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Just Another Girl
You resent her. You can't stand her. You might even hate her.
But you don't know her at all.
Hope knows there's only one thing coming between her and her longtime crush: his girlfriend, Parker. She has to sit on the sidelines and watch as the perfect girl gets the perfect boy . . . because that's how the universe works, even though it's so completely wrong.
Parker doesn't feel perfect. She knows if everyone knew the truth about her, they'd never be able to get past it. So she keeps quiet. She focuses on making it through the day with her secret safe . . . even as this becomes harder and harder to do. And Hope isn't making it any easier. . . .
In Just Another Girl, Elizabeth Eulberg astutely and affectingly shows us how battle lines get drawn between girls -- and how difficult it then becomes to see or understand the girl standing on the other side of the divide.
You think you have an enemy. But she's just another girl.
But you don't know her at all.
Hope knows there's only one thing coming between her and her longtime crush: his girlfriend, Parker. She has to sit on the sidelines and watch as the perfect girl gets the perfect boy . . . because that's how the universe works, even though it's so completely wrong.
Parker doesn't feel perfect. She knows if everyone knew the truth about her, they'd never be able to get past it. So she keeps quiet. She focuses on making it through the day with her secret safe . . . even as this becomes harder and harder to do. And Hope isn't making it any easier. . . .
In Just Another Girl, Elizabeth Eulberg astutely and affectingly shows us how battle lines get drawn between girls -- and how difficult it then becomes to see or understand the girl standing on the other side of the divide.
You think you have an enemy. But she's just another girl.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published March 28, 2017
60 people are currently reading
1908 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Eulberg
29 books3,133 followersThe short and sweet version:
Elizabeth Eulberg was born and raised in Wisconsin before heading off to college at Syracuse University and making a career in the New York City book biz. Now a full-time writer, she is the international bestselling author of over a dozen novels, including The Lonely Hearts Club, Prom & Prejudice, Take a Bow, and Better Off Friends, along with the middle-grade series The Great Shelby Holmes and Scared Silly. She now lives in London where she spends her free time aimlessly wandering around historic streets and eating all the scones. ALL OF THEM.
To check out the long version, head over to my webpage: http://www.elizabetheulberg.com/bio/
Also, I'm not checking e-mails on my Goodreads, see my website for information on contacting me! http://www.elizabetheulberg.com/faq/
Happy reading!
Elizabeth Eulberg was born and raised in Wisconsin before heading off to college at Syracuse University and making a career in the New York City book biz. Now a full-time writer, she is the international bestselling author of over a dozen novels, including The Lonely Hearts Club, Prom & Prejudice, Take a Bow, and Better Off Friends, along with the middle-grade series The Great Shelby Holmes and Scared Silly. She now lives in London where she spends her free time aimlessly wandering around historic streets and eating all the scones. ALL OF THEM.
To check out the long version, head over to my webpage: http://www.elizabetheulberg.com/bio/
Also, I'm not checking e-mails on my Goodreads, see my website for information on contacting me! http://www.elizabetheulberg.com/faq/
Happy reading!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
January 20, 2024
A Rube Goldberg machine is a contraption that is deliberately over-engineered so that it performs a basic function in a completely unnecessarily convoluted, chain-reaction, kind of way. Not unlike typical teenage girls making relationships exponentially more difficult by playing games and employing tricks instead of just kicking off a clever conversation. Differing from teenage dating, however; there are actual Rube Goldberg competitions. In Just Another Girl, Hope and Brady are part of their high school team that will be designing and building an entry for an upcoming contest.
Hope’s crush on Brady and her subsequent disdain of his girlfriend, Parker, form a familiar pseudo-love-triangle when viewed from Hope’s vantage. I admit—for a moment this gave me pause. I do love settling down with a classic chronicle; but, having read and revered Ms. Eulberg’s writing, it was unexpected. I do love surprises, so I was quite pleased to sit back and see where it would lead.
Turns out, with her fabulously foreboding foreshadowing, the reader doesn’t need to be familiar with Ms. Eulberg’s work to feel something sinister and substantial slithering underneath. Perspectives change when Parker picks up the narration. In spite of her valiant effort to maintain a typical teen image, a closer look reveals her ruse.
Facets of Parker’s life unfold with all the feels. Soul-shredding snippets, such as Parker’s money-saving system, serve as subtle reminders of the ripple effect. One horrific act has many consequences. The broadening view casts Parker in a new light and tosses some shade Hope’s way. For me, it was impossible to feel sympathy, support and admiration for Parker without feeling a bit of frustration with Hope.
Ms. Eulberg highlights a significant subject in an affable, empathetic way. Relatable characters have flaws, make mistakes and even behave quite selfishly at times—just like in real life. Mirroring so many of the teens I’m fortunate enough to know; these adolescents have huge hearts, big ideas and the desire and determination to better themselves and help others along the way----once they are able to focus on other people over themselves. I adore this delightful book about an unimaginably dismal situation.
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.
Hope’s crush on Brady and her subsequent disdain of his girlfriend, Parker, form a familiar pseudo-love-triangle when viewed from Hope’s vantage. I admit—for a moment this gave me pause. I do love settling down with a classic chronicle; but, having read and revered Ms. Eulberg’s writing, it was unexpected. I do love surprises, so I was quite pleased to sit back and see where it would lead.
Turns out, with her fabulously foreboding foreshadowing, the reader doesn’t need to be familiar with Ms. Eulberg’s work to feel something sinister and substantial slithering underneath. Perspectives change when Parker picks up the narration. In spite of her valiant effort to maintain a typical teen image, a closer look reveals her ruse.
Facets of Parker’s life unfold with all the feels. Soul-shredding snippets, such as Parker’s money-saving system, serve as subtle reminders of the ripple effect. One horrific act has many consequences. The broadening view casts Parker in a new light and tosses some shade Hope’s way. For me, it was impossible to feel sympathy, support and admiration for Parker without feeling a bit of frustration with Hope.
Ms. Eulberg highlights a significant subject in an affable, empathetic way. Relatable characters have flaws, make mistakes and even behave quite selfishly at times—just like in real life. Mirroring so many of the teens I’m fortunate enough to know; these adolescents have huge hearts, big ideas and the desire and determination to better themselves and help others along the way----once they are able to focus on other people over themselves. I adore this delightful book about an unimaginably dismal situation.
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.
February 14, 2017
Just Another Girl is an intense realistic contemporary novel filled with friendship, unrequited love, deep pain, self-sacrifice, misunderstandings, secrets, tremendous compassion, family dynamics and RUBE GOLDBERG inventions, all sprinkled with Elizabeth Eulberg's wonderful sense of humor. A fast, easy read perfect for all, but especially reluctant readers.
What I love about this novel:
1. Two best friends—Hope and Brady. Hope has been crushing on Brady forever. The portrayal of this relationship was so authentic.
2. Brady has a girlfriend, Parker, who's life is in absolute shambles. The way Brady supports Parker is incredible and deeply touching.
3. The jealously that Hope feels toward Parker felt so authentic to me. Having mentored many YA girls, I've heard that intense longing for a boy who doesn't like them back, at least not in the same way, and how these girls are envious of the one the boy did choose. Spot on, in my opinion!
4. Judging others. Oh there is a lot of judging going on, and, again, I felt like this was spot on. The quick judgments teens make about others, the assumptions about someone else's life really resonated with the experiences I've had with many teens. It's not easy to think about what another person might be going through, but Just Another Girl will help YA pause and think about all those judgments they're making toward others.
5. Families. Elizabeth portrays different types of families, specifically parents—the worst and the best and how a teen might perceive their own parents and the parents of their friends. Again, been there, done that. SPOT ON!
6. Elizabeth tackled some really difficult issues here. Why does someone stay in a relationship when they aren't in love with the other person? Why would a person choose to keep secrets? What's really cool about this book is that Elizabeth is showing different sides/perspectives to the same situation. How often are those cues misread?
7. A note to readers: Elizabeth put a note in the back of the book. I read it BEFORE I read the novel, so that influenced in a positive way my view of what was about to unfold on the page. I actually recommend it because having some understanding into the mind and thought process of the author isn't a bad thing—at least that's my perspective!
This is an important novel that shows the power of kindness and compassion and empathy. We need more of this! Highly recommend!!!
What I love about this novel:
1. Two best friends—Hope and Brady. Hope has been crushing on Brady forever. The portrayal of this relationship was so authentic.
2. Brady has a girlfriend, Parker, who's life is in absolute shambles. The way Brady supports Parker is incredible and deeply touching.
