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The Crazy Things Girls Do for Love
In a comedy from the best-selling author of Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen , two popular girls vie to out-green each other to snare a boy.
Fashion-crazy Sicilee is a poster child for over-consumption. Her archrival, Maya, wears arty vintage clothes but hasn’t a clue what’s in the food she eats. So when drop-dead gorgeous new student Cody Lightfoot sets out to spread his eco-ways — and spur the Environmental Club toward an all-out Earth Day bash — Sicilee and Maya have their work cut out to attract his attention. What if Sicilee trades her fur boots for walking shoes (even if she can’t find the school when she’s not inside a car)? What if Maya dresses in plastic bottles and bags to preach in front of the supermarket (until security is called)? Or could it be that Cody isn’t all he’ s cracked up to be, and that saving the planet really is more important than impressing a boy? With her trademark quick-fire wit, Dyan Sheldon shows just what girls will do for love — and what earth — changing realizations they might have along the way.
Fashion-crazy Sicilee is a poster child for over-consumption. Her archrival, Maya, wears arty vintage clothes but hasn’t a clue what’s in the food she eats. So when drop-dead gorgeous new student Cody Lightfoot sets out to spread his eco-ways — and spur the Environmental Club toward an all-out Earth Day bash — Sicilee and Maya have their work cut out to attract his attention. What if Sicilee trades her fur boots for walking shoes (even if she can’t find the school when she’s not inside a car)? What if Maya dresses in plastic bottles and bags to preach in front of the supermarket (until security is called)? Or could it be that Cody isn’t all he’ s cracked up to be, and that saving the planet really is more important than impressing a boy? With her trademark quick-fire wit, Dyan Sheldon shows just what girls will do for love — and what earth — changing realizations they might have along the way.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published December 7, 2010
67 people are currently reading
1165 people want to read
About the author
Dyan Sheldon
93 books196 followersDyan Sheldon is the author of many novels for young adult readers, including the #1 New York Times bestseller CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN, which was made into a major motion picture. American by birth, she lives in North London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
February 12, 2014
first of all, what the heck. why is the rating so low? 3.18, hmmm. I think it deserves way better. and I would've thought this had more recognition, too. this is way better than other overrated popular chick-lit YA. give this a try guys? :)
second, we're all mad when it's comes to love. its relatable. way relatable. wow. aren't I deep person. I'm about as deep as a puddle. yes. I've had my share of crazy dealings (it's called infatuation. don't worry, it didn't get me anywhere.)
third, this was hilarious. all the comparisons were absolutely hilarious. hehehhehehehheheheheh.
fourth, *SPOILER* I never liked you in the first place Cody Lightfoot (in italics). You and your pinstripe suit refused to collaborate with my taste.
finally, (I actually forgot what I was gonna say. damn. oh right. I remember) Pretend you never saw the low rating and give this a try. seriously, it's pretty good. it's those, brainless, feel-good books that make you feel happy in life because currently it sucks, don't you think? yeah, that's what I thought.
second, we're all mad when it's comes to love. its relatable. way relatable. wow. aren't I deep person. I'm about as deep as a puddle. yes. I've had my share of crazy dealings (it's called infatuation. don't worry, it didn't get me anywhere.)
third, this was hilarious. all the comparisons were absolutely hilarious. hehehhehehehheheheheh.
fourth, *SPOILER* I never liked you in the first place Cody Lightfoot (in italics). You and your pinstripe suit refused to collaborate with my taste.
finally, (I actually forgot what I was gonna say. damn. oh right. I remember) Pretend you never saw the low rating and give this a try. seriously, it's pretty good. it's those, brainless, feel-good books that make you feel happy in life because currently it sucks, don't you think? yeah, that's what I thought.
March 15, 2012
At first glance, the cover of this book might fool you into taking it lightly. Then again, the more I look at it, the more I see some of the symbolism and the connections to the book's theme of empowerment and becoming environmentally conscious. To tell the truth, I ended up liking this one more than I had expected to. The premise behind the story is that three girls, all quite different, have a crush on the new boy at their high school in Clifton Springs. While two of them, Maya and Sicilee, have been rivals throughout school and are determined to be the one that Cody Lightfoot notices amd will go to any lengths to make that happen, the other one, Waneeda can only dream of basking in his reflected wonder. Because he's into the green movement, they join the Environmental Club, a decidedly unpopular group before his arrival. When I first started reading the book, I figured that Sicilee and Maya would end up cancelling each other out with all their efforts since really they are competing more to win than to get the guy, and that improbably but satisfyingly, Waneeda would discard her candy bars and her malaise, and somehow, she and Cody would cycle off into the sunset. It COULD have happened, after all, and I would have felt satisfied. But the author doesn't take that path; instead, when all the smoke from the battle for Cody has cleared, no one gets the boy, and it turns out that he really only has eyes for himself.
From the book's first pages, I loved the author's voice. Clearly, she's spent time in the halls of today's high schools and has identified the social pecking order that exists within those halls. But part of what makes this title so fresh and appealing is that she deviates from the expected path. While the girls' initial interest in Cody may have led them to the environmental movement, all three are responsible for the changes they make in their lives. Uber-consumer Sicilee ends up shopping at a thrift store and walking to school. Maya wears plastic bottles in an attempt to educate passersby about the long life of plastic. Waneeda plants a garden. All three change for the better, and while their friends aren't exactly supportive, in the end, they understand those changes. The changes in the girls are subtle, happening almost before they realize that they are changing, and are often described in such amusing fashion. For instance, when Sicilee heads off to the mall with her friends, she can't stop herself from reading the labels of the make-up being considered, and wondering about its ingredients. If there's a lot happening in the book and the ending seems a bit too good to be true, the author still takes readers on a delightful journey, informing us along the way. Her acknowledgment provides books, documentaries, and websites to inform those interested in the issues raised in the book.
From the book's first pages, I loved the author's voice. Clearly, she's spent time in the halls of today's high schools and has identified the social pecking order that exists within those halls. But part of what makes this title so fresh and appealing is that she deviates from the expected path. While the girls' initial interest in Cody may have led them to the environmental movement, all three are responsible for the changes they make in their lives. Uber-consumer Sicilee ends up shopping at a thrift store and walking to school. Maya wears plastic bottles in an attempt to educate passersby about the long life of plastic. Waneeda plants a garden. All three change for the better, and while their friends aren't exactly supportive, in the end, they understand those changes. The changes in the girls are subtle, happening almost before they realize that they are changing, and are often described in such amusing fashion. For instance, when Sicilee heads off to the mall with her friends, she can't stop herself from reading the labels of the make-up being considered, and wondering about its ingredients. If there's a lot happening in the book and the ending seems a bit too good to be true, the author still takes readers on a delightful journey, informing us along the way. Her acknowledgment provides books, documentaries, and websites to inform those interested in the issues raised in the book.
February 16, 2013
The Crazy Things Girls Do For Love....
Come to think of it is actually true... This happens to everyone, every girl. I'll be honest with you even me. I do it all the time. Trying to be someone we are not just to get some guy-we think we are totally in love with- to notice us and to prove how much we are destined to be together!!!
Three different girls from very different clicks strive their way to get this one gorgeous new boy in school. The most popular and the most coolest girl in school, Sicilee and Maya never thought they had to become GREEN to impress a guy when all the boys in school wants them. While Waneeda-the invisible girl-tries as hard as everyone else, trying to be as much as visible she can.
But the mystery lies... Who will win??? Sicilee, Maya or Waneeda?
"Everything is fair in Love and War - And this is LOVE"!!
There is only one word for this book : Amazing!!!
