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She's So Money
Question: What do you get when you take . . .
1 overachieving girl + 1 insanely cute guy + 1 massive fine + 1 scheme involving a little dishonesty and a whole lot of cash?
I've always been the good girl—working seriously long hours at my family's restaurant and getting straight As. And Camden King was always just that hot, popular guy I'd pass in the halls, whose ego was probably much bigger than his brain. I didn't think there'd ever be a reason for us to actually, like, interact.
Then again, I never thought I'd mess up so badly that my family might lose our entire restaurant if I didn't come up with a ton of money, and fast. So that's where Camden comes in—he and his evil/genius plan to do kids' homework for cash.
I know cheating's wrong, but it's better than being dead, right? Which is what I'd be if my parents knew about what happened. I never expected things to spin so far out of control. Or that I'd be such a sucker for Camden's lopsided grin. Or that falling apart could be the best thing that ever happened to me.
Answer: The time of my life.
1 overachieving girl + 1 insanely cute guy + 1 massive fine + 1 scheme involving a little dishonesty and a whole lot of cash?
I've always been the good girl—working seriously long hours at my family's restaurant and getting straight As. And Camden King was always just that hot, popular guy I'd pass in the halls, whose ego was probably much bigger than his brain. I didn't think there'd ever be a reason for us to actually, like, interact.
Then again, I never thought I'd mess up so badly that my family might lose our entire restaurant if I didn't come up with a ton of money, and fast. So that's where Camden comes in—he and his evil/genius plan to do kids' homework for cash.
I know cheating's wrong, but it's better than being dead, right? Which is what I'd be if my parents knew about what happened. I never expected things to spin so far out of control. Or that I'd be such a sucker for Camden's lopsided grin. Or that falling apart could be the best thing that ever happened to me.
Answer: The time of my life.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2008
15 people are currently reading
1532 people want to read
About the author
Cherry Cheva
5 books43 followersCherry Chevapravatdumrong ("Cherry Cheva") was born in Columbus, OH, and raised in Ann Arbor, MI. She majored in psychology at Yale and earned a J.D. from NYU Law School. While in school, Cherry spent her summers working at law firms and her winter breaks waiting tables at her parents' restaurant, Lotus Thai. She then moved to LA to pursue a career in writing, and is now the only female writer on Fox’s hit TV show "Family Guy."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
April 9, 2015
5 stars!!
This book falls under my all-time favorites category, where no matter how many times I re-read it over a number of years it’s still just as good and feels like I’m reading it for the first time every time. I can’t really put into words just what it is exactly about the book that makes it such an amazing read for me because it is far from perfect, but every time I’m tempted to say ‘hey, that’s so cliché Cherry Cheva’ my brain kinda just shuts down. I mean...this is such a FUN book it’s just so easy to forget to nitpick. So easy to go with the flo and enjoy the story for what its worth. And so, so easy to fall in love with these characters and the book.
The last time I re-read this was in 2013 so I remembered the main plot but all the little details I’d forgotten. That turned out to be a good thing because starting from page 1 all the way to the end, I had this perpetual grin on my face due to every comedic dialogue exchanged between the main characters, the snappy, witty writing in general, and just the whole high school atmosphere that sent a wave of nostalgia through me. If you stripped away all the excessive drama and negativity that usually brands YA high school reads, you would get this book. I loved that there’s a balance between good and bad, encompassing nearly every kid’s high school experience in one while still maintaining a lighthearted, fun feeling through it all. And most of all, I loved the narrator of this story, one of the most adorkable literary heroines, Maya.
Maya is a Thai-American teenager currently in her last year of high school. She’s Stanford-bound, super smart, but has no social life as she can barely juggle school, extracurriculars, and waitressing at the family restaurant. When her parents decide to take a short trip and attend a wedding, they leave the restaurant management to Maya and her little brother. Little does she know that some laziness, two pissed old ladies, and a bad attitude lands her an inspection fee of $10k that she needs to pay off. Maya’s out of options and as a last resort turns to the guy she tutors – the hero Camden – for help.
Camden King is the rich, hot, and popular jock in school and practically flirts with every girl he comes into contact with. As confident as he is, he’s surprised when the school nerd comes to him agreeing that she’ll do his homework if he pays her. Boom. A new, shady business starts and before they both know it, their cheating ring expands beyond just their school and all hell breaks loose.
One of the best things about this book is that there’s nothing serious about it; it’s a romantic comedy through and through. Even when things got rough and the big ‘uh-oh’ moment arrived, the author would give me a scare for, like, a second and then smooth the rest out. And I especially love that there is no dramatizing anything here. It’s too often I read YA stories about this girl who was bullied or this guy who committed suicide and I’m not downplaying or mocking any of these scenarios, but it’s refreshing to read a story where the high school experience is just a typical high school experience, nothing more, nothing less. I think the simplicity of the story combined with the self-discovery aspect – especially for Maya’s character – is what makes this book so alluring. It’s not a book that strives to make a point and seek to educate readers on this and that; it’s pure entertainment.
I highly recommend this book to any reader just looking for a fun read and total escapism, and the best thing is that it’s a book anyone can read, whether it’s your teen kid or an adult. There’s nothing smutty, gory, or inappropriate about it :)
She’s So Money is a mature YA romantic comedy standalone. Fun fact: the author of this book is a writer for Family Guy!
This book falls under my all-time favorites category, where no matter how many times I re-read it over a number of years it’s still just as good and feels like I’m reading it for the first time every time. I can’t really put into words just what it is exactly about the book that makes it such an amazing read for me because it is far from perfect, but every time I’m tempted to say ‘hey, that’s so cliché Cherry Cheva’ my brain kinda just shuts down. I mean...this is such a FUN book it’s just so easy to forget to nitpick. So easy to go with the flo and enjoy the story for what its worth. And so, so easy to fall in love with these characters and the book.
The last time I re-read this was in 2013 so I remembered the main plot but all the little details I’d forgotten. That turned out to be a good thing because starting from page 1 all the way to the end, I had this perpetual grin on my face due to every comedic dialogue exchanged between the main characters, the snappy, witty writing in general, and just the whole high school atmosphere that sent a wave of nostalgia through me. If you stripped away all the excessive drama and negativity that usually brands YA high school reads, you would get this book. I loved that there’s a balance between good and bad, encompassing nearly every kid’s high school experience in one while still maintaining a lighthearted, fun feeling through it all. And most of all, I loved the narrator of this story, one of the most adorkable literary heroines, Maya.
Maya is a Thai-American teenager currently in her last year of high school. She’s Stanford-bound, super smart, but has no social life as she can barely juggle school, extracurriculars, and waitressing at the family restaurant. When her parents decide to take a short trip and attend a wedding, they leave the restaurant management to Maya and her little brother. Little does she know that some laziness, two pissed old ladies, and a bad attitude lands her an inspection fee of $10k that she needs to pay off. Maya’s out of options and as a last resort turns to the guy she tutors – the hero Camden – for help.
Camden King is the rich, hot, and popular jock in school and practically flirts with every girl he comes into contact with. As confident as he is, he’s surprised when the school nerd comes to him agreeing that she’ll do his homework if he pays her. Boom. A new, shady business starts and before they both know it, their cheating ring expands beyond just their school and all hell breaks loose.
One of the best things about this book is that there’s nothing serious about it; it’s a romantic comedy through and through. Even when things got rough and the big ‘uh-oh’ moment arrived, the author would give me a scare for, like, a second and then smooth the rest out. And I especially love that there is no dramatizing anything here. It’s too often I read YA stories about this girl who was bullied or this guy who committed suicide and I’m not downplaying or mocking any of these scenarios, but it’s refreshing to read a story where the high school experience is just a typical high school experience, nothing more, nothing less. I think the simplicity of the story combined with the self-discovery aspect – especially for Maya’s character – is what makes this book so alluring. It’s not a book that strives to make a point and seek to educate readers on this and that; it’s pure entertainment.
I highly recommend this book to any reader just looking for a fun read and total escapism, and the best thing is that it’s a book anyone can read, whether it’s your teen kid or an adult. There’s nothing smutty, gory, or inappropriate about it :)
She’s So Money is a mature YA romantic comedy standalone. Fun fact: the author of this book is a writer for Family Guy!
September 3, 2015
4 stars!
***Just a small note, this review is geared toward my tween advisory project, so it will written a bit differently than my normal reviews. If you are a friend and would like to see the tween advisory blog, please pm me. Thanks!***
Maya is a top notch honor student at her high school and works diligently at maintaining her GPA in order to earn a scholarship to Stanford. Her schoolwork and job pretty much keep Maya on a very busy schedule. Maya also works with her younger brother after school in her parent's Thai restaurant. When her parents go out of town, they leave Maya in charge of the restaurant. After a complaint from some incredibly rude customers and a rookie mistake, Maya finds her parents restaurant slapped with a $10,000 fine!
“They say when you're about to die, your entire life flashes before your eyes. Well, now I know that when you're about to kill someone, the same thing happens. Except that instead of your entire life, it's just the moments you had spent with that person, and as every moment flashes by, it now contains a chainsaw.”
Worried about being sent off to Thailand forever if her parents find out, Maya concocts a scheme to earn the money to pay the fine. Maya will do another teens homework for money. Camden to be specific, the rich kid playboy who has been on her case to tutor him for a long time. As time goes by, the two spend more time together, and Maya ends up getting paid to do homework for other students in her class and she is beginning to become overwhelmed.
“I thought you people were supposed to be good at math."
"Yes, my people all do math for fun, while simultaneously dry-cleaning our karate outfits and giving each other manicures and pedicures, all in between our numerous piano and violin recitals,"
This was a fun, clean read for tweens on the older side of the 9-14 age range. I adored the love/hate relationship between Maya and Camden, their banter was one of the best parts of the book. It's a classic story of the unpopular smart girl with the popular playboy, but oddly it worked really well.
