Review Detail

I loved this book! This was one of those books you want to read slowly. You can take in all the details of the who's who as the plot builds up and then unfolds. You want to read a bit, put it down for a bit, savor it for a bit, and then return to the pages ready for more.

Blake's got a lot to juggle: he's got the hots for his girlfriend, a passion for photography, a friend (who's a girl) to have photo adventures with, an annoying older brother (who does redeem himself beautifully as the story unfolds), a dad with a gross job, a mom who is sometimes shirtless, but always good and kind.

With all this action in his life, his internal dialogue with himself is spot-on for a teenage boy and downright hilarious! When "Houston" goes silent, I couldn't help but to howl with laughter, as you know this 15-year-old is stranded and looking for answers...like how to figure out what you did wrong when your girlfriend is mad at you and you have NO IDEA why.

Madigan hits the mark with the quirkiness of a boy trying to find his way through high school, family, and relationships. The beauty of her writing is its clarity, but what really steals the show is how she keeps the book moving. By the end of the 2nd chapter, she has delivered the goods...and wow!

From a purple streak of hair recognized in a photo, Blake's life takes on a life of its own, and he's just trying to keep up with all the changes.