Zero

by Tom Leveen

It's the '90s! Not everyone's heard of Nirvana yet, and audiotapes are barely outdated. The live music scene is alive and well, and bands still make things like "demo tapes" and "albums." Were you there? 

After missing her best opportunity to attend a prestigious art school, 17-year-old Salvador Dali devotee Zero begins dating Mike, a drummer in an up-and-coming punk band. As their tentative relationship blooms, Zero confronts a ton of baggage holding her back from her art the majorly awkward drama with her former best friend, Jenn; her dad's excessive drinking and parents' ongoing fights; and one formerly successful art teacher who might just hold the keys to her future, or smash Z's hopes forever. 

When Mike's band gets a chance of lifetime to bust out of black hole that is Metro Phoenix, Zero must make a life-altering decision and answer the one question we all face at some point in our  

Follow your own heart, or the heart of the one you love? 

Zero  was an ALA/YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) Best Book of 2013.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Music, Realistic Fiction, Art, Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2012

About the author

Tom Leveen is the author of nine novels originally with imprints of Random House, Simon & Schuster, Abrams, and more. He has written with Todd McFarlane on SPAWN, the comic book series, and fiction for the TTRPG BattleTech for Topps, Inc.

Recently an early literacy specialist with Phoenix Public Library, Tom has twelve years of previous library work experience. He also has 22 years of theatre experience as an actor and director, and has been the Artistic Director for two different award-winning theatre companies.

Tom wrote his first story in second grade and has been writing and telling stories ever since. His first horror novel, SICK, won the Westchester Fiction Award and the Grand Canyon Reader Award. His novel ZERO was a Best Book of 2013 (American Library Association/Young Adult Library Services Association).

A frequent guest speaker and teacher, Tom has taught, paneled, and/or keynoted for SCBWI, RWA, Desert Nights Rising Stars, Phoenix ComiCon, AzLA, NCTE, TEDx, People of Color Network, Western New Mexico University, Arizona State University, Arizona Reading Association, Kennesaw State University, multiple schools and conferences throughout Germany, AETA, the Los Angeles Teen Book Fest, and many others.

In addition, apropos of absolutely nothing, Tom:

Finished a marathon (in six and half hours) and a triathalon sprint in 2 hours, earned a blue belt in Tae Kwon Do, co-hosted a public access comedy show, directed 30 plays and acted in 30 more, ran a theatre company out of his backyard, met almost all of his literary heroes except for Stephen King, played in a punk band live in front of actual people (once), prefers the Hero System but nevertheless runs a warlock minotaur and storm cleric elf when time permits, trained at the Utah Shakespeare Festival Actor Training program for five sessions, was Best Masque & Gavel Member in high school, lettered in Speech, has a rock in one finger from a pretty bad bail on his (now stolen) Tony Hawk, was the safari train driver for the Phoenix Zoo for a short time, worked in the stock room for Forever 21 for an even shorter time, completed a Spartan Sprint with three friends, and spent twenty years earning his Bachelor of Science degree. He is currently in an MFA program at a major international university.

So if there's something you want to do, go do it.

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn’t actually find a quote that I loved that wouldn’t spoil things so I’m going to quote a quote.

“Love, I said, strangely resembled certain gastric sensations… producing an uneasiness and shudders so delicate that one is not sure whether one is in love or feels like vomiting.”- Salvador Dali.

Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Phew. I’m glad it ended like that. I thought I was going to get stabby…

High Points.
Zero..ish. Mike. Awkward first love. Dali. Coffee shops. Band t-shirts. Golden records. San Francisco. Friendships. Art classes. Charcoal smudges. Rainbows. Gothic rainbows.

Low Points.
Hmmm… see heroine.
Also, see sadness scale.
Did we really need five bajillion pages of art metaphor?
Yes? Oh…ok.

Heroine.
Zero… Amanda.
Hm. OK, I’m not going to lie. You aren’t my favourite heroine in the entire world.
Let’s talk about the things I liked: You were alternative and not just in an ‘oh my god, I have dyed hair a kerrraaazy colour I’M SO ORIGINAL” way either. You love art. You know art. You’re funny. You’re sarcastic. You dealt with your parents fights in an understandable way. You were a massive goof.
And the things I didn’t: I don’t know… I can’t really explain it. It just seemed that someone just opened a dictionary, found the entry for ‘Stereotypical Angst-Ridden Teenage Girl’ and created you from that blue print. Insecure about body weight? Yup. Overly sarcastic? Yep. Fights with her parents? Yup. Acts out? Yes. Thinks no one will ever understand her? Yes. Thinks no boy could ever love her? Yep.
I don’t know. Something just didn’t sit right with me with Zero and I’m a little disappointed because I thought we’d be best friends.
And, I know I like to make up phrases and it’s probably not as endearing as I think it is, but if she ever said ‘suck-ass’ in front of me… I’d punch her in the face.


Best Friend.
I needed moooooore from this. I really liked Jenn and thought this story line was fantastic. But… again, it just kind of faded into the background. Sad times.

Love Interest.
I was listening to radio a couple of months back and the DJ said that drummers are always ugly.
I took offense to this because ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
Have you seen Harry from McFly Dave Grohl?
(Close one.)
Anyway, I’ve always had a have a soft spot for drummers… so Mike and his drum sticks already had a head start in the race for my affections. If I were six years younger I would tripping over chairs and pretending I loved the bands you liked have the biggest crush on you.
You were so sweet and there was a dopey smile on my face every time you were on the page. You’re a bit of a dreamer and you’re sensitive but you’ve got a sensible head on your shoulders.
I also loved that you weren’t omgsofrickenfiiiiine and this stereotypical tortured artist that lopes and broods and is mean to his lady because the only thing he cares about is his art.

“If you had a couple of priceless sapphires and held them up to the rays of the setting sun in he moments after a Sonoran monsoon, they’d be lifeless next to this guy’s eyes.”

Also, I think he has nice eyes… though I’m not 100% sure.
I’m kidding, I’m just joshing with you…. Eyes are very important on a boy. Apologies for being sarcastic, Zero.
Anyway, Mike, my man, the only thing that bothered me was your hair.

“He peers at me through the curtain of his bangs.”

NO.
No boy should be able to look at me through his fringe.
There should be rules about stuff like that.
I was expecting him to have a huge Mohican a la the chap on the cover so when he didn’t I was sad… and then I pictured him that way anyway.
Basically I made him Travis Barker.
SO SUE ME.

Theme Tune.

Feeling This- Blink 182.

Speaking of Mr Barker…. hellotoplesslover.

Look to the past and remember and smile, and maybe tonight I can breathe for a while..
I'm not in the scene, I think I'm falling asleep, but then all that it means is I'll always be dreaming of you...
Fate fell short this time, your smile fades in the summer
Place your hand in mine, I'll leave when I wanna.

Oh I want to be fifteen again, hanging out in car parks of pubs we weren’t legal to drink in, eating chips and cheese and practising our Californian accents using Tom DeLonge as our muse.
I’m kidding about that last part….ish.
*shifty look*
This song really reminded me of the relationship between Zero and Mike, which was my favourite thing about this book. It’s all summery, and fragile and fleeting and awkward and sweet and cringey and fumbley but also full of hope and potential.

Boy Angst.
5/10. I really loved what Leveen did with the relationship between Zero and Mike. It was so awkward and the scene where they first meet is probably the most toe-curling scene I have read. Seriously… so hideously cringe. But it was so realistic and there were so many times that I laughed out loud and received a lovely dose of butterflies.
With everything else that was happening with these two kids, it could so have easily turned into melodrama, but it didn’t.
The only quibble I have was this bit near the end which made my eyes roll something rotten. I don’t want to spoil anything but… urgh, Zero, mate, you need to chill your bean.
As for the girl angst….. meh. I could’ve done without that. It didn’t really add anything to the story and/or characters.

Sadness Scale.
3/10. This book could have been a lot sadder. I mean, it was all there, bubbling under the surface but just when I thought I was going to be reaching for the tissues… the mood was yanked in the other direction but one of Zero’s snarky, self-deprecating comments.
Which was OK, I guess, and it was sometimes funny. But I really wanted to find out more about the things these kids were going through and the backstory behind their feelings.
One of my main problems in this book was that the characters were screaming out for more depth and I honestly believe that if Mr Leveen had focussed on some of the problems without forgetting about them, he would have achieved this spectacularly. It often felt like these issues were just thrown in at the last minute because he felt the book needed them.


Recommended For.
People who don’t fit in. People who enjoy art. People who enjoy art metaphors. People who like eating ice cream while watching the city. People who can smudge charcoal without making a mess. People who would go over to talk to the hot drummer in a band… and promptly stub your toe on his chair. People who aren’t making a statement about their body image when they wear baggy t-shirts… sometimes they’re just comfy, OK?


I received a copy of this book from the publishers.

You can find this review and other exciting stuff on my blog here.

[Noelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amanda has always gone by the nickname Zero--an apt description of her self-esteem. When she gets accepted into a prestigious art school, her "nothing" status at last seems a thing of the past. Amanda is planning to spend her last summer at home hanging with her best friend, making art and going to see her favorite local bands. What could go wrong? How about not qualifying for a necessary scholarship.

