No More "Little Miss Perfect"

Fifteen #1

by Laura O'Neill

Courtney,

Brooke may be a liar but this time she was telling the truth. She let me know what you really think of me--and proved it too! Well, guess what. Even though you see me as "Little Miss Perfect," you're wrong. I'm not sure what you think I am--not anymore. The new me may surprise you. Maybe I'll see you around--MAYBE I WON'T!

-Ashley

Based on the hit show "Fifteen", Nickelodeon's continuing high school saga.

Genres: Young Adult

105 pages, Paperback

First published June 3, 1992

Reviews

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came into this having watched the Fifteen Nickelodeon show, and honestly? This book feels like the unhinged extended cut the show never gave us.

Ashley’s “bad girl” turn goes way further here, and it’s kind of amazing to watch. Brooke is somehow even worse than her TV counterpart, which I did not think was possible, and fully commits to being a chaos agent. The diary-fueled drama, the misunderstandings, and the emotional overreactions are all so over the top, and yet completely entertaining.

Courtney is interesting because if you only read the book, she comes across as pretty likable. But if you have seen the show, you cannot help but hear her voice while reading and suddenly she is a little more, let’s just say, intense. Still, I genuinely felt bad for her as everything spirals out of control, mostly due to people refusing to have a normal conversation.

I am definitely not the target audience here, but I can see how this would hit hard for teen readers. Underneath the drama, it is tackling friendship, identity, insecurity, and how quickly things can fall apart when assumptions take over.

Is it dramatic? Yes. Is it ridiculous at times? Also yes. Did I enjoy it more than I expected? Absolutely.

For what it is, this is peak 90s teen fiction, messy, exaggerated, and kind of perfect.

Shoutout to the BOC Bookclub for resurfacing this absolute 90s time capsule.

[Jason McFiggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best part about this goofy little book is how well it captures the melodrama silliness of the actual show. The voices of Ashley, Brooke, and Courtney translate so well from the screen to the page that reading this is like watching a feature length version of Fifteen. Like the show it's very simplistic, but if you're at all familiar with the characters of this early '90s series then that earnest simplicity is part of the show's surprisingly addictive charm. A breeze to read and a nice stroll down memory lane. Hillside forever! (Read as part of the BOC bookclub).

[Jonny Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a fan of Fifteen, this is a worthy story that continues in the tradition of Nickelodeon's continuing high school saga. The story is told from the point of view of Courtney, Ashley, and Brooke (each chapter has a different narrator) so that you get different viewpoints of the ongoing story, which involves a diary, Ashley's titular transformation, and Brooke's never-ending scheming. The story seems to take place somewhere between Season 1 and 2, possibly, as Jake makes a small appearance (having not been shipped off to China in season 2), but Arseman is also present (not having joined the case until season 2.) All in all, a nice quick read and a great way to relive the series in book form.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series was such a guilty pleasure when I was in high school... I was obsessed with the Nickelodeon "soap opera" called Fifteen (starring a young Ryan Reynolds) and really--the acting was horrible, the plots were ridiculous, and yet I watched every week and then went out and bought this series of books based on the show.