3. The jealously that Hope feels toward Parker felt so authentic to me. Having mentored many YA girls, I've heard that intense longing for a boy who doesn't like them back, at least not in the same way, and how these girls are envious of the one the boy did choose. Spot on, in my opinion!
4. Judging others. Oh there is a lot of judging going on, and, again, I felt like this was spot on. The quick judgments teens make about others, the assumptions about someone else's life really resonated with the experiences I've had with many teens. It's not easy to think about what another person might be going through, but Just Another Girl will help YA pause and think about all those judgments they're making toward others.
5. Families. Elizabeth portrays different types of families, specifically parents—the worst and the best and how a teen might perceive their own parents and the parents of their friends. Again, been there, done that. SPOT ON!
6. Elizabeth tackled some really difficult issues here. Why does someone stay in a relationship when they aren't in love with the other person? Why would a person choose to keep secrets? What's really cool about this book is that Elizabeth is showing different sides/perspectives to the same situation. How often are those cues misread?
7. A note to readers: Elizabeth put a note in the back of the book. I read it BEFORE I read the novel, so that influenced in a positive way my view of what was about to unfold on the page. I actually recommend it because having some understanding into the mind and thought process of the author isn't a bad thing—at least that's my perspective!
This is an important novel that shows the power of kindness and compassion and empathy. We need more of this! Highly recommend!!!
October 16, 2018
En verdad amo a Elizabeth Eulberg, su libro el club de los corazones solitarios, fue el primer libro autoconclusivo (en ese momento era autoconclusivo) que leí. Realmente me encantaba su escritura que era a la vez ingeniosa y llena de vida. Elizabeth crea grandes personajes adolescentes, y ella sabe cómo dar vida a una historia. Pero algo sucedió con Just Another Girl que fue decepcionante.
Cuando leí la nota del autor, admito que subí un poco el rating y admitiré que la trama de esta historia fue buena. Fue una buena idea. Sin embargo, tuve problemas con la primera protagonista que nos muestra (Hope) y con el protagonista Brady, pero si con alguien no tuve ningún problema y conecte rápidamente fue con Parker.
Se que la mayoría odio a Parker al principio por lo que relata Hope, pero realmente no había ningún elemento real para hacerlo. Solo trataba de mostrar a Parker como una adolescente malvada, pero ella no es absolutamente mala, incluso diría que es demasiado compresiva, solo esta etiquetada como la "chica que tiene el amor del chico".
En el caso de Hope, es el típico caso de la "chica que se quiere robar al chico", por el lado contrario de Parker ella es en realidad mala, ya que en sus POV ella solo habla de Brady, TODO EL TIEMPO, no pude llegar más de las 25 paginas, cuando tuve que leer el final, porque definitivamente si iba a abandonar el libro. Yo simplemente quería destrozar el libro por la mitad, todo el tiempo gritaba ¡Él no es para ti, superalo!.
La parte frustrante de este libro es que no creo que los personajes hayan comprendido bien las consecuencias de sus acciones. Brady tuvo una salida fácil para mi, siempre Hope e incluso Elizabeth lo justifican, cuando él también actuó mal todo el tiempo, incluso al final, parece el típico chico que, no sabe lo que tiene hasta que lo pierde, todo lo que expresa sobre Parker al final es tan WHAT?!!. Brady fue perdonado de inmediato, POR TODO, él sabia que su relación y convivencia con Hope no era sana, incluso sabía que la ilusionaba. Siento que la postura de ambas, Hope y Parker, cambia drásticamente, la"Perspectiva" no es una razón suficiente.
Tampoco encontré sano lo que sucedió con Hayley, y realmente quería verla sufrir. Sinceramente, no merece la custodia de Parker. En primer lugar, las estadías de rehabilitación y hospital NO son baratas en los Estados Unidos, no se como Parker pudo pagar eso. Parker debió ponerle un alto hace mucho tiempo. ¿Y como es que Hayley después de ese "incidente" decide cambiar su vida tan dramáticamente y fácilmente? No lo encontré demasiado creíble.
En general, sentí que los personajes no estaban lo suficientemente desarrollados. Y también sentí que había algunas escenas eran innecesarias, por ejemplo, ¿por qué mostrar a Hope y Madelyn en el club más de 2 veces? No sabía qué intentaba lograr Elizabeth con los encuentros con el barman y aquellos chicos que conocieron.
El principal problema con el libro es que los temas fuertes se sintieron increíblemente simplificados, como si el libro fuera escrito para alguien más joven, alguien inexperimentado. Todo fue muy al estilo Disney. Recomendaría este libro para preadolescentes, a pesar de que los personajes son adolescentes. ¡Eso no es necesariamente malo! Simplemente no funciona en un libro sobre estudiantes de preparatoria. El final no es termina de convencerme.
Tal vez el problema que tuve es que ya mis gustos maduraron, quizá si hubiera leído el libro hace unos años, me hubieran encantado, pero lo que en verdad creo que no es el mejor libro de Elizabeth.
Cuando leí la nota del autor, admito que subí un poco el rating y admitiré que la trama de esta historia fue buena. Fue una buena idea. Sin embargo, tuve problemas con la primera protagonista que nos muestra (Hope) y con el protagonista Brady, pero si con alguien no tuve ningún problema y conecte rápidamente fue con Parker.
Se que la mayoría odio a Parker al principio por lo que relata Hope, pero realmente no había ningún elemento real para hacerlo. Solo trataba de mostrar a Parker como una adolescente malvada, pero ella no es absolutamente mala, incluso diría que es demasiado compresiva, solo esta etiquetada como la "chica que tiene el amor del chico".
En el caso de Hope, es el típico caso de la "chica que se quiere robar al chico", por el lado contrario de Parker ella es en realidad mala, ya que en sus POV ella solo habla de Brady, TODO EL TIEMPO, no pude llegar más de las 25 paginas, cuando tuve que leer el final, porque definitivamente si iba a abandonar el libro. Yo simplemente quería destrozar el libro por la mitad, todo el tiempo gritaba ¡Él no es para ti, superalo!.
La parte frustrante de este libro es que no creo que los personajes hayan comprendido bien las consecuencias de sus acciones. Brady tuvo una salida fácil para mi, siempre Hope e incluso Elizabeth lo justifican, cuando él también actuó mal todo el tiempo, incluso al final, parece el típico chico que, no sabe lo que tiene hasta que lo pierde, todo lo que expresa sobre Parker al final es tan WHAT?!!. Brady fue perdonado de inmediato, POR TODO, él sabia que su relación y convivencia con Hope no era sana, incluso sabía que la ilusionaba. Siento que la postura de ambas, Hope y Parker, cambia drásticamente, la"Perspectiva" no es una razón suficiente.
Tampoco encontré sano lo que sucedió con Hayley, y realmente quería verla sufrir. Sinceramente, no merece la custodia de Parker. En primer lugar, las estadías de rehabilitación y hospital NO son baratas en los Estados Unidos, no se como Parker pudo pagar eso. Parker debió ponerle un alto hace mucho tiempo. ¿Y como es que Hayley después de ese "incidente" decide cambiar su vida tan dramáticamente y fácilmente? No lo encontré demasiado creíble.
En general, sentí que los personajes no estaban lo suficientemente desarrollados. Y también sentí que había algunas escenas eran innecesarias, por ejemplo, ¿por qué mostrar a Hope y Madelyn en el club más de 2 veces? No sabía qué intentaba lograr Elizabeth con los encuentros con el barman y aquellos chicos que conocieron.
El principal problema con el libro es que los temas fuertes se sintieron increíblemente simplificados, como si el libro fuera escrito para alguien más joven, alguien inexperimentado. Todo fue muy al estilo Disney. Recomendaría este libro para preadolescentes, a pesar de que los personajes son adolescentes. ¡Eso no es necesariamente malo! Simplemente no funciona en un libro sobre estudiantes de preparatoria. El final no es termina de convencerme.
Tal vez el problema que tuve es que ya mis gustos maduraron, quizá si hubiera leído el libro hace unos años, me hubieran encantado, pero lo que en verdad creo que no es el mejor libro de Elizabeth.
March 16, 2017
2.5 stars. This is a book written for one purpose: subverting the bitch girlfriend trope.
And it worked fine, I guess. Slutshaming was overturned. I empathized with Parker's character and felt that I was inside her head to some degree.
HOWEVER. Not all girlfriends-in-the-way are going to be abuse victims, they just deserve to not be hated anyway. This was definitely not intentional, but the message comes off as “sometimes the other woman will have more going on under the surface” rather than “another girl doesn't deserve to be hated for being in the way”. It's an oversimplified message, and it undermines the book.
