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Will Work for Prom Dress
Quigley Johnson has, reluctantly, given up the rest of her last year of high school to take part in her best friend Ann's Betterment Plan, which will turn them into the best-dressed, most sought-after, most admired girls at their senior formal. Because - hey - who doesn't want the perfect prom, complete with a dream dress and a devastatingly handsome date?
But the prom costs money - lots of money - and even though the girls could easily have Ann's mom design their dresses (she's only Victoria Parisi, one of the most famous designers in the world), Ann insists that they pay their own way. And that's how Quigley gets stuck making artistic topping masterpieces on frozen pizzas canvases, before becoming a live model for Ms. Parisi's fashion design class, where she meets Zander.
He's cute, and cool, and funny, with a killer design sensibility (even if he can't sketch). But is he too good to be true? And what about David, the hot, talented artist at school, who's also kind of a jerk, but won't leave Quigley alone? And Ann - she started the Betterment Plan to improve Quigley and herself, but it seems like it's ripping their friendship to shreds.
This road to the prom dream may just end in disaster.
But the prom costs money - lots of money - and even though the girls could easily have Ann's mom design their dresses (she's only Victoria Parisi, one of the most famous designers in the world), Ann insists that they pay their own way. And that's how Quigley gets stuck making artistic topping masterpieces on frozen pizzas canvases, before becoming a live model for Ms. Parisi's fashion design class, where she meets Zander.
He's cute, and cool, and funny, with a killer design sensibility (even if he can't sketch). But is he too good to be true? And what about David, the hot, talented artist at school, who's also kind of a jerk, but won't leave Quigley alone? And Ann - she started the Betterment Plan to improve Quigley and herself, but it seems like it's ripping their friendship to shreds.
This road to the prom dream may just end in disaster.
272 pages, Paperback
First published February 8, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
February 23, 2016
So.Much.Drama.
One of the most confusing and undeveloped romances I've ever had the displeasure to read about. The moment I realized that a ''guest'' character - ''The Spikester'' is probably the most interesting character in this book I knew it's all going downhill. The supposedly nice and good guy/love interest literally goes all drama queen on Quigley and kicks her out of his car in the middle of the night? What. The. Hell. The friendship between Quigley and Ann is quite alright and I liked her mom so that's mostly why I'm giving this book 2 stars. And, of course, everything is magically resolved in the last 10 pages or so and Quigley goes into the sunset riding a unicorn. Well, that's just how I see it.
One of the most confusing and undeveloped romances I've ever had the displeasure to read about. The moment I realized that a ''guest'' character - ''The Spikester'' is probably the most interesting character in this book I knew it's all going downhill. The supposedly nice and good guy/love interest literally goes all drama queen on Quigley and kicks her out of his car in the middle of the night? What. The. Hell. The friendship between Quigley and Ann is quite alright and I liked her mom so that's mostly why I'm giving this book 2 stars. And, of course, everything is magically resolved in the last 10 pages or so and Quigley goes into the sunset riding a unicorn. Well, that's just how I see it.
February 28, 2011
4.5 stars see the full review at http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com/2...
Quigley and Ann are in their last year of high school and on a mission to improve themselves just in time for prom. Their Betterment Plan includes eating right, exercise and plenty of off the wall jobs to pay for the perfect dress. The girls find themselves in a frozen pizza factory making artistic creations with sauce and pepperoni, sitting in as the dead man at a mystery murder dinner and even part of a float in their local parade. Quigley always seems to get the short end of the stick in every finagled job, so she is hesitant when Ann's world famous designer mom, Victoria Parisi, offers them a gig as models for her fashion design class at the local college.
Quigley is everything your average student, not overly concerned with her body or standing out. So it's no surprise when her perfect beautiful friend Ann lands all of the votes for first pick as model in the class. Zander sides with Quigley and in his humble sincere way slowly wins his way to her heart. Meanwhile, Ann is busy with Lance, the Spikester, who has a past of his own. But both design class boys have competition awaiting them at the High School.
As a reader you'll never know until the very end if Ann picks T-Shirt, the local rich boy who wears his daily motto on his tee or if Quigley will turn arch nemesis self-proclaimed art King David into more than just an enemy.
Author Aimee Ferris will have you laughing out loud with the funny, awkward situations going on and the richly developed characters. But hidden beneath the pre-prom fluff are many real life lessons about choosing a college, making amends with parents and finding yourself amidst peer pressure. She does a great job of teaching that bad choices have life long consequences and you can't judge a person by your first impressionWill Work For Prom Dress is a clean, light read that I would recommend to all readers. It offered me a nice break from heavy writing and I loved the artistic elements of photography, drawing and dress design sprinkled into the plot. I can't wait for more from Ms. Freeman. Her blog alone is enough to have you in stitches as you travel back to the scary days of big hair in YA promapalooza. Thanks so much to Goodman Media for sending me such a fun pick. "Measure twice, cut once!"
Quigley and Ann are in their last year of high school and on a mission to improve themselves just in time for prom. Their Betterment Plan includes eating right, exercise and plenty of off the wall jobs to pay for the perfect dress. The girls find themselves in a frozen pizza factory making artistic creations with sauce and pepperoni, sitting in as the dead man at a mystery murder dinner and even part of a float in their local parade. Quigley always seems to get the short end of the stick in every finagled job, so she is hesitant when Ann's world famous designer mom, Victoria Parisi, offers them a gig as models for her fashion design class at the local college.
Quigley is everything your average student, not overly concerned with her body or standing out. So it's no surprise when her perfect beautiful friend Ann lands all of the votes for first pick as model in the class. Zander sides with Quigley and in his humble sincere way slowly wins his way to her heart. Meanwhile, Ann is busy with Lance, the Spikester, who has a past of his own. But both design class boys have competition awaiting them at the High School.
As a reader you'll never know until the very end if Ann picks T-Shirt, the local rich boy who wears his daily motto on his tee or if Quigley will turn arch nemesis self-proclaimed art King David into more than just an enemy.
Author Aimee Ferris will have you laughing out loud with the funny, awkward situations going on and the richly developed characters. But hidden beneath the pre-prom fluff are many real life lessons about choosing a college, making amends with parents and finding yourself amidst peer pressure. She does a great job of teaching that bad choices have life long consequences and you can't judge a person by your first impressionWill Work For Prom Dress is a clean, light read that I would recommend to all readers. It offered me a nice break from heavy writing and I loved the artistic elements of photography, drawing and dress design sprinkled into the plot. I can't wait for more from Ms. Freeman. Her blog alone is enough to have you in stitches as you travel back to the scary days of big hair in YA promapalooza. Thanks so much to Goodman Media for sending me such a fun pick. "Measure twice, cut once!"
February 10, 2011
My Thoughts: We are introduced to Quigley and Ann who are best friends but couldn't be more different. Ann has a celebrity mom while Quigley is pretty ordinary. Ann's had a boyfriend or more like tons, Quigley hasn't. Ann and Quigley end up being models for Ann's moms class. They want to earn a little extra money for their prom dresses. What better way to do it than become a model for a class? They have to be models for a designer class where people in the class will fit their designs on them. Pretty simple right? Both girls end up with two guys tailing them and than the drama begins. I won't tell too much of Ann's story besides the fact that I really enjoyed her daddy drama. The rest you'll have to find out when you read the book.. I will focus on Quigley since she was my favorite girl. Her arch-rival David from school starts taking a liking to her and Quigley just doesn't understand him. Why would he even like her when all he has done is be mean to her? They have competed and competed in art competitions and Ann finds him annoying and a bit of a jerk. He always seemed to be looking out for himself more than anything.
Than there is Zander who is the only person in the whole class who wanted to use her as his model. Him being a designer, Quigley thought maybe he was gay. They become friends and really hit it off. Quigley is trying to decide which guy is for her throughout the book while juggling plans with Ann on how to get both girls a prom date.
Honestly, I can't say much more or else I'll give everything away about the book. I liked Quigley and Ann's relationship even though they both had their problems and quirks. I wanted to see Quigley be a bit more confident but I understood she was the shy one.
I did not see the twists coming with Zander, I wondered what his story was throughout the book but it didn't even dawn on me the reasoning behind his personality. I really liked that it surprised the heck out of me.
Will Work For Prom Dress was a cute and fun read. It would be a neat book to read before going to prom!
Overall: I really enjoyed Will Work For Prom Dress. It was hilarious and adorable. I liked the love triangles and my favorite scene was when they were looking at the stars. Awwww!
Cover: The cover has a lot of nice colors. Even though it doesn't have real people on it, its still a really cute cover.
