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Hazing Meri Sugarman
Poor, dear Cindy Bixby is a total loser. Has been all her life. But now as she enters college, Cindy hopes to shed her loser ways -- get some friends and maybe even (dare she think it?) get a boyfriend. Her first move out of pledge Alpha Beta Delta. There Cindy meets Meri Sugarman. Meri is not only beautiful, she controls the sorority, a position that gives Meri more power than...well, maybe not God, but certainly any person within a one-hundred-mile radius. (How, you ask? Think of today's technology and what you could do with it if you were so (illegally) inclined. Get the picture? ;-) ) Meri teaches Cindy that she, too, can be perfect. She can be beautiful, sexy, and popular, influence teachers and politicians, and even have a boyfriend! But when the new Cindy crosses into Meri-only territory ( where there's trouble, look for boy), new -- very scary -- Meri emerges. And Cindy realizes that behind all that beauty is an evil beast that must be stopped.
272 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2005
About the author
M. Apostolina
4 books14 followersHazing Meri Sugarman is M. Apostolina's first novel ever. Yeaaah! Previously, Apostolina was head of creative affairs at Mirimax Films in New York City and London. Later embarking on a writing career, Apostolina has been busy as a screenwriter in Holywood, with rewrite credits including Disney's James and the Giant Peach and Geffen/MTV's Joe's Apartment.
Moreover, Apostolina sold the teen comedy, Planet Deb, to New Line Cinema, and most recently Apostolina created Pussycat Hustle, the forthcoming animated series for MTV'S LOGO Network.
Apostolina has written for Details and Films in Review magazines, and has lectured on film at New York University, Northwestern University, and Columbia College in Chicago.
Moreover, Apostolina sold the teen comedy, Planet Deb, to New Line Cinema, and most recently Apostolina created Pussycat Hustle, the forthcoming animated series for MTV'S LOGO Network.
Apostolina has written for Details and Films in Review magazines, and has lectured on film at New York University, Northwestern University, and Columbia College in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 12, 2017
If you can’t stand reading books whose main characters lack self-confidence aka: ‘ugly duckling syndrome’, I advise to stay away from this one. If you like books where the main character tries to rise above their low self-confidence this is just for you!
Also I’m sure some people think this book was unrealistic. If you believe that then you are a very lucky individual. Woman can be VERY nasty everything that happened in this book is VERY realistic and probably has been done. Hazing is rough and dangerous (and NOW illegal) but we all know girls like Meri Sugarman DO exist and they DO break the rules. Also the
I first began this book and loved it. I haven’t read many Ugly Duckling MC’s so it was new to me. I got sucked in and felt for the main character right away! I did wrinkle my nose at the main characters dialogue at times. She seemed to think/talk young for her age but I blamed it on sheltered upbringing and not being with the ‘trendy kids’ but still ‘down in the dumpty doo’ sigh. If you can understand how she was raised and who she is you can get past this.
Now that I think about it I wonder if the author only wrote the main character as ignorant because that’s how she perceives young adults we’d have a major problem. She’d be bitched slapped Gloria style ;). Thankfully I think she just wanted the main character to seem innocent.
All of the characters were believable and lovable in their own way. Meri seemed sweet as sugar until she was crossed; Gloria was the bitchy sidekick, etc. I really loved Patty although I felt bad for her most of the time.
The one and really only major problem I had with this book was Keith.
Overall a great book, it keeps you interested and shocks you. It makes you feel for the characters and want everything to turn out okay. Which many times you’re sitting there thinking “Cindy’s dead, Cindy’s SOOO dead”. Go read it :).
Also I’m sure some people think this book was unrealistic. If you believe that then you are a very lucky individual. Woman can be VERY nasty everything that happened in this book is VERY realistic and probably has been done. Hazing is rough and dangerous (and NOW illegal) but we all know girls like Meri Sugarman DO exist and they DO break the rules. Also the
I first began this book and loved it. I haven’t read many Ugly Duckling MC’s so it was new to me. I got sucked in and felt for the main character right away! I did wrinkle my nose at the main characters dialogue at times. She seemed to think/talk young for her age but I blamed it on sheltered upbringing and not being with the ‘trendy kids’ but still ‘down in the dumpty doo’ sigh. If you can understand how she was raised and who she is you can get past this.