Come to think of it is actually true... This happens to everyone, every girl. I'll be honest with you even me. I do it all the time. Trying to be someone we are not just to get some guy-we think we are totally in love with- to notice us and to prove how much we are destined to be together!!!
Three different girls from very different clicks strive their way to get this one gorgeous new boy in school. The most popular and the most coolest girl in school, Sicilee and Maya never thought they had to become GREEN to impress a guy when all the boys in school wants them. While Waneeda-the invisible girl-tries as hard as everyone else, trying to be as much as visible she can.
But the mystery lies... Who will win??? Sicilee, Maya or Waneeda?
"Everything is fair in Love and War - And this is LOVE"!!
There is only one word for this book : Amazing!!!
January 27, 2019
Actual rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
I've been wanting to read this book for a while, mostly because I was really surprised by Dyan Sheldon's 2013 (2015 in the US) novel The Truth About My Success. Unlike Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, which had a first person narrator and the lowest stakes made way too high by said narrator, TTAMS had an omniscient third person narrator that allowed us to peep into multiple heads and pull together an absolutely hilarious and wry take on The Prince and the Pauper and spun it into a modern day Californian tale of a teenage star going off the rails and the plan to make her better while having someone else fill in for her (cash provided). The book was written very well and had me grinning, so I was expecting the same from The Crazy Things Girls Do for Love, another novel (first published in the UK in 2010, here in the US in 2011) that promised hilarity, hijinks, and eye-opening revelations all told with a nice big cup of snark with extra cream. Plus, there was going to be an environmentalist spin on things, with people going green and opening their eyes to how polluted the world has become. What did I find?
Well, while I don't think that TCTGDfL is as strong as TTAMS, it's certainly better than CoaTDQ (sorry for the awkward abbreviations). Sheldon has a knack for zany and out there humor that sometimes doesn't quite hit the landing that it needs to, but it's earnest and charming and certainly enough to make someone snort or laugh their butts off. It certainly carries the novel even when it gets repetitive, but this all gets balanced out by gradual (if sometimes rushed) character development, amusing situations, and for its light yet serious tone that comforts and teaches. Overall, this was an entertaining read, and I really want to see what Sheldon's other concepts have in store for me.
Although I don't like to start off with the negatives, there's really only one big thing to discuss that doesn't make me enjoy this novel as much as the last one that I read from Sheldon: the characters. Not only is there an incredibly large supporting cast that just feels there to make our protagonists look bad or for filling their roles (there are obviously exceptions to this rule), but our main girls start off as not very complex and, although their eyes eventually open up to the Green (which is capitalized every time it's used in the book) Movement, that's the only real trait that's added . Sicilee is the stereotypical shallow popular girl, Maya is the hipster who is popular in her own right, and Waneeda is the loner who lacks motivation to do anything. However, this isn't completely bad news. Sheldon makes all the girls human in their own little ways, and they do grow as the events of the book go on. I just wish that Sicilee and Maya would have gotten the hint sooner that Cody wasn't going to respond to their advances and move on, although their competitions and them one-upping each other was actually funny for most of this.
Also, while I did find the inclusions of vegetarianism and veganism enlightening and interesting, I don't think we ever got past the basics. I got the feeling several times while reading this that this would probably sit best with younger teens rather than someone my age, as there was a lack of details involving what really goes on in the meat industry (although I don't think I wanna know) and exactly what replacements there were out there for vegetarians and vegans (there was one scene where Sicilee thought they were the same thing that had me dying). Some of the reactions of the friends when Maya and Sicilee decided to cut back on meat and animal products was also over the top (one guy asked if being green made Sicilee had to dance around in a cornfield and praise the Corn God), but I think that might've had to do with stereotypes associated with this class in general. It actually reminded me of this Superwoman video.
However, what this book easily does well is its comedy. Sheldon knows that the stakes of two girls (with one watching from the sidelines) battling over the new boy is pretty ridiculous (after all, it's only a high school crush). However, rather than always dryly comment about how crazy the girls are, it's played completely straight and taken seriously while our narrator laughs and eats popcorn along the way. This may irritate some readers, but it completely works for me. As readers, we're in completely on the joke as our narrator is, and that only makes things more entertaining. We can roll our eyes at how desperate the girls are, cringe at how deceiving the new guy may be, and smile because it's light and fluffy and just right. There's plenty of hilarious dialogue, narration, and characters in general to go around, and that's really the foundation that holds this book together.
But what I also like about Dyan Sheldon's books is that romance is never the main focus. Sure, we do have girls vying to be Cody Lightfoot's girlfriend, but Sheldon smartly puts development and independence above pairing her girls off. Yes, there are other boys in this novel, but what the novel is enforcing is taking care of the environment, not telling girls to latch onto a boy's arm and change yourselves for them (looking at you, Keish Looray). While the road to getting there does have our protagonists stumbling on that road, they learn from their mistakes and move on. There are friendships, tranquil moments with a cat, and helping someone be passionate for the things they care about. That's what matters most, and that makes me happy.
All in all, The Crazy Things Girls Do for Love is a breezy and ultimately fun novel that brings a call to action to help Earth with the trials and tribulations of trying to get your crush to notice you while realizing there's bigger things to worry about. Dyan Sheldon's concepts are always fun, and I hope more of her work comes stateside.
I've been wanting to read this book for a while, mostly because I was really surprised by Dyan Sheldon's 2013 (2015 in the US) novel The Truth About My Success. Unlike Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, which had a first person narrator and the lowest stakes made way too high by said narrator, TTAMS had an omniscient third person narrator that allowed us to peep into multiple heads and pull together an absolutely hilarious and wry take on The Prince and the Pauper and spun it into a modern day Californian tale of a teenage star going off the rails and the plan to make her better while having someone else fill in for her (cash provided). The book was written very well and had me grinning, so I was expecting the same from The Crazy Things Girls Do for Love, another novel (first published in the UK in 2010, here in the US in 2011) that promised hilarity, hijinks, and eye-opening revelations all told with a nice big cup of snark with extra cream. Plus, there was going to be an environmentalist spin on things, with people going green and opening their eyes to how polluted the world has become. What did I find?
Well, while I don't think that TCTGDfL is as strong as TTAMS, it's certainly better than CoaTDQ (sorry for the awkward abbreviations). Sheldon has a knack for zany and out there humor that sometimes doesn't quite hit the landing that it needs to, but it's earnest and charming and certainly enough to make someone snort or laugh their butts off. It certainly carries the novel even when it gets repetitive, but this all gets balanced out by gradual (if sometimes rushed) character development, amusing situations, and for its light yet serious tone that comforts and teaches. Overall, this was an entertaining read, and I really want to see what Sheldon's other concepts have in store for me.
Although I don't like to start off with the negatives, there's really only one big thing to discuss that doesn't make me enjoy this novel as much as the last one that I read from Sheldon: the characters. Not only is there an incredibly large supporting cast that just feels there to make our protagonists look bad or for filling their roles (there are obviously exceptions to this rule), but our main girls start off as not very complex and, although their eyes eventually open up to the Green (which is capitalized every time it's used in the book) Movement, that's the only real trait that's added . Sicilee is the stereotypical shallow popular girl, Maya is the hipster who is popular in her own right, and Waneeda is the loner who lacks motivation to do anything. However, this isn't completely bad news. Sheldon makes all the girls human in their own little ways, and they do grow as the events of the book go on. I just wish that Sicilee and Maya would have gotten the hint sooner that Cody wasn't going to respond to their advances and move on, although their competitions and them one-upping each other was actually funny for most of this.
