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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
Parts of this were fun, but the book is steeped in so much misogyny that I would not recommend it to anyone!
So, it's sort of a parent trap situation, where the leads aren't related, but instead are developing feelings for each other. It's cute and light (while also addressing some serious issues).
Howard's YA debut kept and held my attention from the very start, though I would be hesitant in recommending it to certain people.
Beckett's voice is really strong, but I think most readers will love or hate it. He loves the Golden Girls, and references the show frequently, something which could lose a lot of readers; I hadn't seen it until last year, because it's one of my boyfriend's favorite shows. Beckett's humor can also be judgmental and downright offensive at times. One thing I found really off-putting was his constantly referring to Jax's mom (and Beck's dad's girlfriend) by her giant tits (because he walked in on them hooking up). Beck's massively dismissive of her when she seems to be nothing but nice. I mostly enjoyed his voice, but sometimes the attempts at humor had me cringing rather than laughing.
Jaxon too is mostly likable. He's dealing with the fact that his mothers have split up, and he's unable to accept that one of them is now dating a man. He does make biphobic comments even though he himself is bisexual. It's understandable sometimes but still a bit painful to read. Jax's mean girl stereotype girlfriend also is not a major plus; she's the stereotype consistently to the end.
That said, I did like most of the plot quite a bit. It's sort of a double Parent Trap kind of situation, with both Beck and Jax trying to get their parents back together with their spouses. It's the sort of terrible plans you would expect teen boys to devise, and it's pretty effective as a romantic catalyst for these two.
The hateful church (clearly inspired by Westboro Baptist Church) plot felt a bit too easy, as did the open acceptance from most of the football team. That's exactly the ending you get in an easy romance novel, but this book didn't feel quite fluffy enough to totally pull off such a simplistic ending.
For the most part, I enjoyed reading Social Intercourse, but I hope to see a bit more nuance in future novels, which I will absolutely try.
Beckett's voice is really strong, but I think most readers will love or hate it. He loves the Golden Girls, and references the show frequently, something which could lose a lot of readers; I hadn't seen it until last year, because it's one of my boyfriend's favorite shows. Beckett's humor can also be judgmental and downright offensive at times. One thing I found really off-putting was his constantly referring to Jax's mom (and Beck's dad's girlfriend) by her giant tits (because he walked in on them hooking up). Beck's massively dismissive of her when she seems to be nothing but nice. I mostly enjoyed his voice, but sometimes the attempts at humor had me cringing rather than laughing.
Jaxon too is mostly likable. He's dealing with the fact that his mothers have split up, and he's unable to accept that one of them is now dating a man. He does make biphobic comments even though he himself is bisexual. It's understandable sometimes but still a bit painful to read. Jax's mean girl stereotype girlfriend also is not a major plus; she's the stereotype consistently to the end.
That said, I did like most of the plot quite a bit. It's sort of a double Parent Trap kind of situation, with both Beck and Jax trying to get their parents back together with their spouses. It's the sort of terrible plans you would expect teen boys to devise, and it's pretty effective as a romantic catalyst for these two.
The hateful church (clearly inspired by Westboro Baptist Church) plot felt a bit too easy, as did the open acceptance from most of the football team. That's exactly the ending you get in an easy romance novel, but this book didn't feel quite fluffy enough to totally pull off such a simplistic ending.
For the most part, I enjoyed reading Social Intercourse, but I hope to see a bit more nuance in future novels, which I will absolutely try.
Immediate favorite, oh my gosh. Literally let me throw ALL the stars at this book. I have never read a book EVER in my life that literally made me laugh out loud. Like, an audible sound came out of my mouth multiple times while reading this book because it was absolutely hilarious oh my gosh. Beck and Jax are some of my favorite characters I've ever read about and I need more immediately!!!