The main problem with the book is that the very dark themes felt incredibly simplified, like the book was written for someone younger. It was all very Disney. I'd recommend this book for preteens, even though the characters are teens. That's not necessarily a bad thing! It just doesn't work in a book about high schoolers. The ending is just unrealistic.
That being said, I didn't hate this book. It was just not incredible.
And it worked fine, I guess. Slutshaming was overturned. I empathized with Parker's character and felt that I was inside her head to some degree.
HOWEVER. Not all girlfriends-in-the-way are going to be abuse victims, they just deserve to not be hated anyway. This was definitely not intentional, but the message comes off as “sometimes the other woman will have more going on under the surface” rather than “another girl doesn't deserve to be hated for being in the way”. It's an oversimplified message, and it undermines the book.
The main problem with the book is that the very dark themes felt incredibly simplified, like the book was written for someone younger. It was all very Disney. I'd recommend this book for preteens, even though the characters are teens. That's not necessarily a bad thing! It just doesn't work in a book about high schoolers. The ending is just unrealistic.
That being said, I didn't hate this book. It was just not incredible.
March 21, 2017
I love Elizabeth Eulberg. I really really do. She and her writing are both witty and full of life. Elizabeth has teen characters on lock, and she knows how to bring a story to life. And that's why I found Just Another Girl so disappointing. I have been DREAMING about this story for years. When I was in college, I attempted to write this story in my creative writing class because I wanted it so badly. When I found out Elizabeth was writing it, I jumped for joy because SURELY one of my favorite authors would do it justice. Sadly, that's just not the case here.
On the one hand, the writing is still sharp and witty. I liked some of the characters. I appreciate how female-focused the narrative is. I LOVED some of the lines. But... it wasn't enough. I think part of the problem is how incredibly short Just Another Girl is. The finished copy will be 256 pages. That's not a great length if you want both plot and in-depth characterization. I think definitely JAG could benefit from more story. It's not lazy storytelling. I can tell great care went into crafting Hope, Parker, and their narratives. It's just sparse storytelling. Almost spartan, bare bones. Even 50 pages could have made such a difference.
I have a few more thoughts, but I need to collect them before I share.
Original review:
GIVE ME THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY. I MUST HAS IT.
On the one hand, the writing is still sharp and witty. I liked some of the characters. I appreciate how female-focused the narrative is. I LOVED some of the lines. But... it wasn't enough. I think part of the problem is how incredibly short Just Another Girl is. The finished copy will be 256 pages. That's not a great length if you want both plot and in-depth characterization. I think definitely JAG could benefit from more story. It's not lazy storytelling. I can tell great care went into crafting Hope, Parker, and their narratives. It's just sparse storytelling. Almost spartan, bare bones. Even 50 pages could have made such a difference.
I have a few more thoughts, but I need to collect them before I share.
Original review:
GIVE ME THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY. I MUST HAS IT.
March 17, 2017
I requested this on a whim. I loved the cover {which is perfect for the story} and was mildly intrigued by the cover.
I went into it and almost immediately started to struggle with Hope. She's got so many amazing things going for her and she can't see anything past Brady and her hatred for Parker. When we finally get Parker's POV, we learn the secret and it made me loathe Hope even more. There are some other great characters {I especially loved Madelyn and Hope's mom}, but I'll let you find them on your own.
I'm being vague on purpose because this book plays on perception and how people's life experiences shape who they are. And spoiling any part of this story would be a travesty.
I definitely think this needs to be required reading for teenagers, if not everyone who can read.
**Huge thanks to Scholastic and Edelweiss for providing the arc free of charge**
I went into it and almost immediately started to struggle with Hope. She's got so many amazing things going for her and she can't see anything past Brady and her hatred for Parker. When we finally get Parker's POV, we learn the secret and it made me loathe Hope even more. There are some other great characters {I especially loved Madelyn and Hope's mom}, but I'll let you find them on your own.
I'm being vague on purpose because this book plays on perception and how people's life experiences shape who they are. And spoiling any part of this story would be a travesty.
I definitely think this needs to be required reading for teenagers, if not everyone who can read.
**Huge thanks to Scholastic and Edelweiss for providing the arc free of charge**
October 19, 2017
1,5/5 El personaje de Hope se hace odiar desde el primer instante es una niña caprichosa que ha tenido todo en la vida. El personaje de Parker sale a salvar la historia realmente porque es una chica que sabe lo que quiere en la vida y no la ha tenido fácil.
April 26, 2017
Check out this and other reviews on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!
Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars
This book had so many promising points that it completely fulfilled - a feud between two girls for the same boy, learning to understand others who may be dealing with more than you could ever know, and Rube Goldberg machines.
Yes, that was a major part of this book that made me incredibly excited to read it. As someone who has spent countless hours over the years watching videos of Rube Goldberg machines online, I was so thrilled to see a book that features them as a part of the story.
If you aren't familiar with these machines, they are these overly complicated set-ups that you go through to finish a simple task. I'm sure you remember in older cartoons how a ball would go through a series of incredibly detailed and complicated moves in order to reach a specific goal (like popping a balloon). Well they are absolutely fascinating, and completely mesmerizing. If you haven't seen one of these nifty machines in action, head on over to YouTube and search for some. I'm sure you'll spend hours watching them.
Aside from that, If you want to read an absolutely powerful and moving story about the lines that separate us and how we might view each other without knowing the other's story, Just Another Girl by Elizabeth Eulberg is probably the most heart wrenching and compelling tale on this subject that I have ever come across to date.
Both Parker and Hope are keeping secrets from others - Hope's secret is that she has been hopelessly in love with Brady, her best friend, for years now. The two of them have been close for years now, but Hope has never showed Brady that she feels anything more for him that just friendship - she fears that if he knows, it will change everything between them, and even worse: he won't feel the same way.
So the two of them spend their time together mostly at school, designing Rube Goldberg machines to enter in competitions with some other classmates who are also interested in working with them. In fact, there is an entire club at the school dedicated to designing them. In fact, they are about to take one of their newest (and still in construction) machines to a competition - where they will have the chance to be alone in a hotel during it. Hope is really depending on the competition to spend some alone time with Brady and hopefully make him see that he should choose her.
Although Hope considers herself a nice person, she is always behaving coolly toward Brady's girlfriend, Parker. Parker is a sweet girl, yet she has secrets of her own that hardly anyone knows, including Hope. While Parker always tries to be friendly toward Hope, Hope is always under the impression that not only does Parker dislike her, but she enjoys flaunting her relationship with Brady in her face. This causes Hope to find herself hating Parker.
But Parker's secret prevents her from ever really being happy. While Brady knows Parker's secret, not many others do, aside from her close friends. Those secrets really formed who she is as a person, and although she has Brady, she really envies Hope, because Hope has something that she doesn't. While Hope things Parker has everything she could ever want - looks, friends, and Brady, there's a truth buried there that Parker tries her hardest to pretend doesn't exist.
Strong and attempting to be independent, Parker is going through things that Hope would never believe. Which just goes to show that you can never really know what is going on with other people. The girl you might think is all that and your worst enemy might simply turn out to be just another girl after all.
Just Another Girl is told from two viewpoints: Hope and Parker. Both of the characters are strong and have a very deep personality, and I feel as though the author does a fantastic job writing them in a way that allows us to really get inside their minds and their hearts. While reading this book, I felt like I knew them both.
I really liked Parker's character more, as Hope kind of came off as a bit whiny and spoiled. Her hatred for Parker was based on the fact that she had Brady and was more popular, which is shallow, of course, but yet realistic. Parker, on the other hand, might appear to be kind of shallow on the surface, but underneath all of that, she was troubled and dealing with more than anyone should have to. This really added a lot of depth to not only her character, but the whole novel.
The whole plot was well rounded and was perfectly done in order to show an important message: that we should never be quick to judge someone we really know nothing about, because they could have problems we could never even fathom. This is such a powerful message that is perfect not only for teens, but for adults as well.
This is the first book that I've read by Elizabeth Eulberg, but her talent of taking a story and weaving into something wonderfully important and relevant definitely makes me want to read more books that she's written.
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review - Thank you!
Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars
This book had so many promising points that it completely fulfilled - a feud between two girls for the same boy, learning to understand others who may be dealing with more than you could ever know, and Rube Goldberg machines.
Yes, that was a major part of this book that made me incredibly excited to read it. As someone who has spent countless hours over the years watching videos of Rube Goldberg machines online, I was so thrilled to see a book that features them as a part of the story.
If you aren't familiar with these machines, they are these overly complicated set-ups that you go through to finish a simple task. I'm sure you remember in older cartoons how a ball would go through a series of incredibly detailed and complicated moves in order to reach a specific goal (like popping a balloon). Well they are absolutely fascinating, and completely mesmerizing. If you haven't seen one of these nifty machines in action, head on over to YouTube and search for some. I'm sure you'll spend hours watching them.
