This is my kick-off review for my month of Just Contemporary. Just Contemporary is hosted by Ashley at Basically Amazing Books and Shanyn at Chick Loves Lit.
I read this book a couple months ago but saved the review for this month. I glanced over my review and I know I definitely feel the same way today as I did right after I read the book. Hope you enjoy all my contemporary reviews in November!
Shut Out
Author: Kody Keplinger
Details: Hardcover, 273 pgs. (I read an ARC)
Published: Sept. 2011 by Poppy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Borrowed
Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part, Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention.
Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: she and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. And Lissa never sees her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, coming.
Inspired by Aristophanes' play Lysistrata, critically acclaimed author of The Duff (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) Kody Keplinger adds her own trademark humor in this fresh take on modern teenage romance, rivalry and sexuality.
Kody Keplinger is a genius at getting into the minds of teens. I suppose that's because she pretty much still is a teen. And while some may find things vulgar or just a bit too much, I think she does a fantastic job of portraying teenagers and the way things really are. And in this book she puts in some good lessons as well. She shows girls that you're not weird if you haven't had sex. You're not weird if you have had sex. You're not weird if you had sex and didn't like it, and your not weird if you do like sex. We shouldn't judge people. We shouldn't assume that every girl isn't a virgin. We shouldn't assume anything, and we should accept people as they are. I think Kody did a great job in portraying this message but if you don't want to read anything about teens having sex don't read this one. No, there are no sex scenes. But there's lots of talking about sex. And there's some bad language and probably a few other things that parents may deem inappropriate, but I think that this book has such a good strong message that every teen girl in high school should read it. Maybe they won't feel the pressure quite so much.
The main character, Lissa, wasn't someone I particularly liked. I didn't dislike her but at times I just didn't really get her. While some things seemed so obvious, she was completely blind to it. She was bossy and anal and just a bit crazy. But what was crazy was that it worked for this story. Normally I would say if I don't like the MC I'm not going to care for the story. But not in this case. I may have felt incredibly frustrated with her at times but I think it actually added to the story.
And Lissa's friends were pretty great. I love how the girls became stronger together and learned from eachother. They came to learn a lot about themselves and learning to accept everyone else when most of them weren't even friends.
The romance was sweet. Yeah, I saw it coming miles away but it was a long and crazy journey. And Cash was so freaking hot and amazing. I really loved him and he completely stole my heart. I don't know what to say other than that. You'll just have to read the book!
I recommend this to fans of young adult contemporary fiction. To those who aren't afraid of a little sex talk, lots of good lessons, are okay with a bit of bad language, and some very realistic teenagers (which can be scary!).
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Funky little review. Love it.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the contemporary's I read are predictable, but sometimes that's why I read them. I like to know I'm going to eventually get my Happily Ever After. I love a good romance especially if it's a feel good one. I've wanted to read this one FOREVER! I really need to pick it up.
ReplyDeleteJen
In the Closet With a Bibliophile
Wow, great review. I prefer contemporary YA, so I'll be anxious to read all of your reviews this month.
ReplyDeleteI greatly enjoyed this one as well. I liked all of the big issues surrounding sex and teens that Kody talks about in this book yet making it fun with the rivalry. Cash was pretty great and I did enjoy their romance and I thought it was great seeing Lissa leave a guy who just wasn't right for her!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great review.
I was actually really surprised by how much I liked this one. I didn't expect to. Keplinger is a really engaging writer. I had some issues with this book, and don't know that I would really recommend it to many people, but I enjoyed reading it a lot more than I thought I would.
ReplyDeleteOh this one has been getting a lot of good feedback it sounds so much fun. Definitely my type of book. I actually have it on my reader but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I love a book with a nice, great romance and realism!! Wonderful review :)
ReplyDeleteGiselle
Xpresso Reads
I don't know about you, but whenever I look at this cover, I see Liv Tyler?!?! :D
ReplyDeleteYea, a lot of times the main character really bugs me, but it fits with the story and sometimes it just works like that, haha.
I still need to pick this one up!
ReplyDeleteA lot of people seemed to have issues with The DUFF because of the sex and stuff (just like this one), but I, for one, thought it played out fantastically. I didn't see any of it as raunchy or going too far at all. In fact, I think it came off very genuine and it sounds like Keplinger does the same here. I haven't read this one yet, but I do intend to, once I get the chance. And I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed it, despite not really loving the MC. Great review, Candace!
ReplyDelete