Camden was sort of a bad influence on Maya, but in his own way he was understanding and supportive when no one else around Maya was. He also had her back when things fell apart again, when nobody else did. There were parts of the story that seemed really unrealistic, like the homework scheme that the whole school went in on, but it added to the charm and humor of the story. Cherry Cheva has a very strong comedic voice that shines through in this book. The heroine of the story being Thai-American and not another caucasian main character was beyond refreshing in a white washed genre.
“Everything's gonna be fine, okay?"
"Maybe for you. Some of us are gonna be living out the rest of our lives in a rice paddy wearing a big hat."
"Wow, you get racist when you're panicky."
"Shut your pathetic, useless mouth."
"And bitchy.”
There were a few words used that were definitely meant for an older tween age, most sources suggested 7th grade and up (which is around twelve years) and I would amend that to thirteen or fourteen year old tweens, or ones that are more mature. There is drinking in this book, but it is not highlighted, glamorized or done in excess, it's simply a fact that teenagers do drink. This book also warns younger readers to stay true to yourself and to never ditch your friends. While some things may seem glamorous, it's those people who stick with you that are important to keep in your life. It's also about sticking to good morals and knowing that doing something bad in order to do something good, doesn't make it okay.
**Thanks for the rec Feifei!**
***Just a small note, this review is geared toward my tween advisory project, so it will written a bit differently than my normal reviews. If you are a friend and would like to see the tween advisory blog, please pm me. Thanks!***
Maya is a top notch honor student at her high school and works diligently at maintaining her GPA in order to earn a scholarship to Stanford. Her schoolwork and job pretty much keep Maya on a very busy schedule. Maya also works with her younger brother after school in her parent's Thai restaurant. When her parents go out of town, they leave Maya in charge of the restaurant. After a complaint from some incredibly rude customers and a rookie mistake, Maya finds her parents restaurant slapped with a $10,000 fine!
“They say when you're about to die, your entire life flashes before your eyes. Well, now I know that when you're about to kill someone, the same thing happens. Except that instead of your entire life, it's just the moments you had spent with that person, and as every moment flashes by, it now contains a chainsaw.”
Worried about being sent off to Thailand forever if her parents find out, Maya concocts a scheme to earn the money to pay the fine. Maya will do another teens homework for money. Camden to be specific, the rich kid playboy who has been on her case to tutor him for a long time. As time goes by, the two spend more time together, and Maya ends up getting paid to do homework for other students in her class and she is beginning to become overwhelmed.
“I thought you people were supposed to be good at math."
"Yes, my people all do math for fun, while simultaneously dry-cleaning our karate outfits and giving each other manicures and pedicures, all in between our numerous piano and violin recitals,"
This was a fun, clean read for tweens on the older side of the 9-14 age range. I adored the love/hate relationship between Maya and Camden, their banter was one of the best parts of the book. It's a classic story of the unpopular smart girl with the popular playboy, but oddly it worked really well.
Camden was sort of a bad influence on Maya, but in his own way he was understanding and supportive when no one else around Maya was. He also had her back when things fell apart again, when nobody else did. There were parts of the story that seemed really unrealistic, like the homework scheme that the whole school went in on, but it added to the charm and humor of the story. Cherry Cheva has a very strong comedic voice that shines through in this book. The heroine of the story being Thai-American and not another caucasian main character was beyond refreshing in a white washed genre.
“Everything's gonna be fine, okay?"
"Maybe for you. Some of us are gonna be living out the rest of our lives in a rice paddy wearing a big hat."
"Wow, you get racist when you're panicky."
"Shut your pathetic, useless mouth."
"And bitchy.”
There were a few words used that were definitely meant for an older tween age, most sources suggested 7th grade and up (which is around twelve years) and I would amend that to thirteen or fourteen year old tweens, or ones that are more mature. There is drinking in this book, but it is not highlighted, glamorized or done in excess, it's simply a fact that teenagers do drink. This book also warns younger readers to stay true to yourself and to never ditch your friends. While some things may seem glamorous, it's those people who stick with you that are important to keep in your life. It's also about sticking to good morals and knowing that doing something bad in order to do something good, doesn't make it okay.
**Thanks for the rec Feifei!**
April 21, 2015
3.5 Stars!!!
I was in a mood for something different and this was a bit different than what I normally read. And I liked it!
As an asian, I can identify with the Asian family dynamics like the super strict parents who doesn't trust you as far as they can throw you (not very much). How school and grades were the most important things.
Maya was smart and sometimes really funny. I liked her. It was a bit hard though to read about her spiral into doing all the wrong things she did. It was like watching a train wreck to me because never in my straights-laced high school years would I have ever had the nerve to pull off what she did. But honestly I thought the reckoning for all she did was going to be much worse. And of course my romance loving self liked that the boy in the end didn't turn out to be a royal ass. I liked the ending. It was an interesting read. (Thanks Feifei!)
I was in a mood for something different and this was a bit different than what I normally read. And I liked it!
As an asian, I can identify with the Asian family dynamics like the super strict parents who doesn't trust you as far as they can throw you (not very much). How school and grades were the most important things.
Maya was smart and sometimes really funny. I liked her. It was a bit hard though to read about her spiral into doing all the wrong things she did. It was like watching a train wreck to me because never in my straights-laced high school years would I have ever had the nerve to pull off what she did. But honestly I thought the reckoning for all she did was going to be much worse. And of course my romance loving self liked that the boy in the end didn't turn out to be a royal ass. I liked the ending. It was an interesting read. (Thanks Feifei!)
December 24, 2008
She’s so Money was such an amazing read! I loved the humor, the witty comebacks, and the creative outbursts—a prostitute, a rice-patty farmer, shipping you off to Thailand’s boarding school!
My friend had asked me to read this book for fun but at times I just had to stop to grab some sticky-notes to save that page or quotes because they made me laughed out loud so much. Here’s a small sample of some that I absolutely adore: “The girl is fourteen and has a rack as big as my head. Or, I guess, two of my heads. If you want to get technical.” And another one, “I smiled back with an expression that I hoped said, “I understand,” and not, “Your husband’s a douche,”…” There’s a lot more but you’ll have to buy your copy for that ;P
There was also this one part where Maya’s mother had told her a story about this family they knew in Ohio that I loved. It was something that my parents would do exactly if I were in her position!—exaggerate a small situation to persuade me not to do something, “…where she was free from the corruption of America.” XD another line that I loved!
I would’ve liked to see the romantic aspect of Maya’s and Camden’s relationship developed some more though. I guess in my mind there was a gap between from when it went from business partners to dating, a bit rushed.
Also, the punishment that Maya received from this ‘little’ adventure should’ve been a bit more severe in my mind. Made up this huge cheating gig? Well that will cost you one shiny little penny mister oh, and a 3 day suspension :D. Maybe it’s my opinion and whatnot, but I didn’t think she should’ve still been accepted into her college of her choice at least.
Overall: A really hilarious read that had me waking up at 7:30 AM just to finish when it wasn’t even a school day! “Cherry Cheva is hilarious! She’s So Money is a kick-booty read!”—Lauren Myracle. I cannot agree with this quote even more (…well I would’ve changed the booty into something less appropriate ;P )! I eagerly waiting for Cherry’s next YA book~ Pick your copy up if you want to understand everything I just said! XD
My friend had asked me to read this book for fun but at times I just had to stop to grab some sticky-notes to save that page or quotes because they made me laughed out loud so much. Here’s a small sample of some that I absolutely adore: “The girl is fourteen and has a rack as big as my head. Or, I guess, two of my heads. If you want to get technical.” And another one, “I smiled back with an expression that I hoped said, “I understand,” and not, “Your husband’s a douche,”…” There’s a lot more but you’ll have to buy your copy for that ;P
There was also this one part where Maya’s mother had told her a story about this family they knew in Ohio that I loved. It was something that my parents would do exactly if I were in her position!—exaggerate a small situation to persuade me not to do something, “…where she was free from the corruption of America.” XD another line that I loved!
I would’ve liked to see the romantic aspect of Maya’s and Camden’s relationship developed some more though. I guess in my mind there was a gap between from when it went from business partners to dating, a bit rushed.
Also, the punishment that Maya received from this ‘little’ adventure should’ve been a bit more severe in my mind. Made up this huge cheating gig? Well that will cost you one shiny little penny mister oh, and a 3 day suspension :D. Maybe it’s my opinion and whatnot, but I didn’t think she should’ve still been accepted into her college of her choice at least.
Overall: A really hilarious read that had me waking up at 7:30 AM just to finish when it wasn’t even a school day! “Cherry Cheva is hilarious! She’s So Money is a kick-booty read!”—Lauren Myracle. I cannot agree with this quote even more (…well I would’ve changed the booty into something less appropriate ;P )! I eagerly waiting for Cherry’s next YA book~ Pick your copy up if you want to understand everything I just said! XD
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2008
Maya has always been a good girl. I wish I had her drive! Not only does she work every night at her parent’s restaurant, and tutor students at her school, she also has an unbelievable GPA. All Maya wants to do is make it through the rest of her year with her GPA in tact and run away to Stanford in the fall. And everything seems to be heading in that direction, well everything was headed in that direction until she hit a huge detour!
When her parents leave town for a wedding, they leave Maya in charge of the restaurant. Everything goes as smoothly as possible except for a couple of crabby customers, but hey it happens. What Maya wasn’t expecting was a visit from the health department that ends in a $10,000 fine!
Fortunately for Maya her current tutor student happens to be none other than Camden King, the mega popular super hottie of her school. When he mentions to Maya that he’ll pay her a hundred dollars to do his homework, she dismisses him, but now that she needs ten grand and in a hurry, it is starting to sounds like a good idea.
