Margaux with an X

by Ron Koertge

"A meticulously crafted story of an unexpected friendship." — THE HORN BOOK (starred review)


An American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults

A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age

She's drop-dead gorgeous, has a razor-sharp wit, and is a charter member of the school's most popular clique. Margaux (with an x) is the dream catch of every teenage male within her radar. Encouraged by her caustic friend Sara, she's perfected the art of the sarcastic tease, while keeping her sweaty-palmed suitors just far enough at bay. It's a dreary game, but at least she's not home with Mom, the shopping channel addict, Dad, the professional gambler, and a certain haunting secret from her past. Then along comes Danny Riley — a scrawny, weak-chinned, animal-loving oddball with a quaint chivalrous streak, a kindhearted kid who can match her banter to the polysyllable and who harbors a few painful memories of his own.

Only in the hands of Ron Koertge would such an unlikely pair find each other — and reward the reader with such satisfying, straight-shooting repartee, full of angst and wisdom, humor and heart.

Genres: Young Adult, Teen, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Abuse

176 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 2003

About the author

Ask Ron Koertge what he brings to the realm of young adult fiction, and the seasoned author responds matter-of-factly. "I write dialogue well, and I'm funny," he says--an assessment few would argue with. "I like iconoclasm and practice it in my fiction. I don't like pretense or hypocrisy. I'm almost always irreverent."

A faculty member for more than 35 years at Pasadena City College, where he has taught everything from Shakespeare to remedial writing, Ron Koertge is the author of several acclaimed novels, most of them for young adults. That Ron Koertge is a master at capturing teenagers' voices--often in witty repartee--is fully evident in MARGAUX WITH AN X, the story of a sharp-tongued beauty and a quirky, quick-witted loner. "MARGAUX WITH AN X started as a short story, but the heroine wouldn't let me alone," the author says. "She had a story to tell, and she wanted a whole novel to tell it in." Another unlikely pairing is found in STONER & SPAZ, Ron Koertge's funny, in-your-face tale of a young cinephile with cerebral palsy and the stoner who steals his heart. "My wife works with the disabled," the writer says of his inspiration for the novel, which quickly garnered critical acclaim. "One night she came home and told me about a young man she'd been working with. He had C.P. and a terrific sense of humor. Coincidentally, that day I had talked to a former student of mine who'd recently been in rehab for substance abuse. What would happen, I wondered, if those two knew each other?"

In addition to his young adult novels, Ron Koertge writes poetry, and has been dubbed "the wisest, most entertaining wiseguy in American poetry" by poet-laureate Billy Collins. SHAKESPEARE BATS CLEANUP is narrated by a straight-talking, fourteen-year-old first baseman who has been benched by mono and decides to take a swing at writing poetry. Written entirely in free verse, with examples of several poetic forms slipped into the mix--including a sonnet, haiku, pastoral, and even a pantoum--SHAKESPEARE BATS CLEANUP is a veritable English teacher's dream. "The interest in SHAKESPEARE BATS CLEANUP is less with the arc of the plot than with the individual poems, some of which demonstrate poetic form, some of which tell the story," the author says. "One of my biggest challenges was to write like a fourteen-year-old who has a knack for writing poetry, and not just sound like a sixty-one-year-old pretending to be one!"

The author's first book with Candlewick, THE BRIMSTONE JOURNALS, is also a novel written in free verse, with 15 different teenage characters narrating four or five poems each. "The book started to nag me a few months before the shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado, and I started to make notes in the form of poems," he says of the hauntingly prescient work. "BRIMSTONE needed to move at high velocity, and this form is perfect for that: no tail fins, no leather seats, no moon roof. Just get in and go."

Ron Koertge grew up in an agricultural area in an old mining town in Illinois, just across the Mississippi from St. Louis, Missouri. There he learned to "drive a tractor and buck hay bales, which are clearly useful skills in Los Angeles," he quips. He and his wife live in South Pasadena, California.