What I'd Give It: 4/5 Cupcakes
Taken from Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com
Than there is Zander who is the only person in the whole class who wanted to use her as his model. Him being a designer, Quigley thought maybe he was gay. They become friends and really hit it off. Quigley is trying to decide which guy is for her throughout the book while juggling plans with Ann on how to get both girls a prom date.
Honestly, I can't say much more or else I'll give everything away about the book. I liked Quigley and Ann's relationship even though they both had their problems and quirks. I wanted to see Quigley be a bit more confident but I understood she was the shy one.
I did not see the twists coming with Zander, I wondered what his story was throughout the book but it didn't even dawn on me the reasoning behind his personality. I really liked that it surprised the heck out of me.
Will Work For Prom Dress was a cute and fun read. It would be a neat book to read before going to prom!
Overall: I really enjoyed Will Work For Prom Dress. It was hilarious and adorable. I liked the love triangles and my favorite scene was when they were looking at the stars. Awwww!
Cover: The cover has a lot of nice colors. Even though it doesn't have real people on it, its still a really cute cover.
What I'd Give It: 4/5 Cupcakes
Taken from Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com
June 22, 2011
more reivews here
To say I liked this book was an understatement. I honestly could not stop reading it till I was finished. It was a break from all the paranormal/dystopian novels I have been reading recently and I couldn’t get enough of it.
Quigley and Ann are best friends, Ann’s mom is a famous fashion designer and she told both the girls that she would make them prom dresses for free. But Ann doesn’t want that. So Quigley and Ann both get jobs to pay for them as a frozen pizza topper, unfortunately an incident happens and they are both fired.
Quigley is upset she just wants to have the perfect prom dress, Ann has an idea, she sets them up as models for a college fashion design course and things start looking up. Especially when she gets paired up with Zander, the nice, cute Zander, I absolutely adored him, for some reason I didn’t see him as 19 years old. He seemed much younger than that. He was such a mysterious character, wouldn’t talk much about his past but he just made the whole story complete.
When Quigley was kind of going out with David and Zander at the same time I was furious at her, she acted like a fool, why can’t she see that Zander is the one for her. I sometimes question the stupidity of characters in books. I do realize that there all fictional but I feel like when I read any book there real characters and that’s when I think that the characters seriously need to lose the stupidity.
Anyways my point of this whole review is that everyone should go out and read this amazing book. It was a refreshing read and it’s very fast paced. I look forward to reading more of Aimee’s books!
To say I liked this book was an understatement. I honestly could not stop reading it till I was finished. It was a break from all the paranormal/dystopian novels I have been reading recently and I couldn’t get enough of it.
Quigley and Ann are best friends, Ann’s mom is a famous fashion designer and she told both the girls that she would make them prom dresses for free. But Ann doesn’t want that. So Quigley and Ann both get jobs to pay for them as a frozen pizza topper, unfortunately an incident happens and they are both fired.
Quigley is upset she just wants to have the perfect prom dress, Ann has an idea, she sets them up as models for a college fashion design course and things start looking up. Especially when she gets paired up with Zander, the nice, cute Zander, I absolutely adored him, for some reason I didn’t see him as 19 years old. He seemed much younger than that. He was such a mysterious character, wouldn’t talk much about his past but he just made the whole story complete.
When Quigley was kind of going out with David and Zander at the same time I was furious at her, she acted like a fool, why can’t she see that Zander is the one for her. I sometimes question the stupidity of characters in books. I do realize that there all fictional but I feel like when I read any book there real characters and that’s when I think that the characters seriously need to lose the stupidity.
Anyways my point of this whole review is that everyone should go out and read this amazing book. It was a refreshing read and it’s very fast paced. I look forward to reading more of Aimee’s books!
May 17, 2013
I chose this book, because after reading Last Christmas, I had to find something to read. I was in Mrs. Augustine's library, and this book caught my eye, so I decided to read it. This story is about Quigley Johnson and her best friend Anne. Quigley and Anne are trying out every job that they can find so that they can raise money for their prom dress. Quigley is in the middle of a love triangle when David the "Art King" asks her to prom, and she has to decline him because Quigley developes feelings for Zander. Anne is busy with her boyfriend "T-shirt" and her life gets complicated when her biological dad comes to find her. Zander and Quigley's relationship is not so smooth throughout the story. Zander finds out that Anne's boyfried "T-shirt stole a sign off a road that caused Zander to be in a deadly accident and ruined his dream of becoming a baseball player. However, at the end of the story, Anne becomes closer to her biological father, and breaks up with"T-shirt."
At the mean time, Quigley and Zander begin dating again, and Quigley gets accepted into the college of her dreams. My favorite quote in the story was, "Measure twice, cut once." This is my favorite quote, because the author is telling her readers to think twice before they make a decision. At a moment, the decision might seem outstanding, but when they think of it twice, they will understand that the first decision is not always the best decision. I personally enjoyed the author's writing style. Her writing allowed the readers to understand what was going on, and made the story very touching. I would recommend this book to any teenage girl, or even an adult. I wouls rate this book a five out of five.
At the mean time, Quigley and Zander begin dating again, and Quigley gets accepted into the college of her dreams. My favorite quote in the story was, "Measure twice, cut once." This is my favorite quote, because the author is telling her readers to think twice before they make a decision. At a moment, the decision might seem outstanding, but when they think of it twice, they will understand that the first decision is not always the best decision. I personally enjoyed the author's writing style. Her writing allowed the readers to understand what was going on, and made the story very touching. I would recommend this book to any teenage girl, or even an adult. I wouls rate this book a five out of five.
March 24, 2013
I'm reading all these reviews about how it was a "fun read" and "cute" and I'm just sitting here thinking,
P.S. Of course, no offense if you really liked this book. P. P. S. If you REALLY liked this book, just stop reading now so there are no hard feelings. Well, either way, here goes.
The main guy in the story is huge. So you better make him good and nice. Well, this guy made me want to start owning sledgehammers. And I seriously didn't have a problem with him, until that fated night when he ditched the MC on the side of the road because she said something dumb. OK, I don't give a care if you are horribly pissed off, you don't fricken' strand a girl in the middle of the street at night! Ok????!?!?!? You can be pissed off at her, but at least drive her home like a sensible psychopath. O.o
Another thing is that the story was very badly connected. You know how you might be at one place, but it kinda feels like a dream because you are so bored and don't give a chizzam about what's going on? It felt a lot like that. I couldn't connect with the characters and I just couldn't find it within me to give a damn about anything in the book.
I'm just thanking my lucky stars that I didn't buy this book. I was this close to buying it.
If you haven't read this book, smile, because in my opinion, you have saved yourself from unnecessary torture.
P.S. Of course, no offense if you really liked this book. P. P. S. If you REALLY liked this book, just stop reading now so there are no hard feelings. Well, either way, here goes.
The main guy in the story is huge. So you better make him good and nice. Well, this guy made me want to start owning sledgehammers. And I seriously didn't have a problem with him, until that fated night when he ditched the MC on the side of the road because she said something dumb. OK, I don't give a care if you are horribly pissed off, you don't fricken' strand a girl in the middle of the street at night! Ok????!?!?!? You can be pissed off at her, but at least drive her home like a sensible psychopath. O.o
Another thing is that the story was very badly connected. You know how you might be at one place, but it kinda feels like a dream because you are so bored and don't give a chizzam about what's going on? It felt a lot like that. I couldn't connect with the characters and I just couldn't find it within me to give a damn about anything in the book.
I'm just thanking my lucky stars that I didn't buy this book. I was this close to buying it.
If you haven't read this book, smile, because in my opinion, you have saved yourself from unnecessary torture.
May 3, 2017
It wasn't a bad book, but it could've been better. It was easy and flowing read and fun at times but the ending really bummed me out.
I thought of it as a book where the girl hits an all time low and tries to recover but instead she achieved everything without doing anything. She got everything she wanted without any efforts.
I thought of it as a book where the girl hits an all time low and tries to recover but instead she achieved everything without doing anything. She got everything she wanted without any efforts.
June 9, 2011
A cute book that hits all the right notes. Perfect for fans of Ally Carter and Meg Cabot.
February 26, 2015
MORE average, typical high school rom-com...LESS girls-do-hilarious-things-to-be-able-to-buy-a-prom-dress
But overall an enjoyable read :)
But overall an enjoyable read :)
February 9, 2011
Quigley Johnson and her best friend Anne are psyched for prom. There’s just one tiny problem; Quigley and Anne are both broke. In order to pay for their dream night out, both girls take on several odd jobs to earn enough money to buy that perfect dress. And of course, both are on a mission to find the perfect prom date.