Just like that the best summer ever has become Zero's worst nightmare. She's stuck in remedial art classes at the local community college, avoiding her best friend after an awkward drunken moment and ducking for cover as her parents' marriage implodes. When Zero meets Mike, a drummer in an up and coming local band, he creates a bright spot that shines some hope on her summer, but is it enough to enlighten the path to her future?

Amanda's self-doubt and low self-esteem seem pretty overwhelming at first. Her Zero nickname is the result of her massive and I do mean massive amount of insecurities--insecurities that weighed down the story with their quantity at first and then didn't have enough heft in their eventual solutions. I think I would have liked Zero much better if one of her insecurities had turned out to be actually valid:

• For a majority of the book, the reader is led to believe that Amanda is a little overweight. Turns out she's just wearing clothing five sizes too big and actually secretly skinny.
• Amanda worries she'll be forever alone, but attracts the attention of not one but two of the most appealing characters in the book. (Don't worry, you're in a no love triangle zone.)
• Amanda had always based her value as an artist on the compliments of her 7th grade art teacher and I admit I cackled at the importance Amanda placed on evaluations of her talent assessed at twelve years old, but never fear--by the end of the summer, despite focusing a questionable amount of her art around rainbows, she has affirmed her artistic genius.

Luckily, Zero delivers in other ways. The young love was swoony (despite Mike having the girl's haircut on the cover), the drama was sincere in its angst and after a shaky quippy beginning with too many sex and genitalia jokes for a female protagonist the voice evened out charmingly. The story goes in some unexpected directions that were handled differently than the typical contemporary YA.

I'm also a sucker for artist neurosis and not only does Amanda love art, her obsession with Salvador Dali gave her passion a detailed depth. Despite having a pretty extensive interest in art history (thanks to my Mom's bookshelves of art books), Dali was never my guy. Sure, he seemed pretty interesting but I ended up associating melting clocks with dorm rooms rather than the persistence of memory.

Fast forward to a sophomore year visit to the Salvador Dali museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. Whatever you think of his artwork, there is something about seeing it in it's 15 foot tall glory right in front of you.


Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus


The Hallucinogenic Toreador

It's breath-taking. I highly recommend visiting the Dali Museum in St. Pete if you have the chance. My other favorites from the exhibit are Velázquez Painting the Infanta Margarita with the Lights and Shadows of His Own Glory and Galaciadalacidesoxiribunucleicacid (Homage to Crick and Watson). The amount of detail, the double imagery and layers upon layers of symbolism and meaning in his works are truly fascinating.

While Zero falls short of matching the depth and complexity of the artist it honors, it does feature a lot of my grade-on-a-curve topics (music and art appreciation, fictional boys in bands, song lyric appropriation to fictional situations etc.) and I enjoyed it accordingly.

This review originally appeared on Young Adult Anonymous.

Giveaway: I was fortunate enough to receive a finished hardcover copy of Zero from the publisher and since I already had an e-book copy on my Kindle I would like to share the wealth! Enter to receive the brand new hardcover of Zero by Tom Leveen on the blog.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

"But we're only going around once, you know? I mean, we're not going to be able to do this when we're twenty-five, thirty. Forty. If we're gonna screw up, let's do it now while we still can."---Mike

I have never been so JEALOUS, completely drenched in jealousy, for a book character's life or lives as I am of Zero and Mike. Youth hands people a blank slate, or for the sake of Zero and Salvador Dali's love of art, a blank canvas to paint their lives any which way the wind blows them. Young people are handed blank canvas after blank canvas for smudges, spills, mistakes due to coloring/living outside the lines, redos, do-overs, personality makeovers, experimentation, and infinite opportunities to love freely and innocently, without any inhibitions that the world places on love. AAHHH----but the trunk load of blank canvases dwindle as age and time steal them away--and one day, the youth wakes up and finally realizes that he or she is handed one last canvas to hang on the wall---their legacy in living color---a life painting that cannot be changed. So while you still have what seems like an endless supply of blank white canvases and an infinity of time---spend every moment on yourself.

"Just up and go and to hell with everyone else. Be young, have fun, and seize the day."---Zer0

LOVED, LOVED this book----it is a keeper in my own personal library. Tom Leveen is now one of my favs!!!

[The Local Spooky Hermit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not quite done with it but I got most of the way and kinda read the end already. I like it but I think Amanda/zero (as she calls herself bc she hates herself and is fat and no one likes her and *rolls eyes)
It's not terrible but she kinda treats everyone shitty. She says no ones has liked her all during school and only had one friend.
Thing is.. I've hung out and knew like several girls just like her and they where well liked and had a bunch of friends. so that part... is pretty unrealistic... she never looks at herself in mirrors bc she says she just GOTTA BE UGLY AND OH SO FAAAAT FAT FATTY FAT!! LIKE UGH!! NO WONDER NO ONE LIKES ME!! (hmm kinda seeing why a bit why no friends no one wants to hear over and over "I LOOK GROSS" um.. no you look fin- "NO IM UGLY AND GROSS WHY ARE YOU TALKING TO ME IM SOO FAAAAT")
oh and she HAD a bff but her friend did something so terrible..!! (oh man did she steal your boyfriend and tell him you smell or something? "NO SHE MADE OUT WITH ME AND TOUCHED ME AND SAID SHE REALLY LIKED ME AND THAT I WAS THE ONLY PERSON THAT REALLY CARED ABOUT HER!! IT WAS TERRIBLE!!! HER PARENTS DON'T EVEN CARE OMG!! CAN YOU BELIEVE SHE DID THAT TO MEEE?! *sob* ....mmm oh so.. i can kinda see why no one talks to you) so yeah she just AVOIDS this girl that opened up to her and has NO ONE AT ALL (honestly I care more about her...) like okay i get she kissed you.. but thats your best friend and she's really sexual.. bc thats the only time anyone pays her any attention.. like just... TALK IT OUT BE THERE FOR HER GOD!!
so zeros dads a drunk and her moms a nagging woman... but means well but she just hates her mom.. i get it.. but.. i don't? idk.. like shit girl.. don't be so hard on your mom she's TRYING SHE BOUGHT YOU CLOTHES YOU EVEN LIKE.. JUST HUG HER TELL HER YOU LOVE HER GOD!! YOUR DAD SUCKS!!
like blah blah blah zero makes up with her friend i guess.. gets a boyfriend that trys to tell her "hey you are gorgeous and not fat stop it", mom starts trying to get dad into AA. art stuff happens but she also thinks she sucks at art...
like.. its not terrible.. but all she does.. is she shits on herself... I know low self esteem.. thats me all over.. but.. zero is the least likeable character in the book.. everyone else is more interesting.. bc I can only take so much of *something goes wrong kinda* zero: IM FAAAAAAAAAT WAAAAAAAH
like shut. up. like its not even a eating disorder thing she just ugh... she's the embodiment of the vine clip of "why can't you just accept the freaking compliment" vine
her teacher that said she would help her out.. ghosts her and moves and the totally cute outfit and her fat ass that was tight in the pants but not in a bad way just she finally fits in them is now described as clown pants and thunder thighs.. im done.. bye book. im gonna read something non infuriating... and just say im done.. but leave a book mark to maybe come back to this later.. without pressure... i'm only have 60 pages left or less but rugh.. i dread picking it up... and its not a bad book I just.. really hate zero
https://youtu.be/KUwUEPryqmw this is the video this book is

Update: rereading my review and thinking back to the book (that is now gone, never finished it) I realized my problem with it. Zero is one of the people you know but is just so EXHAUSTING to be around! To the point you heard their name and say "why did you invite them?" They aren't super terrible as a person. But you are CONSTANTLY having to give them reinsurance.
"I don't know why I came. You guys look great. I'm just a blob" oh no its okay, we like you. Its great to see you! You look great! That dress really suits you!
"Its just something old. I mean idk its so loud here. I don't know anyone. I don't feel well ima just sit here. I can't dance. I need so air lets go outside its so loud."
Okay its fine stick with us. Oh okay well head out. STAYS OUTSIDE FOR 2 HOURS.
Aaaaaa!!! The constant whiner nothing is ever good and you end up just slowly removing them from you life and feel so much better.

[Isamlq · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on its cover, I was expecting a darker heavier YA. Surprisingly, Zero is sweet… not that it was all sweet all the time since her a dysfunctional family and uncomfortable friendships are a big part of it… but it’s mostly about a girl figuring out what’s best for her. Amanda is Zero. Her nickname alone should be enough to clue you in as to what she thinks of herself. And it’s this fact, above all, that bothered me… and apparently her as well. Reading her work out what she was worth and what she wanted… was annoying then funny then frustrating and finally entertaining in turns because she is a typical teenager with issues that run the gamut of superficial to complicated. She’s an artist and not sure about her talent. She’s a daughter and very angry one at that. She’s a loner. But she’s complicated too because every so often she’d be hard ass tough then turn around and be insecure and unaware.

The interaction between the characters could get a bit clumsy at times but OVERALL I felt there was an authenticity to how they acted and behaved around each other. For example, the bands familiarity with each other; their passion simply rang true. But out of all of them it’s Zero and Mike that stick to mind… how she and Mike were new to each other: at first, perplexed by each other then holding each other up and even later disappointing each other a little. I think it’s that they weren’t each other's “everything” is what I found most believable. Both had their own thing. He had his music and parental issues; she had her art and familial obligations too.