Reviews

[Lisette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Age R: 13+
Release Date: September 2004
Thoughts:
Margaux is a girl in high school who is beautiful. Guys are always interested in her. But then comes along this strange boy, Danny, who is a year below her and dresses so weird. Thing is, he doesn't show a bit of interest in her. This immediately intrigues her. Margaux has a troubled past but so does Danny. Not only that but he actually gets her.
I LOVE this book so much you have no idea. If it were a person I would hug it and never let go. I loved it that much. It made me so sad when it ended. Seriously. I went back two times just to make sure it really was over. I didn't want it to be :'(.
I've never read any of Ron Koertge's (Stoner & Spaz, Deadville) books but I've heard a bunch of great things about him. Now I know why people say he's a great writer. It's because he is! Sigh. I miss this guy's writing it is really good. I have found a new favorite author. :D
Like I said before the writing is awesome. I've read that some people found this book to be to complicated and/or hard to get into. It's not, well, not to me. It's really good at least give it a chance, you will not be disappointed.
It's a beautifully crafted story about an unlikely friendship. No, it's not a love story, so don't expect one. Gosh you will seriously miss these characters. Aww I want to find me a Danny now hehe You'll know exactly what I mean once you read it. This book is unfortunately short but so full of awesomeness it will seriously leave you satisfied once you've read it. :) This is one of those books I know I'll be re-reading again and again. :D
This book is not only enjoyable to read but it also makes you think. You really need to give people a chance. You shouldn't just be friends with people you are normally friends with but..branch out you know? That sounds funny but you know what I mean. Make friends with those you don't think you'd normally be friends with. You just might find yourself a great friend. :D Toy Story!! hehe Anywho....
Characters: Margaux and Danny, sigh I love them and I will miss them terribly. I hated Margaux's parents for being such a-holes. I just wanted her to get away from them! I really liked Danny's aunt, that lady is super duper! I got so sad because her illness made her sad :( I just adored that she, Danny, and Margaux, like reading so much. :D

Cool:
The story, the well-developed, surely-to-be-missed characters, the writing, um..everything!

Not so Cool:
I didn't like that the writer kind of made it seem like what happened to Margaux was something else. That irked me a bit. I understand that I jumped to conclusions but wouldn't you? Okay you might not have any idea what I'm talking about but I don't want to ruin it for anyone so I'll just keep my mouth shut.

Sweetness:
Go buy it at Amazon for 7 bucks or Deep Discount (LOVE this store) for 6.50 and free shipping.

YOU WILL ENJOY THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE:
-Ron Koertge
-Headlong by Kathe Koja. R.ed here.
-deep, moving stories
-characters you will not forget
-stories about friendships, especially unlikely friendships
-abusive parents---stories about them not actually ..ugh you know what I mean hehe
-witty protagonists

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a teenaged male invites gorgeous high school senior, Margaux Wilcox to drink a Coke with him, she retorts , “And then what? The phone number, the nervous first date, an early-bird dinner complete with coupon, those tentative kisses, your hopes and dreams? And after that—are you going to pay your roommate to be out so we can have your squalid apartment to ourselves, or maybe I should just climb in your bedroom window once your parents are asleep.” Her cutting remarks and cynicism are perhaps behavioral responses to her dissolute parents: her mother is addicted to home shopping while her father is a pot-smoking professional gambler. But then she meets seemingly unremarkable Danny Riley, a Humane Society “animal nut, who is immune to Margaux’s physical charms and can match her mastery with vocabulary. Danny lives with a disabled aunt, Evie to whom Margaux is also drawn to. Margaux starts to spend her afternoons and evenings rescuing dogs, reading and discussing all things intellectual and important with Danny and Evie. Suddenly Margaux’s “heart opens…for those girls at the table who always feel baffled and sad, tender and malign, repulsive and desirable, innocent and contemptuous of innocence” and recalls a painful moment in her childhood when her father paid of a gambling debt by letting the man he owed money take pictures of a very young Margaux in her underpants. You’ll have to read the rest of this very short novel to read how Margaux confronts her parents and emancipates herself from their destructive inanity.

School Library Journal reviewed Koertge’s novel: “Although the book is not strong on plot, it excels in character development. It is an intriguing story that constantly provokes readers' curiosity as Margaux and Danny shroud themselves in mystery to escape their own family secrets, which aren't fully exposed until the novel ends. Koertge juxtaposes two seemingly stereotypical characters from opposite ends of the high-school social spectrum, but he destroys all assumptions, giving readers a glimpse into the complexities of the hidden emotional struggles of teenagers. His style is succinct; his language at times is advanced, an accurate reflection of his characters' intellectual capacity” (Morlock, 2004, p. 209).

