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Author
O'Dell Hutchison
Publisher
CreateSpace

3 Review Copies Left

High school is NOT for sissies... Fourteen-year-old Daisy barely made it through middle school. After three years of being constantly taunted and bullied, she’s decided it’s time for a change. It all begins with a list of things she feels she needs: a best friend, popularity, a boyfriend, a first kiss, a spot on the cheerleading squad, and most importantly, boobs. With list in hand, Daisy just knows she will make a huge splash at Glenmark High, and her days of being miserable will be over. The splash she makes isn’t exactly what she was going for, and after a disastrous first day, she is ready to throw in the towel. It only takes a chance meeting with sophomore Russel Bryan, her grade school crush, to change everything. Soon, Daisy finds herself hanging out with the popular girls, preparing to try out for a spot on the cheerleading squad and looking forward to the homecoming dance. Just when things start to look up for her, a betrayal by a new friend shatters everything she had hoped for. With her reputation on the line and the threat of a family secret being revealed, Daisy decides to take things into her own hands. It may not be her destiny to be popular, but she is done being taken advantage of. Part "Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret" and part "Mean Girls", "All About Daisy" is a hilarious and touching coming of age story that will have you cheering for the underdog. Visit Daisy's blog at daisyrosebrown.com

Reviews

High School was the time for change, Daisy Rose Brown had plans, well a list of things she wanted to accomplish her freshman year at Glenmark High. Some of the things on the list were admittedly just dreams, but some should be attainable with work and some luck, she just didn’t want to be invisible anymore. First day of school did not start well, running late because of having multiple embarrassing accidents, missteps and mistakes that her middle school tormentor took advantage of but that also introduced Daisy to Ms. Reed, the only bright spot of the day. As the year got underway, things really started to look up when Russel Bryan, Daisy’s middle school crush, started talking to her and then so did popular girls Meghan and Cyndi. Well on her way to checking off several items from her list, Daisy was enjoying her new found popularity and friends when suddenly things changed again. Between mean girls, ignorant parents and a naive Daisy, she grows up a little when she learns some hard lessons, not in a schoolroom.

As high school students go, Daisy Rose Brown is very relatable. Seeing the different types of bullying take and adult reader (me anyway) right back to high school. Hard to sometimes remember that this is the type of situation some of our young ladies have to deal with, or worse. This book is tagged as a Young Adult, it is about young adults, she may be only 14, but with the occasional language and some of the content, the older end of the young adults would be more appropriate, in my opinion.

This story is slow going, lots of set up time and then the truly terrible moments are done with quickly. Several significant things happen to Daisy, both the good and the bad kind. After she had finally had enough, her outburst is enviable in it’s simplicity and effectiveness. Enjoyed the emotions of it, just wish the emotions could have come through earlier, had to wait nearly 300 pages to get to the good stuff. The author tells of a next installment to the Daisy Rose Brown series and gives a website (which I have not yet visited). Turned out to be pretty good coming of age type story that I would be willing to read the next one of.

Reviewed on 04/15/2011 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Debbie Berry

Daisy is excited about starting high school. She has been a loner with no friends, except for her neighbor Margaret. All this is going to change. She sets up a Facebook account and a personal blog, where she lists all of her goals for the school year.

Her first day of school was not a memorable one, and just like junior high, she is made fun of, especially by her enemy, Genesia. She leaves school early, and the school’s sectary, Ms. Reed takes her shopping for the school uniforms and some personal products.

Daisy’s luck starts to change as the handsome Russell Bryan, her grade school crush, starts to talk to her. Soon, she is hanging out with two popular girls, Meghan and Cyndi. Daisy tries out for the cheerleading squad, and has a slumber party. Everything is going great, until she learns that Meghan has an agenda.

Over the last two years I have read dozens of books by independent writers. A few have been good, some were average and others were not that great. All About Daisy is my favorite review so far. O’Dell Hutchison has done a marvelous job creating a realistic high school plot, and proves that a male writer can successfully write from the point-of-view of a female character. The book sets up for a sequel, which I can’t wait to read. I recommend All About Daisy to teens and adult readers.

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All About Daisy: Daisy Rose Brown - Book One

Reviews

Reviewed on 04/15/2011 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Debbie Berry

Reviewed on 03/06/2011 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Billy Burgess

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