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  <title><![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life]]></title>
  <isbn><![CDATA[1594832188]]></isbn>
  <isbn13><![CDATA[9781594832185]]></isbn13>
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  <description><![CDATA[Since Opals birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one plan in mind: How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flow-charts, diagrams and endless lists to track her progress. Now she is her high school classs valedictorian, president of three honour societies, and even takes welding classes to be well-rounded. It seems she is a shoo-in for the college of her dreams. But when Opal meets the dean of admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks her the one question she has no answer for: What do you like to do for fun? Though Opal flubs the interview, he offers her one more chance. Now,Opal will have to do all the things she had avoided beforedate, party, be popular, and have a good time. The Mehtas have a new plan: How Opal Will Get A Life. Still,the slackers path is not as easy as it appears, and Opal must navigate undreamed of challengesin fashion, social savvy, and the bumpier terrain of true friendship and lovebefore she can approach the object of her quest. In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opals journey is a delight from beginning to end.]]></description>
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  <original_publication_month type="integer">4</original_publication_month>
  <original_publication_year type="integer">2006</original_publication_year>
  <original_title>How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel</original_title>
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    <id>53462</id>
        <name><![CDATA[Kaavya Viswanathan]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
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  <average_rating>2.95</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
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    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>3</votes>
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  <read_at>Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Apr 26 16:52:15 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Dec 16 18:31:21 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Yes, that's right! This is the book that's not officially supposed to exist! So how surprised was I, how lucky did I feel, when I found it at my super-secret source?! What's the verdict??<br/><br/>It's cute. Opal Mehta is an academic overachiever in New Jersey, whose Indian parents have spent thei...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/903202">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/903202]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>4239651</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Kricket]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>1</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Tue May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Aug 07 20:32:06 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Aug 07 20:34:48 -0700 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I picked this one up at the library with no knowledge of all the plagiarism hype, but as soon as I started reading it, passages jumped out as eerily familiar- the ones from Sloppy Firsts and Born Confused in particular, as these are two of my beloved favorites. <br/><br/>And thus I was too angry t...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4239651">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4239651]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>49900814</id>
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    <id>128532</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Sarah]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Brooklyn, NY]]></location>
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  <isbn>075153742X</isbn>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild and Got a Life]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>2.60</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>53</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>1</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
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  <read_at>Tue Mar 17 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Mar 20 15:46:17 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Mar 20 15:47:30 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count>1</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Something about the plagiarism scandal surrounding this book really gripped me--I remember reading each new report with a vicious, intense rush of schadenfreude. Everything I learned about the author and her life made me loathe her more, and it was deeply enjoyable watching her get her comeuppance. ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/49900814">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/49900814]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/49900814]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>18380624</id>
    <user>
    <id>291583</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Nollie]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Hilliard, OH]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Mar 22 10:23:43 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Mar 22 10:26:29 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I read this book because of the controversey surrounding it.  It is about an Indian girl whose life dream is to get into Harvard, written by a Harvard student who is female and Indian.  It got good reviews, but then they discovered that the author plagiarized a portion from another teen novel and sh...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/18380624">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/18380624]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/18380624]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
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  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
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    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Aug 04 18:24:51 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Aug 04 18:39:01 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[<u>How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life</u>, by Kaavya Viswanathan is a compelling book about finding who you truly are.  The story begins with Opal Mehta, whose sole purpose of living and breathing is to get into Harvard, a 4.0 GPA who has recited all the possible questions that the Harvard...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66227246">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66227246]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66227246]]></link>
</review>
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    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
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    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
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  <read_at>Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Aug 17 12:15:10 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Aug 17 12:17:17 -0700 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Good for a beach/poolside read. It's not great writing, half of it is plagiarized (I guess that's what it takes to get into Harvard these days), and its contents are so superficial it makes me want to barf. It's supposed to be &quot;autobiographical&quot; in some respects, and part of me wanted to t...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4702773">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4702773]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>65074927</id>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">74</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>1</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
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  <read_at>Fri Jul 31 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Jul 26 19:43:46 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Jul 31 17:26:10 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[If Megan McCafferty really read this and thought it was a rip-off of her writing style then she must not think much of herself as a writer. This is terrible! And it has nothing to do with whether or not this is plagiarized.<br/><br/>I admit that I only picked this up because of the controversy sur...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65074927">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65074927]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>57602418</id>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
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    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Tue Jun 02 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu May 28 06:52:55 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Jun 03 07:20:08 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I liked this book. While it was a bit slow going at first....it did pick up in the middle and I couldn't put it down. <br/><br/>The first half of the book has waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy too many pop culture references. Maybe that's the point...but it got to be too much. And while the first half was ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/57602418">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/57602418]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>44959423</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Beverly]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
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    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Jan 31 10:56:59 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Jan 31 11:03:31 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Like many people, I only read this book because it was supposedly plagiarized from several different sources--including authors that I really enjoy--and I could definitely see the similarities. What I found amusing was the fact that the similarities really did not add anything to the book and was ac...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/44959423">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/44959423]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/44959423]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>52789296</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Priyam]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
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    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Wed Apr 15 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Apr 15 11:28:12 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Apr 16 11:53:03 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I'm trying it out since this kinda chick-lit is popular<br/><br/>dunno what to expect<br/><br/>I'm scared...o_o<br/><br/>````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````<br/>Well it's a refreshing light read, I stayed up till midnight reading it...which was when I finished the...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52789296">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52789296]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>61426175</id>
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    <id>162472</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Scott]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Danville, VA]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sun Jun 28 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Jun 28 16:24:30 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Jun 28 16:31:55 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[The return of the infamous plagiarism scandal! I've been curious about this book since the scandal first broke and finally got around to buying a cheap copy a few weeks ago. I really don't know why I bothered. Perhaps I was hoping that it was actually a good novel despite the plagiarism.<br/><br/>...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61426175">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61426175]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61426175]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[Aditi]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri Aug 14 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Aug 13 03:40:40 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Aug 14 04:30:12 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Its a good book. I do remember it being in the news for some wrong reasons (apparently the author was accused of being &quot;inspired&quot; from other works). To be honest, that is actually what made me pick up the book in the first place.<br/><br/>Ok, so now about the book. The story is simple, n...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/67200054">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/67200054]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/67200054]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>76092052</id>
    <user>
    <id>2095357</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Henry]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Powell, TN]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2095357-henry-puckett]]></link>
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  <isbn>0316059889</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780316059886</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">74</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93173.How_Opal_Mehta_Got_Kissed_Got_Wild_and_Got_A_Life_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Oct 29 02:33:49 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Oct 29 02:50:32 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I obtained a copy of this book a year after it was pulled from the shelves. I was curious as to the plagiarism accusations. Yes, there is plagiarism within this novel, but this novel also had a fresh voice.<br/><br/>Young Adult is one of my favorite genres to read, and this novel did not disappoin...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76092052">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76092052]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76092052]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>34460972</id>
    <user>
    <id>406900</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Susan]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[New York, NY]]></location>
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  <isbn>0316059889</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780316059886</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">74</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171252792m/93173.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171252792s/93173.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93173.How_Opal_Mehta_Got_Kissed_Got_Wild_and_Got_A_Life_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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            <shelf name="2008-2009" />
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri Oct 03 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Oct 03 14:31:44 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Nov 03 05:46:04 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Just by reading the title, I didn't know what to expect from this book. At first, it seemed that it was a crazy teenage story, but I soon realized that the story could probably be connected to any teenager. Opal started off high school as a &quot;geek,&quot; focusing only on science, and not caring ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/34460972">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/34460972]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/34460972]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>17634257</id>
    <user>
    <id>906664</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Denise]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Fishers, IN]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/906664-denise]]></link>
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  <isbn>0316059889</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780316059886</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">74</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171252792m/93173.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171252792s/93173.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93173.How_Opal_Mehta_Got_Kissed_Got_Wild_and_Got_A_Life_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[my Mom]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[my Mom]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Feb 25 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Mar 12 18:18:08 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Mar 30 20:18:17 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This was a birthday gift I received in 2006 and I had to read this &quot;book that no longer exists&quot; to see what all the controversy was about.  I'd like to rate this one 2.5 stars.  I gave it 3 because I liked it, but points should be subtracted (1) because of the rampant plagiarism and (2) be...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/17634257">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/17634257]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/17634257]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>53931653</id>
