Barbie World

Baby Doll #2

by Heidi Acosta

“One Night is all it took to change everything between Barbie and me. One night to potentially lose the girl of my dreams forever. How do I prove to her that she can trust me? That all I want to do is protect her carefully guarded heart. I need to prove to her that I want to be a part of her world. But how?”

Dylan lost Barbie once before, now he is determined more than ever to win her heart and trust back. Easier said than done, especially with the new hot guy in town who is in a rock band and is the complete opposite of Dylan.

Barbie has been hurt beyond repair or so she thinks. It would be easier for heart to decide if she didn’t have to protect her little brother. And if Dylan would just put on a shirt! Dylan is not making this easy on her. It helps to have the distraction of the new guy in town cute bad boy Kai. But even though her heart is damaged it still knows what it wants.

When Barbie learns she has a family and with the help of Roxie and Kai, oh and Third and Dylan. They embark on a journey to help bring Barbie closer to a past she never knew existed.
Heidi Acosta brings you the heart felt story of friendship, love and heartbreak in the second book in of the Baby doll series Barbie World.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, High School, New Adult

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 6, 2014

About the author

I 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.

Reviews

[Diane Ehlers]

Originally posted on Paranormal Sisters http://www.paranormalsisters.blogspot...

*was provided with a copy from the author for an honest review*

Honestly, this one felt like a chore for me. I was supposed to write a review for it for the blog tour hosted by Xpresso Book Tours but I just couldn't push myself to finish it in time. Okay, I could have but I didn't want to because this sequel was just bugging the hell out of me.

What I liked:

Pretty much the last part of the book where Barbie went looking for the family she never knew she had around. That's when things started to get interesting. Where she got closure for her and her brother, where she got to see that there are other people out there that care about her, where she finally decided to choose between the two guys (yeah, sadly there's a triangle in here).

What I didn't like:

Like the first 3/4 of the book. Yes, there were moments where I would get swept away and couldn't help but smile. But then those moments would be ripped away from me because Barbie decided to take, like, four hundred steps back. Ugh! >_<

Whenever Dylan and her would get close, him showing her how much he cares for her were great. These moments led to their steamy romance and I would get swept away, a smile would come onto my face and I would think "finally!" But then sadly for some reason Barbie would push him away and this was the pattern for the first 3/4 of this book. It got repetitive. Seriously one of the reasons why the story for me dragged on and on, to the point of why I didn't see a reason for a sequel in the first place. Actually, after reading the first one I was excited to see that there was going to be a sequel. Well after reading this, I was sadden and wished it went the way I thought it would.

Plus, no real character development. I didn't see much change in them as much as I hoped I would. Dylan was just as annoying as he was in the first one. I thought right away he would break up with Katie but sadly he didn't, like seriously?!?! >_< I mean, I do kinda understand why at first, because Barbie and her brother are living with him and his parents. But after a while I wished he did more instead of hiding his feelings pretty much.

Barbie had some change but not till the end. Actually, I still don't see much change in any character. The only character that I think had much change would be her brother and I wish he was more in the story as much as he was in the first one.

Also when we got to see Third and Roxie, I felt like their characters weren't really the same. Though when these two weren't together they were exactly the same, they stayed as the people we fell in love with. Third in his charming, funny, and advising kind of guy way. Roxie and just her unique goth yet pink loving girl, who’s tough on the outside yet vulnerable on the inside. Yet when the author put these two together I was surprised on how their characters came out. Like they're all lovey dovey and then when they get caught Roxie is at third's throat and you can't help but feel bad for him. It just felt all wrong.

This whole book did and sadly this sequel wasn't what I was hoping for so I'm completely disappointed on how it all turned out. Maybe if I wasn’t such a hopeless romantic then maybe I would have enjoyed this so much more. *shrugs* Who knows really.

[Heather Wood]

Heidi Acosta has certainly created probably one of my favorite characters with Barbie. Although the sequel to Barbie Girl had its ups and downs, the novel was certainly driven by the damaged and intense Barbie. She is not a character easily forgotten.

The sequel centers less on Dylan and Barbie’s relationship and more on Barbie trying to delve into her past and make sense over the horrible things her mother put her and her brother through. Her journey felt real and there is no easy happily ever after for Barbie.

Dylan drove me crazy! Sometimes I liked him and other times I wanted to strangle him! I think he eventually grew on me, but it took a long time. Third and Roxie were awesome secondary characters and provided plenty of comic relief, especially during the heavier moments.

The pacing was a little slow to start, but picked up mid-point. The beginning seemed to focus too much on Barbie and Dylan wallowing in self-pity, but there was definitely character growth in the second half. Kai was an interesting new addition to the book and added drama as a potential love interest for Barbie.

The ending was a little perplexing. I’m not sure if the author decided to conclude the series early with this book because I read it was a four-part series. The ending was bittersweet and then the epilogue doesn’t line up with how things were left and the reader is left unsure of how the characters got to that point.

All in all, I would highly recommend this series. They are angsty books that can be read quickly, perfect books for the beach.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

I received a copy of the book from Xpresso Book Tours as part of the Barbie World tour!

[Kenechi Udogu]

Once I finished Barbie Girl, I didn’t blink as I rushed to buy Barbie World. I had high hopes, maybe a little too much, which is why this book left me feeling confused. I still (sort of) liked Barbie, Dylan, Third and Roxie but aaaaaaargh! That’s how I felt for most of the story. There was far too much teenage angst in this one for me to love it. Yes, Barbie had a tortured past, and I appreciate some of the decisions she made but, my goodness, I kept wanting to shake her and yell “make up your mind already!” Dylan? Again, what is wrong with that boy? He dates Katie yet hates her and keeps trying to get with Barbie. Even when she appears to be dating Kai! Yet he’s the guy readers are supposed to be gushing over? And that ending – rushed is an understatement. It wasn’t a bad book, but when I started skipping pages to avoid unnecessary scenes of sexual frustration, I knew it wasn’t great either. Read this if you want to find out what happens with Barbie and Dylan, but brace yourself.

