Review: One Seriously Messed-Up Weekend in the Otherwise Un-Messed-Up Life of Jack Samsonite by Tom Clempson

One Seriously Messed-Up Weekend in the Un-Messed-Up Life of Jack Samsonite by Tom Clempson (review copy) - WARNING! I cannot review this book without spoiling the others in the series. Read no further if you're planning on reading this series and don't want it spoilt for you.

Jack Samsonite's Foolish Plan for Being Amazing at Everything

(including getting a life, getting into Film School, and getting into a girl's knickers)

1.Make an amazing(ly bad) short film about zombies . . . or maybe superheroes . . . or just three idiot friends. It has to be deep and meaningful and (most importantly) has to have a scene where I kiss a girl on the mouth.

2.Write the world's best university application ever! (Or at least one that doesn't make me seem like a nob).

3.Don't get expelled trying to complete 1 & 2.

It can't possibly fail . . . right? From Amazon UK

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Review: Geekhood: Close Encounters of the Girl Kind by Andy Robb

Geekhood by Andy Robb (ARC) - If you haven't worked it out yet, girls don't do this. They don't come to the Hovel. They don't like goblins and dragons. They don't paint miniatures. They don't play role playing games or re-enact fictional battles. And they don't talk to Geeks like me - especially if they're pretty. And this girl is pretty.

What do you do if you're a fourteen-year-old Geek, and a Beautiful Girl has appeared in the midst of your geeky world? And she seems to like you...

For Archie, the natural reaction would be to duck and cover... run for the hills... buy a new model elf... Anything byt risk stepping into the Real World.

But even Geeks have to put their heads above the parapet at some point.

With his mum barely able to contain her excitement that her son is about to join the human race, and his step-father, Tony the Tosser, offering crass advice, it's time for Archie to embark on a daring Quest to win the Beautiful Girl's heart and shake off his Geekhood for good... From the blurb.

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Review: Beat the Band by Don Calame

Beat the Band by Don Calame (ARC) - WARNING! I cannot review this book without spoiling the first in the series. Read no further if you're planning on reading this series and don't want it spoiled for you.

'Who gets more girls than a rock god? No one.'

In the hotly-awaited sequel to the hysterical Swim the Fly, Coop finds himself partnered with social outcast 'Hot Dog' Helen for a class project on safe sex. Desperate to find a way of saving his rep, Coop decides that winning the school Battle of the Bands contest is the perfect solution.

Surely the small fact that neither he nor his best friends, Sean and Matt, can actually play an instrument will stop them achieving rock-and-roll awesomeness... From Amazon UK

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Review: Swim the Fly by Don Calame

Swim the Fly by Don Calame (review copy) - Fifteen-year-old Matt Gratton and his two best friends, Coop and Sean, always set themselves a summertime goal. This year's? To see a real-live naked girl for the first time. But this mission impossible starts to look easy in comparison to Matt's other challenge: to swim the 100-yard butterfly and impress the gorgeous Kelly West. From Amazon UK

I love reading YA. I wouldn't review it if I didn't. But I have to admit that I prefer YA written for boys than YA written for girls. They're just so funny! So when Swim the Fly came through my letterbox, I started reading straight away. And it's brilliant!

I can't count the times I actually laughed out loud while reading this book, or how many of those times I actually sat there laughing for a good while before being able to continue reading. There are so many incidents in this book - whether it be the three mates desperate attempts to see a naked girl, or Matt's Grandad trying to woo a recent windower - that are just so silly and ridiculous, you can't help but laugh. Though I have to say there were moments when I felt a little disturbed at some of the things that happened, but I guess boys will be boys, and it was all fairly believable despite that.

Swim the Fly was light on the serious issues. It touched on a thing or two every now and then, but for the main part, it's a comedy. This isn't a bad thing though, as there was never much of a downer on the story, and I was kept smiling.

This review is pretty short, but I don't know what else I can say without spoiling it, as so much happens. The characters are awesome, they get themselves into so many scrapes, and come out with really funny phrases. It's just a brilliant book, and would make a good summer read. I highly recommend it, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, Beat the Band. An awesome book!

Thank you to Templar Publishing for sending me a review copy.



Published: 9th May 2011
Publisher: Templar Publishing
Buy on Amazon US
Don Calame's Website

Continue reading Review: Swim the Fly by Don Calame