3/5
THANKS NETGALLEY!

[Wendy Holliday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC.

ok.. 4.5 star, maybe just 4 for the lack of an exciting plot.

**spoilers ahead, ye be warned..oh, and also heavy sarcasm. I'm not a sexist, I swear**


I'm warning you right now. I'm going to use profanity in this review. Those who know me know I'm not much of a potty mouth. Except when I'm driving, but that's a whole different story.

I'm going to call bullshit to this so-called 'Tom Leveen'. Bullshit, Tom. Bullshit.

There is NO WAY you are a man. You have a man name, and a man picture, a man bio. There's even a video where it's "you" allegedly giving a book talk.

Give it up, man. Admit it: you were once a 17 yr. old girl.

**Sarcasm over. **

I was shocked, shocked I tell you, about 1/3 of the way through when I finally figured out that this 17 yr. old voice was coming out of the pen and mind of a man.

Ok, you're a man. I hate the word 'kudos', because it's the name of a delicious granola bar. But the the Greek word means glory. So in this instance, I will say kudos to you. I say it because that was one heck of a true to life voice from our pal Zero. Kudos to Tom the Man!!

I admit that this really sounds sexist of me, but it's not that. From my own experience being a 17 yr old girl, I can tell you that Zero and I shared the exact same inner rage, doubt, girly-giddiness, nervousness, disappointment and frustration.

Sometimes when a guy writes the POV of a teen girl, it can just sound so cliched, like, this is what he remembers the bitchiest girl in high school talked like, therefore this is a teen voice.

Enough gushing about Tom the Man.

This story takes a peek into the summer between graduation and freshman yr. in college for Zero, a passionate art student who got into her art school of choice, but doesn't have the money for the elite school.

There are Salvadore Dali quotes throughout, being her favorite artist. They took the place of the requisite "Favorite Classic Book" that every YA novel includes nowadays. But it was just a sprinkling, and seemed totally within character.

This is definitely a character doorway book, as there is a plot line, but not a lot of action. Everything takes place at a few places around Phoenix. The real worth in this book is the interpersonal relationships, and the growth of Zero the zero, into Amanda the artist.

[Mia Searles (The Muses Circle) · Rating 5 out of 5]

More of my reviews can be read on my blog: The Muses Circle


My Review: It's been awhile since I've given a book a 5 star rating, but after careful consideration, I honestly couldn't find anything wrong with the story nor anything I would change ZERO was the kind of book that once started, I literally couldn't put it down which shocked me. I guess I forgot what that felt like!

Amanda, aka Amy, aka Zero is a recent high school graduate whose plan for a fun summer before going away to the art school of her dreams is shattered. Although she was accepted into the Art Institute of Chicago, she doesn't get the scholarship she so desperately needs due to her portfolio "lacking technical excellence". To add to this devastating news, she has a falling out with her best friend, Jenn. Her parents, while supportive, argue nearly every waking moment, causing Zero to feel creatively stifled. On one particularly bad night, Zero decides to head out to one of her favorite dives called "The Graveyard". And that's when she meets Mike, drummer for one of the opening bands called Gothic Rainbow Gathering the courage to go up and talk to him is just the beginning of her journey to discovering her self-worth as a young woman and an artist.

I don't know how Tom Leveen did it, but ZERO(the book and the character) feels 100% authentic; I'm still in a bit of shock that he created such a convincing, identifiable female character. The similarities between Zero and I are almost scary. I used to be seriously into art and at one point considered going to art school. I also know what it's like to hang with the guys but never feel pretty enough to actually be with one of them. And as freaky as this may sound, I too, once had a crush on a guy I met at a concert, who just so happened to be a drummer for his own band...and his name was MIKE. Talk about coincidental, right? I also like how Tom Leveen always starts each section with Zero saying, "Here's the thing." We all have our quirky phrases that we say. Like for me, I've been told that when I get serious I frequently say, "You know what??!" Leveen applying this detail really adds to Zero's voice as a character.

If Leveen can write such a great female character then I am not surprised how much I also liked Mike. I think I even fell a little in love with him! Even though Mike had his own set of family and relationship issues (which are somewhat, but not fully revealed), I like that Leveen didn't turn him into the cliche male character that walks around with a chip on his shoulder. You know the kind I'm talking about, the one who is a bit arrogant at first, is sort of mean and aloof and acts like he doesn't have feelings for the main female character, but later shows he has a sensitive side. Nope, that's not Mike. Mike may proceed with caution, but he never puts on a front with Zero. He's sensitive as most artists are (in his case musically) yet remains very realistic as to how the music world works.

I think what I love the most about Mike is how he loves Zero for who she is, faults, insecurities, and all. A perfect example is one of my favorite parts of the book. I need to share this with everyone. Let me set the scene. Mike and Zero are at the beginning stages of dating. She goes over his house and is in his room, waiting for him to finish getting ready so they can head out:

"You look good," [Mike] says casually as he pulls a black T-shirt over his head.
I glance down at myself. Agent Orange T-shirt, cutoffs with my green Dali belt, and my monkey boots.
"Liar," I say.
Mike winces. "Really?"
"I'm sorry, I just meant---"
"Okay, this stops now," he says, and comes over to me. He kicks his door closed, and for the first time I see the cheap full-length mirror nailed to the back.
"What size is that shirt?" he asks, pulling me to stand in front of him so we're both looking in the mirror.
"Large. Obviously."
"Large. I wear a large, and I'm not a big guy. You should be wearing a small. Medium, tops."
"You don't like how I dress?"
"I love how you dress! I'm saying it should fit you."
"Well, I don't feel like advertising my fat ass."
"Your...? Okay, take your belt off."
I do, and wonder why. Does he have tantalizing plans for it?
Mike grabs the waistband of my shorts in one hand and a handful of my T-shirt in the back in the other and pulls them both taut.
"Now look," he says, nodding at the mirror. "That's you. You're swimming in this stuff. You have a kick-ass body." He releases my clothes, and my shorts nearly slip off. I grab them in one hand. "I mean, dress however you want; I still think you're hot no matter what. But it's something to think about. 'Sall I'm sayin'."
Staring at myself, I pull my shorts tight again and study the image. "You mean it?" I ask him.
"I really do."
I let go of my waistband, and my shorts fall to the floor. Mike takes a step back, his eyes widening. Sweet.
"Something to think about?" I say to his reflection in the mirror.
I watch him run a hand over his hair. He can't keep his eyes off me. And I like it. I had no idea I could ever feel this...oh, the hell with it: sexy.

Enough said, right?

Leveen also creates memorable secondary characters. I absolutely loved the guys--Hob, Eddie, Brook-- that make up Mike's band. They really are a fun bunch and embrace Zero. They love her artwork and commission her to do flyers, t-shirts, etc. for Gothic Rainbow. Again, this totally reminds me of my younger years when I used to hang out with my Mike and his band.

It's no secret that Leveen packs a lot of issues that young people experience in this book. Zero's parents are constantly arguing and a part of that is due to her father being an alcoholic. Zero herself suffers from low self-esteem, which also affects her painting and relationships with others. Let's see, other topics/themes you will come across-- abandonment and sexuality issues, using sex as a way to "fill the void", the consequences of unsafe sex, etc. Oh, and did I forget to mention that there is quite a bit of cursing and sexual situations in this book? I'm completely fine with it-- hell, I think it's quite refreshing since, let's face it, young adults, especially in the 17 years and older age group are sexually active! While I enjoy books that go the PG route and try to promote abstinence, I think ZERO is a more realistic portrayal of young adults.

There are quite a few people out there that felt that the book leaves too many issues open ended. Or that Leveen didn't wrap everything up and put a, "and they lived happily ever after" at the end. To be quite frank, for about a day or 2 after reading ZERO,I bounced back and forth between a 4 star rating and a 5 star rating. I did have a few questions that were left unanswered, one being what was Mike trying to say to Zero about his mom after he got back from his "trip"?

But after thinking about it, I actually was okay with the way the book ended. After all, finding self-worth and self-esteem doesn't just happen overnight. Marital issues don't just get better overnight. People aren't just "cured" of alcoholism overnight. Abandonment issues don't just go away overnight. Beginning to trust your best friend again after feeling betrayed doesn't just happen overnight. You get the point? And this may sound crazy...but I can definitely see a sequel happening. Whether the author consciously or subconsciously ended things the way he did, I can totally see Leveen revisiting these characters, maybe when they are in their early 20's. One can dream, right?

Reviewed by: Mia at The Muses Circle

[Harper · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh my goodness did this book completely annoy the crap out of me. Normally when I finish a book I like to sit with it, and think about it for a little bit before compiling my thoughts into a review... However this book bugged me so incredibly bad I could not sit around thinking about it any longer after finishing the last page. Now, let me start off by saying that the writing in this book wasn't bad, it was actually pretty okay if you're looking at it from a structured and gramatical stand point. You could even argue that the plot line wasn't even all that bad, nor were some of the supporting characters... The biggest problem with this book is it's incredibly immature, selfish, and overly self deprecating main character Zero (Amanda is her actual name). I wanted to shout at her to please stop being so horribly self absorbed!!!! I can't take it anymore!
Zero is your typical teenage artist type with problems.... Yes, her family is difficult... but it's hard to be so overly sympathetic with her, because while her parents clearly have issues with each other, they seem to truly love her. The author's other mistake is making her friend Jenn, and her boyfriend Mike's home situations seem a little worse... Though Zero really takes no interest in them in that way because; Gasp!!!! She might have to think about someone other than herself! All she does is complain about what she has missed out on. LIke for instance the scholarship that she wasn't awarded, though she did get into her first and only choice dream school. Instead of at least believing that she has any artistic talent because she was ACCEPTED to an Art school, she decides to think she has none because of losing the scholarship. The whole woe is me goes on... and on... and on... and, well you get the point.
Lets go onto her relationships, she really only has about 5, which includes her parents, her friend Jenn, an Art teacher, and her boyfriend Mike. She decides to not talk to her best friend Jenn for weeks, because it finally comes out that Jenn made a pass at her, because she feels Zero is the only person that understands her. First of all, from the start of the book its presented like she cut Jenn out of her life, because Jenn did something bad to her... I was expecting her to have hooked up with a past boyfriend, or stabbed her in the back some other way, because of all the buildup before the big reveal... I was not expecting the reason to be that Jenn cared TOO much for her! Seriously?! Come On! Instead of talking to Jenn, and asking her best friend of 4 years what could make her do such a thing, she cuts her off completely. Jenn even attempts to talk and apologize to her several times before Zero will even talk to her. Eventually they become friends again, but all you see of their friendship is Jenn being there and supportive of her, never the other way around. Even though Jenn's parent's are incredibly absent, and she seems to sleep around with a large number of different people to fill the void.
Now Lets move onto Mike. She meets him at a concert, after seeing him play she decides to talk to him. They hit it off, eventually start going out... the usual. Here's the thing though, you don't really feel anything about their relationship. It's kind of just there, and Mike just becomes another person that she eventually treats like shit. He again is another character that clearly cares for her, and supports her, yet she barely does anything in return... except when he asks her to draw up the flyers for his band. Even when it comes to sex, which is has asked her to wait on, she decides to disregard his feelings and just push on into what she wants. Somehow he forgives her as if nothing happened, even asks her to join him on his bands tour... but she declines, (which I can understand) but she does it only for herself, all of the obligations that come to her mind are about her, not really about anyone else in her life.
Her parents and her art teacher are mentioned enough to be fairly main characters, but again the only real interaction we see between her and them, is her being mad or annoyed with them, and eventually acting like a spoiled child... especially with her mother. She could not be more disrespectful to her if she tried. The thing is though, it's hard to understand her total resentment of her, because while she could possibly be annoying at times by asking questions about her teenage daughter's whereabouts, she doesn't really show any other traits that might require such a reaction.

I apologize if I am being too cruel with this book, but it's difficult to find anything to really like about it. The main character was incredibly awful, and the plot could have been good, but ultimately really didn't go anywhere. Not enough happened in this book to make it worth the read, or exciting enough to help you ignore Zero. On the bright side, I did read this as an ARC... so maybe some things will change before actual publication. We can hope right?

[Michelle (Pink Polka Dot Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amanda AKA Zero's summer is off to an awesome start. Her scholarship to art school (and ticket out of Arizona) didn't come through, her best/only friend Jenn and her are going through a.....thing, and her home life sucks.

After meeting and falling for a drummer in a punk band, Zero decides to take more control over her life and her future in art. She suffers from extremely low self-esteem and it doesn't help that her dad has a drinking problem which has turned her house into a war-zone. As Mike's band begins to take off Zero has some tough decisions to make about her relationship, stuff going on at home, her friendship with Jenn, and her art.

My Thoughts:
This is the second book I've read by Tom Leveen (the first being Party , which I LOVED), and I am officially digging this author. He knows how to write characters. I really liked how he was able to capture the voice of Amanda, a self-esteem deprived art girl, and pull it off! I mean men don't usually get how girls think, especially teenage girls. I'm not sure I even get what goes on in their heads and I was one once. Mr. Leveen did a super-job writing this girl in a way that was so believable.

This is not a action-packed book. It's more about that awkward time in your life when you get your first boyfriend and don't exactly know what you're doing. Except Amanda was older, so she wasn't immature about it, she was just figuring things out. I really liked how she embraced the whole "Zero" nickname. It was her ironic way of joining in on what people were saying about her in high school... but then you just knew she was destined to shed it at some point. No one should be a "Zero" for the rest of their life. Especially not someone with so much talent.

I must say I was a little jealous of these teenage kids. Mike and Amanda were both very talented and both knew what they were good at and what they wanted to do with their lives. Or at least what they wanted to try doing. I'm in my 30's and sad to say I still don't know what I'm really all that good at. I don't want to be ordinary (does anybody?). But these two were anything but ordinary. Amanda had so much talent, she just needed to find a way to believe in herself more and show that true emotion in her work. That was cool to read about.

The whole thing that goes on with Amanda and Jenn was a little weird/off-the-wall for me. I wasn't expecting the issue that they were having to be what it was... and I'm still not convinced things could ever be the same with them. But I was glad that they were trying. I don't want to tell you what the issue was, it was a little disturbing.

So now the relationship: LOVED IT!!! No insta-love!! This was a boy and a girl meeting each other and a real build to being together. And the ending!!! LOVED IT!! So not a fantasy fairy-tale, just real freaking life!!!

OVERALL: I'm hooked on Tom Leveen's writing. Party was amazing, and this one wasn't far behind it. It's not as goth or punk as the cover makes it seem. It's just great characters who happen to love art and music. If you want to read a book about a girl finding herself amid rough circumstances, this one's for you!

My Blog:

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I had this book pegged by the cover, which is so punk rock and artsy. I made some snap judgments about the book, thinking it would be a little dark and gritty for my taste. And while there is a fair amount of art and punk in the book, it is at its core a sweet story about a relationship and finding self worth. As I may have mentioned before though, I am a sucker for YA books about music so I jumped at the chance to check out Zero. Throw in an artistic, self-deprecating new adult protagonist and I was so on board with this one.

Amanda “Zero” Walsh has just received some bad news that rocked her world. She didn’t qualify for a coveted art school scholarship and won’t be able to swing the money on her own. On top of that, things are beyond awkward with her best friend, and her dad’s drinking is spiraling out of control. Life takes an unexpected turn when she meets skate punk drummer Mike, and he helps give her a much-necessary boost of confidence.

Tom Leveen writes a realistic teenage girl character, one who is self-absorbed and a bit whiny, and dealing with lots of family drama. Amanda’s nickname Zero started out as a put-down junior high kids called her because she was the loner art chick. However, it stuck and she decided to own it, and even her own dad calls her Z rather than Amanda, or the dreaded Amy. Amanda has body image issues and low self-esteem and uses humor and sarcasm as a coping mechanism. She is a gifted artist and idolizes Salvador Dali, but she lacks the confidence to take her art to the next level. She has one close friend, Jenn, but they have a mysterious falling out. In a big moment of bravery she approaches the gorgeous-eyed drummer of up and coming band Gothic Rainbow, and they begin a relationship.

Mike the drummer is very crush-worthy, sweet and mature, and his scenes with Amanda spark with electricity. He is not a stereotypical rock-musician type at all, and in case you’re wondering he doesn’t have a Mohawk, as the cover would suggest. Leveen captures the feeling of first love really well, with an awkwardness and obsessiveness that rings true. And even though the two care for each other a lot, they both have a driving passion for their art that demands their attention. Their relationship goes a long way towards helping Amanda’s confidence issues, and takes some interesting and unconventional turns. It is also a more mature relationship, both mentally and physically, than found in most other YA books.

Leveen’s writing has a lot of personality and includes some humorous asides to the reader. He captures the feeling of being at a rock show, with authentic band and song names. Also, Amanda’s passion for her art comes through clearly and she gets lost in her art and makes many artistic references. I liked the feminist leanings of the book too and that the relationship wasn’t the only thing in Amanda and Mike’s lives.

Zero would be a great book for people that enjoy books about new adults, people who don’t fit in, and fans of art, music and romance.

[Beth Dawkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amanda or Zero, as her friends call her, has graduated high school and got into the art school she wanted, but she didn’t get a scholarship. On top of that her parents have been having issues, and she had a falling out with her best friend, who she planned to spend the summer with. Things seem depressing until she meets Mike, a drummer in a band. The two instantly hit it off.

I was not a fan of the book when it started out. Zero is whiny, and I didn’t feel like she had much of a reason to be until the last half of the book. The story starts out with Zero being moody about her lot in life. Her parents’ fighting is making her uneasy, understandable, but she lashes out at her mother once or twice, making her sound childish. On top of that she constantly reminds the reader that she could be having a good time, but she isn’t talking to Jenn, her best friend. She hints and hints about how Jenn did something, but doesn’t tell the reader what she did until a hundred pages or so in the book. Withholding the information made me expect much more than what it was.

The story grew on me especially when Mike enters the picture. When she first meets Mike there is very cute awkward attraction that is just right. They do not fall head over heels for one another at once, instead their relationship builds up. It does build up quickly, but considering their situation it felt very organic. Both characters carry baggage, but as far as teenage relationships go theirs feel a mix of angst and excitement, as it should be. There is some sexual content, but again this is a story about Zero’s first real relationship, and it does not glamorize. In fact the sexual content is more truthful to life.

As much as Zero is into Mike, she is more focused on her art. A large portion of working in a creative field is rejection. Zero has just got her first dose of rejection and criticism when she doesn’t get her scholarship. This is one of the reasons I had trouble connecting with her as a character. One of the great things about her, is though her self-confidence is low she hasn’t stopped painting. There is courage in her that is admirable, even if her complaining grated me at first. She is on a journey, not just to find herself as an artist, but to find herself, and despite the problems in her life she does not veer off the path. I like a girl who knows what she wants out of life, and she does.

This isn’t a very long story, and it isn’t just about first love. I would say it is more about growing up than anything. I would recommend this to older teens. There is a fair amount of dirty words, and some sexual content, but it stays pretty much true to life for a contemporary novel about teens. It started slow for me, but as things built up I found myself understanding Zero and her choices.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zero is a typical coming-of-age story of a teen during a really difficult period. But, typical is not a bad word in this case. The characters are edgy, and Leveen has written a realistic story that tugged at my heart.

Zero (a nickname she gave herself, which gives you an idea about her self-esteem) has had her world fall apart. After graduation, she and her best and only friend have a falling out. We aren't sure what happened until much later in the book, but we are given hints that this was very traumatic.

She also got accepted to her dream school, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, but then doesn't qualify for a scholarship, so now she can't go.

And, her father is drinking heavily and he and her mother do nothing but scream and shout when they are at home together. Little bit of stress?

Zero goes to see a band in a club and is instantly attracted to the drummer because of his eyes. She actually strikes up a conversation (not typical for Zero) and slowly a relationship begins.

I liked the romance in Zero. This isn't you typical insta-love. Mike (the drummer) has recently had a breakup, and Zero has never had a relationship before and is understandably hesitant. But Mike seems to know what to say and do to get Zero to think about herself and make plans for the future.

Zero is a talented artist and a huge fan of Salvador Dali. Dali quotes begin every chapter, adding to the charm of Zero.

I would never have guessed what caused the disagreement with Zero and her friend Jenn. This was a unexpected and unique twist.

All of Zero's issues come to some sort of resolution, although not the way you might guess. This isn't a "happily ever after" perfect ending, but it's pretty hopeful and realistic. Zero makes a big decision at the end, and even though I knew which was the BEST decision, I kind of wanted her to decide the other way. That makes an ending enjoyable!

About that cover -- maybe I missed it, but I don't remember anyone having a Mohawk in the book. Just sayin'.

Teens who enjoy contemporary romance stories, and especially those interested in music or art, should be handed Zero. It's not an earth-shattering book that will stick with me forever, but it is definitely worth the read.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend Zero.

*****

Would you read Zero based on the cover alone? I won't. Not enticing enough. But I did pick it up (my NetGalley TBR list has to be trimmed, anyway) and I am so glad I did! The cover didn't do justice to the entertaining story inside it. And no, Mike has no mohawk.

Amanda a.k.a. Zero has *wait for it* zero confidence in her paintings. All it took is a rejection for scholarship on her ultimate dream school (for Arts). That college says she has little "technical excellence" to qualify for a free ride. Whatever that means, Zero said. Now she can't concentrate on her paintings, more so when she sees her parent's marriage falling apart. With everything going down in her life, there's nothing to lose if she asks a punk drummer out, right? and so it begins!

I don't know how many times i laughed while reading Zero's hits and misses with Mike. It was awkward, silly, and downright funny. Oh, the throes of teenage love. Haha! Zero's hilarious in a sarcastic way and i loved that about her.

I abhorred Zero's treatment to her Mom, though. So rude. Was i like that when i was her age? It was irritating to read her obtuse remarks and snarky replies to her Mom. Smacking Zero would be so satisfying!

And it's hard not to fall for Mike, because he's actually nice and decent, not what i expected from a skater boy. He makes senses, too. Plus he's sweet and supportive to Zero. =) Yeah, i think i'm crushing on him. *blushes*

It all worked out for Zero in the end, but not without heartbreak. The ending was bittersweet, but it was realistic. At least Z had the sense of pursuing her dreams again, despite losing the one that made her happy and brave to pursue it (again). And I actually like her best friend Jenn after everything that is so weird about their friendship.

Hey, if have time to read Zero, please do. It's a fun read, especially if you're into getting past the awkwardness of anything... well, awkward in your life. *winks*

[Beth Cato · Rating 3 out of 5]

This YA novel is a fast, intense read. Leveen does a masterful job of creating a realistic and heavily flawed cast of characters, all viewed through the eyes of seventeen-year-old snarky artist Amanda, aka Zero. She's full of angst and melodrama, traits that normally would turn me off of a character pretty fast. Her behavior did irritate me in a few spots but overall I found her sympathetic. Her home life is wretched. Her father is a drunk. Her mother tries to glue the family together through nagging. Amanda's one escape is through her art--but her dream of getting into the School of the Art Institute of Chicago just cracked into a million pieces when she was accepted into the school but failed to get a scholarship. She's angry at the world, but mostly herself.

Mike, her love interest, is the drummer of an rising local Phoenix band called Gothic Rainbow. Mike is a good guy. I liked that Leveen went that route. He's really more level-headed and realistic than Amanda. The novel doesn't skirt around adult themes. The book does include sex. It's... honestly portrayed. This is not a romance book. The sex that happens is not ideal. It carries some regret, and there's also honest talk about disease and risk of pregnancy. It's well-handled, if discomforting to read--I wish I could reach into the book and slap Amanda, tell her to stop and THINK.

There's also a theme through the book of adults letting Amanda down. It's devastating at times, especially a subplot involving her art teacher. It creates an interesting dynamic. So many books have an orphaned main character, struggling to make it on their own. Here, it's the teenagers who are all orphaned in their own ways just as they struggle to find themselves. Leveen handles it very well.

In all, it's a good book. Definitely one for older teens, or those who are ready for heavier content. Books like this end up banned at school libraries, but really, there's nothing in here that teens don't already know about. The book just highlights it--but also has the benefit of showing the consequences and that there's hope in the future.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zero is a novel that took me completely by surprise. I expected it to be a typical teenage coming-of-age story - and in some ways it was - but it turned out to be so much more than that. When we meet Amanda, or Zero as she prefers, she’s a timid girl trying to figure out what to do next. She’s lost her college chances, her best friend and has family problems aplenty. This all seems fairly standard fare, but Tom Leveen manages to give a refreshing take on the situation that helps Zero stand out from the rest in its genre.

I’ll admit, Amanda annoyed my for a lot of the novel. She was just so angsty. Obviously she had to be, and it was an honest portrayal, not forced, but sometimes it just felt grating. This complaint resolved somewhat as the novel progressed and Amanda starts to see herself as more than ‘zero.’ Her character development was natural and never felt forced. And the best part - it came from herself! Yes, there was a boy involved, but he wasn’t the sole reason Amanda developed.

Speaking of the boy, Mike was interesting. He was a sweet love interest, although I am a bit biased - musical guys are my soft spot. He was a good fit for Amanda, and was so sweet. He builds Amanda up, but not in a creepy, demanding way. He just acknowledges her awesome-ness like it’s a fact, and never talks down to her or forces her into anything. Woo-hoo for a healthy relationship being portrayed in YA fiction!

Overall, I found Zero to be a refreshing, sweet read. There was definite depth and growth within its pages and it’s more serious than your typical YA contemporary. If you love art, music, or just want to read a quality book, give this one a go.

[Zandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uh oh! Looks like Tom Leveen may very well be becoming one of my favorite teen authors. I loved his first book, PARTY, and found this one to be just as memorable and enjoyable. Seventeen-year-old Amanda "Zero" Walsh, a recent high school graduate in Phoenix, Arizon, is a talented artist who is disappointed that her plan to attend and art school in Chicago fell through. While dealing with this, she struggles with the state of her troubled family and the fall-out she's had with her best friend Jenn. One night she's at a punk rock club enjoying the music, when the beautiful violet blue eyes of the drummer mesmerize her. Normally shy and suffering from low self-esteem, she uncharacteristically approaches him and begins a conversation. Long story short, drummer Mike becomes her boyfriend.
I will stop her so as not to givae away too much more. But I will say this - Tom Leveen was damn good at creating an authentic and realistic voice of a teenage girl. You have to read it to see what I mean. What an enjoyable read!

[Diana Welsch · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. I was a teenage punk girl in Phoenix, AZ, and what a thrill to find a character so similar to me! There were things to like about this, but I will say I was pretty annoyed by the main character's voice. I grew up before the YA fiction boom, and am not sure if I would have found it annoying when I was actually the target audience for this book, but as an adult I found it unbearable. Like, when Zero is preparing for a first date, she jokes that picking out her outfit "could take several decades." I know real 17 year olds might say something like that, but part of me prefers coming-of-age stories to be in more of an adult voice, looking back at youthful experiences with a more mature perspective. Oh, and every time the book said "Here's the thing:" I wanted to scream. It's a phrase which, as our protagonist would put it, occurred several million times per minute.

