet with moments that had me thinking 'wow this is intense' and making me laugh out loud too.
Honestly I didn't expect to like it that much but yes Heidi Acosta definitely surprised me with this one.
It's great book apart from the occasional cliches and few mistakes
I gotta admit that when I stumbled across Barbie Girl I was a little bit wary-maybe it's the cover or the word "Barbie" in the title name?
But Barbie Girl was quite a surprise,definitely not the fluffy read that I expected!
The protagonist,Barbie(Don't judge.I promise that there's a story behind this name) is a character with a lot of layers and her fair share of flaws and issues.On the outside she's a Barbie look-alike but she's far from being a perfect lil girl.I loved her 'I don't care what ya think' attitude,she was NOT the person that she appears to be(i.e. a slut)-deep down she's a really nice person.Barbie doesn't attempt to prove that she's not a slut-she thinks that if no one can get close to her they won't be able to figure out her secrets.And Boy Oh Boy she DOES have a lot of secrets.
Dylan is the guy that Barbie's crushing on,he's also her Math tutor.He's the cute nerdy guy who's pining after Kate,the school's popular girl aka his long time crush.I was alternating between wanting to drool over him and wanting to smack him on the head for not seeing what was right in front of his eyes!
The story is told alternatively from both Barbie's and Dylan's POV.
“I am dying. Every part of me is shattering; falling to the floor, a hole in my chest is ripped wide open for the world to see. The earth is set into motion again spinning faster than before, nothing makes sense, but everything makes sense.”
And Third,Dylan's adorable friend-Aw this guy was HILARIOUS. Every time Dylan acted like a tool Third was there for Barbie.And Roxie,the goth girl who loves pink-No one can accuse her of being a stereotype.Like Third she was there for Barbie during the tough times.
This book was bittersweet with moments that had me thinking 'wow this is intense' and making me laugh out loud too.
Honestly I didn't expect to like it that much but yes Heidi Acosta definitely surprised me with this one.
It's great book apart from the occasional cliches and few mistakes
February 22, 2013
Barbie Girl is one of those reads that sneaks up on you and you can't put it down until you have finished reading it. The book cover is a little deceiving and I think that people will not want to read it because of the cover but once you get passed that cover the gem that is written inside is totally epic! When I started reading it I thought hey this is a different story because the roles were a little reversed as to people were calling the main character a slut and she just took it like nothing and kept going and then the other main character is a geek and over one summer he transforms himself and he is no longer a nerd but this gorgeous boy that people start to notice.
All Barbie wants to do is get out of high school so she can take her brother and move out of Alabama. She wants to get out of Alabama and start a new life for her and her brother because everyday she has to live with being bullied for something she is not. She thinks by moving she will have a better life and she can take care of her little brother. But as Barbie finds out sometimes it is better to stand up to the problem rather then hide or run from the problem. Not to mention the fact that she might not graduate from high school if she can't pass algebra. So Barbie is determined to find someone to help her with Algebra to make her dream come true.
Dylan Knight just wants to get the hell out of high school. He hates it because he is bullied everyday by the popular crowd. Then over the summer he decides to change himself. So he reinvents himself by bulking up and he is soon looked at by everyone differently. Barbie notices him and tells him she will help him get his high school crush if he helps her pass algebra and Dylan agrees because he has had a crush on Katie for so long and she belongs to the popular club. But as time goes by Dylan starts to treat Barbie like the rest of the school and treats her funny. Then something changes for Barbie and Dylan and he realizes that everything they say about Barbie is a lie and he tries to apologize but Barbie makes him work for it.
Then the unexpected happens and Dylan starts to see Barbie differently. Is it possible he could be in love with Barbie? Or will he get the girl of his dreams Katie? What is a guy to do when he has conflicting feelings? This is a must read for everyone!
