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Universally Misunderstood #1
Perfectly Dateless
Daisy Crispin has 196 days to find the right date for the prom. There's only one problem her parents won't let her date or even talk to a guy on the phone. Oh, and she's totally invisible at school, has to wear lame homemade clothes, and has no social skills. Okay, so maybe there's more than one problem. Can she talk her parents into letting her go to the prom? Or will they succeed at their obvious attempt to completely ruin her life? With hilarious and truthful writing, Kristin Billerbeck uncovers the small and large mortifications that teen girls encounter. Readers will fall in love with Daisy's sharp wit and resourcefulness as she navigates the world of boys, fashion, family, and friendship.
272 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2010
58 people are currently reading
1,095 people want to read
About the author
Kristin Billerbeck
64Ìýbooks607ÌýfollowersAbout Kristin
I grew up with a strong sense of justice. I simply knew the way things should be. And since I’m not smart enough to be a district attorney, I am a novelist. My childhood was slightly confusing. I blame my parents for this. Oh heck, I’m going to blame them for everything. I think I would have turned out normal if it weren’t for them.
the billerbeck's
Okay, probably not. I am a fourth-generation Californian, and an American mutt, but identify most strongly with my Italian heritage. My mother’s family, of strong Norwegian/German descent, tried to teach me how to do things right. How to cook, clean, sew, budget accordingly � all the things a proper young girl should know to be a contributing member of society. I, however, failed miserably. For my 40th birthday, my grandmother gave me a cookie gun, so it’s clear she hasn’t given up on me yet! That is eternal optimism!
My dad’s Italian family taught me about the good life. The indulgent life. How to eat, shop and be merry. My Nana had very tiny feet and a penchant for shoes (she worked at the Emporium, no doubt to fund her shoe addiction). My afternoons at her house had no lessons, other than how to walk in her high heels, drape myself in her mink stole and drip myself with rhinestones. Tastefully, of course. I picked up on this lifestyle much quicker.
I graduated San Jose State University with a degree in Journalism & Mass Communications (emphasis in Advertising), gave my life to Jesus during college and found my true love in a Christian Singles� Group, which yes, I skewer in “What a Girl Wants�. He is German. Practical. And a Contributing Member of Society. I am still Italian, fluffy and an aficionado of fine shoes & handbags.
Together, we have four children and now it’s our turn to confuse them. The circle of life. Dysfunctional family style.
I grew up with a strong sense of justice. I simply knew the way things should be. And since I’m not smart enough to be a district attorney, I am a novelist. My childhood was slightly confusing. I blame my parents for this. Oh heck, I’m going to blame them for everything. I think I would have turned out normal if it weren’t for them.
the billerbeck's
Okay, probably not. I am a fourth-generation Californian, and an American mutt, but identify most strongly with my Italian heritage. My mother’s family, of strong Norwegian/German descent, tried to teach me how to do things right. How to cook, clean, sew, budget accordingly � all the things a proper young girl should know to be a contributing member of society. I, however, failed miserably. For my 40th birthday, my grandmother gave me a cookie gun, so it’s clear she hasn’t given up on me yet! That is eternal optimism!
My dad’s Italian family taught me about the good life. The indulgent life. How to eat, shop and be merry. My Nana had very tiny feet and a penchant for shoes (she worked at the Emporium, no doubt to fund her shoe addiction). My afternoons at her house had no lessons, other than how to walk in her high heels, drape myself in her mink stole and drip myself with rhinestones. Tastefully, of course. I picked up on this lifestyle much quicker.
I graduated San Jose State University with a degree in Journalism & Mass Communications (emphasis in Advertising), gave my life to Jesus during college and found my true love in a Christian Singles� Group, which yes, I skewer in “What a Girl Wants�. He is German. Practical. And a Contributing Member of Society. I am still Italian, fluffy and an aficionado of fine shoes & handbags.
Together, we have four children and now it’s our turn to confuse them. The circle of life. Dysfunctional family style.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
August 30, 2017
Ahhhhhhh!!! What just happened? Wow. That was just. . .wow. I literally almost screamed from the pure delight of it. . .in the middle of the library. This. Was. Beautiful. I LOVED IT! It was charming, funny, cute, romantic, and man, was everyone hot! Like seriously. Wow. Anyway, highly recommend it! It was super fun and cute! Go get yourself a copy! You need it!
September 13, 2019
Universally Misunderstood? Sounds like my autobiography! Okay, maybe I do have some family and close friends who get me, but most people I know don't seem to understand the method to my "madness".
As for the book itself...well, it was a dud. Daisy started out likable, but her whining soon wore thin, and her parents have to be the most ridiculous ones I've encountered in all my years of consuming entertainment! Even the mothers and fathers on the sitcoms on which I grew up weren't that nuts! As the story progresses, it veers into dark territory, and the last page makes for an ending that is entirely too quick, not to mention pat.
Suffice it to say: Fans of Christian literature--even in the "young adult" genre--can do much better.
As for the book itself...well, it was a dud. Daisy started out likable, but her whining soon wore thin, and her parents have to be the most ridiculous ones I've encountered in all my years of consuming entertainment! Even the mothers and fathers on the sitcoms on which I grew up weren't that nuts! As the story progresses, it veers into dark territory, and the last page makes for an ending that is entirely too quick, not to mention pat.
