Revenge of the Girl With the Great Personality
by Elizabeth Eulberg
Point
2013
272 pages
Available March 2013
Lexi is sick of her pageant-ly obsessed mother who parades seven year old MacKenzie in every "Little Miss Somebody" Pageant she can find. Lexi doesn't want to be part of "Team MacKenzie" anymore. Her mother is spending thousands of dollars on gowns and costumes for the Toddlers and Tiaras circuit, and they are in danger of losing their home.
Lexi is pretty and smart but she's never been that "girl-y" girl. She's been told that she has "a great personality." Just what every girl longs to hear! Her friend Benny tells her to start glamming it up--wear some make-up, dress like a girl, put on earrings. When Lexi follows his advice, suddenly people notice. Even Logan (her secret crush) finds her "suddenly" attractive. Looks can certainly be deceiving.
Lexi hasn't changed; her personality hasn't changed; she hasn't suddenly become the "nice" girl, but because of her appearance, people are inviting her to parties.
After a huge blow-out with her emotionally empty mother, Lexi puts her foot down. Her mother has robbed Lexi of her life savings and Lexi is not only furious but feels violated. She has to stop the pageant madness at all costs. Even MacKenzie is tired of performing for the judges. She wants to quit pageants but is afraid to tell her controlling mother. She wants no more of her "Honey Boo Boo" moments.
When Lexi realizes that people aren't always who they seem and that building up the dream of someone never matches the real someone, she is okay with having a great personality.
My favorite part of the book is the last. Lexi's mantra, "...it's only a matter of time before the Beautiful People will be wishing they had great personalities, too. Good luck with that, oh Beautiful Ones. Because we Great Girls are the rarest breed."
I loved Lexi and teen girls will relate to her. She is spunky and outspoken, snarky and quirky, fun and sweet.
Receommended grade 7-up. Lexi's friend Benny is not "out" yet but he does like the same boy bands that Lexi does and they have a sweet talk about what it means if Benny does like boys. Not sexual, just matter of fact. Benny states the facts, "I'm fat and gay in live in the heart of football-loving Texas. Me finding love or respect ain't gonna happen in this high school life." Readers will empathize with his struggle to feel okay about himself. Anyone in high school has the same struggle--trying to find their inner voice.
FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.
This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)
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