All Barbie wants to do is get out of high school so she can take her brother and move out of Alabama. She wants to get out of Alabama and start a new life for her and her brother because everyday she has to live with being bullied for something she is not. She thinks by moving she will have a better life and she can take care of her little brother. But as Barbie finds out sometimes it is better to stand up to the problem rather then hide or run from the problem. Not to mention the fact that she might not graduate from high school if she can't pass algebra. So Barbie is determined to find someone to help her with Algebra to make her dream come true.
Dylan Knight just wants to get the hell out of high school. He hates it because he is bullied everyday by the popular crowd. Then over the summer he decides to change himself. So he reinvents himself by bulking up and he is soon looked at by everyone differently. Barbie notices him and tells him she will help him get his high school crush if he helps her pass algebra and Dylan agrees because he has had a crush on Katie for so long and she belongs to the popular club. But as time goes by Dylan starts to treat Barbie like the rest of the school and treats her funny. Then something changes for Barbie and Dylan and he realizes that everything they say about Barbie is a lie and he tries to apologize but Barbie makes him work for it.
Then the unexpected happens and Dylan starts to see Barbie differently. Is it possible he could be in love with Barbie? Or will he get the girl of his dreams Katie? What is a guy to do when he has conflicting feelings? This is a must read for everyone!
March 31, 2016
I cannot even tell you how excited I am that this book is going to be a series. I had no idea going in just how much I would absolutely love this book! Barbie Girl is going to me on my top books of 2013 list. I can already tell. This book evoked strong emotions in me, made me completely fall in love with the characters and had me wanting to clear my whole schedule just so I could drop everything and keep reading.
Barbie is one of those rare characters that you don't just connect with, you don't just like- you LOVE her! I thought barbie was spunky, and sassy and just an all around great person. I adored watching her with her little brother Everett. And I thought it was adorable when she started to get a crush on Dylan. I really liked that she was the first one to develop feelings for him. I thought it would have been the other way around because Barbie is so pretty and awesome.
Barbie isn't the only great character in Barbie Girl. Third is great, Dylan is swoon worthy (most of the time), and I thought each character was well thought out.
I could go on for a while about all the things I loved- the writing was incredible, the story telling was perfect, the romance was adorable and sexy, and I am so happy that this is a series! I even teared up multiple times because of the connection I had made with Barbie. It was impossible not to love her. Fans of contemporary/realistic fiction should read Barbie Girl. If you are passing this book up because you think it is a cliched smart guy tutors girl from the wrong side of the tracks, you are really missing out. This is a gem of a book. It makes me want to go back and reevaluate some of the other books I gave five stars too. That was how much I enjoyed it.
Barbie is one of those rare characters that you don't just connect with, you don't just like- you LOVE her! I thought barbie was spunky, and sassy and just an all around great person. I adored watching her with her little brother Everett. And I thought it was adorable when she started to get a crush on Dylan. I really liked that she was the first one to develop feelings for him. I thought it would have been the other way around because Barbie is so pretty and awesome.
Barbie isn't the only great character in Barbie Girl. Third is great, Dylan is swoon worthy (most of the time), and I thought each character was well thought out.
I could go on for a while about all the things I loved- the writing was incredible, the story telling was perfect, the romance was adorable and sexy, and I am so happy that this is a series! I even teared up multiple times because of the connection I had made with Barbie. It was impossible not to love her. Fans of contemporary/realistic fiction should read Barbie Girl. If you are passing this book up because you think it is a cliched smart guy tutors girl from the wrong side of the tracks, you are really missing out. This is a gem of a book. It makes me want to go back and reevaluate some of the other books I gave five stars too. That was how much I enjoyed it.
July 18, 2013
I love Barbie. Might as well get that out of the way ahead of time. From her pink streaked hair, to her over the top personality. She puts herself out there not caring what anyone else thinks. Although she definitely has reasons behind the way she acts, it's refreshing to see her strong personality. Barbie Girl is not your typical teenage romance fluff. Acosta deals with some deeper subjects and really gives thought to Barbie's personality and reasons behind it. Barbie comes from a damaged and broken home. While she struggles to hold things together for her little autistic brother Everett, she hides her pain behind super short skirts, pink hair streaks & makeup. She is really a good girl hiding in a bad girl body & reputation. She's had to grow up fast due to her home life and couldn't care less what the teenagers at school think about her.
Dylan is a typical teenage boy. A bit immature (especially compared to Barbie) with lots of room for growth. If he would just get his head out of his daydreams of his "perfect girl" , he would realize that he's falling for Barbie despite his wishes.
While Barbie is always going to be my favorite character, Acosta also brings some great secondary characters in the form of Third (Dylan's best friend) and Roxie (goth girl who really likes pink and Taylor Swift). I love both of their relationships with Barbie - Third sees her for who she really is not the rumors circulating around her, and Roxie becomes her first real girlfriend.
The story is strong and deeper than I would have expected with a YA romance. Ending with a cliffhanger, I was dying to find out more in the next book.
Dylan is a typical teenage boy. A bit immature (especially compared to Barbie) with lots of room for growth. If he would just get his head out of his daydreams of his "perfect girl" , he would realize that he's falling for Barbie despite his wishes.
While Barbie is always going to be my favorite character, Acosta also brings some great secondary characters in the form of Third (Dylan's best friend) and Roxie (goth girl who really likes pink and Taylor Swift). I love both of their relationships with Barbie - Third sees her for who she really is not the rumors circulating around her, and Roxie becomes her first real girlfriend.
The story is strong and deeper than I would have expected with a YA romance. Ending with a cliffhanger, I was dying to find out more in the next book.
May 29, 2017
Eh, I am having a hard time rating this book.
Minus one star for a total lack of editing. Not just grammar and punctuation, but whole words were missing from sentences. Also, it read like a Russian wrote it, is the author against contractions? I will write my review this way. Feel free to check out my highlights for just a snippet of the editing mistakes. Note to formatters and authors: If you are going to use dual POVs, please make a note as to which POV were are currently reading. I hate having to get five sentences in before I can tell.
Minus one star for Dylan. What a douche nozzle. I hate men who do not know what they want. I also hate men who know what they want but continue to date the girl the do not want for no reason I could see. I do not know if I even liked Barbie, a few times I definitely could not see where her motivations were coming from. But then again, the same with Dylan.
Minus another star because I cannot say I "liked it." Thankfully, it was free.
This book could have ended at one. It does not need a second. The ending was ridiculous.
Minus one star for a total lack of editing. Not just grammar and punctuation, but whole words were missing from sentences. Also, it read like a Russian wrote it, is the author against contractions? I will write my review this way. Feel free to check out my highlights for just a snippet of the editing mistakes. Note to formatters and authors: If you are going to use dual POVs, please make a note as to which POV were are currently reading. I hate having to get five sentences in before I can tell.
Minus one star for Dylan. What a douche nozzle. I hate men who do not know what they want. I also hate men who know what they want but continue to date the girl the do not want for no reason I could see. I do not know if I even liked Barbie, a few times I definitely could not see where her motivations were coming from. But then again, the same with Dylan.
Minus another star because I cannot say I "liked it." Thankfully, it was free.
This book could have ended at one. It does not need a second. The ending was ridiculous.
December 10, 2018
Barbie Girl is about a boy Dylan, and a girl Barbie who end up finding love in the place they never expected. Dylan thinks he is in love with Katie, (personally I hated her, and didn't understand the appeal) and Barbie needs a math tutor. So Barbie tells Dylan she will pretend to be his girlfriend so it will get Katie to notice him. But things change when Barbie and Dylan start to have feeling for each other.
This book has a lot of high school drama in it. But it also has the aspect of living in Barbies world. She has a really troubled home life, and we get to see how she deals with that.
