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The Complete History of Why I Hate Her
Nola wants nothing more than a summer on her own—and a job at an upscale Maine coast resort sounds ideal. She’ll have plenty of beach time between waitressing, some freedom from stresses back home, and the chance to make new friends. Enter Carly, the perfect pal: full of jokes, ideas, energy—and experienced at being away from her mysterious family. But Carly turns out to be much more complicated than the standard summer buddy—her borderline personality can turn on Nola in a flash, and even love becomes a rivalry. As the girls’ instant friendship unhinges by subtle, increasingly powerful turns, the commonplace becomes dramatic—and the outcome unforgettable.
196 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2010
7 people are currently reading
540 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Richard Jacobson
44 books183 followersJennifer has spent three decades writing award-winning fiction and nonfiction for children. Amongst her titles are picture books: THIS IS MY ROOM (NO TIGERS ALLOWED) and OH, CHICKADEE!; chapter books: Andy Shane series and Twig and Turtle series; middle grade novels: SMALL AS AN ELEPHANT, PAPER THINGS, THE DOLLAR KIDS, CRASHING IN LOVE; and young adult novels: THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF WHY I HATE HER and STAINED. Her awards and honors include ALA Best Books For Young Adults, Publishers Weekly Best Books, NYPL Best Books for Teens, Parents Choice Gold Award, IRA Young Adult’s Choice, ILA Social Justice Award, NTCE Charlotte Huck Honorable Mention, Bank Street Best Books of the Year, and Junior Library Guild Selections as well as many state awards. She lives in mid-coast Maine with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
December 31, 2010
Nola decides to spend the summer waitressing in a small resort town in Maine so that she can get a break from the constant drama surrounding her sister Song’s illness (Song has cancer). Nola wants to use the time to reconnect with herself, find out who she is again, and figure out what she wants to do with her life. On the bus ride to Maine, she meets another girl, Carly, who’s bright and funny and outgoing. When Nola’s roommate and fellow waitress is let go (because she’s pregnant), Carly takes her job and her place, and soon Nola and Carly are inseparable. But their closeness starts to bother Nola – particularly when Carly acts possessive, gets the exact same haircut, becomes her understudy in the staff play, and decides to take up running (which is Nola’s special thing). The worst thing, however, is when she starts writing to Nola’s sister and invites her to come out and visit. When Song arrives, Carly humiliates her in public, before pulling her off a cliff (cliff diving) – even though she’s sick and can’t swim. Song ends up in the hospital, and Nola decides not to return to Maine – but not before she confronts Carly. Although, it’s clear by the end of this book that Carly has some serious issues and Nola hates her (or at least hates what she did), Nola does admit that Carly’s actions are what really pushed her to stand up for and know herself, which is what she’d set out to do.
The Complete History of Why I Hate Her is fast, intense, a little scary, and hard to put it down. Although it’s a bit predictable (most people will figure out early on that Carly was the one who got Nola’s roommate fired), it’s still quite suspenseful – how far is Carly willing to go? How far is Nola willing to let her push? Is something terrible going to happen to Song? And what’s going to happen with Harrison? I’d hoped for a bit more of a showdown between Carly and Nola (Nola should have destroyed Carly), but it was still satisfying – especially when Harrison shows up at Nola’s house and they get a chance to really talk about what happened.
The Complete History of Why I Hate Her is fast, intense, a little scary, and hard to put it down. Although it’s a bit predictable (most people will figure out early on that Carly was the one who got Nola’s roommate fired), it’s still quite suspenseful – how far is Carly willing to go? How far is Nola willing to let her push? Is something terrible going to happen to Song? And what’s going to happen with Harrison? I’d hoped for a bit more of a showdown between Carly and Nola (Nola should have destroyed Carly), but it was still satisfying – especially when Harrison shows up at Nola’s house and they get a chance to really talk about what happened.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2012
Reviewed by McKenzie Tritt for TeensReadToo.com
Nola wants to escape her home life. That basically means Song, her younger sister who is battling cancer. It's not that she doesn't love her sister or anything; Nola just wants to be able to live her own life without those constant worries. She heads off to a resort in Maine, and there she meets Carly. They become quick friends, and Carly seems like the perfect person to hang out with on a summer vacation.
Nola will soon learn, though, that Carly can be rather twisted and isn't all that she seems. Carly is a bad influence. She lies and creates unnecessary drama. Nola thinks she can handle it, until Carly pushes her one time too many.