This book was so fun, and too cute! I loved Camden and Maya, they cracked me up with their sarcastic and smart ass comebacks! I was laughing out-loud throughout the book. Cheva’s writing was totally refreshing. I loved her understanding of young teen voices. I absolutely recommend this book, it is a fun and quick read! You should definitely go pick up a copy! I'm looking forward to reading more by Cheva.
When her parents leave town for a wedding, they leave Maya in charge of the restaurant. Everything goes as smoothly as possible except for a couple of crabby customers, but hey it happens. What Maya wasn’t expecting was a visit from the health department that ends in a $10,000 fine!
Fortunately for Maya her current tutor student happens to be none other than Camden King, the mega popular super hottie of her school. When he mentions to Maya that he’ll pay her a hundred dollars to do his homework, she dismisses him, but now that she needs ten grand and in a hurry, it is starting to sounds like a good idea.
This book was so fun, and too cute! I loved Camden and Maya, they cracked me up with their sarcastic and smart ass comebacks! I was laughing out-loud throughout the book. Cheva’s writing was totally refreshing. I loved her understanding of young teen voices. I absolutely recommend this book, it is a fun and quick read! You should definitely go pick up a copy! I'm looking forward to reading more by Cheva.
August 3, 2009
This book is hilarious. I laughed so much when I was reading this.
Maya's problems start when her parents leave her and her brother in charge of their family-owned Thai restaurant for the weekend. When Maya is worn out and tired by Sunday, she decides to delay the clean up until the next day, after school. When she arrives, a health inspector is there with a $10,000 fine. In order to pay for that fine, she masterminds-along with Camden-a multi-thousand-dollar cheating ring and risks jeopardizing her scholarship to Stanford University.
The characters were hilarious. Maya was my favorite. She always had a comeback ready to shoot back whenever she was with Camden. I loved all the characters. I was able to see them through Maya's eyes and saw what she thought of them.
Cheva unequivocally accomplished a teenager's point of view consistently, throughout the book. Cheva was able to have a perfect POV to go along with a perfect scenario.
With compelling characters, lifelike dialogue, and a fascinating plot, She's So Money will definitely attract the attention of teenagers who like clever, fun comedies with a touch of witty, devious characters that will easily make you laugh your heart out. I know I did.
She's so Money has definitely earned its A+.
Maya's problems start when her parents leave her and her brother in charge of their family-owned Thai restaurant for the weekend. When Maya is worn out and tired by Sunday, she decides to delay the clean up until the next day, after school. When she arrives, a health inspector is there with a $10,000 fine. In order to pay for that fine, she masterminds-along with Camden-a multi-thousand-dollar cheating ring and risks jeopardizing her scholarship to Stanford University.
The characters were hilarious. Maya was my favorite. She always had a comeback ready to shoot back whenever she was with Camden. I loved all the characters. I was able to see them through Maya's eyes and saw what she thought of them.
Cheva unequivocally accomplished a teenager's point of view consistently, throughout the book. Cheva was able to have a perfect POV to go along with a perfect scenario.
With compelling characters, lifelike dialogue, and a fascinating plot, She's So Money will definitely attract the attention of teenagers who like clever, fun comedies with a touch of witty, devious characters that will easily make you laugh your heart out. I know I did.
She's so Money has definitely earned its A+.
March 1, 2012
This book really kept my interest because I didn't know how it would end and it was fast paced. I loved the humorous put downs that Maya had for the popular crowd. That was the best part. I also liked the fact that she worked hard at school and had great friends. Working in a family business could have developed into a more interesting story than it did especially since you had the feeling that her parents really cared about her. It was disappointing that the author didn't flesh out more of the characters in the book.
Why I can't give the book very many stars is because it has a terrible message for teens. The whole book is about acting unethically and not paying the consequences. I was very disappointed in the ending.
As a feminist I was disgusted by the fact that she fell for the pretty boy and the whole 'I want a boy friend and hang with the popular white crowd and spend money on expensive sexy clothes and go to wild drinking parties' even though it means totally throwing away the good friendships that she has and doing things that could put her into jail. It bugs me that the girl in the photo on the front cover doesn't even look Thai. In the end the most respectable person, Maya's best friend Sarah, caves in and sacrifices her own stand for what is right to bail out Maya. It was such a dumb ending!
The thing Maya is worried about is making her parents so mad that they send her off to Thailand. This is totally unrealistic since they obviously need her to help run the restaurant and are strict because they love her. I'm pretty sure that the Health Department usually gives a business a grace period to fix the infractions before levying a heavy fine. It doesn't make sense that her moral compass impels her to find the money to make up for her mistakes and yet she doesn't feel a great deal of guilt or shame for her the way she goes about getting that money. Anyone that is driven to work hard to get A's in everything and strive to go to a private college doesn't throw all her morals out the window in the blink of an eye. Also, there was an easy way out of having to pay more money to keep someone quiet but Maya doesn't even consider it.
It is ridiculous that the author used words like 'paranoid' and 'smirk' over and over. It isn't the sign of a good writer. I was surprised when I found out the author went to Yale. Cheva should know that expensive private colleges give out need based grants rather than academic scholarships. They also take into account the fact that your grades have slipped during your senior year. As someone with a law degree you would think she would at least give some credence to the idea that people should be punished for their crimes. We never find out what happens to the flunkies that benefited by the cheating scheme. This book is a total fantasy and not one I'd like my daughter to have. 'I'm sorry' and a few tears wouldn't cut it for me if my children participated in such an illegal operation. Even so, it is a fun read if you keep in mind that it is a fantasy and one that a straight arrow kind of kid would enjoy because they would never do any of the things that happen in this novel—it might give them a bit of vicarious pleasure in imaging what it would be like to do something naughty and get away with it.
Why I can't give the book very many stars is because it has a terrible message for teens. The whole book is about acting unethically and not paying the consequences. I was very disappointed in the ending.
As a feminist I was disgusted by the fact that she fell for the pretty boy and the whole 'I want a boy friend and hang with the popular white crowd and spend money on expensive sexy clothes and go to wild drinking parties' even though it means totally throwing away the good friendships that she has and doing things that could put her into jail. It bugs me that the girl in the photo on the front cover doesn't even look Thai. In the end the most respectable person, Maya's best friend Sarah, caves in and sacrifices her own stand for what is right to bail out Maya. It was such a dumb ending!
The thing Maya is worried about is making her parents so mad that they send her off to Thailand. This is totally unrealistic since they obviously need her to help run the restaurant and are strict because they love her. I'm pretty sure that the Health Department usually gives a business a grace period to fix the infractions before levying a heavy fine. It doesn't make sense that her moral compass impels her to find the money to make up for her mistakes and yet she doesn't feel a great deal of guilt or shame for her the way she goes about getting that money. Anyone that is driven to work hard to get A's in everything and strive to go to a private college doesn't throw all her morals out the window in the blink of an eye. Also, there was an easy way out of having to pay more money to keep someone quiet but Maya doesn't even consider it.
It is ridiculous that the author used words like 'paranoid' and 'smirk' over and over. It isn't the sign of a good writer. I was surprised when I found out the author went to Yale. Cheva should know that expensive private colleges give out need based grants rather than academic scholarships. They also take into account the fact that your grades have slipped during your senior year. As someone with a law degree you would think she would at least give some credence to the idea that people should be punished for their crimes. We never find out what happens to the flunkies that benefited by the cheating scheme. This book is a total fantasy and not one I'd like my daughter to have. 'I'm sorry' and a few tears wouldn't cut it for me if my children participated in such an illegal operation. Even so, it is a fun read if you keep in mind that it is a fantasy and one that a straight arrow kind of kid would enjoy because they would never do any of the things that happen in this novel—it might give them a bit of vicarious pleasure in imaging what it would be like to do something naughty and get away with it.
April 6, 2009
Maya gets straight A's in every classes. After school she tutors for money and help out at her family Thai Restaurant to earn more money not like small rich popular snob in her high school who sit back, relax and tease all the geeky and ugly people. Well, Maya is about to get a help from the king of the snobs. Camden!
With the brain of Maya and the looks of Camden they are gonna pull up a scheme that will help both Maya and Camden. Maya used to be Ms. Goody Two Shoe until Camden "the hottie" interrupted her geeky life. From the day her teacher assign Maya to tutor stupid hottie Camden. But the first day of tutor didnt turn out the way you think it seem. since that day on Maya's life had various of vistor coming in and out. Mostly, LOVE, SCHOOL WORK & the difference between the good and bad.
Maya's parents was out of town but Camden and his friends are ruining everything. But what actually destroy Maya's life was the Health Department Letter. Maya owes the Helath Department $50,000 she can't pay all of this within a month she needs help not just from anyone...Maya is gonna ask for help from the rich snobby Camden. Maya is gonna help Camden cheat for the MONEY! Do you think they will get caught?!
The story of a scheme leading into love between the geeky and popular is beyond awesome! Thanks to the faboulous author Cherry Cheva! Cherry Cheva isn't some random author but she actaully writes the script for a funny show we watch on television. GUESS! It's family guy! All those hiliarious episode on Stewart, Peter, Lois... was based on her script. What a coincidence!!
1 geeky girl + 1 hottie + the hilrious writing of the author + romance + 1 bad scheme= FATABULOUS!
With the brain of Maya and the looks of Camden they are gonna pull up a scheme that will help both Maya and Camden. Maya used to be Ms. Goody Two Shoe until Camden "the hottie" interrupted her geeky life. From the day her teacher assign Maya to tutor stupid hottie Camden. But the first day of tutor didnt turn out the way you think it seem. since that day on Maya's life had various of vistor coming in and out. Mostly, LOVE, SCHOOL WORK & the difference between the good and bad.