Now that I think about it I wonder if the author only wrote the main character as ignorant because that’s how she perceives young adults we’d have a major problem. She’d be bitched slapped Gloria style ;). Thankfully I think she just wanted the main character to seem innocent.
All of the characters were believable and lovable in their own way. Meri seemed sweet as sugar until she was crossed; Gloria was the bitchy sidekick, etc. I really loved Patty although I felt bad for her most of the time.
The one and really only major problem I had with this book was Keith.
Overall a great book, it keeps you interested and shocks you. It makes you feel for the characters and want everything to turn out okay. Which many times you’re sitting there thinking “Cindy’s dead, Cindy’s SOOO dead”. Go read it :).
August 22, 2011
I picked this one up because I'm starting grad school classes again tomorrow and I wanted something rather mindless to read for the weekend prior to school. This one turned out to be better than I thought it would be. I started out not liking the main character, Cindy Bixby, too much. She seemed too clueless to be believable initially, but by the end of the book my opinion of her had changed. After having grown up on college campuses (my father was a professor), it's pretty safe to say I'm not much of a fan of Greek systems in general, so I enjoyed reading a book that poked fun of them a bit.
November 9, 2007
You can say that this story is a major chick book, but dont be fooled this book has a little mystery and a whole lot of drama. Rolled into one sorority house and you have a pretty awesome book.
December 30, 2010
I started out thinking this book was gonna be great. Its written in diary form, includes a boy problem, and a sorority. The perfect book right? Actually after getting about 1/4 of the way through i found this to be quite the opposite. Not only did the plot become completely unrealistic (how many boys fall in love with a girl they bumped into on there way out from breaking up with their girlfriend?). I actually liked the antagonist in this book (Meri Sugarman) more than the main character, who i found to be a bit whiny and almost too insecure. Instead of me continuing to rant on and on about why i was so dissapointed with this book i'll just say that i'm glad I purchased this book for $4.50 at a used book store on my trip to Hawaii rather than paying full price at borders.
April 20, 2014
I loved this because when it comes to Meri Sugarman, there is no so thing as too much.
Meri is absolutely crazy and I appreciate that the author does't hold back when telling the story.
This is a re-read for me and it brought back a nostalgia and 'comfort' of my pre-teen years when I first met Meri and Cindy.
Highly recommend for a hysterical, draw-dropping read.
Meri is absolutely crazy and I appreciate that the author does't hold back when telling the story.
This is a re-read for me and it brought back a nostalgia and 'comfort' of my pre-teen years when I first met Meri and Cindy.
Highly recommend for a hysterical, draw-dropping read.
December 22, 2011
At first, I wasnt sure I would get into the book. It was the summer entering into Middle School, and I just didnt know if it would be my type of book. Turns out it was, and I actually enjoyed it. All the plans thought out during the book, really intrigued me.
April 1, 2008
I loved this book from beginnning to end. The way it is set up, with diary entries, keeps it fast paced. I'm not one to spoil, but I will say that I loved the book!
July 15, 2011
this book was hilarious!!! the main character was funny.
its like a book version of Sydney White (Amanda Bynes movie)
its like a book version of Sydney White (Amanda Bynes movie)
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August 5, 2012This book would make a totally awesome ABC Family movie. Ridiculous and unbelievable but a pageturner nonetheless.
September 24, 2019
Over the top. Insane. But a neat ride.
August 8, 2020
I don't fully understand why this book is generally liked. It was definitely not my favourite. I straightened the folded pages of this paperback for my library so that the next patron will have a better experience with it as best I could. It might have been for naught though.
Anyway, in real life, I had joined a fraternity so that I could definitely have a full college experience. This is a true factoid.
I had become involved with my chapter of the Alpha Mu Gamma fraternity immediately due to my involvement with linguistics (I learned basic Russian, Latin, Greek, and Chinese through West Chester University - professors started to ask me to study Hebrew and Sumerian as well, but I started to get seizurey around that point so I couldn't get into those even though I wanted to before it got tricky to play with passwords - my international relations professor Dr Polsky showed me his Russian-Hebrew dictionary when I went to his office once and that was pretty awesome, I approved but I honestly was having too many head problems after looking at it for more than a split second so I glanced at it briefly and gave it right back - I am also kinda anxious making Russian my native language to learn Polish from, which is what Irkutsk Online was offering, as I can only say stuff like da, nyet, and I would like more tea, pojzaluista - maybe I'll try a little later, but I'll have to have a smoother situation happening in my mind) and there was no hazing ceremony involved due to the other circumstances surrounding the fraternity I joined. AMG is an academic fraternity, which I believe is supposed to be different from a social fraternity or sorority. But how exactly are these groups different, the academic fraternity and the social sorority?
