Parents' Guide to

Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty

By Stephanie Dunnewind, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Sweet core, despite drugs and sex references.

Book Jody Gehrman Friendship 2008
Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 2 parent reviews

literary
literary Adult
August 6, 2010
age 2+

no literary value

This book is full of everything we try so hard to keep our students out of!

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
lady of the library
lady of the library Parent of 12 and 15-year-old
March 11, 2010
age 15+

Not for me and not for middle schoolers

Not for middle schoolers. Very mature themes -- or actually immature themes -- of partying, casual sex, fighting, etc. This is one we won't buy for our middle school library.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Sixteen-year-old Geena plans to spend her summer working at the Triple Shot Betty coffee shack, skateboarding, and hanging out with her best friend Amber and her favorite cousin Hero. The girl bonding doesn't go so well, though, so Geena has plenty to fill her diary: friends who hate one another; a flaky, divorced dad; and Ben, her long-time but very cute academic nemesis and potential crush.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (3):

The book's Sonoma Valley estate setting and casual references to blow jobs and thizzing might lead some to think this is Gossip Girl, California-style. Wrapped in a sometimes raunchy exterior, though, is a sweet core, grounded by its authentic first-person narrator. Even its resident bad-girl, Amber, turns out to have an innocent secret.

Geena is smart, funny, and not afraid to flip off boys who hassle her while she is skateboarding. She avoids "indulging in normal teen activities, like drinking beer, smoking bud, and having sloppy sex in parking lots." She explores the line between feeling sexy on her own terms and feeling exploited by boys. A kiss is still romantic. While the handsome villain -- and his comeuppance -- are a bit over the top, teens will enjoy the grrl power ending.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether there is a double standard for boys' and girls' reputations. How do teens decide which rumors are true? Do teens think "everyone" is drinking, having sex, and smoking pot? Families can also discuss how easy it is to post cell-phone pictures on the Internet. Do you know anyone who has been embarrassed by photos posted of them?

Book Details

  • Author: Jody Gehrman
  • Genre: Friendship
  • Book type: Fiction
  • Publisher: Dial Books
  • Publication date: April 17, 2008
  • Publisher's recommended age(s): 13 - 17
  • Number of pages: 255
  • Last updated: July 12, 2017

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