Maya's parents was out of town but Camden and his friends are ruining everything. But what actually destroy Maya's life was the Health Department Letter. Maya owes the Helath Department $50,000 she can't pay all of this within a month she needs help not just from anyone...Maya is gonna ask for help from the rich snobby Camden. Maya is gonna help Camden cheat for the MONEY! Do you think they will get caught?!
The story of a scheme leading into love between the geeky and popular is beyond awesome! Thanks to the faboulous author Cherry Cheva! Cherry Cheva isn't some random author but she actaully writes the script for a funny show we watch on television. GUESS! It's family guy! All those hiliarious episode on Stewart, Peter, Lois... was based on her script. What a coincidence!!
1 geeky girl + 1 hottie + the hilrious writing of the author + romance + 1 bad scheme= FATABULOUS!
August 6, 2019
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Full review/potential spoilers alert: http://bookgirl.co.vu/post/7273538658...
Rewind to my sophomore year of high school, aka the first year I began to write book reviews. One day I decided to ask for donations of books for my school, as I went to an alternative school and the head teacher there is an absolute angel. Through the years, it was obvious the bookshelf in one of our classrooms wasn’t growing, so I figured I’d surprise my teacher and classmates with some new books.
Cherry Cheva was one of the first authors to offer a book to donate and thus began my lovefest with She’s So Money. After a week or two of it sitting on the shelf in our classroom, unread simply because no one was doing reading assignments until the end of the semester, I picked it up and began reading it on my breaks between classes and lunch. First, I fell in love with the colourful cover. Shallow, yes? Well — who cares, really.
If something gets you reading, it gets you reading. And this was honestly one of the funniest and smart novels I'd read in a long time. It was a breeze and it quickly became my new favorite.
(I loved it so much, I soon bought my own copy and one for my best friend.)
Rewind to my sophomore year of high school, aka the first year I began to write book reviews. One day I decided to ask for donations of books for my school, as I went to an alternative school and the head teacher there is an absolute angel. Through the years, it was obvious the bookshelf in one of our classrooms wasn’t growing, so I figured I’d surprise my teacher and classmates with some new books.
Cherry Cheva was one of the first authors to offer a book to donate and thus began my lovefest with She’s So Money. After a week or two of it sitting on the shelf in our classroom, unread simply because no one was doing reading assignments until the end of the semester, I picked it up and began reading it on my breaks between classes and lunch. First, I fell in love with the colourful cover. Shallow, yes? Well — who cares, really.
If something gets you reading, it gets you reading. And this was honestly one of the funniest and smart novels I'd read in a long time. It was a breeze and it quickly became my new favorite.
(I loved it so much, I soon bought my own copy and one for my best friend.)
November 29, 2013
Every time I read this book, I'm honestly a little baffled as to why I love it so much. It's a contemporary, high school-set teen dramedy (not really my preferred genre - not nearly escapist enough) in which we learn that cheating and lying are bad, friendship and honesty are good, and the love of a nerdy good girl can redeem a popular bad boy; all of which are cliches that have been done to death in teen-oriented books and movies, and it's all written by, of all things, a writer on Family Guy, one of my absolute least favourite shows! And yet, every time I pick this book up, the entire time I spend reading it, I find myself completely delighted by it. I think it's largely due to author Cherry Cheva's amazing knack for writing snappy, witty dialogue that still sounds like something high schoolers would actually say, instead of so much of the dialogue in contemporary YA, which clearly sounds like middle-aged authors trying and failing to sound "hip."
Ultimately, it's not a perfect book, but it's so incredibly charming I don't even care.
Ultimately, it's not a perfect book, but it's so incredibly charming I don't even care.
January 4, 2015
I really liked it! It kept my attention for the whole 5 hours it took me to read it. I would also like to beat my friend over the head who made me read it. Awesome book though, so I guess at least she didn't steer me wrong. Did I mention I love Camden?
November 18, 2008
I liked it. Definately a girl book. Good but not great.
November 7, 2012
Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com
Maya Naravadee is just doing time. She goes to school, does her homework, tutors, and then spends her evenings working in her parents' Thai restaurant. It's not much of a life. She doesn't get out much and usually only sees her friends at school. She is graduating soon, and she has the GPA to get her into Stanford. It's her light at the end of the tunnel for getting away from Michigan. But everything changes for Maya the day the tutoring office assigns her to Camden King.
Camden is a lazy rich kid. Maya and her friends have never been privy to the hip circle of friends around Camden. So when Maya is assigned to Camden, she does all she can to get out of the arrangement. Being the only available Algebra II tutor available, Maya gives in. From the first session, Maya knows it's not going to work out. Camden spends the session texting various people and then cuts out on her. The next session goes just as poorly. Camden "kidnaps" her and takes her to his house and hot tub. Camden offers her money to do his homework for him. Frustrated, Maya severs all tutoring responsibilities for Camden.
On a weekend Maya's parents have left the restaurant in her hands, a Health Inspector shows up and fines the restaurant $10,000. Maya's parents can't afford to pay the tuition for Stanford, let alone the fine. She is determined to not have her parents find out about the fine. She has six weeks to make the money and pay the fine. So Maya finds herself crawling back to Camden, offering to do his homework for him after all.
The offer starts to snowball, and a business arrangement is quickly formed. Maya soon finds herself with more than just Camden's assignments. Functioning on little to no sleep, Maya expands the business with the help of some of her tutoring friends. All seems to be going well and she may just have the money in time to pay off the fine, when the unexpected happens. She is blackmailed.
Maya has to figure out something before her parents find out, she is expelled, and her hopes of attending Stanford are dashed to bits. She can't tell her friends the whole truth, afraid she'd lose them. And her parents would never understand. Maya only has Camden to help her resolve the problem. But what is Camden to her? She doesn't know if he's just using her, if he's a friend, a boyfriend, or what?
SHE'S SO MONEY is a great debut novel by Ms. Cheva. From the first page, I was pulled into Maya's life. I wanted her to be able to get out and experience life more than her reserved parents would allow her. This is an excellent "what if" story. If Maya had only cleaned the restaurant the night the two rude customers had been there, none of this would have happened. Then, she never would have had a reason to contact Camden again. When all is said and done, Maya has to give up things she hadn't planned to, but just maybe she's better for it in the end.
Maya Naravadee is just doing time. She goes to school, does her homework, tutors, and then spends her evenings working in her parents' Thai restaurant. It's not much of a life. She doesn't get out much and usually only sees her friends at school. She is graduating soon, and she has the GPA to get her into Stanford. It's her light at the end of the tunnel for getting away from Michigan. But everything changes for Maya the day the tutoring office assigns her to Camden King.
Camden is a lazy rich kid. Maya and her friends have never been privy to the hip circle of friends around Camden. So when Maya is assigned to Camden, she does all she can to get out of the arrangement. Being the only available Algebra II tutor available, Maya gives in. From the first session, Maya knows it's not going to work out. Camden spends the session texting various people and then cuts out on her. The next session goes just as poorly. Camden "kidnaps" her and takes her to his house and hot tub. Camden offers her money to do his homework for him. Frustrated, Maya severs all tutoring responsibilities for Camden.
On a weekend Maya's parents have left the restaurant in her hands, a Health Inspector shows up and fines the restaurant $10,000. Maya's parents can't afford to pay the tuition for Stanford, let alone the fine. She is determined to not have her parents find out about the fine. She has six weeks to make the money and pay the fine. So Maya finds herself crawling back to Camden, offering to do his homework for him after all.
The offer starts to snowball, and a business arrangement is quickly formed. Maya soon finds herself with more than just Camden's assignments. Functioning on little to no sleep, Maya expands the business with the help of some of her tutoring friends. All seems to be going well and she may just have the money in time to pay off the fine, when the unexpected happens. She is blackmailed.
Maya has to figure out something before her parents find out, she is expelled, and her hopes of attending Stanford are dashed to bits. She can't tell her friends the whole truth, afraid she'd lose them. And her parents would never understand. Maya only has Camden to help her resolve the problem. But what is Camden to her? She doesn't know if he's just using her, if he's a friend, a boyfriend, or what?
SHE'S SO MONEY is a great debut novel by Ms. Cheva. From the first page, I was pulled into Maya's life. I wanted her to be able to get out and experience life more than her reserved parents would allow her. This is an excellent "what if" story. If Maya had only cleaned the restaurant the night the two rude customers had been there, none of this would have happened. Then, she never would have had a reason to contact Camden again. When all is said and done, Maya has to give up things she hadn't planned to, but just maybe she's better for it in the end.
May 4, 2010
Could really be 3.5 stars. I'd probably give it more if it were more the kind of book I read, but I notice the stars are associated with various ratings of how much I liked each book, not how good a book I thought it was.
This was a really funny high-school romantic comedy. I liked that it largely followed nerds, including the protagonist. I thought her work at the restaurant was well-done - lots of humor and realistic, plot-relevant detail without getting bogged down. The writing was fun, too.
Lots of the characters were fun and likable, Maya's family in particular. I did have trouble with Maya - she just kept digging herself deeper into the hole. It surprised me that I ended up being more surprised and upset that she cheated her friends (skimming off the top of their essay-writing fees) than I was when she started cheating academically on a massive scale.
Maya's reasons are compelling - maybe the issue I had was how much she angsts. I understand the desire to show how stressed all this wrongdoing leaves her, and I think that's even realistic. It was just kind of exhausting to be in her head. Which is also, I suppose a compliment to the book - it's emotionally engaging.
I wasn't so big on the romance element. It works fine, in a formulaic teen-romantic-comedy way. I just thought Camden was a genuinely useless kinda-jerky guy, yet it was obvious Maya was going to go for him. Honestly, I liked the not-final-twist twist where it seemed he'd been cheating on her, because hello, he's a huge player. But naturally, it was all a setup, because Camden would never cheat on Maya because he's in lurve.
I was also bummed that Leonard - a nice, if slightly pathetic, guy - not only doesn't get a shot, but becomes a villain. Because actually being smart and hard-working and having stuff in common with Maya and liking her from the beginning makes him way too obvious to be a love interest.
Was surprised and, in a way, pleased, that Maya ends up not going to Stanford. It's really the only lasting consequence she sees to her actions in the book, but it's nice that everything doesn't wrap up happily given all that she was up to.
This was a really funny high-school romantic comedy. I liked that it largely followed nerds, including the protagonist. I thought her work at the restaurant was well-done - lots of humor and realistic, plot-relevant detail without getting bogged down. The writing was fun, too.
Lots of the characters were fun and likable, Maya's family in particular. I did have trouble with Maya - she just kept digging herself deeper into the hole. It surprised me that I ended up being more surprised and upset that she cheated her friends (skimming off the top of their essay-writing fees) than I was when she started cheating academically on a massive scale.
Maya's reasons are compelling - maybe the issue I had was how much she angsts. I understand the desire to show how stressed all this wrongdoing leaves her, and I think that's even realistic. It was just kind of exhausting to be in her head. Which is also, I suppose a compliment to the book - it's emotionally engaging.
I wasn't so big on the romance element. It works fine, in a formulaic teen-romantic-comedy way. I just thought Camden was a genuinely useless kinda-jerky guy, yet it was obvious Maya was going to go for him. Honestly, I liked the not-final-twist twist where it seemed he'd been cheating on her, because hello, he's a huge player. But naturally, it was all a setup, because Camden would never cheat on Maya because he's in lurve.
I was also bummed that Leonard - a nice, if slightly pathetic, guy - not only doesn't get a shot, but becomes a villain. Because actually being smart and hard-working and having stuff in common with Maya and liking her from the beginning makes him way too obvious to be a love interest.
Was surprised and, in a way, pleased, that Maya ends up not going to Stanford. It's really the only lasting consequence she sees to her actions in the book, but it's nice that everything doesn't wrap up happily given all that she was up to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2012
I liked every moment of this. It's a good choice of book to read if you want something fun and quick. I sat down with this book and pretty much read it in one sitting. The writing itself was wonderfully hilarious and entertaining. The whole cheating ring plot was nicely executed and ended up being way more complicated than I thought it would be. The extent of cheating when I was in high school was basically skimming Cliffnotes or swapping worksheets with friends to copy their answers.
I loved the main character Maya so freaking much! She was a realistic teenage girl, worrying about work at her family's restaurant and getting into her dream college. I liked that Maya wasn't perfect by any means. The girl made so many mistakes through the course of the book that she should have aggravated me, but I couldn't bring myself to dislike her. Maya wasn't a bad person. It just so happened that she was someone who found themself in trouble and desperate to find a way out of it. This book is a prime example of covering up your problems only to end up causing even more problems. The main character Maya had good intentions, but she just got sucked into something much worse than her original problem and there came a time in the book where she was way over her head. Personally, Maya was the type of girl I would want to be best friends. I liked her character so much that I found myself defending her reasonings when things turned sour with certain people even though deep down I knew she'd messed up. I really liked Maya's interactions with Camden and just Camden in general. He's the typical popular, manslut of the school and every word that came out of his mouth cracked. There was one scene where and I swear my heart dropped out of my ribcage. It was a legit WTF moment for me and I couldn't believe what had happened. I liked that there was a reason for it and what happened didn't just happen for after everything that had already happened.
I loved the main character Maya so freaking much! She was a realistic teenage girl, worrying about work at her family's restaurant and getting into her dream college. I liked that Maya wasn't perfect by any means. The girl made so many mistakes through the course of the book that she should have aggravated me, but I couldn't bring myself to dislike her. Maya wasn't a bad person. It just so happened that she was someone who found themself in trouble and desperate to find a way out of it. This book is a prime example of covering up your problems only to end up causing even more problems. The main character Maya had good intentions, but she just got sucked into something much worse than her original problem and there came a time in the book where she was way over her head. Personally, Maya was the type of girl I would want to be best friends. I liked her character so much that I found myself defending her reasonings when things turned sour with certain people even though deep down I knew she'd messed up. I really liked Maya's interactions with Camden and just Camden in general. He's the typical popular, manslut of the school and every word that came out of his mouth cracked. There was one scene where and I swear my heart dropped out of my ribcage. It was a legit WTF moment for me and I couldn't believe what had happened. I liked that there was a reason for it and what happened didn't just happen for after everything that had already happened.
April 30, 2008
She’s So Money is the story of a Thai teenage girl named Maya living in Michigan. She’s the nerdy smart girl who tutors for extra money. She’s the girl who waitresses at her parents’ Thai restaurant for tips which go into the college fund. She’s also the girl who’s never been kissed, wants to go to Stanford, pisses off one unhappy vegan customer, and now has to come up with $10,000 in fines to pay the Health Department.
That’s right; the one time Maya’s parents leave Maya is charge of the restaurant, nearly everything that can go wrong does. The angry vegan customer threatens to call the Health Department, and at first Maya doesn’t take her seriously. Unfortunately, she and her brother also decide to save cleaning up the restaurant for the next day. That leads to the large fine. Maya is too ashamed to tell her parents, her brother, or her friends. All that’s left to do is come up with the money to pay the debt. The only problem is how. Maya then makes the decision to do other people’s homework for money.
When I first saw this book, I have to admit that I was a little skeptical because the cover was a little over the top. But, I tried not to judge and started reading. I was very impressed. Cherry Cheva does a fantastic job of portraying the strict Asian parents of the geeky Asian girl (and I would know). Some of the characters were stereotyped, such as the nerdy Asian kid and the ditzy popular girls. There were a couple slightly unexpected twists, but the plot was overall straightforward. It seemed a little unrealistic that the popular guy Camden fell for Maya in the end, because things like those almost never happen in real life, but it was cute anyway.
I definitely recommend this novel to all people interested in accurate representations and stories of high school. The novel is very funny, and readers who liked The Squad series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes will especially appreciate the humor. I also think readers who liked How Not to be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler will also find She’s So Money a fun read.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
That’s right; the one time Maya’s parents leave Maya is charge of the restaurant, nearly everything that can go wrong does. The angry vegan customer threatens to call the Health Department, and at first Maya doesn’t take her seriously. Unfortunately, she and her brother also decide to save cleaning up the restaurant for the next day. That leads to the large fine. Maya is too ashamed to tell her parents, her brother, or her friends. All that’s left to do is come up with the money to pay the debt. The only problem is how. Maya then makes the decision to do other people’s homework for money.
When I first saw this book, I have to admit that I was a little skeptical because the cover was a little over the top. But, I tried not to judge and started reading. I was very impressed. Cherry Cheva does a fantastic job of portraying the strict Asian parents of the geeky Asian girl (and I would know). Some of the characters were stereotyped, such as the nerdy Asian kid and the ditzy popular girls. There were a couple slightly unexpected twists, but the plot was overall straightforward. It seemed a little unrealistic that the popular guy Camden fell for Maya in the end, because things like those almost never happen in real life, but it was cute anyway.
I definitely recommend this novel to all people interested in accurate representations and stories of high school. The novel is very funny, and readers who liked The Squad series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes will especially appreciate the humor. I also think readers who liked How Not to be Popular by Jennifer Ziegler will also find She’s So Money a fun read.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
May 4, 2010
Taken from my blog.
I truly enjoyed reading this book!
The book is about Maya who is an excellent student and never really gets in trouble. She never had reason to do something that wasn't right. That is, until her parents decide to put her in charge of their restaurant while her parents are out of time. During that time, many things happen that make Maya desperate to earn some money.
I could really relate Maya. Even though she was a student who got straight As, she didn't let herself be dominated by those who weren't exactly the best of students. I loved the comments that she made and the way she reacted to situations.
Camden was the guy that thinks that he owns the school and who everyone knows. He was the one who helped Maya get the money she needed and gave her the idea of how to earn it faster. I also liked the things that he said to Maya when she said things.
I loved the way that Cheva portrayed those students who got good grades. She didn't make them sound like some nerds who didn't have friends or that didn't really go out much. I can relate to all this since many people may consider me a nerd. Those who know me well know that I may get good grades but that I'm not exactly an angel.
I would recommend this book to anyone if they asked me. I think it's a great book to read if you want something light to read and to get a laugh!
I truly enjoyed reading this book!
The book is about Maya who is an excellent student and never really gets in trouble. She never had reason to do something that wasn't right. That is, until her parents decide to put her in charge of their restaurant while her parents are out of time. During that time, many things happen that make Maya desperate to earn some money.
I could really relate Maya. Even though she was a student who got straight As, she didn't let herself be dominated by those who weren't exactly the best of students. I loved the comments that she made and the way she reacted to situations.
Camden was the guy that thinks that he owns the school and who everyone knows. He was the one who helped Maya get the money she needed and gave her the idea of how to earn it faster. I also liked the things that he said to Maya when she said things.
I loved the way that Cheva portrayed those students who got good grades. She didn't make them sound like some nerds who didn't have friends or that didn't really go out much. I can relate to all this since many people may consider me a nerd. Those who know me well know that I may get good grades but that I'm not exactly an angel.
I would recommend this book to anyone if they asked me. I think it's a great book to read if you want something light to read and to get a laugh!
January 31, 2009
Maya start a cheating ring with Camden, the hottest guy in her school when her parents leave the restaurant in her charge, but she screwed up by deciding not to clear up for one night. The next day health inspector came to visit because somebody had called to report on their food and they are fine about a thousand dollars. Maya was afraid to tell her parents because she know their family is also suffer from financial problems, so she decide that she will figure out a way to pay off the money. Camden is the guy that she is suppose to tutor, but she refused when he asks for her just to simply to his homework and offering her with a hundred dollar per homework. Now with the dept she accepted the deal, but she didn't expect the whole cheating thing will turn out to be that huge where most of the rich kids in school are involved, including her friends who are also doing it for the sack of the money. Camden was slowly attracts to Maya because she is different from others who he used to date and they had a "thing" going on between them. These whole cheating thing had also won her popularity in the school where she gets to hand out with all the popular kids, but still it was risky that they were afraid they will get caught as the cheating ring gets larger.
June 22, 2015
Maya is a senior in high school. Her parents own a Thai restaurant and make her and her brother work at the restaurant for long shifts almost every day. They also tell her how important her grades are, and when she doesn't come home with good grades, they get really mad at her.
Which is why Maya can't tell them about the $10,000 fine that the restaurant got when they were out of town and Maya was in charge. This fine leads her to start a cheating ring with the very popular, very unattainable Camden King, who thinks that he can get any girl he wants. But Maya is an exception. Or is she?
Before I'm going to start my review, I'm going to just add something here: Do. Not. Try. This. At. Home. Cheating is bad. Very, very bad. [:
What can I say about this book? It was wonderful. I honestly didn't predict the ending, for once, which was cool. If an author can write a book where I can't predict the ending, then it's a good book. Camden and Maya's bickering was so funny, because Cherry Cheva always had them have these sarcastic comebacks. All in all, it was hilarious. I was reading it in school after a test one day, and it was making me laugh out loud (earning me a glare from the teacher :p). If you haven't read this book yet, I highly recommend it!
Which is why Maya can't tell them about the $10,000 fine that the restaurant got when they were out of town and Maya was in charge. This fine leads her to start a cheating ring with the very popular, very unattainable Camden King, who thinks that he can get any girl he wants. But Maya is an exception. Or is she?
Before I'm going to start my review, I'm going to just add something here: Do. Not. Try. This. At. Home. Cheating is bad. Very, very bad. [:
What can I say about this book? It was wonderful. I honestly didn't predict the ending, for once, which was cool. If an author can write a book where I can't predict the ending, then it's a good book. Camden and Maya's bickering was so funny, because Cherry Cheva always had them have these sarcastic comebacks. All in all, it was hilarious. I was reading it in school after a test one day, and it was making me laugh out loud (earning me a glare from the teacher :p). If you haven't read this book yet, I highly recommend it!
April 9, 2011
Maya is your typical high school nerd. She toes the line, does her homework, and helps out at her family's restaurant after school. Then the unthinkable happens. She makes a majorly bad judgement call and needs to come up with some major cash fast or her family could lose everything. She teams up with an unlikely partner, Camden, the cute (but stupid) popular boy of the school. Together they hatch a scheme that is supposed to help Maya solve her problem...but things never turn out the way you expect them to.
Maya is a great main character. She has her flaws but does her best to hide or make up for them. She grows up a lot in the story and is forced to realize that she can't solve everything herself. Camden is an alright main guy for the story. He is a very sterotypcial popular guy. He's rich, gets everything he wants, and like to throw money at problems.
I think the book needed one of two things. A few less pages - there were times it seemed as if I was reading the same chapter over again - or more twists and turns. More twists and turns would have given the author a chance to develop some of the secondary characters a bit more. Because I didn't feel as if I knew any of them very well the ending seemed to come out of nowhere. Overall, well worth the read though.
4/5
Maya is a great main character. She has her flaws but does her best to hide or make up for them. She grows up a lot in the story and is forced to realize that she can't solve everything herself. Camden is an alright main guy for the story. He is a very sterotypcial popular guy. He's rich, gets everything he wants, and like to throw money at problems.
I think the book needed one of two things. A few less pages - there were times it seemed as if I was reading the same chapter over again - or more twists and turns. More twists and turns would have given the author a chance to develop some of the secondary characters a bit more. Because I didn't feel as if I knew any of them very well the ending seemed to come out of nowhere. Overall, well worth the read though.
4/5
January 30, 2009
* Maya is a typical, although not stereotypical, Asian-American teen: she works at her parents' Thai restaurant, tries to maintain an A average and tutors on the side, hoping to get into Stanford. When she needs $10,000 quick she devises a scheme to do homework for the slacker rich kids and gets help from her straight-A friends. Cheva is a writer for the animated TV series "Family Guy," and her first novel contains a lot of snappy one-liners and funny scenes. There is some swearing but no sex scenes so even middle schoolers can appreciate this somewhat implausible but entertaining story, and the strong Asian American main characters are a big plus for our Bay Area readers. One small glitch is that Maya needs the money to pay a Health Dept. fine given to the restaurant-usually the Health Dept. give you a memo outlining what you need to fix, and only if it is not fixed would you have to pay the fine. But most teens won't mind this lapse of logic, unless they happen to work in a restaurant.
April 25, 2014
I have a feeling the author had so much fun writing this book.. She started with a stupid plot and just got crazy later on as their scheme got bigger and bigger.. Then she probably got guilty for condoning cheating so she had sarah became the good girl reminding us thst cheating is bad. Lol.
The plot about the health inspector was so ridiculous and stupid of her to think she can just hide this problem from her parents.. Had she fessed up earlier she wouldn't even be in this dilemma. I also don't get why her friends thought they got scammed.. I thought it was right for her to get more money but i guess the better way was for her to tell them shes getting more. And i love how much of a good friend sarah is. And im surprised to say that i also liked dani.
At first i wasnt sure about camden he was such an ass and acted like a dumb jock but then he was funny and helped her out. I still find it a little unbelievable that he fell in love with her.. And im curious to know when did he start to fall for her. But still cute ending!
The plot about the health inspector was so ridiculous and stupid of her to think she can just hide this problem from her parents.. Had she fessed up earlier she wouldn't even be in this dilemma. I also don't get why her friends thought they got scammed.. I thought it was right for her to get more money but i guess the better way was for her to tell them shes getting more. And i love how much of a good friend sarah is. And im surprised to say that i also liked dani.
At first i wasnt sure about camden he was such an ass and acted like a dumb jock but then he was funny and helped her out. I still find it a little unbelievable that he fell in love with her.. And im curious to know when did he start to fall for her. But still cute ending!
January 9, 2009
A very funny book, although the reason why I gave it less stars was for this very reason. Don't get me wrong I like funny books, it's just that the humor was very crude at times. Not that I shoudn't have expected it. I mean the author is a writer on the show South Park, so yeah. I really liked that even though the main character was a "nerd" she wasn't some mousey shy girl with low self-esteem. The story line was good, although sometimes it was a little predictable but that doesn't usually bother me. If you don't mind some crude humor than this is a hilarious though, somewhat predictable book.
August 28, 2014
This book being set in Michigan, and reading it with my sexy American boyfriend is what gives it three stars. I mean, c'mon, Cherry, what you trying to pull here?
August 14, 2017
What i thought about the book?
-I thought it was a perfect summer read. It was interesting, quirky, funny, just what you need for the summer. The plot, the characters, the world building, the writing, i really liked this book. I recommend it for those who are looking for a good summer read with a nice cold cup of coffee on the beach.
PLOT:
Question: What do you get when you take . . .
1 overachieving girl + 1 insanely cute guy + 1 massive fine + 1 scheme involving a little dishonesty and a whole lot of cash?
I've always been the good girl—working seriously long hours at my family's restaurant and getting straight As. And Camden King was always just that hot, popular guy I'd pass in the halls, whose ego was probably much bigger than his brain. I didn't think there'd ever be a reason for us to actually, like, interact.
Then again, I never thought I'd mess up so badly that my family might lose our entire restaurant if I didn't come up with a ton of money, and fast. So that's where Camden comes in—he and his evil/genius plan to do kids' homework for cash. I know cheating's wrong, but it's better than being dead, right? Which is what I'd be if my parents knew about what happened. I never expected things to spin so far out of control. Or that I'd be such a sucker for Camden's lopsided grin. Or that falling apart could be the best thing that ever happened to me.
Answer: The time of my life.
CHARACTERS:
MAYA: Maya is the good girl. The girl who has a sarcastic sense of humor and is incredibly witty. The girl who is hardworking at school. The girl who is incredibly smart. The girl who would kill to go to Stanford. The girl who will do everybody's homework so she could gain cash to pay the one mistake that will haunt her for a month.
I loved Maya's character, the girl had the guts and the brains, she would be the girl you definately would be friends at high school.
The relationship she had with her family was like any out there, crazy but loving. Her family drove her nuts with the buissnes at the restaurant, that girl worked at the restaurant all day and in the end when she finally gets home at 11 pm, she does everyone's homework including hers. I don't know how she survived, but in the end i think it all went well. The relationship she had with her friends was the best, they were all so helpful and in the end so supportive, even if she lied to them for the bigger part of the book, and what they did for her in the end was really touching. Now the relationship she had with Camden was complicated, the guy had a bad influence on her, but in the end, he was the only one who was there for her when nobody was, and that's a big plus. Their banters were hilarious, there was once one part of the book i really wanted to choke him but in the end he had a good reason for that too, so i would say in the end all went well.
CAMDEN: Camden is the bad boy. The most popular guy in school, the star jock, the womanizer. He was cocky, arrogant, he had everyday a different girl on his lap, but on the inside he was caring and protective and i think we all loved the caring side more than the cold hearted womanizer mask he had on the outside. Camden was filthy rich, his parents were always away on buissnes trips,so we didn't see much of them, but i guess their relationship was strained because Camden said something about them in the book. The relationship he had with his friends, was well, his friends at the start were big douches, so to keep his bad boy facade, i think he forced himself to be what he was now, but you will see later with his friends, i think they will not look so complicated later. The relationship he had with Maya as i said earlier, he was a bad influence on her but in the end he was the one who was there for her when nobody was. Even if he proposed that stupid idea with the money, the guy in the end was not bad, he really loved her.