I ended up really enjoying this book. Nola was a good character that I found easy to connect with. Even Song, her sister, was a spunky girl who was fun to hear about. The story picked up quickly, and I found that the pacing throughout the book was just right. I never grew bored with it.
I liked the secondary characters, though we didn't hear much about them. I would have enjoyed learning more about the other characters and Nola's relationships with them. I felt the book was lacking in that area.
However, THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF WHY I HATE HER is an awesome book that portrays just what a "frenemy" really is. The dramas of teenage relationships are explored truthfully, and I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, emotional read.
Nola wants to escape her home life. That basically means Song, her younger sister who is battling cancer. It's not that she doesn't love her sister or anything; Nola just wants to be able to live her own life without those constant worries. She heads off to a resort in Maine, and there she meets Carly. They become quick friends, and Carly seems like the perfect person to hang out with on a summer vacation.
Nola will soon learn, though, that Carly can be rather twisted and isn't all that she seems. Carly is a bad influence. She lies and creates unnecessary drama. Nola thinks she can handle it, until Carly pushes her one time too many.
I ended up really enjoying this book. Nola was a good character that I found easy to connect with. Even Song, her sister, was a spunky girl who was fun to hear about. The story picked up quickly, and I found that the pacing throughout the book was just right. I never grew bored with it.
I liked the secondary characters, though we didn't hear much about them. I would have enjoyed learning more about the other characters and Nola's relationships with them. I felt the book was lacking in that area.
However, THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF WHY I HATE HER is an awesome book that portrays just what a "frenemy" really is. The dramas of teenage relationships are explored truthfully, and I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, emotional read.
September 19, 2018
I can see why the reviews for this book are average. Its not that I disliked it. More that it was anticlimactic and has been done before in more extreme and well thought ways than in this version. It felt unfinished. The basis of the story line is that Carly starts to imitate and manipulate Nola by taking over her life and making it all about her. Making Nola out to be self obsessed and absorbed to make Carly look like the nice fun girl. What I didnt like about the book though is it never went into Carly's behaviour on why she is a compulsive liar. There is clearly a mental illness situation there that is left completely unexplored, there isn't even any confrontation or resolution to Carly's behaviour...... This story felt under written. Should this be aimed at middle grade? Not YA? Is it complex enough to be considered YA? I read it as a teen drama rather than a book dealing with mental illness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2023
"The Complete History of Why I Hate Her" by Jennifer Richard Jacobson is a fascinating novel that explores the complex relationship between two teenage girls, Nell and Ambrose. The book is set in a small town in Maine, and the story is told from Nell's perspective. The novel begins with Nell and Ambrose being best friends, but their friendship starts to fall apart when Nell accuses Ambrose of stealing her boyfriend. The rest of the book is a series of flashbacks that detail the events that led up to the breakup of their friendship.
One of the things that I really enjoyed about this book was the way that it explored the complicated emotions that come with friendships. Nell and Ambrose's friendship was not always easy, and the book does a great job of showing how friendships can be both wonderful and difficult at the same time.
Another thing that I appreciated about the book was the way that it dealt with the issue of bullying. Nell is bullied by some of her classmates, and the book does a great job of showing how this affects her emotionally. It also shows how bullying can escalate and have serious consequences. Overall, I thought that "The Complete History of Why I Hate Her" was a great book. It was well-written and engaging, and the characters were relatable and interesting. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading about friendships and the complexities that come with them.
One of the things that I really enjoyed about this book was the way that it explored the complicated emotions that come with friendships. Nell and Ambrose's friendship was not always easy, and the book does a great job of showing how friendships can be both wonderful and difficult at the same time.
Another thing that I appreciated about the book was the way that it dealt with the issue of bullying. Nell is bullied by some of her classmates, and the book does a great job of showing how this affects her emotionally. It also shows how bullying can escalate and have serious consequences. Overall, I thought that "The Complete History of Why I Hate Her" was a great book. It was well-written and engaging, and the characters were relatable and interesting. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading about friendships and the complexities that come with them.
February 22, 2019
Language - PG (31 swears, 0 "f"), Sexual Content - PG; Violence - G
Nola's sister has a tumor and has always been seen as "the girl with the sister who has cancer." This summer, Nola is going to be a waitress in Maine to get away and find out who she is. Making friends, fitting in, and working isn't as easy as she thought, and things don't always go as planned.
