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ruthelibrarian's review
4.0
Max Cobb stars in this caper "Don't Get Caught"! In this fun and prank filled novel, Max Cobb along with four other students (Ellie Wick, Dave Wheeler, Kate Malone, and Tim Adleta) get set-up for a big prank by the Chaos Club that gets them cleaning duty. Now known as the Water Tower Five, Max and the gang decide they want to get even, and go on to framing the Chaos Club for pranks.
This book is definitely fit for reluctant readers, and it has a great pace for keeping readers interested. While the gang starts out a bit lighthearted, the pranks that they devise are both funny, but humiliating for the kids involved. Max feels his conscious speak to him, and he learns to be himself and not what other people want him to be.
I think middle and high schoolers will find this book to be a great read. Especially if they enjoy contemporary fiction, heist movies, and a small dose of mystery. The subject matter in this book is pretty true to teen issues (bullying, nude pics, feeling trapped) and each character works through their issues in their own, positive ways. This book should also find its way into the hands of reluctant readers, as the language and sentence structure keeps readers interested and reading. I mean, not many books actually say "boner" in them, so that should be enough to keep giggling kids reading it!
This book is definitely fit for reluctant readers, and it has a great pace for keeping readers interested. While the gang starts out a bit lighthearted, the pranks that they devise are both funny, but humiliating for the kids involved. Max feels his conscious speak to him, and he learns to be himself and not what other people want him to be.
I think middle and high schoolers will find this book to be a great read. Especially if they enjoy contemporary fiction, heist movies, and a small dose of mystery. The subject matter in this book is pretty true to teen issues (bullying, nude pics, feeling trapped) and each character works through their issues in their own, positive ways. This book should also find its way into the hands of reluctant readers, as the language and sentence structure keeps readers interested and reading. I mean, not many books actually say "boner" in them, so that should be enough to keep giggling kids reading it!
booksandladders's review
4.0
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
That was a fun read but a tad bit predictable tbh. I had ending pegged immediately, like 10-15% in, and little things along the way just confirmed my suspicions. There were some things that looking back made sense, like who was running the club, but I took a bit of issue with someone that was in the club because it felt to me like it came out of nowhere. I am pretty good at picking up hints and clues along the way but either I missed EVERYTHING that said this person would be part of the club or it was such an obscure clue that there was no way I was going to get it until after I finished reading and reread it. But honestly if you have read a couple heist books, it is pretty obvious what a couple of the twists are along the way.
I thought the pranks were pretty funny and I really enjoyed seeing pieces of the set up but not the entire thing until it was completely done. I agreed with Max about some of the pranks being too personal rather than just fun and hilarious but I kind of liked the little bit of revenge. I would have voted for Kate's prank as the best one out of all of them because I had a lot of fun reading this one though and would recommend it.
I really liked all the characters though. They all had such good motives for wanting to do the pranks and being the fake Chaos Club. One thing I found a bit confusing though was at some points Max would reference characters by their last name in his narrative but then people would call them by their first name in real life and I had to keep double checking to see who was who. But I liked that everyone saw Max as their leader and that he inspired them to be better. I think they had a good friendship as a group and are close to being a brot5 for me. I would really like to see the next year, so if Dinan wants to write a sequel, I am here for it.
I liked the pacing, the writing style, and the overall story. This was a fun contemporary read with hijinks and hilarity. I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for a fun book that also makes you think about how you define yourself.
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That was a fun read but a tad bit predictable tbh. I had
Spoiler
Ellie'sI thought the pranks were pretty funny and I really enjoyed seeing pieces of the set up but not the entire thing until it was completely done. I agreed with Max about some of the pranks being too personal rather than just fun and hilarious but I kind of liked the little bit of revenge. I would have voted for Kate's prank as the best one out of all of them because
Spoiler
she also sacrificed herself in a worse way than Tim did, imoI really liked all the characters though. They all had such good motives for wanting to do the pranks and being the fake Chaos Club. One thing I found a bit confusing though was at some points Max would reference characters by their last name in his narrative but then people would call them by their first name in real life and I had to keep double checking to see who was who. But I liked that everyone saw Max as their leader and that he inspired them to be better. I think they had a good friendship as a group and are close to being a brot5 for me. I would really like to see the next year, so if Dinan wants to write a sequel, I am here for it.
I liked the pacing, the writing style, and the overall story. This was a fun contemporary read with hijinks and hilarity. I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for a fun book that also makes you think about how you define yourself.