Aside from that, If you want to read an absolutely powerful and moving story about the lines that separate us and how we might view each other without knowing the other's story, Just Another Girl by Elizabeth Eulberg is probably the most heart wrenching and compelling tale on this subject that I have ever come across to date.
"It's hard to keep a secret in a small town."
Both Parker and Hope are keeping secrets from others - Hope's secret is that she has been hopelessly in love with Brady, her best friend, for years now. The two of them have been close for years now, but Hope has never showed Brady that she feels anything more for him that just friendship - she fears that if he knows, it will change everything between them, and even worse: he won't feel the same way.
"I loved Brady. Truly and deeply loved him. It wasn't some silly schoolgirl crush. It was real."
So the two of them spend their time together mostly at school, designing Rube Goldberg machines to enter in competitions with some other classmates who are also interested in working with them. In fact, there is an entire club at the school dedicated to designing them. In fact, they are about to take one of their newest (and still in construction) machines to a competition - where they will have the chance to be alone in a hotel during it. Hope is really depending on the competition to spend some alone time with Brady and hopefully make him see that he should choose her.
Although Hope considers herself a nice person, she is always behaving coolly toward Brady's girlfriend, Parker. Parker is a sweet girl, yet she has secrets of her own that hardly anyone knows, including Hope. While Parker always tries to be friendly toward Hope, Hope is always under the impression that not only does Parker dislike her, but she enjoys flaunting her relationship with Brady in her face. This causes Hope to find herself hating Parker.
But Parker's secret prevents her from ever really being happy. While Brady knows Parker's secret, not many others do, aside from her close friends. Those secrets really formed who she is as a person, and although she has Brady, she really envies Hope, because Hope has something that she doesn't. While Hope things Parker has everything she could ever want - looks, friends, and Brady, there's a truth buried there that Parker tries her hardest to pretend doesn't exist.
"I have such a depth to all my friends. But at the end of the day, I feel as if I owe much more to myself.
There is really only one person who can save me.
And that person is me."
Strong and attempting to be independent, Parker is going through things that Hope would never believe. Which just goes to show that you can never really know what is going on with other people. The girl you might think is all that and your worst enemy might simply turn out to be just another girl after all.
Just Another Girl is told from two viewpoints: Hope and Parker. Both of the characters are strong and have a very deep personality, and I feel as though the author does a fantastic job writing them in a way that allows us to really get inside their minds and their hearts. While reading this book, I felt like I knew them both.
I really liked Parker's character more, as Hope kind of came off as a bit whiny and spoiled. Her hatred for Parker was based on the fact that she had Brady and was more popular, which is shallow, of course, but yet realistic. Parker, on the other hand, might appear to be kind of shallow on the surface, but underneath all of that, she was troubled and dealing with more than anyone should have to. This really added a lot of depth to not only her character, but the whole novel.
The whole plot was well rounded and was perfectly done in order to show an important message: that we should never be quick to judge someone we really know nothing about, because they could have problems we could never even fathom. This is such a powerful message that is perfect not only for teens, but for adults as well.
This is the first book that I've read by Elizabeth Eulberg, but her talent of taking a story and weaving into something wonderfully important and relevant definitely makes me want to read more books that she's written.
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review - Thank you!
February 8, 2020
Nunca, en mis 18 años de vida, me han dado tantas ganas de quemar un libro y desear nunca haberlo leido.
UPDATE:
Grabé una reseña donde explico más a detalle mis sentimientos. Aunque siento que el propósito de la autora era hacer una historia con un mensaje bueno, creo que la ejecución es de las peores que he leido en mi vida. Mi reseña está aquí.
UPDATE:
Grabé una reseña donde explico más a detalle mis sentimientos. Aunque siento que el propósito de la autora era hacer una historia con un mensaje bueno, creo que la ejecución es de las peores que he leido en mi vida. Mi reseña está aquí.
August 6, 2017
This book really focuses on the power of judging others and perspective. I loved how the characters developed. It was a fun yet emotional read that had me turning the pages!
February 4, 2021
This was much better than I thought it would be.
There are 2 protagonists; Hope and Parker. Hope has had a huge crush on her best friend, Brady, since forever. She thinks that he feels the same way. What she can't understand, though, is why Brady is still together with his girlfriend, Parker. She hates Parker because she has it so easy, with her "perfect body" and her boyfriend.
Guess what?
She's wrong.
Parker's home life is really tough. I can't say much about it or else it would probably be considered as a spoiler, but anyways, she feels forever grateful for her friends and Brady. But Hope isn't helping.
But as their junior year goes by, Parker learns that it's okay to ask for help and Hope begins to realize that there's more to Parker than just on the outside . . .
I really enjoyed this. Why? Despite Hope being a self-absorbed, narcissistic brat, the other characters were likable and the plot was interesting.
Characters
Hope: As you can tell from above, I didn't like Hope. At all. She was so rude, ungrateful, so obsessed with Brady, and she hated Parker with a passion despite the fact she hadn't even had a full conversation with her.
Parker: Parker was sweet. She was nice. She was such a better person than Hope. She deserves better than what happened to her.
Brady: God, it's so hard to not like a character like Brady even when they do really stupid things. He was so sweet and carefree and was so supportive of Parker. I honestly have no idea why he was best friends with Hope because he's so much better than her.
And for the side characters: I loved Hope's mom, Gabriella. She was so, so nice and I don't understand how she gave birth to a jerk (*cough* HOPE *cough*). And Madalyn. She was Hope's friend and she was so likable; confident and bold. I love how she didn't care what people thought of her body and herself.
Plot and Other things
Of course, this is a high-school contemporary, so there was a bunch of drama. Between Hope and Parker, Parker and Brady, Hope and Brady, Hope and Madalyn, whoever. It just made the book move along faster, but at times it could be a bit much.
And this book actually went through a lot of real-life things, like addiction, body shaming, and others. These elements were blended nicely into the actual story, so the issues were addressed properly.
In Conclusion
This was a good book. Entertaining, good writing, mostly likable characters. I once again rate an Elizabeth Eulberg book 4.5 Stars.
There are 2 protagonists; Hope and Parker. Hope has had a huge crush on her best friend, Brady, since forever. She thinks that he feels the same way. What she can't understand, though, is why Brady is still together with his girlfriend, Parker. She hates Parker because she has it so easy, with her "perfect body" and her boyfriend.
Guess what?
She's wrong.
Parker's home life is really tough. I can't say much about it or else it would probably be considered as a spoiler, but anyways, she feels forever grateful for her friends and Brady. But Hope isn't helping.
But as their junior year goes by, Parker learns that it's okay to ask for help and Hope begins to realize that there's more to Parker than just on the outside . . .
I really enjoyed this. Why? Despite Hope being a self-absorbed, narcissistic brat, the other characters were likable and the plot was interesting.
Characters
Hope: As you can tell from above, I didn't like Hope. At all. She was so rude, ungrateful, so obsessed with Brady, and she hated Parker with a passion despite the fact she hadn't even had a full conversation with her.
Parker: Parker was sweet. She was nice. She was such a better person than Hope. She deserves better than what happened to her.
Brady: God, it's so hard to not like a character like Brady even when they do really stupid things. He was so sweet and carefree and was so supportive of Parker. I honestly have no idea why he was best friends with Hope because he's so much better than her.
And for the side characters: I loved Hope's mom, Gabriella. She was so, so nice and I don't understand how she gave birth to a jerk (*cough* HOPE *cough*). And Madalyn. She was Hope's friend and she was so likable; confident and bold. I love how she didn't care what people thought of her body and herself.
Plot and Other things
Of course, this is a high-school contemporary, so there was a bunch of drama. Between Hope and Parker, Parker and Brady, Hope and Brady, Hope and Madalyn, whoever. It just made the book move along faster, but at times it could be a bit much.
And this book actually went through a lot of real-life things, like addiction, body shaming, and others. These elements were blended nicely into the actual story, so the issues were addressed properly.
In Conclusion
This was a good book. Entertaining, good writing, mostly likable characters. I once again rate an Elizabeth Eulberg book 4.5 Stars.
March 30, 2017
Review originally posted on Mostly YA Lit:
A surprisingly serious read for Elizabeth Eulberg, Just Another Girl deals with our perceptions of girls, love triangles, and how much we learn when we try to give people the benefit of the doubt. The narrative switches between Hope, who is in love with her best friend Brady, and Parker, who is currently dating Brady and is in a really bad (but also secret) home situation.