OTHERS: I have to say Maya's parents were so cool and funny even if they were strict, Nate was laid-back and a cool brother, Maya's friends were also great i don't have complaint about any character except one, but you will see.
QUOTES:
"I practically sprinted to the parking lot to meet Camden. This time I made sure to stay far enough away from his car door that he couldn't lure me in and drive off someplace random; I was hovering about ten feet away from the Escalade's fender as he walked up.
"What are you doing," he asked, "standing far enough away so I can't lure you into the car and drive off someplace random?"
Observant bastard."
"Everything's gonna be fine, okay?" He reached toward me and gently started to move a lock of my hair behind my ear.
"Maybe for you," I said, smacking his hand away. "Some of us are gonna be living out the rest of our lives in a rice paddy wearing a big hat."
"Wow, you get racist when you're panicky."
"Shut your pathetic, useless mouth."
"And bitchy."
"Being an ass trumps being a piece of ass"
"Besides Camden and Derek, there were two lacrosse guys, Brad Slater and Dave Markley, which meant that the combined I.Q. of the table was probably . . . four."
"Huh. Have you ever even kissed anybody?"
"Uh..." I looked away from him, at the lockers, at the STUDENT CAR WAS! posters in the hallways, at someone's backpack as it passed through the line of vision, at anything, Camden studied me for a moment. Then he took a step forward, bent his head, and gently kissed me.
"Now you have," he said."
NOTE:
READ IT!!
-I thought it was a perfect summer read. It was interesting, quirky, funny, just what you need for the summer. The plot, the characters, the world building, the writing, i really liked this book. I recommend it for those who are looking for a good summer read with a nice cold cup of coffee on the beach.
PLOT:
Question: What do you get when you take . . .
1 overachieving girl + 1 insanely cute guy + 1 massive fine + 1 scheme involving a little dishonesty and a whole lot of cash?
I've always been the good girl—working seriously long hours at my family's restaurant and getting straight As. And Camden King was always just that hot, popular guy I'd pass in the halls, whose ego was probably much bigger than his brain. I didn't think there'd ever be a reason for us to actually, like, interact.
Then again, I never thought I'd mess up so badly that my family might lose our entire restaurant if I didn't come up with a ton of money, and fast. So that's where Camden comes in—he and his evil/genius plan to do kids' homework for cash. I know cheating's wrong, but it's better than being dead, right? Which is what I'd be if my parents knew about what happened. I never expected things to spin so far out of control. Or that I'd be such a sucker for Camden's lopsided grin. Or that falling apart could be the best thing that ever happened to me.
Answer: The time of my life.
CHARACTERS:
MAYA: Maya is the good girl. The girl who has a sarcastic sense of humor and is incredibly witty. The girl who is hardworking at school. The girl who is incredibly smart. The girl who would kill to go to Stanford. The girl who will do everybody's homework so she could gain cash to pay the one mistake that will haunt her for a month.
I loved Maya's character, the girl had the guts and the brains, she would be the girl you definately would be friends at high school.
The relationship she had with her family was like any out there, crazy but loving. Her family drove her nuts with the buissnes at the restaurant, that girl worked at the restaurant all day and in the end when she finally gets home at 11 pm, she does everyone's homework including hers. I don't know how she survived, but in the end i think it all went well. The relationship she had with her friends was the best, they were all so helpful and in the end so supportive, even if she lied to them for the bigger part of the book, and what they did for her in the end was really touching. Now the relationship she had with Camden was complicated, the guy had a bad influence on her, but in the end, he was the only one who was there for her when nobody was, and that's a big plus. Their banters were hilarious, there was once one part of the book i really wanted to choke him but in the end he had a good reason for that too, so i would say in the end all went well.
CAMDEN: Camden is the bad boy. The most popular guy in school, the star jock, the womanizer. He was cocky, arrogant, he had everyday a different girl on his lap, but on the inside he was caring and protective and i think we all loved the caring side more than the cold hearted womanizer mask he had on the outside. Camden was filthy rich, his parents were always away on buissnes trips,so we didn't see much of them, but i guess their relationship was strained because Camden said something about them in the book. The relationship he had with his friends, was well, his friends at the start were big douches, so to keep his bad boy facade, i think he forced himself to be what he was now, but you will see later with his friends, i think they will not look so complicated later. The relationship he had with Maya as i said earlier, he was a bad influence on her but in the end he was the one who was there for her when nobody was. Even if he proposed that stupid idea with the money, the guy in the end was not bad, he really loved her.
OTHERS: I have to say Maya's parents were so cool and funny even if they were strict, Nate was laid-back and a cool brother, Maya's friends were also great i don't have complaint about any character except one, but you will see.
QUOTES:
"I practically sprinted to the parking lot to meet Camden. This time I made sure to stay far enough away from his car door that he couldn't lure me in and drive off someplace random; I was hovering about ten feet away from the Escalade's fender as he walked up.
"What are you doing," he asked, "standing far enough away so I can't lure you into the car and drive off someplace random?"
Observant bastard."
"Everything's gonna be fine, okay?" He reached toward me and gently started to move a lock of my hair behind my ear.
"Maybe for you," I said, smacking his hand away. "Some of us are gonna be living out the rest of our lives in a rice paddy wearing a big hat."
"Wow, you get racist when you're panicky."
"Shut your pathetic, useless mouth."
"And bitchy."
"Being an ass trumps being a piece of ass"
"Besides Camden and Derek, there were two lacrosse guys, Brad Slater and Dave Markley, which meant that the combined I.Q. of the table was probably . . . four."
"Huh. Have you ever even kissed anybody?"
"Uh..." I looked away from him, at the lockers, at the STUDENT CAR WAS! posters in the hallways, at someone's backpack as it passed through the line of vision, at anything, Camden studied me for a moment. Then he took a step forward, bent his head, and gently kissed me.
"Now you have," he said."
NOTE:
READ IT!!
December 22, 2009
Julia Ardilliez
206
*Spoiler*
1) What did you think the book was about?
I thought the book was about a girl named Maya Pailin who’s living in a perfect world. Maya meets a boy named Camden who is used to getting things the easy way in life. Maya is fined and is desperate to pay it back so she asks Camden for help with his genius cheating ring plan. Maya and Camden meet many difficulties along the way and all of them jeopardize their whole plan.
2) Did you feel that the book fulfilled your expectations? Were you disappointed?
The book exceeded my expectations. The books plot was much different from the books I usually read and being out of my comfort zone I figured I wouldn’t like it. I was surprised to find myself unable to stop reading it once I started. When I was reading the book, I didn’t always know what was going to happen next. It definitely was not a disappointment.
3) Did you enjoy the book? Why or why not?
I really enjoyed the book. Camden is much more considerate of others when he has to be. When the cheating ring is discovered by Leonard, Maya is blackmailed into paying him off to keep him quiet, Camden jumps to her rescue offering to pay Leo off. The plot in general is very nerve-racking never knowing what is going to jeopardize the cheating ring. It was different and that made it all the better.
4) What about the plot? Did it pull you in: or did you feel you had to force yourself to read it?
The plot was unique and not the typical book I read. The plot pulled me in so much I couldn’t put down the book. Maya’s life takes a strange turn for the good when she asks for Camden’s help. The bumpy road her and Camden take had me on the edge of my seat. The plot was amazing, funny and unique.
5) Were the characters realistic? Would you want to meet any of characters? Did you like them or hate them?
Maya was a slightly realistic character. Maya was just a little too goody two shoes to be true. She was realistic except for her goody two shoes attitude. Camden was strangely realistic and his friends and their behaviour were immature and not too unexpected. I like Sarah the most because she seemed to have a good sense of right from wrong and she was a very good friend. Sarah was protective but it was with reason. I would like to meet Camden the most because he was really different from everyone else in the book and he was very obnoxious which I found funny.
6) If one (or more) of the characters made a choice that had moral implications, would you have made the same decision? Why or why not?
When Maya had to make the choice of either telling her parents about the fine or scheming her way out of telling the truth and she chose to scheme her way out. I disagreed with her choice. I would have told my parents because cheating isn’t right whatsoever and guilt would eventually get to me so it would be better to tell the truth and suffer the consequences and be in a lot of trouble from lying and cheating.
7) What are some of the books themes? How important were they?
Some of the books themes were honesty and cheating. Honesty was a very important theme because Maya chose not to be honest with her friends and her family. She chose to cheat instead of being honest with them. She lied to them because she was scared of what would happen only to find out she got in more trouble for cheating.
8) Did the book end the way you expected?
The book ended the way I expected because I knew Mayas conscience was going to catch up to her eventually. I also expected her to get back at Leo some way or another. What I didn’t expect was for Camden to create such an elaborate plan to get him expelled and save Maya.
9) Would you recommend this book to other readers? To your close friends?
“Besides Camden and Derek there were two guys, Brad and Dave, which meant that the combined I.Q of the table was probably… four” this is just an example of some of the sarcastic humour in the book. This humour makes the book all the more interesting which is why I would recommend it. Maya is paranoid about everything and over reacts in many situations that makes it easy to understand as a teenager yet shocks the reader to realize that as a teenager we actually can react like this. The plot was not always predictable, the twists and turns throughout the book surprised me wanting me to read on. The humour, the teenage drama and the plot are reasons why this is a good book that other teens will enjoy reading.
10) If you were casting these characters in a movie-what actors/actresses would play them?
I would have Vanessa Anne Hudgens play Maya. I would have her play Maya because Vanessa has the nerdy but pretty look when they describe Maya. I would cast Chad Michael Murray as Camden because Camden is described as condescending and jock like which fits the appearance of Chad.
11) What was your favourite part/scene of the book?
“‘Guys can I have my clothes back?’ Leo pleaded ‘I don’t know. Can we have our five grand back?’ Camden asked” this is my favourite part of the book because Leo finally gets what he deserves for trying to blackmail Maya. I didn’t like when he blackmailed her and Camden getting back at him for Maya made me feel much better about what Leo did because he got what he deserved in the end.
12) What was your least favourite part/scene of the book?
“Are you blackmailing me?” is what Maya says when Leo threatens to expose the cheating ring. This is my least favourite part because Leo was a good boy who was nice to Maya and it really shocked me that he did something like that. It made me feel really bad for Maya and really disappointed in Leo.
13) Did you learn anything from the book that you didn’t already know?
I learned that it’s better to tell the truth, even if it hurts, then to lie. I learned this from Maya, who got in more trouble from lying to her parents and school then telling them the truth. Instead of just getting grounded for being fined and irresponsible, she lied and got suspended, got her Stanford scholarship revoked and got grounded for even longer.
14) On a scale from one to five what would you give this book? What could have made it better?
“Dude should I know? I’m wasted.” Is an example of the humour that made me give this book a four out of five. It was the humour and Camden’s attitude that made me laugh throughout book. Though this book was really good it was worth a four because some of the characters were a little too superficial or goody two shoes.
15) Were there any personality in the characters that you could identify with?
I could identify with Maya’s trait to be paranoid. I have a tendency to freak out about little things like missing the bus or forgetting my homework while Maya has the tendency to freak out about getting caught in the cheating ring. I can also identify with Camden’s obnoxious attitude because I can be really loud and I sometimes think very highly of myself, much like Camden who thinks very highly of himself all the time and is a little louder than everyone else.
206
*Spoiler*
1) What did you think the book was about?
I thought the book was about a girl named Maya Pailin who’s living in a perfect world. Maya meets a boy named Camden who is used to getting things the easy way in life. Maya is fined and is desperate to pay it back so she asks Camden for help with his genius cheating ring plan. Maya and Camden meet many difficulties along the way and all of them jeopardize their whole plan.
2) Did you feel that the book fulfilled your expectations? Were you disappointed?
The book exceeded my expectations. The books plot was much different from the books I usually read and being out of my comfort zone I figured I wouldn’t like it. I was surprised to find myself unable to stop reading it once I started. When I was reading the book, I didn’t always know what was going to happen next. It definitely was not a disappointment.
3) Did you enjoy the book? Why or why not?
I really enjoyed the book. Camden is much more considerate of others when he has to be. When the cheating ring is discovered by Leonard, Maya is blackmailed into paying him off to keep him quiet, Camden jumps to her rescue offering to pay Leo off. The plot in general is very nerve-racking never knowing what is going to jeopardize the cheating ring. It was different and that made it all the better.
4) What about the plot? Did it pull you in: or did you feel you had to force yourself to read it?
The plot was unique and not the typical book I read. The plot pulled me in so much I couldn’t put down the book. Maya’s life takes a strange turn for the good when she asks for Camden’s help. The bumpy road her and Camden take had me on the edge of my seat. The plot was amazing, funny and unique.
5) Were the characters realistic? Would you want to meet any of characters? Did you like them or hate them?
Maya was a slightly realistic character. Maya was just a little too goody two shoes to be true. She was realistic except for her goody two shoes attitude. Camden was strangely realistic and his friends and their behaviour were immature and not too unexpected. I like Sarah the most because she seemed to have a good sense of right from wrong and she was a very good friend. Sarah was protective but it was with reason. I would like to meet Camden the most because he was really different from everyone else in the book and he was very obnoxious which I found funny.
6) If one (or more) of the characters made a choice that had moral implications, would you have made the same decision? Why or why not?
When Maya had to make the choice of either telling her parents about the fine or scheming her way out of telling the truth and she chose to scheme her way out. I disagreed with her choice. I would have told my parents because cheating isn’t right whatsoever and guilt would eventually get to me so it would be better to tell the truth and suffer the consequences and be in a lot of trouble from lying and cheating.
7) What are some of the books themes? How important were they?
Some of the books themes were honesty and cheating. Honesty was a very important theme because Maya chose not to be honest with her friends and her family. She chose to cheat instead of being honest with them. She lied to them because she was scared of what would happen only to find out she got in more trouble for cheating.
8) Did the book end the way you expected?
The book ended the way I expected because I knew Mayas conscience was going to catch up to her eventually. I also expected her to get back at Leo some way or another. What I didn’t expect was for Camden to create such an elaborate plan to get him expelled and save Maya.
9) Would you recommend this book to other readers? To your close friends?
“Besides Camden and Derek there were two guys, Brad and Dave, which meant that the combined I.Q of the table was probably… four” this is just an example of some of the sarcastic humour in the book. This humour makes the book all the more interesting which is why I would recommend it. Maya is paranoid about everything and over reacts in many situations that makes it easy to understand as a teenager yet shocks the reader to realize that as a teenager we actually can react like this. The plot was not always predictable, the twists and turns throughout the book surprised me wanting me to read on. The humour, the teenage drama and the plot are reasons why this is a good book that other teens will enjoy reading.
10) If you were casting these characters in a movie-what actors/actresses would play them?
I would have Vanessa Anne Hudgens play Maya. I would have her play Maya because Vanessa has the nerdy but pretty look when they describe Maya. I would cast Chad Michael Murray as Camden because Camden is described as condescending and jock like which fits the appearance of Chad.
11) What was your favourite part/scene of the book?
“‘Guys can I have my clothes back?’ Leo pleaded ‘I don’t know. Can we have our five grand back?’ Camden asked” this is my favourite part of the book because Leo finally gets what he deserves for trying to blackmail Maya. I didn’t like when he blackmailed her and Camden getting back at him for Maya made me feel much better about what Leo did because he got what he deserved in the end.
12) What was your least favourite part/scene of the book?
“Are you blackmailing me?” is what Maya says when Leo threatens to expose the cheating ring. This is my least favourite part because Leo was a good boy who was nice to Maya and it really shocked me that he did something like that. It made me feel really bad for Maya and really disappointed in Leo.
13) Did you learn anything from the book that you didn’t already know?
I learned that it’s better to tell the truth, even if it hurts, then to lie. I learned this from Maya, who got in more trouble from lying to her parents and school then telling them the truth. Instead of just getting grounded for being fined and irresponsible, she lied and got suspended, got her Stanford scholarship revoked and got grounded for even longer.
14) On a scale from one to five what would you give this book? What could have made it better?
“Dude should I know? I’m wasted.” Is an example of the humour that made me give this book a four out of five. It was the humour and Camden’s attitude that made me laugh throughout book. Though this book was really good it was worth a four because some of the characters were a little too superficial or goody two shoes.
15) Were there any personality in the characters that you could identify with?
I could identify with Maya’s trait to be paranoid. I have a tendency to freak out about little things like missing the bus or forgetting my homework while Maya has the tendency to freak out about getting caught in the cheating ring. I can also identify with Camden’s obnoxious attitude because I can be really loud and I sometimes think very highly of myself, much like Camden who thinks very highly of himself all the time and is a little louder than everyone else.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2018
I’d probably give this book a 3.5 but 1/2 stars aren’t available! I read this because I wanted to read a book with a Thai-American protagonist. I really enjoyed the plot, twists, and particularly the chemistry of the two leads. I could see this being a really successful Netflix adaptation too.
The reason I don’t give it a 4 or higher is the book, which was published a few years ago, feels markedly dated with some of its references and also dialogue. Some of the stuff Camden says would not fly in 2018 and I think many women would find it unattractive / a turn off. I had to consciously look past his problematic behavior to get into the story. In this respect, the book is definitely a product of its time.
The reason I don’t give it a 4 or higher is the book, which was published a few years ago, feels markedly dated with some of its references and also dialogue. Some of the stuff Camden says would not fly in 2018 and I think many women would find it unattractive / a turn off. I had to consciously look past his problematic behavior to get into the story. In this respect, the book is definitely a product of its time.
June 3, 2017
she's so money is an awesome book. well written. I found it to be really nice n cute. was hoping for there to be a part 2 though. It kind of leaves us in a suspense at the end. I want to know more about what happens to Maya n Camden. what happens when she got the scholarship to oxford. how will her life continue to be? please just a suggestion n request. there has to be a part 2 of this. overall nice book.
January 22, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. It really brought out a lot of reality of mine and a lot of others lives.What I liked most about this the main character reminded of myself in some way. I did not like how the ending very much from the build up of excitement in about the middle of the book to where it ends with not much excitement. I did very much enjoy the morality of the novel that could be a good lesson to others.
August 24, 2020
I bought this book SO long ago. I picked it up after like... maybe two and a half years of it sitting on my shelf? When I opened it I automatically related to the main character, who works in a hectic restaurant.
I found the book super cute and easy to read. I didn't hate the characters, and it wasn't so fluffy that it was cheesy, although I found a few things a bit far fetched, like how they charged 100-300 dollars PER homework assignment, like high school kids have that type of money to fling around, even if their parents are loaded.
But I enjoyed the perspective of the MC and the minor plot twist at the end (if you can call it that ig idk).
And even though the cover is totally outdated, the spine is perfectly fine.
I found the book super cute and easy to read. I didn't hate the characters, and it wasn't so fluffy that it was cheesy, although I found a few things a bit far fetched, like how they charged 100-300 dollars PER homework assignment, like high school kids have that type of money to fling around, even if their parents are loaded.
But I enjoyed the perspective of the MC and the minor plot twist at the end (if you can call it that ig idk).
And even though the cover is totally outdated, the spine is perfectly fine.
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