There were also two instances of sexual assault in this that were not addressed as such. I get that sketchy sexual situations are typical teenage nonsense, but I wish it had either been treated more seriously, or hadn't happened at all. Also there were a couple instances of transphobic and ableist slurs which hurt to hear these days, even if everyone said it back in the day.

Overall, this could have been more polished, it kind of went off the rails at the end but without a decent resolution. I don't think I would recommend it, but I think teenage me would have liked it a lot more than I did, for whatever that's worth.

[RaeLynn Fry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zero
By: Tom Leveen
YA Contemporary
April 24, 2012
Rating: I have to give it an R because of the open-door sex scene that happens. Otherwise, it would have only been a strong PG for language
Coffee Beans: 4.5/5
Spoilers: Some, but in order to protect the innocent, character names have been omitted
Favorite Line: Ever notice how much thing guys can eat? So not fair. (ebook, pg 108) When you're painting, you can see noise. Taste sound. Ten trillion neurons fire in your mind and trigger the fine muscles in your arms to do. (ebook, pg 128) Ain't that the truth. Boy howdy, I tell ya, when I decide to make a shit situation shittier, I commit. (ebook, pg 236)
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for this honest review

Publisher's Summary:

For aspiring artist Amanda Walsh, who only half-jokingly goes by the nickname Zero, the summer before college was supposed to be fun—plain and simple. Hanging out with her best friend Jenn, going to clubs, painting, and counting down the days until her escape. But when must-have scholarship money doesn't materialize, and she has a falling out with Jenn that can only be described as majorly awkward, and Zero's parents relationship goes from tense to relentless fighting, her prospects start looking as bleak and surreal as a painting by her idol Salvador Dali. Will life truly imitate art?
Will her new, unexpected relationship with a punk skater boy who seems too good to be real and support from the unlikeliest of sources show Zero that she's so much more than a name.



Here's the thing:

I REALLY pretty much loved this book. Discuss.

Tom Leveen does an epic job of writing this story from a seventeen-year-old girl's perspective (which is actually somewhat unsettling), creating a believable and genuine voice for Zero and a rollercoaster of emotions. It's so good in fact, that it took me a little while to get into it. I know, that sounds a bit conflicting, but I don't know how else to describe it, other than, after a few chapters, I was hooked and couldn't put the book down. The voice is so fluid and natural throughout the entire story. The Conflict artfully constructed,
and all the relationship dynamics unfold so naturally and they have such an organic flow from one to the other, it's like I'm living through high school all over again. And the fact that it's a male author writing from a female's perspective so dang well is impressive. There's also some really fantastic dialogue.

This book is first and foremost about relationships. And how dysfunctional and broken and confusing and wonderful they can be. Tom writes these relationships so realistically; I experienced them right alongside Zero. The betrayal and confusion from a best friend. A first love. The cloudiness about your future and how you thought it was going to unfold. These are all powerful and well executed. When I was shown the relationship between Zero's parents, my heart broke and I was sick to my stomach. The source of the fallout between Zero and her best friend, Jenn, (which the MC tells you about in the beginning so I'm not spoiling anything here) was so completely out of left field, I just kinda sat on the couch saying, "Wow."

Leveen has the typical teenage angst (I hate using that word) and attitude down pat. Everything Zero says and does and how she reacts towards her parents is spot on. I kept nodding and laughing as I was reading, recognizing myself in some of those scenes (sorry mom for being the typical teenager and all that grey hair I'm now convinced is my fault).

And the author's funny. Zero's inner dialogue had me laughing out loud. The cynicism and sarcasm and humor is well-placed and well done. The plot is engaging and fast moving (only a few days to read the book), and so REALISTIC (I can't say that enough about this novel) I really did find myself sucked in, wanting to know how Zero's story would turn out.

There was only one thing I didn't care for: a scene between two characters that took place the parking lot of a coffee shop (you can pretty much guess where I'm going with this).

Here's the thing:

YA books are awesome on so many levels and for so many reasons. Discuss.

They're stories filled with characters discovering the world, love, hurt, pain, yada-yada-yada. YA books are able to broach topics that would otherwise be iffy or off limits in other genres, but we just barrel in, full steam ahead. Many books deal with drugs and alcohol and abuse. And sex (because, let's get real here, people, kids are experimenting and discovering that, too). Pretty much anything goes in YA.

But there's one rule, and it's a consensus with pretty much every literary agent, author, and publisher I've talked to: sex is okay to have in YA novels as long as it's behind closed doors. What does that mean? It means the reader knows what's happening but the author isn't taking us through the act with the MC. They typically take us up to the point of no return and then shut the door. Leave the rest up to the imagination (And I say typically, knowing there are some books out there that don't do that, Breaking Dawn, for example).

This book didn't do that, and it was somewhat disappointing for me. I'll say this—it didn't feel awkward or dirty or anything like that when the scene came about, it was a naturally progressing plot point, but it still was like—whoa. Um…pretty sure that door should have closed a long time ago. Don't get me wrong, it's an event that needed to happen because it's the foundation of several events, actions, feelings, and outcomes for the rest of the book. But that doesn't mean I had to be in the car with them, whistling awkwardly as I stared out the window, pretending I wasn't actually there while this was going on.

That's the only "negative" comment I have to say about the book.

Overall, I REALLY liked it. It was a great story about characters that were made real from the very beginning and about the everyday relationships in our lives.

Pick it up, read it, and decide for yourself, but I have a strong feeling you'll love it as much as I did. I will for sure be picking up Tom's first novel, Party.

Happy reading, my friends!

[Zubin Jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young adult fiction often confuses me and this book probably marks the first one I've read in two years. Curious way to mark no longer being a young adult(22, though many beg to differ). It's hard for me seperate my opinion from the book with my own unease relationship with the young adult genre as a whole; Young Adult Novels do not feel the same obligations to depict anything other than a POV that other novels feels like, underdeveloped characters, shallow motivations and illogical impulsive actions flow straight from the genre; furthermore there is a sense of confident most novels have, the same characters, the same settings and the same threads link everything together as if it's a movie script.

The book itself is enjoyable, Zero is relatable enough with problems, flaws and goals to let one identify fit; the problem lies rather in the construct of the world. her actions are passive, she tries and fights to change her lot yet nothing she plans yields anything, only coincidence does the work. I felt her purely passive, helpless as I read the note; her actions irrelevant to her arc.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first impression of Zero, the character, as well as "Zero" the book: Snarky, sarcastic, and thoroughly teen drama.
Second impression (one chapter later): OMG, this is ME! Without the art angle (mine was theatre) or the punk angle (mine was goth), but it's ME!

Here's the thing:

I didn't know Tom Leveen existed until Phoenix Comicon 2014 (that would be this last June). Never heard of him, never heard of his books, didn't know he did seminars and classes, nada. But... I'm a writer, I want to be a better writer, and he had not one but TWO panels that weekend about writing, so I thought, "The hell. Why not? If he's good, then I'll learn something. If he's not, then I'll take a nap or eat lunch, or just walk out."
Hol. Ly. Crap. The man is like a talking hamster on caffeine, but he knows his shit. I nearly tore up my notebook pages scribbling down notes. Truly insightful, and better yet, applicable. Love the guy.
Then, during his final panel on Sunday, he does a frigging GIVEAWAY. "Come down to my table and I'll give you a free copy of one of my books," he says, "if you promise to write a real, honest-to-goodness review on Amazon."
Cus apparently, Goodreads has a rep for crappy reviewers. I tried not to take that personally.
So I beeline down to his table and get a copy of "Zero," a story about a recent high school graduate who THOUGHT her life was going one direction, until a letter from her chosen art school, and then a mysterious incident with her former best friend, yank her dreams right out from under her, and in a pity party fit of self-loathing, ends up at a club concert where she meets a drummer with the most INCREDIBLE eyes... and gets sucked into his world.
As Leveen phrased it during his panels, this story deals with the question "should you give up your dreams for the dreams of someone you love?"
That pulled on my little heart strings as soon as he said it, which is why I picked "Zero" as my freebie rather than the more Clue-esque "Party" or the more obsessive-teen "Manic Pixie Dream Girl."
I'll get to those eventually, though.

Here's the thing:

There's two reasons I like this book, why I gave it four out of five.
First, Leveen has this way of saying things that smells strongly of Markus Zusak, author of "The Book Thief." Example: "Their acidic words burn right through the walls, as usual." Also, "Clouds roll by fast overhead, purple-gray animals growling and flashing teeth." Anyone here in AZ who has seen a monsoon knows exactly what he's describing. I love figurative language like that; it's one of the things I want to be able to do effortlessly in my own writing.
Second, the sheer franticness of the book clearly portrays the teen life. Everything is a big deal, everything is life or death. Everything happens to you at race-car speed, and your emotions ricochet around your head and body just as fast. Decisions are impulsive, gut-wrenching, words are spit out as soon as they enter your head, and crises are always the end of the world. There is no such thing as taking a deep breath and looking at a thing calmly, to wait for the opportune moment. Your life is lived in the reactive. Leveen captures this dynamic perfectly, to the point that when he writes something so completely TEENAGE GIRL, I kind of sat there and thought, "How does he KNOW?!"

I also loved his use of italics to throw out "important" sounding words, which only further conveyed Zero's sarcasm.