When the book starts, we get a lot of Hope’s perspective, and a lot of her pain at having a ginormous crush on Brady. It’s desperate, and embarrassing, and very, very real. You want to hate Parker, and you want Hope to get the guy.
And then, suddenly, we get Parker’s perspective, and everything changes. It’s not that Hope is being a bad person, or Parker a really good one. In fact, Parker has her own prejudices against Hope. But right away, you see what Eulberg is doing – how she’s trying to show everything behind each character, and how we can’t ever know the real story behind people.
Both Parker and Hope are interesting characters and pretty well rounded, but I did feel like there was almost a heroine-villain thing going on. The POVs were a bit one-sided. That said, I admit to relating quite strongly with both characters, even the one I felt was getting short shrift.
Just Another Girl is definitely unique, because not only does it present unlikeable female characters, it also makes you question their very unlikeability. It’s also unique in that it’s completely transparent in its theme and message – but I somehow still liked it. There isn’t a lot of subtlety to the characters, but because of the themes and the way they’re explored, I appreciated and recognized the importance of this book.
THE FINAL WORD:
Elizabeth Eulberg usually writes light contemporary rom-coms. Just Another Girl had some of the humour of her other books, and certainly some of the fun, but it strays into much heavier material. Still I enjoyed the realness of the book, and the Rube Goldberg machine competition was a nice, nerdy touch that Eulberg managed to pull into the themes of the story.
Read this or pass it along to a teen who is dealing with a Mean Girls or girl-shaming situation.
A surprisingly serious read for Elizabeth Eulberg, Just Another Girl deals with our perceptions of girls, love triangles, and how much we learn when we try to give people the benefit of the doubt. The narrative switches between Hope, who is in love with her best friend Brady, and Parker, who is currently dating Brady and is in a really bad (but also secret) home situation.
When the book starts, we get a lot of Hope’s perspective, and a lot of her pain at having a ginormous crush on Brady. It’s desperate, and embarrassing, and very, very real. You want to hate Parker, and you want Hope to get the guy.
And then, suddenly, we get Parker’s perspective, and everything changes. It’s not that Hope is being a bad person, or Parker a really good one. In fact, Parker has her own prejudices against Hope. But right away, you see what Eulberg is doing – how she’s trying to show everything behind each character, and how we can’t ever know the real story behind people.
Both Parker and Hope are interesting characters and pretty well rounded, but I did feel like there was almost a heroine-villain thing going on. The POVs were a bit one-sided. That said, I admit to relating quite strongly with both characters, even the one I felt was getting short shrift.
Just Another Girl is definitely unique, because not only does it present unlikeable female characters, it also makes you question their very unlikeability. It’s also unique in that it’s completely transparent in its theme and message – but I somehow still liked it. There isn’t a lot of subtlety to the characters, but because of the themes and the way they’re explored, I appreciated and recognized the importance of this book.
THE FINAL WORD:
Elizabeth Eulberg usually writes light contemporary rom-coms. Just Another Girl had some of the humour of her other books, and certainly some of the fun, but it strays into much heavier material. Still I enjoyed the realness of the book, and the Rube Goldberg machine competition was a nice, nerdy touch that Eulberg managed to pull into the themes of the story.
Read this or pass it along to a teen who is dealing with a Mean Girls or girl-shaming situation.
April 24, 2017
Actual rating: 3.5
I seriously appreciate what this book is trying to do: give perspective to different circumstances of people. Concept-wise it's really amazing and makes the characters so realistically human, but the writing fell short for me. I miss Eulberg's natural witty banter dialogues that I've come to love and expect in her works but the voice here seems a little strained to me. That said, the way this book tackles a character struggling to survive after being abandoned was moving. Also, there's a Filipino supporting character so I'm pretty satisfied!!
I seriously appreciate what this book is trying to do: give perspective to different circumstances of people. Concept-wise it's really amazing and makes the characters so realistically human, but the writing fell short for me. I miss Eulberg's natural witty banter dialogues that I've come to love and expect in her works but the voice here seems a little strained to me. That said, the way this book tackles a character struggling to survive after being abandoned was moving. Also, there's a Filipino supporting character so I'm pretty satisfied!!
August 21, 2017
3.5 Stars. This book ended up being much different than I thought it would be. It wasn't quite the cute read I was expecting, but I still ended up really appreciating it. I loved the style it was written in. The POV switched between Hope and her biggest rival Parker and we even got one POV chapter from Brady, the guy in the middle. It was a little jarring at first because from Hope's POV we are to hate Parker and even though I thought Hope was way over-dramatic and too boy-crazy, I did kind of hate Parker. But then we get Parker's POV and realize she's nothing like Hope thinks. I thought it was a great way to show how we judge people very easily without really knowing what's happening behind closed doors. There is one thing I really liked that I'm giving it the extra half star for and it's a spoiler.
***SPOILER ALERT***SPOILER ALERT*** While I am a sucker for a cute romance, sometimes I think it would be nice to see the girl NOT get the guy (or vice versa) once in awhile. And that's what happens here! Hope is hopelessly infatuated with Brady and convinces herself that he likes her too, even though he's dating Parker. But as the book goes on we find out that Brady does care about Hope, but only as a best friend and nothing more. She realizes unrequited love is not the worst thing in the world and they remain friends. He and Parker also break up and the book ends with both of our leading ladies single and doing fine. This is definitely a rare occurrence in YA Contemporary and I loved it.
***SPOILER ALERT***SPOILER ALERT*** While I am a sucker for a cute romance, sometimes I think it would be nice to see the girl NOT get the guy (or vice versa) once in awhile. And that's what happens here! Hope is hopelessly infatuated with Brady and convinces herself that he likes her too, even though he's dating Parker. But as the book goes on we find out that Brady does care about Hope, but only as a best friend and nothing more. She realizes unrequited love is not the worst thing in the world and they remain friends. He and Parker also break up and the book ends with both of our leading ladies single and doing fine. This is definitely a rare occurrence in YA Contemporary and I loved it.
July 21, 2017
This book quite simply NEEDS to be taught in high schools. I think it's true of any book that they give us the unique opportunity of truly walk in someone else's shoes. JUST ANOTHER GIRL really takes that idea to the next level by delivering a powerful multi-POV story in which we truly get to see how wrong our perceptions of other people can be, and how our misconceptions of the perceived perfection of someone else's life can be not only entirely false but also dangerous.
This book really tackles the girl-on-girl hate that exists both in literature and in society today. It forces us to take a step back and realize that we never truly know what is going on in another person's life or what they may be struggling with despite appearances. This is such an important lesson and one that definitely needs to be taught to people of all ages but is so, so critical for young adults to learn.
I also loved how this book takes the love triangle trope and really turns it on its head, resulting in a romantic outcome that is both satisfying and wholly unexpected.
I adored this story and simply cannot recommend this book to young readers highly enough.
This book really tackles the girl-on-girl hate that exists both in literature and in society today. It forces us to take a step back and realize that we never truly know what is going on in another person's life or what they may be struggling with despite appearances. This is such an important lesson and one that definitely needs to be taught to people of all ages but is so, so critical for young adults to learn.
I also loved how this book takes the love triangle trope and really turns it on its head, resulting in a romantic outcome that is both satisfying and wholly unexpected.
I adored this story and simply cannot recommend this book to young readers highly enough.
March 23, 2024
This was really good. It had a great message! This story follows a girl named Hope who’s in love with her best friend Brady( she makes it super obvious she’s in love with him and he flirts with her a lot) although he has a girlfriend Parker. Hope thinks her life sucks because she’s ‘’fat’’, invisible and doesn’t get good grades. She thinks Parker’s life is perfect and that Parker is out to get her. She really makes Parker out to be a huge mean girl but then when we see Parker’s pov and everything she’s going through you see her life is FAR from perfect, it’s actually veryyy sad. Parker wishes her life was as stable as Hopes. They deal with a lot of comparison issues and judging without knowing each other.
I loved Hope and Parker but I did not like Brady at all he was a terrible boyfriend and friend for leading Hope on. I get he had good intentions mostly? But something about him made me not like him that much but that might just be me
Content: a few cuss words, and light kisses
I loved Hope and Parker but I did not like Brady at all he was a terrible boyfriend and friend for leading Hope on. I get he had good intentions mostly? But something about him made me not like him that much but that might just be me
Content: a few cuss words, and light kisses
November 25, 2016
Honestly I had no expectations going into this book. I received this book as an ARC from Yallfest and wasn't too hooked by the jacket blurb, but was willing to give it a shot. And let's just say I am so glad I did. This book was a really great surprise from what I thought it would be.
Based on the blurb, I assumed this book would rely on heavy tropes and a cliche love triangle, two things which I'm getting quickly tired of reading. What made this book great was it did have those things, but it COMPLETELY took it in different directions. The tropes and love triangle were used for the central theme of the book, and I loved how well it utilized those things to get its message across. It's ending was very different than how I assumed it would end.
I'm going to cut this short before I move onto spoilers, but if you're looking for a good contemporary give this one a shot. I felt the story really picked up about 60 pages in, so you definitely have to have some patience, but overall it was a quick surprise packed with some wholesome messages. Nothing too extraordinary, but it was definitely a good, fast read.
ONLY CONTINUE IF YOU'VE READ THE BOOK!!!! :)
When I first started this book, I was not too impressed. Brady kind of annoyed me off the bat since I felt like he was leading Hope on despite having a girlfriend. And I wasn't too fond of Hope at first. It annoyed me how rude she was to her mom and I really didn't care for all her angst. I only kept reading because I was so curious about Parker, since it was very obvious something was up with her. And I'm glad I kept at it, because once it switched into Parker's POV, I was hooked.
I really, really like Parker. I like how Eulberg took the first 60 pages to show her off as a classic high school Blond Bitch™ only to completely pull the carpet out from the audience's feet and reveal the true Parker. I was SHOCKED when I learned of Parker's home life, especially because I thought I knew where this book was going from the first chapter. It had been awhile since I felt so surprised when reading, so I definitely appreciate a shock factor.
After a while, I also started to like Hope. She did annoy me during various parts of the book, but by the end of the book she did grow on me. Even though she was partly portrayed as the boyfriend-stealer throughout the book, Eulberg did a fantastic job of redeeming her at the end. I would've felt cheated if Hope ended up with Brady after all. Instead, she learned how to finally Perspective, and it was amazing seeing her character development.
I felt that Eulberg did a really great job of having the girls change each other in completely different ways, which is great for a YA contemporary. Parker taught Hope to be thankful for what she has and always have perspective while Hope taught Parker it's okay to need help. In most contemporaries I read, it's usually the girl/boy who changes each other, which is cute, but not always real life. I LOVED how Eulberg showed a friendship can be even more influential in a relationship. Too often, contemporaries I need show a boy/girl not being complete until finding each other, which is total BS. Both these girls learned that they are enough without Brady, and are wonderful people on their own. It was amazing watching their growth.
That said, I never really liked Brady because he dragged Hope and Parker down. I hated the one chapter from his POV where he openly acknowledges "I know Hope likes me...but I don't see her that way," only to then think of her "super hot bod" and "fling an arm around her shoulder" (even though he openly "knows I should stop...but I never learn". Honestly, what a dick thing to do. No wonder the girl has kept her hopes up--it's because you're constantly leading her on! If he knew she liked him, then he should've explained his feelings ASAP rather than let it flatter himself. Brady also wasn't great to Parker, either. He does acknowledge that he stayed with her for the wrong reasons, but in the end it's Parker who ends their relationship, not him. Even though he's been ready to break up for a year, he can't do it when the time comes because he's scared and likes being depended on. This bugged me. Both those girls are too good for him.
As you can imagine, I was thrilled neither girl ended up with Brady. It's nice seeing a YA book that openly shows a girl doesn't need a boyfriend to be validated and strong. I was also impressed seeing how it used a love triangle to accomplish this, and used cliche tropes to shut down judgmental attitudes. I walked in thinking this would be some angsty high school love story, and truly did not foresee all the powerful messages it dealt with.
My last praise is for Mrs. Kaplan. In my mind, I viewed her as a mixture of my best friends' mom, so I was constantly laughing and smiling when Mrs. Kaplan was in the room. What a saint. I loved her, and especially her body positivity ("You should be appreciative of the body you have", "You don't have to please anybody but yourself", [frick yes Mrs. K you go girl slay]).
I have few complaints, most of which are about Brady. The only other thing I would criticize is Parker's parents and her sister Hayley. I wish there was a bit more backstory to her previous family life, because it sounded like things were good before her parents left, but then Parker mentions at the end they were never a real family and only living a lie. I would've liked a bit more insight into how her family functioned before her parents left. Also, I felt Hayley's behavior was implausible at times. Her sudden change of heart after alcohol poisoning didn't seem very realistic considering how horrible she treated Parker before. It was just hard for me to believe she'd switch to being a good big sister so sudden, but it was very heartwarming to see. The writing was pretty good, and I'm sure it'll be buffed up before it's released next year.
Overall, I really appreciated this book. It was a lesson against girl-shaming and judgement, which happens much too often. And it was a lesson of self love, too. I look forward to reading more of the author's work. Let me know what your thoughts are, too!
Based on the blurb, I assumed this book would rely on heavy tropes and a cliche love triangle, two things which I'm getting quickly tired of reading. What made this book great was it did have those things, but it COMPLETELY took it in different directions. The tropes and love triangle were used for the central theme of the book, and I loved how well it utilized those things to get its message across. It's ending was very different than how I assumed it would end.
I'm going to cut this short before I move onto spoilers, but if you're looking for a good contemporary give this one a shot. I felt the story really picked up about 60 pages in, so you definitely have to have some patience, but overall it was a quick surprise packed with some wholesome messages. Nothing too extraordinary, but it was definitely a good, fast read.
ONLY CONTINUE IF YOU'VE READ THE BOOK!!!! :)
When I first started this book, I was not too impressed. Brady kind of annoyed me off the bat since I felt like he was leading Hope on despite having a girlfriend. And I wasn't too fond of Hope at first. It annoyed me how rude she was to her mom and I really didn't care for all her angst. I only kept reading because I was so curious about Parker, since it was very obvious something was up with her. And I'm glad I kept at it, because once it switched into Parker's POV, I was hooked.
I really, really like Parker. I like how Eulberg took the first 60 pages to show her off as a classic high school Blond Bitch™ only to completely pull the carpet out from the audience's feet and reveal the true Parker. I was SHOCKED when I learned of Parker's home life, especially because I thought I knew where this book was going from the first chapter. It had been awhile since I felt so surprised when reading, so I definitely appreciate a shock factor.
After a while, I also started to like Hope. She did annoy me during various parts of the book, but by the end of the book she did grow on me. Even though she was partly portrayed as the boyfriend-stealer throughout the book, Eulberg did a fantastic job of redeeming her at the end. I would've felt cheated if Hope ended up with Brady after all. Instead, she learned how to finally Perspective, and it was amazing seeing her character development.
I felt that Eulberg did a really great job of having the girls change each other in completely different ways, which is great for a YA contemporary. Parker taught Hope to be thankful for what she has and always have perspective while Hope taught Parker it's okay to need help. In most contemporaries I read, it's usually the girl/boy who changes each other, which is cute, but not always real life. I LOVED how Eulberg showed a friendship can be even more influential in a relationship. Too often, contemporaries I need show a boy/girl not being complete until finding each other, which is total BS. Both these girls learned that they are enough without Brady, and are wonderful people on their own. It was amazing watching their growth.
That said, I never really liked Brady because he dragged Hope and Parker down. I hated the one chapter from his POV where he openly acknowledges "I know Hope likes me...but I don't see her that way," only to then think of her "super hot bod" and "fling an arm around her shoulder" (even though he openly "knows I should stop...but I never learn". Honestly, what a dick thing to do. No wonder the girl has kept her hopes up--it's because you're constantly leading her on! If he knew she liked him, then he should've explained his feelings ASAP rather than let it flatter himself. Brady also wasn't great to Parker, either. He does acknowledge that he stayed with her for the wrong reasons, but in the end it's Parker who ends their relationship, not him. Even though he's been ready to break up for a year, he can't do it when the time comes because he's scared and likes being depended on. This bugged me. Both those girls are too good for him.
As you can imagine, I was thrilled neither girl ended up with Brady. It's nice seeing a YA book that openly shows a girl doesn't need a boyfriend to be validated and strong. I was also impressed seeing how it used a love triangle to accomplish this, and used cliche tropes to shut down judgmental attitudes. I walked in thinking this would be some angsty high school love story, and truly did not foresee all the powerful messages it dealt with.
My last praise is for Mrs. Kaplan. In my mind, I viewed her as a mixture of my best friends' mom, so I was constantly laughing and smiling when Mrs. Kaplan was in the room. What a saint. I loved her, and especially her body positivity ("You should be appreciative of the body you have", "You don't have to please anybody but yourself", [frick yes Mrs. K you go girl slay]).
I have few complaints, most of which are about Brady. The only other thing I would criticize is Parker's parents and her sister Hayley. I wish there was a bit more backstory to her previous family life, because it sounded like things were good before her parents left, but then Parker mentions at the end they were never a real family and only living a lie. I would've liked a bit more insight into how her family functioned before her parents left. Also, I felt Hayley's behavior was implausible at times. Her sudden change of heart after alcohol poisoning didn't seem very realistic considering how horrible she treated Parker before. It was just hard for me to believe she'd switch to being a good big sister so sudden, but it was very heartwarming to see. The writing was pretty good, and I'm sure it'll be buffed up before it's released next year.
Overall, I really appreciated this book. It was a lesson against girl-shaming and judgement, which happens much too often. And it was a lesson of self love, too. I look forward to reading more of the author's work. Let me know what your thoughts are, too!
February 21, 2024
This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. It seemed like it might just be a light contemporary, but it ended up digging deeper into some tough issues than I expected. Honestly, Hope was a little hard to like—I wasn’t a fan of her plan to try and steal her best friend away from his girlfriend, Parker. But I did feel for her—she had spent years pining after this boy who seemed to understand her so completely and knew her better than anyone else. In her mind, it was only Parker that was keeping them apart.
When the book switches to Parker’s POV, you start to see how wrong we can read people and how often in conflicts it’s all a matter of perspective. When we see Parker through Hope’s eyes, we see a needy, standoffish girl who rarely smiles and expects her boyfriend to sacrifice his time and energy for her whims. When we see the world from Parker’s POV, we realize just how wrong Hope has been reading her (and, also, in some ways, how Parker is making incorrect assumptions about Hope). I LOVED this concept and Eulberg’s revelations about how we can so easily misinterpret another person’s words and actions, especially when we don’t know their whole story. This concept was fascinating to me, and the fact that Hope truly learned some lessons on perspective salvaged her character for me. This book gets 4/5 stars from me.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. It seemed like it might just be a light contemporary, but it ended up digging deeper into some tough issues than I expected. Honestly, Hope was a little hard to like—I wasn’t a fan of her plan to try and steal her best friend away from his girlfriend, Parker. But I did feel for her—she had spent years pining after this boy who seemed to understand her so completely and knew her better than anyone else. In her mind, it was only Parker that was keeping them apart.
When the book switches to Parker’s POV, you start to see how wrong we can read people and how often in conflicts it’s all a matter of perspective. When we see Parker through Hope’s eyes, we see a needy, standoffish girl who rarely smiles and expects her boyfriend to sacrifice his time and energy for her whims. When we see the world from Parker’s POV, we realize just how wrong Hope has been reading her (and, also, in some ways, how Parker is making incorrect assumptions about Hope). I LOVED this concept and Eulberg’s revelations about how we can so easily misinterpret another person’s words and actions, especially when we don’t know their whole story. This concept was fascinating to me, and the fact that Hope truly learned some lessons on perspective salvaged her character for me. This book gets 4/5 stars from me.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
July 3, 2017
This was cute and so much more than I expected.
My favorite moment of YallFest was the moment David Levithan handed me Just Another Girl and told me I needed to read it. Like, any book David hands me I would probably read - for real. Plus just look at that cover! And Elizabeth is so dang lovely. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read Just Another Girl.
Alright, how many of you are tired of the same ol’ love triangle story? You know, girl is in love with her boy BFF but he has this super hot but totally undeserving girlfriend? It’s set up so nicely - girl BFF totally deserves him! Look how she’s always there for him! They’d be so cute together!
You truly don’t know somebody until you’ve spent a day in his or her shoes.
That’s what we are taught, right? Trope Trope Trope. And I LOVE how Elizabeth turns this trope upside down and explores both sides of the agenda in this dual POV. Bonus that the boyfriend isn’t part of the problem but factors into the larger picture and there are supportive adults to balance out the less than fabulous ones.
This is overall a cute story with some depth to it. It’s short because it doesn’t waste any time getting through the arc. Readers will be left satisfied with a full heart!
My favorite moment of YallFest was the moment David Levithan handed me Just Another Girl and told me I needed to read it. Like, any book David hands me I would probably read - for real. Plus just look at that cover! And Elizabeth is so dang lovely. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read Just Another Girl.
Alright, how many of you are tired of the same ol’ love triangle story? You know, girl is in love with her boy BFF but he has this super hot but totally undeserving girlfriend? It’s set up so nicely - girl BFF totally deserves him! Look how she’s always there for him! They’d be so cute together!
You truly don’t know somebody until you’ve spent a day in his or her shoes.
That’s what we are taught, right? Trope Trope Trope. And I LOVE how Elizabeth turns this trope upside down and explores both sides of the agenda in this dual POV. Bonus that the boyfriend isn’t part of the problem but factors into the larger picture and there are supportive adults to balance out the less than fabulous ones.
This is overall a cute story with some depth to it. It’s short because it doesn’t waste any time getting through the arc. Readers will be left satisfied with a full heart!
September 23, 2017
So now at the end, there's actually no bad guy or good guy win. And we actually get a perspective from someone who looked like a side character for 7/8 of the book, but actullay makes a big impact in the end. There's no complete end, but it's a resolution that's good enough for the reader.
November 23, 2017
I enjoyed this. I liked the characters and the complexities of the relationships. I wish Parker's dramas weren't quite so dramatic and intense; I feel like that could have really driven the message home without resorting to extremes to prove the point. My favorite parts were when we saw the same scene from different perspectives. And I would have loved even more of them. Overall though this was enjoyable.
October 15, 2017
Me gustó que este libro tratara un tema desde otra perspectiva, que dos voces contaran la historia le dio profundidad al argumento. Muchas veces me cayó mal Hope por su actitud, no empaticé con ella. Si se puede ver un crecimiento de los personajes que es algo muy bueno y tiene un gran mensaje que me deja reflexionando.
October 17, 2020
La trama es curiosa de ver pero siento que no le sacaron mas provecho. Igual es una lectura super rapida de leer y con un mensaje super bueno
October 18, 2017
Con sus más y sus menos, es una novela que entretiene. No es la mejor de E. Eulberg, pero logra dejar el mensaje de que toda historia se puede ver desde distintas perspectivas.
Reseña completa: http://bit.ly/dencanto
Reseña completa: http://bit.ly/dencanto
September 27, 2021
diré principalmente que: estoy orgullosa de haberlo podido terminar.
durante toda la lectura, siendo sincera, quise arrojar el libro, golpearlo, pisotearlo y gritarle. Odié a todos los personajes, menos a Parker, quien fue con quien más pude conectar (en realidad, la única con la que pude conectar un poco) & la señora Kaplan.
Hope es 🤮 y Brady sin duda 🤢, en verdad los he detestado, como personajes, como personas y como todo lo que se quiera. Sí, el punto de este libro es enseñarte a no juzgar a las personas a simple vista porque nunca sabes lo que pueden estar viviendo.
pero por favor... en verdad detesté todo, quería terminarlo o simplemente dejarlo, pero me prometí llegar hasta el final para poder juzgarlo. La verdad es que sí ha tenido sus cosas buenas, hubiera podido disfrutarlo más sin tener que soportar a Brady o a Hope por tanto tiempo, me hubiera bastado con estar en la cabeza de Parker y ver sus relaciones y vida... pero bueno.
el mensaje principal se consigue, además de que es entretenido, al menos un poco, que varias cosas vayan en dirección a las máquinas de Rube Goldberg.
me gustó Eulberg en ¿Y si Quedamos como Amigos? (no es el mejor libro de la historia, pero le tengo cariño y es una buena novela que te deja varias cosas), pero aquí me sentí perdida a pesar de ya haberla leído. Su narración me parece muy aburrida y monótona, no tiene frases que te hagan sentir ✨ mas bien son comentarios y algunos son lo suficientemente buenos como para marcarlos y decir "ah, sí".
y es por todo eso que le doy 1 estrella 🌟 Parker fue lo que salvó este libro, aunque algunas cosas de ella me molestaban. Está en el derecho de victimizarse y sentirse como se siente, pero a veces sus pensamientos de "ay, no tiene ni idea de..." me colmaban demasiado.
vivir cosas fuertes me hacen no poder disfrutar este tipo de libros, perdón 😭
durante toda la lectura, siendo sincera, quise arrojar el libro, golpearlo, pisotearlo y gritarle. Odié a todos los personajes, menos a Parker, quien fue con quien más pude conectar (en realidad, la única con la que pude conectar un poco) & la señora Kaplan.
