[Review] Anatomy Of A Misfit by Andrea Portes

Title : Anatomy Of A Misfit
Author : Andrea Portes
Publisher : Harper Children’s
Published : September 2014
ISBN : 9780062313645
Pages : 336

Outside, Anika Dragomir is all lip gloss and blond hair—the third most popular girl in school. Inside, she’s a freak: a mix of dark thoughts, diabolical plots, and, if local chatter is to be believed, vampire DNA (after all, her father is Romanian). But she keeps it under wraps to maintain her social position. One step out of line and Becky Vilhauer, first most popular girl in school, will make her life hell. So when former loner Logan McDonough shows up one September hotter, smarter, and more mysterious than ever, Anika knows she can’t get involved. It would be insane to throw away her social safety for a nerd. So what if that nerd is now a black-leather-jacket-wearing dreamboat, and his loner status is clearly the result of his troubled home life? Who cares if the right girl could help him with all that, maybe even save him from it? Who needs him when Jared Kline, the bad boy every girl dreams of, is asking her on dates? Who?

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Anika is an immigrant who cared a lot what people think or say about her. Living in a city that most of the people are racist, Anika couldn't help but protecting herself. She befriends the most popular girl in school. Even though this popular girl is a bitch. And keep it that way so she’s off the bully’s radar.
One day, someone coming back to school. This someone was Logan, the pariah. Logan looks different now. He somehow looks cooler and dark and all. But Becky said no, so she should say no too. She really should.

Logan McDonough—nerd-ball turned goth romance hero—is looking directly, and only, at me.

Ever since the first moped ride in that breeze air in autumn, Anika and Logan kept getting closer. But not close, close. She could've been killed by Becky if that happen. So she was like dating in secret, but she didn't call it dating.

They shared ride every day. Or secret look at school. Or sneaking out at night.

"I’m gonna kiss you now and you’re gonna like it.” And he does. And I do.

Their little secrets kept going until one day, or one night, Logan brought Anika to the boathouse. And there was that sweet candlelight dinner and more, but their little date needed to call a break. Because of of the security had appeared and ordered them to leave. But when they were just walking out the door, this stupid drunk ugly security apparently needed to make a little comment “That’s a sweet little snatch you got there."

Logan lost it and gave the guy lessons. A lot of lessons. Anika freaked out. She scared that Logan may have a violent side in him, coming from his father. And when Anika didn't know what to do to make him or herself better. So she avoided him.

Then there was THE Jared. The most popular boy in town, saying that she’s a cool and hot girl. Asking her on a date. Being her official boyfriend. And people in school suddenly respected her or scared by her or something in between.

But strangely enough, she kept thinking about Logan. How he gave her beautiful surprises. And how hurt his expression that night.

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This is the kind of book that makes you laugh out loud, like really funny then annoying then what the! Then you swoon then "sweet, he is so sweet" then arrgh! Then huh ? Then WHAT!!??!

To put it simply, this is the kind of book that needs lots of emotion involved. And this is also the kind of book that fools the reader. Like, "fooling you! Hah!" And I hate being fooled at.

I liked it when Anika describes her school society system. I liked it when Anika made a whole plan to get what she wanted. I liked it when she really, finally know who is good and bad. But I hate it when all of a sudden, when like on a sunny day, but hurricane attacked, when we could relax a bit, Andrea Portes dropped the bomb on our lap. And KABOOM!

I mean, how could she?! Why!? Why should it end like that!? It could've been better. Like TOTALLY better. Like he deserved a WHOLE LOT more than that. Why in the world did she do that!? Explain it to us Andrea Portes!
Sigh.

What made me disappointed was, the ending. Not that it ended badly, no, Anika finally fought the villain and she won. But, it just didn't end quite right.  All my excitement from the beginning just crashed, shattered into pieces.

I used to think, when I watched movies or read books,  if only she or he dies, it would be better. No one hurts anymore. But when it actually happened, I regret ever thinking that way. Killing someone to make the protagonist realize what she needs to do just.... wrong. There should be some other way to do so right?
Sigh.

“I mean, if there was any justice in the world you wouldn't even have to go to school during your period. You'd just stay home for five days and eat chocolate and cry.” 

“It's one of those dumb days where nothing's really wrong but nothing's really right either and the sky can't even choose to be white or gray.” 

“Okay, so say it. Tell me I have to go apologize.” 

“Dear daughter, you have to go apologize.” 

“Or I’ll be grounded.”
“Or you’ll be grounded.”

She just started the snowball. And now it’s an avalanche. With poor Joel Soren buried underneath.

"Never judge a man till you walk a mile in his shoes.”