Also, while I did find the inclusions of vegetarianism and veganism enlightening and interesting, I don't think we ever got past the basics. I got the feeling several times while reading this that this would probably sit best with younger teens rather than someone my age, as there was a lack of details involving what really goes on in the meat industry (although I don't think I wanna know) and exactly what replacements there were out there for vegetarians and vegans (there was one scene where Sicilee thought they were the same thing that had me dying). Some of the reactions of the friends when Maya and Sicilee decided to cut back on meat and animal products was also over the top (one guy asked if being green made Sicilee had to dance around in a cornfield and praise the Corn God), but I think that might've had to do with stereotypes associated with this class in general. It actually reminded me of this Superwoman video.
However, what this book easily does well is its comedy. Sheldon knows that the stakes of two girls (with one watching from the sidelines) battling over the new boy is pretty ridiculous (after all, it's only a high school crush). However, rather than always dryly comment about how crazy the girls are, it's played completely straight and taken seriously while our narrator laughs and eats popcorn along the way. This may irritate some readers, but it completely works for me. As readers, we're in completely on the joke as our narrator is, and that only makes things more entertaining. We can roll our eyes at how desperate the girls are, cringe at how deceiving the new guy may be, and smile because it's light and fluffy and just right. There's plenty of hilarious dialogue, narration, and characters in general to go around, and that's really the foundation that holds this book together.
But what I also like about Dyan Sheldon's books is that romance is never the main focus. Sure, we do have girls vying to be Cody Lightfoot's girlfriend, but Sheldon smartly puts development and independence above pairing her girls off. Yes, there are other boys in this novel, but what the novel is enforcing is taking care of the environment, not telling girls to latch onto a boy's arm and change yourselves for them (looking at you, Keish Looray). While the road to getting there does have our protagonists stumbling on that road, they learn from their mistakes and move on. There are friendships, tranquil moments with a cat, and helping someone be passionate for the things they care about. That's what matters most, and that makes me happy.
All in all, The Crazy Things Girls Do for Love is a breezy and ultimately fun novel that brings a call to action to help Earth with the trials and tribulations of trying to get your crush to notice you while realizing there's bigger things to worry about. Dyan Sheldon's concepts are always fun, and I hope more of her work comes stateside.
April 9, 2016
The crazy things girls do for love.
What do you thing the book is about after reading the title?
I picked the book with an impression that this will be funny and hilarious to know all those crazy stuffs about the girls. Not to forget the book cover. This story takes place in Clifton Springs high school. And the book cover aptly matches the plot.
Cody Lightfoot, a very handsome boy enters the school as a new student after the school re-opens after Christmas vacation. Now there is competition among the girls in school to have a dream date with this guy. Sicilee Kewe and Maya Baraberra, the arch rivals are the bitter competitors. They are trying to get all attention of Cody. They don’t leave any chance to be with him alone, to get a chance to talk to him, hovering around him, to find his school schedule and find all details about this one handsome guy in the school. Maya even goes to an extend to play detectives by following him after school to know his house. But Waneeda Huddlesfield, who never cares to impress anyone or to be noticed by anyone, is satisfied just in her dreams to be with Cody. She can just imagine being with Cody, having a sweet conversation and Cody smiling at her in his casual carefree way.
Then there are Clemens and Jo Marie, having hard time keeping up their environment club. Their principal Dr. Firestone has also threatened them that if they are not able to get more volunteers for their club, he will close this club as he does not see any remarkable progress by the work they are doing for environment. And the students in Clifton Springs have an impression that this is a geeky club with no exciting things happening in and reluctant to join.
But Cody Lightfoot volunteers to join the club. Sicilee and Mary heard him talking to Jo Marie and Waneeda about it. And the decision is taken. Even these two girls are joining the Environment club. Waneeda, who never got convinced by Jo Marie’s elaborate explanation about why environment is so important and why we should care for it, also decides to join the Environment club. Clemens is not happy. He knows, though the count of volunteers has increased for his club and it’s saved from getting closed, the volunteers are not serious about the environment.
Sicilee, who does not know the difference between vegetarian and vegan and thinks vegan is short form of vegetarian, starts to opt for walking to school. She even starts to buy her clothes from Thrift store instead of buying them from malls. She starts to check the labels of the cosmetics in malls and imagines about the ingredients they use in them, to be careful that they are vegan.
Mary, Sicilee’s rival, starts using her bike to school. Even she starts to check the labels before she buys any items from stores. She gives up cheese, milk or any items which uses animal product in them. She even dresses in plastics as a plastics girl and stands in malls, to make people aware how the usage of plastics is ruining our environment’s ecological balance and contributing to global warming.
Waneeda, who is always content in herself and invisible to others, is not far in this race. She gives up eating meat. She starts planting seedlings to make her own nursery to grow vegetables.
All of them are very excited and enthusiastic to celebrate the Earth day. Every one is putting their 100% to get sponsor and collecting funds for the big day. The only aim of Sicilee and Maya is to get Cody’s attention and impress him by their vegan lifestyle.
But at the end who gets Cody? With the plot any one will guess that Cody will chose Waneeda, as she is not trying to impress anyone and never tries to display her vegan lifestyle to Cody like Sicilee and Maya are doing. But the author chose for a different plot.
Sicilee, Mary and Waneeda are not aware that they are changing gradually. They have started caring about the environment and are in a race to reduce their carbon footprints. Their friends become against them and make a bully of them. They have become alien in their own friends group.
But now they are determined and feel good to choose a vegan lifestyle. They stand together to stop the cutting of the few oak trees in there school playground. These 500 years old trees tell the history. They get successful in this. But in this one hard time where they are struggling to save the trees from cutting, Cody is not with them. Cody is more concerned about the Earth day’s success that he thinks saving few old oak trees will ruin all their hard work. This is when the spell is broken. These three girls wonder what is that they see in Cody that made them mesmerized. Now they truly care for environment and they don’t do so to impress someone.
I would recommend this book to everyone. Every comparison made in the book is extremely hilarious. It’s a very cheerful book. This book should be a must read in all schools and organizations to motivate people to reduce carbon footprint. Do carpooling or prefer a walk or cycle or public transport over polluting vehicles. To make the environment a better place to live.
The author has given a list of the references she used for this book. This is a good list with books, websites and documentaries included. Its suggested to have a look at the websites mentioned in the book.
What do you thing the book is about after reading the title?
I picked the book with an impression that this will be funny and hilarious to know all those crazy stuffs about the girls. Not to forget the book cover. This story takes place in Clifton Springs high school. And the book cover aptly matches the plot.
Cody Lightfoot, a very handsome boy enters the school as a new student after the school re-opens after Christmas vacation. Now there is competition among the girls in school to have a dream date with this guy. Sicilee Kewe and Maya Baraberra, the arch rivals are the bitter competitors. They are trying to get all attention of Cody. They don’t leave any chance to be with him alone, to get a chance to talk to him, hovering around him, to find his school schedule and find all details about this one handsome guy in the school. Maya even goes to an extend to play detectives by following him after school to know his house. But Waneeda Huddlesfield, who never cares to impress anyone or to be noticed by anyone, is satisfied just in her dreams to be with Cody. She can just imagine being with Cody, having a sweet conversation and Cody smiling at her in his casual carefree way.
Then there are Clemens and Jo Marie, having hard time keeping up their environment club. Their principal Dr. Firestone has also threatened them that if they are not able to get more volunteers for their club, he will close this club as he does not see any remarkable progress by the work they are doing for environment. And the students in Clifton Springs have an impression that this is a geeky club with no exciting things happening in and reluctant to join.