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Margaux is a beautiful girl who is just so tired of all the boys trying to hard to win her over all the time. Her parents are neglectful at best and emotionally damaging at worst. When she meets Danny, an earnest misfit with his own emotional baggage, she can't quite figure out why she is drawn to him. Together they try to forge the only normal friendship either has ever had.

I do not understand why this book received such fantastic reviews. It's such a tired trope: Beauty falls in the love with the Beast, the one person who never put her on a pedestal. As if that weren't enough, she learns to admit how much she enjoys being smart, because goodness knows pretty girls are supposed to keep their brains to themselves. And what do you know, the celibate relationship based on mutual interests and affection is more satisfying than meaningless sex in the backseat with the popular football player. The narration varied between omniscient and limited third-person in a way that was jarring; whenever Margaux's name was used, I realized I had forgotten it wasn't a first-person narrative.

I admit I did enjoy the sophisticated language and wordplay, but in the end it was just window-dressing on a hollow story.

[Anna Hardesty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't even finish it, it sucked that bad.
Completely off topic, half of the time.
& Really hard to understand.

[Kaleena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Margaux is one of the prettiest girls in school. She and her friend Sara don't always make the smartest decisions. I think that Sara is a bad influence because most of the things they do are her idea. Margaux meets a kid named Danny. He goes to her school but she never really noticed him. I feel bad that he doesn't get noticed because he is a good person. He and Margaux end up being friends. I'm happy that Margaux makes a friend that doesn't make bad decisions. He and Margaux hang out and do his job with dogs. I think that would be a fun job to do.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Mark Frye, author and reviewer for TeensReadToo.com

If STONER AND SPAZ pushed the envelope, then MARGAUX WITH AN X set the envelope on fire and tossed it from a window. This engaging and fun read by Ron Koertge presents two more likeable, quirky, and sardonic main characters who don't fit in and stop trying to.

But it's not an edgy or controversial book full of salacious and scandalous details about Margaux and Danny, two teen misfits. This book is impossible to put down due to Koertge's omniscient narrator, who guides the reader through the lives of two teens who are scarred by their parents. The narrator's voice is snarky and intelligent (Dictionary, anyone? What DOES persiflage mean, anyway?) and it's blended with Margaux's and Danny's, lending the novel a feeling of wholeness. Koertge clearly knows what it's like to be an outsider. In less capable hands, the blending of voices used in MARGAUX WITH AN X would fall flat and appear amateurish. But Koertge succeeds masterfully; the impression left on the reader is that Danny and Margaux are two parts of the same puzzle, and the narrator knows how to fit them in place because he's worked the puzzle before.

The main characters do not "complete" each other. There is no romantic sizzle. Instead, theirs is a relationship necessary to start their lives over again, without the shallow expectations of their peers in their SoCal high school environment. Danny's friendly but his awkwardness or disinterest in Margaux sexually makes him appealing to her. Although he may seem contrived to some oversexed readers, it is an unstated fact that his father's abusive nurturing has affected him in a variety of ways, both good and bad. Margaux's good looks draw men to her, a fact she resents due to her own sad past. By keeping these two on a platonic but loving level, Koertge lays the groundwork for a believable, happy ending to a compelling novel.

Highly recommended.

[Star Frasier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the book Margaux with and X, because of the troubles Margaux had with Danny and her parents and she was only known as the pretty one. The troubles reminded me of one of my friend and her boyfriend, cause he works at a human society, and sometimes goes with him and checks on the dogs to make sure there okay. They get in a couple of fights due to how the thought about the dogs and how they were being treated at the adopted house that they went to.
Plot: The plot of this book started very fast with Margaux meeting Danny, a boy from her school. Then she started going to see the adopted dogs with him. They got very close and eventually went on a date together. When they did Danny’s aunt was acting strange, because she was drunk. The next day she was back to her nice old wheelchair and was all nice. Which leads to the Climax of Danny and Margaux getting a fight, because one of the adopted dogs wasn’t watered and he went ballistic on the owners car with a bat, and Margaux didn’t like it so she got mad at him and told him to stop. Then the solution was that Danny and Margaux break up.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book to females 11 + who are at a young adult reading level, so they can understand the long, and complicated words. Even this book was recommended for females both genders can read it, because the boys can learn about how a girl feels on the poor decisions made.

[Ariel · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an okay book , I think it could have been a lot better though if it was longer and showed more of what happened .

