Author: Paul Rudnick
Format Acquired: Hardcover
Publication Date: April 30, 2013
Publishing House: Scholastic Press
ISBN: 9780545464260
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked
Summary:
Eighteen-year-old Becky Randle is an ordinary girl who receives an impossible offer. She meets Tom Kelly, the world's top designer, and he promises to create three dresses to transform her from a nothing-special girl into the Most Beautiful Woman Who Ever Lived.
Becky thinks Tom is a lunatic, or that he's producing a hidden camera show called World's Most Gullible Poor People. But she accepts, and she's remade as Rebecca. When Becky looks in the mirror, she sees herself - an awkward mess of split ends and cankles. But when anyone else looks at Becky, they see pure five-alarm hotness.
Soon Rebecca is on the cover of Vogue and the new Hollywood darling. Then she meets Prince Gregory, heir to the British throne, and everything starts to crumble. Because Rebecca aside, Becky loves him. But to love her back, Gregory would have to look past the blinding Rebecca to see the real girl inside. And for that, there's not enough magic in the world.
Review:
And read I did. Actually, no. I devoured it. My greedy eyes read faster than my mind could ever process, and before I knew it I was laughing out loud, and re-reading sections before I could even properly finish the book. There was no doubt about it. Paul Rudnick's Gorgeous is more than just gorgeous.
When Becky Randle's mother dies, leaving her with a calling card of some guy named Tom Kelly, never in her wildest dreams did Becky deign to think that that Tom was the Tom Kelly, fashion designer extraordinaire. Most surprising of all, is that Tom Kelly wants to transformcashier girl Register Associate cashier girl Becky into the Most Beautiful Woman Who Ever Lived for absolutely n-o-t-h-i-n-g (not even to lure her into becoming "a sex-slave hooker on some rich creep's yacht in Vietnam", which is what Becky thinks). And so Becky is transformed into the drop dead gorgeous Rebecca, and thrust into countless opportunities millions of girls over the world could only dream of. But physical beauty, as Becky realizes, can only go so far... especially when true love may be in sight.
I love Becky, but I bet you already knew that. I'd be hard-pressed to find a single character I did not love/like. I then present you another dilemma I'm facing: I also hate this book because every one of them - yes, every single one - I wanted to exist in real life. Even the obnoxious Tom Kelly, because let's face it, he's fabulous. I love what Rudnick has done with Becky's character development, and I adore that she's whip-smart and utterly deserves the life-changing experience.
What I did have some reservations about, was the romance. Yes, I wanted Gregory and Becky to end up together, but there were times when I thought that their courtship just went too fast. Normally, I would dock points for the unrealistic pace of their romance, but I'm just too swept away with the book that I couldn't really bring myself to be bothered.
The narration, which is told from Becky/Rebecca's point-of-view is laugh-out-loud hilarious. When I was supposed to be doing other things, my eyes would inevitably wander to Gorgeous, so I had to put everything aside just so that I could "get over with it already", which is an admittedly lame excuse because at that time, I didn't want to let it out of my sight.
I do believe that this is one of 2013's best YA novels, and I highly recommend it to anyone who needs a romantic comedy in book form, without all the cheesiness.
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked
Summary:
Eighteen-year-old Becky Randle is an ordinary girl who receives an impossible offer. She meets Tom Kelly, the world's top designer, and he promises to create three dresses to transform her from a nothing-special girl into the Most Beautiful Woman Who Ever Lived.
Becky thinks Tom is a lunatic, or that he's producing a hidden camera show called World's Most Gullible Poor People. But she accepts, and she's remade as Rebecca. When Becky looks in the mirror, she sees herself - an awkward mess of split ends and cankles. But when anyone else looks at Becky, they see pure five-alarm hotness.
Soon Rebecca is on the cover of Vogue and the new Hollywood darling. Then she meets Prince Gregory, heir to the British throne, and everything starts to crumble. Because Rebecca aside, Becky loves him. But to love her back, Gregory would have to look past the blinding Rebecca to see the real girl inside. And for that, there's not enough magic in the world.
(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)
Review:
I grew up in what some people would call a mobile home and what other, snobbier people might call a manufactured home, but I was always fine with calling it a trailer. That's right, I said I grew up in a trailer. F-ck you.And just like that I fell hook, line, and sinker. Of course, I had my reservations at first. After reading that opening, I dramatically clutched the book to my chest and wailed, "But what if you become weird and incomprehensible as the novel goes on?!" And just as magical as the story itself, the book consoled me, "My dear girl, you must read on - or else you will never know!"
And read I did. Actually, no. I devoured it. My greedy eyes read faster than my mind could ever process, and before I knew it I was laughing out loud, and re-reading sections before I could even properly finish the book. There was no doubt about it. Paul Rudnick's Gorgeous is more than just gorgeous.
When Becky Randle's mother dies, leaving her with a calling card of some guy named Tom Kelly, never in her wildest dreams did Becky deign to think that that Tom was the Tom Kelly, fashion designer extraordinaire. Most surprising of all, is that Tom Kelly wants to transform
I love Becky, but I bet you already knew that. I'd be hard-pressed to find a single character I did not love/like. I then present you another dilemma I'm facing: I also hate this book because every one of them - yes, every single one - I wanted to exist in real life. Even the obnoxious Tom Kelly, because let's face it, he's fabulous. I love what Rudnick has done with Becky's character development, and I adore that she's whip-smart and utterly deserves the life-changing experience.
What I did have some reservations about, was the romance. Yes, I wanted Gregory and Becky to end up together, but there were times when I thought that their courtship just went too fast. Normally, I would dock points for the unrealistic pace of their romance, but I'm just too swept away with the book that I couldn't really bring myself to be bothered.
The narration, which is told from Becky/Rebecca's point-of-view is laugh-out-loud hilarious. When I was supposed to be doing other things, my eyes would inevitably wander to Gorgeous, so I had to put everything aside just so that I could "get over with it already", which is an admittedly lame excuse because at that time, I didn't want to let it out of my sight.
I do believe that this is one of 2013's best YA novels, and I highly recommend it to anyone who needs a romantic comedy in book form, without all the cheesiness.
Rating:
"Novel Nails" is a feature of the blog that showcases nail art inspired by books and their covers. Nail art will be created by either Michelle or Nicole and will be featured alongside their reviews.
Hi guys, Michelle here for Novel Nails for the very first time! I got addicted to creating nail art in my sophomore year, but that interest soon waned, so I haven't really done nail art in a loooong time. You guys will just have to make do with my "skills".
I actually had a hard time thinking of nail art for Paul Rudnick's Gorgeous. I wanted something classy - something that Becky and Gorgeous-inspired girls alike could wear with Tom Kelly's approval. While we all don't have a top designer who makes the most fabulous clothing and some of us may even have some clothing restrictions when it comes to work and school, I do think that you can get around that with a stunning red nail polish.
You just have to peek at your fingers and - aha, the world is in your hands, baby. Red is dangerous and alluring, and it does wonders to boost confidence. There is a red out there for everybody, and I believe that anyone could easily rock red nail polish.
These are some of my favorite reds. (Sorry for the blurry pic!)
From left to right: Dior Red Royalty, Deborah Lippmann It's Raining Men, China Glaze Poinsettia, Zoya Sookie, Chanel Cinema, NARS Jungle Red
My nails in Chanel Cinema (taken from my Instagram).
For more fashion, nail polish, travel, and book goodness, you can check out my Instagram (MichelleReadsYA)
Will you be rocking red nails any time soon? Tag us! #thetwinsread
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