Books and Ladders | Queen of the Bookshelves | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
kimching232's review
4.0
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
I have to admit that when I started reading Don't Get Caught, I thought it would be just another book about stupid teenagers set on revenge. However, when I finished the book, not only was I entertained, but I learned a lot of things as well. Something people should know about me is that I rarely like books without romance in it, which goes a long way in proving how amazing this book is for me to have given it 4.5 stars.
Don't Get Caught is about how a prank bought 5 people, who mostly never talked before, together to exact revenge on the ones who pulled a prank on them. Our main protagonist is Max, who uses this opportunity to reconstruct himself. Through their brainstorms, we see how smart Max is, and how he grew from being timid to being an independent individual who didn't let others and the norm dictate what he should do.
Don't Get Caught is one of the most entertaining reads I've read in a long time. This book is full of pranks pulled by Max's group, the Water Tower 5. Though I never laughed out loud, it was just entertaining to watch everything unfold. Something I really liked about this is how there's also a little bit of mystery amid the pranks, and there were two bombs revealed in the end *wink wink* One is something that I kind of expected, and the other was totally unexpected for me.
One of the things that I liked about this book is how this book has a male protagonist and is written by a male author. I rarely am able to read books with male protagonists, much less ones written by male authors. I just felt like it is much more authentic this way, in terms of how the character thinks.
Also, I really love how Max grew in this novel. From a timid kid, he slowly gained confidence because of the pranks that they pulled. Yes, he did some questionable things in the book, but it was all part of his growth process. Max showed how smart he is, and how loyal he is to the ones he considers as friends. He's also compassionate in a way that he doesn't want to hurt others in the process of them going after the Chaos Club.
Another thing I really liked is how the author didn't just completely focus on Max, but was also able to focus on each character and let their own personalities exude. And my gosh, one of the best things about this book is how the author, through Wheeler's character, showed that anyone could change for the better, given enough encouragement. I love how the author showed that, because characters like Wheeler who always fails classes are usually portrayed as hopeless or is ridiculed by everyone. On the other hand, varsity players, like Adleta, are usually shown as jerks, but in this book, Adleta is actually pretty cool. Even before being friends with the other 4, Adleta didn't act like he was better than everyone else, like the stereotype of jocks in most books. Ellie is the daughter of religious parents, but has a rebellious streak in her. Malone is the amazing, talented artist who also had amazing growth in this book.
In short, this book is so much more than just teenagers who pulls numerous pranks on the school. This book has so much meaning, while also providing a lot of entertainment. This book is definitely a must-read!
I have to admit that when I started reading Don't Get Caught, I thought it would be just another book about stupid teenagers set on revenge. However, when I finished the book, not only was I entertained, but I learned a lot of things as well. Something people should know about me is that I rarely like books without romance in it, which goes a long way in proving how amazing this book is for me to have given it 4.5 stars.
Don't Get Caught is about how a prank bought 5 people, who mostly never talked before, together to exact revenge on the ones who pulled a prank on them. Our main protagonist is Max, who uses this opportunity to reconstruct himself. Through their brainstorms, we see how smart Max is, and how he grew from being timid to being an independent individual who didn't let others and the norm dictate what he should do.
Don't Get Caught is one of the most entertaining reads I've read in a long time. This book is full of pranks pulled by Max's group, the Water Tower 5. Though I never laughed out loud, it was just entertaining to watch everything unfold. Something I really liked about this is how there's also a little bit of mystery amid the pranks, and there were two bombs revealed in the end *wink wink* One is something that I kind of expected, and the other was totally unexpected for me.
One of the things that I liked about this book is how this book has a male protagonist and is written by a male author. I rarely am able to read books with male protagonists, much less ones written by male authors. I just felt like it is much more authentic this way, in terms of how the character thinks.
Also, I really love how Max grew in this novel. From a timid kid, he slowly gained confidence because of the pranks that they pulled. Yes, he did some questionable things in the book, but it was all part of his growth process. Max showed how smart he is, and how loyal he is to the ones he considers as friends. He's also compassionate in a way that he doesn't want to hurt others in the process of them going after the Chaos Club.
Another thing I really liked is how the author didn't just completely focus on Max, but was also able to focus on each character and let their own personalities exude. And my gosh, one of the best things about this book is how the author, through Wheeler's character, showed that anyone could change for the better, given enough encouragement. I love how the author showed that, because characters like Wheeler who always fails classes are usually portrayed as hopeless or is ridiculed by everyone. On the other hand, varsity players, like Adleta, are usually shown as jerks, but in this book, Adleta is actually pretty cool. Even before being friends with the other 4, Adleta didn't act like he was better than everyone else, like the stereotype of jocks in most books. Ellie is the daughter of religious parents, but has a rebellious streak in her. Malone is the amazing, talented artist who also had amazing growth in this book.
