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The Anti-Prom
Three unlikely allies team up for a night of rebellion, romance, and revenge in a high-stakes dramedy from acclaimed young author Abby McDonald.
They’ve spent years at the same high school without speaking a word to one another, but that’s all about to change. Popular Bliss was having the perfect prom until she found her BFF and boyfriend making out in the back of a limo. Bad girl Jolene wouldn’t be caught dead at the prom, yet here she is, trussed up in pink ruffles, risking her reputation for some guy - some guy who is forty minutes late. And shy, studious, über-planner Meg never counted on her date’s standing her up and leaving her idling in the parking lot outside the prom. Get ready for The Anti-Prom, Abby McDonald’s hilarious, heart-tugging tale about three girls and one unforgettable prom night.
They’ve spent years at the same high school without speaking a word to one another, but that’s all about to change. Popular Bliss was having the perfect prom until she found her BFF and boyfriend making out in the back of a limo. Bad girl Jolene wouldn’t be caught dead at the prom, yet here she is, trussed up in pink ruffles, risking her reputation for some guy - some guy who is forty minutes late. And shy, studious, über-planner Meg never counted on her date’s standing her up and leaving her idling in the parking lot outside the prom. Get ready for The Anti-Prom, Abby McDonald’s hilarious, heart-tugging tale about three girls and one unforgettable prom night.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 8, 2011
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1996 people want to read
About the author
Abby McDonald
11 books549 followersAuthor of several YA and adult novels, including DANGEROUS GIRLS and DANGEROUS BOYS (written as Abigail Haas).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
April 19, 2011
My Thoughts: Prom? Kissing? Betrayal? Friends? Check!!! We are introduced to 3 individual girls who could not be more different if they tried. First, there is Bliss who is popular, queen bee, has the perfect boyfriend (or so she thought) and is the girl who would most likely be prom queen. Next there is Jolene. Jolene seems like a rebel, she gets into trouble, she steps out against the norm. Last there is Meg. Meg is quiet, independent, nerdy, and the girl you'd want to help you with your homework. All 3 girls get thrown together during the night of their prom. None of their proms are what they thought it would be. They are left feeling upset and very dissatisfied. Bliss finds her boyfriend making out with her best friend, Jolene gets stood up, and Meg just wants to have a good time and maybe dance with the guy she's crushing on.
Bliss and Jolene start talking and realize they must do something about all of their problems! Meg basically gets thrown into the mix because she's the ride! Bliss ends up finding her best friends diary and has this notion to leave it in her friend's boyfriends doom room so he can discover she's cheating with Bliss's boyfriend. Jolene just wants to get her father back and make him understand. Meg just wants to learn to be more brave.
I really enjoyed The Anti-Prom! I liked seeing how Jolene's relationship with her guy friend developed. I really liked him! I liked the college boy Meg meets and I liked how Bliss realized she was better off without her cheating lying scum boyfriend.
This book was full of laughs and was made of fun. It was like a mini road trip of fun with these girls! Even though the guys weren't in the story very often I liked the little details into their personalities we do see. I liked seeing the girls become friends even though they were so different. Even though I did enjoy Boys Bears and A Serious Pair Of Hiking Boots a bit more; this author knows how to write a fun story.
Overall: Really enjoyed it! If you haven't read Boys Bears and A Serious Pair Of Hiking Boots be sure to check that one out too while your buying The Anti-Prom!
Cover: The cover is cute! Love how we can't see the faces and the balloons make it even funner!
What I'd Give It: 4/5 Cupcakes
Taken from Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com
Bliss and Jolene start talking and realize they must do something about all of their problems! Meg basically gets thrown into the mix because she's the ride! Bliss ends up finding her best friends diary and has this notion to leave it in her friend's boyfriends doom room so he can discover she's cheating with Bliss's boyfriend. Jolene just wants to get her father back and make him understand. Meg just wants to learn to be more brave.
I really enjoyed The Anti-Prom! I liked seeing how Jolene's relationship with her guy friend developed. I really liked him! I liked the college boy Meg meets and I liked how Bliss realized she was better off without her cheating lying scum boyfriend.
