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What Boys Really Want
National Book Award winning author Pete Hautman lets us in on the secret. Lita is the writer. Adam is the entrepreneur. They are JUST FRIENDS.So Adam would never sell copies of a self-help book before he'd even written it. And Lita would never try to break up Adam's relationship with Blair, the skankiest girl at school. They'd never sabotage their friends Emily and Dennis. Lita would never date a guy related to a girl she can't stand. They'd never steal each other's blog posts. And Adam would never end up in a fist fight with Lita's boyfriend. Nope, never.Adam and Lita might never agree on what happened, but in this hilarious story from Pete Hautman, they manage to give the world a little more insight into what boys and girls are really looking for.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Pete Hautman
62 books358 followersPeter Murray Hautman is an American author best known for his novels for young adults. One of them, Godless, won the 2004 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. The National Book Foundation summary is, "A teenage boy decides to invent a new religion with a new god."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
Did Not Finish
November 2, 2017Bailed on account of both "skank" and "slut" early on. I have pretty much zero-tolerance for slut-shaming. I generally like Hautman, though, so I'm giving the benefit of the doubt that this is just a single tone-deaf book. Certainly the cover image of four girls with identical hair in four different colors looks cheesy and generic, racially "balanced" like a cover of the Babysitters Club, and that reinforces the tone-deaf vibe. So, I'm gonna pass.
Library copy
Library copy
January 13, 2012
What Boys Really Want is a cute story that superficially illustrates a few of the fundamental differences in the way men and women think in a light, humorous way using two teenagers as the token representatives for their gender. There are no groundbreaking or overly astute observations and analyses of gender relations, but nor are there meant to be, instead we get to enjoy a quick romp through a world of misunderstandings and drama created by the lack of effective communication from one person to the next. We’ve all surely experienced such situations, and probably have made the quick judgments of character quality based on appearance and rumor as Lita does, so it’s an easy story to fall into despite the fact that once we’re in we really don’t wade in more than ankle deep.
Lita and Adam are more than opposites in just sex, their personalities placing them on opposite ends of the spectrum from one another and resulting in rather hilarious interactions that seem to be taken directly from our own lives as we’ve tried to communicate with members of the other gender. Lita is a meddler, constantly insinuating herself into the lives and happenings of others whether invited or not, dispensing snarky advice and generally focusing outward instead of dwelling on her own life. Adam, on the other hand, is distinctively more internal, often in his own little world and slightly oblivious to the thoughts and actions of those around him which causes him no shortage of trouble with both best friend Lita and with life in general. We don’t necessarily feel a strong connection to either character, but our time spent with them is enjoyable in a more shallow way, allowing us to walk away amused yet not inclined to sprint to our computers or phones to find someone with whom to share our reaction.
What Boys Really Want is the perfect read for those looking for a book that’s not overly emotional, dark, or intense, but who instead want to briefly escape into a relatable and familiar world that brings a quick laugh and then lets them go easily to move on to something perhaps more poignant or profound. This book is akin to an episode of Seinfeld: we’re not sure exactly what it’s about other than a brief snippet of time in the lives of others, but it’s enjoyable just the same. Mr. Hautman has a wonderful sense of humor, one that’s the perfect appetizer to get us in the mood for perhaps something slightly richer and more layered where the emotions are truly visceral and the reading experience a bit more powerful.
Rating: 3/5
Lita and Adam are more than opposites in just sex, their personalities placing them on opposite ends of the spectrum from one another and resulting in rather hilarious interactions that seem to be taken directly from our own lives as we’ve tried to communicate with members of the other gender. Lita is a meddler, constantly insinuating herself into the lives and happenings of others whether invited or not, dispensing snarky advice and generally focusing outward instead of dwelling on her own life. Adam, on the other hand, is distinctively more internal, often in his own little world and slightly oblivious to the thoughts and actions of those around him which causes him no shortage of trouble with both best friend Lita and with life in general. We don’t necessarily feel a strong connection to either character, but our time spent with them is enjoyable in a more shallow way, allowing us to walk away amused yet not inclined to sprint to our computers or phones to find someone with whom to share our reaction.
