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Good lighter reading. Thought the character development was good, but a little predictable. That being said, this novel would be a good addition to a high school library collection.
This is a great book for 7th on up. I’m guessing the target audience is teen boys, as the main character is one- the potty humor is on point. It’s fast paced and funny, yet still has heart.
April Fools!
You can buy this now!
No, like, for reals. It's available today, on April Fools Day, because perfect timing is perfect.
After reading karen's review of this book, I commented to her, This sounds like what I'd hoped for from [b:The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life|11737265|The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life|Tara Altebrando|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1326130873s/11737265.jpg|16686451] but didn't get so now I'll have to read this when it comes out in two million years and then all will be right with the world. and she was all, "You know, I thought of you while I read this because I think you'd like it and I know a guy..." (that's not actually what she said) and that guy was the author who is really friendly and trusting; he gave me an eARC of his very first-ever book which is sort of crazy because we all know how curmudgeonly I am only NOT THIS TIME!
That's my disclosure.
First, I'd like to say that fans of [a:John Green|1406384|John Green|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1353452301p2/1406384.jpg] and/or [a:Rainbow Rowell|4208569|Rainbow Rowell|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1342324527p2/4208569.jpg] will probably enjoy this story. I think this tale is more entertaining and better written than what I've read from those two authors but there are similarities mainly concerning off-center teens doing not-quite-normal things.
The "Breakfast Club" mentions you may have seen in other reviews? Yeah, they're spot-on. That's going to be a draw for us oldsters who watched that movie at the theater when it was first released. But that doesn't mean today's whippersnappers will think this an old fogey story, because it's not. It's all up-to-date and relevant to this goldarned modern age.
In fact, there were moments when I raised my eyebrow thinking Max's thoughts and responses were too obvious in showing he has a strong moral compass that is sometimes in direct opposition to his youth and hormones but I don't think that will be quite so obvious to the target audience. I mean, I've got a vast number of years full of experience under my old lady belt and hindsight gives me insight and this is why I'm not a parent. I can't even imagine the pretentious lectures I'd give my teens. The point being: Some of Max' actions seemed a little on the nose for a wretched, cynical crone of a reader such as myself but I don't think that will be the case with less ancient and get-of-my-lawning folk.
Regardless, this story is delightful. It's got a bit of mystery, some unrequited love, shenanigans and more shenanigans with some misadventure thrown in, good teachers and bad, and lots of friendship that builds slowly but becomes solid. Max' parents are not dysfunctional, there is no Horrible Trauma that befalls everyone, it's just kids getting through a bumpy patch, pushing boundaries, banding together and finding out what they can accomplish, and learning risk analysis. It all comes together well and is fast-paced without sacrificing depth. You know, much like "The Breakfast Club" only with smartphones and fandangled technology.
Thank you, karen, for making me aware of this tale that I didn't know I'd been seeking.
Thank you, author and author's publicist, for letting me read this ARC.
You can buy this now!
No, like, for reals. It's available today, on April Fools Day, because perfect timing is perfect.
After reading karen's review of this book, I commented to her, This sounds like what I'd hoped for from [b:The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life|11737265|The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life|Tara Altebrando|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1326130873s/11737265.jpg|16686451] but didn't get so now I'll have to read this when it comes out in two million years and then all will be right with the world. and she was all, "You know, I thought of you while I read this because I think you'd like it and I know a guy..." (that's not actually what she said) and that guy was the author who is really friendly and trusting; he gave me an eARC of his very first-ever book which is sort of crazy because we all know how curmudgeonly I am only NOT THIS TIME!
That's my disclosure.
First, I'd like to say that fans of [a:John Green|1406384|John Green|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1353452301p2/1406384.jpg] and/or [a:Rainbow Rowell|4208569|Rainbow Rowell|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1342324527p2/4208569.jpg] will probably enjoy this story. I think this tale is more entertaining and better written than what I've read from those two authors but there are similarities mainly concerning off-center teens doing not-quite-normal things.
The "Breakfast Club" mentions you may have seen in other reviews? Yeah, they're spot-on. That's going to be a draw for us oldsters who watched that movie at the theater when it was first released. But that doesn't mean today's whippersnappers will think this an old fogey story, because it's not. It's all up-to-date and relevant to this goldarned modern age.
In fact, there were moments when I raised my eyebrow thinking Max's thoughts and responses were too obvious in showing he has a strong moral compass that is sometimes in direct opposition to his youth and hormones but I don't think that will be quite so obvious to the target audience. I mean, I've got a vast number of years full of experience under my old lady belt and hindsight gives me insight and this is why I'm not a parent. I can't even imagine the pretentious lectures I'd give my teens. The point being: Some of Max' actions seemed a little on the nose for a wretched, cynical crone of a reader such as myself but I don't think that will be the case with less ancient and get-of-my-lawning folk.