This book was full of laughs and was made of fun. It was like a mini road trip of fun with these girls! Even though the guys weren't in the story very often I liked the little details into their personalities we do see. I liked seeing the girls become friends even though they were so different. Even though I did enjoy Boys Bears and A Serious Pair Of Hiking Boots a bit more; this author knows how to write a fun story.
Overall: Really enjoyed it! If you haven't read Boys Bears and A Serious Pair Of Hiking Boots be sure to check that one out too while your buying The Anti-Prom!
Cover: The cover is cute! Love how we can't see the faces and the balloons make it even funner!
What I'd Give It: 4/5 Cupcakes
Taken from Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com
February 5, 2011
I wanted to enjoy this book, but from the first chapter, I knew it would be a cheesy read. Cheese squelched out of all of the pages, coating almost every word. The story also sounded familiar. It was just like John Tucker Must Die, but on prom night...and not as funny. The ending was rather cute, but, sadly, it did not make up for the rest of the book.
Although there were some bad bad things about this novel, there were also a few good things. The author created three extremely distinct characters and wove their stories into each other very well. I was a little confused a couple of times, however, when the chapters changed and the character point-of-view switched, but I could quickly get back on track with the authors' help.
Bliss was your typical popular girl on the outside, but as you got to know her, she became more of a human being and less like a barbie. She found her boyfriend and best friend making out at prom, which spurred her to ask the school's "resident bad-girl" to help her get revenge. The way they planned to get revenge was very unrealistic and, again, cheesy.
The "resident bad-girl", Jolene, had issues of her own, and chose that night to resolve them! What are the chances? She also evolved as a character throughout the book, becoming less of a hard shell, and more of a teenage girl. She seemed to me like a motorcycle chick who was older than seventeen. She also didn't seem like the type of person who would be so interested in going to college. Nowhere in the book did it say what her grades were, but her main focus was to get money for college.
Meg was the character I felt the most connection with. She wasn't a party girl, or "popular". She liked to read and was quiet. I also felt the most sympathy towards her, because of her background and the fact that she was pressured into being Bliss and Jolene's designated driver for criminal activities she did not want to participate in. I was glad for her, though, when she came out of her shell.
Overall, the novel was not my favourite. It was a typical story about three girls who never spoke to each other and then ended up spending prom night getting revenge on their classmates. It was predictable and, (need I say it again?) very cheesy. I'm sorry to say that I had to be honest and give this book a two and a half mask rating.
Although there were some bad bad things about this novel, there were also a few good things. The author created three extremely distinct characters and wove their stories into each other very well. I was a little confused a couple of times, however, when the chapters changed and the character point-of-view switched, but I could quickly get back on track with the authors' help.
Bliss was your typical popular girl on the outside, but as you got to know her, she became more of a human being and less like a barbie. She found her boyfriend and best friend making out at prom, which spurred her to ask the school's "resident bad-girl" to help her get revenge. The way they planned to get revenge was very unrealistic and, again, cheesy.
The "resident bad-girl", Jolene, had issues of her own, and chose that night to resolve them! What are the chances? She also evolved as a character throughout the book, becoming less of a hard shell, and more of a teenage girl. She seemed to me like a motorcycle chick who was older than seventeen. She also didn't seem like the type of person who would be so interested in going to college. Nowhere in the book did it say what her grades were, but her main focus was to get money for college.
Meg was the character I felt the most connection with. She wasn't a party girl, or "popular". She liked to read and was quiet. I also felt the most sympathy towards her, because of her background and the fact that she was pressured into being Bliss and Jolene's designated driver for criminal activities she did not want to participate in. I was glad for her, though, when she came out of her shell.
Overall, the novel was not my favourite. It was a typical story about three girls who never spoke to each other and then ended up spending prom night getting revenge on their classmates. It was predictable and, (need I say it again?) very cheesy. I'm sorry to say that I had to be honest and give this book a two and a half mask rating.
May 3, 2017
3.5 Stars
This book was pretty cool. I really enjoy reading/watching stuff about proms, queen bees, outcasts, boyfriends etc because we don't have that kind of awesome high school in my country.