[Mandy Hall]

Like the story but all the spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes made me want to put the book down.

[Alison]

Hasn't come out yet, But I want want want...♥

[Janelle Le Roy]

Barbie world by Heidi Acosta, which is book two of A baby doll series, was a great read. The main theme of this book was that love conquers all and that no matter what, everything will be okay in the end. One of the ideas that the author wanted me to get from the book was that those who care for you will always be there. Also, to not go looking for someone else while the person you are looking for is right in front of you. The book compares well to the world I know. I know that people have parents that neglect them and therefore they have to go and live somewhere else. Barbie World accomplishes teaching people that know others or are in a situation similar to this one. As well as when having that lifestyle what to and not to do.


It only took one night to change things between Barbie and Dylan. Dylan has lost Barbie once before and is determined to get her back again. Dylan is doing well, but Barbie is showing interest in a new guy in town. Kai just so happens to fit her bad girl look perfectly. Barbie is trying to push all those who know her too well away so that they do not hurt her. Barbie is broken beyond repair, or so she thinks. Barbie soon finds that she has family and with the help of Roxie, kai and two ‘heros’ that come to save the day she is set for the emotional and physical trip she is going to take.


The genre of this book is realistic fiction. The book starts with Barbie in Daniel Monty's office. Barbie has been knocking out her psychiatrists like flies. To get rid of them she does anything she can. This usually includes one of the mechanism she knows best those who have read book one you know what I mean, others you have to read it to completely understand. The book mainly takes place in Dylan and Barbie’s small hometown that they have both known all their life. As well as Dalton, Georgia towards the end of the book. The author does a very good job on making me feel like I am in the book by adding in unnecessary details. Most of the action takes place in the middle and end of the book. The main characters are all extremely believable. The author adequately describes them.


Barbie Starr: the main character; determined to leave as soon as possible to get out the knights hair. Is only still there for Everette her little brother. She is determined to get over Dylan, because he was just a mistake and a trap she fell for. As Barbie gets over her mother who is in jail and her boyfriend who is now roaming the city, she shuts out the people that can help. Dylan Knight: The main character who is fighting to get Barbie back. Although he is still with Katie who he loathes most of the time he just wants Barbie in his arms. Dylan tries to fight fire with fire by doing what Barbie did to him back to her. For example dylan is now ‘allergic to shirts’. Dylan is there for Barbie while she gets angry with her old house, by punching and kicking it. Roxie: Was always there for Barbie when she needs her and the same goes for when she needs Barbie. BArbie was there for her while she was getting over a horrible breakup with a cheater. Although she knows that she loves Third she underestimates how much, believing that she can just ‘get over it’. Third: Trying his all to make Roxie understand how much he loves her. Although he tries so hard to gain her attention he is constantly let down. When Third is not knee deep in his own love life he is his friend Dylan’s. The two are old buddies since the sandbox that have stuck with each other through thick and thin even while they were showed into lockers not more than a year ago.


Dylan’s sister: Best friends with Everett. She claims that Barbie’s brother has been using Sign Language for a little time now which would be a big step for him. Although no one else has truly witnessed it they are all very excited. Everett: He is barbie’s only and younger brother who is autistic. Everette is unable to speak and is rarely around his sister while she copes. Everette runs away back to their old house and shows that he can use Sign Language. We soon learn that he has been using it all the time with Dylan’s sister. Mrs. knight: The wonderful lady that took Barbie and Everett in at the end of the first book is the reason for Dylan and Barbie’s unhappiness. She refuses to let Dylan and Barbie see each other and even goes to such lengths that now Dylan’s own father shares a room with him to stop things from getting ‘out of hand’. Dylan’s mom is also the reason why for more time than necessary Dylan was with Katie. Mrs. Knight is still trying to understand Barbie and particularly not approving of her dyeing her hair mainly due to the showy colors-bleach blonde with bright pink highlights.


The book has very few weaknesses. One would be that when the perspective changes from one character to the other and they are talking about the same thing, however specific and juicy details are left out. For example, when Dylan talks about how Barbie and himself shared a kiss the perspective of Barbie is completely forgotten and the author moves on to the next big thing. On the other hand, the book has many strengths for example the author gives unnecessary details that help the reader gain more understanding. Another strength of book is that the characters are very realistic and go very well with the setting. For example, Barbie’s mother goes really well with the setting since she works as an exotic dancer at a club and lives on the other side of the tracks. I would definitely recommend this book to those who like to read when good things happen to bad people, different perspectives, bad people turn good, and when good as well as bad people get what they deserve.

[Emily]

We learn more about Barbie in this book. She had a lot happen to her in book one, and she dealt with some of the fallout in this book. I can't believe all that she went through. I'm glad her living situation got better in this book, even though the adjustment was hard for her. She learns more about herself, too. Also, I really saw how much the author grew in between book one and two. I'm excited to see what she'll do next!

[Mandy]

Wow

Barbie is a complicated girl. Her and Dylan belongs together but she kept fighting it. I also loved Kia's character in this book. To me he sounded like a perfect match for Barbie had she not being in love but he acted like meeting her guardians was a huge issue which put me off him. Also he didnt care about her friends just her. Loved the ending!

[• nonny •]

ughhhhhhh

[Kathryn]

Good book so far.....

[Cherisse]

Although I loved the 1st installment of this series, I thought that the story dragged a bit for me.

[˚ʚ♡ɞ˚]

The whole book was Dylan groveling for something he ain’t even do and Barbie rejecting him. Idk I just skimmed the whole book 1/4th way through.