I lived Zero's life with her, groaning at her mishaps, hurting at her disappointments, cheering with her victories, and especially wallowing in the social/dating awkwardness quite common to us artistically driven nerds. And then, come the end, when she's presented with two things she wants, but cannot have both, I anguished with her in the decision, and actually disagreed with her.
But that's the point, is it not? I may not think the character made the right decision, but it was ultimately satisfying for the character. If the book had ended the way I thought it would, the way I would have done it (because I'm different than Zero), it wouldn't be true to ZERO's character. This sort of juxtaposition raises questions about our own motivations, our own goals, our own failed dreams. It subversively twists us into asking why we abandoned them for something else.

I say give this one a shot. There might be a lot of art references for those "in the know," but for those of us no, it doesn't matter. The core of the story is the same; the message still applies. It just makes us a little more curious about something not previously on our radar.
Support your local authors!

[DeAsia N.L Zellner · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, the narrator pulled me into the story. Second, this is a perfect book to read. I would have to purchase this book in paper back but I absolutely loved this storyline. Zero is one of those girls that you would love to hang out with. Great book!

[usagi ☆ミ · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most refreshing contemporary YA books of the year so far, hands down. I really enjoyed this one, guys, because it's definitely not your usual YA contemporary tale. "Zero" deals with a few issues, but the one most important that YA doesn't seem to talk about even though it's kind of a big deal - if your biggest college dream falls through, what do you do next? "Zero" talks about what options are left, and the quarter-life crisis that Zero herself deals with a few years early, and I'm happy someone's finally talking about it.

"It", of course, being the new quarter-life crisis (something I myself am currently going through) - and it seems to be hitting people younger and younger. Zero unfortunately experiences this after a scholarship rejection to her dream school, SAIC. She doesn't know what to do next, except to try out community college and then hope that maybe she'll be able to transfer to a state school. Between a nagging mother and an alcoholic father that can't seem to stop fighting for two minutes and the fact that Zero feels already like a failure. I thought that Leveen really did a great job here describing what the quarter-life crisis feels like, especially in the wake of the Great Recession and how it's accelerated down to kids just getting out of high school. Whatever options Zero might have had before the Great Recession are greatly lessened or are just plain gone now that it's hit, and while he didn't talk about this too explicitly, it was there in the text all the same.

I loved how Zero/Amanda also fought with self-worth and body image - something that's talked about in YA but usually couched in books about "tough stuff" like eating disorders and depression. Yeah, Zero has every right to be depressed (I know I would be in her situation), but Leveen also kind of underlines the fact that girls can have huge body image issues and not have an eating disorder or other severe self-harm problem. Zero is healthy about it and gets it out through her art, which was refreshing. I found it surprising that a male author would understand how a girl can have body image/self-hatred issues and not have an eating disorder - it seems many female authors don't seem to understand that, or if they do, they don't talk about it in their books. So four for you, Leveen, for getting that.

The rest of the book is very well executed in terms of arc, character journeys, setting. Though I felt there were parts that were more telling than showing (many of the scenes that took place at the Hole come to mind), overall I was pleasantly surprised at how sensory Leveen got in terms of describing art as a physical sensation. I absolutely loved those passages that talked about art as an extension of the body, and they were among my favorite parts of the book. And the character journeys are great - even the most minor characters have their own little journey, and that's hard to create in a standalone. Leveen knocked this one out of the park, and I was happy to see each character coming out differently, whether they were the MC or one of the more minor parts of the cast, by the end of the book.

Overall? Definitely a must read, and possibly one of my favorite contemporaries of 2012 so far because it's so different. It's a badly needed breath of fresh air in the YA contemporary arena. "Zero" is out from Random House Children's on April 24th, 2012 in North America. If you're tired of the usual YA contemporary set up, you simply must check out "Zero"!

(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)

[Karla Nellenbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary:

Amanda "Zero" Walsh expected the summer between high school graduation and college to be easy and relaxed. She'd do nothing but go to clubs with her BFF Jenn, paint, and just be a lazy teenager while counting down the days until she could make her big escape to Chicago and art school.



When needed scholarship monies are denied, her friendship with Jenn collapse because of an event that Zero can only describe as majorly awkward and her parents' relationship takes a turn for the nasty, Zero's life starts to look as bleak as a painting by her idol, Salvador Dali, causing Zero to wonder if life really does imitate art.



My Thoughts:

I have to admit that I requested this ARC solely because of the cover art. Yes, I do judge books by their covers. Sue me. While I wasn't disappointed in the least, I have to confess that I was expecting something a little darker. A little edgier. ZERO is a sweet story, one that will not exactly lead you down any dark alleys, but there are some times when it definitely skirts the edges of the shadows.



That said...I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! (<---Note the use of not one, not two, but FOUR exclamation points there. That was no accident, I assure you.)



Amanda Walsh only half-jokingly goes by the nickname Zero, which announces loud and clear to the read just how highly she thinks of herself. Until a little more than halfway through the book, I honestly thought she was a fat girl, because that's how she sees herself, always putting herself down, both in her mind and out loud. Until Mike--beautiful-eyed drummer boy and Zero's love interest--finally has enough of her self-deprecating manner and stands her in front of the mirror to show her just how beautiful she really is.



And Mike! Ahhhh, don't get me started on Mike. Okay, you twisted my arms. Mike is probably the best love interest I've encountered in a very long time. He's awesome. He absolutely refuses to let his girlfriend have low self-esteem issues. He's not overly-possessive or domineering--as is often the case in YA novels nowadays. He's relaxed and easy-going, which is not to say that he doesn't have issues. He's got them, which inevitably leads to problems when Zero breaks a pretty big promise to him.



But, here's the thing: their perfect. Both together and separate. Because of their flaws. Zero is everything I want my protags to be: smart, witty, and flawed--inside and out. Mike is the yin to her yang. No one else could handle Zero and all her issues with such grace and understanding. He's not your run-of-the-mill LI. He's not going to always swoop in and save the day, but I didn't want him to.



And, yes, Zero makes mistakes. Plenty of them. But, she muddles through, both with help from others and on her own. She learns and grows from them, and comes out a better person for having made them. And, the ending? Not your typical HEA (happily ever after), but it's not tragic at all. In fact, it's refreshing. Most stories would end with Zero being discovered as a famous artist, Mike and his band hitting the big time, and the two of them riding off into the sunset together. Not exactly the case here, but a very satisfying and realistic ending to refreshingly sweet story.



My one-sentence summary: Over the course of a summer filled with love, friendship, family drama, punk music, and Salvador Dali, ZERO learns that she might just be worth more than her name implies.

[Educating Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

IF this book was not inside my IPad I would kiss it and love it and hug it all over. Seriously. I have a fierce crush on this author because of this book alone. (You might remember, I read Party, Leveen's debut book in 2011).

I'm going to give Leveen one of the best compliments that I think I could give because I hardly EVER read a book and think, Man, this would rock if it became a movie. But he just has a KNACK for realistic romcom's. If John Hughes, rest his soul, could have met up with Mr. Tom it would be all *fist pump* all night long.

Let me gush less and back up why - -

Amanda is seventeen-turning-eighteen-just-graduated artist who goes by Zero because that's how she feels half of the time. (Her mom will just refer to her as sensitive. Aw moms, aren't they the bestests!) Well, sensitive or not, Amanda is DEVASTATED when she finds out that she got into the prestigious art school but didn't get awarded the scholarship. And you know, she didn't have anyone around her that could say, Girl, take out student loans...you can pay them back, like, later days. Also, her and her bestie had a falling out, which we don't really know why until about a third of the book and then you're gonna already be hooked but will want to hear more about Jenn's story. (Uh, excuse me, Mr. Leveen, if you're reading this, can you please write Jenn's story? Purty please? With snowcaps on top?)

One night right after all of this post graduation garbage, Zero is hangin' out at a club listening to some punk music when her eye latches onto the drummer. The hawt drummer with the gorgeous eyes. And she does something completely unexpected, she talks to him.

This girl already has my admiration for going to the bar by herself, but to then move over and talk to this boy from the band with all of the other band members around? Dude, I wish I was her when I was that young. Zero finds out the boy's name is Mike and he's a pretty decent guy. You know, truly wants to get to know her and find out what she's about while he's still figuring out what he's about. And lots of things happen, like Zero taking an art course and figuring out what wants to do -- and her drunk father almost hitting rock bottom while her mom figures out what to do - - and her relationship with Jenn getting back together after a rocky falling out -- and LURVE.

You see, it's not so much that there's any HUGE EPIPHANY (although there kinda is). But it's MORE like these aren't characters. They're really turning into adults young people and they're turning-into-adults-young-people-who-totally-and-completely-kick-arse.

There's some snark and some body issues and some insecurity and selfishness. There's believe in yourself and not. And then believing in someone else and not. There's PLENTY of mistakes, but then some totally hardcore resolutions. And whereas this book could have left me snuggled with my blankie and thumb wishing for an alternative, I wanted to do a happy boogey for the truism of KNOW THYSELF.

Finally, Mr. Leveen, man thank you for entering the YA scene. We gots lots of ladies to love on, but I'm always looking for yummilicious male authors that I can fangirl slobber over.

[Adriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amanda Walsh's a.k.a. Zero's life has made a turn for the worse. Her parents are still arguing, her dad is still drinking way too much, she wasn't able to get scholarship money to go to her dream school, and her and her best friend are just not talking.

She loves the artist Salvador Dali (think clocks) after she was introduced to him by her all time favorite art teacher well Teacher period Mr. Hilmer who always told her she was doing a good job on her artwork. She doesn't like her body but it doesn't stop her from awkwardly trying to talk to the drummer with the killer eyes named Mike from Gothic Rainbow. He actually wants to hang out with her. (A lot of italicizing so far).

From then on out everything seems to be going right. Well she still isn't able to go to the school of her dreams but she's working on her art, her parents are still yelling but she's got the perfect Mike to distract her, and she's still on the outs with her friend but then again... she's got Mike to distract her. But not everything is what it should be. Throughout her summer Zero learns to discover who she truly can be.

LOVED Zero! Her personality was just so awesome and entertaining. She's just this teen that sometimes can be awkward and can be unsure of herself. It really doesn't make any sense to me how she had like no friends in school. There are always artists around. I guess since my school has art programs and music programs I'm used to people that would be otherwise known as outcasts which I really find super weird. I just wanted to kick her sometimes because seriously stop saying those things about yourself! But I'm one to talk since I've felt unsure and crappy about myself sometimes. The same thing with art. She can actually create it. I on the other hand can only copy an image that's already there. This book has made me want to draw again because even if I'll never be able to draw like others do...its fun! I love when books make me want to do things. I give thanks to books that make me want to do things!

Mike was cool. I didn't expect him. I mean I did because I obviously read the summary but I assumed he be more... into himself? I don't know why I think that of musicians sometimes, He is a punk skater boy so I just assumed... well he ended up being such a great guy with his own issues as well. He encouraged and I was like I love you dude! Such a great guy.

I didn't know who Dali was until she mentioned clocks and I assumed... correctly this time! I live in Florida so maybe I'll check out his museum in St. Petersburg this summer. The quotes in the beginning were very interesting. This guy was cool.

Definitely awkward with her friend. Didn't expect that but it was a nice twist. Later on too... I'd recommend that this book be read by older teenagers. Still if you are old enough to read it I'd recommend reading it. I absolutely loved it. Can't wait to read Party. Later Skater!

http://shesgotbooksonhermind.blogspot...

[Richard Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Other reviews here have summarized this book far better than I ever could, I am just going to tell you what I think about it.

This is an amazing book. So far this is my favorite book written by Tom, and I think I hate him for it. He brought me into the life of an everyday teenage girl with normal problems and made me care about her. Worst part is I want to know what happens next, and he is not working on the sequel.

[Reving · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I was reading Tom Leveen's Zero, the chorus from Saved by Zero by The Fixx was stuck in my head. I don't know the song at all, other than the chorus, but I couldn't help but think that the words running around in my mind were a perfect fit for this YA book, due out next year. I have run up against a lot of books recently that haven't held my interest for more than a page or two. Then I found Zero on netgalley.com, figured out how to read it on the itouch and I was saved! A book that got my attention from the start and held it until that last page, thank you, Zero! I liked it so much that even though it isn't due out until April of 2012, I pre-ordered it from Ingram for the library. This will be one I'll enjoy recommending to folks. I read Leveen's first book, Party, last year and as I reread the review now, I am glad that as I wrote it, I got a little kinder. Here it is, more than a year since I read Party and I still remember it. That's saying something.
Ah, but I have rambled. Zero is a neat-o book. We have our main character, Zero (Amanda to many, Amy to her mom) a budding artist, full of teen angst, a lover of Dali, a daughter of an alcoholic, a gal who is a champion at self-depricating humor. She has recently lost a scholarship shot to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and finds herself stuck in Phoenix, headed for community college. She's had a major falling out with her best friend. Her parents fight all of the time. Her dad drinks himself into a coma. And then....there he is...on the drums in a punk band named Gothic Rainbow, Mike. And there is love.
But not sappy love. And not love with easy answers. And yet not love with the usual make-up/break-up and do it all over again, kind of stuff that is in mostly every other teen book about love.
Zero's character is well written and she just reads REAL and so does their relationship.
I couldn't predict the outcome, so that was bonus, too.
Great book and I hope to read more by Leveen in the years to come!
If you want to read a the review with links to some of the places and books within it, just go to my book blog: revingsblog.blogspot.com

[Cheyenne Teska · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I hadn't been chosen to be an Ambuzzador for Random Buzzers, I'm not quite sure if I'd have heard of this book. That being said, I'm so thrilled that I got the chance to read it. More than anything else, Zero is a story of finding yourself, and it's inspired me to get more of what I truly want out of life. Even if you're not quite into contemporary books, I assure you that this is one book you'll want to try out.

The first thing I wanted to note was Leveen's seemingly effortless way of writing from a female's point of view. Some of my favorite books were written by male authors, but I've never read one with a female protagonist before. Amanda "Zero" Walsh was a very convincing character for me. She's just another normal teenage girl who has to work extra hard to make her dreams come true, which is quite admirable and realistic. Besides not being able to go to her dream college, her family is broken and she nearly loses her best friend. Of course, this is where- conveniently- Mike comes in.

When Zero works up the nerve to talk to the gorgeous-eyed drummer she saw on stage, it's like her life flips upside down. She's inspired, not only to paint, but to keep pushing forward. Plus, having to stay in Arizona can't be too bad now that she has him around. Honestly, Zero reminds me of myself when I was 17, mainly because she has low self-esteem, hangs out at concerts, and has a slight obsession with Salvador Dali. I loved it. Mike was also the type of guy you grow to love and you could tell from the start that he would treat Zero as if she's worth more than she believes.

Overall, the story was refreshing. The characters were lovable and they all seem to grow in front of your eyes the more you read. Even Zero's parents turned into the adults they were supposed to be. The book ended on such a good note and left me with a sense that the time I'd invested in reading the book was well worth it. If you want to find out where Zero, Mike, and even her parents end up in life, I suggest you pick up the book. Who knows, it may become a new favorite like it has for me!

[Luisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up one day over the summer when I had about four hours to kill at the library and I figured, eh why not? Living in Arizona sounds almost desirable just from reading this book, and I live in Arizona! Zero is about a recently graduated girl named Amanda Walsh aka Zero. SPOILER ALERT : she loses her best friend Jenn after going home with her at the end of Graduation and getting drunk.. Hmmm. It was kind of funny to me how that happened!
Goodness gracious, I just fell in love with the way she practically worshipped Salvador Dali! Plus in the beginning her whole, I don't care about how I look but I do. Hits home for a lot of people, nobody wants crap for their style!
Her home life isn't the best, while her dad likes to indulge on alchohol her mom just doesn't seem to understand her. It's pretty tough trying to concentrate on painting when you want to scream at your parents to stop fighting.
Amanda takes a community college art class during the summer and the teacher she has has connections to art schools spcifically Chicago where she wanted to go so badly in the first place. THEN she offers to write Amanda a reccomendation letter and LEAVES. I was freaking out as much as Amanda, HOW DO YOU JUST LEAVE!
How does this guy come up with band names?! They're a bit far from believable but I know a few that hit home. She goes to a concert and makes eye contact with the drummer. INSTANT LOVE. Then when she talks to him she's freaking out on the inside but manages to keep it cool on the outside, can you say deja vu??
The guys name is Mike, and from the way the author Tom explains him, any girl could fall in love with him. On their first date he takes her to Camelback Mountain (not that cool in real life) with ice cream and just hang out. I mean how romantic and simple is that?!
Honestly, this book is beautifully written! I loved it! The ending was amazing too, it didn't leave me with that well what now or NO GO BACK IN TIME, feeling. It kind of ends in whatever way you want to think about but overall it gives you that sensation of hope like Amanda's going to be happy! I love this book it was FANTASTIC!!

[Miz Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, here's the thing. This isn't my usual kind of book. I've never (even as an actual teen) had much interest in comtemporary gritty teen novels. But this one really kicked-ass. Amanda a.k.a. Zero is a wannabe artist. She secured an acceptance to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago but not a merit scholarship, which leaves her stuck in Phoenix for the summer after graduation with no future plans, a best friend she's not speaking to, and parents who are imploding. Having already hit bottom, she makes an uncharacteristic move and introduces herself to a local drummer she's crushing on at a punk rock concert. Zero soon both loses and finds herself as she becomes immersed in this new relationship with her first boyfriend. A community art class, Zero's unrealistic body image, the Phoenix punk rock music scene, the minefield of her relationships with her ex-best friend and parents, all take Zero on an emotional roller-coaster against the backdrop of her first love. Zero goes through some major transformations through the course of the book to believably find her focus and future as Amanda Walsh, artist. I loved the Phoenix setting, the descriptions of music and art making, and the multi-dimensional characters. There's some powerful stuff in here about making mistakes and failing and getting back up again to follow your heart's passion that can resonate with fifty-something readers as much as teens.

Book Pairings:
This fits well with a growing number of books for older teens about life after high school graduation such as Lish McBride's Necromancer series and Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl.

Fans of Ellen Hopkins and Laurie Halse Anderson's gritty realistic novels will find much to enjoy here as well.

John Green's The Fault in Our Stars might also pair well for the realistic setting, relationship, and exploration of the writing process.