The characters here were likable, the three girls who belong to entirely different cliques come together for one night to achieve their mission.
Later the story grows and the chain of events brings all of them closer to each other. The story was well-paced, events well thought out with a good back story to everything.
All in all it was a good book for a change.
This book was pretty cool. I really enjoy reading/watching stuff about proms, queen bees, outcasts, boyfriends etc because we don't have that kind of awesome high school in my country.
The characters here were likable, the three girls who belong to entirely different cliques come together for one night to achieve their mission.
Later the story grows and the chain of events brings all of them closer to each other. The story was well-paced, events well thought out with a good back story to everything.
All in all it was a good book for a change.
May 5, 2011
The Anti-Prom
AUTHOR: Abby McDonald
GENRE: Young Adult Fiction
FORM: Audiobook
SYNOPSIS: Three girls who would be voted “Least Likely to Hang Out – EVER,” find themselves stuck together when what is suppose to be the best, most fun day of their entire High School career falls apart. Bliss has just caught one of her best friends, Katelyn, in a rather precarious position with her boyfriend in the back of their limo. Jocelyn, the school outcast, trouble maker, “tough girl” was suppose to meet her (guy) friend and do a little revenge action. Meg, the shy wallflower who just wanted to have a normal day, was set up with a friend of the family as a date to the prom, but he canceled at the last minute. Now the three have teamed up, and have a mission – well Bliss and Jocelyn have their own missions; Meg is just getting caught up in their tidal wave. For one night only, they are an unstoppable team.
REVIEW: Wow, that is a lot of stuff to pack into one night. Especially when prom is already in full swing as the book opens. The Anti-Prom is wall-to-wall action. There is not a single piece of “dead air” in the book, Bliss, Jocelyn, and Meg are moving from the opening to the closing. I loved the mix of the most unlikely candidates – and how they deal with each other. Most of the best moments of the book, for me, were when they were on route to their next destination, and either bickering or chastising each other. For each of the girls prom night ended up being a bit more of a night of self discovery.
Abby McDonald did a great job of creating characters that anyone can relate to. It was easy to find something about one or all of the girls and experience this adventure from their shoes. I know I could relate to two of the girls; Meg, for her shy, standoffish personality. And Jocelyn, for her broken family and father full of empty promises. I can tell you, I think I probably would have had a lot more fun at their “Prom” than I had at mine!
This book would be an AWESOME teen movie! Think a newer and much better Can’t Hardly Wait.
WHAT I LOVED: The wrapping up ending, starting with the 2nd trip to the college. I LOVE how everything fell together at the end for all of the girls, and their attitudes concerning each of their circumstances.
NOT SO MUCH: That really was a lot of action for just one night…but the book wouldn’t have been the same. It’s a divide in my head, a good book doesn’t have to be a realistic one. (This coming from the girl who reads mostly fantasy/sci-fi YA novels..right?)
AUTHOR: Abby McDonald
GENRE: Young Adult Fiction
FORM: Audiobook
SYNOPSIS: Three girls who would be voted “Least Likely to Hang Out – EVER,” find themselves stuck together when what is suppose to be the best, most fun day of their entire High School career falls apart. Bliss has just caught one of her best friends, Katelyn, in a rather precarious position with her boyfriend in the back of their limo. Jocelyn, the school outcast, trouble maker, “tough girl” was suppose to meet her (guy) friend and do a little revenge action. Meg, the shy wallflower who just wanted to have a normal day, was set up with a friend of the family as a date to the prom, but he canceled at the last minute. Now the three have teamed up, and have a mission – well Bliss and Jocelyn have their own missions; Meg is just getting caught up in their tidal wave. For one night only, they are an unstoppable team.
REVIEW: Wow, that is a lot of stuff to pack into one night. Especially when prom is already in full swing as the book opens. The Anti-Prom is wall-to-wall action. There is not a single piece of “dead air” in the book, Bliss, Jocelyn, and Meg are moving from the opening to the closing. I loved the mix of the most unlikely candidates – and how they deal with each other. Most of the best moments of the book, for me, were when they were on route to their next destination, and either bickering or chastising each other. For each of the girls prom night ended up being a bit more of a night of self discovery.
