Prom Anonymous

by Blake Nelson

Chloe Thomas is going to the prom. Of course, she doesn’t have a date, she needs a dress, and she’s the last person anyone expects to see there. But her two oldest friends asked her to go, and she said yes. Right away things start to fall apart. Laura and Jace are too busy with their own preparations to help Chloe, her “real” friends think she’s insane, and her parents are so excited that she can’t even be in the same room with them. Why on earth did she agree to do this? With drama, humor, and a touch of prom magic, Blake Nelson delivers a story as memorable as prom itself.

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

262 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 2, 2006

About the author

Blake Nelson grew up in Portland, Oregon. He began his career writing short humor pieces for Details Magazine.

His first novel GIRL was originally serialized in SASSY magazine and was made into a film staring Selma Blaire and Portia De Rossi.

His novel PARANOID PARK won the prestigious International Grinzane Literary Award and was made into a film by Gus Van Sant.

His most recent Young Adult novel THE PRINCE OF VENICE BEACH has been shortlisted for the 2015 Edgar Award.

His 2011 novel RECOVERY ROAD has been adapted into a television drama for ABC FAMILY and will premier in January of 2016.

Reviews

[audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Prom Anonymous" was about three high school juniors who were friends awhile back. Laura has a prom date and she's helping her two friends find their prom dates. Jace was athletic, she was into prom but did not have a date. Chloe was dorky. She was not into prom at all. Yet, Laura was able to convince Chloe into going to prom and help Jace get her date. But as Laura helps her friends, she was lost in the midst and did not end up in a prom 'quite' of her choice.

"Meh". That's my reaction to this book. Sure, it had a surprising ending. But authors of the books I've read lately really all seemed to have books written with unexpected endings. This wasn't really special to me because it felt like just another prom story.

In language arts class, we talked about slowing moments down, showing not telling. Lots of parts of this story told, not showed. I would have enjoyed it more if the moments were slowed down a bit.

[Mya · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked how the plot focused on real life problems, but the way this book was executed was awful.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: B

This book is about three girls Chloe, Laura and Jace. The girls used to be best friends but have grown apart. Chloe has become a sort of outcast geek, Laura the popular one and Jace is the athlete. Chloe really does not want to go to their prom but Laura and Jace insist. They try to help Chloe as much as they can, trying to help her find a date, a perfect dress and everything else involved with going to prom. Finally the girls find Chloe a date.. but will he be a handsome stud or a geeky loser? Will Chloe be a social outcast at the prom? Will she look beautiful or horrible? Will she embarrass herself in front of everybody? This is what Chloe fears about during the entire book and the answers to those questions will be answered when prom rolls around.

Meanwhile Laura and Jace have their own problems. Laura has a boyfriend but something seems off about them these days and at work she meets a cute boy that she feels a connection with. Laura is the one who wants everything to be perfect. Perfect date, perfect dress, perfect friends and most importantly perfect night! But will she figure out everything with her boyfriend before prom? And what about that hottie at her work? Will Laura be able to pull everything off? Will trying to unite the three girls be a disaster?

Jace needs a date and has a crush on this cute tennis player named Paul. She doesn't know if she should ask him to the prom or not. He's good looking and nice but there's something weird about him, something different that Jace intends to figure out. Will Jace be able to figure everything out with Paul or will she be at the prom dateless?

I read this book awhile ago and I actually enjoyed it a lot. It was very cute and funny. Obviously about girls and their cute boy drama... and prom! Which is always fun. But it's also about friends and trusting them. It definitely kept me interested and I was excited to see how the book would end.

-Marisa

[staija taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so realistic. It really shows the struggles of a teenage girl.

[LauRena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every junior or senior in high school could relate to this book. It’s about these three girls who are going through the processes of prom: Dates, Prep, and Prom.

Heres a sneak peek of it- “I want to see Zach,” said Chloe, who was bored. “Can’t I even talk to him?”
“Chloe, I would advise you not to do anything. Go along with the process. This is prom. Lots of people get fixed.”
“But what if I hate him?” said Chloe, sticking her finger in her water glass again. “Or what if he’s gorgeous and I fall hopelessly in love with him and he thinks I’m a freak? That’s probably what’ll happen. Oh my God. This is going to be a disaster.”
“If you don’t act like a freak he won’t think you are one,” said Laura. Take your finger out of your water.”

Prom Anonymous: Laura, Jace, and Chloe were best friends growing up, but once high school hit, they grew apart and found new (very different) friends. Now they’re juniors, and Laura has decided that nothing would be better than to go to the prom with her two oldest friends. A flurry of planning ensues. Freaky Chloe doesn’t have a date or a dress, and isn’t sure she wants either–after all, the only thing freakier than Chloe is Chloe in a dress with a blind date. Laura is determined to find her an appropriate date. Jace the jock wants to go with the cute new tennis star, but has a difficult time asking him. And Laura is so caught up in planning the perfect evening that she ignores the fact that her relationship with her boyfriend, with whom she has been dating for14 months, is falling apart. Of course, all works out in the end. This is a fun read with decently drawn characters, some serious issues, a fair amount of teenage drinking, and a satisfying ending. Most high school girls will be able to identify with at least one of the main characters.

[Brittany Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

i read this book in a couple of hours. it was a really fun, quick read and was perfect for avoiding the reading slump i felt myself slipping into.

i really liked this book. it was really fun and funny at times. i like how the author was able to tell basically three different stories without it becoming confusing or overwhelming. i did think this book was a bit predictable and that the three main girls seemed much younger than juniors in high school. it seemed like they were in 8th grade or freshman in high school and also the weird girl, chloe, didn't really seem as abnormal as the other characters made her out to be. maybe that was meant to be a part of the story but i dont know. she was a little weird but her abnormality wasnt as drastic as the characters made it seem. those reasons are why i gave it a 4 out of 5. overall, it was a good book. i'm glad i picked it up.

oh but wait. daniel is a jerk and i have never disliked a character as much as i dislike him. i won't spoil anything but he annoyed me the entire time.

[z (bucky’s version) · Rating 1 out of 5]

urm.
what even.
Do not read this book like actually I’m guaranteeing you will not like it.
anyways here are my complaints:

Blake Nelson uses being apart of the LGBTQ+ community as a plot point, not only badly but disrespectfully. context: “I want a normal child” or that line of a different wording referring to a homosexual boy.

Uses the R slur multiple times throughout the book.

Felt like I was reading a movie in a book, because all of it was told, not shown.

Jace is Mexican, and Blake uses this as a plot point, “my aunt is crazy”, and other very disrespectful words used as a “stereotype”.

Paul has trauma and a disorder and Jace is consistently discounting that and “making fun/mocking” him for it. She gets mad when he says it would be better for HIM AND HIS MENTAL HEALTH, for him to not date her. They end up together?????

WHY DID LAURA STAY WITH MIKE SO LONG??

So many typical plots in this story and none of them were executed well.

R*pe joke at the end?

THERE IS SO MANY MORE COMPLAINTS BUT I GIVE UP I CANT THINK ABOUT THIS BOOK ANYMORE….

[Velvet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book. Easy read.

[Lauren Phemsint · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, so ummmm...I couldn't even finish this...That's how bad it was. Not at all realistic, vulgar and gross in my opinion (and I read adult romances). But as a teenager, this is disgusting to me. As a teenage girl, I am more than a little uncomfortable with the way that the idea of this book was executed, not to mention it was so woke, that I thought that was the plot. I feel like it strayed from the topic of anonymous prom dates so often, and the way that teenage romances were described were not at all how I would describe them. Quite hated it. Might pick it up again in the future, assuming I need to refresh my memory on the actually plot. I couldn't do it. No hate to the author, though. I have read multiple other books from him that enjoyed a lot. This one was horrible though. Never again.

[Julie LaFontaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this quick read a lot, with three different perspectives and three different parts.

The development of the characters and their dates was interesting. I love the idea of friends from different groups coming together, it’s realistic in the way friend groups separate throughout the years and maintaining the balance between different ones.

I loved the excitement and events leading up to it, especially because I didn’t get a junior or senior prom. I loved the high schoolers and how different everyone was and how sobdksjd.

Anyways highly recommend if you missed your prom and need to kick your feet a little

[Savannah Chappell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Prom Anonymous. I’m not very surprised that Mike ended up cheating on Laura considering we can kinda assume this since the beginning of Prom preparations. I did really enjoy getting to read the scene where Chloe, Laura and Jace all hug in the Denny’s at the end. This really showed their friendship come full circle. I do wish we got more of Ryan and Laura!!

[Pyrate Queen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three childhood friends reunite to attend prom together and, in the process of finding dates and dresses, gain some surprising insights into themselves.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was OK. Not my favorite book...

[Kailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was entertaining, but honestly nothing more. It’s a very quick read, and I liked reading from each character’s perspective.

[Katia Marquez]

