Review: Bad Hair Day by Carrie Harris

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Publication Date:  November 13th, 2012

Senior year is positively hair-raising.

Kate Grable is geeked out to shadow the county medical examiner as part of her school’s pre-med program. Except when he’s arrested for murder, she’s left with the bodies. And when Kate’s brother Jonah stumbles upon a dead gamer girl, she realizes that the zombie epidemic she cured last fall was only the beginning of the weirdness taking over her town. Someone’s murdering kids—something really hairy. And strong. Possibly with claws.

Is it werewolf awesomeness like Jonah and his dorktastic friends think? Kate’s supposed to be a butt-kicking zombie killing genius...but if she can’t figure out who’s behind the freakish attacks, the victims—or what’s left of them—are going to keep piling up.

It’s scary. It’s twisted. It’s sick. It’s high school.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

This book is the second in Carrie Harris's Kate Grable series, and since I really loved the first book, Bad Taste In Boys (read my review HERE), it was a no-brainer that I would want to read this one.  I love that Carrie's heroine, Kate, is a total brainiac nerd, and yet still manages to be kind of hot, even if it is in an awkward sort of way.  (SO much hope for the cute nerds of the world!)  Not only is she not afraid to be smart, she is proud of her intelligence, and that is just awesome.  Also, Kate has a sharp, sarcastic wit that reminds me so much of me that I have no choice but to love her!  Anyway, I think ya'll get that I think brains are sexy and that I think the main character in this book series rocks, so...  Moving on.

Bad Hair Day starts off right where Bad Taste In Boys ends.  Kate has discovered a cure for the zombie sickness, now dubbed Grable's Disease, got her hot guy, and is pretty famous.  Now she is getting ready to embark on an exciting adventure as an intern at the hospital as part of a future doctors program at her high school.  She is assigned to work in the morgue with the medical examiner, which is something she is not crazy about until minutes in, he is arrested as the primary suspect in a gruesome murder.  Interest piqued, Kate decides to investigate and finds things do not add up at all.  Add to that the fact that murders and attacks are continuing, and Kate just can't resist.  There might be some genetic modification conspiracies and werewolves involved, and there might be a hysterical little brother showing up once again, but I don't want to spoil...  Of course, that's not all...  There's a love triangle of sorts, and ya'll, it DOESN'T suck!  It's funny, and I found myself laughing out loud more than a few times at Kate's observations of and reactions toward the girl trying to get between Kate and her man.  The story had a few issues, but I can't even bother with them because it just had so much awesomeness.  If you like humor and science and nerds and sarcasm and werewolves and mockery then you should really read this one, just maybe wear Depends when you do it because you might find yourself laughing hard enough to pee.  (Just sayin'!)

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★  

Grade Level Recommendation:  This book is pretty clean.  No sex, just a few make-out scenes.  Bad Hair Day was even more tame than its predecessor as far as content is concerned.  Perfectly fine for ages 10 and up (5th grade+).

Audiobook Review: Chomp by Carl Hiaasen, Narrated by James Van Der Beek

Publisher: Random House Audio/Listening Library/Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: February 27th, 2012

Wahoo Cray lives in a zoo. His father is an animal wrangler, so he's grown up with all manner of gators, snakes, parrots, rats, monkeys, snappers, and more in his backyard. The critters he can handle.  His father is the unpredictable one. 

When his dad takes a job with a reality TV show called "Expedition Survival!", Wahoo figures he'll have to do a bit of wrangling himself—to keep his dad from killing Derek Badger, the show's boneheaded star, before the shoot is over. But the job keeps getting more complicated. Derek Badger seems to actually believe his PR and insists on using wild animals for his stunts. And Wahoo's acquired a shadow named Tuna—a girl who's sporting a shiner courtesy of her old man and needs a place to hide out. 

They've only been on location in the Everglades for a day before Derek gets bitten by a bat and goes missing in a storm. Search parties head out and promptly get lost themselves. And then Tuna's dad shows up with a gun . . .

It's anyone's guess who will actually survive "Expedition Survival". . . 

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

With grand plans of doing a joint guest review, my husband actually buddy-read this with our (then) ten year old daughter in late 2011.  When he started animatedly telling me about it, gushing about the humor and wit, I told him that he didn't have to do the review... He got me excited for it, and being the selfish girl that I am, I wanted to review it myself.  But, as it usually does, time slipped by and I got more and more backed up on my review reading.  Well, imagine my excitement when I found Chomp in Audible's library (AND that it was read by Mr. Dawson's Creek himself, James Van Der Beek!)!  I promptly downloaded it and gave it a listen.

I am a fan of Carl Hiaasen.  Back in the day when I read books written for adults, I read quite a few of his adult novels (Skinny Dip, Sick Puppy, Nature Girl, Skin Tight, Star Island, etc.).  I've also read all of his MG novels as well (Flush, Hoot, Scat).  Between the facts I am already a fan, and that they show up on just about every summer reading list known to man, reading them was really a no-brainer.  It just stands to reason that I would like Chomp, right?  Right.  I did like it.  It was typical Carl Hiaasen; great characters, enticing plot and pacing, funny, adventurous, well-researched and informational, with smatterings of intelligent sarcasm throughout.  Just like every other book I've read by him, it takes place in Florida, and is heavily laced with eco-speak.  It is obvious that Mr. Hiaasen cares tremendously about our natural world, particularly the piece of it that we call Florida (and he calls home).  As a avid bird-nerd and conservationist myself, I applaud him for lacing his books with thought-provoking dialogue related to the damage we do, as humans, to our environment.  If his books open the eyes of even a small percentage of the people who read them to these facts, he has done a great service to our planet, and has entertained the masses at the same time!  Bravo!

But enough about my general feelings toward Carl Hiaasen, and on to this particular book...  I liked Chomp.  It wasn't perfect, and it wasn't my favorite of his books, but I probably laughed most reading this one.  I think the characters, or rather (for the most part), the caricatures, were the best part of the book.  There were too many great ones to list here, but each one was done so well, even the most minor of them.  The characterizations were spot-on; from the ratings-obsessed Hollywood producer, to the over-indulged TV star, to the bubba Everglades airboat tour guide, to the trailer-trash drunk, each added an element of entertainment and enjoyment to the story.  I don't know if everyone will get the same vibe off the characters that I did because I'm a bit biased.  I'm sure part of my enjoyment came from having lived in Florida for four years, and the fact that I encountered some of the latter type regularly.  For me, they were what made this story great.   

Told mostly from the POV of Wahoo Cray (How's that for a name? And yes, that's his REAL name!), Chomp takes us on a crazy adventure that takes us deep into the Florida Everglades, with a cast of characters that doesn't get any more bizarre.  Wahoo is great, and probably the most level headed and "adult" of the entire bunch.  He's the son of a renowned animal wrangler, and although his dad, Mickey, is great with the animals, he's rather flaky about the other facts of life.  When Wahoo's dad is hired by the TV show, Expedition Survival, to do a show in the Everglades, the adventures kick off and just keep getting nuttier.  The star of the show, Derek Badger, is a real piece of work.  He is supposed to be a cross between Steve Irwin and Bear Grylls, but he is really anything but.  The world sees him is this hard-core survivalist, but he is actually a pampered, spoiled, Hollywood creation (and former Irish Folk Dancer), who couldn't survive the county park without help.  He is the source of a great number of the laughs, and for me, played a huge part in making this story as good as it was. Added to Derek and his drama, was Wahoo's friend, Tuna, who they accidentally rescued from her abusive father (and the trailer they lived in, in the local Walmart parking lot).   While her whole situation added a bit of austerity to the story, it also provided a bunch of laughs as well, taking the story in a rather unexpected direction.  Along with the laughs, I really enjoyed being a casual observer to both the way Wahoo matured throughout the book, and how his sweet, unexpected relationship with Tuna evolved.  Carl Hiaasen wrote these parts so well, in in such a way that they didn't get lost beneath the laughs and adventure, and I think that takes a lot of talent.

As for the audio experience, I thought James Van Der Beek did a great job with it.  I thought his voice added a nice touch, breathing life into Wahoo's character, in particular.  I think I liked this book better this way, than I would have if I had just read the text version.  If you are considering reading this book, and enjoy audiobooks, you should definitely give this one a shot.

Overall, I think this was a good story.  Like I mentioned before, it wasn't my favorite by Carl Hiaasen, but it was well worth the listen/read.  This would be a great addition to any upper elementary or middle school classroom/library.  This book has appeal for not only the MG readers it was written for, but teens and adults as well.  In fact, I think my husband loved it even more than my daughter did.  It would be a great choice as a read-aloud for parents who still read to their older kids because both would enjoy it.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ½ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  Carl Hiaasen's MG books are not squeaky clean.  There are usually a few swears and almost always a bit of violence, although none of it graphic or gratuitous.  This book was no different.  Considering this, I think Chomp is appropriate for the average 4th grader and up.  (Ages 9+)

Release Day Review: Lexapros and Cons by Aaron Karo

Publisher:  Farrar, Straus, & Giroux BYR

Publication Date:  April 10th, 2012

Chuck Taylor’s OCD has rendered him a high school outcast. His endless routines and habitual hand washing threaten to scare away both his closest friend and the amazing new girl in town. Sure he happens to share the name of the icon behind the coolest sneakers in the world, but even Chuck knows his bizarre system of wearing different color “Cons” depending on his mood is completely crazy.

In this hilariously candid debut novel from comedian Aaron Karo—who grew up with a few obsessions and compulsions of his own—very bad things are going to happen to Chuck. But maybe that’s a good thing. Because with graduation looming, Chuck finds himself with one last chance to face his inner demons, defend his best friend, and win over the girl of his dreams. No matter what happens, though, he’ll have to get his hands dirty.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

First off, I need to comment on the cover... It is awesome.  I love eye-catching covers on YA books, and although this one is ridiculously simple, it totally fits the story.  Also, I love my Chucks (although I am a fan of the low-tops, not the high-top like the protagonist in this book)- I have them in lots of bright colors and they are my staple when it's too cold for flip-flops, so obviously, I'm going to read a book that features my favorite footwear on the cover...  Now that I've commented on that, I can review the actual content between the covers.

If the 2012 debut authors were a baseball league, Team Humor would definitely be leading in the rankings.  They seem to be be hitting home run after home run.  First there was Jesse Andrews's brilliantly funny Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (review HERE), then Gina Damico's uniquely snarky Croak (review HERE), and now this book, Lexapros and Cons.  I have laughed to the point of peeing so many times in the first three months of 2012 that I am thinking I might need to buy a package of Depends...  Anyway, what I am getting at is that Aaron Karo has nailed it with his YA debut.

Lexapros and Cons is the hilarious account of a teenage boy with OCD.   Chuck Taylor has some very real compulsions, and while I found myself laughing at the behaviors, and Chuck's thoughts on them, I never felt like I was laughing at the actual disorder or poking fun at people with it.  This book was very balanced in that it showed respect for a very real and often debilitating condition, while finding humor in the character's behaviors and reactions to them.  Chuck finds out he has OCD through Wikipedia after he starts thinking that a certain compulsion of his is particularly strange.  When he realizes he has a "textbook" case of OCD, he tells his mom, who in turn, arranges for him to meet with a shrink.  During the same timeframe, Chuck meets the girl of his dreams AND has to come to grips with the fact that the Senior Weekend he had been looking forward to since 9th grade is going to a camping trip- with dirt and bugs and grass (gasp!).  He's got a lot going on, and during it all he begins to work on overcoming his compulsions...

I have to say, I loved Chuck!  I felt bad for him sometimes because he kind of talks himself into being a much bigger dork than I think he actually would be, and of course, his compulsions kind of suck, but I thought Chuck was a pretty cool guy in a very unconventional way.  He's smart, witty, and his internal dialogue cracked me up.  I also enjoyed his best friend Steve Sludgelacker, and his only other friend Kanha.  Steve is a bigger dork than Chuck, but with a  last name like Sludgelacker, did he ever stand a chance? (For the record, I would have changed my last name before I had children.)  Steve kind of provided balance for Chuck, mostly through distraction, and was just really an all-around good friend.  Kanha provided a lot of non-OCD centered comic relief.  The love interest, Amy, was sweet; the kind of hippie-dippy, positive type of person that everyone can't help but love.  My favorite character, after Chuck though, was Dr. Srinivasan.  Definitely an accurate caricature of an Indian psychiatrist, she made me laugh.  I found myself reading her dialogue in exactly the accent that Chuck describes, and it was perfect.

