A spunky, contemporary novel about friendship, failure, and what happens when things don’t go according to plan, ideal for readers who like their heroines smart and strong–but not perfect. Nominated for Best Young Adult Novel by the 2017 RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards! Danielle’s plans for the future were all figured out… until she failed senior English and her single college acceptance was … single college acceptance was rescinded. Determined to get her life back on track, Danielle enrolls in her hometown community college with a plan: pass English and get back into Ohio State–and her mother’s good graces. Romance isn’t on her radar… until she reconnects with her childhood crush and golden boy next door, Luke.
Between family drama, first love and finding her own way, Danielle can’t help but feel a little overwhelmed. Thankfully she has her friendship with the snarky and frustratingly attractive Porter, her coworker at the campus bookstore, to push her to experience new things and help keep her afloat. One thing’s for sure: This time, failure’s not an option.
Chosen by readers like you for Macmillan’s young adult imprint Swoon Reads, The Big F is a smart, funny, and highly relatable novel by debut author Maggie Ann Martin about finding your own way after one epic fail.
Praise for The Big F:
“The quirkiest, most fun-loving read of [the year] so far!” —RT Book Reviews
“Danielle is a savvy, likable character with whom teens will easily identify.” —School Library Journal
“An easy, enjoyable read.” —VOYA
“Fun, cute, and totally relatable.” —Book Allure
more
4.5 stars
After reading the book To Be Honest by this author, I immediately hopped on my library’s website to see if I could get my hand on this book. Her debut novel. With only two published works under her belt, I feel Maggie Ann Martin has a bright future in the writing world ahead of her.
Danielle is all of us at 18 years old; man or woman, top of the class or just squeezing by. At the end of high school, don’t we all ponder if we’re following our correct path or the path everyone else always assumed we’d take? The age-old question, “What do I want to do with my life?”, still gets attention because it’s still relevant. This author has such a wonderful touch with having the reader feel those unsure emotions her characters are experiencing. She also gets the awkwardness. As one of those girls who was always kind of in the background…not popular, not unpopular…I cannot say if this is how all teens feel at this point in life. But the part angst, part bravado, part self-conscious personality of Danielle really hit that time on the head for me.
Not only did Dani have a lot to figure out in her life, she had a lot of growing up to do. Not that she realized that at the time. It’s such a subtle shift in her over the course of the story, this maturing. She’s always tried to do the right thing, and still keeps trying to do the right thing. But she has developed a method to her madness toward the end.
I kept waiting for Luke to be a cad. How else could this story play out? How else could I get the pairing I truly wanted if Luke remained a good guy? I am fully team Porter but could not ever find the fault in Luke that I wanted to be there…which I ended up loving about this story. In real life, we don’t realize someone isn’t “the one” only because of some terrible misdeed they commit. Often, it’s just not the right person. End of story. Just because two people are great people doesn’t mean they make a great couple. I am in awe that the author didn’t fall back on the easy way out and really wrote from the heart.
I cannot wait to see what more Ms. Martin has in store for us She really knows how to get to the heart and soul of her characters, be it her main character or the friends and relatives that come in and out of the story. She truly has a gift.
https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.com/2018/10/15/the-big-f-book-review/
Wonderful story of how our best intended plans may not be the best fit for us . When we grown and allow change (good or bad) to push us pass our comfort zone , we can come to a plan that is even more exciting and fulfilling.