Suffice it to say: Fans of Christian literature--even in the "young adult" genre--can do much better.
August 12, 2012
Daisy Crispin is the school's biggest geek. Her parents are overly protective, she wears lame clothes, has never been on a date, and gets made fun of by all the cool kids. But this is Daisy's senior year. And she's determined to change all that. With a little luck and a lot of planning, Daisy plans to go to her prom with the perfect guy...and show her classmates just how cool she can be.
Very disappointed with this book. :( I love chick lit. I read a lot of it. I was expecting this to be a light, fluffy, romantic read. It was supposed to be funny and cute and make my day. That's why I chose to read this after "Scorpia Rising". I figured after all the espionage-seriousness, I could do with some giggly high-school-girl fun. But alas, this book did not provide any of that.
Let's start with the good:
Some parts did make me laugh. Daisy had some interesting character quirks and that made her unique. The ending was more or less alright. There was a very surprising twist that I did not see coming. In a way I liked it and in a way I didn't. It was different and unexpected. But that's about it. :/
The rest of the book honestly just contained a whiny, annoying, immature girl who argues with her parents every other chapter. Her parents are just as immature and ridiculous. They are at the extreme end of the spectrum when it comes to "weird parents" and I just found it unbelievable. Quite a bit of the book also didn't make sense thanks to Daisy's need to blurt out random facts. The writing was disjointed and the story seemed badly put together. I'm annoyed at having wasted my time reading it. There were several parts when I wanted to put it down and towards the end, I really just wanted to skim because I didn't care anymore.
Daisy is a HUGE drama queen and while I thought this would endure throughout the book, suddenly things take a serious and horrific turn and the end becomes even more lame. :( It reminded me quite a bit of "Jake, Reinvented" but Gordan Korman did it SO MUCH BETTER. I think that Billerbeck has some good ideas but that the writing style just isn't enjoyable for me.
Read it if you want!
Very disappointed with this book. :( I love chick lit. I read a lot of it. I was expecting this to be a light, fluffy, romantic read. It was supposed to be funny and cute and make my day. That's why I chose to read this after "Scorpia Rising". I figured after all the espionage-seriousness, I could do with some giggly high-school-girl fun. But alas, this book did not provide any of that.
Let's start with the good:
Some parts did make me laugh. Daisy had some interesting character quirks and that made her unique. The ending was more or less alright. There was a very surprising twist that I did not see coming. In a way I liked it and in a way I didn't. It was different and unexpected. But that's about it. :/
The rest of the book honestly just contained a whiny, annoying, immature girl who argues with her parents every other chapter. Her parents are just as immature and ridiculous. They are at the extreme end of the spectrum when it comes to "weird parents" and I just found it unbelievable. Quite a bit of the book also didn't make sense thanks to Daisy's need to blurt out random facts. The writing was disjointed and the story seemed badly put together. I'm annoyed at having wasted my time reading it. There were several parts when I wanted to put it down and towards the end, I really just wanted to skim because I didn't care anymore.
Daisy is a HUGE drama queen and while I thought this would endure throughout the book, suddenly things take a serious and horrific turn and the end becomes even more lame. :( It reminded me quite a bit of "Jake, Reinvented" but Gordan Korman did it SO MUCH BETTER. I think that Billerbeck has some good ideas but that the writing style just isn't enjoyable for me.
Read it if you want!
July 8, 2010
Title: PERFECTLY DATELESS
Author: Kristin Billerbeck
Publisher: Revell
July 2010
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3439-8
Genre: Inspirational/teen fiction
The prom countdown has begun�
Daisy Cristpin has 196 days to find the perfect date to the Senior prom, an event she is determined to attend, so she can have her picture taken with the perfect guy. She even made a list of names, possible candidates to be her date. But there are problems. Number one on the list is that Daisy is somewhat of a nerd. She’s totally invisible at school, possesses no social skills, and her parents won’t even let her talk to a guy on the phone.
There is more at stake that the extremely far-out possibility that her parents might let her go to the prom. If she someone did manage to get their consent (thought that in itself would take a miracle) she would need help getting guys to even notice her. Especially the popular jock types she’s targeting.
Daisy’s best friend, Claire, doesn’t understand Daisy’s obsession with the prom, or the preppy jock that Daisy likes best, but she’s prepared to do her part to help get Daisy noticed. But the trouble is, Claire’s help could ruin her life�
PERFECTLY DATELESS is the first teen book I’ve read by Ms. Billerbeck, and it’s a winner. Totally and completely realistic, and sadly, a reality probably felt by all the smart girls in school—the ones that the jocks ignore, unless they want help with their homework or cheating on a test.
I enjoyed getting to know Daisy. Her sarcasm is absolutely hilarious, and at times shocking and rude. This is a book that I could hand to my teen daughter and not be concerned that she’s reading something inappropriate. If you have a teenage daughter, pick up a copy of PERFECTLY DATELESS. $9.99. 257 pages.
