Title: Crash Test Love
Author: Ted Michael
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: June 8, 2010
Date Read: February 2 - 3, 2011
Rating: 4/5 stars
Summary
The last thing Henry Arlington wants is a girlfriend. He's just very, very good with girls—reading their body language, knowing what they want to hear, and more importantly: getting them into the backseat of his car. But all that changes when he meets Garrett Lennox at one of the many Sweet Sixteen parties he crashes.
Garrett thinks she's done with guys. She was dumped by her ex when she moved from Chicago to Long Island, and now she realizes that she needs to find out who she is by herself, instead of with a boyfriend. What she really needs is some good friends.
Fortunately for Garrett, the J Squad—the "it" girls of East Shore High School—want her in their clique. All she has to do is pass one little test: get East Shore god Henry Arlington to take her to one of the biggest Sweet Sixteens of the year, then dump him in front of everyone.
This hilarious, sharp, and surprisingly thoughtful novel is the teen Wedding Crashers, filled with love, hope, laughs, and surprising insights about the terrifying process of falling in love.
Garrett thinks she's done with guys. She was dumped by her ex when she moved from Chicago to Long Island, and now she realizes that she needs to find out who she is by herself, instead of with a boyfriend. What she really needs is some good friends.
Fortunately for Garrett, the J Squad—the "it" girls of East Shore High School—want her in their clique. All she has to do is pass one little test: get East Shore god Henry Arlington to take her to one of the biggest Sweet Sixteens of the year, then dump him in front of everyone.
This hilarious, sharp, and surprisingly thoughtful novel is the teen Wedding Crashers, filled with love, hope, laughs, and surprising insights about the terrifying process of falling in love.
Review
So good! Loved it. I've been meaning to read this ARC for a while and I honestly don't know why I waited. This is the perfect book for almost anytime: a summer read, a "just-broke-up-with-my-boyfriend" read, a musical read, it fits just about every category....minus werewolves or something. While it was similar to a lot of teen movies (Mean Girls, John Tucker Must Die) , the plot had more emotional development and seemed a lot deeper to me. I really liked the pop culture references throughout: soundtracks, playlists, cds, songs, movies, actors, broadway musicals. Wonderful! Each time I recognized one it was like hitting a jackpot, especially for the lesser known artists. But hands down my favourite part of the novel was the ending. Saw it coming, didn't see it coming, better than most novel endings I've read recently. When you read it (as you should) you'll understand.
Favourite Quote: "Is there a switch, a button I don't know about? Is it possible to bypass the pain and hurt, the what ifs and maybes and why nots and what the fucks?"
Favourite Quote: "Is there a switch, a button I don't know about? Is it possible to bypass the pain and hurt, the what ifs and maybes and why nots and what the fucks?"
Recommended: Audrey, Wait! (Robin Benway), Just Listen (Sarah Dessen), A Match Made in High School (Kristin Walker).
I've been thinking about reading this and your review just sold it to me. Thanks!
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