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Unexpected Development

by Marlene Perez (Goodreads Author)

3.47 of 5 stars 3.47 · rating details · 153 ratings · 12 reviews

"I'm not sure you really want to get into what I did this summer, Mrs. Westland. Sex. Sex is how I spent my summer vacation."

Megan knows twenty different words for "breasts," and can recite them alphabetically-but she can't remember the last time a guy looked her in the eye first, not the chest

Size matters, as Megan found out in the 5 th grade, when she developed the large...more

Hardcover, 176 pages

Published September 2nd 2004 by Roaring Brook Press (first published August 13th 2004)

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YA Novels by Goodreads Authors

304th out of 1,031 books — 1,901 voters

The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty

YA Novels of 2004

12th out of 104 books — 14 voters

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Jan 01, 2012 Karin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic, borrowed-from-the-library, body-image, body-parts, boobies, books-for-girls, teenagers, relationships, relationship-problems, friendship, sex, sexual-harassment, young-adult-fiction, high-school, dating

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Meghan is a senior in high school with a big problem. Well, 2 big problems - and they're sitting right on her chest. You might say she's over-endowed, her cup runneth over; she is, in fact, at war with her breasts. What bothers her the most is the way people treat her. The boys at school make eye contact with her nipples, the girls avoid her because they're afraid her breasts will steal their boyfriends, and her mother even slips occasionally and tells her that "girls like you, Meghan" need to b...more Meghan is a senior in high school with a big problem. Well, 2 big problems - and they're sitting right on her chest. You might say she's over-endowed, her cup runneth over; she is, in fact, at war with her breasts. What bothers her the most is the way people treat her. The boys at school make eye contact with her nipples, the girls avoid her because they're afraid her breasts will steal their boyfriends, and her mother even slips occasionally and tells her that "girls like you, Meghan" need to be careful. Meghan could do without that kind of attention. She decides to get a job and save up her money - either for college (which will get her and her chest out of this podunk town), or breast reduction surgery. But then she runs into Jake, this guy she's been dreamy about since, oh well, forever, and it turns out that he's just broken up with his very steady very long-term girlfriend - for the express privilege of getting to know Meghan. He also looks her in the eye. This could be good.

I apologize in advance if I've made this story sound trite and boob-obsessed. It's also gritty and hard. There are moments of sexual harassment that make you clench your teeth. You'd feel the same way after reading Reviving Ophelia - angry and itching to do something to right the wrongs and bring justice into a bad, bad world. And Meghan does not disappoint us. She is a strong and empowered young woman, even when she's scared.

This story does a very good job of describing what it's like to be noticed as a body first and as a person, maybe, if you're lucky, second. It also makes it ok to talk about how women are often treated as objects, and how our society in particular is so highly sexualized that people think it's ok to make lewd comments about women's bodies and to reach out and grab/fondle/tweak the same, to label women as sluts and whores just because of how they're put together. And it also makes a stand against those people and those ideas. So it's not just about breasts, and it's not just about a sweet and budding relationship, and it's not just about high school. It's about life and it's about change. Read it. (less)