What Boys Really Want is the perfect read for those looking for a book that’s not overly emotional, dark, or intense, but who instead want to briefly escape into a relatable and familiar world that brings a quick laugh and then lets them go easily to move on to something perhaps more poignant or profound. This book is akin to an episode of Seinfeld: we’re not sure exactly what it’s about other than a brief snippet of time in the lives of others, but it’s enjoyable just the same. Mr. Hautman has a wonderful sense of humor, one that’s the perfect appetizer to get us in the mood for perhaps something slightly richer and more layered where the emotions are truly visceral and the reading experience a bit more powerful.
Rating: 3/5
December 28, 2014
Super sexist and it made me cringe multiple times.
The female protagonist, Lita, while having good intentions to help her best friend tends to go about it in very superficial ways. Also, you'd think with how mature and how great of a friend she thinks she is with Adam, that she wouldn't snub him when he asks for help.
The male protagonist, Adam, is very career driven but completely sexist when it comes to girls. Really? Guys only want meat and girls only want lettuce and tofu? I get that he's in high school, but not many guys think like this still, do they?!
The best part of the book was the last chapter and the epilogue.
The female protagonist, Lita, while having good intentions to help her best friend tends to go about it in very superficial ways. Also, you'd think with how mature and how great of a friend she thinks she is with Adam, that she wouldn't snub him when he asks for help.
The male protagonist, Adam, is very career driven but completely sexist when it comes to girls. Really? Guys only want meat and girls only want lettuce and tofu? I get that he's in high school, but not many guys think like this still, do they?!
The best part of the book was the last chapter and the epilogue.
February 11, 2016
This one was a chore. After having read so many well written, honest, appealing, and interesting Young Adult novels, I was beginning to think that it’s impossible for a novelist with adequate writing skills to produce a bad YA novel. *What Boys Really Want* has proven me wrong.
Defying the old adage, in this case, we really can judge a book by its cover. This cover depicts four presumably teenage girls curiously engrossed in a black book (which cleverly shares the novel’s title) emblazoned with a giant question mark. The cover image implies that the girls simply cannot suppress their curiosity about the true nature of male desire—and this heteronormative, male-centered premise permeates the novel, along with countless other sexist assumptions and stereotypes that motivate the one-dimensional characters. As for the young women who appear on the cover, three of them are (undoubtedly) upper middle class, suburban, privileged, white icons of the dominant culture. They are interchangeable, and any or all of them could easily represent any one of the three primary white female characters in the novel.
One of the young women who appears on the cover is black—but this is quite misleading, since the only person of color who appears in the novel does so briefly, and she spends no amount of time associating with the three white women. Upon encountering her, the female protagonist (Lita) describes her (Chelsea) as follows: “Chelsea had a reputation for saying whatever was on her mind, which was a little scary, but the main reason she scared me was because she was black” (p. 89). And this is just the most obvious of the offensive stereotypes that appear in this book. There’s also Dennis, the young Asian man who is great at math and science but helpless around girls to whom he is attracted. Then there’s Adam, the male protagonist who isn’t very scholarly but gets by on his charm and his wit—and by plagiarizing his best friend’s website, publishing a book, and being offered a publishing contract. Sounds plausible, right?
But even forgiving the book’s reliance on sexist and racist stereotypes, perhaps the most egregious of the book’s flaws is that it is dull. There is nothing original about this insipid, upper middle class suburban tale of goofy teenagers whose primary obsessions are getting rich, buying expensive accessories, and “figuring out” the opposite sex. The novel might hold a small degree of appeal for teens who resemble these forgettable and uninteresting characters, but adolescents who possess any level of literary sophistication will surely dismiss this as not worth their time or energy.
Defying the old adage, in this case, we really can judge a book by its cover. This cover depicts four presumably teenage girls curiously engrossed in a black book (which cleverly shares the novel’s title) emblazoned with a giant question mark. The cover image implies that the girls simply cannot suppress their curiosity about the true nature of male desire—and this heteronormative, male-centered premise permeates the novel, along with countless other sexist assumptions and stereotypes that motivate the one-dimensional characters. As for the young women who appear on the cover, three of them are (undoubtedly) upper middle class, suburban, privileged, white icons of the dominant culture. They are interchangeable, and any or all of them could easily represent any one of the three primary white female characters in the novel.
