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nyeran's review
1.0
“Had I snapped and gone completely mental? Maybe I'd get an upgrade in nicknames from Colenap to Colesnap.”
♠ La colpa è mia che continuo ad insistere e a riprovarci, bei tentativi ma quando non c'è affinità è inutile. È solo agonia. Avrei dovuto capirlo con Fangirl e invece no, mi sono detta riproviamoci con Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda ma pure li mi sono ritrovata a dropparlo al terzo capitolo per disperazione e tre giorni fa di nuovo mi sono detta che dai, forse questo sarà il libro che mi convincerà, che mi farà ricredere, che mi piacerà.
Sto cazzo.
♠ C'è qualcosa dentro di me che mi rende fastidiosa questo tipo di narrativa, questi protagonisti troppo quirky, questi protagonisti dove ti rendi conto che l'essere bizzarri non è una tratto caratteriale è proprio la loro personalità. Non ci stanno vie di mezzo. Sei un nerd? Ok, l'essere nerd non è più un hobby, non è più aggettivo, non è più una caratteristica interessante di te, no è proprio la tua intera e sola personalità. Tu sei nerd e non potrà mai piacerti altro, non potrai mai essere altro. Perchè vaffanculo l'essere umano funziona così. Questi autori che cercano di rendere i loro personaggi relatable e simpatici ma che su di me hanno solo un effetto irritante perché l'ho detto che è colpa mia, no? A me risultano sempre troppo finti, artificiosi e intercambiabili. Come già detto sono sempre dei nerd, ma non dei nerd sani con una vita sociale normale, no sono tutti dei cazzo di sfigati che non conosco altro al di fuori di quelle quattro mura di nerdaggine che li circondando e che santoddio non ce la possono fa a fare un discorso senza essere forzatamente divertenti e senza ficcarci dentro quanto sono socialmente inetti e stupidi. Pure con qualche citazione nerd perché sennò come lo fai identificare il lettore eh, eh, eh!?
♠ Poi ovviamente sono anche più o meno bullizzati tutti o comunque non fanno mai parte di qualche compagnia sana e normale, no, no sempre sfigati, loro, gli amici, gli animali domestici, gli antenati, tutti. Perchè sono loro che soffrono perché sono sensibili mentre tutti gli altri sono i cattivoni che non capiscono niente perché sono tutti stupidi, tutti superficiali, tutte sciacquette e giocatori di baseball/football (anche questo intercambiabile) e quindi di conseguenza sono tutti degli coglioni ignoranti che se per puro culo ne trovi uno che non lo è tutti sono sorpresi manco avessero trovato il Santo Graal.
Gli amici poi sono sempre tutti alternativi, queer o semi queer perché Dio non voglia che esistano etero decenti con cui intrattenere rapporti di amicizia sinceri o da ammettere nel proprio breakfast club (see what I did there? Eh, eh, eh?), no, no, gli altri sono tutti merde e il mondo è brutto e cattivo.
Andate a cagare.
♠ La colpa è mia che continuo ad insistere e a riprovarci, bei tentativi ma quando non c'è affinità è inutile. È solo agonia. Avrei dovuto capirlo con Fangirl e invece no, mi sono detta riproviamoci con Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda ma pure li mi sono ritrovata a dropparlo al terzo capitolo per disperazione e tre giorni fa di nuovo mi sono detta che dai, forse questo sarà il libro che mi convincerà, che mi farà ricredere, che mi piacerà.
Sto cazzo.
♠ C'è qualcosa dentro di me che mi rende fastidiosa questo tipo di narrativa, questi protagonisti troppo quirky, questi protagonisti dove ti rendi conto che l'essere bizzarri non è una tratto caratteriale è proprio la loro personalità. Non ci stanno vie di mezzo. Sei un nerd? Ok, l'essere nerd non è più un hobby, non è più aggettivo, non è più una caratteristica interessante di te, no è proprio la tua intera e sola personalità. Tu sei nerd e non potrà mai piacerti altro, non potrai mai essere altro. Perchè vaffanculo l'essere umano funziona così. Questi autori che cercano di rendere i loro personaggi relatable e simpatici ma che su di me hanno solo un effetto irritante perché l'ho detto che è colpa mia, no? A me risultano sempre troppo finti, artificiosi e intercambiabili. Come già detto sono sempre dei nerd, ma non dei nerd sani con una vita sociale normale, no sono tutti dei cazzo di sfigati che non conosco altro al di fuori di quelle quattro mura di nerdaggine che li circondando e che santoddio non ce la possono fa a fare un discorso senza essere forzatamente divertenti e senza ficcarci dentro quanto sono socialmente inetti e stupidi. Pure con qualche citazione nerd perché sennò come lo fai identificare il lettore eh, eh, eh!?
♠ Poi ovviamente sono anche più o meno bullizzati tutti o comunque non fanno mai parte di qualche compagnia sana e normale, no, no sempre sfigati, loro, gli amici, gli animali domestici, gli antenati, tutti. Perchè sono loro che soffrono perché sono sensibili mentre tutti gli altri sono i cattivoni che non capiscono niente perché sono tutti stupidi, tutti superficiali, tutte sciacquette e giocatori di baseball/football (anche questo intercambiabile) e quindi di conseguenza sono tutti degli coglioni ignoranti che se per puro culo ne trovi uno che non lo è tutti sono sorpresi manco avessero trovato il Santo Graal.
Gli amici poi sono sempre tutti alternativi, queer o semi queer perché Dio non voglia che esistano etero decenti con cui intrattenere rapporti di amicizia sinceri o da ammettere nel proprio breakfast club (see what I did there? Eh, eh, eh?), no, no, gli altri sono tutti merde e il mondo è brutto e cattivo.
Andate a cagare.
himalaya's review
3.25
This was def one that is just a short YA book to read that was available at the library and i’d seen it has an ace SC so why not
It's fine! a little silly and definitely quirky. felt very 2018-queer-ya. For example the way it spent a lot of time in the queer club (narratively) but tbh addressed queer discourse in a relevant way most of the time (ie what’s the difference between bi and pan? whatever it means to the person rly). The way it has a bunch of queer characters and not a ton of homophobia in the narrative. etc.
I thought the inclusion of ASL and the MC planning to be an interpreter - and the steep learning curve of that - was interesting.
I think the ace character was done mostly well but a) why did it bring it up in a way that his aceness inherently took him out of the MC’s dating pool (as the ace char still goes on dates with boys)
and b) why was the ace character ostricised from the queer club and not the guy who was aphobic to him? like that's just very vaguely brought up and then solved at the end. and the book doesn't exactly portray the aphobe as good (and I do think like. 17yos being shitty about other queer people should be allowed to grow), and also it makes sense for the MCs best friend to be separate from that group just narrative structure wise but. it felt like a weak reason with not enough thought to the implications there
The teleporting thing is a little random, but I feel like it gelled ok. It fit pretty well within this subgenre of contemporary YA with a little sff but the sff is just there for the MC’s journey and it’s still mainly contemporary yknow. Also a trend that had a lot of popularity mid-2010s but is less so now? (or at least, requires more complexity) the whole secret agents thing was a bit silly. but also it kinda worked with the quirkiness.
alongreader's review
4.0
An interesting read. It's not an idea I've seen anywhere before, and I enjoyed reading it. I figured out certain things before the main character did, but then again I had the benefit of reading the blurb first. I hope there's more in the series, as there's a few threads left over; as well as teleporting Cole seemed to be inserting thoughts into people's minds, so there's plenty to work with for sequels. I'll be looking out and hoping to read more.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"It's okay," I said.
He looked at me. He was doing that eyebrow thing again. It was a really, really good look for him.
"Really," I said.
"How's your lip?"
I fought the urge to cover my mouth with my hand. "It's okay."
"I guess I left too soon, eh?"
"Low blood sugar isn't sweet."
He smiled and did this little half-chuckle.
Oh my God. Did I just successfully tell a joke to a cute boy?
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"It's okay," I said.
He looked at me. He was doing that eyebrow thing again. It was a really, really good look for him.
"Really," I said.
"How's your lip?"
I fought the urge to cover my mouth with my hand. "It's okay."
"I guess I left too soon, eh?"
"Low blood sugar isn't sweet."
He smiled and did this little half-chuckle.
Oh my God. Did I just successfully tell a joke to a cute boy?
ryanpfw's review
4.0
My second read by Mr. Burgoine. I complain that a lot of books need not have been books, or are too long and could have been trimmed down considerably. I have the opposite complaint here. Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks takes on too much and needed a lot more pages or followups.
This is the story of Cole, who discovers in the first chapter that he’s capable of teleporting. He’s also dealing with friend issues, love issues, college prep issues, and family issues. At points, his issues with his rainbow coalition group take the forefront for many pages, which would be fine if he weren’t literally teleporting all over Canada, a plot line that I felt was glossed over. When I’m at 95% and things aren’t wrapped up yet, it needed more attention, and that’s probably a good problem for a book to have.
This is the story of Cole, who discovers in the first chapter that he’s capable of teleporting. He’s also dealing with friend issues, love issues, college prep issues, and family issues. At points, his issues with his rainbow coalition group take the forefront for many pages, which would be fine if he weren’t literally teleporting all over Canada, a plot line that I felt was glossed over. When I’m at 95% and things aren’t wrapped up yet, it needed more attention, and that’s probably a good problem for a book to have.
leirahd's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.75
It was an okay read nothing crazy
e_1234's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
elliott_the_clementine's review
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
emmascc's review
4.0
I received an ARC from the reviewer in exchange for a honest review.
Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks is an own voices novel about Cole, a gay teenage boy in his last weeks of high school who discovers that he can teleport. While the whole teleporting plot is the main story line, there is also minor character development, a romance subplot, and plenty of scenes with Cole's friends.
One of the things I liked most about this book was that the characters felt like teenagers. They were awkward, they did plenty of studying, and had realistic high school friendships. Cole's friend group was great, all of his friends were lgbt (which is totally realistic for an out kid in high school). So many books don't do this and instead have the lgbt main character be surround by straight friends. The friendships felt developed and I enjoyed that they discussed past events that didn't happen or have relevance in the novel, making the friendships feel even more developed. I also liked that Cole knew sign language, although it was a bit confusing as to whether his dad was partially deaf or not. There were a few conversations involving Cole about the difference between bisexuality and pansexuality that had Cole thinking that he didn't know what the difference was. I found that okay, but also felt like the book needed a character to present a semi-decent explanation for any kids reading this that don't know the difference.
The romance story line was really cute and one of the highlights for me. It didn't feel forced or rushed, which often happens in books with fantasy elements. The whole teleporting plot line did feel a bit rushed and underdeveloped, which was where the story felt a little lacking for me. Fortunately, I'm more of a fan of character-driven stories and this book had enough subplots to keep me happy.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. The main character is already out and this book isn't about being gay but still keeps that part of the characters life at the forefront, a fine line that many books attempt and can't manage.
Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks is an own voices novel about Cole, a gay teenage boy in his last weeks of high school who discovers that he can teleport. While the whole teleporting plot is the main story line, there is also minor character development, a romance subplot, and plenty of scenes with Cole's friends.
One of the things I liked most about this book was that the characters felt like teenagers. They were awkward, they did plenty of studying, and had realistic high school friendships. Cole's friend group was great, all of his friends were lgbt (which is totally realistic for an out kid in high school). So many books don't do this and instead have the lgbt main character be surround by straight friends. The friendships felt developed and I enjoyed that they discussed past events that didn't happen or have relevance in the novel, making the friendships feel even more developed. I also liked that Cole knew sign language, although it was a bit confusing as to whether his dad was partially deaf or not. There were a few conversations involving Cole about the difference between bisexuality and pansexuality that had Cole thinking that he didn't know what the difference was. I found that okay, but also felt like the book needed a character to present a semi-decent explanation for any kids reading this that don't know the difference.
The romance story line was really cute and one of the highlights for me. It didn't feel forced or rushed, which often happens in books with fantasy elements. The whole teleporting plot line did feel a bit rushed and underdeveloped, which was where the story felt a little lacking for me. Fortunately, I'm more of a fan of character-driven stories and this book had enough subplots to keep me happy.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book. The main character is already out and this book isn't about being gay but still keeps that part of the characters life at the forefront, a fine line that many books attempt and can't manage.
itabar's review
4.0
Really liked the characters. I recently acquired a friend who is ace/aro and had to google what that meant. I had no idea that designation existed. So it was nice to see it in a book.