Rebel with a Cupcake
Author: Anna Mainwaring
Published: April 3, 2018
208 Pages
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: March 20-27, 2018
Jessica’s Rating: 3 stars
Book Description:
Jesobel Jones is bold and brash, the daughter of a hand model and a washed-up rock star. Jess sees no need to apologize for her rambling house, her imperfect family, her single status … or her weight. Jess is who she is. She makes her own cupcakes and she eats them, too. No regrets.
That is, until Own Clothes Day rolls around at school. Jess and her friends dedicate the requisite hours of planning to their outfits, their hair and their makeup for the one day they are free from school uniforms. But a wardrobe malfunction leaves Jess with a pair of leggings split open at the worst spot, and a mean girl calling her the one thing that’s never bothered her before: fat.
The encounter shakes Jess’s formerly iron-clad confidence, and she starts to wonder if she’s been just a little too comfortable in her own skin. When the boy of her dreams invites her to a party, she must decide whether to try to fit in for the first time in her life, or remain true to herself — whoever that really is.
Jessica’s Review:
**This review will have spoilers without giving too many in depth details.**
I liked Jesobel (Jess), she is spunky and embraces herself for who she is…then she has a wardrobe malfunction at school. It is like Mean Girls and The Duff but worse. You see how catty teen girls are to teach other now. Jess is far from perfect which makes her seem all the more real. I liked how she enjoys cooking AND eating. I liked the Jess at the beginning where she embraces herself.
Despite liking Jess, the story is not original. It is the typical teen ‘makeover type’ story as Jess has a crush on the popular boy at school. When she begins to get attention from him she has varying questions: Does he like her? Is this a date or not? She is unsure of his intentions- is he interested in her or is this something else?
I did not like that Jess tries to change herself for a guy. Also, her mom buys her a dress for prom that is one size smaller than she wears. Mom means well (she used to be a hand model); she is just going about it the wrong way.
In the end Jess does end up comfortable with who she is and accepts herself. She even writes an article for a blog that goes viral. And she gets the guy… but which guy?
I liked how each chapter started with an ‘invisible rule’ or ‘observation’ made by Jess. Let’s have a whole book like that! It was very Bridget Jones like, and I love Bridget!
This is a novel that has a good message of embracing yourself for who you are. No one is perfect and we are our own person. Trying to change yourself for someone else won’t help. Be comfortable with who you are! Don’t let those “mean girls” tell you who you should be.
I did like Jess, but for the most part I did not really connect with the novel. I think the teenage drama in this novel was a bit much for me. It makes me glad I am not a teenager now. Other than the issues I had I would say I would recommend it as it does have an overall good message.
Special thanks to KCP Loft for sending me a copy to read and review.
