Review: Confessions of a Hater by Caprice Crane

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Title: Confessions of a Hater
Author: Caprice Crane
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication date: August 27, 2013

Genre(s): Young Adult (Contemporary)

Source: Publisher (Raincoast)

Format: ARC

Pages: 368

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Mean girls are always the haters - Right?

Hailey Harper has always felt invisible. Now her dad has a new job and the family is moving to Hollywood. Just what Hailey needs: starting a new high school.

As she's packing, Hailey finds a journal that belonged to her older sister, Noel, who is away at college. Called "How to Be a Hater," it's full of info Hailey can really use. Has Hailey found the Bible of Coolness? Will it help her reinvent herself at her new school? Will her crush notice her? Will she and the other Invisibles dethrone the popular mean girls? After all, they deserve it. Don't they?

Caprice Crane's funny--and deeply felt--observations about high school, bullies, popularity, friendship, and romance will leave teens thinking...and talking.

Confessions of a Hater is another book I picked up without knowing much about other than it being a contemporary. I have to say, while the synopsis sounds like a fun read, I didn't know how much I'll enjoy it or if the main protagonist will be another shallow one I can't stand. However the progression of the plot line as well as the main protagonist actually having a guilty conscious, made this book very enjoyable and resulted in minimal frustration from such a topic. 

Hailey Harper has always been in the shadows of her older sister, who is now away at college. Her older sister is the opposite of her, popular, overly pretty, with a great fashion sense. Hailey on the other hand, while not a complete loner, has her small clique of friends but always wished her high school life was more enjoyable and effortless. Little did she know that popularity is reached with a ton of effort and an initiation where you squeeze your heart of any compassion or sympathy for anyone that isn't worth your time (sigh). When Hailey ends up moving with her family, she stumbles upon her sister's journal which is titled "How to Be a Hater" A.K.A popular. That's when Hailey realizes that she has a clean slate with the move and starts following her sister's steps. 

I understood Hailey's desire to be popular, to feel like she mattered the same way her sister was. It is kind of sad when all you're known for is your sibling, as if that is a big achievement in itself. Even though Hailey became part of the popular group, I loved that she questioned everything they did and that most of it didn't sit well with her. She didn't brush it off and blame their heartless actions on the victims because they asked for it. She ends up switching sides soon in the book and I'm happy for that. I find it painful when protagonists don't have the guts to stand up against the popular students. The plot doesn't end here but we get a ton of laugh out loud scenes when both sides try to prank each other. Something that I really enjoyed reading about. 

Crane's writing is like a comedy skit. The dialogue between the characters was always full of humor and sarcasm and I loved all the real friends Hailey ended up making. Also, while this is a lighthearted and funny book, there are actual messages in this book that all high schoolers should know. I also loved the intro of each chapter that starts with a popular song title. Confessions of a Hater is a contemporary book that I would definitely recommend to readers, especially ones in need of a humors one.