As for the story, it was very fun.  It did have a few crude moments, but if a book about a teenage boy and his compulsions didn't, it wouldn't be based in reality at all, so those are forgiven.  It felt very real to me and although I felt like the ending was a little too neat, I liked it.  It was sweet and left me feeling really good.  All in all, I think that this book well lived up to its great cover!  If you're looking for a feel-good story that will make you laugh, go ahead and pick up a copy of this one.  You won't be sorry you did.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  I should first say that this book will be most appealing to boys.  Some girls will enjoy it, but most will probably think it's too crude for their taste.  There is definitely some crudeness (one of Chuck's compulsions to to keep an annual tally of the number of times he masturbates), lots of talk about various girls and their boobs, and a mention or two of porn.  There are also some swears here and there, including a few f-bombs.  That said, every middle-school age boy masturbates, admires most of the boobs that pass by him, thinks about porn, and swears...  Still, most parents aren't going to want their "babies" reading about these things.  I'm going to say 8th grade and up (ages 13+) for that reason.

Before the Blog (4): Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern

Some of you already know this, but I've started a weekly meme called "Before the Blog". In short, it's a place to review books you read and loved before you began blogging about them. Basically, you choose a book each week, then answer the following three questions,and post your review.   Then you can add your post to the little Mr. Linky widget below, and voila!


Why did you choose this book? 
When did you read this book?
Who would you recommend this book to?

For more info, see my 1st BtB post by clicking this LINK.  The book I chose this week is hilarious and one I wish was around when I was in high school.

Into the Wild Nerd Yonder by Julie Halpern

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Publication Date: September 29th, 2009

Why did you choose this book?  I loved it so much.  It's a quick read, perfect for a rainy day when you need a few good laughs.  It's light and heartwarming.  A favorite of mine.

When did you read this book?  October, 2010

Who would you recommend this book to?  Teens who are having trouble embracing who they are.  Older YA readers who remember all too well the pains of high school, no matter what their social status was.  Anyone who wants to laugh.

It’s Jessie’s sophomore year of high school. A self-professed “mathelete,” she isn’t sure where she belongs. Her two best friends have transformed themselves into punks and one of them is going after her longtime crush. Her beloved older brother will soon leave for college (and in the meantime has shaved his mohawk and started dating . . . the prom princess!) . . .

Things are changing fast. Jessie needs new friends. And her quest is a hilarious tour through high-school clique-dom, with a surprising stop along the way—the Dungeons and Dragons crowd, who out-nerd everyone. Will hanging out with them make her a nerd, too? And could she really be crushing on a guy with too-short pants and too-white gym shoes?      

If you go into the wild nerd yonder, can you ever come back?

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I originally chose Into the Wild Nerd Yonder because I was drawn to the cover.  I was previewing books for the YA section at my daughter's school book fair and I thought that between the title and the cover art, this could be hot seller for girls.  I'm so glad that I decided to read it because although I decided it was inappropriate for 6th graders, I found a new favorite and an author who I will read forever (other books include Get Well Soon and the newly released Don't Stop Now).

Julie Halpern is so witty and spot-on when in comes to life inside the walls of the average high school.  She nailed it when describing the social hierarchies and fickle moods of the average teenager.  I laughed so many times remember back to my high school years.  This is a great coming of age story as well.  I wish I would have been able to embrace my nerdom and wear it as proudly as the nerds in this book did (I was a total closet nerd- you know, the kind that acts dumber than she is so she's not classified as a nerd).  I loved the ending and well, everything about this book!  If you like a few good laughs and a great story, read this!

My Rating: ★ ★ ★★ ★ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  A friend of the protagonist gets an STD and it's not just mentioned in passing.  There's a good bit of language and a lot of very high school situations.  I would say this is a high school book.  Ages 14+ (9th grade+).