The book , Prom Anonymous, by Blake Nelson is about a girl named Chloe Thomas and her two other frineds. Chloe Thomas wants to go to prom, but she doesn't have a date so her friends took her to a diner and they were talking about it, and since she didn't have a date they started looking for her a one so that they could all go to prom together. This book reminds me of the movie Prom because in the movie they were all frantically looking for people to ask to prom so that they wouldn't be alone, which is exactly what was happening in this book. This book also reminds me of my school because whenever prom comes around I see and hear people planning out who there going to ask, and how they're going to do it. This book doesn't remind me of any other book , because i have never read a book relating to anything of this subject. Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was really interesting to see and feel the anxiety for Chloe as she looked for a date to the prom, I was really on the edge of my seat when the prom was getting close and closer and she still had no date, deep down, even though this was a fictional book, I was really rooting for her. As a girl I really sympathize with the embarassment she felt when she looked around and saw everyone being asked to the dance except for her. This was a very good read and I recommend any teen go pick it up and read it.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a mostly light-hearted novel about three friends who are planning to attend their high school prom together. Laura,is planning to go with Mike, her boyfriend of one year. Jace, who is an athlete, longs to go with Paul, who is a nice-looking guy on the tennis team. Chloe, does not know why she has agreed to go with them, as she has no date or the prospect of one. The other girls decide to arrange a blind date for Chloe. Things get more chaotic the closer they get to the prom date. Laura begins having problems with Mike, and Paul doesn't seem to want to go out with Jace. The pickings seem very slim for Chloe's blind date. Eventually, things work out for all three. Laura is able to see Mike more clearly, and the other characters experience interesting developments along the way. Through it all, they learn to treasure their friendship and each other.
This book made for enjoyable light reading. There were a few unexpected twists, and enough emotional developments to keep the interest going. The characters were realistically developed and endearing in their starry-eyed dreaming and touching awkwardness.

[Amy D.P. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Laura, Jace, and Chloe were better friends in junior high, but that doesn’t stop Laura from having the idea that they should all go to their senior prom together. Laura already experiencing prom as junior feels that the senior prom will be the pinnacle of their high school experience and reunite the friends. Although the prom doesn’t turn out to be the fairy tale ending that Laura anticipates, the friends still reunite over the experience.

Not one of Blake Nelson's better books. Although it was written for young adults, the reading level might have been better suited for an even younger audience, but the themes are not. Blake Nelson still does a nice job capturing some of the teen angst associated with life changing teen events, such as prom. The characters could be better developed, but still a suitable read. I would not highly recommend this book for advanced young adult readers

[L.M. Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prom Anonymous was an adorable teen romance and I loved it. I thought that the author did a great job of capturing all the different prom stories and the point of view from the three main characters (Chloe, Laura, and Jace) in a clever way while still in third person. Laura story of a blind prom date was so cute! I loved how the mysterious Zach seemed like he would be a good match for her. I also loved the Jace and Paul romance because it had that whole are-the-friend-gonna-end-up-together thing going on. I also loved the Laura love triangle going on with her crappy boyfriend and the new guy. The only thing that I didn't like about the book is that sometimes the parts seemed slow, but with any great book there are sections where less drama takes place.

Review by NYIA

[Ewelina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about a girl, Chloe, that is convinced to go to prom, even though she's not that type of girl. Her best friends tell her that it's not for her, but her other, former friends want her to go with them. And Chloe really wants to go-which is odd. The problem is that when she decides to actually go, she has to find a date. Her prom-convincing friends are busy, and that delays everything. I think this book is okay and shows how there are different types of friends.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's about prom, so I like it more than I would if it was about water skiing or something.The book is clearly written for girls, having them as the main characters, but it's not too trashy chick lit. Each of the main characters ends up learning something about herself through prep for prom. There were a few too many characters, I think. So each one wasn't flushed out as well as they could have...Read Rock Star, Superstar. It's way more interesting.

[megan fraser · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is funny, its about three very different friends going to the prom and all the mixups that happen along the way. They each tell their story but it is put together so it makes sense. I couldn't put down the book because I wanted to see if everything would work out in the end. And surprise, it did.

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, there were some things in it like the dream jounal, that I weren't expecting, but it is a good "teen stuggling book". I read it in less than 24 hours because it was only like 260 pages, not like a Harry Potter book. It was about three friends getting dates, prepping, and then going to prom! Pretty good! I gave it 4 stars!

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the character Chloe to be mortifyingly embarrassing 99% of the time - she made the book a little uncomfortable for me to read. My favorite character was Jace; she was the most normal. Some of the narrations in the book were stupid.
I wasn't a huge fan of how it ended. What happened with Laura and Mike? What happened with Laura and the boy from the mall?

[C.I. DeMann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read this for the 2nd time and have raised my rating to five stars. This book is so fun and sweet. And like all Blake Nelson books, it's written as smooth as butter. I love it. Definitely five stars.

[Lily Freiburger]

I did not like it. It was confusing and all over the place and I just couldn't get into it. It's about a girl who's birthday is on Valentine's day and her friends want to find her a date to the prom or dance. I don't remember because I couldn't understand everything that was going on.

[maika · Rating 3 out of 5]

better than your average prom story.

[Gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's really cool! I know I won't be going to prom for a few years anyways, but this books lets you peek at the excitment of prom. Making me excited...

[Veronica · Rating 1 out of 5]

bad

[Brooklyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a GREAT book!!! I read this when I was sick for a week and then again in my freshman year of High School it's A-W-S-O-M-E!!!! it took me only one day to get through it

[Adeola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome book.I loved the way it was different from other regular teenage love stories. The author throw off his readers and don't bore them to death.