[Jade]

Okay, so I read the first book and absolutely loved it! I was so disappointed when I found out that the second book wasn't available to me yet... Then when I found it the other day I was ecstatic! Maybe it's because I had such high expectations, but I just didn't like this one as much as the first one.

I get that Barbie was trying to stay away from Dylan, but I felt like she was using Kai (I think she even admits to using him at some point) and that wasn't fair to him at all.
I did like the fact that you got to see Everett's character develop a little bit... I just wish that there'd been more of him in it as well since he's such an important part of Barbie's life.

I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book, but I did still kind of enjoy it and I'm glad that I got to read it.
If you can't stand grammatical or spelling errors then definitely don't read the book lol

[JWinter]

Still a sweet YA, but became a little tedious after awhile.

[Sab]

Also posted on Sab The Book Eater

Considering how much I enjoyed Barbie Girl, this book was a huge let down for me. Barbie Girl ended so well with a scene that hinted a happily ever after for Barbie and Dylan so I was really looking forward to this one. Unfortunately it turns out not much has changed between them. In fact, I think things got worst.

While I understand that Barbie living with Dylan's family put a hinge to their relationship or whatever it was they had going on, it still annoyed me that they kept going pushing and pulling for the most part of the book. Barbie would show interest in Dylan, Dylan would attempt to kiss her or something, Barbie would pull away and go to her boy toy Kai, Barbie would then feel like she has no connection with Kai then would gravitate to Dylan again. It's a vicious cycle, one that also made the characters look bad. How much of a push over are they? Dylan's girlfriend would put up with fact that he's clearly in love with Barbie and not her. Kai would happily take Barbie back again and again because he's a badass and that's what badass rockers do, right? Dylan would go back and forth Barbie and what's-her-face. Barbie couldn't make up her freaking mind. Somebody grow a pair and make up their mind already! I think the only two people who actually know what they want and are going after it are Roxie and Third. But the other four? Not. They were all confusing and not at all helping the plot. I just wished there was some kind of character development here. It was frustrating and exhausting having to read the constant push and pull between Barbie and Dylan. After all the drama in the first book, I expected better from Dylan this time. Apparently, he's just like any ordinary teenage guy in real life: indecisive and confusing (ooohhhh- no don't give me that look).

I also didn't like the love triangle. I would've loved seeing Dylan's jealous face and all that if Barbie even felt remotely attracted to Kai. I mean, sure, she thought he was hot and that she could definitely like him but it was only on the surface. There wasn't any point at all in the book where she thought to herself, okay this is it, I'm sticking with this rocker boy. She easily used him as a distraction but he was clearly nothing more than that. Kai was interested and possessive whenever Dylan showed up but it was just there. Like nothing really came out of it! So this whole love triangle was only an unnecessary addition to the story. It only added to my frustration.

The only part of this book that I actually liked was Barbie's journey to finding her relatives. Those were the only parts where I finally saw something else in Barbie that wasn't sad and hung up on Dylan. It also made me happy knowing Barbie had other some semblance of a family who were willing to be a part of her and her brother's life. I just wish there was more of this in the book rather than the whole messed up love triangle (or square, if you count in Dylan's girlfriend). The epilogue was nice too but given all the relationship drama throughout the book, it felt... fake. It was like all the possible happy endings for Barbie and Dylan were crammed in one place. I liked it but not that much.

(I received a copy for review. This did not influence me in any way.)

[Carrie Stadtler]

* I received these books for exchange for my AWESOME review!!!


When I first received Barbie Girl, I was kinda iffy about the books-as the name Barbie Girl and Barbie World, just didn't seem like a type of book I would read, and lets face it , Im a cover snob, and the cover just didn't do it for me...but...Well.... Lets start with Barbie Girl!




Barbie! This bad-ass, don't give a shit teenage rebel, with pink highlights,and she was the schools' slut, druggie you name it she was it and she sure didn't change there minds other wise. This story is YA, so if you don't like YA than this isn't for you because there's no hot steamy sex scenes.


Barbie was the girl that lived with a alcoholic,druggy mother, with an autistic brother that she mothered, because her mother was never around, and when she was she was always drunk, wondering if she would have a house to live in, or what man whore her mother brought home. Those are the issues that Barbie had that she kept inside herself. Not letting anyone know the real her-not letting anyone get close to her.


She meets Dylan- she's known Dylan since she was little-he was the boy that always pulled her pigtails, always made her cry. She needed Dylans' help. She was failing Math, and he was her answer to passing. This story was a POV from both Dylan and Barbie, so you will understand the banter and feelings for both sides. Dylan was the smart geeky kid, and Barbie was the trashy "whore". Barbie volunteered to help Dylan get with the girl of his dreams.... but there was something about the spark that these two felt when they were playing "pretend" boyfriend/girlfriend.


This story takes you trials of painful memories,betrayal and happiness and ending that made you scream for her... I felt all those emotions, even thou I had to wait weeks for the 2nd book. What I like about this story is that what happened really does happen in real life. I felt like I was there with Barbie thru the whole story. I was her BF that she was talking to.



Barbie World~


Barbie World starts quickly after Barbie Girl ended. Barbie Girl was very sad, tragic and even made me a little mad,but Barbie World was the story that had me in tears by the end- even thou when it did end I almost thru my kindle, the epilogue made me feel better. It was all about healing the soul, and helping Barbie move past her past and search for what she has been longing for, a family.


Barbie wasn't good enough for Dylan. Barbie wasn't good enough for anyone. This was how Barbie dealt with her pain. It numbed her soul. It took the pain away. Her number one priority was taking care of Everett her brother. She had to keep him safe. Making sure he had a family and home to go to. Until she can figure out what it is she is searching for. But Barbie does what she does best and pushes the 1 person that loves her the most away. Barbie tries everything to get over Dylan, to take away the pain and the spark. She met Kai a rocker band boy with tattoos. Total opposite of Dylan.