I loved the deep bond between Nola and her sister and I enjoyed how much Nola's path at discovering herself didn't go how either of us thought it would. Song, Nola's sister, was my favorite character. Song had so much life in her--even though she had a tumor and every reason to hate her life.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
Nola's sister has a tumor and has always been seen as "the girl with the sister who has cancer." This summer, Nola is going to be a waitress in Maine to get away and find out who she is. Making friends, fitting in, and working isn't as easy as she thought, and things don't always go as planned.
I loved the deep bond between Nola and her sister and I enjoyed how much Nola's path at discovering herself didn't go how either of us thought it would. Song, Nola's sister, was my favorite character. Song had so much life in her--even though she had a tumor and every reason to hate her life.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
March 13, 2018
A but juvenile, but I really enjoyed this book! It was so gripping to see how Carly lied so much and inserted herself in every aspect of Nola's life at this summer job. I'd hate to imagine what kind of damage Carly was able to do in her real life! Such an interesting look to the outside affects of pathological liars, but seeing how Nola overcame everything and became herself was a great read.
May 30, 2017
The main character in The Complete History of Why I hate Her is Nola, Nola wants to have a fun summer on her own and ends up going to Maine to get a job on a “big resort”. Nola was hesitant to leave home as her sister was going through chemo back at her home in Massachusetts. On the bus ride to Maine Nola ends up meeting a girl named Carly who ends up being a great friend and ends up going to work at the same resort as her. While Nola arrives she meets her roommate who is not so fun who eventually ends up getting kicked out of the resort. Nola;s “good friend” Carly ends up not being such a good friend overall and changes her ways very quick on Nola. I enjoyed this book because it was easy to follow along and i thought the plot was pretty good.
May 11, 2017
A short but intense book! Full of surprises.
June 16, 2020
This was okay. Fairly predictable and not as fleshed out as it could have been. However, I can see teens enjoying this book.
November 9, 2017
Ah, high school girl drama! A quick entertaining young-adult novel about a great summer that turns into a nightmare when the girl Nola thought was her new friend turns out to be one back-stabbing vindictive girl. Who knew?!
March 5, 2010
Nola wants nothing more than to escape for the summer. Escape her life in Boston and escape her life with her younger sister, Song, who’s battling cancer. Nola decides the best way to make that escape is to take a waitressing job at Rocky Cove Inn, an upscale resort on the Maine coast (I think I would take a job there!).
It’s not like Nola doesn’t love her sister, it’s just that she wants to have a chance to live her life by her own rules. She wants to make her own choices and make them without having to worry about Song or about hospitals or anything other than herself.
So Nola heads off to the Maine coast, and on her journey she meets Carly. Carly is the perfect companion, she’s fun, energetic, spontaneous, and full of ideas (who wouldn’t want a friend like that?). Nola and Carly become fast friends, and start spending all kinds of time together. But Nola soon finds that Carly isn’t at all who she seems.
Carly turns out to be more complex than Nola originally thought, and not in a good way. Carly shows a different side, a more twisted side that seems to turn on Nola in the blink of an eye. She turns everything into a rivalry, from their time together to romantic interests, she causes drama where there shouldn’t be any, and while her actions can be subtle, they’re strong. At first Nola thinks she can handle it, but soon she finds that handling Carly isn’t going to be that simple, or even forgettable.
At first I was a bit wary of this book because I had heard some not so great things about it, but I figured its short (it’s under 200 pages) and so it wouldn’t take that long to read. But I’m actually glad I read it.
I think it was a bit lacking in character development, but there’s a reason for that. It would have super hard for Nola to lose herself to Carly if either one had actually been strong characters. You can’t steal someone’s personality if they already have a strong sense of self. But I for one, thought I had a pretty good sense of who Nola was, even if she didn’t.
But I’m not saying that there wasn’t any character depth at all or anything. Nola was a sweet, hard-working, sensible girl, who just wanted to break out of her life and her shell and make her own choices for once. It was sometimes hard to see such a character fall prey to Carly’s charm.
Along the way we meet a cast of pretty interesting supporting characters. None of them are very established, but you do get to meet a few that are quite endearing. I would have liked to see more from Annie, Kevin, and Nigel especially, but I don’t really think they were supposed to be very prominent.
