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Beauty Queens Libba Bray Books

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Beauty Queens Libba Bray Books

4.5 stars

The only thing better than sitting down to read Beauty Queens would be to have Libba Bray herself reading this out loud or hosting her own reality show called Beauty Queens. In true Libba fashion, Beauty Queens is a hilarious, one of a kind read with literally a little bit of everything mixed in. The book is full of satire and honestly I don't remember the last time I laughed out so many times while reading a YA book while at the same time feeling some sort of connection to each of the characters.

Only Libba Bray could create a story with a cast full of Beauty Queens who have crash landed on a island that supposedly "no one else lives on", but it's really a secret location for a corrupt corporation, mixed with other social hot topics, sexy pirates and even some reality T.V. commentary. The girls themselves fit the Beauty Queen stereotype, but the way in which Libba introduces the surviving contestants personal stories makes each of them relatable in some way. There's at least one character within in the story that everyone who reads this will relate too. For the first time in a long time I can honestly say I don't have a favorite, each contestant had a least one quality that I loved about them. There are moving scenes, hilarious scenes, action, and romance scenes and one of my favorite scenes was Miss TX's butt kicking scene. Too bad she wasn't wearing a "Don't Mess with Texas" t-shirt.

Beauty Queen is one crazy, fun, wild read and just as I thought the plot couldn't possibly get any more outrageously funny, Libba throws something else into the story. This books is the perfect mesh up of Lord of the Flies meets Miss Congeniality, with a mix of reality tv that pokes fun at the latest trends and topics, while at the same time connecting with readers on serious topics with out feeling like it's in your face. This is a book that will make you laugh, and it will make you think. It's hilarious, it's entertaining and if this was a reality show I'd totally watch it wearing my team Sparkle Ponies t-shirt.


Tags : Amazon.com: Beauty Queens (9780439895972): Libba Bray: Books,Libba Bray,Beauty Queens,Scholastic Press,0439895979,Action & Adventure - General,Girls & Women,Social Themes - General,Beauty contests,Beauty contests;Fiction.,Castaways,Castaways;Fiction.,Contests,Humorous stories,Pirates,Survival,Survival;Fiction.,Adventure stories (Children's Teenage),Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12),Fiction,JUVENILE FICTION Action & Adventure General,JUVENILE FICTION Social Themes Adolescence,Juvenile FictionHumorous Stories,YOUNG ADULT FICTION,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Action & Adventure General,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Girls & Women,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Social Themes General (see also headings under Family)

Beauty Queens Libba Bray Books Reviews

I found this book on a list of recommended reading about transgender characters. It was touted as an all-female version of "Lord of the Flies," in which a plane full of beauty pageant contestants crashes into the sea and those who live have to survive the wilderness of a jungle island. It kind of was that, but what I didn't realize initially was that it's satire. I'm not usually a fan of comedy so it took me a while to warm up to the book, but by the time I was reaching the last quarter I devoured it.

For all its silliness (one of the girls has a tray table from the plane crash stuck through her head through the entire story), the book does touch on some heavy topics misogyny, transphobia, government conspiracy, war, and racism. The book tackles these issues in a humorous manner without actually making light of the subjects. Even though the story itself is zany nonsense, there's truth in it.

I think my only real complaint is that the cast is so huge I couldn't even begin to try and keep all the characters straight. There were exactly 10 I got a real sense for and I could recall about half their names. I forgot the rest were there until they were mentioned again. It's a lot to take in. Overall the pacing is pretty good but it did feel like the story dragged a little in the beginning. The way it all wrapped up was one of the most satisfying conclusions to a book I've ever read, though. Even though I'm not a fan of humorous fiction generally, I did laugh out loud several times while reading this book and the ending made me happy-cry.
At first I thought ‘Beauty Queens’ was going to be a steaming pile of bat guano given the over exaggerated aspect of the narrative with immature and shallow characters, but then it got sarcastic, funny and ironic… and then a little weird.

‘Beauty Queens’ is unlike anything else I’ve read before, some parts, and bits of the dialogue were like eating glass because of the low-brow idiocy, and others shine with brilliant satire – though one would not work without the other… it’s campy & sarcastic. It’s also dramatic, enthusiastic, hyperactive, and flamboyant.

Following a collection of teenaged vapid beauty pageant contestants in a reality television show who survive their airplane crashing on a tropical island – some of the girls continue in pageant mode, while others break out of character and form survival skills on an unforgiving island.
Each character is unique and brings a lot to the table as far a diversity and comedy. Libba Bray includes a transsexual and lesbian character in her cast of unlikely marooned teens. Later, the addition of a group of boys – from a pirate television show, which is produced by the same team that mastheads the pageant The Company.

It was a little difficult to get into at first because it has such a unique narrative style, after which I appreciated the tongue-in-cheek, over the top antics of ‘Beauty Queens.’ This is all about hi-jinx! Don’t expect anything serious from this novel, except for a big case of sparkly ponies, eye-rolling, and snorting.

We have ‘ads’ interspersed in between chapters as well, like a word from our sponsor – The Company (again) that added a fun touch.

At first I thought it was going to feel immature, like it was pitched to a young tween market, but then with some of the references and content, I discovered that it wasn’t taking itself seriously at all. It was like a drag queen had taken over the stage and was entertaining me with vicious quips, reading the audience, and strutting her stuff while downing a VB. It’s obtuse and entertaining
I may have rated it higher if it allowed me to connect with any of the characters, or had some realism in it to help me care. Instead it was like a really long episode of a teen SNL cast. And on a side note – there is a hilarious epilogue that is the icing on the cake.

I loved the funny, but sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. But I am really looking forward to picking up another title by Libba Bray…
4.5 stars

The only thing better than sitting down to read Beauty Queens would be to have Libba Bray herself reading this out loud or hosting her own reality show called Beauty Queens. In true Libba fashion, Beauty Queens is a hilarious, one of a kind read with literally a little bit of everything mixed in. The book is full of satire and honestly I don't remember the last time I laughed out so many times while reading a YA book while at the same time feeling some sort of connection to each of the characters.

Only Libba Bray could create a story with a cast full of Beauty Queens who have crash landed on a island that supposedly "no one else lives on", but it's really a secret location for a corrupt corporation, mixed with other social hot topics, sexy pirates and even some reality T.V. commentary. The girls themselves fit the Beauty Queen stereotype, but the way in which Libba introduces the surviving contestants personal stories makes each of them relatable in some way. There's at least one character within in the story that everyone who reads this will relate too. For the first time in a long time I can honestly say I don't have a favorite, each contestant had a least one quality that I loved about them. There are moving scenes, hilarious scenes, action, and romance scenes and one of my favorite scenes was Miss TX's butt kicking scene. Too bad she wasn't wearing a "Don't Mess with Texas" t-shirt.

Beauty Queen is one crazy, fun, wild read and just as I thought the plot couldn't possibly get any more outrageously funny, Libba throws something else into the story. This books is the perfect mesh up of Lord of the Flies meets Miss Congeniality, with a mix of reality tv that pokes fun at the latest trends and topics, while at the same time connecting with readers on serious topics with out feeling like it's in your face. This is a book that will make you laugh, and it will make you think. It's hilarious, it's entertaining and if this was a reality show I'd totally watch it wearing my team Sparkle Ponies t-shirt.