I just wish Barbie would wake up and let Dylan love her, he would take care of her. Make her feel like she should, but she keeps pushing him away, thinking that's what's best.


Towards the end of the story, you will experience a roller coaster of events. Third and Roxie our Barbie's Best Friends- and Dylan and Kai the men in Barbie's life. You will love this story, I know I did.

[Sharrice]

Fan freaking tastic!!!

Check out my original review with music and video clip on: Reese's Reviews


Barbie World picks up almost immediately after Barbie Girl. Both books are mature YA with such tragic stories and great characters it's hard not to fall in love right away.


Barbie and Everett have now moved into Dylan’s family’s house. Everett has made the transition perfectly and everyone in the house loves him. Barbie? Not so much. The transition into the Knight family home is more difficult than she would have ever thought.


“We have been living with the Knights for six weeks now and it is perfectly clear that the Knights love Everett. Who wouldn’t? He is a sweet and quiet boy. I know that she doesn’t feel the same way about me, though, and who could blame her?”

Barbie goes through a hard time worrying about everything she does so Everett could stay safe. Barbie also sees a counselor once a week who tries to help her deal with her feelings about her life and the tragedy that went down with her mother. More and more though Barbie struggles with who she is and what she wants.

“I will never fit into their perfect cookie-cutter life.”

When Barbie meets Kai it’s an instant connection. They’re the same in a lot of ways similar taste in music, view of the world and clothing. Their shouldn’t be a problem except Barbie is still totally in love with Dylan.

“Dylan catches my eye and my breath hitches. This is why I hate him; he still affects me with just a look.”

Most of the book is Dylan and Barbie wanting to be with each other but not being able to due to the Knight rule that they cannot date under their roof. Another problem they face is Barbie’s lack of self-esteem. She doesn’t believe she can or deserves to be loved. She thinks very lowly of herself despite all the friends she has. It was a tad annoying because I was like “Barbie you’re awesomesauce now just be with Dylan already!” but that was not how it went.

Barbie World was an amazing book that really pulled at my heart strings and I could not put the book down. Barbie is such an amazing character because she’s so strong and she doesn’t even realize it which makes her relatable in her vulnerabilities.

One major problem I had was well I don’t want to say the entire book because that’s not how it is but..ok I’ll explain. The entire book goes at a quick pace and keeps you wondering what will happen but then the ending it’s like: BAM BAM BAM with event after event that I was kinda ticked that the future of Barbie and Dylan were so rushed.


This is how rushed it felt. Not the best video but it says what needs to be said.
If you’ve ever read one of my reviews before you’ll recognize that I loathe the whole “Cut to” with a good book. That’s my only real complaint other than I never get to find out what happens to Kai…which sucked because he is one swoon worthy boy.

Favorite Scene/ Quote:
“Yes you are, or you wouldn't be here with me, like this, backed up against a wall, waiting on me to kiss you.” She smiles at me, tilting her head in my direction. I want to make sure she remembers how she feels when we are together. I am going to make her see that I am the right choice for her. I am going to prove to her that no one will love her and much as I will.”

[Angie]

Wait. Is this it? No more feisty, pink-haired Barbie Starr? I’m a little bummed that Barbie World seems to mark the end of Barbie’s story. I loved her in the first book, and in the second I was still rooting for her to come out of all of this okay. It’s Summer vacation and Barbie is doing her required hour of therapy. She’s very reluctant, but then she gets a new doctor who actually makes some breakthroughs. Things are very awkward and strained with Dylan, since they’re living together and he’s dating Katie. Then one heart-stopping day, Barbie makes an unexpected discovery that sends her on a road trip to find her long lost grandmother and hopefully some closure.

I did enjoy Barbie World, but I was a little disappointed. I wish more time had been spent earlier in the book on Barbie dealing with her feelings. She does have one extremely powerful scene, but then the focus shifts primarily to her relationship with Dylan. After that horrific night in the previous book, Barbie is irreversibly changed. She’s angry and confused, and she doesn’t know what to do about it. Her solution is to avoid Dylan, which obviously doesn’t work. She starts dating some wannabe rocker named Kai, which doesn’t go over too well with Dylan even though he’s still stringing Katie along. They try to be friends, but that certainly doesn’t work. They’ll have a special moment together, then Barbie pushes him away, then another moment, and she pushes him away. It was extremely repetitive, and I would have rather read more about Barbie’s journey to find her family.

Once again, I adore Third! I was missing him in the beginning, since it was mainly focused on Barbie and Dylan, but once he came on the scene, it was non-stop Third hilarity! He is the comic relief providing sidekick, but he also continues to be a great friend to both Barbie and Dylan. He’s there to support her, and he tries to keep Dylan from going off the deep end. He also got a little side plot romance in Barbie World! Third has a crush on Barbie’s friend Roxie and he’s determined to get her to see him for the great guy that he is, and not just the goofball best friend.

The stiff language I mentioned in my review of the first book is back with a vengeance in Barbie World! I’m hoping that’s just because I read an ARC, but there is a serious lack of contractions. It was very awkward to read, and did distract me from the story this time. Hopefully this gets fixed in the final version.

I wish I had known that Barbie World was the conclusion, so I would have been prepared for that ending! I actually liked the way the final chapter went (except for one detail and I had a hard time believing), and I think it would have left room for at least one more book. Barbie was getting her life together and I would have liked to have witnessed her senior year of high school. Instead there’s an epilogue that takes place a few years into the future, which was cute, but also a little on the unsatisfying side. I just wanted more out of Barbie’s emotionally explosive story, and that ending was too tame.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Jess]

I adored Barbie Girl, which had surprised me. I'd expected to like it, but I hadn't expected to be as drawn into the story as I was. So going into Barbie World, I was incredibly excited and expecting A LOT from this book. Sadly, I think this is one of those books that I expected too much out of.

The good news is that everything I loved about the first book was still here. Barbie's attitude was still in full effect, and the relationship is still more unconventional than what is usually thrown around in books. This book was just as fun as the first, for which I was grateful, even though I didn't really enjoy it as much as the first book.

Character Rundown:
Barbie: As I said, she's still got her attitude, and I liked that. I did not, however, enjoy her character as much as I did in the first book. I respect all the issues she still had to work through and whatnot, but Barbie seriously got on my nerves in this book. Like, seriously. Grrr.

Dylan: I wasn't a fan of Dylan in this one. Mostly because there is an alternative boy this time around, that I liked A LOT better. I just feel like Dylan tried to be a tough guy in this one and that's not who he IS, so it didn't feel believable. Also, his relationship with what's-her-name...Katie? I think that was her name. That was silly.

Kai: I enjoyed Kai. Very much. Don't get me wrong, he's a huge cliché, but not, but he was still incredibly fun to meet. I was on his team, all the way.

What do I mean by "a huge cliché, but not"? He was a cliché that had a character trait or two added to him to make him NOT a cliché. But that still made him a cliché. I heart him anyway, though.

Oh, and Third! He is still the awesomest.

Plot. Not as un-normal in its plot twists and whatnot, but it was still a Barbie Starr story, so that was nice. There's something about when Barbie is telling the story that just makes is super cool. Again, instead of my usual boy-POV-wishing self, I always looked forward to Barbie's chapters.

Romance. There were only two aspects of the romance in this book that I liked. The first would be KAI. Because Kai freaking rocks. And the second would be...well...*whispers* the ending. I was not super happy to find that this one was a love triangle. It was just too obvious how that was going to turn out, even though I was all for Kai. I do approve of Dylan's sweet moments, though. Don't misunderstand that.

The ending. My favorite part of the book, hands down. I LOVE that this was in Dylan's POV, too. The whole book I was all for Barbie's narration, but I think ending with Dylan was the best. Absolute best.

Overall, Barbie World was not as magnificent as I'd hoped it would be. However, I am glad the book exists, because I adored having the closure this book gave us, especially compared to how the first one left off. If you liked Barbie Girl as much as I did, I really think you'll be glad you read this one.

You can find more from me on my blog: Just a Booklover

[Jennifer Ricketts (Donnie Darko Girl)]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for my stop on the blog tour at Donnie Darko Girl.

There are rarely times when I read a book and am glad I'm not the character - this was one of those times. As much as I love Barbie and Dylan, I wouldn't want to be in Barbie's shoes with everything she's facing. There's a tremendous amount of pressure on her, and I felt it, too. Things were so back and forth with Dylan and Barbie, which was frustrating to me because I could see it was all over misunderstanding after misunderstanding. I wanted them to tell each other how they were feeling and be honest, but I could also see why they didn't. They each had their own fears.

With the level of emotional investment I have in these characters and this story, it was an intense ride all the way through. I was hoping things would start looking up for Barbie - I love that girl so damn much flaws and all! She takes on the weight of the world, and I don't feel pity or sympathy for her because of her strength. Instead, I empathize with her, which is different than sympathizing with her. I imagine myself in her shoes, and it isn't a pretty place to be.

Now that Barbie and her brother are under the guardianship of Dylan's parents, I agree with Dylan's mom's decision that he can't date her while she's living in their house. That's what makes everything so difficult for them. They can't stay away from each other, yet Barbie has a lot to lose. She's constantly scared that she and her brother will be kicked out, leaving her to go to a facility for troubled girls and her brother to go into foster care. That fear is what tore me up the most throughout this book. I was on the edge of my seat worried she would go against the rules and mess everything up.

I don't think Kai is a great guy for Barbie to be hanging around. I worried about her association with him throughout the book. She just wants to feel numb because feeling anything else is too painful for her. I can identify with her completely in that regard. I've had moments like that in my life. She does acknowledge that she and Kai won't be able to fill the void each feels, and I think that was very observant of her. She has an emotional intelligence that not many girls her age have, and that's just one of the reasons I love her to pieces. I wanted to adopt her as a little sister!

Barbie is a survivor, and I always had confidence that she would work her way through any problems and issues she encountered. I do love Third, too - he's there for Barbie just about more than anyone else. He's a great guy! I'm not a huge fan of Barbie's friend, Roxie. I think the advice Roxie gives isn't what's best for Barbie.

I have to say lastly that I'm sad this book is it for Barbie. I wanted more - I can't help it. I didn't want to say good-bye to these characters, but with the way it ended, I don't think there will be another book. I'll have to reread these two books, lol.

[Kristin]

We pick up shortly where Barbie Girl ends. Barbie is now under the Guardianship of Dylan's parents. She's moving on with her life and trying to forget about Dylan, which is kind of hard since they live under the same roof. Dylan on the other hand is hell bent on winning Barbie back, regardless of the fact that he has a girlfriend.

I fell in love with these characters in Barbie Girl. I liked the rawness of Barbie and how she opened up Dylan's eyes as far as not always fitting in the mold when it comes to the cliques at school. So I was really disappointed in Dylan for going after Barbie while he has a girl friend. He would grab Barbie and start making out with her while his girl friend was in the next room. It just left a sour taste in my mouth. He hated being around his girl friend. Made fun of her and her friends when with Third and really didn't care for her feelings. He kept asking Barbie what he had to do to get her back. However, he wouldn't break up with his girl friend because 1) his parent's liked her and expected him to date someone like her and 2) he wasn't sure if Barbie would take him back. How about this Dylan? You do the right thing, and break up with the girl that you're stringing along and then maybe approach Barbie! The fact that this takes place throughout the entirety of the story really drove me nuts.

However, I still really enjoyed Barbie's character. She's really torn up over everything that took place in the previous book. The person she though she could trust, broke that trust and continues to hurt her every day. Not to mention the new situation she's in with living with a family who actually cares about her well being.

"I know that this is a fake sense of security that I am in. I'm not going to fall for it anymore. No one loves me. I was abandoned by my mother. The one boy I loved never really loved me back."

We also get more time with Roxie and Third. Third really steps it up in this book. He seems to take Barbie's side in the whole matter (as he should) and is there to protect her but at the same time, if there is a chance he can help Dylan out, he does. Aside from Dylan, the other characters in this book were a pleasure to read. Not to mention the added bonus of Kai which is a potential love interest for Barbie.

One other thing that detracted a point for me was the ending. It seems a bit rushed and then the epilogue comes at you out of left field. I felt like a lot of the back and forth between Barbie and Dylan could have been cut out to make room for the ending.

All in all, Barbie's story was a good one. She fought her way through life and survived.


Favorite quote...
"I want to see girls in bikinis just as bad as you, but while you are only lugging around a six pack, I have a whole keg to get up this hill." -Third

[Renae McKenzie]

I was provided a ARC in exchange for an honest review in Xpresso Reads blog tour for Barbie World. To see my original post at Rolling with the Moments, click here.


Barbie World is the exciting, and much awaited, sequel to Barbie Girl taking place during the summer holidays after the heart-pounding end to the first novel. Barbie is trying to adjust to her new living arrangements and fighting the ever-present erg to grab hold of Dylan and never let him go. But she's been hurt and Dylan's clingy girlfriend isn't making things anything less complicated. All Barbie wants is to fix her dysfunctional family and with the help of some new and old friends, she might just do it.

Acosta's writing technique is A-MAZ-ING! I sat down meaning to only read a couple of chapters before I went to sleep, and next thing I know, it's two in the morning and I'm 26 chapters in... so you could say that her writing is engaging. The pacing of the novel is steady and the scenes flowed well from one to another. The only exception to this is the last three or so chapters. You're just happily plodding along with the story and then BAM! The climax pops out of now where and then it's all over red rover. It felt as though Acosta had realised her word count was up and she had get the ending in. I love the novel, but I did, however, have trouble pinpointing the amount of time that had passed from chapter to chapter. At times I'd thought that weeks had passed, when it had actually only been a couple of days, and vice-versa.

I loved reading about the character development as Barbie, Dylan and the rest of the gang grew and learned from all that happened in Barbie Girl. Barbie's was the most significant with her trying to be the kind of young woman that Mrs Knight wants her to be.

Finally, the one thing that bugged me about Barbie World. The ending. Now I am going to attempt to explain why this without any spoilers, which is pretty hard, but here we go. So every obstacle that had been thrown at Barbie has been overcome and I turn the page to find the Epilogue, and I'm thinking to myself, what could possibly be in this chapter? Everything has been tied up. Where can it take you? I takes you to the future and shows you how the characters end up after high school. I hate it when authors do this. I love guessing where relationships go and what the future holds for them. I like being able to make some of the story up myself, and that was taken away from me.

Barbie World is a story of love and finding your place in the world wrapped in an irresistible bundle that you cannot put down.

[Michelle]

Barbie World picks up soon after Barbie Girl leaves off, with Barbie living with Dylan’s family and her trust shattered. As someone who has been forced to fend for herself Barbie is having a difficult time adjusting to her new living arrangements, and being so close to Dylan is making things far worse.

Barbie Girl was one of my most recommended books last year. I thought it was a rather unique contemporary that dealt with some hard hitting issues, showed that appearances are deceiving, and showed off some really great friendships. Barbie World is a great continuation of all of that and more. One of my favorite things about these books is that it tackles the whole “judging a book by its cover” issue. In the first book we are shown that Barbie isn’t truly anything like all of the rumors say and we get to see just how different her life is compared to what everyone assumes. In Barbie World we see just how much those rumors affect her and we see a side of characters that we didn’t know they had. The characters grow even more and friendships are bent, broken, reforged, and made stronger. Barbie also finds out that she has family and it becomes a priority to seek them out and get to know them. I wanted so much for Barbie and Everett and while somethings fall through I am glad to see how their story turns out.

Dylan and Barbie put me through the wringer with this one. The tension between these two is thick, there is so much hurt and attraction that neither of them really know how to handle the situation. It doesn’t help that Dylan’s mom has already flat out stated that Barbie and Dylan are off limits as a possible couple, and they are both bound to that. Dylan remains a complete sweetheart even though he’s lost his way a bit trying to please his mom and Katie. He truly cares for Barbie even when she’s being extremely distant, and he develops a protective streak when it comes to her. Which would normally bother me, but given the amount of stress the whole situation I let it pass. It hurt my heart to see their friendship so torn, but at the same time the back and forth frustrated me. Third and Roxie are back as well and they are going through their own trials, though Third takes it in his typical Third-like fashion, with jokes and an attempt to win people over with his lighthearted attitude. We also meet Kai, a bad boy with a small local rock-band, whom Barbie finds herself keeping company. I can’t say I liked Kai all that much, he’s okay and I did like that he showed his true colors after some time…but initially he just didn’t work for me.

I think one of the best things about this book is how everything ends. It’s not a happily ever after, things are realistic and the ups and downs should be present. I think as a duology these two books are really amazing and I’m completely happy with how everything turned out.

[Haley]

I had been dying to get my hands on Barbie World ever since I found out there would be a sequel to Barbie Girl. Now that I have finally gotten my hands on it, and devoured it in one sitting, I am so ecstatic to report that Barbie World was just as heart breaking, and heart warming as book one.

Going into Barbie World I was a little cautious, I wasn't sure how things were going to play out. I was geniunly worried that Barbie World wasn't going to be as good as Barbie Girl (which I loved). Now while I feel I did like Barbie Girl slightly more than I did Barbie World, Barbie World was still an amazing emotional ride, and a very solid sequel.

If you have read book one in the series (Barbie Girl), OR if you have read my review for Barbie Girl than you would know that Barbie (our main female character) is a very unique character, she is aggressive, sexual, knows how to make guys uncomfortable, and doesn't give a damn about what people in her small town think of her cause she knows who she is no matter what rumors are spread about her.

That Barbie from book one, is not seen as much in the sequel Barbie World, you see a sliver of her here and there, but for most of Barbie World you will see a much weaker side of Barbie. Now while I did miss the old Barbie, I found myself loving seeing this new side of Barbie! I felt like Barbie was a character I actually knew and she was finally confiding in me, while as in Barbie Girl, she was putting on a front alot of the time. Not only did Barbie open up more, but so did Dylan.

Heidi's writing amazed me in Barbie Girl, and it continued to amaze me in Barbie World. The connection I felt with the characters blew my mind, I found myself feeling so many emotions while reading this series, I would be mad, sad, happy, frustrated, you name an emotion and I probably felt it at sometime while reading this series. A good book in my opinion is a book that will make you feel a good amount of emotions, and this series made me feel a ton.

I have to say the ending epilogue is what threw my rating down a little bit, did I love it? Yes, I just felt it got tied up too quickly.

Overall, if you're looking for a contemporary romance series that has very different characters, will make you feel a ton of emotions, has great character development, and is just overall just as heart breaking as it is heart warming, then the Baby Doll series is a series you need to pick up.

[Ali]

3.5 Stars
~Copy provided for honest review~

Barbie Girl was such a tragically endearing, mature, YA read and I was so excited to get my hands on Barbie World. It picks up pretty quickly after the first book. Barbie and her little brother, Everett, have become wards of Barbie's ex-boyfriend Dylan's parents. They've moved in are trying to figure out how an autistic little boy and a teenage girl with a severely damaged reputation fit into a very PC family unit. Everett is making the transition fairly well but Barbie struggles every step of the way.

How does a girl who feels like she's never been nor ever deserved to be love deal with a slew of people all of the sudden determined to care about her? How can she live in a house with Dylan, knowing she still loves him, and watch him prance around without a shirt and a new girlfriend dangling on his arm? How is she supposed to deal with the demons of her past, one of which could pop up at anytime and threaten the flimsy safety net she's wrapped around herself? Short answer...you just don't deal with it. You flounder. You drown in despair, misery and pain and hope for a short life line to grip on to just long enough to keep your head out of water but not long enough to really pull you to shore. Barbie has become an expert at just that.

Barbie World is an entire novel of Barbie pushing everyone, especially Dylan, away and then pulling them back in just a little. Never letting anyone close enough to disintegrate her horribly fractured heart.

I have to say that by the end I had lost a little hair, from pulling it out...Dylan and Barbie are both horribly stubborn and determined. Barbie more so than Dylan in the stubborn department. It was so infuriating, yet totally heart wrenching, to see her struggle with the fact that people care for her and are in her corner. No questions asked.

It is the emotionally damaged side of Barbie that tickled my heart in Barbie Girl and even though it was a frustratingly slow ride with her in Barbie World...it is still what will stick with me most about this series. Acosta does a wonderful job painting a broken girl with a false but tough shell, who is just looking for her place in the world. Barbie's journey is a sad one with many speed bumps but I'm glad I was along for the ride because where it ended up was lovely, emotional, real and fitting.

[Brandee (un)Conventional Bookworms]

Barbie World is a bit difficult for me to review. There are so many wonderful parts of the story but also so many parts that frustrated me. The bulk of the story follows Barbie as she tries to find peace and closure with her past. Barbie World is also told in the dual POV format. But being in both Barbie's and Dylan's heads this time around often disappointed me.

I love Barbie's character -- her love for her little brother, her big heart -- how she's willing to forgive those who hurt her the most. I loved her feistiness in Barbie Girl, and she seemed to have lost it here. Her behavior at times, though, seemed counterproductive to her goals. But although she acted in ways I felt were self-destructive and her wishy-washy-ness where Dylan was concerned drove me crazy, I appreciated the journey she undertook. I was satisfied with where she ended up after having followed her path towards finding herself.

Dylan - he's a saint. Well, his treatment of Katie was less than saintly, I suppose. But I really admired that he believed in Barbie and his love for her. He remained loyal to Barbie despite her mixed signals. I also liked that he stopped caring so much about others' opinions and that his experiences with Barbie allowed him to discover and follow his own dreams.

Third continued to be a valuable asset to both Barbie and Dylan. He also provided comic relief and I like his character so much. I enjoyed his interactions with Roxie too. Seeing their friendship develop was a gift.

A new character, Kai, is introduced in Barbie World. Although he does play an important role from the standpoint of being a catalyst for decisions between Barbie and Dylan, I didn't feel like we got to know him all that well.

I'm happy with the resolution of Barbie's story. There were a few parts I would have liked to have explored more fully -- like Barbie's grandmother. I did get frustrated with Barbie's inability to make a solid decision and stick to it - even if it might be excusable considering her life experience. And Dylan's behavior towards Katie, although rationalized, was really inexcusable. Again, the writing is choppy in some places and I felt the pacing dragged a bit in places. Overall though, I think Barbie World is a good conclusion. I was very happy to have the epilogue, Ms. Acosta. :)

[Lauren]

I was ecstatic to participate in this tour. I absolutely ADORED Barbie Girl and I could not wait to find out what happened with Barbie(and Dylan!!), and I was not disappointed.

Barbie World continues shortly after Barbie & Everett have started living with the Knights. Barbie and Dylan are NOT together(boo!) and Barbie has been placed into counselling to try to cope with the issues in her life.

