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suebrownreads's review against another edition
5.0
OMG, how I loved this book! It is hard to describe, but it is laugh-out-loud funny, empatheticly, and giggle-worthly nostalgic and sympatheticly heart-wrenching. I absolutely loved everything about it, and the reader is so very perfect!
I will listen to this book again one day.
And maybe again.
I will listen to this book again one day.
And maybe again.
lettersofellie's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
3.75
vendea's review against another edition
5.0
Well then
So far I think I liked The Wednesday Wars better, but this was very nearly as good.
So far I think I liked The Wednesday Wars better, but this was very nearly as good.
avonleagal's review against another edition
5.0
“I’m not going to break either. One in four, and I’m the one.”
When I was looking for a quote to sum up Okay for Now, I came across this one. At first, I wasn’t too sure about it. It came later in the book, and the main character didn’t even say it. But the longer I think about it, the more it hits me.
I read Okay for Now for the first time when I was around 13, and I loved it so much that I read it again and again and again. There’s even been a couple times I’ve finished it and started it again right away. I do tend to reread my favorites a lot, but how many books is it bearable to read in at least the double digits?
Doug touched me like no other character. When things start to go pretty good, something usually happens to turn everything bad. His father made them move to Marysville, New York, and that’s when things start to happen. He meets Lil Spicer, Mrs. Windermere, and the Artic Tern. At least, a picture of one.
I love this book so much. The Jane Eyre references, Joe Pepitone. Everything. It quite possibly won’t mean the same thing to you that it did to me,but I hope you at least give it a try.
Reread October 2023
When I was looking for a quote to sum up Okay for Now, I came across this one. At first, I wasn’t too sure about it. It came later in the book, and the main character didn’t even say it. But the longer I think about it, the more it hits me.
I read Okay for Now for the first time when I was around 13, and I loved it so much that I read it again and again and again. There’s even been a couple times I’ve finished it and started it again right away. I do tend to reread my favorites a lot, but how many books is it bearable to read in at least the double digits?
Doug touched me like no other character. When things start to go pretty good, something usually happens to turn everything bad. His father made them move to Marysville, New York, and that’s when things start to happen. He meets Lil Spicer, Mrs. Windermere, and the Artic Tern. At least, a picture of one.
I love this book so much. The Jane Eyre references, Joe Pepitone. Everything. It quite possibly won’t mean the same thing to you that it did to me,but I hope you at least give it a try.
Reread October 2023
thebrainlair's review against another edition
5.0
Almost as good the second time around. Must say it reminds me of Cardturner and The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman as the explanations of bridge, scrabble, and drawing birds became a little tedious. At least in Cardturner you are alerted and can skip over the hands. It's as if the authors are trying to convince kids of the value of these quiet activities. Hm..
lovelaced's review against another edition
The main character was just too annoying. I really tried but I can't tolerate it. The way he keeps repeating everything over and over and over again was driving me NUTS! You wouldn't believe this but the word "stupid" was used 109 times in this book. One HUNDRED and nine, yes. I'm not lying.
See, what I did there? "Stupid" 109 times, "I'm not lying" 82 fucking times, "Chump" 45 times, "Sounding like Lucas" 8 times. I can't tell if its a purposeful creative choice or if the author's vocabulary was really that narrow or maybe the author wanted to really paint the mc as fucking annoying. Well, if he was, I can tell you that it worked very well. And how many times, are you (the mc) gonna "sound like Lucas" until you actually are Lucas? Maybe you really are a bully just like your father and your brother.
Idk, maybe that was the whole point of it but idc, the mc was whiny, annoying, immature, and really not the least bit charming. Yes, characters have flaws but they should also have something alluring about them so the readers give a fuck about what happens next and keep the page turning.
You could argue that the mc is 12/ 13 so of course he'd tend to be whiny and stupid and annoying. Well, maybe. Buy I don't remember Harry Potter or Percy Jackson or Arya Stark being this insufferable at 12 so there's that.
See, what I did there? "Stupid" 109 times, "I'm not lying" 82 fucking times, "Chump" 45 times, "Sounding like Lucas" 8 times. I can't tell if its a purposeful creative choice or if the author's vocabulary was really that narrow or maybe the author wanted to really paint the mc as fucking annoying. Well, if he was, I can tell you that it worked very well. And how many times, are you (the mc) gonna "sound like Lucas" until you actually are Lucas? Maybe you really are a bully just like your father and your brother.
Idk, maybe that was the whole point of it but idc, the mc was whiny, annoying, immature, and really not the least bit charming. Yes, characters have flaws but they should also have something alluring about them so the readers give a fuck about what happens next and keep the page turning.
You could argue that the mc is 12/ 13 so of course he'd tend to be whiny and stupid and annoying. Well, maybe. Buy I don't remember Harry Potter or Percy Jackson or Arya Stark being this insufferable at 12 so there's that.
thelibrarylady42's review against another edition
4.0
Even though it started out slow with a slightly annoying narrator it grew into something heartwarming and enjoyable. At first Doug was kind of irritating and kept using the same words over and over; "you know how that feels?" and "I'm not lying." But as time went on he grew on me, became the loveable underdog and I couldn't help but cheer whenever he came out on top.
christiana's review against another edition
4.0
Hello? Oh, hi, Newbery award, how are you?...Oh, is that right? The front runner for your award right now you say? I thought the same thing. I'll let everyone know.
(This was really really good.)
(This was really really good.)
book_reviews_with_sam's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mary00's review against another edition
5.0
This book is Fantastic! It is a companion novel to Schmidt's Newbery Honor book The Wednesday Wars (which is also fantastic), but you could read this one without having read The Wednesday Wars first. For me, this book even surpasses The Wednesday Wars and makes me want to go and read every single thing that Gary Schmidt has written.
I was so close to giving this book 5 stars (and maybe I will change my mind and still do so). However, the ending felt just the slightest bit convenient to me. The way things ended with the father, particulary, felt just a tad bit too contrived. So let's say it's a 4.75 instead.
Having said that, this is one of the best books that I have read in a long time and, in my humble opinion, should earn many awards this year (including the Newbery (fingers crossed)).
Having read this book directly after having finished Split (another book which contains an abusive father), I especially appreciated Schmidt's ability to portray the horrific aspect of living in an unstable and abusive home environment without actually having to spell out many of the details or use graphic descriptions and language.
In short, this is a gem of a novel which is at turns heartbreaking, sweet, and humorous and contains a memorable and lovable (yet flawed) protagonist. I feel that this book would be every bit as appealing to adults as it is to the children/ youth it is marketed for.
I was so close to giving this book 5 stars (and maybe I will change my mind and still do so). However, the ending felt just the slightest bit convenient to me. The way things ended with the father, particulary, felt just a tad bit too contrived. So let's say it's a 4.75 instead.
Having said that, this is one of the best books that I have read in a long time and, in my humble opinion, should earn many awards this year (including the Newbery (fingers crossed)).
Having read this book directly after having finished Split (another book which contains an abusive father), I especially appreciated Schmidt's ability to portray the horrific aspect of living in an unstable and abusive home environment without actually having to spell out many of the details or use graphic descriptions and language.
In short, this is a gem of a novel which is at turns heartbreaking, sweet, and humorous and contains a memorable and lovable (yet flawed) protagonist. I feel that this book would be every bit as appealing to adults as it is to the children/ youth it is marketed for.