But with a few months to prom, Quigley has bigger problems to worry about. Like where she’ll be attending college in the fall. And the misery that her art class rival David has bestowed upon her. When Anne suggests another odd job; being a model for a fashion design course, Quigley half-heartedly goes to the class, not expecting much. And when every single person on the class chooses Anne and not Quigley to model their clothes, Quigley is mortified…until Zander chooses her.
Zander is gorgeous. And nice. And he understands Quigley so well. Quigley falls hard and fast. But will she get the prom of her dreams?
When I accepted this book for review, I was naturally excited. I thought I’d be in for a treat- WILL WORK FOR PROM DRESS looks completely cute and has an adorable cover. I was right, but I also got so much more. This book has a lot of heart and had me rooting for Quigley until the very end.
I loved reading about the different fun and silly jobs Quigley and Anne took on to pay for prom- frozen pizza toppers, dinner theater murder victim, parade performer and fashion class model. Readers will laugh out loud as Quigley and Anne take on the silliest of jobs. Both characters are hilarious and so perfect for each other. I adored their friendship and kind of wish I had a friend like Quigley or Anne in high school. Probably would have made it a bit more bearable!
I was a little surprised (pleasantly so!) that the book had way more conflict than I had originally thought it might. Quigley finds herself in a love triangle AND in a major fight with her best friend Anne. This book certainly isn’t all prom dresses and pretty makeup! Quigley has some major issues to sort through throughout the course of the book.
One of my favorite parts of the book was how art played a major role in several different storylines in the book; Quigley’s photograpy, David’s art and Zander’s fashion design and sketching. I think the role that art played really sets this book apart from all of the other high school prom books. As Quigley’s photography developed and improved, so did her maturity. By the end of the book, I felt like Quigley had really learned a lot about herself, and about high school, and how it doesn’t last forever.
As far as secondary characters go, I enjoyed Anne’s storyline. With her fashion designer mom and mystery celebrity dad, it was fun to see Anne develop into a young woman throughout the book. She started out a little immature and easy to cave in to peer pressure, but truly blossomed throughout the book, as she dealt with meeting her dad for the first time and falling for a new guy.
And of course there’s Zander. *Swoon.* Zander isn’t the usual male character that I’d find myself attracted to (I don’t normally go for the brooding artsy types) but Aimee Ferris definitely converted me after I was finished reading WILL WORK FOR PROM DRESS. I thought Zander was the perfect match for Quigley- artistic and sensitive, but also kind and caring. And again, I was pleasantly surprised when the book delved deeper under the surface of Zander’s good looks and charms when we learned about the accident he was in as a teenager.
If you’re looking for a very cute and quick read but with a lot of depth and heart, then you will love WILL WORK FOR PROM DRESS. And with prom season just around the corner, what are you waiting for?
And if you haven’t checked out the hilarious website for this book featuring different authors’ prom photos, definitely check it out.
But with a few months to prom, Quigley has bigger problems to worry about. Like where she’ll be attending college in the fall. And the misery that her art class rival David has bestowed upon her. When Anne suggests another odd job; being a model for a fashion design course, Quigley half-heartedly goes to the class, not expecting much. And when every single person on the class chooses Anne and not Quigley to model their clothes, Quigley is mortified…until Zander chooses her.
Zander is gorgeous. And nice. And he understands Quigley so well. Quigley falls hard and fast. But will she get the prom of her dreams?
When I accepted this book for review, I was naturally excited. I thought I’d be in for a treat- WILL WORK FOR PROM DRESS looks completely cute and has an adorable cover. I was right, but I also got so much more. This book has a lot of heart and had me rooting for Quigley until the very end.
I loved reading about the different fun and silly jobs Quigley and Anne took on to pay for prom- frozen pizza toppers, dinner theater murder victim, parade performer and fashion class model. Readers will laugh out loud as Quigley and Anne take on the silliest of jobs. Both characters are hilarious and so perfect for each other. I adored their friendship and kind of wish I had a friend like Quigley or Anne in high school. Probably would have made it a bit more bearable!
I was a little surprised (pleasantly so!) that the book had way more conflict than I had originally thought it might. Quigley finds herself in a love triangle AND in a major fight with her best friend Anne. This book certainly isn’t all prom dresses and pretty makeup! Quigley has some major issues to sort through throughout the course of the book.
One of my favorite parts of the book was how art played a major role in several different storylines in the book; Quigley’s photograpy, David’s art and Zander’s fashion design and sketching. I think the role that art played really sets this book apart from all of the other high school prom books. As Quigley’s photography developed and improved, so did her maturity. By the end of the book, I felt like Quigley had really learned a lot about herself, and about high school, and how it doesn’t last forever.
As far as secondary characters go, I enjoyed Anne’s storyline. With her fashion designer mom and mystery celebrity dad, it was fun to see Anne develop into a young woman throughout the book. She started out a little immature and easy to cave in to peer pressure, but truly blossomed throughout the book, as she dealt with meeting her dad for the first time and falling for a new guy.
And of course there’s Zander. *Swoon.* Zander isn’t the usual male character that I’d find myself attracted to (I don’t normally go for the brooding artsy types) but Aimee Ferris definitely converted me after I was finished reading WILL WORK FOR PROM DRESS. I thought Zander was the perfect match for Quigley- artistic and sensitive, but also kind and caring. And again, I was pleasantly surprised when the book delved deeper under the surface of Zander’s good looks and charms when we learned about the accident he was in as a teenager.
If you’re looking for a very cute and quick read but with a lot of depth and heart, then you will love WILL WORK FOR PROM DRESS. And with prom season just around the corner, what are you waiting for?
And if you haven’t checked out the hilarious website for this book featuring different authors’ prom photos, definitely check it out.
October 19, 2013
A quick, fun, zippy read. I like the book enough that I'm going out of my lazy zone to write a proper review for this one.
So the story... bestfriends Quigley and Anne had this scheme called the Betterment Plan wherein the outcome will hopefully make them the envy of other girls at the Prom (yes, with a capital P). They undertake various quirky jobs so that they can afford buying their dream outfits, despite having Anne's mother (only the most successful fashion designer, Victoria Parisi) offering to make them their dresses. In one of the said quirky jobs, they act as live mannequins for Mrs. Parisi's fashion students. There we meet the gorgeous Zander, potential love mate for Quigley. Things become complicated when David, Quigley's art rival from school, suddenly expresses interest in her. Anne also gets into trouble because of family issues.
*spoilers here onward*
Quigley starts with not knowing her own style in art. As a result, no art university will accept her. Throughout the book, as we see her style maturing and taking form, we also see her character growing and learning lessons along the way. In the end, her dream uni even offers her a scholarship! The same goes for her bestfriend Anne. Although a good girl, she has a broken relationship with her mother and her estranged father. Without offering too many details, in the end, we see them patch up. She even accepts her father's other daughter.
As for the love triangle...
I sort of rooted for David at the start. I mean, they are rivals! Enemies turned lovers are always fun to watch. Bickering is cute. I wanted to see them hurling insults at each other and read all of their witty conversation. It didn't happen. David turned out to be a complete jerk. When Quigley sort of chooses Zander over him, he just turned bitchy and bitchier. He ruined the entire class's negatives and blamed Quigley, replaced her speech with a nonsensical one in a contest, and disposed of her photograph-artwork in another contest, all in the name of revenge. That's too much, IMO, to cure a broken heart. Really, just get over it already. Zander, on the other hand, is a sweet guy. Him showing up in slippers and jammies to pick up Quigley at the police station in the middle of the night is just adorable. That alone and I accept him as David's replacement. Burn, David, you sore loser. Although Zander is near perfect, I just want to hit and curse him when he ordered Quigley to get out of his car when they had a misunderstanding. At least he had the decency to leave her near her home. You should never leave a girl in a street alone. Think of all the psychos out there, mate.
This book turned out to have more depth than I expected it to have and it has its funny moments. The only complaint I have is that it ended abruptly. I would love to see David being punished by the school for his childish acts. Hee. Yay for bringing out the evil inside me.
Sidenote:
What parent names their child Quigley? I can understand Lemony Snicket giving Quigley Quagmire that name because he is queer like that. However, to give a girl the name Quigley, they must be trippin. Lol. And sidenote to a sidenote: it makes me think of worms: wiggly, squiggly, wriggly, jiggly, giggly... ermm BWAHAHAHAAHA
So the story... bestfriends Quigley and Anne had this scheme called the Betterment Plan wherein the outcome will hopefully make them the envy of other girls at the Prom (yes, with a capital P). They undertake various quirky jobs so that they can afford buying their dream outfits, despite having Anne's mother (only the most successful fashion designer, Victoria Parisi) offering to make them their dresses. In one of the said quirky jobs, they act as live mannequins for Mrs. Parisi's fashion students. There we meet the gorgeous Zander, potential love mate for Quigley. Things become complicated when David, Quigley's art rival from school, suddenly expresses interest in her. Anne also gets into trouble because of family issues.