Abby McDonald did a great job of creating characters that anyone can relate to. It was easy to find something about one or all of the girls and experience this adventure from their shoes. I know I could relate to two of the girls; Meg, for her shy, standoffish personality. And Jocelyn, for her broken family and father full of empty promises. I can tell you, I think I probably would have had a lot more fun at their “Prom” than I had at mine!
This book would be an AWESOME teen movie! Think a newer and much better Can’t Hardly Wait.
WHAT I LOVED: The wrapping up ending, starting with the 2nd trip to the college. I LOVE how everything fell together at the end for all of the girls, and their attitudes concerning each of their circumstances.
NOT SO MUCH: That really was a lot of action for just one night…but the book wouldn’t have been the same. It’s a divide in my head, a good book doesn’t have to be a realistic one. (This coming from the girl who reads mostly fantasy/sci-fi YA novels..right?)
August 15, 2011
The Anti-Prom was the perfect lazy-summer-day read. It was silly, light, funny in the right places and was narrated by characters that were actually likable.
The story grabbed me from the first few sentences where Bliss (yes, and unfortunate naming decision on McDonald's part) catches her boyfriend and best friend going at it during the prom. She quickly decides to seek revenge on the best friend and recruits resident bad girl Jolene to show her how it's done. Unfortunately, Jolene herself is dealing with all sorts of craziness and might not be the most stable accomplice. Meg enters the story when she almost runs the other two girls over. She is apologetic where they see her as a chauffeur service.
The Anti-Prom basically takes you on a long journey of misadventure taking place over the course of a few hours. Think "watered down version of The Hangover - but for teen girls."
I liked how the chapters alternated p.o.v. between the three characters. It was nice to get to see inside all of their minds. And although this didn't always follow the most realistic plot line, that's what made it fun and indulgent.
This is an easy one to recommend to older high school girls. Unfortunately, although the cover and the story line are very appealing, the content isn’t all that appropriate for that tween/middle school
The story grabbed me from the first few sentences where Bliss (yes, and unfortunate naming decision on McDonald's part) catches her boyfriend and best friend going at it during the prom. She quickly decides to seek revenge on the best friend and recruits resident bad girl Jolene to show her how it's done. Unfortunately, Jolene herself is dealing with all sorts of craziness and might not be the most stable accomplice. Meg enters the story when she almost runs the other two girls over. She is apologetic where they see her as a chauffeur service.
The Anti-Prom basically takes you on a long journey of misadventure taking place over the course of a few hours. Think "watered down version of The Hangover - but for teen girls."
I liked how the chapters alternated p.o.v. between the three characters. It was nice to get to see inside all of their minds. And although this didn't always follow the most realistic plot line, that's what made it fun and indulgent.
This is an easy one to recommend to older high school girls. Unfortunately, although the cover and the story line are very appealing, the content isn’t all that appropriate for that tween/middle school
July 25, 2011
Anti-Prom was a book I thought would just be a light read. I loved that it was told from each of the three very different girls' perspectives. From each of their POVs, I got a clear picture of what made each of them the way they were. As they were such an unlikely trio to ever become friends and help one another out, I loved understanding what was fueling their decisions.
My favorite character was probably Jolene, though I felt pretty fond of Meg by the end of the book. Jolene had so many walls to be broken down - I feel she needed the most growth, though she was the one pushing the other girls to change as well. There seemed to be so many layers to Jolene - her father, the tough-chick exterior, the assumptions everyone made about her, her intellect and drive to change and go to college.
In such a short time span, I feel it's pretty unlikely that such an eventful night could ever pan out with the ending that went down. However, McDonald did a great job not making everything feel overly concocted. This book gives me hope that such uniquely different girls could ever bond together and become friends.