One of the young women who appears on the cover is black—but this is quite misleading, since the only person of color who appears in the novel does so briefly, and she spends no amount of time associating with the three white women. Upon encountering her, the female protagonist (Lita) describes her (Chelsea) as follows: “Chelsea had a reputation for saying whatever was on her mind, which was a little scary, but the main reason she scared me was because she was black” (p. 89). And this is just the most obvious of the offensive stereotypes that appear in this book. There’s also Dennis, the young Asian man who is great at math and science but helpless around girls to whom he is attracted. Then there’s Adam, the male protagonist who isn’t very scholarly but gets by on his charm and his wit—and by plagiarizing his best friend’s website, publishing a book, and being offered a publishing contract. Sounds plausible, right?
But even forgiving the book’s reliance on sexist and racist stereotypes, perhaps the most egregious of the book’s flaws is that it is dull. There is nothing original about this insipid, upper middle class suburban tale of goofy teenagers whose primary obsessions are getting rich, buying expensive accessories, and “figuring out” the opposite sex. The novel might hold a small degree of appeal for teens who resemble these forgettable and uninteresting characters, but adolescents who possess any level of literary sophistication will surely dismiss this as not worth their time or energy.
December 23, 2012
"What Boys Really Want" by Pete Hautman, Is told in two perspectives Adam's and Lita's. Adam and Lita are best friends. Adam wants to write a book about what boys want. Lita gets jealous because she is the one who mostly cares about books and writing. When Adams book does really well Lita gets all jealous. Lita has a blog named "Miz Fitz" on this blog people ask her questions about relationships and boys and girls. Adam copies most of the stuff from Miz Fitz just changes the words. Nobody knows that Lita is Miz Fitz, but when Lita finds out that Adam copied from Miz Fitz she gets all mad. Explains to Adam that she is Miz Fitz and that he copied all her advice. Adam gets an amazing offer to sell his book in a New York bookstore. He says yes but he lets Lita be the offer of the book.
March 5, 2016
WHAT BOYS REALLY WANT BY PETE HAUTMAN
So what do boys really want? In Pete Hautman’s unique romantic comedy, humor and reality meet as this question is explored again and again. Hautman perfects the he-said, she-said format in a book where both characters are immensely likable and distinct. The story adds on enjoyment with its true to life situations and is a quick and spunky read. Fans of Flipped will devour this well-written realistic fiction.
So what do boys really want? In Pete Hautman’s unique romantic comedy, humor and reality meet as this question is explored again and again. Hautman perfects the he-said, she-said format in a book where both characters are immensely likable and distinct. The story adds on enjoyment with its true to life situations and is a quick and spunky read. Fans of Flipped will devour this well-written realistic fiction.
March 27, 2012
Yeah, so I adored this book! Yes, some of it is embellished a little, yet at the same time full of truths! The humor was great! Whenever I laugh out loud while reading, I can't help but give the book a good rating!
June 28, 2012
It was amazing
August 16, 2025
The female mc makes my head hurt 😞🤕
December 13, 2017
I guess I was expecting more. The characters felt flat and some of them thrown in just to make sure there wasn't just two characters who didn't know how to speak to each other. You would think that two best friends from kindergarten would be able to speak in short intellegent sentences that got the point across instead of one person being angry and then refusing to explain the reasons why.
For example Adam decides to write a book "what boys really want" This pisses Lita off for a number of reasons. 1) She sees Adam as a dumb boy that couldn't handle the apitude or the fortitude it takes to write a book. 2) She is extremely jealous because she fancies her self a writer (see dusty half finish romance novel and a blog under a fake name) 3) She's mad that he doesn't fit into the tiny little box she wants to keep him in
Adam does ask Lita for help but she blows him off and tells him to look at her blog "Miz Fitz". She hasn't told him that it is her blog so when he more than samples it she is pissed 1) because he finished his book 2) because he stole some of her quotes 3) he doesn't understand because she has been shutting him out.