But Cody Lightfoot volunteers to join the club. Sicilee and Mary heard him talking to Jo Marie and Waneeda about it. And the decision is taken. Even these two girls are joining the Environment club. Waneeda, who never got convinced by Jo Marie’s elaborate explanation about why environment is so important and why we should care for it, also decides to join the Environment club. Clemens is not happy. He knows, though the count of volunteers has increased for his club and it’s saved from getting closed, the volunteers are not serious about the environment.
Sicilee, who does not know the difference between vegetarian and vegan and thinks vegan is short form of vegetarian, starts to opt for walking to school. She even starts to buy her clothes from Thrift store instead of buying them from malls. She starts to check the labels of the cosmetics in malls and imagines about the ingredients they use in them, to be careful that they are vegan.
Mary, Sicilee’s rival, starts using her bike to school. Even she starts to check the labels before she buys any items from stores. She gives up cheese, milk or any items which uses animal product in them. She even dresses in plastics as a plastics girl and stands in malls, to make people aware how the usage of plastics is ruining our environment’s ecological balance and contributing to global warming.
Waneeda, who is always content in herself and invisible to others, is not far in this race. She gives up eating meat. She starts planting seedlings to make her own nursery to grow vegetables.
All of them are very excited and enthusiastic to celebrate the Earth day. Every one is putting their 100% to get sponsor and collecting funds for the big day. The only aim of Sicilee and Maya is to get Cody’s attention and impress him by their vegan lifestyle.
But at the end who gets Cody? With the plot any one will guess that Cody will chose Waneeda, as she is not trying to impress anyone and never tries to display her vegan lifestyle to Cody like Sicilee and Maya are doing. But the author chose for a different plot.
Sicilee, Mary and Waneeda are not aware that they are changing gradually. They have started caring about the environment and are in a race to reduce their carbon footprints. Their friends become against them and make a bully of them. They have become alien in their own friends group.
But now they are determined and feel good to choose a vegan lifestyle. They stand together to stop the cutting of the few oak trees in there school playground. These 500 years old trees tell the history. They get successful in this. But in this one hard time where they are struggling to save the trees from cutting, Cody is not with them. Cody is more concerned about the Earth day’s success that he thinks saving few old oak trees will ruin all their hard work. This is when the spell is broken. These three girls wonder what is that they see in Cody that made them mesmerized. Now they truly care for environment and they don’t do so to impress someone.
I would recommend this book to everyone. Every comparison made in the book is extremely hilarious. It’s a very cheerful book. This book should be a must read in all schools and organizations to motivate people to reduce carbon footprint. Do carpooling or prefer a walk or cycle or public transport over polluting vehicles. To make the environment a better place to live.
The author has given a list of the references she used for this book. This is a good list with books, websites and documentaries included. Its suggested to have a look at the websites mentioned in the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2012
THIS REVIEW ON B'S BOOK BLOG!
Thanks to Netgalley and Candlewick Press for sending me this ebook to review!
The Crazy Things Girls Do For Love by Dyan Sheldon is a light, easy read, which is also sharp, funny, and witty! It shouldn't take you more than two days to finish it, because as I said, it is very light. (But unfortunately I've been so overwhelmed by uni work, so it took me 6 days.) If you're looking for something hilarious and enjoyable and easy to read, this book is for you!
The story starts as Cody Lightfoot, a drop-dead gorgeous, super good-looking guy sets his foot on Clifton Springs high school, making probably all the female heads turn. Cody then joins the Environmental Club, which was previously viewed as a loser club, and rescues it from being shut down by the school, by effortlessly recruiting many members, most of them, if not all, are girls captivated by his charms. Sicilee Kewe, the most popular girl in the most popular clique in the school, wants to win Cody's heart. And so do the arty Maya and the loner Waneeda. These girls are willing to go to great lengths, not to mention crazy, in order to do so.
I like the plot that trying to impress a crush ends up in something far greater than they expect. They finally learn to really care about the environment, and not just pretending to like they did in the earlier parts of the story. I especially enjoy their snide remarks aimed at each other. Really humorous and witty. Although these girls annoy me sometimes, I understand that the book is being realistic, as I used to be young and crazy and annoying like that too.
If there's anything I don't like, it is this: I feel like Cody's character is a little bit forced. At first he seems like a nice guy who really cares about the world and everything, going around convincing superior people that environment really matters. But then suddenly it turns out he isn't actually what he seems to be. I feel like this part is forced. Like the author wanted to make Cody bad because then she could add some depth to the story, so Cody wouldn't be perfect, so Cody wouldn't have to choose which girl to be with, because they would already see the real him and feel disappointed and realize he wasn't worth it.
What is outstanding about this book is the fact that it is a fiction concerning environmental issues. Most of the time, a lot of people find it boring to talk about the environment and what we're doing to destroy it. However, this book was so cleverly written that these stuff don't feel too much and boring at all. It's nice to have books out there that raise awareness for young readers!
Also, this fun, easy read a happy ending! That makes me happy!
Also posted on my blog here.
Thanks to Netgalley and Candlewick Press for sending me this ebook to review!
The Crazy Things Girls Do For Love by Dyan Sheldon is a light, easy read, which is also sharp, funny, and witty! It shouldn't take you more than two days to finish it, because as I said, it is very light. (But unfortunately I've been so overwhelmed by uni work, so it took me 6 days.) If you're looking for something hilarious and enjoyable and easy to read, this book is for you!
The story starts as Cody Lightfoot, a drop-dead gorgeous, super good-looking guy sets his foot on Clifton Springs high school, making probably all the female heads turn. Cody then joins the Environmental Club, which was previously viewed as a loser club, and rescues it from being shut down by the school, by effortlessly recruiting many members, most of them, if not all, are girls captivated by his charms. Sicilee Kewe, the most popular girl in the most popular clique in the school, wants to win Cody's heart. And so do the arty Maya and the loner Waneeda. These girls are willing to go to great lengths, not to mention crazy, in order to do so.
I like the plot that trying to impress a crush ends up in something far greater than they expect. They finally learn to really care about the environment, and not just pretending to like they did in the earlier parts of the story. I especially enjoy their snide remarks aimed at each other. Really humorous and witty. Although these girls annoy me sometimes, I understand that the book is being realistic, as I used to be young and crazy and annoying like that too.
If there's anything I don't like, it is this: I feel like Cody's character is a little bit forced. At first he seems like a nice guy who really cares about the world and everything, going around convincing superior people that environment really matters. But then suddenly it turns out he isn't actually what he seems to be. I feel like this part is forced. Like the author wanted to make Cody bad because then she could add some depth to the story, so Cody wouldn't be perfect, so Cody wouldn't have to choose which girl to be with, because they would already see the real him and feel disappointed and realize he wasn't worth it.
What is outstanding about this book is the fact that it is a fiction concerning environmental issues. Most of the time, a lot of people find it boring to talk about the environment and what we're doing to destroy it. However, this book was so cleverly written that these stuff don't feel too much and boring at all. It's nice to have books out there that raise awareness for young readers!
Also, this fun, easy read a happy ending! That makes me happy!
Also posted on my blog here.
June 17, 2011
When new student Cody Lightfoot shows up at school the girls are all a twitter. He's the hottest thing to grace the school's hallways and they all want a chance to be with him. When it turns out Cody is an environmentalist and joins the "loser" Environmental Club, the girls join with him and begin trying to out-green and out-vegan each other in the hopes of winning his heart.
The author, Dyan Sheldon, wrote this book in the present tense, which really puts the author right in the action. I thought the chapters were cleverly written and I especially enjoyed the clever and descriptive chapter titles such as "Sicilee doesn't understand it when things don't go the way she wants," and "Sicilee isn't the only one who is unhappy about being ignored," followed by "Waneeda, at least, is used to being ignored." I enjoyed Sheldon's main characters overall because they were all so different.