This book was good but I really hated Katie. I really hated everything that had to do with her. And it made my opinion of the book lower because of her. I thought Dylan was a complete jerk half the time, and that Barbie deserved better. And then the ending seriously bugged me. I hated how it ends, now I have no idea what's going on. I do want to read the next to see what is going to happen.
This book has a lot of high school drama in it. But it also has the aspect of living in Barbies world. She has a really troubled home life, and we get to see how she deals with that.
This book was good but I really hated Katie. I really hated everything that had to do with her. And it made my opinion of the book lower because of her. I thought Dylan was a complete jerk half the time, and that Barbie deserved better. And then the ending seriously bugged me. I hated how it ends, now I have no idea what's going on. I do want to read the next to see what is going to happen.
September 10, 2013
What is stronger, the appearance with the rumors or taking the time to listen to ones' story? Barbie Star, short skirts, fish net stockings with low cut shirts and the rumor is that she gets around. Yet she is failing Math and Dylan the nice kids with good grades is in her eyesight for a tutor. The two strike a deal that will have everyone turning heads.
Barbie Girl by Heidi Acosta is a roller coaster that will have the readers turning pages. Barbie will have the readers seeing a strong girl who is looking for change. Dylan and Third has the readers thinking one then, then the next. A story that the readers won't be disappointed by.
Barbie Girl by Heidi Acosta is a roller coaster that will have the readers turning pages. Barbie will have the readers seeing a strong girl who is looking for change. Dylan and Third has the readers thinking one then, then the next. A story that the readers won't be disappointed by.
May 24, 2016
A story that's been told and retold (badly) so many times that it doesn't even stand out. Boring, pointless, kind of stupid.
Two stars cuz the ending was OKAY.
Two stars cuz the ending was OKAY.
January 4, 2015
well it started of slow but got better, the second one was definetly better!
March 12, 2013
This review and more at Sab The Book Eater
I have mixed emotions about this book. I wanted to like so more than I do now but there were a few things (more like one big thing) that didn't quite click for me.
Do know that while I exhaust a very long paragraph for the sake of hating on one character, that doesn't mean I didn't like the book.........
My biggest concern was... *drum roll* Dylan. Usually I would like the love interest more than the protagonist because he's so very swoon worthy and all but in this case... meh. Don't get me wrong - I like Dylan. In fact, he's my ideal guy who probably doesn't exist in real life - nerdy (as in Star Wars nerdy) but looks smokin' hot (he worked on his physique to avoid getting bullied). I liked him whenever he was with Barbie. I thought he was sweet, kind, and he genuinely liked Barbie's company. But then he starts getting confused over his "feelings" for Katie and his undeniable, unexplainable attraction to Barbie. It got to the point where I felt like he was being overly indecisive when the choice was obvious, and I was just... DUDE GROW SOME BALLS. MAKE UP YOUR DAMN MIND. You are ruining the hot geek fantasy for me! Fine, maybe on some level I understood where he was coming from. He's been fantasizing about Katie for so long that it was hard to let go of the dream when Barbie came into the picture. Add that to the fact that Barbie had a reputation and he was finding it hard to fully trust her. On the surface, he may have convinced himself that he didn't care about the rumors but at the back of his mind he always believed them so when push came to shove, he snapped. I don't know. I just felt like his indecisiveness paved way for all the crap that happened between him and Barbie as well as with his best friend, Third (who I loved by the way but I'll get to that).
Now my only other issue, and it's a minor one, is the switching POVs. I was stoked to read the first chapter seeing that it's actually written in Dylan's POV but then I got to the next chapter and --- oh. So Barbie's in it too. Duh. What I'm trying to say is the chapters weren't marked with their names. Some parts got a bit confusing because their POVs would change within the chapter and it sort of disrupted the smooth flow of the story for me. On the one hand, I also liked that I can see the story through Dylan's eyes because it gave me a better perspective of things... even if it meant reading pages and pages of Dylan being a stubborn ass.