My actual star rating would probably lie somewhere between a 3 and 4, but I'm erring on the side of a higher rating. :)
My favorite character was probably Jolene, though I felt pretty fond of Meg by the end of the book. Jolene had so many walls to be broken down - I feel she needed the most growth, though she was the one pushing the other girls to change as well. There seemed to be so many layers to Jolene - her father, the tough-chick exterior, the assumptions everyone made about her, her intellect and drive to change and go to college.
In such a short time span, I feel it's pretty unlikely that such an eventful night could ever pan out with the ending that went down. However, McDonald did a great job not making everything feel overly concocted. This book gives me hope that such uniquely different girls could ever bond together and become friends.
My actual star rating would probably lie somewhere between a 3 and 4, but I'm erring on the side of a higher rating. :)
February 23, 2012
Under usual circumstances this is a book I would have put down after reading the first couple of chapters, but circumstances were not normal. This was the only audio book I had with me at work and I had a mundane task to complete so I just kept listening. By the time work was done I was nearly half way through the book and then kept listening because I wanted to know how everything turned out.
The first half of the book was just ok, it was entertaining but I really didn't care about the characters and found it to be a little far-fetched and cheesy. However it held my interest enough to continue to the end and I did like the ending. So its rating went from a "not my kind of book" or "wouldn't recommend" to a "take it or leave it" kind of read by the end. There really isn't much more I have to say other than if it looks like something you might enjoy perhaps you should check out a few other reviews to see what others thought about it since it really wasn't my cup of tea.
Rating: 2.5 Stars - Take it or Leave it
Content: Too much for my liking. Lots of language including a couple uses of the F word, talk and descriptions of everything that goes with a stereotypical prom, after parties & frat parties.
Source: Library
The first half of the book was just ok, it was entertaining but I really didn't care about the characters and found it to be a little far-fetched and cheesy. However it held my interest enough to continue to the end and I did like the ending. So its rating went from a "not my kind of book" or "wouldn't recommend" to a "take it or leave it" kind of read by the end. There really isn't much more I have to say other than if it looks like something you might enjoy perhaps you should check out a few other reviews to see what others thought about it since it really wasn't my cup of tea.
Rating: 2.5 Stars - Take it or Leave it
Content: Too much for my liking. Lots of language including a couple uses of the F word, talk and descriptions of everything that goes with a stereotypical prom, after parties & frat parties.
Source: Library
January 13, 2013
I went into this book with a mindset that I most likely wasn't going to like it. I'd gotten it as a gift in September for my birthday and it has been staring at me from the shelf ever since.
For starters the plot just didn't sound very believable, and the three main characters seemed to be three different extremes. Not to mention the fact that it is extremely unlikely that the three of them would actually work together toward common goals. But... I was wrong. Abby McDonald did a great job in making the characters believable. In fact, as the story goes on you realize that in many ways the girls are actually a lot alike.
I found that, despite my reluctance to read this book, I ended up really enjoying it. The plot had a way of being action packed without seeming rushed. You really get a peek into the lives of these girls and a rather unusual prom night. I find myself craving sequels, just to know what happens next in their lives, but at the same time I love the way the story ended. I don't know much about this author, or if she even has any more published works, but I would definitely read more from her.
Edit:After checking the author page, I discovered she did have more books under her belt so I quickly updated my TBR list!
For starters the plot just didn't sound very believable, and the three main characters seemed to be three different extremes. Not to mention the fact that it is extremely unlikely that the three of them would actually work together toward common goals. But... I was wrong. Abby McDonald did a great job in making the characters believable. In fact, as the story goes on you realize that in many ways the girls are actually a lot alike.
I found that, despite my reluctance to read this book, I ended up really enjoying it. The plot had a way of being action packed without seeming rushed. You really get a peek into the lives of these girls and a rather unusual prom night. I find myself craving sequels, just to know what happens next in their lives, but at the same time I love the way the story ended. I don't know much about this author, or if she even has any more published works, but I would definitely read more from her.
Edit:After checking the author page, I discovered she did have more books under her belt so I quickly updated my TBR list!
July 30, 2013
Once again, I read this to see if it was a book I could recommend to the students I work with; it's meant more for 15+ young adults, IMO. Even so, it was an enjoyable read, putting three unlikely girls together for a night of mad-capped - and I mean mad-capped - adventures.