When it all comes out Adam doesn't get to sell additional copies of his book. Family lawyer says that he needs Lita's permission. Lita finds herself in hot water because she has said a lot of uncensored things as the Mysterious Miz Fitz
In the end, Adam asks Lita to be a co-author of the but for actual publication. Lita instantly forgives him and suddenly the world is the perfect place it should be once again.
:P
For example Adam decides to write a book "what boys really want" This pisses Lita off for a number of reasons. 1) She sees Adam as a dumb boy that couldn't handle the apitude or the fortitude it takes to write a book. 2) She is extremely jealous because she fancies her self a writer (see dusty half finish romance novel and a blog under a fake name) 3) She's mad that he doesn't fit into the tiny little box she wants to keep him in
Adam does ask Lita for help but she blows him off and tells him to look at her blog "Miz Fitz". She hasn't told him that it is her blog so when he more than samples it she is pissed 1) because he finished his book 2) because he stole some of her quotes 3) he doesn't understand because she has been shutting him out.
When it all comes out Adam doesn't get to sell additional copies of his book. Family lawyer says that he needs Lita's permission. Lita finds herself in hot water because she has said a lot of uncensored things as the Mysterious Miz Fitz
In the end, Adam asks Lita to be a co-author of the but for actual publication. Lita instantly forgives him and suddenly the world is the perfect place it should be once again.
:P
May 6, 2017
Would've liked to see Adam and Lita end up together, since that's what you'd expect from a relationship like theirs, especially once you hear that Lita's been sabotaging Adam's love life. Incredible, especially considering male authors generally suck at female characters. Nice balance between real, serious consequences and the lighthearted teenage frivolity of romance and gender rivalry.
March 17, 2018
The classic YA. I don't remember much from when I first read it, but it was lighthearted and funny, for the most part.
December 26, 2018
I'll admit I stayed up way too late reading this book. I have absolutely no complaints- it was perfect, perfect, perfect.
Read
October 26, 2019I thank that boys really want is love
February 28, 2023
the slut and skank stuff from the start really tipped me off
dropper about 60percent in
(i have to read a book at least 60% before dropping it to put it in read. i do not want to waste my time to read a bad book and not get anything out of it)
dropper about 60percent in
(i have to read a book at least 60% before dropping it to put it in read. i do not want to waste my time to read a bad book and not get anything out of it)
June 6, 2015
In the past, I've read a few of Pete Hautman's other novels. His books are very sweet, contemporary books kind of stripped down to the essence. I enjoyed his other reads, and when I found out about his newest release, the romantic comedy What Boys Really Want , it was one of my must-haves for 2012.
The story felt a little too heavily based on romance, but I enjoyed the read.
Adam and Lita are friends. JUST FRIENDS.They've been best friends forever, both firmly in their own roles: Adam is the entrepreneur and Lita is the writer. Adam comes up with the idea to write a book, though, shaking up their roles and making both of them unsure of their identities. Adam decides he will write a book on what boys want -- hence the title of the novel -- and Lita turns her attention to matchmaking her friend Emily with her crush. Their friendship becomes more and more distanced, though, as Adam becomes more and more engrossed in the book and people become more interested in reading his book.
This book is really refreshing. I mean, a boy-girl friendship? Where neither of them are interested in dating the other or harboring a secret crush on the other? Fantastic. I love boy-girl friendships and I have lots of guy friends. I thought this was a really refreshing part of the story. The friendships are done very well, and they make up a large portion of the novel: Lita and her friends, Adam and his friends, and Adam and Lita's friendship are very prominent. The book is also really funny -- there are a lot of humorous moments and they all are realistic while being hilarious. So in some parts the book is really refreshing. But there were also issues I had. The romance is obviously a key part of the book. I expected it to be a big part of the novel, and it is. There's a major subplot with Lita attempting to hook up her friend Emily, and both Adam and Lita gain love interests. I liked the love interests, Blair and Brett, but my issues were more with the love subplot. Throughout the entire book Lita had been fixtated on her plan, and she wanted to make sure Emily got the guy of her dreams. But at the end, the subplot kind of fell apart. Emily started to date her crush, and while their relationship ended realisticly it seemed like a low ending. The entire book had been working up to some kind of interaction between them, and I expected it to end a little better. The two characters moved on so quickly it made me wonder why the author had even inserted the subplot.