It was cute and made me giggle at times but it wasn't amazing. The title seems a little off, too. I get what the author was going for, but "going green" isn't really that crazy, even if you do it just to get a guy's attention. I would recommend this book to a tween looking for a fun read, especially since the ending was so positive.
On a side note, how adorable is that cover? I love it.
The Crazy Things Girls Do for Love will be released this coming December.
The author, Dyan Sheldon, wrote this book in the present tense, which really puts the author right in the action. I thought the chapters were cleverly written and I especially enjoyed the clever and descriptive chapter titles such as "Sicilee doesn't understand it when things don't go the way she wants," and "Sicilee isn't the only one who is unhappy about being ignored," followed by "Waneeda, at least, is used to being ignored." I enjoyed Sheldon's main characters overall because they were all so different.
It was cute and made me giggle at times but it wasn't amazing. The title seems a little off, too. I get what the author was going for, but "going green" isn't really that crazy, even if you do it just to get a guy's attention. I would recommend this book to a tween looking for a fun read, especially since the ending was so positive.
On a side note, how adorable is that cover? I love it.
The Crazy Things Girls Do for Love will be released this coming December.
October 1, 2013
I like the way it ended, but it was sort of stupid.
January 16, 2019
This book was a lot of fun and made me more aware of ways I can help the environment without preaching.
August 5, 2011
When I first started reading this, I thought, okay, this is different! Good, sharp, funny, as per Sheldon's usual...but very different. It's not a first person narrative YA for one. Second, the novel has such a distinctive, particular tone about it; unlike any YA novel I have read in the last while. The way the novel reads and unfolds, chapter by chapter, reminds me a bit of a play: like there is a person narrating the story who is omniscient and omnipresent. The person reflects back on the actions and thoughts of the characters and what it going on around them.
The novel is told from three alternating vantage points: Sicilee's, Maya's, and Waneeda's. The three girls, all attending the same high school, are somewhat oddball cliches. And in their cliches, they could not be more different (on the outside, at least), from each other. Sicilee is the somewhat stereotypical rich girl, very self-involved. Maya is the alternative one, the most revered 'cool' girl in school. And Waneeda, the quiet one, stays hidden behind it all. She has a love of candy and chocolate, hates exercise, loves TV, and dresses invisibly. Waneeda trudges around school, lead around by her closest friend Joy Marie, who co-founded the school's Environmental Club with outspoken troublemaker Clemens Reis.
The three girls find themselves suddenly sharing something in common one day: they are all head over heels in love with new student Cody Lightfoot. I love Sheldon's descriptions of Cody, and the way that each of the girls views him. There is a passage in the book where Sicilee sees Cody sitting at the so-called geek table, and thinks he looks like a beautiful celebrity visiting a homeless shelter at Thanksgiving. Due to Cody being the new exciting, gorgeous, amazing man on campus, his sudden interest in making the Environmental Club successful and beloved makes a lot of people join the fledgling club...including Sicilee, Maya, and Waneeda.
The novel is almost 350 pages, so there is no way I can get into the discussion of the multiple hijinks, setbacks, frustrations, and general craziness that ensues once all three girls join the club. I will say that Cody Lightfoot- he of the gleaming hair and blinding teeth- is not who everyone thinks he is. The three girls, meanwhile, almost break their respective necks and backs trying to outdo each other in terms of being eco-conscious and above and beyond environmentally friendly. The tension and fights between Sicilee and Maya to get a date with Cody- by using their eco-knowledge- are particularly funny and elaborate.
Fans of Dyan Sheldon might be more interested in plugging through the book, than those not familiar with Sheldon's YA novels. The 'Go Green', eco-warrier theme is, of course, heavy in this book. I think that has the potential to annoy some readers as it really pervades this book; I mean, it is basically at the core of the novel! You do learn a lot about what it means and takes to really go Green; but some readers may not want that.
In any event, Sheldon has written a very good YA novel here. It is very 'now' in a way- due to the heavy focus on Green issues- but not so trendy that it will be irrelevant in a few months. This is about teenage lust, blindness in love, yes. But I really love that the main female characters undergo slow transformations of becoming more self-aware and conscientious- and don't lose that when their love interest turns out not to be who they want and believed in. I found that the main female characters (and Clemens!) become quite endearing throughout the novel.
Verdict: Very good.
The novel is told from three alternating vantage points: Sicilee's, Maya's, and Waneeda's. The three girls, all attending the same high school, are somewhat oddball cliches. And in their cliches, they could not be more different (on the outside, at least), from each other. Sicilee is the somewhat stereotypical rich girl, very self-involved. Maya is the alternative one, the most revered 'cool' girl in school. And Waneeda, the quiet one, stays hidden behind it all. She has a love of candy and chocolate, hates exercise, loves TV, and dresses invisibly. Waneeda trudges around school, lead around by her closest friend Joy Marie, who co-founded the school's Environmental Club with outspoken troublemaker Clemens Reis.
The three girls find themselves suddenly sharing something in common one day: they are all head over heels in love with new student Cody Lightfoot. I love Sheldon's descriptions of Cody, and the way that each of the girls views him. There is a passage in the book where Sicilee sees Cody sitting at the so-called geek table, and thinks he looks like a beautiful celebrity visiting a homeless shelter at Thanksgiving. Due to Cody being the new exciting, gorgeous, amazing man on campus, his sudden interest in making the Environmental Club successful and beloved makes a lot of people join the fledgling club...including Sicilee, Maya, and Waneeda.
The novel is almost 350 pages, so there is no way I can get into the discussion of the multiple hijinks, setbacks, frustrations, and general craziness that ensues once all three girls join the club. I will say that Cody Lightfoot- he of the gleaming hair and blinding teeth- is not who everyone thinks he is. The three girls, meanwhile, almost break their respective necks and backs trying to outdo each other in terms of being eco-conscious and above and beyond environmentally friendly. The tension and fights between Sicilee and Maya to get a date with Cody- by using their eco-knowledge- are particularly funny and elaborate.
Fans of Dyan Sheldon might be more interested in plugging through the book, than those not familiar with Sheldon's YA novels. The 'Go Green', eco-warrier theme is, of course, heavy in this book. I think that has the potential to annoy some readers as it really pervades this book; I mean, it is basically at the core of the novel! You do learn a lot about what it means and takes to really go Green; but some readers may not want that.
In any event, Sheldon has written a very good YA novel here. It is very 'now' in a way- due to the heavy focus on Green issues- but not so trendy that it will be irrelevant in a few months. This is about teenage lust, blindness in love, yes. But I really love that the main female characters undergo slow transformations of becoming more self-aware and conscientious- and don't lose that when their love interest turns out not to be who they want and believed in. I found that the main female characters (and Clemens!) become quite endearing throughout the novel.
Verdict: Very good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2016
Sicilee Kewe is popular, shallow, and self-centered. Maya Baraberra is hip, social-conscious, and Sicilee's biggest rival. Waneeda Huddlesfield is lazy, bored, and sluggish. These three girls all attend Clifton Springs High School, but they have nothing in common except that each of them wouldn't be caught dead joining the Environmental Club. And who can blame them? The president of the club is Clemens Reis, who is known for his weird impassioned speeches about saving some centuries-old trees, and the principal has all but disbanded the club, saying it either needs to find new members or call it quits. All this is about to change, however, thanks to Cody Lightfoot. Cody is new in town, and his good looks, easygoing demeanor, and kindness to everyone, regardless of social status, makes Sicilee, Maya, and Waneeda all fall instantly in love, and suddenly they, and many others of their female classmates, have joined the Environmental Club for a chance to get to know Cody better. What ensues is a hilarious competition where each of the three girls is suddenly desperate to prove how Green she can be, an experience which just might lead to greater life changes than any of the three anticipates.