The Complete History of Why I Hate Her (wow, it’s a mouth full!), is a pretty good story of friendship, family, and finding yourself. It touches on quite a few issues, even if only for a moment and that saved it for me. I don’t think it’s a great story because there could have been more to it, but I think it’s definitely a good story that deserves a shot.
It’s not like Nola doesn’t love her sister, it’s just that she wants to have a chance to live her life by her own rules. She wants to make her own choices and make them without having to worry about Song or about hospitals or anything other than herself.
So Nola heads off to the Maine coast, and on her journey she meets Carly. Carly is the perfect companion, she’s fun, energetic, spontaneous, and full of ideas (who wouldn’t want a friend like that?). Nola and Carly become fast friends, and start spending all kinds of time together. But Nola soon finds that Carly isn’t at all who she seems.
Carly turns out to be more complex than Nola originally thought, and not in a good way. Carly shows a different side, a more twisted side that seems to turn on Nola in the blink of an eye. She turns everything into a rivalry, from their time together to romantic interests, she causes drama where there shouldn’t be any, and while her actions can be subtle, they’re strong. At first Nola thinks she can handle it, but soon she finds that handling Carly isn’t going to be that simple, or even forgettable.
At first I was a bit wary of this book because I had heard some not so great things about it, but I figured its short (it’s under 200 pages) and so it wouldn’t take that long to read. But I’m actually glad I read it.
I think it was a bit lacking in character development, but there’s a reason for that. It would have super hard for Nola to lose herself to Carly if either one had actually been strong characters. You can’t steal someone’s personality if they already have a strong sense of self. But I for one, thought I had a pretty good sense of who Nola was, even if she didn’t.
But I’m not saying that there wasn’t any character depth at all or anything. Nola was a sweet, hard-working, sensible girl, who just wanted to break out of her life and her shell and make her own choices for once. It was sometimes hard to see such a character fall prey to Carly’s charm.
Along the way we meet a cast of pretty interesting supporting characters. None of them are very established, but you do get to meet a few that are quite endearing. I would have liked to see more from Annie, Kevin, and Nigel especially, but I don’t really think they were supposed to be very prominent.
The Complete History of Why I Hate Her (wow, it’s a mouth full!), is a pretty good story of friendship, family, and finding yourself. It touches on quite a few issues, even if only for a moment and that saved it for me. I don’t think it’s a great story because there could have been more to it, but I think it’s definitely a good story that deserves a shot.
November 14, 2009
Nola just wants to be on her own. She doesn't want to be defined by her sister's cancer. Nola doesn't want to stay in Boston so she heads to Maine to waitress for the summer. On the way she meets Carly, then Carly infects her life. Is Carly a true friend or something else?
I really wanted to like this book, but I didn't. The characters were flat, hardly any emotion and no development beyond what was happening right then. I could not relate or empathize with any of them because they were names on paper, not characters. Another thing I did not like was the way the story just jumped from chapter to chapter without much explanation of where people were now. They would be in the middle of something, and then all of a sudden cut scene. In chapter 3 Carly and Nola meet Nola's boss and he invites them to dinner and they all have a good time. This didn't seem realistic at all to me. Who actually acts that relaxed and easy going with people you have never met? Even if you're outgoing I think this had too much of a comfortable feel to it to actually be realistic. Another unrealistic thing is what teenage girl travels across two states to waitress for the summer? That doesn't make any sense, especially her parents letting her go when they have a sick daughter to begin with. I did like the Haiku and I liked chapters 30 (the Slam haiku session) and 31 but then the ending killed me. Many reasons for this, including the "sum up the story in a moral" part. So unfortunately I really could not appreciate this book at all. I do not recommend reading it, but if you do I hope you like it much better than I did. At least it was a fast read.
First Line:
"Song is hanging off my arm, afraid I'm going to slip onto the bus and out of her life as quickly as I made the decision to go."
Favorite Line:
"Do not define me
By anything other than
What I choose to be"
I really wanted to like this book, but I didn't. The characters were flat, hardly any emotion and no development beyond what was happening right then. I could not relate or empathize with any of them because they were names on paper, not characters. Another thing I did not like was the way the story just jumped from chapter to chapter without much explanation of where people were now. They would be in the middle of something, and then all of a sudden cut scene. In chapter 3 Carly and Nola meet Nola's boss and he invites them to dinner and they all have a good time. This didn't seem realistic at all to me. Who actually acts that relaxed and easy going with people you have never met? Even if you're outgoing I think this had too much of a comfortable feel to it to actually be realistic. Another unrealistic thing is what teenage girl travels across two states to waitress for the summer? That doesn't make any sense, especially her parents letting her go when they have a sick daughter to begin with. I did like the Haiku and I liked chapters 30 (the Slam haiku session) and 31 but then the ending killed me. Many reasons for this, including the "sum up the story in a moral" part. So unfortunately I really could not appreciate this book at all. I do not recommend reading it, but if you do I hope you like it much better than I did. At least it was a fast read.
First Line:
"Song is hanging off my arm, afraid I'm going to slip onto the bus and out of her life as quickly as I made the decision to go."
Favorite Line:
"Do not define me
By anything other than
What I choose to be"
December 10, 2009
Going into this book I was a little worried I may not like it. I had heard some not so good things about it and was scared I would fall into that category. But I though, hey, it’s pretty short and it wouldn’t take me that long to read.
Man am I glad I decided to give it a try because I ended up really liking this book. I will admit that there isn’t a while lot of character development, but I’m not sure there was supposed to be. The books premise was how easy it was for Nola to lose her identity to another. If she or Carly had had a strong character background the story would not have worked. You can’t lose or steal someone’s attitude/personality if your own is already so grounded. So for me, the lack of details really worked.
Now, that’s not to say that there wasn’t any character depth or anything like that. Nola may not have truly known herself yet, but I still had a good feel of who she was. She was sweet, down-to-earth, hard-working girl who just wanted to break out and live a little. There were several times I kind of wanted to smack her for following under Carly’s spell, but I’ve been in similar situations and I know how easy it can happen. Sometimes you don’t even realize it yourself until much, much later.
Overall, I do recommend giving this book a shot. Certainty it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but you might just find this quick, short read is worth your while!
Man am I glad I decided to give it a try because I ended up really liking this book. I will admit that there isn’t a while lot of character development, but I’m not sure there was supposed to be. The books premise was how easy it was for Nola to lose her identity to another. If she or Carly had had a strong character background the story would not have worked. You can’t lose or steal someone’s attitude/personality if your own is already so grounded. So for me, the lack of details really worked.
Now, that’s not to say that there wasn’t any character depth or anything like that. Nola may not have truly known herself yet, but I still had a good feel of who she was. She was sweet, down-to-earth, hard-working girl who just wanted to break out and live a little. There were several times I kind of wanted to smack her for following under Carly’s spell, but I’ve been in similar situations and I know how easy it can happen. Sometimes you don’t even realize it yourself until much, much later.
Overall, I do recommend giving this book a shot. Certainty it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but you might just find this quick, short read is worth your while!
April 22, 2010
From the Blog:
First off, I couldn't WAIT to read this one. This book was a really quick read having only been 181 pages. Has anyone ever seen that movie "Single White Female"? Well that movie pretty much explains this book. Main character Nola meets Carly on her way to her summer job at a resort in Maine. They hit it off like two old pals on the way there and eventually depart to their destinations. Somehow a couple days later Carly ends up being Nola's roommate. They begin the fastest friendship I've ever seen. They've become a dynamic duo with Carly taking the lead. Slowly but surely Carly begins spilling Nola's secrets, making her feel silly in front of their friends and more importantly Nola's crush Harrison.
Carly begins to take on things that make Nola...Nola. She wants to run, she wears Nola's clothes, she cuts her hair exactly like her, she contacts Nola's dying sister. Pretty damn creepy if you ask me! There's a huge blowup at the end courtesy of Carly and Nola is forced to make some hard choices. For me the ending was a bit abrupt. A couple of my questions went unanswered. All in all I liked reading about Crazy Carly's (as I've nicknamed her) antics. She was completely nuts but soo entertaining. Hopefully there's a part two!
First off, I couldn't WAIT to read this one. This book was a really quick read having only been 181 pages. Has anyone ever seen that movie "Single White Female"? Well that movie pretty much explains this book. Main character Nola meets Carly on her way to her summer job at a resort in Maine. They hit it off like two old pals on the way there and eventually depart to their destinations. Somehow a couple days later Carly ends up being Nola's roommate. They begin the fastest friendship I've ever seen. They've become a dynamic duo with Carly taking the lead. Slowly but surely Carly begins spilling Nola's secrets, making her feel silly in front of their friends and more importantly Nola's crush Harrison.
Carly begins to take on things that make Nola...Nola. She wants to run, she wears Nola's clothes, she cuts her hair exactly like her, she contacts Nola's dying sister. Pretty damn creepy if you ask me! There's a huge blowup at the end courtesy of Carly and Nola is forced to make some hard choices. For me the ending was a bit abrupt. A couple of my questions went unanswered. All in all I liked reading about Crazy Carly's (as I've nicknamed her) antics. She was completely nuts but soo entertaining. Hopefully there's a part two!
August 27, 2012
Review originally posted at Doodle's Book Blog
From page one I was sucked in to a story that had me dying to know what would happen next. Jennifer Richard Jacobson wrote a captivating page-turner that had me on the edge of my seat to find out what could possibly make Nola use such a strong word, such as hate, to describe her relationship with another person.
Nola isn't your average teenager. Her sister has a brain tumor and is the center of her parents' attention. Nola is on the back-burner and spends all her time focusing on her sisters needs. All she wants is one summer to herself. One summer to be herself.
I really enjoyed The Complete History of Why I Hate Her. It was a light summer read that was well written, descriptive, and kept my attention. Nola is such a selfless person who needed a break to just be herself and escape her reality. Her friendship with Carly started on the bus to Maine and grew to become a great friendship, but ended in flames. Every page added fuel to a fire that would ignite in a matter of time.
I highly recommend this book if you want a light, quick, and easy summer read that will leave you lost in the story without an idea of how much time has past. Awesome read!
From page one I was sucked in to a story that had me dying to know what would happen next. Jennifer Richard Jacobson wrote a captivating page-turner that had me on the edge of my seat to find out what could possibly make Nola use such a strong word, such as hate, to describe her relationship with another person.
Nola isn't your average teenager. Her sister has a brain tumor and is the center of her parents' attention. Nola is on the back-burner and spends all her time focusing on her sisters needs. All she wants is one summer to herself. One summer to be herself.
I really enjoyed The Complete History of Why I Hate Her. It was a light summer read that was well written, descriptive, and kept my attention. Nola is such a selfless person who needed a break to just be herself and escape her reality. Her friendship with Carly started on the bus to Maine and grew to become a great friendship, but ended in flames. Every page added fuel to a fire that would ignite in a matter of time.
I highly recommend this book if you want a light, quick, and easy summer read that will leave you lost in the story without an idea of how much time has past. Awesome read!
March 19, 2014
Nola's looking for an escape. So in an effort to gain her independence, Nola takes a summer job waitressing at an out of the way/middle of nowhere resort in Maine. On the way there she meets Carly and in the course of a bus ride, they become fast friends. As the summer progresses, Carly changes and the games begin.
There is a great cast of characters at the resort Nola works at as well as at the nearby boys camp, but they are only introduced. I had a difficult time keeping the supporting characters straight because they all felt flat and generic, where there was so much potential to give them each an identity.
I enjoyed the story, there was so much addressed and so many issues touched upon, but I didn't get what I expected out of this book. I had a hard time getting into the story. I just kept wanting more emotion, more depth to the characters and although the story was good, the character development could’ve been stronger.
There is a great cast of characters at the resort Nola works at as well as at the nearby boys camp, but they are only introduced. I had a difficult time keeping the supporting characters straight because they all felt flat and generic, where there was so much potential to give them each an identity.
I enjoyed the story, there was so much addressed and so many issues touched upon, but I didn't get what I expected out of this book. I had a hard time getting into the story. I just kept wanting more emotion, more depth to the characters and although the story was good, the character development could’ve been stronger.
March 10, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. It's a story about friendship, family and true identity. I think we can all agree that some summers are just life-changing. Such a powerful read for such a short book. I do think it could have been longer, to explore a little more each situation. Specially towards the ending with the climax and the resolution, but still it's a wonderful read.
The center characters were really good, Nola and Carly. The rest of the characters had potential to be amazing but, unfortunately were not developed enough. But the plot was amazing, that's what I liked the most, it felt real and kept me glued to the book. And I loved the ending, meaning: the last three sentences. Brings it all together.
Overall, an amazing and fast read that I think every girl who has had a best friend will enjoy.
The center characters were really good, Nola and Carly. The rest of the characters had potential to be amazing but, unfortunately were not developed enough. But the plot was amazing, that's what I liked the most, it felt real and kept me glued to the book. And I loved the ending, meaning: the last three sentences. Brings it all together.
Overall, an amazing and fast read that I think every girl who has had a best friend will enjoy.
December 5, 2009
I have read a few undesirable reviews about this book, but I ended up actually liking it quite a bit. It was short (under 200 pages), and I felt it could be a lot longer, especially because it deals with several heavy issues.
The main story is that our character, Nola, goes off to Maine for a summer to work at a resort. It's her first time off alone - she's used to taking care of her sister (who is sick), and took the job for independence.
Of course, in the beginning we have to work through her finding her niche, but we meet interesting characters along the way. I read this book in about a day - the events move quickly and you are constantly learning new things about the characters, so when I was away from the book it felt like it was trying to pull me back in.
Book Cover: 9/10
Book Title: 9/10
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 8/10
Overall: 9/10
The main story is that our character, Nola, goes off to Maine for a summer to work at a resort. It's her first time off alone - she's used to taking care of her sister (who is sick), and took the job for independence.
Of course, in the beginning we have to work through her finding her niche, but we meet interesting characters along the way. I read this book in about a day - the events move quickly and you are constantly learning new things about the characters, so when I was away from the book it felt like it was trying to pull me back in.
Book Cover: 9/10
Book Title: 9/10
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Ending: 8/10
Overall: 9/10
October 1, 2010
Nola's life at home is consumed with her sister's brain tumor -- constant trips to the hospital, chemotherapy, and more. Nola finally gets a chance to have a "normal" summer when she takes a job waitressing at a coastal resort. On the bus, she meets Carly, they hit it off right away, and Nola thinks she has found a new bff. But as the title says, things don't go as planned.
This is a pretty pedestrian tale of one girl discovering that the girls she thinks is wonderful is really a compulsive liar and can actually be dangerous. Carly is the most interesting one. Is she really the plotting, deceptive, boyfriend stealing b*&*h that Nola suspects? or is she just misunderstood? I think this could have been so much more. It's fairly harmless & pretty predictable. Teens will probably like it, but it's only OK.
This is a pretty pedestrian tale of one girl discovering that the girls she thinks is wonderful is really a compulsive liar and can actually be dangerous. Carly is the most interesting one. Is she really the plotting, deceptive, boyfriend stealing b*&*h that Nola suspects? or is she just misunderstood? I think this could have been so much more. It's fairly harmless & pretty predictable. Teens will probably like it, but it's only OK.
June 26, 2011
The Complete History of Why I Hate Her tells the story of Nola a 17 year old from Boston who is on her way to work as a waitress at a resort in Maine. Nola has a younger sister who has cancer, and Nola just wants the chance to be her own person - away from the pressures of her life in Boston. On the bus ride to Maine, Nola meets another teenage girl named Carla. And the two girls become soon become fast friends. Carla even manages to get a job at the resort. Soon Nola’s life is filled with working and having fun with her new friends, but people aren’t always as they seem as Nola soon finds out. This book had the usual plot twists and teen angst, so it would appeal to teen girls. The book was very easy to read since it didn’t require a lot of mental effort. It was a light, easy read - the perfect book to read in one afternoon in the pool.
July 6, 2011
I really liked this book. I had forgotten the extent to which girls manipulate each other at that age. I had a friend that was similar but not as influential so it didn't bother me as much. I was so glad that Harrison saw her for who she really was in spite of herself. Her sisters illness, although seemingly a burden to us, she explained so well as just part of her. I think it really helped her remain true to herself throughout a confusing time. Carly was a piece of work! Her manipulation ran so deep for someone who was such a chameleon identity stealer. This was a great book! I would recommend it to any teen reader, reluctant or not. It was an easy read and very easy to identify with the characters.
July 23, 2016
I enjoyed this book. It wasn't amazing, but it was a good read. The characters were realistic and I particularly liked the relationship between Nola and her sister Song. Nola recognized that the family dynamics were centered around Song's cancer. She recognized that she needed space from the family and the cancer's over-reaching influence to develop and grow. Nola's feelings for her sister rang true - a complicated combination of grave concern, guilt, resentment and true sisterly love. The message to be wary of toxic friendships was well presented without didacticism. But my favorite parts of the story involved the communication between the sisters through their Haiku. I would recommend this story.
September 21, 2010
Super quick read (under 200 pages). Engaging story of a girl spending a summer as a waitress at a resort in Maine. Becomes friends with manipulative girl who takes over her life. Does a nice job of discussing issues of friendship, identity, possessiveness, paranoia, etc. Although I'm not sure it was a great book for me to read, since I'm already a little paranoid and possessive about my friendships. A little romance, but pretty light here. Only skims over the motivations of the villain and is more focused on the protagonists discovery of herself during the drama. Not quite hooky enough to booktalk.
April 13, 2011
Nola is always known as the sister of the girl who has a brain tumor. She isn't sure if she is making the right decision when she decides to go Maine to work as a waitress at resort. She meets Carly, a loud, confident girl and admires her. Slowly, she starts to wonder if Carly is the kind of friend she thinks she is...
This reminded me a lot of DEAD GIRLS DON'T WRITE LETTERS. It is eerie and makes the reader uncomfortable. The book is very short (180 pages with wide spacing), but it definitely mantained my interest throughout. My students will definitely like this one. I think a lot of people try to be similar to others, and this book teaches readers to have confidence.
This reminded me a lot of DEAD GIRLS DON'T WRITE LETTERS. It is eerie and makes the reader uncomfortable. The book is very short (180 pages with wide spacing), but it definitely mantained my interest throughout. My students will definitely like this one. I think a lot of people try to be similar to others, and this book teaches readers to have confidence.
February 21, 2016
I was anticipating a much "darker" story based on the cover, and was surprised to find that the two really didn't match up. The cover will definitely attract apprehensive female readers, as will the shorter length. The basic premise is that a high school aged girl named Nola is hired to work as a waitress during the summer months at a resort in Maine. All is well until another girl named Carly begins copying her every move and look as well as sabotaging some of Nola's most important relationships including the one with her younger sister, Song. A good, but not a great book. Definitely worth reading.
March 13, 2011
This book took me by surprise, especially after I had a little trouble connecting with it at first. I originally thought the "her" of the title would refer to Nola's sister Song, seriously ill with brain cancer. I thought this would be a book about the anger and guilt of having a sister so ill as to suck up all the attention in the family. And it is. Sort of.
But this is also about friendship and manipulation. And independence. Nola learns a lot during her summer away in Maine. She learns who she can count on and who is really dangerous.
But this is also about friendship and manipulation. And independence. Nola learns a lot during her summer away in Maine. She learns who she can count on and who is really dangerous.
July 25, 2011
Nola has signed on to work at a Maine resort for the summer - her first chance to get away from issues at home and be her own person for once. All of the other staff know each other from past summers, so at first she's lonely. Then her roommate suddenly departs and Carly, a girl she met on the bus trip up, turns out to be her replacement. At first Carly is wonderful and fun, but their friendship slowly starts to change as Carly becomes almost smothering. A strong portrayal of teenage friendships - good and bad. Made me want to go to Maine too!
January 9, 2011
Title is misleading, there is no complete history here. Instead it is a story about one friend trying to find her voice and another who lies and is a bit of a stalker (however, we never really get any back story here, it is like we ar just supposed to understand that some people are just like this). The story is set in Maine (the author lives in Cumberland, ME) and there are some authentic descriptions of Maine landscape, summer life, and seafood.
September 19, 2013
Nola takes a summer job in Maine, partly to get away from her family in Massachusetts for a bit. She meets lots of new people,m including her zany room-mate, Carly and some boys who are counselors at a nearby camp. As always, things aren't as easy as one would like them to be, especially where friends and family are concerned. Nola runs into a bit more drama than she planned for, that's for sure.
Some kissing, definitely nothing graphic. May also have been a small amount of teen drinking...
Some kissing, definitely nothing graphic. May also have been a small amount of teen drinking...
December 6, 2013
(I want to give "History" a 3.5) Too short! When I finally began to understand and accept Nola, the book abruptly wraps up. However, that does not mean the book was not enjoyable, it was enjoyable. I just wanted more.
The majority of the characters and their antics are believable. I had many good laughs, several gasps, and more than enough, "You go girl!" moments. With the page count coming in under 200, this is just so worth your time.
The majority of the characters and their antics are believable. I had many good laughs, several gasps, and more than enough, "You go girl!" moments. With the page count coming in under 200, this is just so worth your time.
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