Bliss was the rich, popular girl who sees first hand her BFF making it with her boyfriend at the prom. She gets a wild idea to get back at them and gets Jolene, the "bad girl" to help her. On the way, they talk Meg, the invisible wallflower, to be their driver, and off they go.
Each one of these young women are much more than their stereotype. Bliss is tired of the crap she has to put up with to maintain her popular status. Jolene is hurting inside from the lack of acknowledgment from her dead-beat dad, and Meg would just like a friend and not to be invisible. Together, through pulling off different "jobs" for two of them, they learn more about each other and themselves.
I would definitely recommend this book. It's nice to see examples that we are much more than just the labels others try and bestow on us.
Bliss was the rich, popular girl who sees first hand her BFF making it with her boyfriend at the prom. She gets a wild idea to get back at them and gets Jolene, the "bad girl" to help her. On the way, they talk Meg, the invisible wallflower, to be their driver, and off they go.
Each one of these young women are much more than their stereotype. Bliss is tired of the crap she has to put up with to maintain her popular status. Jolene is hurting inside from the lack of acknowledgment from her dead-beat dad, and Meg would just like a friend and not to be invisible. Together, through pulling off different "jobs" for two of them, they learn more about each other and themselves.
I would definitely recommend this book. It's nice to see examples that we are much more than just the labels others try and bestow on us.
July 22, 2014
The Anti-Prom is EXCITING & FUNNY.
These three girls are pretty funny when you get them all together. Not to mention, they have a lot to learn from each other. This is your average coming of age story, times three!
Bliss, a popular girl, learns that there are more important things than cool friends and fashion. Jolene, the bad girl, learns to let go of her past and embrace those who truly care about her. Meg, the dork, finally comes out of her shell and becomes more confident in herself.
The story is told from three point of views. This can be a tricky task, as it can be hard to follow the change between so many characters. Though, Abby McDonald does it well in this instance. Not once, did I get lost with the changes in the point of views.
Overall, this was a fun read appropriate for any age of YA readers.
Want to see more of my reviews? Visit my blog, The Golden Book Hunt
These three girls are pretty funny when you get them all together. Not to mention, they have a lot to learn from each other. This is your average coming of age story, times three!
Bliss, a popular girl, learns that there are more important things than cool friends and fashion. Jolene, the bad girl, learns to let go of her past and embrace those who truly care about her. Meg, the dork, finally comes out of her shell and becomes more confident in herself.
The story is told from three point of views. This can be a tricky task, as it can be hard to follow the change between so many characters. Though, Abby McDonald does it well in this instance. Not once, did I get lost with the changes in the point of views.
Overall, this was a fun read appropriate for any age of YA readers.
Want to see more of my reviews? Visit my blog, The Golden Book Hunt
May 7, 2015
This book does a great job of relating to the issues and conflicts of a teenage girl in high school. The most significant event to every teenage girl is prom and no matter how hard you try you there still seems to be drama and something still seems to go wrong. For Bliss, her perfectly planned night gets ruined when she catches her boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend. For Jolene, it is the fact that she is actually at prom while she believes her date stood her up. And for Meg, it is the loss of hope that she will ever find the perfect guy since her date sent her a message saying he won't be coming. Although the three have never spoken before they team up as they strive to get even.
December 28, 2017
Definitely enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
December 6, 2013
Anti-Prom is a really appropriate book for young adults. The book is actually about 3 girls running around the states trying to do many illegal things having a tragedy ending.
December 18, 2025
This is my third time reading The Anti-Prom, and it still pulls me right in! I finished it in one sitting today—couldn't stop turning the pages. Abby McDonald really knows how to create characters that stick with you, and Meg and Scott will always be one of my favorite couples. Their relationship is the heart of the story, and it’s one of the most authentic and relatable ones I’ve read in YA.
The character development is exceptional. Meg’s growth over the course of the book is so well done. Watching her come into her own, find her voice, and decide what she wants for herself is such an empowering journey. And the chemistry between her and Scott is everything. They're messy, real, and their relationship feels so genuine.
