Review: The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald

The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald

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.

Review:

This was my third book by Abby McDonald and I cannot wait to read more! The Anti-Prom was yet another fun and realistic contemporary read and I enjoyed every page. The book opens with three girls preparing for prom night. Three girls who are each from totally different cliques and who have never talked before this night. First we have Bliss. The popular, beautiful girl who catches her boyfriend and best friend making out in the back of a limo. Then there's rebellious Jolene who goes all out for a guy who arrives 40 minutes late. And then there's sweet and studious Meg, who's date just stood her up. When these three girls get together they are in for a night of revenge, excitement, tears, laughs, and maybe even friendship.

Prom can either be the best night of your life or the worst. And for these three girls they were expecting the worst, until they join together to get revenge on those that have wronged them. The Anti-Prom was told in alternating chapters through the points of view of Meg, Bliss, and Jolene. I liked being able to get to know each of the girls and to understand their perspectives on what was happening. Each of them was so much more than met the eye and both the reader and the other girls got to understand this as the night went by. Bliss was more than just a pretty face, Jolene not just the bad girl she seemed, and Meg definitely cared about more than getting straight A's. Each of the girls learned a lot about not only each other, but about themselves, that night.

Reading about the different adventures they got caught up in and the problems they encountered was a lot of fun and proved that you don't have to be at prom to have the night of your life! Jolene, Bliss, and Meg did all kinds of crazy and fun stuff and two of the girls even found romance. The two guys were great and I loved watching the pairs' relationships grow. The trio learned some important lessons that night and I was constantly rooting for them.

Abby McDonald knows how to write a great realistic YA novel and I loved the three main characters she created. Sometimes alternating perspectives don't work, but it definitely did for The Anti-Prom and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I definitely recommend picking this up if you're a fan of contemporary YA or Abby McDonald!

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

March 8, 2011/Candlewick Press/288 Pages/Young Adult

Source: Publisher (ARC)

Other books by this author: Boys, Bears, and A Serious Pair of Hiking Boots, The Liberation of Alice Love, and Sophomore Switch