Author: Kristin Billerbeck
Publisher: Revell
July 2010
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3439-8
Genre: Inspirational/teen fiction
The prom countdown has begun�
Daisy Cristpin has 196 days to find the perfect date to the Senior prom, an event she is determined to attend, so she can have her picture taken with the perfect guy. She even made a list of names, possible candidates to be her date. But there are problems. Number one on the list is that Daisy is somewhat of a nerd. She’s totally invisible at school, possesses no social skills, and her parents won’t even let her talk to a guy on the phone.
There is more at stake that the extremely far-out possibility that her parents might let her go to the prom. If she someone did manage to get their consent (thought that in itself would take a miracle) she would need help getting guys to even notice her. Especially the popular jock types she’s targeting.
Daisy’s best friend, Claire, doesn’t understand Daisy’s obsession with the prom, or the preppy jock that Daisy likes best, but she’s prepared to do her part to help get Daisy noticed. But the trouble is, Claire’s help could ruin her life�
PERFECTLY DATELESS is the first teen book I’ve read by Ms. Billerbeck, and it’s a winner. Totally and completely realistic, and sadly, a reality probably felt by all the smart girls in school—the ones that the jocks ignore, unless they want help with their homework or cheating on a test.
I enjoyed getting to know Daisy. Her sarcasm is absolutely hilarious, and at times shocking and rude. This is a book that I could hand to my teen daughter and not be concerned that she’s reading something inappropriate. If you have a teenage daughter, pick up a copy of PERFECTLY DATELESS. $9.99. 257 pages.
September 11, 2018
I think Daisy's parents could have spared a lot of the drama had they just been upfront. While I do understand the whole sparing your child unwanted stress and heartache, you gain nothing by having them in constant bubble. Wouldn't their religion have a problem with the lying part?? Daisy did have my sympathy at the beginning but sheesh....SPEAK UP FOR YOURSELF!!! She could have done more to bust Chase (as he should have been). Entitled brats just getting away with everything. Claire and Daisy's friendship is one I didn't understand. There were so many time where Claire just couldn't stand her. Why Max chose to even give Daisy another chance is beyond me. She didn't deserve him. The ending felt too rushed and incomplete. Almost as though they tried to completed the story in just a few pages.
March 16, 2018
Perfectly Dateless by Kristin Billerbeck is a Young Adult Fiction book that really captures the life of a high school student who is a “perfectionist�. Daisy Crispin is a senior, at a private Christian school, she has stellar grades, a flawless GPA, and the perfect school life. But she’s missing out on the real high school experience. Her parents forbid her from dating, but that’s not an issue because boys don’t seem to notice her at school anyways. Her parents are overprotective of her, and they expect the very best from her and don’t expect anything less. Prom is upcoming, and she needs a date, but she doesn’t know how to make boys notice her, she wants to have more friends that are boys, and she is trying everything in her power to make herself popular. Her best friend, Claire, is going through something completely different at home, her parents are going through a divorce, and she seeks people’s attention by the way that she dresses and the way that she acts. She has some friends that are boys, but she’s not interested in any of them, she just wants them to think that she is.
After meeting a new boy Max, from Mexico that goes to her school, she goes to the mall where he works, and gets a job at the same store that he works at. As they started working together, Daisy began to develop feelings for Max, after she realizes that her best friend Chase, doesn’t want to be more than just friends. That made Daisy really sad, but she knew that she didn’t want to ruin their friendship, because they had been best friends since kindergarten. Daisy’s parents lecture her all the time about good behavior, good grades, and not getting distracted by boys. Claire, is planning to throw a party while her parents are out of town, she invites Greg, the boy that she likes. On the day of the party, Max comes to Claire’s house to speak to Daisy, he continues to tell her that Chase came to him to buy a roofie, because he thought that he was a drug dealer. Daisy is afraid that Greg might use a roofie on Claire, and so she asks Max to stay at the party to help her keep an eye on things. As the night progresses, the party gets out of control, someone brought a keg, and there were so many people that weren’t invited, and there were drugs involved, Daisy was so worried that if her and Claire got caught they would be in so much trouble. Daisy’s best friend, Chase, is drunk and asks Daisy if she wanted to sleep with him, she was disgusted at his question, but there was a bigger issue. The keg had been thrown on the grill, and it caught fire, the fire then spread to the house, and that’s when people started to leave, and the police and fire departments showed up. Claire and Daisy woke up in the hospital, Max had saved them, They had third degree burns, and were having trouble breathing because of all of smoke that they breathed in. Prom was in two weeks, and Daisy still did not have a date, and Max is asked to return home to Mexico because everything that happened at the party was blamed on him.
This was not my favorite book, I would suggest this book to people who enjoy a story about a teenager’s life, and enjoy drama. I wouldn’t read anything like this again, it was just hard for me to keep reading, but the book is very realistic.
July 16, 2010
Daisy Crispin has spent most of her life invisible to the popular crowd. She’s extremely smart but has zero social skills, is forced to wear horribly unfashionable homemade clothes by her cheap parents, adnd isn’t allowed to even talk to boys. Her parents believe in courtship and have decided that she should go to Bible College and marry a preacher. When senior year arrives, Daisy decides this wallflower needs to shake things up and determines that she’ll have the perfect date for prom � the perfect picture, the perfect memory to redeem all the years she’s lost in social obscurity. But doing a complete social makeover comes with a price, and Daisy’s quest for the perfect date sets her on a journey with unexpected consequences, learning more about herself, her family, and what really matters than she ever expected.
