Booklist Reviews
Hope and Brady should be a thing. They've known each other forever, and Hope is certain that there are moments when their friendship could become something more. But that something more never happens. Could it be because of Brady's adorable girlfriend, Parker? She of the shiny blonde hair and tiny physique, who seems in full command of Brady's time and attention? But Hope doesn't know the secret shame that Parker conceals from all but a few close friends. This is revealed when the story flips to Parker's point of view. Sure, Parker has Brady. But since Parker and her sister were abandoned by their parents, Parker often goes hungry until someone (Hope's doting mother, for example) offers her food. Eulberg's dual narration shows how the same events appear quite different from each girl's perspective. Parker is not the enviable dream girl that Hope so resents, but "just another girl" with her own life challenges. This quick read will appeal to readers looking for believable characters, such as those in novels by Jenny Han and Stephanie Perkins. Copyright 2017 Booklist Reviews.
Horn Book Guide Reviews
Lovelorn Hope has a flirtatious connection with her best friend and fellow science-club member, Brady; the only thing standing in her way is Brady's cold, needy girlfriend, Parker. Readers will sympathize with Hope until switched-perspective chapters provide Parker's unexpected--and somewhat tragic--side of the story. This engaging, fresh take on the teen-love-triangle trope will appeal to fans of light contemporary YA fiction. Copyright 2017 Horn Book Guide Reviews.
Kirkus Reviews
Sixteen-year-old Hope has been nursing a crush on her best friend, Brady, for years, but with graduation rapidly approaching, the clock is ticking if she is going to do something.Hope is convinced that if it were not for Parker, Brady's girlfriend, she might have a chance. When Parker starts tutoring her, though, she becomes more than an obstacle to her happiness. But neither is willing to let her guard down. Hope risks losing all her friends if she cannot get her obsession under control. Unfortunately, while the story is ultimately one of hope and gratitude, the main characters are so unlikable that any good is lost. Hope's single-minded obsession with Brady and her constant whining quickly wear thin, and while Brady's heavy glasses and clumsy ways make him the epitome of geek chic, his insensitivity and manipulation disqualify him as crushworthy. Parker, with her devastating home life, is arguably the most sympathetic of the three, but her decision to put her head down and endure is frustrating. Other than that heartbreakingly real portrayal of a teen trying to survive against the odds, this story fails. Blonde, olive-skinned Hope (her mom is Mexican-American) aside, the cast seems to be a largely white one. There's little to keep readers turning the pages here. (Fiction. 12-16) Copyright Kirkus 2016 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.
PW Annex Reviews
Hope and Parker aren't friends and never will be—each girl has something the other wants. Hope is eager for her best friend Brady (Parker's current boyfriend) to see her as more than a friend, and Parker longs for Hope's uncomplicated life. Because of these mutual jealousies, the girls have never bothered to really get to know each other, until Hope's mother hires Parker to tutor Hope. Eulberg (
School Library Journal Reviews
Gr 7 Up—What if everything you thought about someone was completely wrong? Eulberg's tragicomic novel explores that question in a story of a love triangle with a hard-reality twist. Hope Kaplan knows her charming, clumsy best friend, Brady, like the back of her hand, and she also knows that he should be with her and not with his obnoxiously perfect girlfriend, Parker. What Hope does not know, however, is that Parker has a secret life that she is barely surviving. The plot unfolds in alternating first-person narratives—Hope's, Parker's, and then (unnecessarily) Brady's. Hope describes her struggle to create a competition-worthy Rube Goldberg machine, break out of her shell, and snag Brady for herself. Parker, a blonde beauty who seems to have everything, tells a very different tale. Readers will find Hope realistic if shallow, partially because she is set up by circumstances, but Parker—tough, confused, rightfully angry—is the star of this show. Sadly, the situation that has made her life so difficult feels unreal, and none of the causes of her distress, especially her family, emerge as anything but props to hold up the plot. While there are many winning elements to this story, especially the concept, the dialogue occasionally seems forced, and the plot drags a little, making this a poor choice for reluctant readers.
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal.Voice of Youth Advocates Reviews
For years, Hope has been in love with her best friend, Brady, but his perfect girlfriend, Parker, stands in her way. Hope is convinced that if she can get Brady to spend more time alone with her, he will see that they are destined for each other. Lately, Parker seems to be taking up more and more of his time. With Brady's high school graduation looming on the horizon, Hope is desperate for him to see that Parker is not as perfect as she seems, while Parker just wants to graduate and leave town. Just Another Girl is an uplifting story of forgiving misunderstandings, but it tries to cover many complex issues in too few pages, making it feel unrealistic. Parker's dysfunctional home life is easily fixed once authorities are made aware of the situation, and the relationship issues among the three main characters are quickly resolved despite years of conflict. More disappointing, though, is the cast of diverse characters who come across as predominantly white. Hope is half Mexican, but she rarely acknowledges her heritage, and the main Hispanic attribute of her mother is the occasional Spanish word inconsistently peppered into her dialogue. Ultimately, this creates the feeling that the diversity of the characters was an afterthought. Despite its flaws, this novel will appeal to readers who enjoy stories about female friendships and girls learning to not judge each other.—Amanda Melilli. 3Q 3P M J Copyright 2017 Voya Reviews.