The other thing I want to note is that Adam does self-publish his book. I have nothing against self-publishing -- I've read many great books that were published by their authors -- but I did wish that Hautman had discussed traditional publishing/self publishing a bit more. He had a character state that he disliked self-publishing, and another character who was published traditionally, and briefly explained the traditional publishing route (writing the book, editing, getting a literary agent and then having the agent go on submission). I did think it would have been interesting to have more on this topic, and kind of make for some interesting parallels to Adam's way of publishing compared to the traditional way of publishing shown by Lita's mother. Overall a strong plot and a good story with some confusing subplots and some things that could have been addressed better.
The characters were fantastic. Lita and Adam both had very distinct personalities and narrations. It was easy to tell that Adam was a boy and Lita was a girl, which doesn't always happen with double-gender POVs. The dialogue was very realistic and sounded like real teenagers. The other characters were also very developed, and the best friends -- a trope that sometimes creates flat characters -- were also developed. The love interests were both interesting, and I loved how Hautman broke down gender stereotypes with his love interests while still giving the interests their own personalities. Brett was very into auto mechanics but also enjoyed English lit and Blair acted skanky but wasn't as skanky as she seemed. There's also a fun twist about Brett and Blair at the end but I won't give it away. :) Very strong, realistic characters.
Hautman's writing is very realistic. His characters all sounded like teenagers, and that reflected in his writing as well; the narration sounded like how a teenager would speak and act. His writing's also very funny, and he's a very good humorous writer with a good sense of how teenagers act.
If you enjoy contemporary YA this would be a good read for you, and if you're interested in romance and "he said, she said" stories you would probably also enjoy this read. I had some issues with the book but it turned out to be a good story and I'm glad I chose to read it.
A lovely contemp.
Four stars.
The story felt a little too heavily based on romance, but I enjoyed the read.
Adam and Lita are friends. JUST FRIENDS.They've been best friends forever, both firmly in their own roles: Adam is the entrepreneur and Lita is the writer. Adam comes up with the idea to write a book, though, shaking up their roles and making both of them unsure of their identities. Adam decides he will write a book on what boys want -- hence the title of the novel -- and Lita turns her attention to matchmaking her friend Emily with her crush. Their friendship becomes more and more distanced, though, as Adam becomes more and more engrossed in the book and people become more interested in reading his book.
This book is really refreshing. I mean, a boy-girl friendship? Where neither of them are interested in dating the other or harboring a secret crush on the other? Fantastic. I love boy-girl friendships and I have lots of guy friends. I thought this was a really refreshing part of the story. The friendships are done very well, and they make up a large portion of the novel: Lita and her friends, Adam and his friends, and Adam and Lita's friendship are very prominent. The book is also really funny -- there are a lot of humorous moments and they all are realistic while being hilarious. So in some parts the book is really refreshing. But there were also issues I had. The romance is obviously a key part of the book. I expected it to be a big part of the novel, and it is. There's a major subplot with Lita attempting to hook up her friend Emily, and both Adam and Lita gain love interests. I liked the love interests, Blair and Brett, but my issues were more with the love subplot. Throughout the entire book Lita had been fixtated on her plan, and she wanted to make sure Emily got the guy of her dreams. But at the end, the subplot kind of fell apart. Emily started to date her crush, and while their relationship ended realisticly it seemed like a low ending. The entire book had been working up to some kind of interaction between them, and I expected it to end a little better. The two characters moved on so quickly it made me wonder why the author had even inserted the subplot.
The other thing I want to note is that Adam does self-publish his book. I have nothing against self-publishing -- I've read many great books that were published by their authors -- but I did wish that Hautman had discussed traditional publishing/self publishing a bit more. He had a character state that he disliked self-publishing, and another character who was published traditionally, and briefly explained the traditional publishing route (writing the book, editing, getting a literary agent and then having the agent go on submission). I did think it would have been interesting to have more on this topic, and kind of make for some interesting parallels to Adam's way of publishing compared to the traditional way of publishing shown by Lita's mother. Overall a strong plot and a good story with some confusing subplots and some things that could have been addressed better.