*spoilers here onward*
Quigley starts with not knowing her own style in art. As a result, no art university will accept her. Throughout the book, as we see her style maturing and taking form, we also see her character growing and learning lessons along the way. In the end, her dream uni even offers her a scholarship! The same goes for her bestfriend Anne. Although a good girl, she has a broken relationship with her mother and her estranged father. Without offering too many details, in the end, we see them patch up. She even accepts her father's other daughter.
As for the love triangle...
I sort of rooted for David at the start. I mean, they are rivals! Enemies turned lovers are always fun to watch. Bickering is cute. I wanted to see them hurling insults at each other and read all of their witty conversation. It didn't happen. David turned out to be a complete jerk. When Quigley sort of chooses Zander over him, he just turned bitchy and bitchier. He ruined the entire class's negatives and blamed Quigley, replaced her speech with a nonsensical one in a contest, and disposed of her photograph-artwork in another contest, all in the name of revenge. That's too much, IMO, to cure a broken heart. Really, just get over it already. Zander, on the other hand, is a sweet guy. Him showing up in slippers and jammies to pick up Quigley at the police station in the middle of the night is just adorable. That alone and I accept him as David's replacement. Burn, David, you sore loser. Although Zander is near perfect, I just want to hit and curse him when he ordered Quigley to get out of his car when they had a misunderstanding. At least he had the decency to leave her near her home. You should never leave a girl in a street alone. Think of all the psychos out there, mate.
This book turned out to have more depth than I expected it to have and it has its funny moments. The only complaint I have is that it ended abruptly. I would love to see David being punished by the school for his childish acts. Hee. Yay for bringing out the evil inside me.
Sidenote:
What parent names their child Quigley? I can understand Lemony Snicket giving Quigley Quagmire that name because he is queer like that. However, to give a girl the name Quigley, they must be trippin. Lol. And sidenote to a sidenote: it makes me think of worms: wiggly, squiggly, wriggly, jiggly, giggly... ermm BWAHAHAHAAHA
May 11, 2011
I love watching reality/competition shows like Project Runway. Will Work for Prom Dress was a dream come true for me because it corporate an easy fun, fashion inspired work of fiction to help make time pass more enjoyable. However, that was not the case. Will Work for Prom Dress was more than that.
Girls dream of their perfect dress may it be for their wedding or prom just like Quigley. But the perfect dress does not come cheap, which is why Quigley needs a job (after being fired from her old one because of an incident). She and best friend, Ann, are hired to be…models! It may sound glamorous if you had the figure like Ann who immediately attracts the attention of all the fashion designers, but when you’re just a regular teen like Quigley it’s mortifying. Luckily there’s Zander who’s willing to take a chance on Quigley and it might just be a win-win situation for the both of them.
Will Work for Prom Dress takes a simple narrative that evokes a sense of fun and nostalgia. When I read Will Work for Prom Dress I remember the frustration of being a reasonably price prom dress that still looked fun and flirty. Readers’ like me can connect to Quigley through the ups and downs. However what Quigley does have what I never had was working with a designer (a student) and if you think all male designers are gay, you are so wrong. Zander appreciates Quigley’s beauty and crafted molds clothes that fit her body. Quigley and Zander collaborate and find a balance where it embraced both of their talents.
I would advise that readers of Will Work for Prom Dress have some vague notion of dress materials or things related to fashion designing. While there were not many instances that could confuse readers, a little outside knowledge definitely would not hurt.
As I mentioned before Will Work for Prom Dress offers a “more” than what is face value.
There’s a rivalry between Quigley and another art student. The rivalry becomes confusing when the student shows a romantic interest in Quigley and rejection meant more than hurt feelings. Won’t spoil anything huge, but love triangles can always be fun when the main character doesn’t even realize it. The ending, however, was just a bit too much. It offered too much of a happily ever after that borders on the impossible.
With Zander there’s an allure of mystery behind him. He has a past that tucks itself nicely into the story without being an overpowering focal point.
The friendship between Ann and Quigley was nicely done and one of better, equal, friendships I’ve read.
In all Will Work for Prom Dress a fun first time read and fills the craving I have for fashion and sweet crushes. While I do not plan on reading it again seeing as how it misses that spark that pulls you in and a climax that made the novel so worth it, I found Will Work for Prom Dress to be enjoyable.
Girls dream of their perfect dress may it be for their wedding or prom just like Quigley. But the perfect dress does not come cheap, which is why Quigley needs a job (after being fired from her old one because of an incident). She and best friend, Ann, are hired to be…models! It may sound glamorous if you had the figure like Ann who immediately attracts the attention of all the fashion designers, but when you’re just a regular teen like Quigley it’s mortifying. Luckily there’s Zander who’s willing to take a chance on Quigley and it might just be a win-win situation for the both of them.
Will Work for Prom Dress takes a simple narrative that evokes a sense of fun and nostalgia. When I read Will Work for Prom Dress I remember the frustration of being a reasonably price prom dress that still looked fun and flirty. Readers’ like me can connect to Quigley through the ups and downs. However what Quigley does have what I never had was working with a designer (a student) and if you think all male designers are gay, you are so wrong. Zander appreciates Quigley’s beauty and crafted molds clothes that fit her body. Quigley and Zander collaborate and find a balance where it embraced both of their talents.
I would advise that readers of Will Work for Prom Dress have some vague notion of dress materials or things related to fashion designing. While there were not many instances that could confuse readers, a little outside knowledge definitely would not hurt.
As I mentioned before Will Work for Prom Dress offers a “more” than what is face value.
There’s a rivalry between Quigley and another art student. The rivalry becomes confusing when the student shows a romantic interest in Quigley and rejection meant more than hurt feelings. Won’t spoil anything huge, but love triangles can always be fun when the main character doesn’t even realize it. The ending, however, was just a bit too much. It offered too much of a happily ever after that borders on the impossible.
With Zander there’s an allure of mystery behind him. He has a past that tucks itself nicely into the story without being an overpowering focal point.
The friendship between Ann and Quigley was nicely done and one of better, equal, friendships I’ve read.
In all Will Work for Prom Dress a fun first time read and fills the craving I have for fashion and sweet crushes. While I do not plan on reading it again seeing as how it misses that spark that pulls you in and a climax that made the novel so worth it, I found Will Work for Prom Dress to be enjoyable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2012
At First Sight: Even though it isn't exactly her dream, budding artist Quigley has agreed to her best friend Anne's plan to get themselves some smoking-hot dresses for their Senior Formal, even if that means some crappy after school jobs (like working at a pizza factory or a dinner-theater thing).
That's how she gets dragged to Anne's mom design class to work as a model for Mrs. Parisi's class of budding designers. Quigley things it's all going to be a drag - and a bit humiliating to boot since she doesn't have the thin, waif body Anne does and no-one will chose her as a model - until she meets Zander.
He might not be able to draw, but his designs are beautiful, and he always picks Quigley as his model. He is nice and funny and charming, and sometimes it even seems like he's really interested in her.
But things aren't all smooth sailing for Quigley, between the signals Zander sends and she misreads Anne escalating rebellious behavior and David, Quigley's nemesis who suddenly seems interested in way more than their not-so-friendly artistic competition.
Second Glance: Will Work for From Dress had been on my TBR pile for a good long while, yet I always kept putting it off. I always figured it would be a fluffy, fun, little book to read, and I think that was it's intention but I don't think the execution was all the way there.
To start with, I thought the characters were nice but really underdeveloped, I never felt like I really got to know them in any sustancial way, it was all on the surface. And Anne was really annoying during 80% of the book (she always got Quigley stuck with the worst part of the jobs she lined for them, and gets them in really awkward situations).
There are times where your only information about certain characters comes in the form of third-party exposition that borderlines info dump. And the problems the girls face are more or less rather superficial. Anne acts out and does stupid stuff to lash out at her mom, Quigley assumes things and miss interprets stuff, oh and she doesn't know what her artistic style is yet and this is A Big Deal that only gets trotted out at convenient times. And so on and so forth.
And, in the end, everything gets resolved in a very perfect, sweet and instantaneous fashion. All the troubles, big and small, get magically solved in the last twenty pages or so (maybe even less), and it's just weird.
Bottom Line: Sadly, Will Work for Prom Dress was something of a disappointment. It wasn't particularly bad, just inconsequential, almost like a place holder for every other story about girls trying to go to prom. It doesn't suck bad enough to be singled out, and it's not special enough to stand out. It's just, by it's very definition: Meh.