[Sophie · Rating 1 out of 5]

boring

[Faith Villanueva · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a simple story, and it is told beautifully. An old favourite I borrowed from the library when I was in sixth grade. I won't forget it anytime soon.

[Ivy Cirillo · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I first picked up Margaux with an X, I thought that it was going to be right up my ally! The character's back story sounded a little bit like my own, so I immediately felt close to the character. And overall, the synopsis just sounded interesting to me.

However, after opening up the book, I quickly realized that it wasn't for me. For one, I'm a complete freak when it comes to organization and this book didn't even have chapters! There was the occasional word at the beginning of a paragraph that was both uppercase and bold, but it didn't start on a new page or anything. It was just there.

Another thing that bothered me was the author's writing style. One of the biggest things I learned during English class was that varying your sentence structure can only help your writing and it is often encouraged. Unfortunately though, I don't think that Ron got that memo. It's almost as if the author is afraid of compound sentences.

Oddly enough though, the author is a huge fan of lists! It seemed that a majority of the book was filled with details and descriptions that really just didn't belong. Now don't get me wrong, I do believe that writers should follow the rule "show don't tell," but there's a good way and a bad way to do it. This just wasn't the good version.

In the author's biography, Ron states: "Margaux with an X started as a short story, but the heroine wouldn't let me alone. A story wasn't enough for her. Oh, no. She had a story to tell, and she wanted a whole novel to tell it in. I had other things I thought I wanted to write. But I was putty in her hands. She made me do it."

Honestly though, I think that Margaux's story was better left as a short story. As a writer myself, I just don't see why she needed this entire book. I know that sounds harsh, but there just wasn't much to this novel.

For instance, the entire novel felt like it spanned the course of a week or less. I think it's partly due to the overwhelming amount of short sentences and fast paced writing tactics; but when I pick up a book, I want to be transported into a new world for more than just a couple of days.

Not only was Ron's sentence structure lacking, but his vocabulary was a little problematic. I think here and there it's good to introduce more complex words to strengthen a readers vocabulary, but the author went a tad bit overboard. Reading through Margaux with an X, it felt like studying for the SATs all over again and that's not what I call fun or relaxing.

To put it frankly, Margaux with an X just didn't have the makings of a successful novel. I think that the short timeline really hurt the book's chances. The characters may have been developed well, but I can't say the same for the plot.

Personally, I really felt connected to the characters and I wish I had gotten to hear more of their stories. Or, at least gotten to see more events take place. To put it simply, this book can be summed up in just a few sentences - Margaux, the gorgeous and popular girl with a toxic home life meets Danny, a kind guy with average looks and an equally painful past. The two grow together and with the help of Danny's aunt, Margaux gains the courage to leave her toxic home.

Overall, I wouldn't 100% recommend this book. I think it's ideal for those interested in a short and simple story, but it's definitely not up to par with my usual reads. I definitely don't think I'll be picking up another book by Ron Koertge anytime soon.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reads like an edgier version of Koertge's other odd-couple book, Stoner and Spaz. In Margaux WIth an X, Margaux is this book's version of "Stoner." She's the prettiest girl in her school, blazingly intelligent, and witheringly apathetic. She runs with a shallow crowd and is getting tired of them.

Enter Danny, this book's version of "Spaz." He's a loner who wears thrift-store clothes, lives with his aunt who has MS, and works at a dog shelter. While he's darker and not as charming as the "Spaz" from Stoner and Spaz, he's sufficiently intriguing and helps Margaux find out who she is, apart from her ditzy friends. Danny's sick aunt also gives Margaux some of the tools she needs to confront her irresponsible parents, who are little more than a career gambler and a TV addict.

Margaux, in turn, doesn't desert Danny when he shows her a sinister side of himself. These two are far from being a match made in heaven; they may not last a year. But they're getting what good can come out of their friendship while it lasts.

If you liked Koertge's other books, you'll like this one. It features his trademark sharp, intelligent humor and dialogue that rings truer than most YA books out there.

I found this book beautiful, intelligent, disturbing, and uplifting. But Stoner and Spaz is still my favorite!

