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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
Read for school, pretty predictable and I didn’t like the protagonist. A similar-ish type story to About a Boy.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
After drinking what is left of his absent father's liquor, stealing and crashing his mother's car in the process of which he beheads a garden gnome, Alex Gregory is sentenced to community service at the local nursing home so he can learn some “valuable life lessons.” He winds up having to spend time with cranky Sol Lewis, who is suffering from emphysema but has a very interesting and surprising past, which will help Alex with his own guitar playing. The notes of the title come into play when in addition to his community service, Alex is required to write letters to the judge about his progress with Sol. During the course of the book, Alex discovers he has growing feelings for his best friend since childhood, Laurie, a “terrifying goth pixie” who practices karate and Chinese hand-weapon combat. He is unsure if she feels the same way about him, but know-it-all Sol makes them a couple by calling her Mrs. While some of Alex's life lessons and plot resolutions are a bit predictable and unrealistic, this touching, funny book is fast-paced and enjoyable.
a moving, great book. some really good points about accepting responsibility and not just making excuses.
Not just coming-of-age; it's a heartwarming and witty coming-of-maturity novel.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don't think I have read a bad novel my Sonnenblick. He knows how to do YA well! A really great balance between humor and seriousness. Loved this.
Interesting take on a kid who's surrounded by stuff that is too big for him.
This book packed a punch. It was bittersweet, silly, cute, and sweet. This book is wonderful