King of the Screwups

By: K.L. Going

Summary:
Liam Geller is Mr. Popularity. Everybody loves him. He excels at sports; he knows exactly what clothes to wear; he always ends up with the most beautiful girls in school. But he's got an uncanny ability to screw up in the very ways that tick off his father the most.
When Liam finally kicked out of the house, his father's brother takes him in. What could a teenage chick magnet possibly have in common with his gay, glam rocker, DJ uncle who lives in a trailer in upstate New York? A lot more than you'd think. And when Liam attempts to make himself over as a nerd in a desperate attempt to impress his father, it's his "aunt" Pete and the guys in his band who convince Liam there's much more to him than his father will ever see. (From Amazon)

Review:
Character Development: 5/10
Originality: 10/10
Overall Enjoyment: 5/10
Ending: 9/10
Voice: 7/10
Recommendation: 6/10
Total Score: 42
Grade: B

Rating:
Cussing: 6/10
Drugs, Alcohol, Etc.: 5/10
Sexual Content: 4/10
Aimed at: 13 and up

Other:
# of pages: 310pg.
Written in: first person narrative, teen boy
Released on: April 6, 2009
Tone: funny and unique

Written Review:
I liked this book but it definitely wasn’t my favorite. I wasn’t expecting this book to have as much depth as it did but it made the novel so enjoyable. It went behind Liam’s family problems through Liam’s memories. The flashbacks made me more sympathetic to Liam and his situation. Liam and his father have such a harsh relationship. It made me want to reach through the pages and give Liam a hug for not having a good relationship with his father. Going describes a very dysfunctional family in such a way that makes it hard to dislike Liam. After going through such tough times (even while being super rich and popular) Liam’s antics are easily blamed on trying to conform himself to anyone he isn’t. This book is filled with humor as Liam tried to make himself “unpopular” to become more acceptable to his dad and of course as the title suggests, there are a lot of “Screwups”. With “Aunt” Pete and his glam rock buddies’ opinions on anything and everything Liam learns to get through his emotional past and become the person he wants to be. This book was written very realistically with hope, humor, and raw emotion that made the story very real. I’d recommend this book more to guys than girls though it’s acceptable for both. If you are looking for a powerful and moving novel filled with humorous touches and advice this is the book for you.

Check it out!
Thanks
-Jill