Review: Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Publisher:  Scholastic Press

Publication Date: May 24th, 2011

ARC Copy Courtesy of I Read Banned Books and Banned Book Tours (Thanks, Jen Bigheart!)

The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner. 

What's a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program--or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan--or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up? 

Welcome to the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Your tour guide? None other than Libba Bray, the hilarious, sensational, Printz Award-winning author of A Great and Terrible Beauty and Going Bovine. The result is a novel that will make you laugh, make you think, and make you never see beauty the same way again.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

Disclaimer:  I am a HUGE fan of Libba Bray.  I have only read one book by here that I haven't LOVED (I liked it,just didn't love it).  That said, this review may be a bit biased...

I'll start this review off by saying that this book is the funniest book I've read in ages

EVER.  There were so many laugh-out-loud moments that my sides would hurt after a few chapters.  My husband would be lying in bed next to me, giving me looks because he would not be able to hear the TV over my guffawing.  It was witty, sarcastic, and so, SO clever.  If you like sharp and sometimes-stinging humor, this is your book.

Now that I've covered the fact that this book is HILARIOUS, I have to mention that it is so very much more than that.  There is a great deal of social commentary hidden (I say "hidden" not because it's actually hidden, but because it's not preachy) in with the laughs.  I like it when a YA book can get the reader to think about the world we live in without losing the levity that makes YA so attractive.  I think the "girl power" message is loud and clear, but I loved that the girls managed to work together despite their differences (and let me tell you, there ARE differences!).  Sure, there was a heavy dose of cattiness and backstabbing, but hello- we are talking about girls!  There are twists and turns galore, a good bit of romance (with some unlikely couples), and of course, sexy "pirates".  

I give Libba Bray loads of credit.  This book it just amazing!  How does she think things like this up?  The writing, as always, was superb, and the character development was flawless.  I felt like I really got to know the girls central to the story.  I especially loved the pageant profile/questionnaire for each girl and the flash-forwards at the end.  I think this would make a blockbuster movie!  I know I would see it on opening night.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★+++ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  This book is definitely grades 9 and up.  (ages 14+).  There's a good deal of sex/sexuality, language, and violence.  Plus, I think a younger reader wouldn't get the social commentary or the humor AT ALL.

Review: Voss by David Ives

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Publication Date: October 2nd, 2008

In a series of letters home to his friend Meero, Vospop Vsklzwczdztwczky (Voss for short) tells the hilarious story of how he smuggles himself to America in a crate of black-market cheese puffs with his gloomy father Bogdown and his nutty uncle Shpoont.

Settling into the rundown Slobovian section of town, Voss soon finds his first job by opening the door for debutante Tiffany McBloomingdale (an unheard-of act of politeness), rescues his father from a sinister hospital, and even gets the girl of his dreams, though not the one he expects!

Through Voss's comically broken English, readers will find a remarkably fresh view of America. Brimming with pointed satire, a healthy dose of action, and a one-of-a-kind narrator, Voss's crazy adventures are sure to leave a lasting impression.

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

In a word, HILARIOUS! A quick, easy read, which is a good thing because I found this book hard to stop reading. The full title of this book is Voss: How I Came to America and Am Hero, Mostly, and I think that kind of sums up the type of humor in this book. I thought it was genius the way author, David Ives, takes the negative stereotypes of both immigrants and Americans and portrays them in a mostly non-offensive light. I found the protagonist's descriptions and interpretations of things very funny, and thoroughly enjoyed reading about our American society through his eyes. There were a couple of things that rubbed me the wrong way, but overall I thought his observations, though exaggerated, were spot on. I loved that the book was written in letter (or as Voss says, "ladder") format. His manner of speaking was similar to that of an Eastern European person, and I found myself reading the book in my head with an accent. Although I think that much of the humor would go over the heads of the intended audience, I believe tweens and teens would still find this book quite enjoyable.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ½

Grade Level Recommendation: As I said in my review, a lot of the humor would be lost on younger readers, so while there isn't really objectionable content, I would still recommend this for grades 8 and up (ages 13+).