The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper may not be the prettiest girl in her high school, but she has a loyal group of friends, a biting wit, and a spot-on BS detector. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. But things aren't so great at home and Bianca, desperate for a distraction, ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Designated. Ugly. Fat. Friend. 

Look around your closest circle of friends - if nobody fits the description - the DUFF is you.

With some books you just know. You know exactly how right they are for you.

Reading this book, deeply engrossed in it after just a few pages, I very soon came to realise just how much I adore it. The story is incredibly raw and heartfelt. It had me in tears, my heart aching for the characters in question. They are flawed and terrible and perfect. They make good decisions, poor decisions and real decisions.

I will actually for now steer very clear of the film. My book features a "movie cover" and from that I can just tell that the cast is completely wrong in my eyes. I don't want to spoil a brilliant book experience with a sub-par film that can't possibly live up to my expectations and will tarnish my memories of it.

It's a YA novel for the older audience but also a brilliant read for the adults as well. Unlike most of my experiences with American YA literature it doesn't shy away from reality. It features sex, alcohol abuse and many more "unpleasant" or "taboo" subjects that are quite often glossed over.

In short, it was one amongst many fantastic good books, I had the good fortune to read whilst on holiday. It deserves all the stars and many a more readers.

THE DUFF Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger ISBN13: 9780316381802 320 pages / Published in 2010

Review by Iben Jakobsen, Borough of Books, 2016