Regardless, this story is delightful. It's got a bit of mystery, some unrequited love, shenanigans and more shenanigans with some misadventure thrown in, good teachers and bad, and lots of friendship that builds slowly but becomes solid. Max' parents are not dysfunctional, there is no Horrible Trauma that befalls everyone, it's just kids getting through a bumpy patch, pushing boundaries, banding together and finding out what they can accomplish, and learning risk analysis. It all comes together well and is fast-paced without sacrificing depth. You know, much like "The Breakfast Club" only with smartphones and fandangled technology.
Thank you, karen, for making me aware of this tale that I didn't know I'd been seeking.
Thank you, author and author's publicist, for letting me read this ARC.
This was an entertaining book no doubt. However, it wasn't really that progressive and lacked an intriguing storyline. But perfect for a humor lover.
I thought this was going to be a 5 star read just for being fun and similar to a heist movie.
But then the characters go so entitled and out of control so I was like okay, cool. This isn't going to be a purely fun story, but also one with a lesson. But it's set up well that it's not heavy handed and also fun. Awesome.
Nope. Instead, said entitled kids just started to become bullies and criminals and why waste time teaching them a lesson? Most upsetting is that the faculty at the school seem to see it as no big deal that thousands of tax dollars are wasted on pranks and often pranks that they honestly did deserve to be arrested for.
If you're really going to have a storyline where a teacher is a bully, the level of revenge should be justified or both characters should have a moment to learn from a lesson or see them become a worse person deciding to ignore said lesson. Nope, we'll just bully the teacher worse and worse and worse. We'll bully him so much that when the teacher says he's leaving for another job because this school doesn't have enough discipline, you are actually starting to root for this teacher because the school really does turn a blind eye. The lesson will also be that it's okay to bully someone into taking a fake job because they deserved it. It's okay to commit crimes and be a bully as long as the victim did something to you first. It doesn't matter if it wasn't as bad as what you did to them.
So much potential throughout the book when Max feels uneasy over some the pranks, but disappointing that he's always outnumbered and backs down on taking the high ground to keep his three new friends and one new sociopath friend. I'm glad the ending revealed that character to be the truly manipulative, toxic, and sociopathic person that they are. I was afraid that was going to go unmentioned. Had that not be revealed at the very ending this book would have gotten knocked down to one star. Teens did not need to see the main character backdown to someone who used people to do what they wanted an entire book and do cruel things to others with not motivation.
But then the characters go so entitled and out of control so I was like okay, cool. This isn't going to be a purely fun story, but also one with a lesson. But it's set up well that it's not heavy handed and also fun. Awesome.
Nope. Instead, said entitled kids just started to become bullies and criminals and why waste time teaching them a lesson? Most upsetting is that the faculty at the school seem to see it as no big deal that thousands of tax dollars are wasted on pranks and often pranks that they honestly did deserve to be arrested for.
If you're really going to have a storyline where a teacher is a bully, the level of revenge should be justified or both characters should have a moment to learn from a lesson or see them become a worse person deciding to ignore said lesson. Nope, we'll just bully the teacher worse and worse and worse. We'll bully him so much that when the teacher says he's leaving for another job because this school doesn't have enough discipline, you are actually starting to root for this teacher because the school really does turn a blind eye. The lesson will also be that it's okay to bully someone into taking a fake job because they deserved it. It's okay to commit crimes and be a bully as long as the victim did something to you first. It doesn't matter if it wasn't as bad as what you did to them.
So much potential throughout the book when Max feels uneasy over some the pranks, but disappointing that he's always outnumbered and backs down on taking the high ground to keep his three new friends and one new sociopath friend. I'm glad the ending revealed that character to be the truly manipulative, toxic, and sociopathic person that they are. I was afraid that was going to go unmentioned. Had that not be revealed at the very ending this book would have gotten knocked down to one star. Teens did not need to see the main character backdown to someone who used people to do what they wanted an entire book and do cruel things to others with not motivation.
Up for a Lincoln 2020-
Read like a teenage Ocean’s Eleven. Absolutely entertaining. A bit predictable, but an easy read so I didn’t really mind.
Read like a teenage Ocean’s Eleven. Absolutely entertaining. A bit predictable, but an easy read so I didn’t really mind.
A student recommended this one. I called it on the ending (which is good, in this case). The protagonist, Max, is a likeable kid. It has a few good lines, but the plot gets a little slow at times.
This book was surprisingly quite enjoyable! It had more to it than I expected, and it was just super fun in general. Think Ferris Bueller meets Ocean's Eleven. And the ending came as a big surprise! I appreciated the way that everything wrapped up. Totally entertaining.