In short, this book is so much more than just teenagers who pulls numerous pranks on the school. This book has so much meaning, while also providing a lot of entertainment. This book is definitely a must-read!
jcpdiesel21's review
4.0
An enjoyable mix of The Breakfast Club and Ocean's Eleven for today's generation. While not as laugh-out-loud funny as anticipated, it is an extremely fun read. Max is a great, relatable protagonist, and his fellow Water Tower 5 members are fleshed out to the perfect degree and add plenty of flavor to the story through their distinct personalities. I predicted several twists along the way, but I like how Dinan skillfully holds back pieces of information from his readers only to surprise them with it later, and pulls tricks from up his sleeves right until the very last page. The various pranks pulled within this book are meticulous, creative and sometimes downright devious. Although the ending is nearly flawless, I was left craving even more from these characters and world.
nglofile's review
4.0
4.5 stars. High jinks and humor. It had been so long since I read a book cover-to-cover in a single day. What fun.
Joe Schreiber calls this novel "Ocean's 11th Grade," and that is a rather brilliant way to capture the draw in three little words. A motley group of uncool kids are set up by a secret society known as the Chaos Club, but rather than retreat in their notoriety, they use it to band together and instigate a prank war. The teen characters are relatable, smart yet flawed, and the action is fast-paced and near cinematic. Unofficial leader Max is a devotee of heist films, and his invoking of pop culture touchstones gives the reader just enough to tease the inventiveness without stealing any of the enjoyment.
With short chapters, high energy, and the mix of shadowy conspiracy with underdog tale, this is a winner for a variety of teen and adult readers.
Joe Schreiber calls this novel "Ocean's 11th Grade," and that is a rather brilliant way to capture the draw in three little words. A motley group of uncool kids are set up by a secret society known as the Chaos Club, but rather than retreat in their notoriety, they use it to band together and instigate a prank war. The teen characters are relatable, smart yet flawed, and the action is fast-paced and near cinematic. Unofficial leader Max is a devotee of heist films, and his invoking of pop culture touchstones gives the reader just enough to tease the inventiveness without stealing any of the enjoyment.
With short chapters, high energy, and the mix of shadowy conspiracy with underdog tale, this is a winner for a variety of teen and adult readers.
snazzyreader's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
5.0
mfortunak's review against another edition
3.5
I would have rated this at least a star and a half higher if the main character/author didn’t make the mc the worst kind of teenage boy
sweetdreams_sunshine's review
3.0
3.5 stars
Even though this had it's flaws this book was so much fun! Also the twist at the end definitely surprised me. Even though there were hints I did not realize they were there until Max makes the discovery. It was definitely a clever and interesting choice to end the book.
I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys John Hughes films as I definitely think the comparisons are accurate.
Even though this had it's flaws this book was so much fun! Also the twist at the end definitely surprised me. Even though there were hints I did not realize they were there until Max makes the discovery. It was definitely a clever and interesting choice to end the book.
I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys John Hughes films as I definitely think the comparisons are accurate.
kaylakaotik's review
3.0
Rating 3.5 stars
Don't Get Caught was a pretty good book. I can certainly see why the reviews pre-publication are as positive as they are (4.59 stars on Goodreads in early February).
Here's the thing, this book has a lot going for it. It's got pretty great writing. The story is packed full of action. There's no lulls or parts that could have been eliminated for a better book. The characters are all interesting. The pranks are funny. It's an enjoyable book.
My biggest problem with it (my only problem really) is that I never felt fully engaged in the story. I must say that it felt sort of strange. It had everything a person might want in a book like this, but somehow I still felt a bit disconnected.
Even feeling that disconnect from the story, I can tell Don't Get Caught is going to be a big hit.
* This book was received from Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *
Don't Get Caught was a pretty good book. I can certainly see why the reviews pre-publication are as positive as they are (4.59 stars on Goodreads in early February).
Here's the thing, this book has a lot going for it. It's got pretty great writing. The story is packed full of action. There's no lulls or parts that could have been eliminated for a better book. The characters are all interesting. The pranks are funny. It's an enjoyable book.
My biggest problem with it (my only problem really) is that I never felt fully engaged in the story. I must say that it felt sort of strange. It had everything a person might want in a book like this, but somehow I still felt a bit disconnected.
Even feeling that disconnect from the story, I can tell Don't Get Caught is going to be a big hit.
* This book was received from Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *