Reviews

Now Playing: Stoner & Spaz II by Ron Koertge

readingjag's review against another edition

3.0

Ok sequel.

dairyqueen84's review against another edition

3.0

Now Playing: Stoner & Spaz II continues the tale of the fraught relationship between Ben Bancroft, the spaz, and Colleen Minou, the stoner. Ben wants to save Colleen from herself and her drug addiction and she is the only girl who he believes sees the real him and not his cerebral palsy. They became friends in the first novel after meeting at the movies. Ben is a budding film maker who has just had a successful showing of his first documentary at a local South Pasadena gallery, where he meets Amy or A.J., another budding filmmaker. Colleen left the event with another guy, confirming what Ben’s grandmother already thought about her. Ben knows his grandmother, who raised him after his mom left and his dad died, would prefer he fall for someone like A.J., clean-cut, upper class girl, with higher aspirations than just finishing high school and staying clean. Ben pursues a friendship with A.J. but comparing her to Colleen all the while, especially in the way she looks at him. He wonders what she sees and whether she is a potential girlfriend, whereas he feels he knows what Colleen sees, just him and he loves her for that. While Colleen struggles to stay clean, she convinces Ben to find and meet his mother with interesting results. He realizes maybe he wasn’t so bad off being raised by his grandmother. The all of thecharacters are well drawn including the secondary ones and readers will enjoy the disparate personalities of Ben and Colleen.

jregensb's review against another edition

3.0

"Now Playing" is a serviceable novel of the young adult realistic fiction variety. In it, star-crossed high-schoolers Colleen (Stoner) and Ben (Spaz) navigate the challenges of stripper moms, missing moms, drugs and fake friends. Along the way valuable lessons are learned.

erine's review against another edition

4.0

Totally stand-alone. I had not read the first one and had no trouble jumping into the story.

Drugs.

mistressmess's review against another edition

4.0

Very well written with charming humor and realistic characters. Ben and Coleen's relationship is great. They are so bad for each other, but so good for each other all at the same time.

booksandbosox's review against another edition

3.0

So, I didn't have any idea that this book was coming out until I spotted it at ALA. I remember enjoying the first one, about Ben (who has cerebral palsy) and Colleen (a druggie), so I snagged up this one. The book is a really fast read and interesting. But what it lacks, maybe because it's a sequel, is real character development. There is still some, but not as much as I would have liked. I still liked the book, but it felt a little unfinished to me. And, it just sort of ends. Which makes me wonder why there was a sequel in the first place. I don't know; I just expected more.

Thanks to the publisher for an advance reader's copy.

hollowbook's review against another edition

3.0

Um...? There were a couple arcs that fizzled out...? Cute story, but it didn't really go anywhere.

sandyd's review

5.0

I loved this, maybe even more than the first one - though I went back & forth over 4 vs. 5 stars - it's really a 4.5. The evolution of the characters (which picks up a couple days after the first book left off) is realistic, the angst has been toned down a bit, and it was just a satisfying story, if not as in your face as the first book. Nothing much happens, but it's a good look at disabilities, teen sex, addiction, mental illness and class differences.