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Saturday, March 29, 2014

{12 in 12 Review} Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

12 in 12 is me committing to read 12 books in 12 months. These 12 books will be old books that I've had on my TBR since the dawn of time and have been pushed aside for all the SHINY. 
Check out my 12 in 12 intro post to learn more! For February, I decided to read Audrey, Wait! and once again, I LOVED IT! For January I read Sloppy Firsts and it was also a hit so I'm really happy with the direction this project is going.

Aaaaand BONUS! Sharon is totally crashing this review with her thoughts, too! Because after Racquel's glowing recommendation and a super awesome review she cannot seem to find again due to failing massively at life, she joined the I-read-Audrey-Wait-and-loved-it club!

Title: Audrey, Wait!
Author:
Published April 10th, 2008 by Razorbill
Genre: Contemporary YA
Rating: A
Goodreads summary:
California high school student Audrey Cuttler dumps self-involved Evan, the lead singer of a little band called The Do-Gooders. Evan writes, “Audrey, Wait!” a break-up song that’s so good it rockets up the billboard charts. And Audrey is suddenly famous!

Now rabid fans are invading her school. People is running articles about her arm-warmers. The lead singer of the Lolitas wants her as his muse. (And the Internet is documenting her every move!) Audrey can't hang out with her best friend or get with her new crush without being mobbed by fans and paparazzi.

Take a wild ride with Audrey as she makes headlines, has outrageous amounts of fun, confronts her ex on MTV, and gets the chance to show the world who she really is.
This is such a Racquel (and Sharon!), book it's not even funny!!

R: It was craaaaazy but Robin sold it. Usually with outrageously crazy books you have to suspend belief but this book was so real (regarding teen life) and the voice was spot on that I just believed every second of what happened to Audrey. Especially since it *could* happen if you think about it. In an entertainment industry where overnight sensations always happen, the plot of Audrey, Wait! is not that far fetched. 

S: I am in total agreement. It's one of those plots that is far-fetched but totally possible in our society. And I enjoyed every moment of it! The writing style totally worked for me, and Audrey was a great MC. Plus, MUSIC! Always a bonus.

R: This book was FUNNY. Like legit LOL funny. As in I actually had to stop reading and put it down for the night because I was laughing too much and my jaw started aching. I have TMJ and excessive laughing/chewing/biting/yawing/any-sort-of-jaw-movement makes my already screwed up and out of place jaw worse so I had to stop for the night.

S: Seriously. You don't even know unless you've read it. I saved almost two single-spaced size 12 Times New Roman pages worth of quotes from this book, an equal amount of hilarious one-liners and fantastic exchanges. It was actually this particular giggle-inducing quote in the mystery review (seriously, if I commented on your review of this book a month or two ago, let me know! I am your eternal servant) that 100% convinced me that I had to read it because this book was my kind of funny.
“Did you just say ‘frolic’?”
“Is it not a word?”
“Who the hell says ‘frolic’?”
I spun the lock on my locker and waited for it to stick like it always did on 33. “I say frolic,” I told her. “And more people should.”
“They should say frolic or actually frolic?”
“Both.”
For the record, I apologize in advance if I go a little quote-crazy in this review. Which I probably will. So, sorry. And by sorry, I mean you're welcome.

R: The romance: CUTE CUTE CUTE CUTE. Super cute alert to the max!! James was such a sweet guy which to be honest is super rare now in books and it was so refreshing reading about Audrey and James. They seriously belong together.

S: Oh. My. Gosh. My heart. The romance in this book was so freaking beautifully awkward and cute, and I am smiling like a loon just thinking about it. But it wasn't overly cheesy or anything! It was simply fabulous.
“I don’t have your number.”
I scribbled it down on a scrap of paper and pressed it into his hand. “Call. Or text. Or IM.”
“How do you feel about carrier pigeons?”
I shuddered. “The equivalent of flying rats.”
“Scratch the pigeons, then.”
R: Victoria is Audrey’s bff and I LOVED her. Now, when I start books and the best friend is introduced, I hate her on spot because I know she’ll either: 1) screw the main character over or 2) act as some sort of plot device, but Victoria was a REAL character!! And it wasn’t like Victoria was the crazy fashionista and Audrey was the shy misunderstood bookworm like what always happens in books. NOPE. Audrey was just as crazy as Victoria and YAAAAY!! I’m tired and OVER the crazy-bffand-main-character-who-does-nothing dynamic. 

S: Yes yes YES! FINALLY a real, healthy, long-standing female friendship in YA! Victoria was hilarious and awesome, and she and Audrey had a great friendship. Yes, they fought, but it was clear that they were actually equal friends who loved each other and had absurd and awesome BFF-y interactions. Plus, Victoria left the best message in the history of messages on Audrey's answering machine:
WHY ARE YOU NOT ANSWERING YOUR PHONE?!? OH MY GOD, DID YOU SEE THE ARTICLE? I AM FREAKING OUT, WHY ARE YOU NOT ANSWERING YOUR PHONE?! Please call me. I’m starting to act like Tizzy around here. It’s getting ugly. Oh, hi, Mr. and Mrs. Cuttler, in case you get this first. Everything’s fine, I’m just trying to get ahold of Audrey. Okay, ‘bye. AUDREY, CALL ME BEFORE I HAVE TO RESORT TO SKYWRITING.
R: Another cool thing: Audrey’s PARENTS! They’re actually present in the book! And wait for it... Audrey actually even says she likes her parents! MY god is this book even REAL?! But oh it is and it's glorious.

S: I don't really have any comments to add here except: YES! And imagine me doing an epic Breakfast Club-style fist pump.

R: This is such a great contemporary YA and I want MOREEE like it! Audrey goes to school and she studies and she has boy drama and she deals with her family and she goes to work and loves music and goes to concerts and spends money on CDs… she’s a REAL PERSON!!!! Despite Audrey’s insta-fame, we still get a story of normal girl with a normal life. Family, friends, school, activities. It’s well rounded with all the aspects of ya know, LIFE. I can’t think of many books like that. So you better believe it: Audrey, Wait! is going on my favorites shelf.

S: Audrey, Wait! is most definitely going on my list of Top 10 YA Books of All Time. And no, I don't have an official list. But it would definitely be on it. It had SO MANY of the things I always beg for but rarely get in a YA book, and in addition, it was original and relatable and hilarious and touching. It is a new favorite, for sure!

Rating: [A] Amazing. Just like we knew it would be!

First:
The day I broke up with my boyfriend Evan was the day he wrote the song. You know, the song.

Favorite:
“Did Evan actually say ‘kill this vibe’?”
“Those words exactly,” I told her. “Plus some other choice phrases.”
“What? Like ‘Fuck you’?”
“No, more like, ‘How could you do this to me?’ ‘I thought we were gonna be together forever.’ That kind of stuff.”
“Please. He must be a closet romance novel reader. I’m surprised he didn’t break out a lute and try to woo you.”
“If he had done that, I would’ve been more interested.”

Teaser:
This was, I decided, the best night ever. The rest of my life was gonna have to be amazingly wonderful, like I would have to cure cancer or save the rain forests or win a Nobel Prize, in order for it to ever surpass the greatness that was this night.

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