    <user>
    <id>2197188</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Kimberly]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Sayreville, NJ]]></location>
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  <isbn>0316059889</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780316059886</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">74</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171252792m/93173.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Apr 25 11:18:40 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Apr 28 14:56:34 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count>1</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I was in the mood for a trashy mindless novel and I remembered this book! I remember the fuss over the book a few years ago in regards to the plagiarism. The book is a mix Sloppy Firsts (which you MUST read!) Shopaholic series, and the movie Mean Girls. It's not very original and very copied from ot...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53931653">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53931653]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53931653]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>64218285</id>
    <user>
    <id>2504607</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Amy]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2504607-amy-schacht]]></link>
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  <isbn>0316059889</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780316059886</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">74</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171252792m/93173.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171252792s/93173.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93173.How_Opal_Mehta_Got_Kissed_Got_Wild_and_Got_A_Life_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Jul 20 08:39:57 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Jul 21 10:40:27 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This was a very very fun, light read about a high school student whose entire life was centered on admission to Harvard, only to have the admission officer tell her basically to &quot;get a life.&quot;  So her parents use the same determination, creativity and planning that got her this far to help ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64218285">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64218285]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/64218285]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>76831218</id>
    <user>
    <id>2350209</id>
    <name><![CDATA[º•:.:•ºMustBeAllieº•:.:•º]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Fullerton, CA]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2350209-mustbeallie]]></link>
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  <isbn>0316059889</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780316059886</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">74</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171252792m/93173.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171252792s/93173.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93173.How_Opal_Mehta_Got_Kissed_Got_Wild_and_Got_A_Life_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
            <shelf name="young-adult" />
      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Nov 05 12:08:56 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Nov 05 12:25:30 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[FromTheLibrary. Holding all assumptions back regarding the  plagiarism scandal! (In Which Yes, I know that she was so obviously guilty. Just looked the comparisons up. WOW) Now don't get me wrong...that disgusts me. But.... I just had to pretend I did not know about that.  I thought it was entertain...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76831218">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76831218]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76831218]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>72166827</id>
    <user>
    <id>1829</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Christina]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Renton, WA]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1829-christina]]></link>
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  <id type="integer">93173</id>
  <isbn>0316059889</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780316059886</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">74</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>1</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at>Tue Sep 15 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Sep 22 16:56:45 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Sep 22 16:59:12 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I see now there's a ton of controversy about this book, which I got at a work booksale for cheap. The irony was in reading it, I kept thinking what a blatant rip-off of &quot;Mean Girls&quot; it is. Stupid title, too. Fun core idea, and it would've ranked higher, but stealing others' work is patheti...]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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  <id type="integer">93173</id>
  <isbn>0316059889</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780316059886</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">74</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got A Life: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171252792m/93173.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171252792s/93173.jpg</small_image_url>
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  <average_rating>2.90</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>353</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[A lively and irresistible first novel about an overachieving teenage girl who discovers that, in order to get into the college of her dreams, she needs to have more fun. Since Opal's birth, the Mehtas have raised their only daughter with one goal in mind: to get into Harvard. They even concocted a rigorous game plan they called HOWGIH--How Opal Will Get Into Harvard. There were flowcharts, diagrams, and endless lists to track her progress. At 16, Opal is her high school's valedictorian, president of three honor societies, and first chair in the regional orchestra. She even took welding classes to appear well-rounded. Her admission to Harvard looks like a sure thing. But at Opal's interview with Harvard's Dean of Admissions, he sets aside her impressive resume and asks the one question she never saw coming: What do you like to do for fun? Opal flubs the interview, but the Dean offers her another chance--if she can show that she is more than her GPA. Opal and her parents respond to this setback with the same rigor, calculation, and focus they applied to creating the perfect academic resume, and design a whole new plan: HOWGAL--How Opal Will Get A Life.  The Mehtas excel at anything they set their mind to, and Opal's calculated rise on her high school's social ladder--full of pop-culture cramfests, fashion makeovers, and a semester of nonstop partying--leaves Opal impossibly popular&#133;and very confused. For the first time in her life, Opal finds herself asking two fundamental questions, &quot;Who am I, and what do I love to do?&quot; In this brilliant and outrageously funny debut novel, Opal's journey is a delight from the first page to the last.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2006</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
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  <read_at>Tue Apr 21 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat Apr 25 17:14:06 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Apr 25 17:16:03 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I picked this up because I needed some mindless beach read-type thing while bed-ridden after my car accident.  It did the job.  It didn't require any heavy thinking; it was pretty funny; and it was so predictable I could read it in a painkiller-induced haze and not miss anything.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53960263]]></url>
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