The Crazy Things Girls Do For Love is one of the most unique contemporary YA novels I have read. I haven't read anything else by Dyan Sheldon, so I don't know if this is just her style, but I really loved the way she used shifting points of view to tell this story. Though the book does focus mostly on the three main characters and their circles of friends, it's also a story about how one student, and one club, change one particular high school. Because of that broad focus on the school as a whole, it was really effective to use the narrative as a kind of camera, panning the halls and zooming in on the significant moments in the day-to-day lives of each clique.
I also thought Sheldon did a wonderful job of portraying three unique characters with distinct characteristics. Sicilee, Maya, and Waneeda do somewhat represent typical high school stereotypes, and at times, certainly, the text pokes fun at them in a satirical way, but each girl also proves to be more than the sum of her respective cliches, especially as the story progresses toward the very satisfying ending.
Dyan Sheldon has a great ear for teen humor as well, and this book made me laugh quite a bit, particularly early on when the characters and situations are first established. Her tone borders on sarcastic, and creates this environment where we can look critically at every character and experience in the story to understand the greater things that are happening. At every point, the reader knows better than the characters, which makes the book work on a number of levels, and makes the reader feel connected to the story in a different way than in most YA books. I felt like I was a student at Clifton Springs, observing everything that was happening from the sidelines, and commenting on the trials and tribulations of the popular and unpopular alike.
The Crazy Things Girls Do For Love is one of the most unique contemporary YA novels I have read. I haven't read anything else by Dyan Sheldon, so I don't know if this is just her style, but I really loved the way she used shifting points of view to tell this story. Though the book does focus mostly on the three main characters and their circles of friends, it's also a story about how one student, and one club, change one particular high school. Because of that broad focus on the school as a whole, it was really effective to use the narrative as a kind of camera, panning the halls and zooming in on the significant moments in the day-to-day lives of each clique.
I also thought Sheldon did a wonderful job of portraying three unique characters with distinct characteristics. Sicilee, Maya, and Waneeda do somewhat represent typical high school stereotypes, and at times, certainly, the text pokes fun at them in a satirical way, but each girl also proves to be more than the sum of her respective cliches, especially as the story progresses toward the very satisfying ending.
Dyan Sheldon has a great ear for teen humor as well, and this book made me laugh quite a bit, particularly early on when the characters and situations are first established. Her tone borders on sarcastic, and creates this environment where we can look critically at every character and experience in the story to understand the greater things that are happening. At every point, the reader knows better than the characters, which makes the book work on a number of levels, and makes the reader feel connected to the story in a different way than in most YA books. I felt like I was a student at Clifton Springs, observing everything that was happening from the sidelines, and commenting on the trials and tribulations of the popular and unpopular alike.
March 14, 2012
If I had to describe THE CRAZY THINGS GIRLS DO FOR LOVE in just one word, I can't help but choose CUTE as my primary definer. I mean, really, it was just SO cute! And, okay, fun and adorable too.
Basically, this is the story of three girls from three different cliques who all go nuts over the same guy. Sicilee is the popular fashionista, Maya is the quirky artsy gal, and Waneeda is pretty much the social outcast. When attractive, charismatic Cody moves to town, all three girls instantly think he's gorgeous and seek to find a way to gain his attention.
Cody takes charge of the school environmental club, announcing that he was notorious in his old school for convincing classmates to adapt a green way of life. After hearing Cody incessantly sing his own praises about his quest to save the world, the three girls decide there is no better way to get the guy than to give in and join the environmental club.
At first, Sicilee and Maya battle one another to see who can be more environmentally conscious. Sicilee vows to walk to school every day, despite the fact that it's snowing and more than a mile or two from her home. Maya dresses herself in plastic bottles, standing outside the local super market to educate customers on going green. The girls compete to be the best at the vegan life, giving up leather shoes, non organic foods, and even electricity at some points of the story.
As the environmental club gains popularity in the school, and the girls get more militant on their save-the-world campaign, they slowly start to realize that Cody is a lot more talk than action. Is a wishy washy boy who loves himself so much more than others really worth three girls going crazy?
THE CRAZY THINGS DO FOR LOVE is written from a 3rd person present tense point of view that swaps between Sicilee, Maya, and Waneeda in alternating chapters. I really do enjoy novels written in the present tense, although I think it can be a tricky thing to finesse. Even as the perspectives change, the author weaves the girls together, allowing the reader to see some partial scenes from opposite perspectives as the girls interact with one another.
The only one thing that really drove me crazy were the irritating little phrases that Maya and Sicilee tended to repeat over and over again, nearly every time they dialogued with another character. With Sicilee it was different variations of "Sweet Mary!" while Maya's retort of choice was "Gott im Hiemmel!" I've never in my life met a teenager who spoke that way, and after a while it really just felt tedious.
While the lead female characters do tend to be walking stereotypes to the core, the story still manages to be cute, fun, and entertaining. I mean, nobody reads this type of book to feel smart and literary. So, for what it seeks out to do it seems to be pretty successful. I'd recommend this to any fans of young adult literature, just start this one with the expectations that it's definitely a fluff read.
Basically, this is the story of three girls from three different cliques who all go nuts over the same guy. Sicilee is the popular fashionista, Maya is the quirky artsy gal, and Waneeda is pretty much the social outcast. When attractive, charismatic Cody moves to town, all three girls instantly think he's gorgeous and seek to find a way to gain his attention.
Cody takes charge of the school environmental club, announcing that he was notorious in his old school for convincing classmates to adapt a green way of life. After hearing Cody incessantly sing his own praises about his quest to save the world, the three girls decide there is no better way to get the guy than to give in and join the environmental club.
At first, Sicilee and Maya battle one another to see who can be more environmentally conscious. Sicilee vows to walk to school every day, despite the fact that it's snowing and more than a mile or two from her home. Maya dresses herself in plastic bottles, standing outside the local super market to educate customers on going green. The girls compete to be the best at the vegan life, giving up leather shoes, non organic foods, and even electricity at some points of the story.
As the environmental club gains popularity in the school, and the girls get more militant on their save-the-world campaign, they slowly start to realize that Cody is a lot more talk than action. Is a wishy washy boy who loves himself so much more than others really worth three girls going crazy?
THE CRAZY THINGS DO FOR LOVE is written from a 3rd person present tense point of view that swaps between Sicilee, Maya, and Waneeda in alternating chapters. I really do enjoy novels written in the present tense, although I think it can be a tricky thing to finesse. Even as the perspectives change, the author weaves the girls together, allowing the reader to see some partial scenes from opposite perspectives as the girls interact with one another.
The only one thing that really drove me crazy were the irritating little phrases that Maya and Sicilee tended to repeat over and over again, nearly every time they dialogued with another character. With Sicilee it was different variations of "Sweet Mary!" while Maya's retort of choice was "Gott im Hiemmel!" I've never in my life met a teenager who spoke that way, and after a while it really just felt tedious.
While the lead female characters do tend to be walking stereotypes to the core, the story still manages to be cute, fun, and entertaining. I mean, nobody reads this type of book to feel smart and literary. So, for what it seeks out to do it seems to be pretty successful. I'd recommend this to any fans of young adult literature, just start this one with the expectations that it's definitely a fluff read.
February 19, 2012
Originally Posted at: http://iliveforreading.blogspot.com/2...
I remember reading Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (after watching the movie) in the fifth or sixth grade, and I absolutely loved it. I was so excited when my request on NetGalley was approved for this book, and then started reading it around a month ago. I loved it! It was quirky, cute, and one of my "fluffy" type books– the kind I can read any day, in any mood.
Sicilee, Maya and (even though she's not mentioned in the blurb, which I think is a little weird, since she is a KEY character) Waneeda all fall for the same guy, Cody, which isn't surprising because he's extremely good looking and all the girls in school are after him.
Sicilee is the popular one, Maya is the arty person, and Waneeda is the loner and hangs out with, to be frank, the less popular people (at times). They couldn't be more different. I liked this because we could see a range of perspectives DESPITE the stereotypes, because typing it out just now I could see that it's a very cliché high school.
But Cody was another story.
Cody (at first) was AWESOME. I practically thought of adding him to my ongoing-and-never-ending literary crush list. He had the look, the personality. But then from the moment he spoke, that dream kinda shattered. Like the blurb says, Cody is not at all what he's cracked up to be. You're just going to have to find out what that would mean.
What I didn't like though, was the whole focus was mainly on the environment. A nice message or moral in a book is always great but when there's a whole book on how to save the environment? It kind of made me feel that loads of information was just heaped on and on during the duration of this book. Felt a little stuffy in that way. But other than this, I found the book interesting, especially the parts where the three girls try to get Cody's attention.
Overall, The Crazy Things Girls Do For Love is different and totally goes with the title. Some of the stunts in here are pretty crazy, and really makes us wonder: how far do we go for a guy's attention? Where is the limit to that? I can tell you they're definitely pushing boundaries.
Dyan Sheldon has written a book which teenage girls will find to portray, maybe, the story of their life. Hilarious and cringe-worthy, your attempts to get a guy will seem mild and petty compared to the lengths that these girls go to.
I remember reading Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (after watching the movie) in the fifth or sixth grade, and I absolutely loved it. I was so excited when my request on NetGalley was approved for this book, and then started reading it around a month ago. I loved it! It was quirky, cute, and one of my "fluffy" type books– the kind I can read any day, in any mood.
Sicilee, Maya and (even though she's not mentioned in the blurb, which I think is a little weird, since she is a KEY character) Waneeda all fall for the same guy, Cody, which isn't surprising because he's extremely good looking and all the girls in school are after him.
Sicilee is the popular one, Maya is the arty person, and Waneeda is the loner and hangs out with, to be frank, the less popular people (at times). They couldn't be more different. I liked this because we could see a range of perspectives DESPITE the stereotypes, because typing it out just now I could see that it's a very cliché high school.
But Cody was another story.
Cody (at first) was AWESOME. I practically thought of adding him to my ongoing-and-never-ending literary crush list. He had the look, the personality. But then from the moment he spoke, that dream kinda shattered. Like the blurb says, Cody is not at all what he's cracked up to be. You're just going to have to find out what that would mean.
What I didn't like though, was the whole focus was mainly on the environment. A nice message or moral in a book is always great but when there's a whole book on how to save the environment? It kind of made me feel that loads of information was just heaped on and on during the duration of this book. Felt a little stuffy in that way. But other than this, I found the book interesting, especially the parts where the three girls try to get Cody's attention.
Overall, The Crazy Things Girls Do For Love is different and totally goes with the title. Some of the stunts in here are pretty crazy, and really makes us wonder: how far do we go for a guy's attention? Where is the limit to that? I can tell you they're definitely pushing boundaries.
Dyan Sheldon has written a book which teenage girls will find to portray, maybe, the story of their life. Hilarious and cringe-worthy, your attempts to get a guy will seem mild and petty compared to the lengths that these girls go to.
July 20, 2014
Cover
This is a terrible cover. There's nothing good about it. The only reason I bought it was because it was on the 3 for $10 shelf. It got lucky.
Initial Thoughts
I thought this was going to be a cutesy romance book about a bunch of teenagers. That's what the summary made me believe and that's what the cover looked like. I didn't like the characters at the start because they're all really annoying and they're all trying to impress the new guy. The book took and unexpected turn though.
My New BFF
I eventually came to admire Sicilee the most. She was doing all these things to impress this one guy and ended up actually enjoying what she was doing. I felt like I was proud of her for being less of a snobby teenager and actually focussing on something. It was kind of cute.
My Crush
No crush in this book. It's not the kind of book where you develop a crush because there were several guys being focussed on.
Writing Style
The writing was really light and fluffy. You could tell the author did a lot of research for this book and I actually learned a few things. I was actually pretty impressed with how it turned out.
Closing Thoughts
You start off thinking this is going to be a cutesy romance but it develops into an intense book about how to help the environment. I thought it was a fun twist and I enjoyed seeing the characters become passionate in that field. I really enjoyed how things turned out in the end too. There were a lot of good morals for any younger teenagers that read this. It wasn't a favourite but I was pleasantly surprised! It's kind of a feel good young adult book. It want something to surprise you and make you feel happy afterwards, this is the book for you.
This is a terrible cover. There's nothing good about it. The only reason I bought it was because it was on the 3 for $10 shelf. It got lucky.
Initial Thoughts
I thought this was going to be a cutesy romance book about a bunch of teenagers. That's what the summary made me believe and that's what the cover looked like. I didn't like the characters at the start because they're all really annoying and they're all trying to impress the new guy. The book took and unexpected turn though.
My New BFF
I eventually came to admire Sicilee the most. She was doing all these things to impress this one guy and ended up actually enjoying what she was doing. I felt like I was proud of her for being less of a snobby teenager and actually focussing on something. It was kind of cute.
My Crush
No crush in this book. It's not the kind of book where you develop a crush because there were several guys being focussed on.
Writing Style
The writing was really light and fluffy. You could tell the author did a lot of research for this book and I actually learned a few things. I was actually pretty impressed with how it turned out.
Closing Thoughts
You start off thinking this is going to be a cutesy romance but it develops into an intense book about how to help the environment. I thought it was a fun twist and I enjoyed seeing the characters become passionate in that field. I really enjoyed how things turned out in the end too. There were a lot of good morals for any younger teenagers that read this. It wasn't a favourite but I was pleasantly surprised! It's kind of a feel good young adult book. It want something to surprise you and make you feel happy afterwards, this is the book for you.
December 17, 2014
What do you call a guilt-trip that makes you feel inspired, not guilty?
No, really, do you have any ideas? Because I'm struggling a bit with how to classify this book. Less preachy than Fat Cat, but still clearly and definitely on-point about its green (sorry, Green) theme all the way. Yet it isn't... unpleasant about it.
First, do not expect to get sucked in anywhere near the first half of the book. I was putting off studying for a final, which is honestly the only reason I didn't put this down after like two chapters. A lot of characters are introduced right off, and the main love interest honestly isn't that likable, and everyone acts like a bit of an idiot. Everyone. Plus, with the omniscient-third-person narration breaking in every other sentence for a witty comment, getting into the plot felt like riding in a car with square wheels. (Or rather, riding a square-wheeled bike. More Green, y'see.)
But if you stick around....
Man, can this author do endings. The characters you dubbed morons only a few short chapters ago start growing, changing, developing views and being slightly less idiotic about their crushes. By the final few chapters, the urge to get up and scream, "HALLELUJAH!" is incredible. See them stand for their beliefs! See them reject their idiotic leanings! See them actually acting likably! It's an awesome (albeit slow) transformation.
So, to conclude, I don't know if I'd recommend this book -- but I'd definitely recommend you not give up on it.
No, really, do you have any ideas? Because I'm struggling a bit with how to classify this book. Less preachy than Fat Cat, but still clearly and definitely on-point about its green (sorry, Green) theme all the way. Yet it isn't... unpleasant about it.
First, do not expect to get sucked in anywhere near the first half of the book. I was putting off studying for a final, which is honestly the only reason I didn't put this down after like two chapters. A lot of characters are introduced right off, and the main love interest honestly isn't that likable, and everyone acts like a bit of an idiot. Everyone. Plus, with the omniscient-third-person narration breaking in every other sentence for a witty comment, getting into the plot felt like riding in a car with square wheels. (Or rather, riding a square-wheeled bike. More Green, y'see.)
But if you stick around....
Man, can this author do endings. The characters you dubbed morons only a few short chapters ago start growing, changing, developing views and being slightly less idiotic about their crushes. By the final few chapters, the urge to get up and scream, "HALLELUJAH!" is incredible. See them stand for their beliefs! See them reject their idiotic leanings! See them actually acting likably! It's an awesome (albeit slow) transformation.
So, to conclude, I don't know if I'd recommend this book -- but I'd definitely recommend you not give up on it.
October 13, 2015
ROMANCE
This was absolutely one of the worst books I have ever read. I expected a sappy teen romance with plenty of catty fight scenes between the three girls, but did not expect the climax to be all of them realizing how much they hated the object of their affections while simultaneously hugging a tree. This book was simply a poorly concealed attempt to convert teenage girls to environmentalism and the vegan lifestyle. The storyline follows Waneeda, Sicily, and Maya, three very different girls who all are in love with the very attractive new boy in school, Cody Lightfoot. They join the previously unpopular Environmental Club at the high school because Cody is gung-ho about being green, and throughout the book gradually go from fighting each other to converting heart and soul to environmentalism. I would not recommend this book to anyone, even those teens who love chick-lit. There are much better teen romances, and much better sources to learn about environmentalism. This book was terrible.
This was absolutely one of the worst books I have ever read. I expected a sappy teen romance with plenty of catty fight scenes between the three girls, but did not expect the climax to be all of them realizing how much they hated the object of their affections while simultaneously hugging a tree. This book was simply a poorly concealed attempt to convert teenage girls to environmentalism and the vegan lifestyle. The storyline follows Waneeda, Sicily, and Maya, three very different girls who all are in love with the very attractive new boy in school, Cody Lightfoot. They join the previously unpopular Environmental Club at the high school because Cody is gung-ho about being green, and throughout the book gradually go from fighting each other to converting heart and soul to environmentalism. I would not recommend this book to anyone, even those teens who love chick-lit. There are much better teen romances, and much better sources to learn about environmentalism. This book was terrible.
September 17, 2012
This is a light read about the lengths to which several high school girls Maya, Sicilee, and Waneeda) will go to attract the attention of a new classmate who is cool and good looking (Cody). When Cody decides that the Environmental Club is his ticket to instant popularity, the almost defunct club finds itself reenergized with many new members and a few new ideas. In their efforts to impress Cody, these girls find themselves putting real effort into learning about environmental issues, and even behaving in uncharacteristic ways, risking alienating their friends. The story is mostly enjoyable if not too complex. The characters are mostly likeable though somewhat shallowly drawn. The thing about the book that most annoyed me was Maya's habit of exclaiming "Gott im himmel" to introduce almost everything she said. "Like," "Oh, my God," "Are you kidding me?" "Duh" and any number of other exclamations would have been irritating, but far more realistic.
January 8, 2014
Hay libros que deben ser leídos sólo en su idioma original, para entender mejor los chistes, las frases, e incluso, los pensamientos. Crazy Things Girls Do For Love es un de ellos. Aunque me costó engancharme, es una muy divertida historia de lo que tres chicas muy diferentes hacen para conseguir la atención del chico que les gusta. Tengo que admitir, compré el libro porque me sentí identificada con el título. Creo que cada persona que esta o estuvo enamorada va a sentirse identificada por lo menos en parte. Con un humor hecho específicamente para adolescentes cuenta la historia de el primer amor -sea o no correspondido. Su lectura es muy sencilla, eso fue lo que no me enganchó tanto. Pero, también, es una característica que muchos prefieren.
August 1, 2014
I usually am not a judger of books but as I started reading this book, I began to not like it more and more because its not the kind of book that I take to very well because I don't find that kind of story line like able. I mean come on having a story line about girls going crazy over a boy that's obnoxious coming from a girl. I'm not feminist but I just rather read books that have a great story to them and make you think long and hard about what you have just read once you're done. Books that make you have so many emotions and feelings that you didn't even knew you had when reading the book. I might be a deeper thinking but I don't know I just find books like this book unlike able for me so I rate it a one not even a one at that. Sorry to be harsh but that's how I feel as a reader.
January 18, 2012
Very funny book! The fact that there was no central character took a little getting used to but it worked. I was very environmentally minded as a teenager and now having read this I realize how different it is being an environmental minded teen today than it was 15 years ago. Back then it was required to go vegan to be green. Dyan Sheldon does a great job writing teen characters and this book is another example of that. I listened to this book on audio and found myself laughing in my car at numerous occasions. The narrator did a good job but she did enunciate a little too much at certain points.
October 18, 2017
Sheldon is one of the great satirists of our age and this book is no exception. It takes a look at what happens when eco-awareness comes to three very different high school girls who all have a crush on the new boy. Her takes on human nature are often laugh-out-loud funny. I particularly appreciated taking forever to shop because the girl has to check the ingredient list on every product. By the end of the story you can appreciate some aspect of every character and it has a great ending.
The message of the book comes across loud and clear but not preachy so don't be surprised if you find yourself looking at how you treat the environment when you're done.
The message of the book comes across loud and clear but not preachy so don't be surprised if you find yourself looking at how you treat the environment when you're done.
April 18, 2011
I loved this book and once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. As well as having a great plot and being very realistic it taught me a lot about global warming and being green. I have definitely thought more about what I'm doing as a consumer. I think this book is a great read for teens like me to make us more aware, doing this through a fictional book is great because you don't lose interest and it encourages you to learn more about the origins of our products in a lighthearted way. A fantastic book.
March 3, 2012
This book started out terribly. I think it should have taken place in a middle school, because the girls did not act anything like a typical high school girl would act, in my opinion anyway.
I didn't like how the girls completely changed themselves for one boy (save Waneeda, I suppose she wasn't as bad). In the end, I started to admire them a bit more, especially Sicilee, who I hated in the beginning, for what they were doing, but in general, I didn't like the book two much, aside from the last five chapters, maybe.
I didn't like how the girls completely changed themselves for one boy (save Waneeda, I suppose she wasn't as bad). In the end, I started to admire them a bit more, especially Sicilee, who I hated in the beginning, for what they were doing, but in general, I didn't like the book two much, aside from the last five chapters, maybe.
August 26, 2018
I have had this book since 9th grade but never got around to reading it. I only read this now because I desperately needed something to take my mind off of college. And I am pretty surprised at the fun I had reading this. So, guess I am gonna trade some of my classics for some good ol' chick-lit now :D
December 27, 2017
Really cheesy and difficult you get into at first, but it eventually sucked me in. Plus, I love the going green message at the end. And the part about just because he's cute doesn't mean he's all that great.
August 13, 2011
Too funny, or should i say it is just what a girl will do to get love.
August 7, 2012
Very good way of saying people can change you, but don't change for a boy.
April 5, 2012
Alough it took me a thrid of the book to get used to the characters, i enjoyed it. :)
February 29, 2012
For an environmental group, these kids post an awful lot of flyers.
March 3, 2012
different kind of story - talks about high school girls and they learn some lessons - but really about the environment.
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