I adored Barbie in the first book, and I enjoyed her very much in the second book as well. She’s such a free spirit and incredibly independent. I love how nobody can tell her how to live her life, or what she should do. Dylan was perfect as always. Third was my same, fabulous, silly Third as the first book. I also loved Roxie even more than in Barbie Girl. Actually… I adored all of the characters :P Everett is so incredibly sweet and my heart breaks for the horrible young life he endured being placed with the Knights.

Obviously I want this to remain spoiler free so I will try to be as elusive as possible. Barbie World was a perfect continuation(and ending) to the wonderful story of Barbie Girl. It was just as heart wrenching in parts as it’s predecessor and my eyes were welling up repeatedly. One of the toughest topics that Barbie had to deal with was her mother abandoning her and it was extremely painful to go through that with Barbie. One of the most important parts of the story as well is Barbie & Dylan. I had a love/hate relationship with this part of the story. I found there was a lot of back and forth in Barbie World and it started to become a bit tiresome. I still loved their relationship and their journey but I wanted to just yell at them to get it over with! The pacing of that part of the story is the only reason it received 4 stars.

The ending was FANTASTIC. I will reveal nothing about this, but let me just say it was quite possibly the very best ending ever. ZERO loose ends… everything was perfect and I was completely content with how the story was completed, although it may not be what you are expecting.

If you haven’t read Barbie Girl, I highly recommend picking it up… this is a wonderful series and the conclusion absolutely does the first book justice. If you HAVE read Barbie Girl, you need to read Barbie World

[Linda]

Where to start...to be fair, I expected more, but it felt like the story just kept going around in circles. Dylan was crazy in love with Barbie, who also loved him, but was struggling with everything. Her perceived guilt for her mother being in prison, her inability to care for her brother properly, her need to act out against anyone trying to help her, her need for for family and hence her bevy of bad decisions. Seriously, she's a mess. Perhaps my struggle with the book was my inability to relate to her. I understood her need to feel loved by her mother and wanting to be there for her brother, so she would do anything to find the grandmother she hoped could give her answers. The answers to why her mother was abandoned, that led her mother to drugs and drinking, and eventually not caring enough about her kids to protect them against her abusive boyfriend. What I didn't understand is why she just could not ask others for help. The Knights have gone out of their way to provide for her and cared enough to take them in, so why couldn't she reach out? Then there were all of the instances with Dylan. All of the back and forth. For the love of God, that drove me more insane than her mommy issues. And the Dylan and Katie? Seriously, who the heck who put up with someone that you absolutely could not stand being around? The boy was a nut case. I just could not handle all of his craziness as it relates to his feelings for Barbie. He was like a crazed stalker guy. The redeeming part? Third. He was his own crazy at times, but at least he provided humor and some sanity to offset Dylan's psychotic breaks.

Ok, so I had issues with how these teenagers acted throughout the book. I was a teenager and I just could not relate. It also felt like there was a bit of repetition to it. We kept going round and round with Barbie and Dylan, Barbie and her mother, Barbie sneaking out...etc. So yeah, not quite what I was expecting. I wanted to see where it went since I did like the first book, but this one just didn't hit the mark for me.

[Rhomy]

4.5 SUPER STARS!!!

"B, you two are meant to be together, you are just too stubborn to see it. He is menat for you and you for him. You two, not being together, is like saying Romeo and Juliet should have never been in love"

"They shouldn't have, they killed themselves to be together!" I shout at him.

"Okay, bad example. Everything just seems right when you two are together. Plus it gives hope for guys like me that there might be a girl out there that can love me for me"



As always, Heidi created a thrilling story.
She has an outstanding ability to make the writing flow easily, even when the book is at a sad moment. She built an intriguing yet sweet plot with perfectly developed background for our main characters and great stories for the rest of the characters too.

In this book I found that there is more romance and less drama than in the first one, maybe Barbie was a little more annoying than in the previous instalment too (too stubborn), but still I think she is amazing, strong and badass and at the same time sweet and caring.

Dylan matures here, actually in this book he is a lot more mature than Barbie and WAY more sexy! hehe.

We get to know more about Third and Roxie, they are so awesome and their story is so cute.
I love their personalities, the way they interact among them and how supportive they are of their 2 friends. They should have their own story!

And Kai, a nice addition to the story. I loved him too. The outcome was pretty obvious but he had an interesting part in all the events that unfolded.

To sum up: beautiful cover, remarkable writing, witty dialogues, marvelous and surprising characters and yes...I loved it!

I didn't love the epilogue though... does it mean this story is over???? no third book???? I hope there is!

Totally recommended :)

[Rachmi]

This story takes place right after Barbie Girl. Barbie and her little brother, Everett, live with the Knights. They aren’t abused anymore and loved by the Knights. But it doesn’t mean that this book isn’t as heartbreaking as its prequel.

I love reading from Barbie’s POV. Her feelings are so clear and real I can connect to most of her stories. In some part, I think her feeling is sadder and hurtful for her than when she’s abused by her mom, if it is possible. I also can understand how she craves someone to love her unconditionally but at the same time kind of bored when she keeps stay away from people who love her, especially Dylan. Her love and feeling for Dylan makes her do the same thing over and over, cause a readable pattern to me. She avoids him, watches him with Katie, spends time with Kai while Dylan sees them, he begs her to be with him, they’re kissing, she hesitate to give them second chance.

As for Dylan, I’m quite annoyed with his back and forth between Barbie and Katie. For half of the story I feel I want to yell at him and ask him to break up with Katie. But I like that he’s persistent about his feeling for Barbie and keeps close to her, though she keeps push him away.

But it’s the ending that I really liked. I think what Barbie choose for her future is the real and reasonable thing for her, though it doesn’t make her life easier. And the epilogue, gosh….make me want to read it as soon as I can. I’m counting down for book 3 now.