[Eva-Marie Nevarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finally finished this last night. I'm in the dark as to what to say about Margaux With an X. I think it's a good possibility that because I had so much going on when I was in the beginning of the book it really affected my reading.
I think I liked Margaux and I'm pretty sure I liked danny. I liked their relationship - it was different and Koertge portrayed that it's okay to go against the norm with that. You probably couldn't find a high school anywhere in America where a girl like Margaux and a guy like Danny find each other and let the relationship take off. I enjoyed that part a lot.
I think I would have prefered to know Margaux's secret sooner. That may be only because I read a lot of mis-lit and in those books the abuse is well known and known right in the beginning in most cases. Even though this is a totally different book that carried over for me I think. Instead of suspense I just felt impatience.
I am going to add two others books advertised in the back of this book though - it's obvious Koertge knows what he's doing with a pen and I'd like to try another.... hopefully at a time when my life isn't going crazy. :)

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize that I had already this young adult novel until I was halfway through it--ugh! I have when that happens! So I kind of remembered what happened but had to keep reading to make sure. At least the little book was short and a quick read.[return][return]Margaux is the most beautiful girl anywhere, but struggling inside (like all beautiful girls in YA lit). Her mom acts like a tramp and her dad is a professional gambler. Not a good combination. She finally finds salvation of sorts in a dorky boy a year younger than her who works for the animal shelter. Danny is smart and able to hold his own again Margaux's caustic wit. They check on animals together and witness each other's downsides. Margaux finally confronts her parents with her history of abuse, which results in her leaving her family. Her parents are good for her, and won't change. Danny has problems, too, but at least he is capable of love and trust.

[Francisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book consist of multiple themes young teens encounter mostly everyday of their lives. There were 3 major themes, which are love struggles, bad childhood experiences, and response to the status quo (school popularity).
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was surprisingly interesting and emotional. If you would read this as a teenage you are most likely to connect to it.
I recommend this book to any teenager who is hopeless about never being given a chance to be noticed.
One of the most important themes in this book was media influencing the lives of young teens. This theme can be connected to Fahrenheit 451. Not in terms of the love relationship but by the fact that media and books are completely different from each other and affect ones personality and point of view. Overall, this book was fascinating and i strongly recommend anyone to read. Its not to long and not to short.

[Nineveh · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a shame that the copy I read had 20 pages in the middle of it that weren't printed for some reason. The story in this book wasn't anything amazing, it was rather typical, a beautiful girl from a small, messed up family who 'lives on the edge' but doesn't really think much about what she is doing. Then she falls for an extremely strange boy who keeps to himself, who it turns out also comes from a fractured family.

The story isn't what I liked about this book that much, it was mostly the thoughts and paradoxes of Margaux's life. It was also a good book to learn new words. There weren't so many big words that I was having a hard time understanding it, just an interesting, new word every few pages that I had to look up and write down.

In a way, this book sort of reminds of Paper Towns (probably mostly because the girl in that book is named 'Margot') without as much of the thrill and glamor to it, and mixed a little bit of the movie "The Spectacular Now".

[Roxanne Hsu Feldman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The whole book is SUCH a delight.. until… the very last couple of pages. I know, it is incredibly strange to say that a book dealing with such heavy duty topics of child abuse and theft, violence and parental neglect (and betrayal,) gambling and fatal illness can be “delightful.” But Koertge’s use of language and the way he constructed the characters just make this reader “happy” about the artistry shown on each page. Unfortunately… I was bothered by the final resolution… it seems that Margaux has left the Fox’s den into a Bear’s cave and is happy about the change… maybe believing that she can somehow tame this new beast in her life… (I was reading it for the Fairy Tale institute so it was hard to not see this as a Beauty and the Beast story…) The last few pages just seem too slight and too swift for such an otherwise finely crafted tale…

[Ariel]

A beautiful story about a beautiful girl, I read this book and I was captivated by Margaux's enigmatic character and attitude towards people. Between abuse, relationship troubles, and a reputation she is expected to uphold, Margaux has it cut out for her.
The verbiage is slightly confusing but in a good way. Short sentences and small spats of insight bring Margaux into a whole new person. The more she shares, the more you victimize her and the more you love and pity her like one of the poor sheltered dogs.
It's no wonder she is taken in like a stray - sometimes abused, sometimes cared for but only as some sort of prize.
I will definitely be reading more by Ron Koertge. This novel was fantastic! <3

[Kate Shanks · Rating 3 out of 5]

