Review of Second Helpings

Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty
Official Site
Description: Jessica Darling is up in arms again in this much-anticipated, hilarious sequel to Sloppy Firsts. This time, the hyper observant, angst-ridden teenager is going through the social and emotional ordeal of her senior year at Pineville High. Not only does the mysterious and oh-so-compelling Marcus Flutie continue to distract Jessica, but her best friend, Hope, still lives in another state, and she can’t seem to escape the clutches of the Clueless Crew, her annoying so-called friends. To top it off, Jessica’s parents won’t get off her butt about choosing a college, and her sister Bethany’s pregnancy is causing a big stir in the Darling household.
Review: After Sloppy Firsts, the Jessica Darling series became a sort of guilty pleasure for me. It's one of those books that I can read even if I'm in a crappy mood, because it just makes you feel better and the dialogue is great. So, now onto the book...

Second Helpings tells the tale of Jessica Darlings senior year at Pineville HS. So she's dealing with stuff like SATs, colleges, grades, and graduation. Add on top of that: more mind games with Marcus Flutie, a cute genius boyfriend, a pregnant sister, her crazy 90 year old grandmother, and her father, who isn't talking to her because she  quit track.

The sequel starts with Jessica being accepted into the Summer Pre-College Enrichment Curriculum in Artistic Learning, abbreviated to SPECIAL. She got accepted into the writing program, where she runs into Paul Parlipiano in Manhattan one day. (He was her crush-to-end-all-crushes from Sloppy Firsts, who turned out to be gay.) They're talking over coffee and he tells Jess how he goes to Columbia and how amazing it is, and how it changed his life. Then, he takes her on a tour of the campus, and she decided she wants to go there. But her parents hate the city, and this book was set in 2001, so her chances of going there are very slim.

That one part of the book, Jess debating among herself colleges and the problem with Columbia. Another part is Len Levy. He wasn't really a major part of the first book, but Jess mentions him once or twice. Jess and him are the two smartest kids in the school. And in kindergarten, he wouldn't accept her Valentine Day card. And he was ugly. BUT THIS YEAR HE'S BEAUTIFUL. Jess actually thinks he's a new kid, and introduces herself to him, and then realizes her mistake. Len Levy is a big part of the book because he dates Jess, and their relationship helps her grow. That sounded weird.


Remember  Sara, Manda and Bridget? In Second Helpings they are back. Manda is a big slut this year, and she takes over Scotty. Sara lost all the weight she wanted to, but she's still extremely annoying. They are Jess's annoying, notso friends. They talk to Jess and everything, but deep down, they are so annoying and Jessica hates them. In this book, Bridget has a big part. She acts as Jessica's best friend. She's no Hope, but Jess stills runs to Bridget's house and tells her all the things she doesn't tell Hope in e-mails and phone calls.

Ahh, and then there's Marcus Flutie. Last book, Marcus confessed to Jessica that he only went after her to see if he can get in her pants, which he failed to do. In the beginning of Second Helpings, he's refered as He Who Shall Remain Nameless. But when she sees him, he's Marcus again. Marcus works at the nursing home where Jessica's grandmother, Gladdie, lives. Marcus is Len's best friend, and they're in a band together. And then the ending? jviofdjgoigjifpdb jfibfio

I can honestly say this will probably be the best Jessica Darling book. I liked it a lot more than the first one. And her graduation speech? tears.