Hope es 🤮 y Brady sin duda 🤢, en verdad los he detestado, como personajes, como personas y como todo lo que se quiera. Sí, el punto de este libro es enseñarte a no juzgar a las personas a simple vista porque nunca sabes lo que pueden estar viviendo.
pero por favor... en verdad detesté todo, quería terminarlo o simplemente dejarlo, pero me prometí llegar hasta el final para poder juzgarlo. La verdad es que sí ha tenido sus cosas buenas, hubiera podido disfrutarlo más sin tener que soportar a Brady o a Hope por tanto tiempo, me hubiera bastado con estar en la cabeza de Parker y ver sus relaciones y vida... pero bueno.
el mensaje principal se consigue, además de que es entretenido, al menos un poco, que varias cosas vayan en dirección a las máquinas de Rube Goldberg.
me gustó Eulberg en ¿Y si Quedamos como Amigos? (no es el mejor libro de la historia, pero le tengo cariño y es una buena novela que te deja varias cosas), pero aquí me sentí perdida a pesar de ya haberla leído. Su narración me parece muy aburrida y monótona, no tiene frases que te hagan sentir ✨ mas bien son comentarios y algunos son lo suficientemente buenos como para marcarlos y decir "ah, sí".
y es por todo eso que le doy 1 estrella 🌟 Parker fue lo que salvó este libro, aunque algunas cosas de ella me molestaban. Está en el derecho de victimizarse y sentirse como se siente, pero a veces sus pensamientos de "ay, no tiene ni idea de..." me colmaban demasiado.
vivir cosas fuertes me hacen no poder disfrutar este tipo de libros, perdón 😭
March 17, 2017
Probably more like 2.5, if I'm honest.
I really wanted to like this more. While I never adore Eulberg's work, I do consistently enjoy her books. Her writing is fast-paced and her storylines are usually pretty cute. This is about two girls who both like the same boy (a storyline that never gets old). One is his best friend, and the other is his girlfriend. While I appreciate the thought that you never really know what somebody else's life is like, I really struggled with the narration of this one--it was truly the epitome of tell vs show. I couldn't get over Hope's constant whining about the boy who has "friendzoned" her (and, yes, she uses that term), and how she needs to lose some weight. A teenage girl who is obsessed with her weight is one of my biggest turn-offs. I liked Parker more, but found the drunk mean sister in the trailer park both annoying and unbelieveable. I've said this before, and I will say it every.time. this stupid trope pops up: Living in a trailer park DOES NOT make you drunk trash who mistreats the people you are supposed to love and take care of. Overall, I was just disappointed. Again, I usually enjoy this author's work, and am bummed (especially after skimming the afterward where she said she's been working on this for five years!--I hate disliking a work that is obviously an author's baby). This might work for others more than it worked for me, and I'll definitely continue to be excited for new works from this author.
A more thorough blog review to come.
I really wanted to like this more. While I never adore Eulberg's work, I do consistently enjoy her books. Her writing is fast-paced and her storylines are usually pretty cute. This is about two girls who both like the same boy (a storyline that never gets old). One is his best friend, and the other is his girlfriend. While I appreciate the thought that you never really know what somebody else's life is like, I really struggled with the narration of this one--it was truly the epitome of tell vs show. I couldn't get over Hope's constant whining about the boy who has "friendzoned" her (and, yes, she uses that term), and how she needs to lose some weight. A teenage girl who is obsessed with her weight is one of my biggest turn-offs. I liked Parker more, but found the drunk mean sister in the trailer park both annoying and unbelieveable. I've said this before, and I will say it every.time. this stupid trope pops up: Living in a trailer park DOES NOT make you drunk trash who mistreats the people you are supposed to love and take care of. Overall, I was just disappointed. Again, I usually enjoy this author's work, and am bummed (especially after skimming the afterward where she said she's been working on this for five years!--I hate disliking a work that is obviously an author's baby). This might work for others more than it worked for me, and I'll definitely continue to be excited for new works from this author.
A more thorough blog review to come.
February 23, 2017
Eulberg, Elizabeth Just Another Girl, 256 pages. Scholastic Point, MARCH 2017. $18. Language: PG-13 (23 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (minor sleaziness); Violence: G.
Hope and Brady have been best friends since they were little. For three years, Hope has been secretly in love with him, but Brady only has eyes for his perfect girlfriend Parker – at least that’s how Hope sees it. Parker, however, has much bigger problems than Hope’s jealousy. Since her dad was arrested and her mom walked out, she and her older sister are just barely holding it together. Only a very few people know this, however. And if Parker has her way, it will stay that way until she can escape to college in 479 days. The universe has other ideas for both girls.
When Hope opened up this book with her jealousy, I was a little skeptical. Happily, Parker entered the story and brought depth and introspection to the story. I will be sharing this many student when it arrives, because I want to get the word out quickly.
MS – ESSENTIAL; HS –ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
Hope and Brady have been best friends since they were little. For three years, Hope has been secretly in love with him, but Brady only has eyes for his perfect girlfriend Parker – at least that’s how Hope sees it. Parker, however, has much bigger problems than Hope’s jealousy. Since her dad was arrested and her mom walked out, she and her older sister are just barely holding it together. Only a very few people know this, however. And if Parker has her way, it will stay that way until she can escape to college in 479 days. The universe has other ideas for both girls.
When Hope opened up this book with her jealousy, I was a little skeptical. Happily, Parker entered the story and brought depth and introspection to the story. I will be sharing this many student when it arrives, because I want to get the word out quickly.
MS – ESSENTIAL; HS –ADVISABLE. Cindy, Library Teacher
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
January 10, 2017
Review of an ARC from Scholastic.
I cannot handle how predictable this book was. The plot seemed so much more promising than what was actually delivered (not that it sounded super life-changing to begin with).
It's basically your typical "in love with my best friend" story with someone else in the way. However, (plot twist) the "someone in the way" has this big problem in her life that means she's not as perfect as she seems!
*Gasp* I just can't handle how shocking that turn of events is!!!
This book might be ground-breaking for a 5th or 6th grader perspective-wise, but for anybody older it is just another lackluster teen novel trying to be deep and revelatory and really not doing anything special.
I cannot handle how predictable this book was. The plot seemed so much more promising than what was actually delivered (not that it sounded super life-changing to begin with).
It's basically your typical "in love with my best friend" story with someone else in the way. However, (plot twist) the "someone in the way" has this big problem in her life that means she's not as perfect as she seems!
*Gasp* I just can't handle how shocking that turn of events is!!!
This book might be ground-breaking for a 5th or 6th grader perspective-wise, but for anybody older it is just another lackluster teen novel trying to be deep and revelatory and really not doing anything special.
June 2, 2019
Love this cover but I hate the plot. It was very cliche.
August 7, 2017
I enjoyed this book so, so much!
The reason I’m rating it 4 stars is because it's incredibly short, 256 pages are not enough to build plot and develop characters for this kind of story; it’s a story that needs to be told and it deserves depth.
From our high school days most of us are familiar with Hope's jealousy, that pang we feel when we see our crush, or even our best friend, getting along with someone else; we feel this person is here to only annoy us and don’t stop to think that, if given a chance, this person may be nice.
In Hope’s POV all we hear are her tedious complaints about her body, her parents, Brady’s commitment with the club, and especially about attention-seeking Parker so we may think “what an annoying girl that Parker is…”
Then we get to Parker’s perspective which focuses on her struggles; this POV is the one I enjoyed the most, I empathized with her.
Now, we tend to belittle other people for assumptions of ours that are unproven but we have no problem spreading; the fact is that we don’t really know anything about the other person! What I want to highlight is that we are not perfect and nobody deserves to be hated whether or not is going through a rough time; we need to give others the benefit of the doubt as much as they should give it to us. In my opinion, this is something every tween and teen should be taught!
The reason I’m rating it 4 stars is because it's incredibly short, 256 pages are not enough to build plot and develop characters for this kind of story; it’s a story that needs to be told and it deserves depth.
From our high school days most of us are familiar with Hope's jealousy, that pang we feel when we see our crush, or even our best friend, getting along with someone else; we feel this person is here to only annoy us and don’t stop to think that, if given a chance, this person may be nice.
In Hope’s POV all we hear are her tedious complaints about her body, her parents, Brady’s commitment with the club, and especially about attention-seeking Parker so we may think “what an annoying girl that Parker is…”
Then we get to Parker’s perspective which focuses on her struggles; this POV is the one I enjoyed the most, I empathized with her.
Now, we tend to belittle other people for assumptions of ours that are unproven but we have no problem spreading; the fact is that we don’t really know anything about the other person! What I want to highlight is that we are not perfect and nobody deserves to be hated whether or not is going through a rough time; we need to give others the benefit of the doubt as much as they should give it to us. In my opinion, this is something every tween and teen should be taught!
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