Perfectly Dateless is a fast-paced, hilarious read. I really enjoyed Daisy’s character � she’s alternately sweet and sarcastic, but above all she comes across as very real and relatable. While for most of the novel her parents are the most extreme, cringe-worthy caricatures of Christian parents that I think I’ve ever read, Daisy’s exasperation with her parents� “quirks� and good intentions is completely understandable, and is sure to bring back high school memories to anyone who ever remembers being frustrated with parental restrictions. My favorite aspect of the novel are Daisy’s journal entries, where she vents about everything from her parents to boys � Billerbeck nails the teenage angst perfectly. Between parents, boys, and best friend drama, Daisy is in for a roller coaster ride as she attempts change her life, not compromise her faith, and learn some surprising lessons about her perceptions versus reality.
My only qualm with this book is that there just wasn’t enough of it. At times events felt a little too rushed, particularly regarding Daisy’s work life and growing relationship with Max. The school year in Daisy’s world passes in quite literally a blur. However, that’s a minor issue compared to how much I enjoyed Daisy’s whirlwind life. Billerbeck has the snarky-but-likable teen voice down perfectly. Daisy’s faith is also integrated into the storyline extremely well � while I don’t know how much non-Christian YA readers would enjoy reading about Daisy’s life with her ultra-conservative, Christian parents, Billerbeck never crosses the line into preachiness. Daisy’s a great example of a character who’s culturally relevant (at least she wants to be) and a believer. Fresh, funny, and real Perfectly Dateless is hopefully just the first of many Universally Misunderstood Novels.
Perfectly Dateless is a fast-paced, hilarious read. I really enjoyed Daisy’s character � she’s alternately sweet and sarcastic, but above all she comes across as very real and relatable. While for most of the novel her parents are the most extreme, cringe-worthy caricatures of Christian parents that I think I’ve ever read, Daisy’s exasperation with her parents� “quirks� and good intentions is completely understandable, and is sure to bring back high school memories to anyone who ever remembers being frustrated with parental restrictions. My favorite aspect of the novel are Daisy’s journal entries, where she vents about everything from her parents to boys � Billerbeck nails the teenage angst perfectly. Between parents, boys, and best friend drama, Daisy is in for a roller coaster ride as she attempts change her life, not compromise her faith, and learn some surprising lessons about her perceptions versus reality.
My only qualm with this book is that there just wasn’t enough of it. At times events felt a little too rushed, particularly regarding Daisy’s work life and growing relationship with Max. The school year in Daisy’s world passes in quite literally a blur. However, that’s a minor issue compared to how much I enjoyed Daisy’s whirlwind life. Billerbeck has the snarky-but-likable teen voice down perfectly. Daisy’s faith is also integrated into the storyline extremely well � while I don’t know how much non-Christian YA readers would enjoy reading about Daisy’s life with her ultra-conservative, Christian parents, Billerbeck never crosses the line into preachiness. Daisy’s a great example of a character who’s culturally relevant (at least she wants to be) and a believer. Fresh, funny, and real Perfectly Dateless is hopefully just the first of many Universally Misunderstood Novels.
July 11, 2010
MY REVIEW:
If you liked the movie Napoleon Dynamite then you will like this novel aimed at teen girls. However, I thought that Napoleon Dynamite was rather pointless and that's how I feel about this book as well. There was a lot of drama, and some humor, too, but not a lot of clear purpose.
I liked the theme - conservative parents at odds with their generally well-behaved teen daughter. But there was so many other issues and characters packed into this book that it was hard to follow along at points.
The book begins with an excerpt from Daisy's prom journal with more excerpts throughout the story. I liked the general flair that they added, but there was too many entries and they were too long in my opinion.
There was no one specific thing that I would caution readers concerning this book, but an overall advisement that it addresses drugs, drinking, easy girls, and what unfortunately is typical teen drama and topics. And the book overall is for entertainment with no real moral to the story. I personally would not have my daughters read it and if anyone else was to let their girls read it I would highly recommend it for only older teens girls; probably 16 and up.
BOOK OVERVIEW:
The countdown to prom has begun. Daisy Crispin has 196 days to find the right date for the prom. There's only one problem--her parents won't let her date or even talk to a guy on the phone. Oh, and she's totally invisible at school, wears lame homemade clothes, and possesses no social skills. Okay, so maybe there's more than one problem.
From bestselling author Kristin Billerbeck comes Perfectly Dateless, a hilariously endearing story about a regular high school girl, trying to fit in. Readers will fall in love with Daisy's sharp wit and resourcefulness as she navigates the world of boys, fashion, family, and friendship.
Can Daisy talk her parents into letting her go to the prom? Or will they succeed at their obvious attempts to completely ruin her life?
* * * * *
This review copy was provided courtesy of Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, who offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life. They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet. For more information, visit .
If you liked the movie Napoleon Dynamite then you will like this novel aimed at teen girls. However, I thought that Napoleon Dynamite was rather pointless and that's how I feel about this book as well. There was a lot of drama, and some humor, too, but not a lot of clear purpose.
I liked the theme - conservative parents at odds with their generally well-behaved teen daughter. But there was so many other issues and characters packed into this book that it was hard to follow along at points.
The book begins with an excerpt from Daisy's prom journal with more excerpts throughout the story. I liked the general flair that they added, but there was too many entries and they were too long in my opinion.
There was no one specific thing that I would caution readers concerning this book, but an overall advisement that it addresses drugs, drinking, easy girls, and what unfortunately is typical teen drama and topics. And the book overall is for entertainment with no real moral to the story. I personally would not have my daughters read it and if anyone else was to let their girls read it I would highly recommend it for only older teens girls; probably 16 and up.
BOOK OVERVIEW:
The countdown to prom has begun. Daisy Crispin has 196 days to find the right date for the prom. There's only one problem--her parents won't let her date or even talk to a guy on the phone. Oh, and she's totally invisible at school, wears lame homemade clothes, and possesses no social skills. Okay, so maybe there's more than one problem.
From bestselling author Kristin Billerbeck comes Perfectly Dateless, a hilariously endearing story about a regular high school girl, trying to fit in. Readers will fall in love with Daisy's sharp wit and resourcefulness as she navigates the world of boys, fashion, family, and friendship.
Can Daisy talk her parents into letting her go to the prom? Or will they succeed at their obvious attempts to completely ruin her life?
* * * * *
This review copy was provided courtesy of Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, who offers practical books that bring the Christian faith to everyday life. They publish resources from a variety of well-known brands and authors, including their partnership with MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) and Hungry Planet. For more information, visit .
April 9, 2013
I don't often give one stars. You have to really, really upset me in some way for me to give your book one star. But this book was such a mess.
It started off cute - the opening chapters were full of fun, snappy one-liners and descriptions that made me smile.
I could even handle the absolutely, completely insane parents because Daisy seemed normal and was bucking against their totally, over-the-top controlling ways. (I'm a big, big believer in free will. I believe you teach your children, you set guidelines for them, you lead by example, you tell them what correct principles/morals are, but then you let them, as teenagers, be prepared to become an adult and make their own choices. I think trying to control them and FORCE them to be the way you want them to be, even if you think your ways are right, is the worst thing you can do as a parent. Children will rebel. Authoritarian parents like this either have children who are totally rebellious or kids whose spirits have been completely broken.)
The "triangle" is stupid. No time is really spent with either boy. The ending is beyond ridiculous - her parents magically change for no reason, and she also magically changes and goes from wanting her own life to deciding her parents are right about everything and prom's not important and dating's not important and boys aren't important. She also gets self-righteous and judgmental over things it turns out she knows nothing about. A character I'd admired became one I no longer wanted to read about. Daisy's brilliant and loves science, but now has no plans to go after a degree from a university, but to attend some local religious school instead, forget about neuroscience and just marry a pastor like her daddy wants.
Just awful.
It started off cute - the opening chapters were full of fun, snappy one-liners and descriptions that made me smile.
I could even handle the absolutely, completely insane parents because Daisy seemed normal and was bucking against their totally, over-the-top controlling ways. (I'm a big, big believer in free will. I believe you teach your children, you set guidelines for them, you lead by example, you tell them what correct principles/morals are, but then you let them, as teenagers, be prepared to become an adult and make their own choices. I think trying to control them and FORCE them to be the way you want them to be, even if you think your ways are right, is the worst thing you can do as a parent. Children will rebel. Authoritarian parents like this either have children who are totally rebellious or kids whose spirits have been completely broken.)
The "triangle" is stupid. No time is really spent with either boy. The ending is beyond ridiculous - her parents magically change for no reason, and she also magically changes and goes from wanting her own life to deciding her parents are right about everything and prom's not important and dating's not important and boys aren't important. She also gets self-righteous and judgmental over things it turns out she knows nothing about. A character I'd admired became one I no longer wanted to read about. Daisy's brilliant and loves science, but now has no plans to go after a degree from a university, but to attend some local religious school instead, forget about neuroscience and just marry a pastor like her daddy wants.
Just awful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 10, 2012
Daisy wants to go to prom, but it's not as easy as that. Daisy is a young Christian girl who has parents that have interesting view on how to live life. They are ridiculously strict and won't allow her to shop at certain stores. She can only wear homemade clothes and her parents won't let her talk to boys because she is only allowed to "court" not date. Because she is invisible at school, Daisy decides she wants to go out with a bang. She wants to go to prom with a boy. But, all of her attempts to make this happen turn into catastrophe and she ends up with serious consequences.
I don't think I've ever given a book only one star before, but this one just wasn't the book for me. It seemed like the author tried to add humor to the stressful situations the character encountered, but instead, all the dialogue and jokes came across as confusing. There were multiple times in the book where I had to read a sentence multiple times and still didn't get what was trying to be said, or I couldn't follow a conversation between the characters at all. The writing was poor quality. The characters were a bit inconsistent and things were written about as if the reader knew about them, without any introduction or prior mention. While the storyline was laughable (Daisy's parents were kookier than kooky)all of the elements just didn't work together. I also felt that the descriptions of Daisy's parents, while meant to be funny, just ended up making Christians sound crazy.
I don't think I've ever given a book only one star before, but this one just wasn't the book for me. It seemed like the author tried to add humor to the stressful situations the character encountered, but instead, all the dialogue and jokes came across as confusing. There were multiple times in the book where I had to read a sentence multiple times and still didn't get what was trying to be said, or I couldn't follow a conversation between the characters at all. The writing was poor quality. The characters were a bit inconsistent and things were written about as if the reader knew about them, without any introduction or prior mention. While the storyline was laughable (Daisy's parents were kookier than kooky)all of the elements just didn't work together. I also felt that the descriptions of Daisy's parents, while meant to be funny, just ended up making Christians sound crazy.
April 16, 2021
"1 out of 5 stars. I must be a part of the group of people who have misunderstood this book since I just didn't like it at all. I dunno, I mean the message of the book was good. And don't get me wrong I have read some Christian fiction books before and there were a few that I did like. But this one rubbed me the wrong way I guess. I really can't stand "preachy" books and Daisy's parents were very "preachy". However, I will admit that ..."
Read more of this review and a TEASER here:
Read more of this review and a TEASER here:
April 14, 2011
I really like this author, so I was really unhappy about this book. First of all, I hate love triangles! Second, I hate when the guy you like is the bad guy!!! And then she ends up with the guy who is only briefly in the book! AHH! I like her other books better.
May 25, 2013
I downloaded this as a free read on my kindle last night. I'm so glad I didn't pay for it.
It's a terrible read in my opinion. The story is all over the place and poorly written. It has to be one of the top 5 of the most boring books I've ever read.
It's a terrible read in my opinion. The story is all over the place and poorly written. It has to be one of the top 5 of the most boring books I've ever read.
May 10, 2013
Cute quick read. Although the beginning was boring, it made up for it in the end.
September 12, 2019
I wanted to give this book more of a chance than a chapter and a half, but I couldn't do it. I already know I can't stand Daisy or her mother (I hadn't read far enough to decide anything about her father).
Daisy is whiny, irritating, and shallow. I get that teenagers tend to fixate on stupid, insignificant things, but I'd hoped when I picked up the book that Daisy might have more substance than believing her whole life revolved around whether or not she was considered cool by kids she doesn't particularly like.
Daisy's mom was ridiculous. As someone who grew up in a fairly strict Christian home, I know what it's like to have rules I thought were stupid at the time. I also know that there were actual logical reasons for those rules. Daisy's mom just twists Christianity to try to support her wacky rules and it winds up sounding insane.
Yes, God does see our hearts. In no way does that mean it's wrong to shop at a store like Ambercrombie. I could have respected her a little if she talked about it being worldly or immodest or some actual legitimate Christian concern. A store name being on a shirt is not a moral issue. It's just stupid to suggest that it is.
The other little gem that bugged me was when she says "Christians aren't of this world, Daisy. We're not supposed to fit in easily."
First of all, doesn't Daisy go to a Christian school? For a Christian, it's okay to fit in in a Christian environment. Second, when the Bible talks about us 'not fitting in', God never intended for us to intentionally try to stick out. It's talking about how godly things stand out -spiritually -in a sinful world. It's not talking about where we buy our clothes.
Honestly, I was half expecting her to come out with something like Daisy only being able to wear pink and not blue because God told Noah to build the Ark. Her rules made about that much sense.
Books like this seriously irritate me. No, Christians are not crazy the way they are presented here.
Daisy is whiny, irritating, and shallow. I get that teenagers tend to fixate on stupid, insignificant things, but I'd hoped when I picked up the book that Daisy might have more substance than believing her whole life revolved around whether or not she was considered cool by kids she doesn't particularly like.
Daisy's mom was ridiculous. As someone who grew up in a fairly strict Christian home, I know what it's like to have rules I thought were stupid at the time. I also know that there were actual logical reasons for those rules. Daisy's mom just twists Christianity to try to support her wacky rules and it winds up sounding insane.
Yes, God does see our hearts. In no way does that mean it's wrong to shop at a store like Ambercrombie. I could have respected her a little if she talked about it being worldly or immodest or some actual legitimate Christian concern. A store name being on a shirt is not a moral issue. It's just stupid to suggest that it is.
The other little gem that bugged me was when she says "Christians aren't of this world, Daisy. We're not supposed to fit in easily."
First of all, doesn't Daisy go to a Christian school? For a Christian, it's okay to fit in in a Christian environment. Second, when the Bible talks about us 'not fitting in', God never intended for us to intentionally try to stick out. It's talking about how godly things stand out -spiritually -in a sinful world. It's not talking about where we buy our clothes.
Honestly, I was half expecting her to come out with something like Daisy only being able to wear pink and not blue because God told Noah to build the Ark. Her rules made about that much sense.
Books like this seriously irritate me. No, Christians are not crazy the way they are presented here.
May 5, 2024
This is my first teen fiction read after a decade, and it made me nostalgic about my own teen life LOL.
Its an entertaining read, full of hilarious banters. I hated that Daisy was surrounded by toxic people —her parents, Claire, Chase. Yeah yeah i know there were some character development�
Girl was a gaslighter-magnet i tell you that.
Id say her bff was the one of the main villain, downplaying her suspicions of Chase just for the sake of having her by her side during prom. Making everything about her. She’s also part of Daisys top 3 worst critics after her parents so that says a lot.
I also dont mean to be that person but Gil, her 24-year-old boss gives me the ick. Looking at her legs? Hugging her? Giving dating advice to a 17-year old? Mans pulling a Drake move. The fact that one of her colleagues jokingly pointed out that “her boss has a crush on her� confirmed my suspicions of the seemingly icky friendliness towards Daisy.
December 29, 2020
This book was mostly dialogue and very little of it sounded like anything I have ever heard in real life. It was also horribly disjointed and confusing at points. On top of of that, the main character is taught some horrible lessons by a horribly contrived disaster, her horrible parents, her horrible "best friend" and a boy who seemed like little more than a cameo until we're told he's "the one."
July 21, 2018
So very, very good
Great insight into the lives and minds of high school females. Turns out, not much has changed since I was in high school, and a private Christian one at that, much like in this book. I truly didn’t see the climax and denouement coming; it’s been a while since I was caught off guard like that (in a good way)!
Recommended for female YA readers.
Great insight into the lives and minds of high school females. Turns out, not much has changed since I was in high school, and a private Christian one at that, much like in this book. I truly didn’t see the climax and denouement coming; it’s been a while since I was caught off guard like that (in a good way)!
Recommended for female YA readers.
February 28, 2020
2.5 Stars
Point blank: religion was mentioned 5000 times in this book. Who cares? It could have been mentioned once and that would have been good. It didn’t change anything, just made it super annoying to read.
Point blank: religion was mentioned 5000 times in this book. Who cares? It could have been mentioned once and that would have been good. It didn’t change anything, just made it super annoying to read.
February 7, 2018
Meh. Needed a better editor. And... well, not for me.
February 6, 2019
Honestly, I was not impressed. I thought this would be a cute, fun read. It didn’t keep my attention at all, the parents were so overbearing. It was a lot of back and forth. Not my favorite.
July 10, 2019
this singlehandedly redefined “wild�
May 9, 2022
yeah... no. her parents were horrid but then boom and they suddenly turn around?! completely lacking a plot-line. The Chase-Max thing was just confusing. Urghhh. A waste of time
August 15, 2024
It was hard to follow the storyline.
March 15, 2025
Woo hoo!!! I won this in the Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ giveaways! I'm so excited and I can't wait to read it.
May 15, 2020
A fun read, but the ending felt quite rushed and random. Why did Max suddenly come back with no explanation, after ignoring her for months? Will Chase be brought to justice? Did he drug Amber? Wtf happened !?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2010
Perfectly Dateless by Kristin Billerbeck is a YA (Young Adult) novel about a high school senior named Daisy who is determined to find a date for the prom, despite her low social status. In an often amusing story, Billerbeck shows that she’s in touch with teen culture, even if her tale derails at the end.
Daisy Crispin lives in a world controlled entirely by her parents, who do not permit her to date or talk on the phone to boys. They have committed her to marriage by courtship. Not only that, but Daisy is forced to wear clothes homesewn by her mother to her elite Christian high school in California. As if that isn’t bad enough (I mean, her clothes alone practically spell “social outcast�), Daisy feels invisible at her high school and her church youth group. Despite her circumstances, Daisy has hope that she will make it to the crowning event of her high school experiencer–her senior high school prom. She records her thoughts on prom, potential dates, and the like in her pink, frilly prom journal.
While I thought this book might mirror my own Christian high school dorkdom, it was far from my own life. In fact, my small school didn’t even have a prom; we had a junior/senior banquet (no dancing) and a dress code that eventually matriculated into uniforms. As far as I’m concerned, Daisy has it made, except her for the fact her parents don’t allow her to experience any sort of freedom in Christ. Daisy’s eccentric parents change their attitudes towards the end of the book with little explanation, which just seems like poor plot planning. Also, while the book appears to be a whimsical read, cutting is mentioned and there is a huge plot turn involving roofies and implied date rape. Is this a serious book or the equivalent of chick lit for teens? I don’t know because the “serious� parts seem terribly out of place putting a dark backdrop on a pleasant little read.
The truth about life as a Christian teenager, like cliques and bullying prove that Billerbeck knows teens. Yet the plot derails towards the last third of the book, which is a big disappointment for this reader. And the characters don’t seem all that realistic. Even as a teenage girl and youth leader, I never met boys who were quite so open with in declaring their feelings to girls, especially weird girls. Daisy’s best friend, Claire, seems more like a mean girl than a gal pal. Plus, how did these kids not get expelled from Christian school for throwing a wild party that involved both drinking and drugs?
Even for a YA book, Perfectly Dateless is entirely unbelievable with a shoddy plot development and undeveloped characters. And this is the thing—the book started out great; it just ended poorly.
Daisy Crispin lives in a world controlled entirely by her parents, who do not permit her to date or talk on the phone to boys. They have committed her to marriage by courtship. Not only that, but Daisy is forced to wear clothes homesewn by her mother to her elite Christian high school in California. As if that isn’t bad enough (I mean, her clothes alone practically spell “social outcast�), Daisy feels invisible at her high school and her church youth group. Despite her circumstances, Daisy has hope that she will make it to the crowning event of her high school experiencer–her senior high school prom. She records her thoughts on prom, potential dates, and the like in her pink, frilly prom journal.
While I thought this book might mirror my own Christian high school dorkdom, it was far from my own life. In fact, my small school didn’t even have a prom; we had a junior/senior banquet (no dancing) and a dress code that eventually matriculated into uniforms. As far as I’m concerned, Daisy has it made, except her for the fact her parents don’t allow her to experience any sort of freedom in Christ. Daisy’s eccentric parents change their attitudes towards the end of the book with little explanation, which just seems like poor plot planning. Also, while the book appears to be a whimsical read, cutting is mentioned and there is a huge plot turn involving roofies and implied date rape. Is this a serious book or the equivalent of chick lit for teens? I don’t know because the “serious� parts seem terribly out of place putting a dark backdrop on a pleasant little read.
The truth about life as a Christian teenager, like cliques and bullying prove that Billerbeck knows teens. Yet the plot derails towards the last third of the book, which is a big disappointment for this reader. And the characters don’t seem all that realistic. Even as a teenage girl and youth leader, I never met boys who were quite so open with in declaring their feelings to girls, especially weird girls. Daisy’s best friend, Claire, seems more like a mean girl than a gal pal. Plus, how did these kids not get expelled from Christian school for throwing a wild party that involved both drinking and drugs?
Even for a YA book, Perfectly Dateless is entirely unbelievable with a shoddy plot development and undeveloped characters. And this is the thing—the book started out great; it just ended poorly.
July 8, 2010
There were some things I enjoyed about this book and some...not so much. I loved how weird Daisy was, but not how she talked to her mother and father. I've met some rude teens in my life, but whoa, is this one more rude than most, and not just in her thoughts. It was like a Christian version of Rosanne. Remember that TV show? Anyway, I'm not all that into fashion and never have been, so some of the vanity stuff and importance of looking good in all the right brands went right over my head.
On the other hand, the whole thing with her life being a wreck was pretty fun to read, and her desire to be noticed as she experienced typical teen issues closely resembled my recollection of high school. The Christian humor was classic and will definitely be universally misunderstood if read my non-Christian teens. But that was part of what made it funny. Loved the journal rants and the author's "voice," too. This author has a quit wit with her dialog and snappy comebacks.
The overall style of the book was so classic Billerbeck. That was one of the things I liked best about it. This comment probably seems out of balance since I mentioned above what I didn't like, but that wasn't my intent. I admire Kristin's accomplishments as an author and her writing in particular, so I don't want this review taken the wrong way. Perfectly Dateless was a quick read and had some great insight, which I've come to expect from Kristin's novels. I loved the mini-sleuthing that was part of the plot, and the whole deception with the boy that she had her eyes on. Would loved to have seen a continuing storyline with her boss, Gil. The reaction from her peers to her makeover at the salon was completely skimmed over, too.
Regardless, I loved how that all worked out in the end and how Daisy learned some important things in the process. But then the book was finished right when something really cool just happened (if I mention it then it will be a spoiler.) I looked inside the novel and saw no mention of a sequel. Ack! It felt so NOT over, but yet it was. Even a few more chapters would've tickled me as pink as the gorgeous cover.
I would really love to see more of this story, but fear that this will be a one book wonder. Wah! Now that I'm done fussing, I will say again that this story was pretty good, though I'm thinking overall I like Kristin's style better as a straight chick lit author, than YA. You can be as snarky as you want with your adult friends and somehow that just comes off in a better light. That said, I'll be looking for more from this author.
On the other hand, the whole thing with her life being a wreck was pretty fun to read, and her desire to be noticed as she experienced typical teen issues closely resembled my recollection of high school. The Christian humor was classic and will definitely be universally misunderstood if read my non-Christian teens. But that was part of what made it funny. Loved the journal rants and the author's "voice," too. This author has a quit wit with her dialog and snappy comebacks.
The overall style of the book was so classic Billerbeck. That was one of the things I liked best about it. This comment probably seems out of balance since I mentioned above what I didn't like, but that wasn't my intent. I admire Kristin's accomplishments as an author and her writing in particular, so I don't want this review taken the wrong way. Perfectly Dateless was a quick read and had some great insight, which I've come to expect from Kristin's novels. I loved the mini-sleuthing that was part of the plot, and the whole deception with the boy that she had her eyes on. Would loved to have seen a continuing storyline with her boss, Gil. The reaction from her peers to her makeover at the salon was completely skimmed over, too.
Regardless, I loved how that all worked out in the end and how Daisy learned some important things in the process. But then the book was finished right when something really cool just happened (if I mention it then it will be a spoiler.) I looked inside the novel and saw no mention of a sequel. Ack! It felt so NOT over, but yet it was. Even a few more chapters would've tickled me as pink as the gorgeous cover.
I would really love to see more of this story, but fear that this will be a one book wonder. Wah! Now that I'm done fussing, I will say again that this story was pretty good, though I'm thinking overall I like Kristin's style better as a straight chick lit author, than YA. You can be as snarky as you want with your adult friends and somehow that just comes off in a better light. That said, I'll be looking for more from this author.
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