Jolene adds a unique layer to the story too. I love how her character brings in a different perspective—she's bold and unapologetic, and her growth is just as important. By the end, I felt like I understood her a lot more, and I was really rooting for her.
As for Bliss, it took me a little longer to warm up to her, but by the end of the book, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her and appreciate her more. Her story is complex, and while she’s not exactly someone you’d immediately want to be friends with, her struggles are real, and you can’t help but empathize with her.
The plot itself is so much fun—a clever twist on the typical prom experience—and it balances humor with deeper themes of self-discovery, friendship, and taking risks. It’s refreshing to read a YA book that doesn’t follow the same old formula.
If you love books with strong character development, quirky yet meaningful plots, and characters you’ll be thinking about long after you’ve finished, The Anti-Prom is a must-read. Highly recommend!
The character development is exceptional. Meg’s growth over the course of the book is so well done. Watching her come into her own, find her voice, and decide what she wants for herself is such an empowering journey. And the chemistry between her and Scott is everything. They're messy, real, and their relationship feels so genuine.
Jolene adds a unique layer to the story too. I love how her character brings in a different perspective—she's bold and unapologetic, and her growth is just as important. By the end, I felt like I understood her a lot more, and I was really rooting for her.
As for Bliss, it took me a little longer to warm up to her, but by the end of the book, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her and appreciate her more. Her story is complex, and while she’s not exactly someone you’d immediately want to be friends with, her struggles are real, and you can’t help but empathize with her.
The plot itself is so much fun—a clever twist on the typical prom experience—and it balances humor with deeper themes of self-discovery, friendship, and taking risks. It’s refreshing to read a YA book that doesn’t follow the same old formula.
If you love books with strong character development, quirky yet meaningful plots, and characters you’ll be thinking about long after you’ve finished, The Anti-Prom is a must-read. Highly recommend!
July 12, 2019
4.5 stars
This book was unrealistic, cheesy, and predictable, and yet I also highly enjoyed it.
I like when characters who think they have nothing in common end up realizing there's more to the others than they expected. Bliss is the typical popular girl; Jolene is the typical bad girl; Meg is the typical loner girl. They end up spending an evening together trying to get revenge on Bliss's boyfriend and best friend, whom she caught hooking up on prom night.
I mostly liked reading about Meg. As the quiet girl with no friends, I found myself most relating to her. I especially loved the scene where she's watching a girl just like her in college and realizing that college is not a magical ticket to a new life, that she's still going to be her in college unless she does something different. I also enjoyed the scene where Bliss tells her that maybe she's not alone because everyone else is mean, that maybe she's alone because she's just boring. That was something I've had to realize, too. It's not a fun realization, but it's important, and it definitely makes me wish I could have read this book when I was in high school.
Overall, most of my enjoyment of this book comes from relating to the characters (Meg and to some extent Jolene, not so much Bliss) and liking this type of story to begin with. It's not particularly original or anything, and I wasn't really surprised by anything, but it was a quick, entertaining read, and sometimes that's what you need.
This book was unrealistic, cheesy, and predictable, and yet I also highly enjoyed it.
I like when characters who think they have nothing in common end up realizing there's more to the others than they expected. Bliss is the typical popular girl; Jolene is the typical bad girl; Meg is the typical loner girl. They end up spending an evening together trying to get revenge on Bliss's boyfriend and best friend, whom she caught hooking up on prom night.
I mostly liked reading about Meg. As the quiet girl with no friends, I found myself most relating to her. I especially loved the scene where she's watching a girl just like her in college and realizing that college is not a magical ticket to a new life, that she's still going to be her in college unless she does something different. I also enjoyed the scene where Bliss tells her that maybe she's not alone because everyone else is mean, that maybe she's alone because she's just boring. That was something I've had to realize, too. It's not a fun realization, but it's important, and it definitely makes me wish I could have read this book when I was in high school.