On to the good stuff!
I'll be honest. I liked this book mostly because I felt like I was reading a bit of Easy A meets Pushing the Limits. I'm usually skeptical about opposites attract story lines because it always starts with the boy and girl hating each other then suddenly they're all touchy feely. It's all so formulaic. It somehow happened in Barbie Girl but it wasn't like most of the books I've read with the same theme. I think it's because the characters felt real and relatable that it became bearable for me, enjoyable even. Nothing felt forced or unreal - it's like everything just happened naturally because that's the way it should happen.
On to the characters that I did love.
Barbie. She's a tough chick on the outside, known for being the campus slut and all but deep down she's vulnerable. She's a regular girl who has a soft spot for kids and funny fat guys. I know to some that can get confusing and it doesn't really work for them that she's a softy who cries easily but com'on, give the girl a break. It's only natural for her react that way when pushed to her limits because she's had a tough life. I liked her spunk, I like how bad ass and IDGAF she was in front of everyone just to keep up with the rumors people believed. Like I said, I it was a bit like Easy A (if you haven't seen that one, you should. Emma Stone is ahmazing!). Most importantly, I liked that she was simply herself in front of people she genuinely cares for.
Third. Dylan's fat best friend. Third was such a delight to read! He's funny, he's easy-going, he saw Barbie for who she truly was and he didn't put up with Dylan's crap - which I loved. (I feel like I'm demonizing Dylan too much. I swear I liked the hot geek too!) I liked that the story included a Third (I suck at puns) character in the story, it really doubled the enjoyment factor for me.
I also liked the turn of events around 80% of the book onwards. It brought something new to the story and it was pretty a pretty cool sort of twist too. It broke the monotony of Barbie trying to figure out the complicated relationship with Dylan, and Dylan being a douche.
Overall, Barbie Girl was a quick, fun read for me. I was hooked from start to finish and I'd definitely want to check out the next book in the series. I need to know what else happened to Barbie and Dylan. The ending left me wanting more!
Oh and... I'm giving this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars (rounding up to 4 on Goodreads). This is a FIRST for me. I don't like half star ratings because I feel like the reviewer's being indecisive but since Dylan did precisely that, I'll give this book a half star. Yes, I am still hating on Dylan. I have GOT to read the next book.
***I received an e-copy of this book for review.***
This review is based solely on my opinion.
I have mixed emotions about this book. I wanted to like so more than I do now but there were a few things (more like one big thing) that didn't quite click for me.
Do know that while I exhaust a very long paragraph for the sake of hating on one character, that doesn't mean I didn't like the book.........
My biggest concern was... *drum roll* Dylan. Usually I would like the love interest more than the protagonist because he's so very swoon worthy and all but in this case... meh. Don't get me wrong - I like Dylan. In fact, he's my ideal guy who probably doesn't exist in real life - nerdy (as in Star Wars nerdy) but looks smokin' hot (he worked on his physique to avoid getting bullied). I liked him whenever he was with Barbie. I thought he was sweet, kind, and he genuinely liked Barbie's company. But then he starts getting confused over his "feelings" for Katie and his undeniable, unexplainable attraction to Barbie. It got to the point where I felt like he was being overly indecisive when the choice was obvious, and I was just... DUDE GROW SOME BALLS. MAKE UP YOUR DAMN MIND. You are ruining the hot geek fantasy for me! Fine, maybe on some level I understood where he was coming from. He's been fantasizing about Katie for so long that it was hard to let go of the dream when Barbie came into the picture. Add that to the fact that Barbie had a reputation and he was finding it hard to fully trust her. On the surface, he may have convinced himself that he didn't care about the rumors but at the back of his mind he always believed them so when push came to shove, he snapped. I don't know. I just felt like his indecisiveness paved way for all the crap that happened between him and Barbie as well as with his best friend, Third (who I loved by the way but I'll get to that).