They are both groups of college-age students. I suppose academic fraternities remain focused on scholastics with their advisor totally on board to help organise field trips, while reading this epistolic novel made me feel like sororities and fraternities as a whole are more like clubs akin to those Babysitter Club books I was SERIOUSLY into (gotta catch 'em all!) when I was younger. I read them all, and the mega-books too. And the Saddle Club. And Nancy Drew. And the Hardy Boys. I have been getting 30-some books a week since I've been a little girl, with only a couple of medical breaks.
ANYWAY, while I liked M. Apostolina's diary-like set-up (it reminded me of Dracula) I disliked the contents: I found Cindy's vernacular immature for her age. Although she mentions inappropriate things that do make this appropriate for this age-range, I think if Cindy Bixby got into college, she would write better.
Anyway, in real life, I had joined a fraternity so that I could definitely have a full college experience. This is a true factoid.
I had become involved with my chapter of the Alpha Mu Gamma fraternity immediately due to my involvement with linguistics (I learned basic Russian, Latin, Greek, and Chinese through West Chester University - professors started to ask me to study Hebrew and Sumerian as well, but I started to get seizurey around that point so I couldn't get into those even though I wanted to before it got tricky to play with passwords - my international relations professor Dr Polsky showed me his Russian-Hebrew dictionary when I went to his office once and that was pretty awesome, I approved but I honestly was having too many head problems after looking at it for more than a split second so I glanced at it briefly and gave it right back - I am also kinda anxious making Russian my native language to learn Polish from, which is what Irkutsk Online was offering, as I can only say stuff like da, nyet, and I would like more tea, pojzaluista - maybe I'll try a little later, but I'll have to have a smoother situation happening in my mind) and there was no hazing ceremony involved due to the other circumstances surrounding the fraternity I joined. AMG is an academic fraternity, which I believe is supposed to be different from a social fraternity or sorority. But how exactly are these groups different, the academic fraternity and the social sorority?
They are both groups of college-age students. I suppose academic fraternities remain focused on scholastics with their advisor totally on board to help organise field trips, while reading this epistolic novel made me feel like sororities and fraternities as a whole are more like clubs akin to those Babysitter Club books I was SERIOUSLY into (gotta catch 'em all!) when I was younger. I read them all, and the mega-books too. And the Saddle Club. And Nancy Drew. And the Hardy Boys. I have been getting 30-some books a week since I've been a little girl, with only a couple of medical breaks.
ANYWAY, while I liked M. Apostolina's diary-like set-up (it reminded me of Dracula) I disliked the contents: I found Cindy's vernacular immature for her age. Although she mentions inappropriate things that do make this appropriate for this age-range, I think if Cindy Bixby got into college, she would write better.
June 28, 2017
I don't know what to say about this book. I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it enough to read the sequel.
It was written in diary form, so we only get Lisa's POV and it was sometimes hard to really know what was going on, but even with that I felt this book was all over the place. It also dragged a bit for a book that wasn't really that long. It got a little bit overdone with the power of Meri and the sorority. It was funny at first, but then it just got absurd.
By the end, I really didn't care what was the ending was going to be but I did finish it, so that's something.
It was written in diary form, so we only get Lisa's POV and it was sometimes hard to really know what was going on, but even with that I felt this book was all over the place. It also dragged a bit for a book that wasn't really that long. It got a little bit overdone with the power of Meri and the sorority. It was funny at first, but then it just got absurd.
By the end, I really didn't care what was the ending was going to be but I did finish it, so that's something.
March 30, 2018
So much of my reading is serious that once in a while I treat myself to a good bit of fluff. This book is definitely not it. Not only is it silly, the writer decided to gratuitously include destructive rape myths (such as that no one would believe a claim of rape because the person saying it wasn't pretty enough) and anti-gay slurs (such as except militant lesbians). Boring and hateful. Spare yourself this one.
