What do you think?
Rate this book
How to Be Bad
When you're tired of being good, sometimes you gotta be a little bad ...
Jesse, Vicks and Mel couldn't be more different. Jesse, a righteous Southern gal who's as thoughtful as she is uptight, is keeping a secret that she knows will change her life forever. Vicks is a wild child: seemingly cool, calm and collected on the outside, but inside she's furious at herself for being so anxious about her neglectful boyfriend. And Mel is the new girl in town. She's already been dismissed as just another rich kid, but all she wants is to get over some of her fears and find some true friends.
But for all their differences, the girls discover they've got one thing in common - they're desperate to escape. Desperate to get the heck out of Niceville and discover their true 'badass' selves! Even if it's just for the weekend ... One 'borrowed' car later, it's time to hit the road and head for Miami. Hearts will be broken, friendships will be tested, and a ridiculously hot stranger could change the course of everything.
Jesse, Vicks and Mel couldn't be more different. Jesse, a righteous Southern gal who's as thoughtful as she is uptight, is keeping a secret that she knows will change her life forever. Vicks is a wild child: seemingly cool, calm and collected on the outside, but inside she's furious at herself for being so anxious about her neglectful boyfriend. And Mel is the new girl in town. She's already been dismissed as just another rich kid, but all she wants is to get over some of her fears and find some true friends.
But for all their differences, the girls discover they've got one thing in common - they're desperate to escape. Desperate to get the heck out of Niceville and discover their true 'badass' selves! Even if it's just for the weekend ... One 'borrowed' car later, it's time to hit the road and head for Miami. Hearts will be broken, friendships will be tested, and a ridiculously hot stranger could change the course of everything.
325 pages, Paperback
First published May 6, 2008
About the author
E. Lockhart
25 books15.3k followersE. Lockhart is the author of Again Again, Genuine Fraud, We Were Liars and Family of Liars, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, and several other books. Whistle: A New Gotham CIty Hero is a graphic novel.
website: www.emilylockhart.com
Instagram: elockhartbooks
Twitter: elockhart
website: www.emilylockhart.com
Instagram: elockhartbooks
Twitter: elockhart
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 555 reviews
July 5, 2016
There's something about this that was so 2006, but I really enjoyed the mix of personalities and the humour. What I didn't like was all the slut shaming, and how the religious character is painted to be some annoying girl who stopped the others having fun. It's hard to get round the stereotypes with religion in books and this one fell at every hurdle. Everyone's own opinions and thoughts just weren't mutually respected, and it ruined the story for me.
February 10, 2017
Cred că până și Căutând-o pe Alaska e o carte mai ok decât asta.
În primul rând, pornește de la o teză stupidă, prin care cuvântul "rea" din titlu se referă de fapt la "curajoasă". Protagonistele sunt trei adolescente de 17 ani din Florida, care pornesc într-un road trip spre Miami. Singurul motiv pentru care am vrut să citesc această carte e faptul că E. Lockhart e co-autoare, însă m-a dezamăgit, dacă nu chiar dezgustat, profund. Fiecare dintre autoare a scris capitolele pentru una dintre protagoniste: Vicks, Jesse și Mel. Personajul care mi-a plăcut cel mai mult a fost Mel, tipul bogătașei evreice, care se integrează super greu în grup la început, iar cel mai puțin mi-a plăcut de Jesse, tipul fanaticei religioase, inflexibilă și foarte judgmental. Cu Vicks m-am putut conecta puțin, datorită faptului că rolul întregii călătorii este acela de a-l vizita pe iubitul ei, Brady, la facultate - căci acesta nu o căutase deloc după plecarea sa, ei fiind de aproape un an împreună. Cele trei fete sunt colege de muncă iar aventura lor durează un weekend întreg. Pe parcursul călătoriei, ele vizitează diferite obiective turistice, Mel cea timidă se îndrăgostește de un tip, Jesse are propria ei luptă interioară iar Vicks se gândește doar la faptul că iubitul ei o înșală cu o majoretă în campus.
Nu am regăsit nicio temă abordată mai profund, nimic care să-mi stârnească cu adevărat interesul legat de această carte. Finalul e unul fericit și vrea să ne arate cât de multe lucruri au învățat cele trei fete pe parcursul călătoriei lor. Cartea a fost inițial publicată în 2008 și mi se pare lipsită de actualitate, pur și simplu o pierdere de timp. Pe bune, nu vă atingeți de această carte, dacă vă așteptați să găsiți ceva original, care să vă inspire. Cred că cea mai importantă chestie pe care am învățat-o e că dacă îți place un anumit autor, stilul său de scriere nu e musai să se păstreze și în colaborările pe care acesta le are cu alți autori. Carte de duzină, regret că am citit-o.
În primul rând, pornește de la o teză stupidă, prin care cuvântul "rea" din titlu se referă de fapt la "curajoasă". Protagonistele sunt trei adolescente de 17 ani din Florida, care pornesc într-un road trip spre Miami. Singurul motiv pentru care am vrut să citesc această carte e faptul că E. Lockhart e co-autoare, însă m-a dezamăgit, dacă nu chiar dezgustat, profund. Fiecare dintre autoare a scris capitolele pentru una dintre protagoniste: Vicks, Jesse și Mel. Personajul care mi-a plăcut cel mai mult a fost Mel, tipul bogătașei evreice, care se integrează super greu în grup la început, iar cel mai puțin mi-a plăcut de Jesse, tipul fanaticei religioase, inflexibilă și foarte judgmental. Cu Vicks m-am putut conecta puțin, datorită faptului că rolul întregii călătorii este acela de a-l vizita pe iubitul ei, Brady, la facultate - căci acesta nu o căutase deloc după plecarea sa, ei fiind de aproape un an împreună. Cele trei fete sunt colege de muncă iar aventura lor durează un weekend întreg. Pe parcursul călătoriei, ele vizitează diferite obiective turistice, Mel cea timidă se îndrăgostește de un tip, Jesse are propria ei luptă interioară iar Vicks se gândește doar la faptul că iubitul ei o înșală cu o majoretă în campus.
Nu am regăsit nicio temă abordată mai profund, nimic care să-mi stârnească cu adevărat interesul legat de această carte. Finalul e unul fericit și vrea să ne arate cât de multe lucruri au învățat cele trei fete pe parcursul călătoriei lor. Cartea a fost inițial publicată în 2008 și mi se pare lipsită de actualitate, pur și simplu o pierdere de timp. Pe bune, nu vă atingeți de această carte, dacă vă așteptați să găsiți ceva original, care să vă inspire. Cred că cea mai importantă chestie pe care am învățat-o e că dacă îți place un anumit autor, stilul său de scriere nu e musai să se păstreze și în colaborările pe care acesta le are cu alți autori. Carte de duzină, regret că am citit-o.
December 23, 2015
I read How to Be Bad whilst on holiday and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a perfect light/fluffy read to get me in the mood for summer!
- How to Be Bad follows the story of three teenage girls who decide to go on a road trip. The aim of the trip is to visit one of the girls boyfriends whom she is having issues with but as with all plans things happen and they all go on a bit of an adventure. Trips to Disney, Pirate Restaurants and even fighting an alligator - the three girls discover a lot about themselves and the strength of their friendship builds and grows over the course of the novel.
- I really loved the relatable and real feel to this novel. All three of the girls are extremely different personalities and I felt connected to each of them in different ways. The fact that the three authors each wrote the three of the girls in the novel really added to the feeling of entering the separate minds of these characters. It was lovely to see how much the characters had changed emotionally throughout the novel - not only towards each other but towards themselves as well.
- The adventure and excitement surrounding the road trip was great - I could totally imagine myself and my friends having an equally eventful and memorable road trip back when we were teenagers. The authors didn't sugar-coat things, they left that rawness in - any young person reading this novel will know that life is not a bed of roses and most of the time things happen and those things suck - I liked how the authors kept it real and relatable.
- The pace was great and I read the book over a couple of days - I would highly recommend to anyone who is looking for a summery read or anyone who loves a good road trip!
- 3.5 out of 5 stars and I look forward to picking up more from these authors!
- How to Be Bad follows the story of three teenage girls who decide to go on a road trip. The aim of the trip is to visit one of the girls boyfriends whom she is having issues with but as with all plans things happen and they all go on a bit of an adventure. Trips to Disney, Pirate Restaurants and even fighting an alligator - the three girls discover a lot about themselves and the strength of their friendship builds and grows over the course of the novel.
- I really loved the relatable and real feel to this novel. All three of the girls are extremely different personalities and I felt connected to each of them in different ways. The fact that the three authors each wrote the three of the girls in the novel really added to the feeling of entering the separate minds of these characters. It was lovely to see how much the characters had changed emotionally throughout the novel - not only towards each other but towards themselves as well.
- The adventure and excitement surrounding the road trip was great - I could totally imagine myself and my friends having an equally eventful and memorable road trip back when we were teenagers. The authors didn't sugar-coat things, they left that rawness in - any young person reading this novel will know that life is not a bed of roses and most of the time things happen and those things suck - I liked how the authors kept it real and relatable.
- The pace was great and I read the book over a couple of days - I would highly recommend to anyone who is looking for a summery read or anyone who loves a good road trip!
- 3.5 out of 5 stars and I look forward to picking up more from these authors!
December 22, 2016
I enjoyed this book more than We Were Liars which makes me think that I should lower the stars to that book(?). But I don't know if it's me but the style of that author it's quite boring, I wanted to give it another chance but ugh...I felt like I could never finish the book and a page was like a whole bible.
August 17, 2023
Of course, we are not talking about Shakespeare, not even about Hemingway, but this book deserves losing some hours. A three-hands writing isn't the simplest target, the adjacent final chapters do increase the value of the novel, so does , in my opinion, the happy-ending. Therefore, you have to bad in order to become good...
PS: Forget about Hemingway.
PS: Forget about Hemingway.
September 12, 2017
I adore road-trip books and this one is no exception. All of the characters were unique and offered different perspectives on the story, I often dislike books that cover multiple points of view however I found this one refreshing. Overall a lovely story which was complex enough to be intriguing yet simplistic enough to be easy to read.
March 11, 2016
So after reading Red Rising and having my mind pretty much blown, I felt the need to come back down to earth with a nice contemporary story. And this was a really nice contemporary story.
How To Be Bad is a road trip book (yay, road trips!) and is the story of three girls, who seemingly have very little in common, and yet decide to embark on a road trip to see one of their boyfriends who is away at university.
One of the things I really liked was that although the whole point of the road trip was to go and see Vicks’ boyfriend, romance didn’t overpower the plot. It was much more about the three girls, about their hopes and fears and aspirations and the way the three of them interacted with each other. The three girls all work at the Waffle House in Niceville, Florida (not a part of the world that you see a lot of books set in) and while they don’t initially have much in common (although Vicks and Jesse used to be friends, they’ve grown apart) their friendship grows and strengthens over the course of the novel.
The book was really well paced and kept me entertained throughout. Sometimes road trip books fall down a bit because there’s not enough going on in a car between two people to sustain a plot. Luckily, this wasn’t the case here. The girls encounter a hurricane, crash a house party and go to Disney, so there was plenty going on.
The three characters were so totally different and I think that’s another thing that made this novel really work for me. You could easily distinguish the three different voices of the authors in the characters they wrote. I especially liked Vicks, who was super cool and didn’t take crap from anybody. Mel was very sweet too, but I wasn’t as keen on Jesse. Wow, she really liked wearing her judgey-pants. There was not a single thing the other two girls did that she didn’t see fit to comment negatively on, in a *gasp* ‘What would God think??’ way. She was incredibly moralising, and while I think it’s fine for characters to have strong religious beliefs, I think it works better if, just as in real life, they’re not a dick about it.
I really liked other books by EE Lockhart and Sarah Mlyonowski, so I was really excited to read this one. I definitely delivered and while it didn’t have the bite or tension that some of their other books had, it was still definitely worth reading.
How To Be Bad is a road trip book (yay, road trips!) and is the story of three girls, who seemingly have very little in common, and yet decide to embark on a road trip to see one of their boyfriends who is away at university.
One of the things I really liked was that although the whole point of the road trip was to go and see Vicks’ boyfriend, romance didn’t overpower the plot. It was much more about the three girls, about their hopes and fears and aspirations and the way the three of them interacted with each other. The three girls all work at the Waffle House in Niceville, Florida (not a part of the world that you see a lot of books set in) and while they don’t initially have much in common (although Vicks and Jesse used to be friends, they’ve grown apart) their friendship grows and strengthens over the course of the novel.
The book was really well paced and kept me entertained throughout. Sometimes road trip books fall down a bit because there’s not enough going on in a car between two people to sustain a plot. Luckily, this wasn’t the case here. The girls encounter a hurricane, crash a house party and go to Disney, so there was plenty going on.
The three characters were so totally different and I think that’s another thing that made this novel really work for me. You could easily distinguish the three different voices of the authors in the characters they wrote. I especially liked Vicks, who was super cool and didn’t take crap from anybody. Mel was very sweet too, but I wasn’t as keen on Jesse. Wow, she really liked wearing her judgey-pants. There was not a single thing the other two girls did that she didn’t see fit to comment negatively on, in a *gasp* ‘What would God think??’ way. She was incredibly moralising, and while I think it’s fine for characters to have strong religious beliefs, I think it works better if, just as in real life, they’re not a dick about it.
I really liked other books by EE Lockhart and Sarah Mlyonowski, so I was really excited to read this one. I definitely delivered and while it didn’t have the bite or tension that some of their other books had, it was still definitely worth reading.
September 22, 2009
"How to Be Bad" is a collaborative effort of three YA authors out of which I am familiar with only one - E. Lockhart. In fact, her name on the cover is the only reason I picked up this book.
This is a story of three girls: Jesse - a strong willed and opinionated Christian with an air of trailer trashiness about her who just found out her mother has cancer; Vicks - a tomboyish and independednt amazon whose boyfriend recently started college and hasn't called her in two weeks; Mel - an insecure rich girl who has just moved from Canada and struggles to find real friends. The girls take a weekend trip down to Florida during which they fight, make mistakes, test their friendships and ultimately come to better understand themselves and each other.
This book was an interesting enough read, it kept me engaged from the beginning till the end. There were some touching and sweet moments, but overall there was nothing new or special about it. The theme had been successfully explored by other writers and the writing itself wasn't that memorable either. The book was written from 3 girls' POV. While in the beginning I was able to easily distinguish the "voices" of the narrators, by the end all 3 blended together. Not sure what exactly happened. Either one of the authors ended up writing the bulk of the book (and I am sure it wasn't E.Lockhart, I know she can do better than that) or it was heavily edited. Either way, it didn't work as well as it could have. Overall, a decent read, but not really memorable.
Reading challenge: #16
This is a story of three girls: Jesse - a strong willed and opinionated Christian with an air of trailer trashiness about her who just found out her mother has cancer; Vicks - a tomboyish and independednt amazon whose boyfriend recently started college and hasn't called her in two weeks; Mel - an insecure rich girl who has just moved from Canada and struggles to find real friends. The girls take a weekend trip down to Florida during which they fight, make mistakes, test their friendships and ultimately come to better understand themselves and each other.
This book was an interesting enough read, it kept me engaged from the beginning till the end. There were some touching and sweet moments, but overall there was nothing new or special about it. The theme had been successfully explored by other writers and the writing itself wasn't that memorable either. The book was written from 3 girls' POV. While in the beginning I was able to easily distinguish the "voices" of the narrators, by the end all 3 blended together. Not sure what exactly happened. Either one of the authors ended up writing the bulk of the book (and I am sure it wasn't E.Lockhart, I know she can do better than that) or it was heavily edited. Either way, it didn't work as well as it could have. Overall, a decent read, but not really memorable.
Reading challenge: #16
July 6, 2015
*This review also appears on my blog Genie In A Book*
4.5 stars
Thank you to the Five Mile Press for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
How to be Bad is a fun and enjoyable contemporary YA read with a road-trip, three very different workmates from The Waffle House and slightly eccentric storyline. I was really looking forward to this book from the outset, and what I hoped would be a fulfilling story of friendship, quirky moments and some truly funny pieces of dialogue was exactly what I got.
Having the three alternating perspectives written by each of the authors was a really great way to distinguish each narrative voice. In this book we have:
Jesse:
Don't even think about calling her 'Jess' (she hates it), along with anything 'sinful'. She'll refer to her mother as Mama and grandmother as Meemaw, censor words to come out with things like 'tightbottom' and can be self-righteous at times most of the time. Despite this, she does genuinely care about Vicks, and her prejudices over Mel at the start perhaps aren't there forever. It's definitely good to see character development in a contemporary novel, and in this case each of the three girls took their own journeys travelling to the same destination.
Vicks:
Vicks is sassy, strong, and almost the complete opposite to Jesse. Her boyfriend woes are part of the reason why the trio are going on the roadtrip in the first place, and she too is more complex than what may first appear. Chances are, people with that carefree, tough outer shell are really the most sensitive of all.
Mel:
She's the Canadian outsider looking in, who has the money but lacking the friends she really wants. She's quiet and doesn't have a lot of self-confidence at first, but perhaps someone else (a love interest perhaps? *hint hint*) can change that. She was a really sweet character, the mediator and the one who you really want to be happy.
Talk about mangoes, donuts, pirate hotels, flatulence and even Old Joe the alligator make this a novel with so many eccentricities which just work. The story progresses at a steady pace throughout, and what follows with the blow-ups, hurricanes and make-ups along the way makes this a compelling read. It's a book that will make you giggle, smile and swoon, with an ending which feels fitting. Another special feature is the extras at the back - including a list of songs to listen to which go with the book, a quiz, and background information on how the three authors came up with the idea to write this together; plus a reveal on who wrote what.
FINAL THOUGHTS
With an interesting set of characters and different take on the road-trip concept, How to be Bad kept me engaged from start to finish. The character development is well-executed and each author brings their own unique voice to the table which makes for a dynamic read. This book will take you on a fun ride from Niceville to Miami, hitting all the eventful pit-stops in between.
4.5 stars
Thank you to the Five Mile Press for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
How to be Bad is a fun and enjoyable contemporary YA read with a road-trip, three very different workmates from The Waffle House and slightly eccentric storyline. I was really looking forward to this book from the outset, and what I hoped would be a fulfilling story of friendship, quirky moments and some truly funny pieces of dialogue was exactly what I got.
Having the three alternating perspectives written by each of the authors was a really great way to distinguish each narrative voice. In this book we have:
Jesse:
Don't even think about calling her 'Jess' (she hates it), along with anything 'sinful'. She'll refer to her mother as Mama and grandmother as Meemaw, censor words to come out with things like 'tightbottom' and can be self-righteous at times most of the time. Despite this, she does genuinely care about Vicks, and her prejudices over Mel at the start perhaps aren't there forever. It's definitely good to see character development in a contemporary novel, and in this case each of the three girls took their own journeys travelling to the same destination.
Vicks:
Vicks is sassy, strong, and almost the complete opposite to Jesse. Her boyfriend woes are part of the reason why the trio are going on the roadtrip in the first place, and she too is more complex than what may first appear. Chances are, people with that carefree, tough outer shell are really the most sensitive of all.
Well. We are alive, we are here.
We are badass.
We have a duckling.
Mel:
She's the Canadian outsider looking in, who has the money but lacking the friends she really wants. She's quiet and doesn't have a lot of self-confidence at first, but perhaps someone else (a love interest perhaps? *hint hint*) can change that. She was a really sweet character, the mediator and the one who you really want to be happy.
We have left our families and their diseases and their worry and expectations. We left our school friends and out work friends and our jobs and our lives. We shook them all off to be here, speeding down the highway singing 'Suddenly I See' in the dark.
Talk about mangoes, donuts, pirate hotels, flatulence and even Old Joe the alligator make this a novel with so many eccentricities which just work. The story progresses at a steady pace throughout, and what follows with the blow-ups, hurricanes and make-ups along the way makes this a compelling read. It's a book that will make you giggle, smile and swoon, with an ending which feels fitting. Another special feature is the extras at the back - including a list of songs to listen to which go with the book, a quiz, and background information on how the three authors came up with the idea to write this together; plus a reveal on who wrote what.
FINAL THOUGHTS
With an interesting set of characters and different take on the road-trip concept, How to be Bad kept me engaged from start to finish. The character development is well-executed and each author brings their own unique voice to the table which makes for a dynamic read. This book will take you on a fun ride from Niceville to Miami, hitting all the eventful pit-stops in between.
March 25, 2017
Actual ratings: 3.25
"People should be true, People should be who they say they are."
"People should be true, People should be who they say they are."
June 28, 2015
Read more reviews at What Danielle Did Next
There’s something about summer that makes me crave light, fun reads about friendship, love and good times so when I spotted HOW TO BE BAD with that awesome cover, I knew it was just what I needed.
Despite the issues that can arise with multiple POVs, I adore getting to know a variety of characters intimately and feel that I can get so much more out of my reading experience. HOW TO BE BAD is written by three different authors, each taking a character which really excited me because of the added authenticity of each of the characters’ different personalities and stories.
Set in Florida, HOW TO BE BAD takes place at the end of another hot, sticky summer. Jesse, Vicks and Mel all work at the Waffle House and couldn’t be more different. Jesse lives in a trailer park with her mom who has just been diagnosed with cancer and Jesse clings to the Christian beliefs passed down by her Grandma as a way of comforting her through her fear of the unknown. Her best friend, Vicks has recently said goodbye to her boyfriend, Brady a freshman at college in Miami who has suddenly forgotten how to use the phone and Vicks is determined not to be one of “those girlfriends” obsessing over the wording in every little text. Mel, the new girl is desperate to fit in to her new home which couldn’t be more different than the Canadian landscape she left behind. When a suggested road trip to Miami is suggested, the three girls are thrown together for a weekend of discovery, heartbreak, healing and friendship that will change their outlook on life forever.
HOW TO BE BAD is the quintessential, light fluffy read that will capture your attention easily. Written in a fresh and authentic style, it captures the essence of female teen friendships, the idea of the seemingly endless summer and the adolescent panic of what’s lurking around the corner as Jesse, Vicks and Mel contend with the idea that independence with all its advantages and hardships is looming fast and that it’s not always a good thing.
Witty and fun with real emotion at its heart, HOW TO BE BAD is a pacy read that I enjoyed picking up and could get easily absorbed in no matter where I was. Each of the girls had realistic, distinctive voices and I felt the authors really captured their individual characteristics perfectly. My favourite character kept changing because of this and we really saw all sides to these girls – their kind hearts, infuriating habits and myriad of opinions.
Jesse was the most contentious and difficult to like at first. Honestly I felt her character was the most stereotypical especially with regards to her Christian values which I felt was a missed opportunity to show that not all Christians are narrow-minded, up-tight and all about wrath and hell-fire as it usually depicted in so many books. It was the one gripe I had with the book but honestly it turned out to be minor as Jesse showed some real growth throughout the book and I could understand the fear and uncertainty she was dealing with. Vicks is typically impulsive especially when she lets her emotions get the best of her which leads to a wide variety of hilarious situations and her character ensured the plot never lulled. Mel was my favourite character, by far. Sweet and uncertain, I loved how each situation pushed her further out of her comfort zone and how her confidence grew as the girls fought, laughed, made up and forged real bonds on the road.
Entertaining, light-hearted and the perfect addition to your Summer TBR, HOW TO BE BAD left me with a smile on my face and a yearning for my own little road-trip!
There’s something about summer that makes me crave light, fun reads about friendship, love and good times so when I spotted HOW TO BE BAD with that awesome cover, I knew it was just what I needed.
Despite the issues that can arise with multiple POVs, I adore getting to know a variety of characters intimately and feel that I can get so much more out of my reading experience. HOW TO BE BAD is written by three different authors, each taking a character which really excited me because of the added authenticity of each of the characters’ different personalities and stories.
Set in Florida, HOW TO BE BAD takes place at the end of another hot, sticky summer. Jesse, Vicks and Mel all work at the Waffle House and couldn’t be more different. Jesse lives in a trailer park with her mom who has just been diagnosed with cancer and Jesse clings to the Christian beliefs passed down by her Grandma as a way of comforting her through her fear of the unknown. Her best friend, Vicks has recently said goodbye to her boyfriend, Brady a freshman at college in Miami who has suddenly forgotten how to use the phone and Vicks is determined not to be one of “those girlfriends” obsessing over the wording in every little text. Mel, the new girl is desperate to fit in to her new home which couldn’t be more different than the Canadian landscape she left behind. When a suggested road trip to Miami is suggested, the three girls are thrown together for a weekend of discovery, heartbreak, healing and friendship that will change their outlook on life forever.
HOW TO BE BAD is the quintessential, light fluffy read that will capture your attention easily. Written in a fresh and authentic style, it captures the essence of female teen friendships, the idea of the seemingly endless summer and the adolescent panic of what’s lurking around the corner as Jesse, Vicks and Mel contend with the idea that independence with all its advantages and hardships is looming fast and that it’s not always a good thing.
Witty and fun with real emotion at its heart, HOW TO BE BAD is a pacy read that I enjoyed picking up and could get easily absorbed in no matter where I was. Each of the girls had realistic, distinctive voices and I felt the authors really captured their individual characteristics perfectly. My favourite character kept changing because of this and we really saw all sides to these girls – their kind hearts, infuriating habits and myriad of opinions.
Jesse was the most contentious and difficult to like at first. Honestly I felt her character was the most stereotypical especially with regards to her Christian values which I felt was a missed opportunity to show that not all Christians are narrow-minded, up-tight and all about wrath and hell-fire as it usually depicted in so many books. It was the one gripe I had with the book but honestly it turned out to be minor as Jesse showed some real growth throughout the book and I could understand the fear and uncertainty she was dealing with. Vicks is typically impulsive especially when she lets her emotions get the best of her which leads to a wide variety of hilarious situations and her character ensured the plot never lulled. Mel was my favourite character, by far. Sweet and uncertain, I loved how each situation pushed her further out of her comfort zone and how her confidence grew as the girls fought, laughed, made up and forged real bonds on the road.
Entertaining, light-hearted and the perfect addition to your Summer TBR, HOW TO BE BAD left me with a smile on my face and a yearning for my own little road-trip!
March 20, 2016
În curând și recenzia pe blog!
September 18, 2022
I have mixed feelings towards this book. I liked it, but there was also times where I didn't. One reason is that it started off really really slow. I liked that it involved a road trip.
May 7, 2017
** 3 BADASS STARS! **
This was okay, not great not rotten bad just okay!
It's nice how three people who couldn't be any more different, connect and create a friendship.
There is a case of insta-love which is annoying, I mean....how do authors think it's cute for characters to fall in love within the first few hours they meet someone?!
IT'S CRINGE NOT CUTE.
CRINGE.
NOT.
CUTE.
For the rest, it's a road trip story which I always love since I want to do one myself BADLY.
Talking about badly, the title of this is "How To Be Bad" but this book really doesn't apply to the title. It's more like teenagers going through puberty which was kinda annoying sometimes. Jesse and Vicks made me roll my eyes multiple times, Mel was the only one I tolerated throughout the whole book.
But still I did enjoy it enough to give it a 3-star rating.
This was okay, not great not rotten bad just okay!
It's nice how three people who couldn't be any more different, connect and create a friendship.
There is a case of insta-love which is annoying, I mean....how do authors think it's cute for characters to fall in love within the first few hours they meet someone?!
IT'S CRINGE NOT CUTE.
CRINGE.
NOT.
CUTE.
For the rest, it's a road trip story which I always love since I want to do one myself BADLY.
Talking about badly, the title of this is "How To Be Bad" but this book really doesn't apply to the title. It's more like teenagers going through puberty which was kinda annoying sometimes. Jesse and Vicks made me roll my eyes multiple times, Mel was the only one I tolerated throughout the whole book.
But still I did enjoy it enough to give it a 3-star rating.
July 4, 2015
3.5 stars.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2015/06/h...
I love adventure. Quirky road trips where not only discover themselves but that there is more to life beyond the trivial issues of being a teen. Jesse, Vicks and Mel are all unique characters in their own right. Jesse is religious and very judgmental, Vicks the party girl with the boyfriend and Mel is the wealthy quiet type who is just looking to make a friend. What sets out as a journey for Vicks to visit her boyfriend at collage, turns into an adventure of pirate themed hotels, the world's smallest police station and an urban legend in Old Joe. Each character is somewhat relatable, but Jesse tended to get on my nerves. She's painted as what could only be called trailer trash, but uses her beliefs to cast judgement upon others, especially Vicks and the two girls have drifted apart. She only agrees to allow Mel to tag along so she can pay for their fuel, food and accommodation, but loathes her for having wealth. She's a walking contradiction.
Vicks and Mel are more more engaging characters. I love Vicks and her brazen attitude. She's crass, but there is something incredibly genuine about her and she lured me into the storyline. But underneath the facade, she's terrified of reaching Miami and discovering Brady has met someone else. She jumps to conclusions but at that age, even the most confident teens still hold a certain level of self doubt. Unlike Jess, Vicks and Mel have a tentative bond between the two, leaving Jesse feeling hostile. But beyond the tension lies a fun and often flirtatious storyline of female bonding and an epic road trip of a life time.
Having loved We Were Liars and enjoyed The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks, How to Be Bad was a well written and fun teen read. E. Lockhart, Lauren Myracle and Sarah Mlynowski have crafted a seamless storyline from three different points of view that was not only engaging, but a great summer read. Really enjoyed it and excited to see what E. Lockhart is working on next.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2015/06/h...
I love adventure. Quirky road trips where not only discover themselves but that there is more to life beyond the trivial issues of being a teen. Jesse, Vicks and Mel are all unique characters in their own right. Jesse is religious and very judgmental, Vicks the party girl with the boyfriend and Mel is the wealthy quiet type who is just looking to make a friend. What sets out as a journey for Vicks to visit her boyfriend at collage, turns into an adventure of pirate themed hotels, the world's smallest police station and an urban legend in Old Joe. Each character is somewhat relatable, but Jesse tended to get on my nerves. She's painted as what could only be called trailer trash, but uses her beliefs to cast judgement upon others, especially Vicks and the two girls have drifted apart. She only agrees to allow Mel to tag along so she can pay for their fuel, food and accommodation, but loathes her for having wealth. She's a walking contradiction.
Vicks and Mel are more more engaging characters. I love Vicks and her brazen attitude. She's crass, but there is something incredibly genuine about her and she lured me into the storyline. But underneath the facade, she's terrified of reaching Miami and discovering Brady has met someone else. She jumps to conclusions but at that age, even the most confident teens still hold a certain level of self doubt. Unlike Jess, Vicks and Mel have a tentative bond between the two, leaving Jesse feeling hostile. But beyond the tension lies a fun and often flirtatious storyline of female bonding and an epic road trip of a life time.
Having loved We Were Liars and enjoyed The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks, How to Be Bad was a well written and fun teen read. E. Lockhart, Lauren Myracle and Sarah Mlynowski have crafted a seamless storyline from three different points of view that was not only engaging, but a great summer read. Really enjoyed it and excited to see what E. Lockhart is working on next.
January 1, 2021
Please oh please let that fricken alligator chomp off my head so I don't have to read think about this book anymore. At the beginning I saw potential for a great story, but the characters were so one sided, and the entertaining parts didn't hit well. Do not recommend, go read The Geography of Lost Things instead.
October 18, 2016
A nice road-trip-story but not much more than that. My expectations were probably just too high after reading "We were liars" which I absolutely loved. It's not that I'm disapointed but it's a rather flat plot in comparison with "We were liars".
May 20, 2015
Cute road-trip novel. Good for summer. Not quite in the same league as The Disreputable History or We Were Liars though
January 27, 2018
Sooooooooooooo...
I didn't really enjoy the first 100 pages, to be honest, but the rest of it was okay. I really liked some of the ideas that were raised, but I think that they could've been executed better. In general, parts of the plot seemed to let down the entire novel, so I was debating on whether to give it 2.5 or 3 stars. I think there's enough there for it to be worthy of 3 stars.
As I said earlier, the only thing I didn't like (which occurred throughout the entire novel!), was the references to God, Jesus, etc. Those parts made it take longer to read, as it was difficult to surpass some of these statements made.
"I wonder if you can know something about yourself and not know it at the same time."
I didn't really enjoy the first 100 pages, to be honest, but the rest of it was okay. I really liked some of the ideas that were raised, but I think that they could've been executed better. In general, parts of the plot seemed to let down the entire novel, so I was debating on whether to give it 2.5 or 3 stars. I think there's enough there for it to be worthy of 3 stars.
As I said earlier, the only thing I didn't like (which occurred throughout the entire novel!), was the references to God, Jesus, etc. Those parts made it take longer to read, as it was difficult to surpass some of these statements made.
"I wonder if you can know something about yourself and not know it at the same time."
June 29, 2019
Review to come!
August 17, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. I liked how different the three characters were and how they all helped each other grow out of their bad habit. What I didn’t like was how Jesse’s character was so stereotypical. How she’s made to be the religious slut shaming buzzkill.
I didn’t like her at first but I loved her courage.
I hated the romance between Mel and Marco. It was so expected and cliche’d and cheesy. It kinda was so Instalove which I hate.
Over all it was a goodread.
I didn’t like her at first but I loved her courage.
I hated the romance between Mel and Marco. It was so expected and cliche’d and cheesy. It kinda was so Instalove which I hate.
Over all it was a goodread.
May 2, 2018
I picked up this book promised a coming of age road trip about three different girls facing themselves, and that's exactly what I got.
This book did a great job with what it was and what it wanted to be! Despite the rating, I did enjoy this - I got, after all, what I'd wanted from it. And not anything more.
Like popcorn!
This book did a great job with what it was and what it wanted to be! Despite the rating, I did enjoy this - I got, after all, what I'd wanted from it. And not anything more.
Like popcorn!
November 24, 2008
How To Be Bad is a collaborative novel between three well-known, often-beloved YA authors. It is the story of three girls--three teens--three waitresses from a small-town Waffle House in Florida. Jesse is an uptight religious sort running away from her mom's diagnosis, Vicks is Jesse's best friend who is feeling more and more like a was. The growing distance between the two is unacknowledged, unspoken, but definitely present. Vicks has a boyfriend in Miami. He is also feeling more distant and lost than ever. His name is Brady. Mel is the third wheel. She's a hostess at the Waffle House. New to town. New in so many other ways as well. She's not really friends with anyone--but she wants to be. She wants to belong, to fit in, to be a part of something. These three head off on a road trip to Miami. Mel included only because she offers to pay...and because her presence will help disguise the tension between Vicks and Jesse.
This road trip will in many ways act as a catalyst for the girls' coming-of-age. Life. Friendship. Love. A few mistakes. A few embarrassing moments. A few fights. Can Vicks save her relationship with Brady? Can Vicks save her friendship with Jesse? Will Jesse ever come clean with the truth? Will Mel ever find a friend?
I'll be honest. I didn't much like this one. I blame me completely. One, I can't *stand* the name Vicks. It *annoyed* me each and every time. And the fact that this Vicks was with someone named Brady? Worked against the couple. See, I watch Biggest Loser. And there is/was a couple named Vicky and Brady. And this Vicky is "Shakespearian" to borrow Bob's term for her. There's no polite way to describe her personality. Except to say that I feel sorry for her poor kids. I'm not sure that's the only reason I disliked it. I guess I just felt the writing was bland...almost boring.
I'm sure other readers would disagree with me in parts at least. Because I've seen this one get good reviews on other blogs. But it just wasn't for me.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
This road trip will in many ways act as a catalyst for the girls' coming-of-age. Life. Friendship. Love. A few mistakes. A few embarrassing moments. A few fights. Can Vicks save her relationship with Brady? Can Vicks save her friendship with Jesse? Will Jesse ever come clean with the truth? Will Mel ever find a friend?
I'll be honest. I didn't much like this one. I blame me completely. One, I can't *stand* the name Vicks. It *annoyed* me each and every time. And the fact that this Vicks was with someone named Brady? Worked against the couple. See, I watch Biggest Loser. And there is/was a couple named Vicky and Brady. And this Vicky is "Shakespearian" to borrow Bob's term for her. There's no polite way to describe her personality. Except to say that I feel sorry for her poor kids. I'm not sure that's the only reason I disliked it. I guess I just felt the writing was bland...almost boring.
I'm sure other readers would disagree with me in parts at least. Because I've seen this one get good reviews on other blogs. But it just wasn't for me.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
June 23, 2015
How to be Bad by E. Lockhart, Lauren Myracle and Sarah Mlynowski was a adventurous story that you could tell the authors had a fun time writing.
Jesse and Vicks have been friends for a year after meeting at The Waffle House where they work. They both have been going through changes in their lives and Jesse decides that a road trip is much needed but she is unsure how to fund their getaway. However, she reveals her plan to Vicks and Mel a girl who works with them overhears and invites herself along with the promise she can pay for whatever the three of them needs. They pack lightly and leave in a 'borrowed' car and discover how to be bad...
I loved that each girl has a distinct personality and the authors were able to let the story flow even if they did have different writing styles.
Jesse is reserved, religious and incredibly Southern and Vicks is confident, unsure and in emotional turmoil while Mel is reserved, rich and self conscious about how the world perceives her. At first I wasn't sure about this book because it seemed that the girls were just using Mel for her money but once I got into it I could tell they really care for her. Marco was a fun character and I'm glad Mel found some happiness even if it Insta-love. The adventures the girls have are very unique and this is definitely a story that I feel stands out from other road trip books I have read.
This was a quick fun read about how it is important to value your friends and to have a good time without worrying so much.
Jesse and Vicks have been friends for a year after meeting at The Waffle House where they work. They both have been going through changes in their lives and Jesse decides that a road trip is much needed but she is unsure how to fund their getaway. However, she reveals her plan to Vicks and Mel a girl who works with them overhears and invites herself along with the promise she can pay for whatever the three of them needs. They pack lightly and leave in a 'borrowed' car and discover how to be bad...
I loved that each girl has a distinct personality and the authors were able to let the story flow even if they did have different writing styles.
Jesse is reserved, religious and incredibly Southern and Vicks is confident, unsure and in emotional turmoil while Mel is reserved, rich and self conscious about how the world perceives her. At first I wasn't sure about this book because it seemed that the girls were just using Mel for her money but once I got into it I could tell they really care for her. Marco was a fun character and I'm glad Mel found some happiness even if it Insta-love. The adventures the girls have are very unique and this is definitely a story that I feel stands out from other road trip books I have read.
This was a quick fun read about how it is important to value your friends and to have a good time without worrying so much.
December 29, 2019
Kind of meh for me, I am in the worst reading space right now. Being sick is somehow making me not want to read at all, and I had to force myself to sit down and polish this off this afternoon rather than play video games. I'm glad I finished it, if only to begin something new.
