What's the Name of That Book??? discussion
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The True Meaning of Cleavage
SOLVED: Children's/YA
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SOLVED. YA fiction about friendships told from possible diary format of the “quiet, artsy” friend. Read 2004-2008. [s]
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Sandra
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Jun 19, 2022 04:19PM
I read this book somewhere in 2004-2008. I remember the friendship dynamic was told from the quiet friend view. She was artistic and trying to draw her friend I think. The story is centered around her seeing her friend start to be “the other girl” of the popular boy after a party and it’s like the school knows?? It culminates with a costume dance (maybe Halloween?) and the friend is dressed in a skin suit to mimic a skeleton and the popular girl pushes her and leaves the dance and the popular boy looks dumb but goes after the popular girl leaving that girl humiliated.
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? Although that is the girl's sister.What do mean in your post her friend start to be “the other girl” of the popular boy after a party and it’s like the school knows?
Was this part of a series?
Anything about the cover?
Time period/location story takes place?
No not that one. Thank you though.
No nothing on there either. :/
I'm sure we can track this one down for you!Was the girl in middle school or high school?
Did it seem like part of a series, or a stand alone book?
It was definitely high school and it seemed stand alone. It came out before 2009 definitely.
No this only about 2 friends and we only read the perspective of one. She’s the one letting us know how the story is being played out. She’s also the artistic one so she’s working on a drawing of her friend.
Did it seem like a newish book at the time you read it?
No not that one either. It was only about the 2 girls. It’s only told from one perspective and I think it’s about what happens over the course of like the school year or possibly just the semester since it culminates in everything being exposed at a costume party at the school.
I don’t feel like it was newish. But it wasn’t very old either. It felt pretty contemporary for the early 2000s
Not that one either ☹️ no pregnancies in this book that I recall. More so focused on the scandal.
No not that one. The story doesn’t involve anything major for the protagonist except watching the situation of her friend devolve and become infamous for being the other girl
No not that either. :( the friends were very much just “normal” teens. Pretty under the radar until the friend starts sleeping with the popular guy. I do recall the friend is beautiful just not really part of the “it” crowd.
This is a toughie, but I'm determined!Were the two girls best friends?
Was the MC's art a big part of the book?
I’m so glad to have help! So I really don’t recall the MC having much of an arc except the observation of watching her friend go through this thing that she is excluded from and can’t really relate to but only observe the “downfall” of her friend being stuck on this obvious terrible human. I remember one passage where the friend is telling her about the first time happening at a party in the bathroom and he making the comment “she’s a natural” (she was a virgin if I remember correctly).
Do you think it was a "message" book, like maybe a Christian book meant to teach the reader a lesson about going down the wrong road?
Oh no definitely not. No shame to anyone but I actively avoid those books and genre. There weren’t any religious undertones or even like morality. More so how this friend dealt with being unable to know how to relate to her friend but being there for her when the inevitable fall from grace happened.
Thanks for the additional info! I'll keep looking.The MC's friend was cheating with the popular boy? I read your original description again, and it sounded like the popular boy was dating the popular girl.
So the main character's friend was basically a "side piece," as the kids say?
Yes. It begins with the MC’s best friend having sex with him at a party. He is popular boy and have popular gf. Somehow this affair becomes school knowledge (as gossip is wont to do) and it culminates with the costume dance. The friend is dressed as a skeleton which is viewed as skanky and dances by herself. The popular girl bumps her on purpose as she leaves and the bf is just standing there and goes after the gf. The friend is I suppose devastated but that’s what snaps her out of this fantasy that he might actually care. The MC comforts her and finally shows her the drawing she’s been doing of her over the course of the book.
No not that one either. :/ there was definitely no jealousy. The MC was more concerned about what would happen to her friend.
Did the main character have a love interest, or did she think about boys?Or was she mostly just focused on her art and her relationship with her friend?
I feel like the majority of the book is just her worrying about the art project and what was happening to her friend. I don’t recall her having any kind of romantic interest and I feel like the book didn’t span a large amount of time if that makes sense.
Makes sense!Do you remember what the cover looked like? Did it have a photo or illustration? Paperback or hardcover?
I'm bound and determined to find this, lol.
You know that’s what frustrates me most. Cant tell you a thing about the cover. >_<
Do you remember the type of art?Was she just drawing and sketching with pencils/colored pencils? Or did she also do painting or other forms of art?
I feel like it was a pencil sketch. It was a portrait for sure. In the end when MC shows her friend she is grateful and teases her she knew they were drawing her and mimics her furtive glances of starting at her while drawing.
Still looking!Mirror Image has two friends and an art project, but no mention of a boy. The Eyes of van Gogh looked kinda promising at first, but the MC is a painter and there doesn't seem to be a heavy emphasis on female friendship.
Did you read this book in the US?
Not those either. Yes US. My high school library wasn’t much for international reads.
I'm guessing you guys have already been through the YA Art Fiction list? https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
I hadn’t but not on the list either. Most are too new. This is driving me insane.
Gosh, I am so stumped! It must have been popular enough to be in a high school library, but I can't find any trace of it. Searched through Worldcat using 1990 and 2008 as parameters. It was definitely before 2009, right?
Tried various combos of keywords and subjects: "art," "artists," "art project," "friend," "friendship," "cheating," "boyfriend," "diary," "teenage girls," "high school," etc. all with no results. Several look close, but no cigar.
Art & Artists in Fiction
There's also this list, but it's a huge long shot.
Definitely before 2009. Not that list either. :/
Can you remember any character names? Or any phrases the characters might have said? I've had some good luck searching by phrases in the past.
I can’t remember any names. >_< I remember the friend telling MC how the popular boy said she was a natural when they hooked up in the bathroom at the party which began the whole thing. Not that book. This was purely 2 friends only. And only told from one perspective.
Chelsea and Astra looked so close! Lots of talk about a party and it does have a similar line, but not in the context of sex.‘Great!’ I lied, and then before I could stop myself, added, ‘Bryant said I’m a natural. He reckons I could go far.’
But she's talking about drama class!
Shoot. Yeah I don’t remember any animosity between the friends only the concern from the MC.
Don't give up! It's gotta be out there somewhere.
What's the Name of That Book???
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