Overall, most of my enjoyment of this book comes from relating to the characters (Meg and to some extent Jolene, not so much Bliss) and liking this type of story to begin with. It's not particularly original or anything, and I wasn't really surprised by anything, but it was a quick, entertaining read, and sometimes that's what you need.
February 16, 2018
I don't know what it was about this book.
Some thing about it made me keep reading, I think it was the character's but you can never be sure.
I didn't love anything specifically about the book, it was just the entire book, almost as if everything about it was good.
But this book isn't like the other's I've read this year, it didn't make me look at things differently, it didn't nag me when I stopped reading it. It was a good book, yes. But it wasn't one of those books.
It was the kind of book you read when you are waiting for one of those books.
But none the less I did still like it, so I won't really say anything too bad about it.
Just what I thought.
Some thing about it made me keep reading, I think it was the character's but you can never be sure.
I didn't love anything specifically about the book, it was just the entire book, almost as if everything about it was good.
But this book isn't like the other's I've read this year, it didn't make me look at things differently, it didn't nag me when I stopped reading it. It was a good book, yes. But it wasn't one of those books.
It was the kind of book you read when you are waiting for one of those books.
But none the less I did still like it, so I won't really say anything too bad about it.
Just what I thought.
January 29, 2021
Rating: 3.5 Stars
This started out as a revenge plot and ended with a new and wonderful friendship. Each of these young women were letting other people's thoughts and actions define them, and one night of wild adventures helped them see that they were more than and wanted to be more than what other people thought they could be. Fun and cute!
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This started out as a revenge plot and ended with a new and wonderful friendship. Each of these young women were letting other people's thoughts and actions define them, and one night of wild adventures helped them see that they were more than and wanted to be more than what other people thought they could be. Fun and cute!
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
June 2, 2022
"Maybe that’s the trick: to expect so little from life, you never feel one ounce of disappointment. Maybe that’s my lesson."
Solid characterization , 3 POV totally sounds really different (it's hard by the way,not many author could pull this off,usually they sound the same)..the chemistry between Bliss,Jolene and Meg is on point and the plot was good..i enjoy every minute of it..great light read..totally capture the problems that every one of us ever felt
Solid characterization , 3 POV totally sounds really different (it's hard by the way,not many author could pull this off,usually they sound the same)..the chemistry between Bliss,Jolene and Meg is on point and the plot was good..i enjoy every minute of it..great light read..totally capture the problems that every one of us ever felt
October 21, 2024
This was a medium read for me. Nothing particularly wrong with it, but nothing surprising or as nuanced as it could have been, even for YA. I felt like only one of the three main characters was particularly complex and interesting, but I didn't hate the other two, which is a plus. I think this would gear well to the younger end of YA, more early teens than older teens.
April 20, 2025
If you look up the definition of classic high school cliche and toxic relationship and friendships you will see this book. I’m glad everything ended happily but wow there were multiple places it could end and didn’t plus high school cliche on steroids it was a bit much and language was strong. If this was a movie and I tell people to not watch it.
June 1, 2020
Read my full review on the Shannon A. Jade Books blog!
My 'The Anti-Prom' Top 3:
- Lots of drama!
- Fast-paced and fun
- Unlikely friendships
My 'The Anti-Prom' Top 3:
- Lots of drama!
- Fast-paced and fun
- Unlikely friendships
September 22, 2017
Roligt med tre distinkta berättare. Lite för lång och krånglig i nattens uppdrag. DO. Plus för vänskap mer än kärlek.
February 9, 2018
fun little romp
October 12, 2019
This book is a little slow and boring but has a few good parts that somehow make it worth it.
June 8, 2020
Lovely story about friendship
January 21, 2021
While the content is young adult, the writing is more tween than teen. So take that as you will. It'd probably make a good Netflix film with the right treatment.
February 8, 2021
Just okay, not much of a storyline.
September 12, 2022
I throughly enjoyed this quick read. Funny, quirky, adorable. If you like a good story you will like this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2022
Eh. It took me like 150 pages to not be extremely bored. And it was sort of cheesy. But I liked the ending as everything was resolved well and it was a sweet friendship that was born.
November 3, 2023
So cute! Read it in one sitting
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