Basically three friends, three perspectives on the same road trip to reunite one girl with her boyfriend who has gone off to college. They also want to see the tourist sites, but only one of them has any money, so Mel has to pay for everything. Despite the 325 pages, I felt like barely anything happened in this story. The eventualities that I foresaw from the first introduction to all three characters happened, and nothing was fresh. Nothing was unexpected either, hints about everything are laid down early on.
The three perspectives was a good technique, but I seriously hated reading both Vicks and Jesse's perspective. It's pretty bad when 2/3 characters annoy you. Mel was only slightly better, and that slight difference wasn't enough.
I think if you have the time to sit and read through this you could probably do it in one go. I haven't been well since Tuesday, and my brain feels too murky to read. I think I made about a million typing errors while writing this review, and that's rare for me. Wasn't my cup of tea, but you might like it better? Two stars.
Basically three friends, three perspectives on the same road trip to reunite one girl with her boyfriend who has gone off to college. They also want to see the tourist sites, but only one of them has any money, so Mel has to pay for everything. Despite the 325 pages, I felt like barely anything happened in this story. The eventualities that I foresaw from the first introduction to all three characters happened, and nothing was fresh. Nothing was unexpected either, hints about everything are laid down early on.
The three perspectives was a good technique, but I seriously hated reading both Vicks and Jesse's perspective. It's pretty bad when 2/3 characters annoy you. Mel was only slightly better, and that slight difference wasn't enough.
I think if you have the time to sit and read through this you could probably do it in one go. I haven't been well since Tuesday, and my brain feels too murky to read. I think I made about a million typing errors while writing this review, and that's rare for me. Wasn't my cup of tea, but you might like it better? Two stars.
June 23, 2015
3.5/5
This book was just so much fun.There's just something about roadtrip books about female friendship that get you when it's summertime and you're travelling to another country to meet some friends and see Taylor Swift together,you know?
I was just one chapter in when I went to the event organized by my local bookstore where E Lockhart was promoting this book and just by hearing her talk about it I just knew it was going to be a lot of fun.I wasn't expecting life changing or heart wrecking or anything,I was expecting a funny witty book and I got exactly what I was looking for.
I loved how different the main characters were (which is pretty natural,I reckon,since each of the three authors created her own main character),how they all came from different backgrounds,had different kind of families,different social classes,different religions,yet they all ended up as friends.I do have to admit that each one of the got on my nerves at one point or the other,but,as I said,I wasn't expecting any dramatic role model game from any of them.
The whole roadtrip aspect was perfect and I loved the whole Florida setting.
All things considered,I really did like this book.
This book was just so much fun.There's just something about roadtrip books about female friendship that get you when it's summertime and you're travelling to another country to meet some friends and see Taylor Swift together,you know?
I was just one chapter in when I went to the event organized by my local bookstore where E Lockhart was promoting this book and just by hearing her talk about it I just knew it was going to be a lot of fun.I wasn't expecting life changing or heart wrecking or anything,I was expecting a funny witty book and I got exactly what I was looking for.
I loved how different the main characters were (which is pretty natural,I reckon,since each of the three authors created her own main character),how they all came from different backgrounds,had different kind of families,different social classes,different religions,yet they all ended up as friends.I do have to admit that each one of the got on my nerves at one point or the other,but,as I said,I wasn't expecting any dramatic role model game from any of them.
The whole roadtrip aspect was perfect and I loved the whole Florida setting.
All things considered,I really did like this book.
October 1, 2008
This was a light, fun road-trip read about three friends from Niceville, Florida. The chapters alternate from girl to girl (Vicks, Mel, and Jesse). Jesse & Vicks have been friends the longest, and now Mel (new girl with a rich family) is befriending them as they all work at a local waffle place. The story takes place over the course of a weekend when the girls go on a road trip and essentially do many 'badass' things. I definitely got a feel for each girl's unique voice, but I wasn't that impressed by the depth of character or even the story line. Maybe it's because I'm not from that part of the country, but I just didn't quite feel that invested in the whole road trip story. The writing is good, but I felt it could have been more exciting. The ending just dropped off abruptly as well. (Maybe this could work better as a teen-made-for-tv-movie??)
January 18, 2010
It was hard to get through this one; I just wasn't terribly invested in any of the characters or their stories. Jesse started out as one of the most unlikeable/annoying characters ever, but sort of redeemed herself towards the end. Overall, none of the characters were really fleshed out. I felt like the authors didn't reveal enough about them. The story was...eh. I thought it was a little boring (and I didn't expect it to be. I mean, it's a ROAD TRIP...I expected more adventure than a trip to Disney World and random lesser-known Florida tourist locations).
December 8, 2015
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is a really great road trip book that focuses on the friendship of three girls, and I really, really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed everything I've read by E. Lockhart so far, but hadn't really read anything by Lauren Myracle or Sarah Mlynowski before, but now I'm thinking I might check their books out, too. I just really enjoyed the whole thing, the way the friendship of the girls was narrated and that it's a road trip book is even better, because those are always a huge bunch of fun for me.
This is a really great road trip book that focuses on the friendship of three girls, and I really, really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed everything I've read by E. Lockhart so far, but hadn't really read anything by Lauren Myracle or Sarah Mlynowski before, but now I'm thinking I might check their books out, too. I just really enjoyed the whole thing, the way the friendship of the girls was narrated and that it's a road trip book is even better, because those are always a huge bunch of fun for me.
August 13, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. I can't decide who's POV I liked better, Mel's or Vicks'! I loved each and every bump in this story, and it was a very entertaining read. I loved how different the girls were and how much depth each had. This was a very entertaining read, good for the beach! Definitely recommend.
Looking back on this, this book is just... meh.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 555 reviews