March 3, 2020
A very funny satire, kind of like "The Simpsons" does sororities with broadly-drawn characters, sharp zingers and hilariously outrageous plot turns.
I didn't know what to expect based on the reviews, but it's a breezy, fun read.
I didn't know what to expect based on the reviews, but it's a breezy, fun read.
February 4, 2023
nostalgia
I read this book in high school and absolutely loved it. Reading it 15 or so years later, I still enjoyed it. Some jokes didn’t age well but it’s overall funny and light-hearted like I remember.
I read this book in high school and absolutely loved it. Reading it 15 or so years later, I still enjoyed it. Some jokes didn’t age well but it’s overall funny and light-hearted like I remember.
November 4, 2012
Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce for TeensReadToo.com
Cindy Bixby has always been a loser. There may be kinder ways to say it, but that's just the way it is. All through high school, she was tormented by her classmates. At home, her sister Lisa has always gotten all the attention from her pretty, former-cheerleader mother who just can't seem to understand how she ended up with a daughter like Cindy.
Now, though, Cindy wants to change that. She's going to college at Rumson University, her parents' alma mater, and she's going to change her life! She's optimistic (rather annoyingly so, actually) about her chances of having friends (maybe even being popular), and even getting a boyfriend!
How is she going to do it? Cindy has a plan. Her mother says joining a sorority is the only way to go, so Cindy's pledging Alpha Beta Delta, the sorority of which her mother was once the president.
To her surprise, Cindy makes it. Her life is looking up; she's a member of an influential sorority, and she actually has a couple of friends! Even Alpha Beta Delta president, Meri Sugarman, seems to like Cindy. She helps Cindy to become beautiful and confident. Cindy's life is going great!
That is, until she invades Meri's territory. She was amazed when popular, handsome Keith Ryder actually liked her. It really was too good to be true. See, Keith is Meri's. Sure, they're broken up, and Meri doesn't want him, but she certainly doesn't want former-loser Cindy Bixby to have him. And just as easily as she was able to make Cindy's life fabulous, she makes it even worse than before. Meri has that power; the power to destroy anyone's life. Unfortunately, she is something of a psychopath.
So now Cindy and her new friends Patty, Lindsay, Keith, and even Bud Finger from high school have a mission. They're going to bring Meri down.
HAZING MERI SUGARMAN is a fantastic page-turner! M. Apostolina is a brilliant new writer. Cindy's character development is remarkably realistic; as she writes in her journal, you can see her change from an overly optimistic, naive, and often annoying character to one who, after seeing and experiencing something of the real world plus dealing with psychopath Meri Sugarman, actually knows more of what the world really is--and she can use that to her advantage, to stop Meri.
If you're put off by her bubbly, annoying tone in Cindy's first few journal entries, keep reading! That's just part of who Cindy is at the beginning. Honestly, even the nicest person would just want to slap her a few times. Soon, though, she becomes a much more likeable character.
HAZING MERI SUGARMAN is full of great characters! Even (or perhaps especially) the less-likeable characters had me wanting to read more and more about them. This novel is funny (at times laugh-out-loud hilarious), absorbing, and, well, fantastic! I've read a few other reviews of the book, and reviewers kept calling it unrealistic. I highly doubt it was supposed to mirror the lives of actual college students; in fact, I'd be quite frightened if it did! Suspend disbelief for awhile; you will absolutely love this book!
Cindy Bixby has always been a loser. There may be kinder ways to say it, but that's just the way it is. All through high school, she was tormented by her classmates. At home, her sister Lisa has always gotten all the attention from her pretty, former-cheerleader mother who just can't seem to understand how she ended up with a daughter like Cindy.
Now, though, Cindy wants to change that. She's going to college at Rumson University, her parents' alma mater, and she's going to change her life! She's optimistic (rather annoyingly so, actually) about her chances of having friends (maybe even being popular), and even getting a boyfriend!
How is she going to do it? Cindy has a plan. Her mother says joining a sorority is the only way to go, so Cindy's pledging Alpha Beta Delta, the sorority of which her mother was once the president.
To her surprise, Cindy makes it. Her life is looking up; she's a member of an influential sorority, and she actually has a couple of friends! Even Alpha Beta Delta president, Meri Sugarman, seems to like Cindy. She helps Cindy to become beautiful and confident. Cindy's life is going great!