Now my only other issue, and it's a minor one, is the switching POVs. I was stoked to read the first chapter seeing that it's actually written in Dylan's POV but then I got to the next chapter and --- oh. So Barbie's in it too. Duh. What I'm trying to say is the chapters weren't marked with their names. Some parts got a bit confusing because their POVs would change within the chapter and it sort of disrupted the smooth flow of the story for me. On the one hand, I also liked that I can see the story through Dylan's eyes because it gave me a better perspective of things... even if it meant reading pages and pages of Dylan being a stubborn ass.
On to the good stuff!
I'll be honest. I liked this book mostly because I felt like I was reading a bit of Easy A meets Pushing the Limits. I'm usually skeptical about opposites attract story lines because it always starts with the boy and girl hating each other then suddenly they're all touchy feely. It's all so formulaic. It somehow happened in Barbie Girl but it wasn't like most of the books I've read with the same theme. I think it's because the characters felt real and relatable that it became bearable for me, enjoyable even. Nothing felt forced or unreal - it's like everything just happened naturally because that's the way it should happen.
On to the characters that I did love.
Barbie. She's a tough chick on the outside, known for being the campus slut and all but deep down she's vulnerable. She's a regular girl who has a soft spot for kids and funny fat guys. I know to some that can get confusing and it doesn't really work for them that she's a softy who cries easily but com'on, give the girl a break. It's only natural for her react that way when pushed to her limits because she's had a tough life. I liked her spunk, I like how bad ass and IDGAF she was in front of everyone just to keep up with the rumors people believed. Like I said, I it was a bit like Easy A (if you haven't seen that one, you should. Emma Stone is ahmazing!). Most importantly, I liked that she was simply herself in front of people she genuinely cares for.
Third. Dylan's fat best friend. Third was such a delight to read! He's funny, he's easy-going, he saw Barbie for who she truly was and he didn't put up with Dylan's crap - which I loved. (I feel like I'm demonizing Dylan too much. I swear I liked the hot geek too!) I liked that the story included a Third (I suck at puns) character in the story, it really doubled the enjoyment factor for me.
I also liked the turn of events around 80% of the book onwards. It brought something new to the story and it was pretty a pretty cool sort of twist too. It broke the monotony of Barbie trying to figure out the complicated relationship with Dylan, and Dylan being a douche.
Overall, Barbie Girl was a quick, fun read for me. I was hooked from start to finish and I'd definitely want to check out the next book in the series. I need to know what else happened to Barbie and Dylan. The ending left me wanting more!
Oh and... I'm giving this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars (rounding up to 4 on Goodreads). This is a FIRST for me. I don't like half star ratings because I feel like the reviewer's being indecisive but since Dylan did precisely that, I'll give this book a half star. Yes, I am still hating on Dylan. I have GOT to read the next book.
***I received an e-copy of this book for review.***
This review is based solely on my opinion.
May 9, 2017
A complicated love story triangle
Who does Dylan really want? The ever so perfect, nice girl Kate?
Or Barbie, aa girl who is not perfect but doesn't pretend she is?
A roller coaster ride of emotions, as Dylan realizes His dream to be with ms. perfect isn't as perfect as he thought it would be.
Why does he think of Barbie when kissing Kate?
Who does Dylan really want? The ever so perfect, nice girl Kate?
Or Barbie, aa girl who is not perfect but doesn't pretend she is?
A roller coaster ride of emotions, as Dylan realizes His dream to be with ms. perfect isn't as perfect as he thought it would be.
Why does he think of Barbie when kissing Kate?
May 9, 2018
Dang
This book was fantastic. Barbie had so much to go through. Dylan is a jerk in many ways. Hate Katie!!! Reading the next one.
This book was fantastic. Barbie had so much to go through. Dylan is a jerk in many ways. Hate Katie!!! Reading the next one.
November 18, 2018
Good book.
April 18, 2020
Wow
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews