Review Detail

A book that will inspire people to be who they are instead of who others expect them to be.

The story:
Cash Carter is a mega TV star with a secret that will destroy something that millions of fans hold dear, their favorite TV show. Wizzers are a bit crazy and a whole lot obsessed. They follow his every move, applauding the good and voicing their criticism of the former. It's enough to drive someone to drink.
Cash is invited on a road trip by super fan, Topher, and his friends. They don't expect him to show up and when he actually does, he's so far different than what they expected or wanted. But they all have secrets of their own. Secrets they're afraid will change their friendships forever. It takes a road trip from hell and an idol who turns out to be very much human to show them the true value of honesty and trust.

What I loved:
I cried. Any book that can make me cry has done something right. It wasn't a big, ugly cry that left me devastated. It was more of a "this ending is so perfect" kind of cry. I love coming of age stories that test friendships and this fits that bill perfectly. The emotions are so raw in these pages. I don't know if I've read a book quite like it. I can't ever truly understand what these characters were going through, but I felt for them. There is a depth to the story that is unparalleled. It preaches acceptance without actually preaching. It shows a side to these issues that many readers won't know, yet it doesn't tell us about them. It shows us. It brings us along for the journey of finding one's self and self-worth.

What was just okay:
I love diversity in a book, but there was so much here that it began to feel unrealistic. Every character represented a different issue almost and it was like it was trying too hard. That being said, I much prefer too much diversity to too little.

Final Verdict:
Stranger Than Fanfiction represents everything that literature needs more of and does so in a way that is immensely entertaining and heartfelt.