Lucky Girl by Amanda Maciel

Lucky Girl 
by Amanda Maciel

Source: ARC provided for review

My Rating: 4 stars.

GoodReads/ Amazon/ TBD

Summary:

Being a pretty girl is who Rosie is, but it’s the start of a new school year and she wants to be more. Namely, she’s determined to be better to her best friend, Maddie, who’s just back from a summer program abroad having totally blossomed into her own looks. Rosie isn’t thrilled when Maddie connects with a football player who Rosie was hooking up with—but if it makes her friend happy, she’s prepared to move on. Plus someone even more interesting has moved to town: Alex, who recently garnered public attention after he stopped a classmate from carrying out a shooting rampage at his old high school. Rosie is drawn to Alex in a way she’s never really experienced for a boy before—and she is surprised to discover that, unlike every other guy, he seems to see more to her than her beauty.

Then one night, in the midst of a devastating storm, Rosie suffers an assault that tears apart her life and friendship with Maddie. Forced to face uncomfortable truths about beauty, reputation, and what it really means to be a friend, Rosie realizes that change doesn’t always happen the way you want it to—every disaster has consequences. But with a lot of help and the right people around you, there might also be a way forward.

****

This was my first book by Amada Maciel, I was a bit sad that I never got to read Tease because many of my friends loved it. Just like Tease was an important book, Lucky Girl is, too. I wish I read a book like this when I was younger and I hope young readers have the chance to read it, too.

TW: Lucky Girl is a book about rape culture. If you have any triggers about rape, I’d suggest you keep this in mind.

I had a hard time connecting with Rose in the first pages of the book, because she was a little whiny and selfish. The first thing you know about her is that she’s jealous of her best friend because she returned home looking hot and finally learned how to flirt with guys.

I didn’t read the synopsis when I started it, so I was afraid she was going to be an unlikable and shallow main character until I started to understand.

Rosie is an honest and real character. She knows her own flaws and she’s trying to change, to be a better friend for Maddie. And later on, a better sister and a better person.

I think the most important thing in Lucky Girl is the message of self-worth and real friendships.

This book tackles hard topics such as near-rape experiences and slut shaming. It’s something you see in real life and it made me think of how we judge people when we don’t know them.

Personally, I don’t think I loved any character. I liked them all, yeah, but I don’t think the author put enough attention to their characters arcs.  I really liked Rosie’s sister and Ryan, though. I wish there were more scenes with them, but I’m content with what I got.

The writing was okay, too. Just not as good as I heard it’s Tease’s.

For me, the importance of Lucky Girl is the message it sends. It’s really empowering to read something that made me remember of my self-worth and how important is to overcome prejudice.

Overall, Lucky Girl is a good book with a deep message, but it didn’t shine among the other with similar topics.