The metaphors, similes, analogies, and detailed descriptions are rampant throughout this novel. Unfortunately, those literary elements do very little to move the plot along and make it very interesting. If anything, they distract from the actual story itself. Margaux and Danny are two high school students. Margaux is popular, beautiful, and well liked, but has a painful secret from her past. Danny works at the Humane society, is a bit nerdy, and also has a dark history. When the two characters meet, they are immediately drawn to each other. They find solace in the other's company. Will this companionship be enough to rescue them? A good recommendation for more mature adolescent girls.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm actually still in the middle of reading this book as I write this (will go finish in a minute), but there are so many charming bits that I had to record them before I forgot them:

-- the Egg McMuffin purse accessory
-- the personal ad with the turtle who liked slow walks
-- the principal with the bonbon
-- the car that tried to tuck itself in its own garage but failed
-- the nonfattening poem

Ooooh, such great little images and totally lighthearted sarcasm! <3 The whole book is just flippant banter, irreverent ponderings. I also enjoyed the vocabulary and literal play with words.

[Audrey Henning · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yikes. Yikes. Yikes.

I HATE giving one star reviews. Hate it, but I also know that when you start to read a book and can't even stand it within only a couple pages, it's bad. By page 7 I was ready to give up. This book had good reviews so I decided to press on...total waste of time. By page 20 I was done. I had absolutely no idea what was happening. The writing style the author uses is unique, but odd. I have no idea how anyone could understand what was going on in this book because it jumped around so much. It's a short book and short books tend to be fast paced, but this was just ridiculous.

[Abby Lane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Margaux with an x was not the best book I read for many reasons. The first one being it was boring there was nothing big that happened through out the book. I really struggled to finish this book because the characters were very bland and there was not a true plot. The author failed to paint a picture in my mind at all. I tried to picture what the characters would be like in my mind but wasn't given enough characteristics about them to produce my own. I was not hooked at all and it took me a while to finish this book which was very short. While my last book took me a day. By the end of the book I was happy I was done so I could start a new book. I wouldn't recommend this book.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unlikely, but ultimately rewarding friendship develops between popular, smarmy Margaux and uber-geek Danny, who each have some dark secrets. Margaux is beautiful, stylish--the boys want to have her and the girls want to be her. She is even smart, but she hides it from everyone. Danny, on the other end of the social spectrum, intrigues Margaux. He's smart, polite, and doesn't treat her like a trophy.

Not much actually happens as far as plot, but the character development is excellent.

[Raquel Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was amazing. I love the way Margaux and Danny connected. He wasn't like the guys she usually went for, and she decided it was time for a change in not following Sara. Danny was a shy boy in which it seemed like he didn't even want to get to know Margaux at first, and although she kept questioning herself why she wanted to hang out with him, I knew it was because she liked Danny. When he stood up for MArgaux, that was my favorite part. It was very realistic and such a good book.

[Dafina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really like this book, i don't know why i think because i didn't really understand it. But i did like some parts of it like how Danny really like Margaux but he doesn't really know how to tell her. I guess Margaux only thinks about them as only friends. But then later on I think she starts to like him more and more even though her friend Sara doesn't like him. I think that Margaux shouldn't care what her friend says because if she likes some one, and her friend doesn't support her opinion. Then i guess that, maybe that she isn't really a good friend.

[B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very quick read, pretty solid writing, interesting (enough) characters...nothing mind-blowing, though. Lots of after-school special type stuff - beautiful, popular girl becomes friends with the outcast/is attracted to him because he's the first guy who doesn't treat her like an ~object~/oh, and she's smart too, and said boy helps her realize that she shouldn't be ashamed of it! Perhaps the story would've been more effective if I were fourteen?

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the book a little confusing and weird. Margaux had a strange sense of humour and I often didn't understand what she was thinking. There was a lot of stuff in the book that didn't really need to be in the book and were just added to fill in the space. The only thing in the book that I really liked in the book was how Danny and Margaux fell for each other. Despite how different they were, they made it work.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the sarcasm and, at times, condescending banter of Margaux. She's gorgeous, but that doesn't mean her life has been easy. Margaux begins to find herself when she meets Danny and his tough-as-nails aunt, Evie.

This book gently prods the reader to think about what is important in life and really examine it, while not being too heavy. This was a quick and enjoyable read.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read with interesting characters. It was easy to have empathy for the characters. Although the resolution was odd, or uexpected, or seemed sudden, ( I don't find it easily modified.) it was believable and reflects the changing definition of a family. Worth reading.

[Freddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you read this book and do not like it there's something wrong... love the characters... love the interaction amongst the characters... very quick book to read... fun book all around... go for it...