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Dec 05, 2011 Rosa Deleon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Unexpected development is a heartwarming story by Marlene Perez that is very intriguing as it touches a very sensitive topic through the eyes of a young adolescent girl and that topic is self-esteem. When I first picked up the book was when I was doing shelving at my library with my friend Jessica and the cover was pretty funny so we decided to skim through the book and then skimming turned into taking every free minute we had to reading the book. The story is laid out in a very clever way foll...more Unexpected development is a heartwarming story by Marlene Perez that is very intriguing as it touches a very sensitive topic through the eyes of a young adolescent girl and that topic is self-esteem. When I first picked up the book was when I was doing shelving at my library with my friend Jessica and the cover was pretty funny so we decided to skim through the book and then skimming turned into taking every free minute we had to reading the book. The story is laid out in a very clever way following the main character as she writes a letter to one of her very trusted teachers. The letter stating in detail how she had passed her summer with the boy of her dreams but how her insecurities seemed to have made dents in their relationship. For the girl is neither overweight nor ugly, her curse seems to be that ever since fifth grade she had an “unexpected development” in the chest area meaning that her boobs where huge. This cast certain feelings of self-esteem issues because now not only is she embarrassed of her body and hides it underneath her older brothers baggy clothes but feels that no guy has ever liked her for her but for her breast making her seek surgical methods to alter her body. Being a teenage girl and being very unpleased with what she sees in the mirror leads her to trouble when the boy she has been crushing on ever since elementary school finally lays his eyes on her in high school and she seems to push him away because she lets all her insecurities surface with every smile, compliment, or embrace he sends her way. The story showcases how young girls can go to great lengths believing that one day they can look in the mirror and say that they are finally happy when in reality the alterations have to be done in the mind. We see this theme play itself out in the book through the eyes of the character. In my opinion this book is a universal concept that is not directed to just girls or just adolescents but for each and every one of us who has one day looked in the mirror and not been happy with what they see may those disappointments be physical, economical, or emotional. =)(less)

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Mar 31, 2010 Carmela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Still researching Marlene Perez. I just finished "Unexpected Development."
I liked the book and the voice it was written in. I sympathize with Megan's character and can relate to her insecurities and doubts about the men in her world. Her friendship with BFF Jilly is what every girl this age can relate to.

The book does hit on some very serious topics, like sexual harassment, statutory rape, pre-marital sex, extra marital affairs, and cosmetic surgery. Not to mention the obvious. (no spoilers he...more

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Aug 31, 2009 Mary (BookHounds) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book

Sigh, I wish all authors could write like this. Direct and full of humor, this cute story is perfect for teens that hate their body. Megan is such a believable character from a different point of view than normal young adult themes about how you have to deal with what you have.

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Jun 06, 2011 Kayla Bowdre rated it 4 of 5 stars

Just a thought i have 38F boobs and I never get molested as many times as she does, I don't know that's up with her. I think she just has a sexual scent or something. lol

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Oct 15, 2009 Arissa rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was one of those books that you know what the ending pretty early in the book. But since you love the protaganist so much you have to continue until the end.

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Apr 14, 2013 Evrim Akman rated it 1 of 5 stars

I really like Marlene Perez's writing. But this book did not live up to my expectations. The book is about love and self consciousness. WhichI like but this book was not my cup of tea. Sorry Perez!

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Mar 24, 2012 Sabrina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: high-school-ish, ya

ehh....kinda weird....

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Sep 17, 2009 Mikael rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was an OK book.

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Sep 30, 2009 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hilarious chick lit. I loved this one. Unfortunately the cover is great in a bookstore, but not so good in a high school. Even the author's name is in an, ahem, appropriate place.[return][return]In a series of papers for Honors English, a senior girl relates the difficulties of being blessed with a voluptuous body that began appearing in fifth grade.

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Mar 30, 2009 Lindsay parks added it

Shelves: easy-reads

I thought it was pretty good. I mean you have to have a sense of humor to read it though.

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Sep 13, 2008 Yuki Suicide rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: older girls

i learned that you don't have to be the same to love your self the girl in this book was chesty and was proud in the end. i think you should love your self no matter what and this book shows it!!

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Shelves: academic-literacy

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May 06, 2013 Danielacastromartinez rated it 4 of 5 stars

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Shelves: not-on-kindle

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Shelves: 3-4-stars

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About Marlene Perez

Author of the paranormal teen mystery Dead Is series and the adult urban fantasy Nyx Fortuna series.

Nyx Fortuna series
Strange Fates
Dark Descent
Fortune's Favor

DEAD IS series is as follows:

DEAD IS THE NEW BLACK
DEAD IS A STATE OF MIND
DEAD IS SO LAST YEAR
DEAD IS JUST A RUMOR (AUG, 2010)
DEAD IS NOT AN OPTION (Spring, 2011)

Look for the DEAD IS spin-off
Dead Is a Battlefield, Dead Is a Killer Tune, and D...more

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Unexpected Development

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