That's how she gets dragged to Anne's mom design class to work as a model for Mrs. Parisi's class of budding designers. Quigley things it's all going to be a drag - and a bit humiliating to boot since she doesn't have the thin, waif body Anne does and no-one will chose her as a model - until she meets Zander.
He might not be able to draw, but his designs are beautiful, and he always picks Quigley as his model. He is nice and funny and charming, and sometimes it even seems like he's really interested in her.
But things aren't all smooth sailing for Quigley, between the signals Zander sends and she misreads Anne escalating rebellious behavior and David, Quigley's nemesis who suddenly seems interested in way more than their not-so-friendly artistic competition.
Second Glance: Will Work for From Dress had been on my TBR pile for a good long while, yet I always kept putting it off. I always figured it would be a fluffy, fun, little book to read, and I think that was it's intention but I don't think the execution was all the way there.
To start with, I thought the characters were nice but really underdeveloped, I never felt like I really got to know them in any sustancial way, it was all on the surface. And Anne was really annoying during 80% of the book (she always got Quigley stuck with the worst part of the jobs she lined for them, and gets them in really awkward situations).
There are times where your only information about certain characters comes in the form of third-party exposition that borderlines info dump. And the problems the girls face are more or less rather superficial. Anne acts out and does stupid stuff to lash out at her mom, Quigley assumes things and miss interprets stuff, oh and she doesn't know what her artistic style is yet and this is A Big Deal that only gets trotted out at convenient times. And so on and so forth.
And, in the end, everything gets resolved in a very perfect, sweet and instantaneous fashion. All the troubles, big and small, get magically solved in the last twenty pages or so (maybe even less), and it's just weird.
Bottom Line: Sadly, Will Work for Prom Dress was something of a disappointment. It wasn't particularly bad, just inconsequential, almost like a place holder for every other story about girls trying to go to prom. It doesn't suck bad enough to be singled out, and it's not special enough to stand out. It's just, by it's very definition: Meh.
February 18, 2011
4.5 stars
Will Work for Prom Dress is a charming, delightful, fun read that brings to light real life lessons and situations presented in a light hearted, enjoyable story.
Aimee introduces some wonderful characters whom bring the story to life, including that of Quigley, the story's down to earth main character. Quigley and her best friend Anne are working various jobs to earn money for their upcoming prom. Despite a few failed attempts with some previous jobs, Quigley is now working with Anne for Anne's mother, a character I really liked getting to know. During this time Quigley meets the charming, good looking, charismatic Zander. Can I just say, I adore Zander! I love the chemistry the two have and I adore that he's a "real" guy and someone who I totally fell in love with. He and Quigley have a relationship that wasn't rushed, and one I felt was really normal with how it developed. Though Quigley and Zander are brought together for their love & talent of art, the secrets (no matter how little they are) that they keep from each other threaten to keep them apart.
From the pitiful jobs Quigley and Anne take, to Quigley and Zander's relationship, it wasn't hard to relate to the feelings that Quigley is having and sympathizing with her as she's in the phase where you're getting ready to leave high school behind and wondering, "now what". I found it very easy to relate to her when she doesn't get into the colleges she dreamed she would be going to. I feel like Quigley is a character that readers will be able to relate to on some level and she's someone I truly enjoyed getting to know.
Aimee's writing is fantastic. It's engaging as there are moments I was laughing out loud and other moments I was sighing. I felt an emotional connection not just with Quigley, but with the Zander, Anne and Anne's mom. I liked that there's a whole cast of fabulous in-depth characters, who are from various walks of life that bring the story to life. I enjoyed the little plot twists and being surprised by some of the characters' choices. Growing up is all about choices, enjoying the here and now, making plans for the future, falling in love, making mistakes, picking yourself up & dusting yourself off when you fall and lessons learned, all of which I think Aimee conveyed perfectly in her story.
I'm really looking forward to reading more of Aimee's books. I think Will Work For Prom Dress has a little bit of something in there for YA readers of all ages. The cover is just as wonderful as the story and I highly recommend picking up this delightful read.
Will Work for Prom Dress is a charming, delightful, fun read that brings to light real life lessons and situations presented in a light hearted, enjoyable story.
Aimee introduces some wonderful characters whom bring the story to life, including that of Quigley, the story's down to earth main character. Quigley and her best friend Anne are working various jobs to earn money for their upcoming prom. Despite a few failed attempts with some previous jobs, Quigley is now working with Anne for Anne's mother, a character I really liked getting to know. During this time Quigley meets the charming, good looking, charismatic Zander. Can I just say, I adore Zander! I love the chemistry the two have and I adore that he's a "real" guy and someone who I totally fell in love with. He and Quigley have a relationship that wasn't rushed, and one I felt was really normal with how it developed. Though Quigley and Zander are brought together for their love & talent of art, the secrets (no matter how little they are) that they keep from each other threaten to keep them apart.
From the pitiful jobs Quigley and Anne take, to Quigley and Zander's relationship, it wasn't hard to relate to the feelings that Quigley is having and sympathizing with her as she's in the phase where you're getting ready to leave high school behind and wondering, "now what". I found it very easy to relate to her when she doesn't get into the colleges she dreamed she would be going to. I feel like Quigley is a character that readers will be able to relate to on some level and she's someone I truly enjoyed getting to know.
Aimee's writing is fantastic. It's engaging as there are moments I was laughing out loud and other moments I was sighing. I felt an emotional connection not just with Quigley, but with the Zander, Anne and Anne's mom. I liked that there's a whole cast of fabulous in-depth characters, who are from various walks of life that bring the story to life. I enjoyed the little plot twists and being surprised by some of the characters' choices. Growing up is all about choices, enjoying the here and now, making plans for the future, falling in love, making mistakes, picking yourself up & dusting yourself off when you fall and lessons learned, all of which I think Aimee conveyed perfectly in her story.
I'm really looking forward to reading more of Aimee's books. I think Will Work For Prom Dress has a little bit of something in there for YA readers of all ages. The cover is just as wonderful as the story and I highly recommend picking up this delightful read.
February 18, 2011
Will Work for Prom Dress is a charming, delightful, fun read that brings to light real life lessons and situations presented in a light hearted, enjoyable story.
4.5 stars
Aimee introduces some wonderful characters whom bring the story to life, including that of Quigley, the story's down to earth main character. Quigley and her best friend Anne are working various jobs to earn money for their upcoming prom. Despite a few failed attempts with some previous jobs, Quigley is now working with Anne for Anne's mother, a character I really liked getting to know. During this time Quigley meets the charming, good looking, charismatic Zander. Can I just say, I adore Zander! I love the chemistry the two have and I adore that he's a "real" guy and someone who I totally fell in love with. He and Quigley have a relationship that wasn't rushed, and one I felt was really normal with how it developed. Though Quigley and Zander are brought together for their love & talent of art, the secrets (no matter how little they are) that they keep from each other threaten to keep them apart.
From the pitiful jobs Quigley and Anne take, to Quigley and Zander's relationship, it wasn't hard to relate to the feelings that Quigley is having and sympathizing with her as she's in the phase where you're getting ready to leave high school behind and wondering, "now what". I found it very easy to relate to her when she doesn't get into the colleges she dreamed she would be going to. I feel like Quigley is a character that readers will be able to relate to on some level and she's someone I truly enjoyed getting to know.
Aimee's writing is fantastic. It's engaging as there are moments I was laughing out loud and other moments I was sighing. I felt an emotional connection not just with Quigley, but with the Zander, Anne and Anne's mom. I liked that there's a whole cast of fabulous in-depth characters, who are from various walks of life that bring the story to life. I enjoyed the little plot twists and being surprised by some of the characters' choices. Growing up is all about choices, enjoying the here and now, making plans for the future, falling in love, making mistakes, picking yourself up & dusting yourself off when you fall and lessons learned, all of which I think Aimee conveyed perfectly in her story.
I'm really looking forward to reading more of Aimee's books. I think Will Work For Prom Dress has a little bit of something in there for YA readers of all ages. The cover is just as wonderful as the story and I highly recommend picking up this delightful read.
4.5 stars
Aimee introduces some wonderful characters whom bring the story to life, including that of Quigley, the story's down to earth main character. Quigley and her best friend Anne are working various jobs to earn money for their upcoming prom. Despite a few failed attempts with some previous jobs, Quigley is now working with Anne for Anne's mother, a character I really liked getting to know. During this time Quigley meets the charming, good looking, charismatic Zander. Can I just say, I adore Zander! I love the chemistry the two have and I adore that he's a "real" guy and someone who I totally fell in love with. He and Quigley have a relationship that wasn't rushed, and one I felt was really normal with how it developed. Though Quigley and Zander are brought together for their love & talent of art, the secrets (no matter how little they are) that they keep from each other threaten to keep them apart.
From the pitiful jobs Quigley and Anne take, to Quigley and Zander's relationship, it wasn't hard to relate to the feelings that Quigley is having and sympathizing with her as she's in the phase where you're getting ready to leave high school behind and wondering, "now what". I found it very easy to relate to her when she doesn't get into the colleges she dreamed she would be going to. I feel like Quigley is a character that readers will be able to relate to on some level and she's someone I truly enjoyed getting to know.
Aimee's writing is fantastic. It's engaging as there are moments I was laughing out loud and other moments I was sighing. I felt an emotional connection not just with Quigley, but with the Zander, Anne and Anne's mom. I liked that there's a whole cast of fabulous in-depth characters, who are from various walks of life that bring the story to life. I enjoyed the little plot twists and being surprised by some of the characters' choices. Growing up is all about choices, enjoying the here and now, making plans for the future, falling in love, making mistakes, picking yourself up & dusting yourself off when you fall and lessons learned, all of which I think Aimee conveyed perfectly in her story.
I'm really looking forward to reading more of Aimee's books. I think Will Work For Prom Dress has a little bit of something in there for YA readers of all ages. The cover is just as wonderful as the story and I highly recommend picking up this delightful read.
December 30, 2010
Looking for a cute and adorable prom-related read? Well, look no further because Aimee Ferris' Will Work for Prom Dress is the perfect pick!
When Quigley's best friend Ann first talks about her prom-related plan (which involves the perfect dresses and dates), Quigley reluctantly agrees, figuring it won't to lead to too much trouble, but as it turns out that's a huge understatement. For one, Ann's first matter of business is to find Quigley and her the perfect prom dresses but prom dresses equal money and Quigley and Ann don't have that, so soon enough both have jobs at the frozen pizza topping place, which ends in misery. Then, comes the dinner murder victim job for Quigley, which ends horribly. So, when they are asked by Ann's mom (Victoria Parisi, one of the most famous designers in the world) to model clothes for her fashion design class, Ann jumps at the chance and Quigley follows, not realizing that this choice may change both of their worlds forever. But for the better or for the worse? And will the two get their perfect prom dresses and dates? Only time will tell in this fast-paced tale about the events leading up to one of the biggest social events of the year!
Quigley and Ann were hilarious main characters, which lead to them being one of my favorite parts of Will Work For Prom Dress. I loved how both of them played so well of each other because it lead to several laugh out load moments, as well as some serious ones. Adding to this, I adored the love interests Aimee chose for each, especially Quigley's because I never could figure out who she was going to end up with (Xander or David?) for most of the book.
The plot of this was also great. I liked how one of the big focuses of the book were the mostly horrible jobs Ann and Quigley ended up with, because who hasn't had a terrible job before? I also liked how who Ann's farther was played a big role, as well as Quigley's future plans, because they created some tension for this mostly light book.
Aimee's writing was also up to par. She did a great job of developing the characters and plot lines!
In all, Will Work for Prom Dress is a fun, semi-light hearted/semi-serious read I adored! I can't wait to see what Ms. Ferris comes up with next!
Grade: B+
When Quigley's best friend Ann first talks about her prom-related plan (which involves the perfect dresses and dates), Quigley reluctantly agrees, figuring it won't to lead to too much trouble, but as it turns out that's a huge understatement. For one, Ann's first matter of business is to find Quigley and her the perfect prom dresses but prom dresses equal money and Quigley and Ann don't have that, so soon enough both have jobs at the frozen pizza topping place, which ends in misery. Then, comes the dinner murder victim job for Quigley, which ends horribly. So, when they are asked by Ann's mom (Victoria Parisi, one of the most famous designers in the world) to model clothes for her fashion design class, Ann jumps at the chance and Quigley follows, not realizing that this choice may change both of their worlds forever. But for the better or for the worse? And will the two get their perfect prom dresses and dates? Only time will tell in this fast-paced tale about the events leading up to one of the biggest social events of the year!
Quigley and Ann were hilarious main characters, which lead to them being one of my favorite parts of Will Work For Prom Dress. I loved how both of them played so well of each other because it lead to several laugh out load moments, as well as some serious ones. Adding to this, I adored the love interests Aimee chose for each, especially Quigley's because I never could figure out who she was going to end up with (Xander or David?) for most of the book.
The plot of this was also great. I liked how one of the big focuses of the book were the mostly horrible jobs Ann and Quigley ended up with, because who hasn't had a terrible job before? I also liked how who Ann's farther was played a big role, as well as Quigley's future plans, because they created some tension for this mostly light book.
Aimee's writing was also up to par. She did a great job of developing the characters and plot lines!
In all, Will Work for Prom Dress is a fun, semi-light hearted/semi-serious read I adored! I can't wait to see what Ms. Ferris comes up with next!
Grade: B+
January 17, 2011
Will Work For Prom Dress was a fun and addicting debut novel that will attract a variety of teenage-readers. The main character, Quigley, was just an ordinary girl dealing with a lot of issues normal high school students are. Prom season was fast approaching and she and her best friend, Anne, are determined to get healthy, raise money for dresses, and find dates.
It was tons of fun reading about the different odd jobs Anne roped Quigley into. The pizza factory and acting stints were interesting to read about and I really felt for Quigley because she always seemed to be stuck with the worst part of the job while Anne always managed to get the easiest. When Anne’s mother gets the girls jobs as models in her design class Quigley finally finds the one place she loves going. I loved reading about Quigley’s experiences at the design class and about the people she meets there.
Each of the characters introduced in Will Work for Prom Dress was well developed and had more to them then met the eye. There were two main guys in this book- Zander and David. David and Quigley were constantly competing with each other about whose art was better and David wasn’t always the nicest guy, but things change when he admits to liking Quigley. Then Zander enters the picture. He was sweet and respected Quigley. Plus his designs were awesome. Although Zander had some secrets.
Anne’s mother had a large role in the story (even more than Quigley’s parents!) and readers got to learn a lot about her as well. She was always there for Quigley and helped her and Anne out of some tough spots. Will Work for Prom Dress contained quite a few important lessons and I loved reading about Anne and Quigley. They were so different yet so alike and their experiences were lots of fun to read about.
Overall, Will Work for Prom Dress was a light hearted and fun debut with lovable characters and an intriguing premise. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more by Aimee Ferris.
Overall: 4.25 out of 5 stars
It was tons of fun reading about the different odd jobs Anne roped Quigley into. The pizza factory and acting stints were interesting to read about and I really felt for Quigley because she always seemed to be stuck with the worst part of the job while Anne always managed to get the easiest. When Anne’s mother gets the girls jobs as models in her design class Quigley finally finds the one place she loves going. I loved reading about Quigley’s experiences at the design class and about the people she meets there.
Each of the characters introduced in Will Work for Prom Dress was well developed and had more to them then met the eye. There were two main guys in this book- Zander and David. David and Quigley were constantly competing with each other about whose art was better and David wasn’t always the nicest guy, but things change when he admits to liking Quigley. Then Zander enters the picture. He was sweet and respected Quigley. Plus his designs were awesome. Although Zander had some secrets.
Anne’s mother had a large role in the story (even more than Quigley’s parents!) and readers got to learn a lot about her as well. She was always there for Quigley and helped her and Anne out of some tough spots. Will Work for Prom Dress contained quite a few important lessons and I loved reading about Anne and Quigley. They were so different yet so alike and their experiences were lots of fun to read about.
Overall, Will Work for Prom Dress was a light hearted and fun debut with lovable characters and an intriguing premise. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more by Aimee Ferris.
Overall: 4.25 out of 5 stars
December 21, 2010
When I first picked up this book I expected some fun fluff. Even the blurb made it seem like a light read without much substance. I was delighted that Will Work for Prom Dress exceeded my expectations in numerous different ways. The first was that it had more substance than I was expecting. It's hard to explain this without giving away a major plot point, but it deals with the ramifications of acting without considering consequences. The story also looked at Ann's mother, and the father who isn't in her life. We read about this through Quigley's eyes, and that allowed me to see that Ann's mother did care about her daughter, even if it Ann didn't always believe it. The characters were both believable, and likable. It was easy to connect with Quigley, and I think that most readers will be able to find something that they have in common.
The romance was a nice addition to the story, but didn't take over the entire plot. In fact, the budding romance between Quigley and a certain character (I don't want to give it away) actually contributed to the growth of both characters. I also appreciated the time that it took for their relationship to move forward. One of my pet peeves is that strong female characters are ruined by falling in love with a guy after locking eyes with him across the room. Having the relationship build slowly over the book, and face a realistic problem was rather refreshing. There are two guys in the book, but I wouldn't really call it a love triangle. I may be afraid to label it that way, because I think people are totally turned off from the L.T now that it's a common occurrence in YA. So, I'll just say that she has two options to choose from, and does so in a non-annoying way (hurrah).
This was a great debut, and it reminded me that you should never judge a book by it's cover. I can't wait for the next book by Ferris!
The romance was a nice addition to the story, but didn't take over the entire plot. In fact, the budding romance between Quigley and a certain character (I don't want to give it away) actually contributed to the growth of both characters. I also appreciated the time that it took for their relationship to move forward. One of my pet peeves is that strong female characters are ruined by falling in love with a guy after locking eyes with him across the room. Having the relationship build slowly over the book, and face a realistic problem was rather refreshing. There are two guys in the book, but I wouldn't really call it a love triangle. I may be afraid to label it that way, because I think people are totally turned off from the L.T now that it's a common occurrence in YA. So, I'll just say that she has two options to choose from, and does so in a non-annoying way (hurrah).
This was a great debut, and it reminded me that you should never judge a book by it's cover. I can't wait for the next book by Ferris!
July 1, 2011
I just have to say, this book by far exceeded any expectations I had. I thought it was going to be just a fluffy light book about a girl finding her perfect prom date. It wasn't, it was much more than that! It had depth to it and a lot of creativity.
First off, everything stated in the biography happened less than 50 pages into the books. So I was like 'ohhkayy. .' and prepared myself for a lot of chapters full of prom-related stuff. I didn't know what to expect. I got a really great story out of it, so I'm not mad one bit. That's why I'm not going to go on about it but instead, let you get surprised if you read it. :)
A few things I predicted. But they weren't big things, mostly stuff along the lines of 'will they, won't they?'. Then there was other stuff that popped out of no where that surprised me with the randomness, but perfectness of it. The writing flowed smoothly and nicely.
There were a few things that annoyed me. 1-the ending. I DON'T get it. She stated that she had her perfect fit 'right here at home.' (Don't worry, it's not a spoiler in any way.) Okay, great. Good for you. Please elaborate a little more for the reader though? Thanks.
There's a fine line between romance, and sappiness. I feel at the end of the book that it was just dripping with sap. Get what I'm saying? Again, this wasn't terrible but sometimes it really makes me put-off by a book when the characters have meaningful kiss after meaningful kiss.
David. Jerk. All I have to say on the matter of him.
I really liked Anne, although the matter of her father should have had a bigger play in the book than it did. . .
4.5/5 star rating!
First off, everything stated in the biography happened less than 50 pages into the books. So I was like 'ohhkayy. .' and prepared myself for a lot of chapters full of prom-related stuff. I didn't know what to expect. I got a really great story out of it, so I'm not mad one bit. That's why I'm not going to go on about it but instead, let you get surprised if you read it. :)
A few things I predicted. But they weren't big things, mostly stuff along the lines of 'will they, won't they?'. Then there was other stuff that popped out of no where that surprised me with the randomness, but perfectness of it. The writing flowed smoothly and nicely.
There were a few things that annoyed me. 1-the ending. I DON'T get it. She stated that she had her perfect fit 'right here at home.' (Don't worry, it's not a spoiler in any way.) Okay, great. Good for you. Please elaborate a little more for the reader though? Thanks.
There's a fine line between romance, and sappiness. I feel at the end of the book that it was just dripping with sap. Get what I'm saying? Again, this wasn't terrible but sometimes it really makes me put-off by a book when the characters have meaningful kiss after meaningful kiss.
David. Jerk. All I have to say on the matter of him.
I really liked Anne, although the matter of her father should have had a bigger play in the book than it did. . .
4.5/5 star rating!
October 21, 2011
Quigley Johnson and her best friend Anne are going to the prom. They don’t have dates and they don’t have dresses, but they have a plan – they’re going to do everything they can to improve themselves AND save enough money for the affair (even though Anne’s mom is a famous fashion designer who would be more than happy to make them gowns). Thus begins their journey into weird and wacky employment and money-making schemes (somehow Quigley always seems to get the worst of it). Getting dates turns out to be rather complicated as well. Anne is a serial dater, so she has a plethora of boys to choose from. Quigley, on the other hand, finds herself drawn to Zander (who is taking Anne’s mother’s design course and using Quigley as his model), but her classmate, David (the Art King), is also in hot pursuit. He goes from jerk to complete asshole, however, when he learns he has competition (Zander) – destroying other students’ artwork and framing Quigley to get his revenge (an Art King scorned is a force to be reckoned with). After that, everything falls apart. Quigley is left to wonder if she’s doomed to be a nobody with no prospects – for prom or for the future. What she really wants is to follow her dream of going to art school, and she hopes that she’ll be able to persuade Zander to talk to her again.
This sweet and goofy romance is full of quirky, passionate, larger-than-life characters. Anne is a real tour-de-force. Quigley rolls with the punches and remains true to herself. Zander is the perfect arty boyfriend. And David? Wow, what a piece of work. You’ll stay up all night just to find out whether Quigley gets the guy. I did. Fun and empowering.
This sweet and goofy romance is full of quirky, passionate, larger-than-life characters. Anne is a real tour-de-force. Quigley rolls with the punches and remains true to herself. Zander is the perfect arty boyfriend. And David? Wow, what a piece of work. You’ll stay up all night just to find out whether Quigley gets the guy. I did. Fun and empowering.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2013
I randomly found this book in Mrs. Augustine's library and decided to read it because of the title. "Will Work for Prom Dress" sure sounded desperate to me, and I don't usually read books like these, but I thought maybe I could for a change. The story plots around two girls, Quigley and Anne, who are seniors at their arts based high school. Their plan is to work and earn money for their prom dresses. They go through quite a few jobs, but they end up landing in one significant one. Anne suggests that they take a job as models at a fashion design class, and Quigley isn't too thrilled about it, until she falls in love with the guy who wants her to model for him, Zander. Quigley and Zander's relationship is romantic and cute, but aside from that, Quigley's life has other plans. She is stuck in a love triangle and also gets in a fight with Anne. Somehow, it all works out, and in the end she and Anne decide to use their earned money on something other than the prom, and plan on having their own hangout on the night of the prom. The ending was pretty cliche because Zanger surprises Quigley with her dream prom dress, and they all go to prom together. This story wasn't really a life changing experience or a touching subject to me, but it was entertaining to read. I took it lightly and finished it in two days. The romance was unrealistically interesting and cute. It was fun reading it once, but it's not something I would consider reading again or getting my own copy of.
February 3, 2011
This may be the craziest premise I’ve ever read. Quigley and her best friend Anne set out to raise money for the perfect prom dress by getting bad job after bad job. That isn’t what’s crazy. What’s crazy is that Anne’s mom is a famous fashion designer and will make their prom dresses for FREE. Only they don’t want her to. Cause they are insane! Well apparently Anne is loose and her mom never makes a zipper. That means magic never happens on her magical night.
The girls end up getting quite fabulous jobs as art models. Only no one in the class picks Quigley to be their fashion model except for adorable Zander. The problem is she’s not sure if he likes her or if he’s just being nice. Plus Anne keeps pushing Art King David on her; David the total jerk who constantly picks on her. But is he a total jerk? Or is it just because he likes her? Guys are so weird!
The book started out slow but once the kissing started, I’m not saying with whom, it caught me hook, line and sinker. Quigley and Anne get into a lot of crazy situations. For awhile I was wondering why Quigley was even friends with Anne, but Aimee Ferris gave a lot of depth to their friendship. All of the characters had more to them than met the eye which I really enjoyed. By the end of the book, I was left giggling and smiling. It was a fun cute story.
The girls end up getting quite fabulous jobs as art models. Only no one in the class picks Quigley to be their fashion model except for adorable Zander. The problem is she’s not sure if he likes her or if he’s just being nice. Plus Anne keeps pushing Art King David on her; David the total jerk who constantly picks on her. But is he a total jerk? Or is it just because he likes her? Guys are so weird!
The book started out slow but once the kissing started, I’m not saying with whom, it caught me hook, line and sinker. Quigley and Anne get into a lot of crazy situations. For awhile I was wondering why Quigley was even friends with Anne, but Aimee Ferris gave a lot of depth to their friendship. All of the characters had more to them than met the eye which I really enjoyed. By the end of the book, I was left giggling and smiling. It was a fun cute story.
October 12, 2012
This book is just another typical high school drama story. It is about two best friends, Anne and Quigley, who are getting jobs to raise money to buy prom dresses. After many failed jobs they go and work for Anne’s mom’s designing class. Mrs. Parisi is a beautiful and famous designer. When Anne and Quigley begin working, they already fall into relationship problems. Anne falls for a gothic designer which she and Quigley name Spikester. Also Quigley falls for a boy named Zander. Finally, at this point, the story begins to speed up and get more interesting. Quigley gets asked out by one of her worst nemesis, David. She rejects him harshly but later on in the story they go on a date which is taken too seriously by David. Quigley decides she is also going to let Zander have a chance. She ends up with Zander which makes David really angry. When Zander finds out that Anne and her boyfriend have been up to no good, he blames Quigley for not trying to stop them. They get back together after Quigley gives a very inspirational speech at the banquet. They all end up going to prom together. I liked the authors writing style in this book because it was very straight forward and clear. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a teen drama book. Although this book starts out very slow, it gets interesting to read once you figure it out.
January 23, 2012
http://shatterbooks.blogspot.com/2012...
It's about two girls. Quigley Johnson and Ana who wants to go to prom. You might know that it cost a lot of money. They were working at this pizza place but then they got fired. So now they work for Ana's mom. They just need to try on Ana's mom's students dresses that they worked on. So the only person who picked Quigley was Zander.
Ana thinks Quigley and David would be a cute couple. They have a lot in common. Quigley will always think he's a jerk (which he is). They started dating but it ended. Now Quigley has to find someone else to go to prom. Quigley always liked Zander but he won't talk to her after what she did. What did she did? Go read the book! :)
Another one of those cutey drama books. This book made me feel mad at Zander after what he treat Quigley. I understand that he's mad but it wasn't even her fault... I do feel sorry for Zander though.
Ana's boyfriend is such a bad boy. He seems like a fun boyfriend to have. I wouldn't want to get involved with him though. Causing trouble ALL THE TIME. He makes shirts, all different kinds. I want someone to make me shirts :)
David is a jerk. That's all I gotta say.
It's about two girls. Quigley Johnson and Ana who wants to go to prom. You might know that it cost a lot of money. They were working at this pizza place but then they got fired. So now they work for Ana's mom. They just need to try on Ana's mom's students dresses that they worked on. So the only person who picked Quigley was Zander.
Ana thinks Quigley and David would be a cute couple. They have a lot in common. Quigley will always think he's a jerk (which he is). They started dating but it ended. Now Quigley has to find someone else to go to prom. Quigley always liked Zander but he won't talk to her after what she did. What did she did? Go read the book! :)
Another one of those cutey drama books. This book made me feel mad at Zander after what he treat Quigley. I understand that he's mad but it wasn't even her fault... I do feel sorry for Zander though.
Ana's boyfriend is such a bad boy. He seems like a fun boyfriend to have. I wouldn't want to get involved with him though. Causing trouble ALL THE TIME. He makes shirts, all different kinds. I want someone to make me shirts :)
David is a jerk. That's all I gotta say.
August 19, 2011
Loved this book. I was so pleasantly surprised. I thought this would just be a mindless fluff book but it was so much more than that. It was fluffy but in a fun Rom Com type way. I loved the main character Quigley, she had such a good voice and was super relatable. Quigley's best friend Anne was funny too. Anne and Quigley got into some crazy situations. Next are the boys in the story. Quigley meets Zander, a talented emerging designer at one of the jobs she and Anne go to make money for their prom dresses. Quigley and Zander have this almost instant connection and Zander is really sweet, charming, and at times aloof which causes a few problems for them further in the story. Also there is this guy David who is also interested in Quigley and she finds herself in a love triangle of sorts, but if you're one of those like me who detest love triangles, this one flames out pretty quickly. David turns out to be a complete tool and Quigley was never that into him to begin with. Mix in some family drama, run ins with the law, guys named T-Shirt and the Spikester and you have a super fun book that is totally recommended.
August 30, 2014
Pro:
This book was adorable in ways that I did not expect it to be. Quigley is the main character with the best friend who has daddy issues like you wouldn't believe. Issues that she takes out on Quigley a lot. But, despite all of that, Quigley stays ever the devoted best friend. Which is how she got into the business of working for her prom dress in the first place. It's all part of Anne's (previously mentioned best friend) "Betterment Plan". The story was sweet and filled with love and surprise.
Con:
There are some serious topics that are covered here, but they're kind of brushed over as an explanation. It's execution was a little confusing and misplaced. MC's love interest ( Zander) has some kind of past life that is explained in approx. 2-5 pages. I found it kind of rushed, like it was just something to say instead of a major part of a guy that the MC falls in love with.
Overall:
I would recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a nice, sweet read. It's a great book, it just ( and I don't say this lightly) could be a bit longer. Expanding on backstory a bit could make it perfect.
This book was adorable in ways that I did not expect it to be. Quigley is the main character with the best friend who has daddy issues like you wouldn't believe. Issues that she takes out on Quigley a lot. But, despite all of that, Quigley stays ever the devoted best friend. Which is how she got into the business of working for her prom dress in the first place. It's all part of Anne's (previously mentioned best friend) "Betterment Plan". The story was sweet and filled with love and surprise.
Con:
There are some serious topics that are covered here, but they're kind of brushed over as an explanation. It's execution was a little confusing and misplaced. MC's love interest ( Zander) has some kind of past life that is explained in approx. 2-5 pages. I found it kind of rushed, like it was just something to say instead of a major part of a guy that the MC falls in love with.
Overall:
I would recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a nice, sweet read. It's a great book, it just ( and I don't say this lightly) could be a bit longer. Expanding on backstory a bit could make it perfect.
November 10, 2012
Reviewed by Steph for TeensReadToo.com
Quigley and her best friend, Anne, want amazing dresses for prom. Good thing Anne's mom is a famous fashion designer, right? Wrong!
Wanting to be independent, Anne created the Betterment Plan for her and Quigley. This plan involves dieting so they will look great on prom night, getting part-time jobs so they can buy their own amazing dresses, and flirting with guys so they can land a date.
What seems good in writing isn't practiced perfectly, however, especially when Quigley gets fired from her first job (making frozen pizzas) and suddenly has two amazing guys who might want to go to prom with her.
WILL WORK FOR PROM DRESS is a quick and easy read, and brings back all of those memories for those of us who are old enough to have been to a senior prom. Quigley is a quirky character who you can relate to from the first chapter, and you're rooting for her until the very last page. Filled with some surprising twists and a good ending, this book is definitely recommended for anyone who wants a quick escape.
Quigley and her best friend, Anne, want amazing dresses for prom. Good thing Anne's mom is a famous fashion designer, right? Wrong!
Wanting to be independent, Anne created the Betterment Plan for her and Quigley. This plan involves dieting so they will look great on prom night, getting part-time jobs so they can buy their own amazing dresses, and flirting with guys so they can land a date.
What seems good in writing isn't practiced perfectly, however, especially when Quigley gets fired from her first job (making frozen pizzas) and suddenly has two amazing guys who might want to go to prom with her.
WILL WORK FOR PROM DRESS is a quick and easy read, and brings back all of those memories for those of us who are old enough to have been to a senior prom. Quigley is a quirky character who you can relate to from the first chapter, and you're rooting for her until the very last page. Filled with some surprising twists and a good ending, this book is definitely recommended for anyone who wants a quick escape.
Read
October 23, 2011I really enjoyed Will Work For Prom Dress. The friendship between the main character Quigley and her best friend Anne is wonderful. Anne's mom is a famous fashion designer, but for prom Anne doesn't want her mom to make their dresses. So, they find odd jobs to earn money. They work in a frozen pizza pie factory, sub for actors in a murder mystery dinner theater, and become models in Anne's mother's fashion design course for students at the Rhode Island School of Design. Trouble happens when two boys are interested in Quigley––the Art King, a senior who has always been competitive with Quigley and Zander, the boy she models for at RISD. Intertwined into the story is Anne's family issues - raised by a single mom, a father who is a famous actor - one who seems to have no interest in his daughter, and on top of that, Anne manages to find plenty of trouble with boys.
This is a quick, enjoyable read with a few serious undertones that involve lessons on making good choices. Readers of YA will gobble this up.
This is a quick, enjoyable read with a few serious undertones that involve lessons on making good choices. Readers of YA will gobble this up.
Want to Read
January 30, 2011I won this book from Goodreads FirstReads. I have yet to receive this book as the author is out of town; however, I am very much looking forward to reading it and will update my review once I get it :)
March 31, 2011
it was cute. it was nice to read something that didn't leave me feeling angsty, or depressed, or frustrated. it was a good pleasant teen love story with a really good message mixed in quite nicely. every now and then, simple is good!
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