I cannot express in words how much I adore Libba Bray and her books, and Beauty Queens is no exception. This is a book that I think everyone should read and learn something from. It starts with a bunch of beauty pageant girls getting stranded on an island with limited food and no resources. The book begins as a comedy that really makes you laugh, and then quickly transforms into a much deeper novel about empowerment and feminism and self-discovery. Like I said, I do think that everyone should read this book, because Libba Bray's books always have something to teach us. This is probably one of my favourite novels because I love the characters and the message conveyed throughout the story. Although, there are some parts that are for a bit more of a mature crowd. I rate this book 10/10 stars, and if you happen to find this book at the store or library, I’d recommend reading it and giving it to all of your friends to read as well.
- @bookaholic of the Teen Review Board at the Hamilton Public Library

Very funny! Especially paired with the audiobook - read by the author! I love the satirical comments on society's expectations of femininity and consumerism. However, the end really seemed to drag on and on and I did find myself wondering "how much longer until this is over?" But this is a good read for someone who just wants a laugh.

Also, pretty great that it includes transgender and lesbian characters. Also, provides a great narrative on being non-white in such a white-domibated society. While these are serious topics, they don't really come across heavy in this book, and just add to more of the humor in many instances.

Hilarious, smart, and real. The issues faced by the girls in this story are very in tune with what goes on in reality, and they were each individual with their own stories and details. Anyone can find themselves in any of the girls which made this novel very touching as well as sharp. Furthermore, there are great lessons in this novel. Self-belief is taught to be empowering instead of an overabundance of ego- which is message that should be broadcasted on billboards.

Super campy and over the top, but if you can get yourself to buy into the world it's totally worth your time. Bray does an amazing job of sneaking major emotional punches in just after goofy moments. Then following them up with more silliness.

I think what I loved most is that this is a book about girls loving and protecting their own. There's competitiveness, obviously, but it gets tempered with understanding. So much media aimed at teen girls has the antagonistic mean girl that everyone loves to hate. Girl vs. girl can be fun, but this takes that trope and turns it into something way more enjoyable.

AND one of the excellent crush objects in the book gets to say "I love you for who you are, not who the world thinks you should be." I don't think girls hear that message nearly enough. In fact, this whole book is a love letter to teen girls. It says: You are awesome just as you are, and if anyone disagrees feel free to sabotage them with some explosive hair remover.

This book is awesome. I love how the young women band together to survive and to become more than what they thought they would or could be. Bray does an amazing job at calling out stereo types and unrealistic expectations of young women in today's photo shoped world.

Oh, it was such a tingle to romp through this tale of girls gone wild! And by wild, we mean back to nature. These adolescents gradually shed their false notions of beauty, belonging and appealing to the hungry eyes of the media when they’re unexpectedly stranded on an island and the results are pointed and funny. There are moments of backbiting and antagonism, unexpected bonding and rising to the challenges of their environment that are enjoyable to read.

The women prove resourceful, putting beauty products and their own individual know-how to good use as they tackle their hostile environment and the unknown. A bit of this reads much like comic book hijinks (it’s tough to believe that one Texan beauty queen can take out two trained, gun-toting shoulders with somersaults) but this isn’t meant to be satire. Satire is subtle; this is more like well-honed farce.

This is a chick-lit novel that wears its agenda proudly on its sleeve. Without apology (stop saying sorry, ladies!), Ms. Bray has given us a different kind of feminist novel, with gals in combat boots and guys in high heels. Work it, ladies!

What happens when a plane full of beauty queens crashes on a tropical island? This book is full of intrigue, comedy and beauty ads.

This book started out annoying. Yea. It was just slam-my-head-against-a-wall annoying. The girls were so ditzy and silly I wasn't sure I could make it through an entire book reading about them. The only sensible ones seemed to be Adina and Mary Lou.
I stuck with it though, learning more and more about the characters, when all of a sudden I realized they didn't annoy me as much. In fact, it was kind of fun to read about them. As they spent more and more time on the island, they seemed to be finding themselves, dropping their ridiculous 'masks' and fronts they put on for the show, and finding their true meaning, self-worth, and identity without society's influence. It became a pretty strange, empowering book on feminism, what it means to love yourself, and not being apologetic for sticking up for yourself. I really loved how the girls stuck together, how they had each other's backs and not only used each other's strengths, but also helped build on their weaknesses. These girls show that when you try to mess with beauty queens, you better watch out cause they got some serious girl power.

At first, I was hesitant to read this book, because it looked so stereotypical. When I read it, turns out it is the opposite! It is a really good book, and well written. I love all the representation that's in it, as well as the breaking of stereotypes.

Very good! Beauty Queens is hilarious. It makes fun of all of the sexism, racism, capitalism and just everything that's wrong with modern society, and it does so in a fun way. It doesn't feel like a complaint or rant. It's a little long, but entertaining and definitely captivating enough that I had no trouble finishing it.

There is also a lot of representation (lgbt, race, etc) which I LOVED. Beauty Queens emphasized hat every girl is different, with different backgrounds, motivations, perspectives, but that a certain type of girl is not better than another.

Please read it!!!