stupid fast

Monday, February 13, 2012 |

Dear Geoff Herbach,


Two words: Thank you. Okay, more than two words (i'm greedy). You are a genius. You write hilarious inner monologue. I don’t know when I have laughed as loud or loved a character so much. I hope you will keep writing amazing, funny, honest characters with as much heart as you did in Stupid Fast. Again – thank you!


Your Newest Fan,

Cecelia


I AM NOT STUPID FUNNY.

I AM STUPID FAST.

My name is Felton Reinstein, which is not a fast name. But last November, my voice finally dropped and I grew all this hair and then I got stupid fast. Fast like a donkey. Zing!

Now they want me, the guy they used to call Squirrel Nut, to try out for the football team. With the jocks. But will that fix my mom? Make my brother stop dressing like a pirate? Most important, will it get me girls—especially Aleah?

So I train. And I run. And I sneak off to Aleah's house in the night. But deep down I know I can't run forever. And I wonder what will happen when I finally have to stop.


Felton Reinstein has been growing height and hair, his younger brother is driving him nuts, and his mother may have gone right off the deep end. Add in a new paper route, a best friend banished to Venezuela for the summer, and he might just decide to spend a couple of months on the couch. Luckily, a little bit of life and a world-class pianist show up to break him out of his rut – and he might be a jock?! This summer everything will change, whether Felton is ready or not.


Felton is the narrator. Despite his protestations, he’s insanely funny. He’s also weird. And normal. You know? Okay, that didn’t make sense. But I felt like I knew Felton, because his internal monologue was by turns neurotic, sweet, off-beat and annoying (and thus, as anyone who has experienced the teenage years knows, scarily accurate). His journey from average/weird to athletically talented/weird over the course of one summer is only one of his challenges – because through it all he has to deal with his family AND his hormones.


Stupid Fast is liquid laughter, teenage sweat, tears and angst, and the sweet innocence of summertime, all mixed up into something I’ll call pure genius. Geoff Herbach writes smart, sarcastic, and punchy prose. He writes quirky people who seem freakily real. And he does so with grace and style and… I’ve run out of words. Just, please, READ THIS BOOK.


Recommended for: teenage guys, anyone who has been searching for an extraordinary and distinctive ‘voice’ with generous helpings of humor, fans of young adult literature—in the best sense of the word, and those who admired Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin’s Notes from the Blender.

9 comments:

annaaainafairytalee. said...

"But last November, my voice finally dropped and I grew all this hair and then I got stupid fast. Fast like a donkey. Zing!" Hilarious!!! I can't wait until I get my hands on this bad boy.

On a side note, I tagged you for a book tag it's up to you on whether you want to do it or, if you do go to my blog
http://theperfectherald.blogspot.com/
and check out the question.

Anonymous said...

Never heard of this one...It sounds fun though...;)

Ginny Larsen said...

love the review.

also,


i love you.


and,


i really really truly laughed out loud when i opened the Valentine's card you sent me. it was perfect.

but you knew that.

also, i will be reading this book based on your glowing accolades. other authors would be so lucky...

xoXoxOxo

Steph Su said...

This just won a Cybil, didn't it? I'm not the biggest reader of contemporary fiction with adolescent male voices, but alright, you've piqued my interest, and I'll keep an eye out for this title!

Cecelia said...

Steph: Yes, it just won. I wouldn't say that I'm usually a contemporary or guy-narrated fan either, but this book was a wonderful exception. And a nice diversion from my usual fantasy heroine addiction!

Liviania said...

I was so happy that I got the Kindle version of this one on sale.

Unknown said...

Just found your blog via Chick Loves Lit :) I'm anxious to read Stupid Fast - initially bc I'm always looking for good "boy books," but now even more so bc I had no idea it would be so funny! Thanks for the introduction.

Cecelia said...

Liviania: I KNOW! The fact that it was $1.99 really tipped the scales for me. So glad I read this one. SO. GLAD.

Adriana @ BooksOnHerMind said...

You read this book!? Beyond jealous you don't even know I got a little bit teary eyed I was so jealous and then you loved it! Ugh. I'm happy for you really but I'm mostly sad for me. Nice review :D

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