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Girl, 15: Charming But Insane: Girl, 15 Series, Book 1 (Jess Jordan #1)
by
Sue Limb,
Katherine Kellgren (Goodreads Author)
Life was tragic enough before this spring started. With a distinct lack of boobage and an arse so big that birds of prey could nest within its shadows, Jess Jordan is saddled with the Goddess Flora for a best friend, a Britney Spears look-alike so gorgeous that one grain of her divine dandruff could make the blind see again. Jess knows that her soul mate is Ben Jones, a di...more
MP3 Book, 0 pages
Published
August 24th 2004
by Listening Library, Inc.
(first published 2004)
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Jun 30, 2011
Talyn
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
People who like teen girls growing up and British shenanigans
Recommended to Talyn by:
English assignment
I'm not one for British literature, simply because I have a stigma against the stereotypical dry, oh so dry--oh God I'm gonna die from dehydration--humor. And usually, British people stay true to that stereotype and write in a way that I need to pause to breathe in some air from the mustiness of their prose.
Prejudices aside, I was actually surprised by this book. My classmate had to read it for a literature assignment with her group, and while I was supposed to be focusing on singing in Treble C...more
Prejudices aside, I was actually surprised by this book. My classmate had to read it for a literature assignment with her group, and while I was supposed to be focusing on singing in Treble C...more
Jess Jordan is a fifteen year old comedic genius. Unfortunately, her rapier wit is often eclipsed by her best friend Flora, who is gorgeous, brilliant, popular, and an expert in making Jess completely crazy. Jess finds refuge from the pains of her adolescence with her friend, Fred, but she’s dying (absolutely dying) to go out with the fantastically handsome Ben Jones. When Flora starts dating Ben’s best friend Mackenzie, Jess has an opportunity to hang out with Ben. He’s…a lot different than she...more
This one gets two thumbs up for the narrator who does a brilliant job. I thoroughly enjoyed this much more listening to it than I would have just reading it as it is British and the narrator (also British) makes it a really fun read.
Instead of describing the plot, I will just say that there were some very funny moments in this book, like: Jess, the 15 year old narrator, naming her breasts Bonnie and Clyde and using minestrone soup poured into bags as inserts in her bra to add more cleavage only...more
Instead of describing the plot, I will just say that there were some very funny moments in this book, like: Jess, the 15 year old narrator, naming her breasts Bonnie and Clyde and using minestrone soup poured into bags as inserts in her bra to add more cleavage only...more
Jess Jordan has a crazy wild imagination that amplifies ordinary situations into hilarious comedies. She's obsessed with the size of her rear end (massive) and her chest (minuscule) and loves her best friend Flora dearly--except that Flora's so beautiful Jess is sure she looks like a baboon in comparison. She rarely sees her father, but he sends her made-up horoscope text messages every day. Her mother works as a librarian by day and an activist the rest of the time, so she doesn't even notice t...more
Jess Jordan is a typical teenage girl who worries about looks and boys. All she wants to do is to get the guy of her dreams which just so happens to be Ben Johnson. she struggles with paying attention in class and getting good grades. Her mum is a librarian with a passion for causes, and her dad is an artist who lives 200 miles way in St. Ives, and he connects with her through text messages of daily horror scopes. Her best friend Flora is a beautiful rich girl who gets what she wants, Jess is al...more
Girl, 15, Charming but Insane follows the adventures of Jess Johnson, the self-described charming-but-insane 15 year old girl of the title. Jess is funny, intelligent beyond her years, and plagued by the same adolescent insecurities that affect us all at that age. Jess's best friend Flora is studious, blond and popular, and just happens to be dating the best friend of Jess's not-so-secret crush, Ben Jones! Will Jess win the affection of her crush, Ben Jones? Or will her world be turned upside-do...more
what a funny book. I love how neurotic her worrying could get and how much she could just wind up her own story. Very good at showing how your point of view can be total tunnel vision!!!
But, I am still floored by how many teen books there are where the main character is a habitual liar? What makes lying...pointless and, even, harmful to yourself! How is that easier than the truth? I know when I was younger (I know, a different time, different generation, yadda yadda) I loved the brutal and uglin...more
But, I am still floored by how many teen books there are where the main character is a habitual liar? What makes lying...pointless and, even, harmful to yourself! How is that easier than the truth? I know when I was younger (I know, a different time, different generation, yadda yadda) I loved the brutal and uglin...more
I ran into this book while setting up one of the lists on the Read Something New page and the title cracked me up, so I went out front and picked it up.
Jess Jordan seems pretty sure of her station in life: she’s got a big bum, and no boy will ever notice her because her best friend, Flora, looks like a blonde goddess. Two goddesses, in fact. Venus and Flora. But this is alright by Jess, as she wants nothing to do with boys in that fashion anyway.
She’s rather fond of daydreaming away, instead of...more
Jess Jordan seems pretty sure of her station in life: she’s got a big bum, and no boy will ever notice her because her best friend, Flora, looks like a blonde goddess. Two goddesses, in fact. Venus and Flora. But this is alright by Jess, as she wants nothing to do with boys in that fashion anyway.
She’s rather fond of daydreaming away, instead of...more
The book sweater reads FOR AGES 10 AND UP... though I am undecided that I’d recommend this book even for a twelve year old. Ha. It is an English book, maybe over there in England the children are much more mature. Most likely…
Jess (short for Jessica)- the main character who I am tremendously in love with, really likes this male boy called Ben. Though he’s a jerk so she really just fancies his looks… which is understandable… kind of. So Jess begins to question her own sexuality (as we all do at...more
Jess (short for Jessica)- the main character who I am tremendously in love with, really likes this male boy called Ben. Though he’s a jerk so she really just fancies his looks… which is understandable… kind of. So Jess begins to question her own sexuality (as we all do at...more
Jul 15, 2010
Posie
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people who need some light reading
Recommended to Posie by:
The Ultimate Teen Book Guide
Shelves:
summer-2010
OK. So today I went to the library today fully prepared to pick out a few light reading beach reads for my week long beach extravaganza starting tomorrow. I grabbed this book, along with a few others, and headed for the door. When I got home, if you know me, it's impossible to stay away from a book, so I started it. It's the kind of book that no matter how good it is, you're going to keep reading. Addictive.
Sooner or later I was finished, and this is what I thought: Nothing special. OK, so basic...more
Sooner or later I was finished, and this is what I thought: Nothing special. OK, so basic...more
I honestly had no idea what to expect when I picked up this book at the library. I just glanced at the back read a little of the synopsis and said, “Sure, why not”. I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the witty repartee of Jess, especially with ‘longtime friend Fred’. Jess had a huge imagination that leaked over into real her life in so many ways. It was a refreshing change of pace reading this obviously British book because of the different terms and slang used throughout the story. The story...more
Oct 18, 2009
Jana
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone willing to skip from chapter 3 to chapter 21.
I got this book for free. From the promo shelf at Border's. So, to quote my mother-in-law, "that (fill in the blank) doesn't owe you a thing!" In other words, I already got more than my money's worth.
I picked it because I love the title. I envy the title. And because coming-of-age stories are my genre. That said, I still love the title! But the story went badly wrong from chapter 3 to chapter 21. The rest of the story was completely engaging. The characters were charming. And insane. But those 1...more
I picked it because I love the title. I envy the title. And because coming-of-age stories are my genre. That said, I still love the title! But the story went badly wrong from chapter 3 to chapter 21. The rest of the story was completely engaging. The characters were charming. And insane. But those 1...more
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Apr 01, 2010
sinta nisfuanna
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
metropop-teenlit-chicklit,
pindah-tangan
Jess Jordan, tokoh remaja dalam buku ini mengingatkan dengan Alice in [not:] Wonderland. Remaja yang sedang dalam krisis percaya diri, sekaligus memiliki imajinasi yang sangat liar. Alice dan Jess sama-sama memiliki cita-cita yang unik, Kritikus Budaya dan Stand-up Comedian.
Seperti Alice, Jess juga memiliki keluarga yang eksentrik. Jess tinggal bersama ibu dan Neneknya. Ibunya yang seorang feminis, penjaga perpustakaan sekaligus aktivis perdamaian, sedangkan neneknya adalah orang yang tergila-gi...more
Seperti Alice, Jess juga memiliki keluarga yang eksentrik. Jess tinggal bersama ibu dan Neneknya. Ibunya yang seorang feminis, penjaga perpustakaan sekaligus aktivis perdamaian, sedangkan neneknya adalah orang yang tergila-gi...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I read this book when I was actually around the age of 15 and for a while there, I thought I was Jess. I even tried to talk like her… Most people just got confused so I quit.
This Book was great, I laughed at every page. My favorites however were the chapter titles. I only have the third book of the series in my possession, but the chapter names are equally entertaining.
“Pluck not thy eyebrows until they are invisible: yea, only the straggly bits.”
Of course.
“Thou shalt not kill, although I might...more
Well this is about a girl who basically has alot of trouble with her self esteem. It talks about her crazy life like being caught on film topless and throwing away her fake breasts. (smh) But luckily her best friend takes the tape and gives it to her. She thinks she is in love with some guy in her school but doesnt realize that shes falling for her best friend. P.S. he is a guy. She also has to deal with her other best friend which she secretely hates because her friend is perfect.
I like this...more
I like this...more
I really enjoyed the humor in this book. Jess Jordan is a talented writer who finds school a bore; daydreams over her crush,Ben Jones; and secretly resents her skinny and popular best friend. A glimpse at the humor: When assigned to write an essay on why Charles I was unpopular, she lets her imagine wander and creates this list:
1. He never changed his pants.
2. He refused to grow.
3. He passed a law saying everybody taller than him had to have their legs cut off.
4. He slurped his soup.
5. He used...more
1. He never changed his pants.
2. He refused to grow.
3. He passed a law saying everybody taller than him had to have their legs cut off.
4. He slurped his soup.
5. He used...more
This is a teen read through and through. The title might seem like an obvious give away, BUT, as my copy's front cover demonstrates, there is also a glittery effect to the page, much like the groovy contact primary school kids put on their workbooks, and it doesn't exactly scream "read with red wine and Bach".
Nope, it's just a funny little book that doesn't take itself too seriously. The best parts for me were Jess's interactions between her mum and grandma, which struck a nice balance between s...more
Nope, it's just a funny little book that doesn't take itself too seriously. The best parts for me were Jess's interactions between her mum and grandma, which struck a nice balance between s...more
Delightful. Humorous, sympathetic, satisfying in both plot and characterization. Jess hits the highs and lows of being 15: boys who are alternately irritating and riveting; family members you love even though they can sometimes screw up your life (or so it seems); figuring out what you're good at.
The adults in her life are uniformly supportive, and she manages to get along with all her classmates. Not true for everyone, but I thought it was an interesting portrayal of some of the problems and p...more
The adults in her life are uniformly supportive, and she manages to get along with all her classmates. Not true for everyone, but I thought it was an interesting portrayal of some of the problems and p...more
I saw this book a lot when I was 14/15 and discounted it because it looked too silly. And is it silly? Yes, very much so. But that's the beauty of it: it's a great YA novel full of ludicrously comic moments/characters (I do love the granny who's obsessed with murders, etc) and made for a rather pleasant afternoon of reading. Never discount YA lit, that's for sure. Also, Jess was a great lead character. While the ending was a bit predictable, it still felt fresh because it wasn't kissy-kissy limp...more
The book was very funny!!!!!! I couldn't even put it down! I reccomend this to all the girls who are looking for something fun to read. The book is about a girl, named Jess who goes through a bunch of embarrasing things and Jess sees alot of things she wouldn't expect form her friends and family. She falls for a boy named Ben Jones, but she figures out that he was diffrent than what she thought he was. Jess learned her mistakes throught the book, it was a fantastic book and i reccomend it to gir...more
I really enjoyed this book. I've been reading some pretty serious, boring, tedious textbooks of late and I really needed a break. This book had wit, humour and love (of course). I think anyone who has been a teenager can relate to Jess. Sue really brings me in close to the character and I felt her anxieties, her dreams, her wishes, her emotions. I really cheered for her when she was down and out, and laughed out loud, and screamed happily when she got her guy at the end. If only all of life's st...more
9th-12th grade. This British young adult novel features the fearless, witty Jess who struggles her way through her fifteenth year, with the help of best friends Flora and Fred. The protagonist is hilarious, causing the reader to laugh out loud in various places. She faces many a debacle, including her grandmother moving in, the mystery of why her parents split up, whether Ben does or does not like her back, whether her bum or her cleavage will ever be satisfactory, and other incredibly important...more
Jan 12, 2008
April Helms
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
young-adult,
fiction
As 15-year-old Jess goes through the school year, she realizes that she has her own gifts. A comic tale of a 15-year-old, her dissatisfaction with her looks, how she copes with a best friend whom she perceives as perfect and dealing with her high school crush.
This reads very much like a sitcom, or three or four episodes in that sitcom. It’s told third-person, but I kept wondering if it would have been better as first-person, the writing almost slips into first person at times. I thought it was...more
This reads very much like a sitcom, or three or four episodes in that sitcom. It’s told third-person, but I kept wondering if it would have been better as first-person, the writing almost slips into first person at times. I thought it was...more
I got this very charming (but insane!) book on a dare. I'm not usually a fan of chick-lit (with an exception with Meg Cabot's books though). But I have to admit-this one was pretty good!
It was fun reading about the hilarious situations Jess always gets herself into (also, her dad sends her hilarious joke horoscopes throughout, though he's sort of a mystery man because he doesn't show up at all in this book).
She wants to be a standd-up comedian-and appropriately so!
I did have a few problems with...more
It was fun reading about the hilarious situations Jess always gets herself into (also, her dad sends her hilarious joke horoscopes throughout, though he's sort of a mystery man because he doesn't show up at all in this book).
She wants to be a standd-up comedian-and appropriately so!
I did have a few problems with...more
You can read a multitude of truly bad books and wonder whether your ability to pick a decent read has become non-existent
OR
You can delve deep into your cupboard and unearth an old and reliable favourite and make up for reams of bad plot/prose/characters.
Girl 15, Charming but Insane belongs to the latter category.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
~ The title: It immediately grabs eyeballs. It’s quirky, hints at a teen who will rant but in a way that promises to be hilarious and engaging....more
OR
You can delve deep into your cupboard and unearth an old and reliable favourite and make up for reams of bad plot/prose/characters.
Girl 15, Charming but Insane belongs to the latter category.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
~ The title: It immediately grabs eyeballs. It’s quirky, hints at a teen who will rant but in a way that promises to be hilarious and engaging....more
I loved this. Normally I take umbrage with books that try to squeeze a laugh into every possible nook and cranny, but something about Jess's slightly odd sense of humour and blunt way of putting things had me giggling madly the whole time. She's a great character, and I would certainly hunt down the rest of the books in this series and read them if I wasn't morally opposed to sequels. I don't know why but I really DREAD them. The thought fills me not just with a dreary 'will it ever END??' sort...more
A funny teen angst story filled with sharp British humor. Jess, a mini Bridget Jones, is trying to get her crush to notice her with much drama along the way including her best friend hating her, her grandmother moving in, her girlfriend making moves on he crush and her bra stuffing exploding minestrone soup all over her.
While this story is certainly funny, it starts to drag halfway through. Even though its another coming of age story, it could use more originality in the plot. Hopefully, the nex...more
While this story is certainly funny, it starts to drag halfway through. Even though its another coming of age story, it could use more originality in the plot. Hopefully, the nex...more
This is an excellent YA book. The plot and characters are somewhat predictable, but the funny situations that the main character gets into excuses that. I found myself laughing quite a few times. I have only one big complaint about the book. That would be the whole incident where a boy set up a hidden camera in he girls bathroom. I don't see why no one was outraged or why the parents shrugged it off as boys will be boys. How very unrealistic. Despite this, I plan on reading the next installment....more
I enjoyed this book, Jess is overcome by the girls having wonderbra status's so Jess decides to wear a soup bra. She goes to a party and a boy that she isn't even crushing on squeezes her a bit too tight and her bra explodes in his face. Jess is sure shes dead but everyone thinks that she threw up on his face to her relief. But it turns out there was a camera set up in the girls bathroom. This book shows something that some typical girls might encounter or feel.
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“Virgo: Your teddy bear will reveal that he is pregnant and will require counseling. ”
—
12 people liked it
“Jess actually dreaded having a boyfriend, because of having to tell her mum. Perhaps she would just avoid it until her mum eighty or something and in an old-people's home, and then Jess, who would by then be about fifty, would drop by and casually remark, "Oh, by the way, Mum, I've got a boyfriend." And even then her mum would probebly hurtle out of her wheelchair and smack her hard across the face, crying "You trash! You whore! Get outta my house--I mean, my room!" It was hard sometimes, being the daughter of a radical feminist who hated men. ”
—
9 people liked it
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