Review Detail

TEENAGE DIRTBAGS is a YA book about Phil and Jackson. Phil is a “troublemaker” while Jackson is a “good guy”. The two used to be friends until something derailed their friendship. They are brought back together when Phil is dumped by his boyfriend Cameron and wants to expose him as a liar.

What I Loved:
The revenge plot was everything I wanted it to be a more. I can be a sucker for a revenge plot. I just find them fun and the messy hijinks that usually go with them are a great time. This one was handled quite well and I enjoyed watching it play out. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy than Cameron.

Jackson and Phil were both amazingly written characters. They shine in different ways and readers may not relate to both of them. But it is clear that the author knew what he was going for when he wrote their characters and I think he succeeded in getting his intentions across.

I personally have a soft sport for Phil. His bad boy visage being slowly broken down by Jackson who sees past all of that just hit perfectly for me. He’s rough around the edges, but he’s got some reasons to be. Jackson was also just a sweet character to read about. He is also struggling throughout the book, but he keeps it more contained.

I also really enjoyed the discussions that the two characters were able to have together because of their differences. Discussions about class, privilege, being out. I love seeing serious topics addressed in fiction books, especially books geared towards teenagers. They are important conversations and James Acker handled them with care.

What Left Me Wanting More:
The first part of the book was a bit slow. It allows for the characters and world to get introduced, which is great, but it also means that it may be hard to hold a reader’s attention at times. I struggled with trying to get through the first part of the book for a while but hoped that the revenge plot would be worth the effort.

Final Verdict:
If old friends bonding over getting back at one’s toxic ex interests you, TEENAGE DIRTBAGS is a great choice of read. The added depth and seriousness of these characters just makes it even better.