That is, until she invades Meri's territory. She was amazed when popular, handsome Keith Ryder actually liked her. It really was too good to be true. See, Keith is Meri's. Sure, they're broken up, and Meri doesn't want him, but she certainly doesn't want former-loser Cindy Bixby to have him. And just as easily as she was able to make Cindy's life fabulous, she makes it even worse than before. Meri has that power; the power to destroy anyone's life. Unfortunately, she is something of a psychopath.
So now Cindy and her new friends Patty, Lindsay, Keith, and even Bud Finger from high school have a mission. They're going to bring Meri down.
HAZING MERI SUGARMAN is a fantastic page-turner! M. Apostolina is a brilliant new writer. Cindy's character development is remarkably realistic; as she writes in her journal, you can see her change from an overly optimistic, naive, and often annoying character to one who, after seeing and experiencing something of the real world plus dealing with psychopath Meri Sugarman, actually knows more of what the world really is--and she can use that to her advantage, to stop Meri.
If you're put off by her bubbly, annoying tone in Cindy's first few journal entries, keep reading! That's just part of who Cindy is at the beginning. Honestly, even the nicest person would just want to slap her a few times. Soon, though, she becomes a much more likeable character.
HAZING MERI SUGARMAN is full of great characters! Even (or perhaps especially) the less-likeable characters had me wanting to read more and more about them. This novel is funny (at times laugh-out-loud hilarious), absorbing, and, well, fantastic! I've read a few other reviews of the book, and reviewers kept calling it unrealistic. I highly doubt it was supposed to mirror the lives of actual college students; in fact, I'd be quite frightened if it did! Suspend disbelief for awhile; you will absolutely love this book!
July 23, 2016
I liked this book and it's a great transitioning book for any teen readers who want to start reading books with a more adult edge to them. I also really liked the storyline to the book which follows a mousy little lonely girl who discovers the grass isn't always greener on the other side when she joins a sorority in hopes of becoming a popular girl with a boyfriend and best friends. My main complaint is the character writes the entire book in diary format and for someone who repeatedly describes herself to be so intelligent she sounds like she's a junior in high school. In addition to that you never find a character in the book you really love and you're rooting for through the entire book it's more of a less of all evils type of thing. Last complaint, there are a few loose ends in the book that kind of leave you with a "huh?" kind of feeling when you finish the book, like if that character wasn't so important why did you talk about her so much??
May 2, 2007
If it wasn't for one of the most unrealistic voices I've read in a long time, I could chalk this up to being a guilty pleasure. The story is compulsively readable in that dimestore way (sorority hazing, ugly duckling gone pretty in pink, sex and girly violence) but the voice of its main character (in diary format, no less) lacks any attempt at authenticity, and its values are so despicable it leaves me feeling dirty. This one gets an ew.
December 11, 2009
This was a pretty good book. Some of the priveleges of the sorority girls were not very believeable, but I still enjoyed the book. It was a fairly quick read that always left me wondering what was going to happen next.
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September 7, 2010So. The old blogging service Vox is closing up shop and I am transferring all of the books I logged on there.
Oof.
--
If you liked "Rhymes with Witches"
vox tags: college, girl, teen, sorority
Oof.
--
If you liked "Rhymes with Witches"
vox tags: college, girl, teen, sorority
January 17, 2008
Quick, funny read. It was for a little younger audience than what I realized though.
March 5, 2015
Chick lit. A good look at sorority life (although unreal and fantastical at times) and what some girls go through to be popular.
April 14, 2010
i thought this book was really really good i couldnt put it down!
June 25, 2011
This book had the potential to be much, much better. It's because of that (and because the Mamacita part made me laugh aloud) that I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 2.
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November 11, 2013love it especially cuz i am Cindy it show how an insecure girl came out to stop a person who seem impossible to stop but proves that the good girls always win
January 19, 2014
It definitely kept me reading, but the main character was quite annoying at times
February 17, 2014
This was a funny book - well some of it was.
Read
April 6, 2014i read this a couple of years ago and remember it to be very entertaining and just recently foundoutthere are ore in the series , one day i mus get down to reading them
September 18, 2014
Such a cute little freebie. Well written and fluffy, perfect for an afternoon read.
May 24, 2014
quick and fun
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews