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audreychamaine's review
3.0
If you liked the first book in this series, Bad Taste in Boys, you’ll most likely enjoy Bad Hair Day. That’s because this is a very similar adventure featuring the same characters and same silly sense of humor. The action speeds along, and there are plenty of jokes along the way. Granted, many of those jokes are groaners, like when Kate’s friend is informed that her boyfriend is a werewolf and she replies with consternation that she’s Team Edward. Yeah, that happened.
My only real issue with Bad Hair Day is the main character, Kate. I didn’t mind her so much in the first book, but in this one her personality got on my nerves. She constantly refers to geeking out about medical stuff, which is fine, but it came on a bit hard. More so, though, was my frustration with the way she treats other people. She’s constantly rude to those trying to help her, and it really didn’t endear me to her character. The only point she earned was in giving her boyfriend an ultimatum when a female friend got too touchy with him, and she didn’t cave, so there’s that.
As for the plot, there are no big surprises here, but it is fun to see how things unfold. Harris manages to give a pseudo-scientific explanation for the werewolves, although readers will need to suspend disbelief. Bad Hair Day isn’t a big revelation of a book, but it is good fun and I enjoyed it.
My only real issue with Bad Hair Day is the main character, Kate. I didn’t mind her so much in the first book, but in this one her personality got on my nerves. She constantly refers to geeking out about medical stuff, which is fine, but it came on a bit hard. More so, though, was my frustration with the way she treats other people. She’s constantly rude to those trying to help her, and it really didn’t endear me to her character. The only point she earned was in giving her boyfriend an ultimatum when a female friend got too touchy with him, and she didn’t cave, so there’s that.
As for the plot, there are no big surprises here, but it is fun to see how things unfold. Harris manages to give a pseudo-scientific explanation for the werewolves, although readers will need to suspend disbelief. Bad Hair Day isn’t a big revelation of a book, but it is good fun and I enjoyed it.
beths0103's review
4.0
Warning: Bad Taste in Boys spoilers in the first paragraph. Read at your own peril if you haven't read the first book yet.
Kate Grable became a national hero after she discovered a cure for the zombie virus that was running rampant through her high school. Little did she know that would just be the beginning of her fame and notoriety.
When Kate's brother Jonah discovers a dead girl at one of his gamer meetings, something suspicious is clearly afoot - something suspicious AND hairy. And now that something is going around trying to kill people. Could it be... werewolves? That's what Kate has to find out, and if she doesn't soon, she could be the next victim on the list of bodies that seem to be piling up.
In Bad Hair Day Carrie Harris reminds us what we loved so much about Kate in Bad Taste in Boys. She is just as sassy, geeky, and quirky in this go-around as she was the first time. And in this book, we even have the added benefit of seeing a jealous Kate when another girl tries to steal her boyfriend out from under her. And if you're familiar with Kate at all, given that thought, hilarity is bound to ensue, right?
What endears me so much to Carrie's books is that she doesn't hide behind her writing voice. What you read is what you get with her. Not only is her writing hilarious, but she really is that funny in real life too. Anyone who writes sentences like this is surely a comic genius:
The stupid car alarm was still going off, but no one came to investigate. I thought someone ought to make a car alarm that shouted "Free beer!" I bet loads of people would come for that.
And just so you don't think I'm writing a biased review here because I know Carrie personally, I will give one minor criticism of the book and that is I wanted the villain to be in the story more than he/she/it <----- don't want to give it away -- was. It sort of felt like this person/thing just appeared out of nowhere and I wanted to better understand his/her/its motivations. Yet despite my own preference for the villain to be more in the foreground of the story, this is still a fully developed, hilarious novel. The humor is what I and so many readers love about Carrie's novels. In fact, I did a book talk on Bad Taste in Boys last week, and after I read a short passage, I closed the book and immediately heard the voices of many of my students say in unison, "Oh! I want to read that now!" The writing just speaks for itself. You can't ask for more fun and camp than what you get in a Carrie Harris novel. If I ever find myself in a bad mood and need a good laugh, I now know that she is my go-to read for a for some cheering up - unless I'm in a bad mood AND nauseated, in which case, I'll steer clear of Bad Taste in Boys with its frequency of vomiting zombies among its 200 pages. ;)
That is perhaps an added benefit of reading Bad Hair Day: those of you out there who are like me and have a low gross-out tolerance, the sequel will not gross you out nearly as much as the first one. For people (like some of my students for instance) who like to be grossed-out, they might be disappointed with this one - sorry, no black vomit this time. Oh wait, was that a spoiler?
Kate Grable became a national hero after she discovered a cure for the zombie virus that was running rampant through her high school. Little did she know that would just be the beginning of her fame and notoriety.
When Kate's brother Jonah discovers a dead girl at one of his gamer meetings, something suspicious is clearly afoot - something suspicious AND hairy. And now that something is going around trying to kill people. Could it be... werewolves? That's what Kate has to find out, and if she doesn't soon, she could be the next victim on the list of bodies that seem to be piling up.
In Bad Hair Day Carrie Harris reminds us what we loved so much about Kate in Bad Taste in Boys. She is just as sassy, geeky, and quirky in this go-around as she was the first time. And in this book, we even have the added benefit of seeing a jealous Kate when another girl tries to steal her boyfriend out from under her. And if you're familiar with Kate at all, given that thought, hilarity is bound to ensue, right?
What endears me so much to Carrie's books is that she doesn't hide behind her writing voice. What you read is what you get with her. Not only is her writing hilarious, but she really is that funny in real life too. Anyone who writes sentences like this is surely a comic genius:
The stupid car alarm was still going off, but no one came to investigate. I thought someone ought to make a car alarm that shouted "Free beer!" I bet loads of people would come for that.
And just so you don't think I'm writing a biased review here because I know Carrie personally, I will give one minor criticism of the book and that is I wanted the villain to be in the story more than he/she/it <----- don't want to give it away -- was. It sort of felt like this person/thing just appeared out of nowhere and I wanted to better understand his/her/its motivations. Yet despite my own preference for the villain to be more in the foreground of the story, this is still a fully developed, hilarious novel. The humor is what I and so many readers love about Carrie's novels. In fact, I did a book talk on Bad Taste in Boys last week, and after I read a short passage, I closed the book and immediately heard the voices of many of my students say in unison, "Oh! I want to read that now!" The writing just speaks for itself. You can't ask for more fun and camp than what you get in a Carrie Harris novel. If I ever find myself in a bad mood and need a good laugh, I now know that she is my go-to read for a for some cheering up - unless I'm in a bad mood AND nauseated, in which case, I'll steer clear of Bad Taste in Boys with its frequency of vomiting zombies among its 200 pages. ;)
That is perhaps an added benefit of reading Bad Hair Day: those of you out there who are like me and have a low gross-out tolerance, the sequel will not gross you out nearly as much as the first one. For people (like some of my students for instance) who like to be grossed-out, they might be disappointed with this one - sorry, no black vomit this time. Oh wait, was that a spoiler?
tobyyy's review
4.0
3.5
I borrowed this book from my library's e-book selection. Prior to starting Bad Hair Day, I'd read somewhere that to enjoy it, you have to be able to suspend your disbelief and also not take the story very seriously.
And I'll be honest - those two things are spot-on. I really enjoyed this book, but for me the enjoyment came from the silliness, the geekiness, and what I tend to call the "fluffiness" of the book. It feels like I've been reading a lot of "serious books" lately, and Bad Hair Day was a pleasant break from the norm. Granted, it's not a series that I'd really recommend by virtue of an ingenious plot arc or beyond-amazing writing, but it was fun, it made me smile/laugh, and it really served well as self-care for me.
The author, writing about this book, said that you'll probably enjoy this if you enjoy movies such as Shaun of the Dead. I watched that in one of my honors classes (I think it was an honors class...? or maybe it was Comp I) in undergrad, sophomore year, I think... and I didn't enjoy it. That being said, I can see why she would make that connection. The best way I'd phrase it is - you can't take it seriously. Because if you do, that will ruin any of the lighthearted enjoyment you could get from it. :)
I borrowed this book from my library's e-book selection. Prior to starting Bad Hair Day, I'd read somewhere that to enjoy it, you have to be able to suspend your disbelief and also not take the story very seriously.
And I'll be honest - those two things are spot-on. I really enjoyed this book, but for me the enjoyment came from the silliness, the geekiness, and what I tend to call the "fluffiness" of the book. It feels like I've been reading a lot of "serious books" lately, and Bad Hair Day was a pleasant break from the norm. Granted, it's not a series that I'd really recommend by virtue of an ingenious plot arc or beyond-amazing writing, but it was fun, it made me smile/laugh, and it really served well as self-care for me.
The author, writing about this book, said that you'll probably enjoy this if you enjoy movies such as Shaun of the Dead. I watched that in one of my honors classes (I think it was an honors class...? or maybe it was Comp I) in undergrad, sophomore year, I think... and I didn't enjoy it. That being said, I can see why she would make that connection. The best way I'd phrase it is - you can't take it seriously. Because if you do, that will ruin any of the lighthearted enjoyment you could get from it. :)
trisha_thomas's review
3.0
okay, so another cute installment and (i belive) the last in the series.
It was still cute and light and mildly funny.
I really like Jonah. He's always such a kick and says the funniest things....but this time I found Kate to be incredibly annoying. She was rude, obnoxious and mean.
Seriously, what was Aaron doing with her? she constantly told him he was stupid and an idiot. She ragged on him just as much as she did her little brother. No wonder he liked the attention just a little from Elle. She worshiped him next to Kate.
and she was totally spaced out on the things Kiki needed and totally nonexistent with helping Rocky - but she had no problem playing the "I don't mean to sound all important but do you know who I am? I'm the Zombie-girl. The one who found the cure." I wanted to punch her in her oversized annoying head.
Oh well. Like I said, light and funny but Kate...gah, get over yourself.
It was still cute and light and mildly funny.
I really like Jonah. He's always such a kick and says the funniest things....but this time I found Kate to be incredibly annoying. She was rude, obnoxious and mean.
Seriously, what was Aaron doing with her? she constantly told him he was stupid and an idiot. She ragged on him just as much as she did her little brother. No wonder he liked the attention just a little from Elle. She worshiped him next to Kate.
and she was totally spaced out on the things Kiki needed and totally nonexistent with helping Rocky - but she had no problem playing the "I don't mean to sound all important but do you know who I am? I'm the Zombie-girl. The one who found the cure." I wanted to punch her in her oversized annoying head.
Oh well. Like I said, light and funny but Kate...gah, get over yourself.
jennifermreads's review
4.0
Pure monster silliness. Kate kicks some ass with her brains and even temper. The book is just as silly as Carrie Harris’ first book. Pure fun.
onceuponasarah's review
4.0
This sequel was a lot better than the first book. Not the plot. The plot was worse, but the writing was better so it was more enjoyable to read. It was a short, sweet book. I do wish that the first chapter made it clear where in time the book was set. I couldn't tell if she was in college or high school.
heykellyjensen's review
3.0
Kate Grable is a riot, a geek, and somehow always seems to fall into the path of trouble. First it was zombies, and this time, werewolves. But with science on her side, she figures out how to get rid of the hairy beasts without causing too much of a stir. Or, well, she causes quite a bit of a stir. This time, though, the local police already know who she is and what she's capable of doing.
Bad Hair Day was funny, fast-paced, and the kind of light-hearted paranormal read I like. Kate's got such a distinct, off-beat, and amusing voice. She's a total and proud nerd.
My only criticism is the same one I had with the first volume: the ending feels a little rushed. It felt like everything was explained away in a sentence or two. But for what the book is, it works. This isn't meant to be deep, analytical stuff.
Also, yeti.
Bad Hair Day was funny, fast-paced, and the kind of light-hearted paranormal read I like. Kate's got such a distinct, off-beat, and amusing voice. She's a total and proud nerd.
My only criticism is the same one I had with the first volume: the ending feels a little rushed. It felt like everything was explained away in a sentence or two. But for what the book is, it works. This isn't meant to be deep, analytical stuff.
Also, yeti.
jennybeastie's review
3.0
I always admire a writer who takes a ridiculous premise and goes all out. Well done with this one, Carrie Harris -- it's silly, but entertaining, as any book that seems to possibly star a sasquatch or a werewolf would be. Even better when the heroine has a past that includes creating an anti-zombie virus.
lpcoolgirl's review
5.0
Again, loved the mix of monsters and science, and it was quite clever, and I kinda want a 3rd book, but yeah, really enjoyed it!