The characters were fantastic. Lita and Adam both had very distinct personalities and narrations. It was easy to tell that Adam was a boy and Lita was a girl, which doesn't always happen with double-gender POVs. The dialogue was very realistic and sounded like real teenagers. The other characters were also very developed, and the best friends -- a trope that sometimes creates flat characters -- were also developed. The love interests were both interesting, and I loved how Hautman broke down gender stereotypes with his love interests while still giving the interests their own personalities. Brett was very into auto mechanics but also enjoyed English lit and Blair acted skanky but wasn't as skanky as she seemed. There's also a fun twist about Brett and Blair at the end but I won't give it away. :) Very strong, realistic characters.
Hautman's writing is very realistic. His characters all sounded like teenagers, and that reflected in his writing as well; the narration sounded like how a teenager would speak and act. His writing's also very funny, and he's a very good humorous writer with a good sense of how teenagers act.
If you enjoy contemporary YA this would be a good read for you, and if you're interested in romance and "he said, she said" stories you would probably also enjoy this read. I had some issues with the book but it turned out to be a good story and I'm glad I chose to read it.
A lovely contemp.
Four stars.
January 31, 2012
Judged by a Cover: Well, It Makes Sense
I don’t have much to say about this cover except for THANK GOD IT WASN’T OVERLY PHOTOSHOPPED!!!!!! The girls on the cover look like regular teens, instead of plastic surgery advertisements and, I can even see fly away strands of hair. Still, it’s slightly embarrassing to show if I’m not reading it around my friends. From a marketing perspective, it’s excellent, because, come on, who doesn’t want to know what boys are really thinking.
What’s Up?
Lita and Adam have always been friends. Nothing more. Each of them has their roles in the friendship; Lita is the writer, and Adam has the crazy business plans. Nothing needs to change, because it’s always worked for them. So Adam would never write a novel without telling Lita, right? And Lita would never try to break Adam and his girlfriend up, right? And most importantly, they’ll always be friends.
Right?
Characters: Slightly/I wish
The entire book is told through the alternating perspective of both Lita and Adam, so both of them have to be viewed separately,
Adam: I could almost see myself being friends with Adam. For one, he came up with these amazing, almost impossible plots, which reminded me a lot of myself. He is remarkable intelligent and mature for a teenage guy, and he even manages to see past the facades many people hide themselves behind. That said, he was still an adolescent boy, and he could be so clueless. Plus, being a writer myself, I couldn’t stand his plagiarizing.
Lita: I started out the novel thinking that Lita could almost pass for my twin. The problem was, after the beginning, she spent the entire novel sulking and screaming at people. She was perpetually moody, and couldn’t even support her best friend. I would love to be her friend, as soon as she mellows a bit.
Romance: Again, I wish
The scenes between Lita and her love interest were at times some of the sweetest scenes with the funniest banter. However, more of it was spent with Lita being so mean to the guy I couldn’t stand it. I have the same problem with their relationship as I did with Lita, her attitude.
Adam and his girlfriend also had some sweet moments, including one where he tells her that she doesn’t need make up to be pretty. Still, after seeing Lita be so sulky, everything was pretty much spoiled for me.
Bonus Features: Clippings
No matter what I thought of Lita, I loved her writing. Both her blogging under the pseudonym, and the writing she did for her novel were marvelous.
It was not jealousy that drove the Countess Ravisha to set fire to the hair of her 17th lover Guido Barkwallow, but rather an inclination to making separations as memorable and unambiguous as possible.
Dear Miz Fitz,
When do you just say to hell with it and give up?
-Unrequited
Miz Fitz sez:
Not until he gets a restraining order
Dear Miz Fitz:
Is it true you can tell how big a guy’s “thing” is from his shoe size?
-Up all night wondering
Miz Fitz sez:
If by “thing” you mean “foot”, then the answer is yes.
Alternate Points of View
The book rotates both between Lita and Adam, which was perfect. Just enough so that if I was bored enough of one person I could switch to another, but not so many that my head hurt trying to keep track of them.
Final Flavor: Slightly Burnt Popcorn
I loved the entire premise of this book, especially because I hope to publish my own book someday. The author had an excellent writing style, and the plot flowed naturally. The only small thing I have to nit-pick about is how absolutely annoying Lisa could get at times. Other than that, I loved the book, and want to extend my best wishes to the author for allowing it to be my first ARC!
I don’t have much to say about this cover except for THANK GOD IT WASN’T OVERLY PHOTOSHOPPED!!!!!! The girls on the cover look like regular teens, instead of plastic surgery advertisements and, I can even see fly away strands of hair. Still, it’s slightly embarrassing to show if I’m not reading it around my friends. From a marketing perspective, it’s excellent, because, come on, who doesn’t want to know what boys are really thinking.
What’s Up?
Lita and Adam have always been friends. Nothing more. Each of them has their roles in the friendship; Lita is the writer, and Adam has the crazy business plans. Nothing needs to change, because it’s always worked for them. So Adam would never write a novel without telling Lita, right? And Lita would never try to break Adam and his girlfriend up, right? And most importantly, they’ll always be friends.
Right?
Characters: Slightly/I wish
The entire book is told through the alternating perspective of both Lita and Adam, so both of them have to be viewed separately,
Adam: I could almost see myself being friends with Adam. For one, he came up with these amazing, almost impossible plots, which reminded me a lot of myself. He is remarkable intelligent and mature for a teenage guy, and he even manages to see past the facades many people hide themselves behind. That said, he was still an adolescent boy, and he could be so clueless. Plus, being a writer myself, I couldn’t stand his plagiarizing.
Lita: I started out the novel thinking that Lita could almost pass for my twin. The problem was, after the beginning, she spent the entire novel sulking and screaming at people. She was perpetually moody, and couldn’t even support her best friend. I would love to be her friend, as soon as she mellows a bit.
Romance: Again, I wish
The scenes between Lita and her love interest were at times some of the sweetest scenes with the funniest banter. However, more of it was spent with Lita being so mean to the guy I couldn’t stand it. I have the same problem with their relationship as I did with Lita, her attitude.
Adam and his girlfriend also had some sweet moments, including one where he tells her that she doesn’t need make up to be pretty. Still, after seeing Lita be so sulky, everything was pretty much spoiled for me.
Bonus Features: Clippings
No matter what I thought of Lita, I loved her writing. Both her blogging under the pseudonym, and the writing she did for her novel were marvelous.
It was not jealousy that drove the Countess Ravisha to set fire to the hair of her 17th lover Guido Barkwallow, but rather an inclination to making separations as memorable and unambiguous as possible.
Dear Miz Fitz,
When do you just say to hell with it and give up?
-Unrequited
Miz Fitz sez:
Not until he gets a restraining order
Dear Miz Fitz:
Is it true you can tell how big a guy’s “thing” is from his shoe size?
-Up all night wondering
Miz Fitz sez:
If by “thing” you mean “foot”, then the answer is yes.
Alternate Points of View
The book rotates both between Lita and Adam, which was perfect. Just enough so that if I was bored enough of one person I could switch to another, but not so many that my head hurt trying to keep track of them.
Final Flavor: Slightly Burnt Popcorn
I loved the entire premise of this book, especially because I hope to publish my own book someday. The author had an excellent writing style, and the plot flowed naturally. The only small thing I have to nit-pick about is how absolutely annoying Lisa could get at times. Other than that, I loved the book, and want to extend my best wishes to the author for allowing it to be my first ARC!
March 16, 2012
To read the original review and others, go to: http://www.myteenreads.blogspot.com
Let me introduce you to our two main characters: Lita and Adam. Lita and Adam are best friends and have a rather violent relationship (when they first met she hit him with a lunchbox). Lita has always wanted to be a published author, like her mother. So when Adam decides to self-publish a book called “What Boys Want”, a self-help book that gives readers an insight to boys thinking, she can’t believe it. How could he be taking her dream away? Especially because she’s sure that he can’t write a book. She is also trying to help her friend, Emily, get with Adam’s friend, Dennis. But Dennis has his eyes on Blair, who is known for her “skankiness”. But Blair seems to have a thing for Adam, which is not OKAY with Lita. And Adam has his own problems, with figuring out how to publish his book and of course, what he wants.
What Boys Want was surprisingly good! Despite the awful cover (I will get to that later), I decided to read it because I had read another book by Pete Hautman. The plot of this story is quick paced, interesting, and humorous. There were so many times that I found myself LOLing at the hilarious events and things these characters said. The dialogue is very real, and I can imagine teenagers actually saying those things. This is very rare in a YA book because let’s face it. Adults, as close as you can get, you’re not our age and don’t know how we talk even though you think you do. All the characters were really funny and lovable. There’s Adam and his strange logic and Lita with her temperamental scheming. Even the minor characters like Blair are likable. The idea of this book is really cool too because I learned more about the book publishing process. It was interesting to see all the different relationships between people unfold. And I really appreciated how Adam and Lita never liked each other and that they were seriously just friends. Although the word “friends” is debatable because Lita seems pretty cold towards Adam the whole story if you ask me.
One thing I must says is how I think Pete needs to get a new publisher. I think this is a wonderful read, but the amazingness is taken away because of the presentation. First of all is the title. It is “What Boys Really Want” when the book that Adam is writing is called “What Boys Want”. This is very deceiving and I do not like the title lying to me, even though at the end of the book Adam’s book is renamed. Maybe they added the “really” to draw in readers. Still. Next is the cover. I do not like seeing people on the cover of my books. I do not like this cover. It’s relevant to the book, but could have been majorly improved. And the last thing is the inside flap. “And Adam would never end up in a fistfight with Lita’s boyfriend.” Okay, during the story, Lita does not even have a boyfriend. And the event they are talking about happens in the last 20 pages. So why would you even put that in your description if it’s basically a lie? Therefore, I think Pete needs to get a new publisher who will actually read the book before the jacket and cover are designed. If anyone read “The Big Crunch”, you may remember how the jacket flap said that there was a character named “Jen” when really they meant “June”. How can you put the wrong name in your description??? Case in point.
Anyway, despite my ranting I really did like this book. It was funny, realistic, and a great light read. I recommend it if you don’t want to read anything too serious. 5 out of 5 stars.
Let me introduce you to our two main characters: Lita and Adam. Lita and Adam are best friends and have a rather violent relationship (when they first met she hit him with a lunchbox). Lita has always wanted to be a published author, like her mother. So when Adam decides to self-publish a book called “What Boys Want”, a self-help book that gives readers an insight to boys thinking, she can’t believe it. How could he be taking her dream away? Especially because she’s sure that he can’t write a book. She is also trying to help her friend, Emily, get with Adam’s friend, Dennis. But Dennis has his eyes on Blair, who is known for her “skankiness”. But Blair seems to have a thing for Adam, which is not OKAY with Lita. And Adam has his own problems, with figuring out how to publish his book and of course, what he wants.
What Boys Want was surprisingly good! Despite the awful cover (I will get to that later), I decided to read it because I had read another book by Pete Hautman. The plot of this story is quick paced, interesting, and humorous. There were so many times that I found myself LOLing at the hilarious events and things these characters said. The dialogue is very real, and I can imagine teenagers actually saying those things. This is very rare in a YA book because let’s face it. Adults, as close as you can get, you’re not our age and don’t know how we talk even though you think you do. All the characters were really funny and lovable. There’s Adam and his strange logic and Lita with her temperamental scheming. Even the minor characters like Blair are likable. The idea of this book is really cool too because I learned more about the book publishing process. It was interesting to see all the different relationships between people unfold. And I really appreciated how Adam and Lita never liked each other and that they were seriously just friends. Although the word “friends” is debatable because Lita seems pretty cold towards Adam the whole story if you ask me.
One thing I must says is how I think Pete needs to get a new publisher. I think this is a wonderful read, but the amazingness is taken away because of the presentation. First of all is the title. It is “What Boys Really Want” when the book that Adam is writing is called “What Boys Want”. This is very deceiving and I do not like the title lying to me, even though at the end of the book Adam’s book is renamed. Maybe they added the “really” to draw in readers. Still. Next is the cover. I do not like seeing people on the cover of my books. I do not like this cover. It’s relevant to the book, but could have been majorly improved. And the last thing is the inside flap. “And Adam would never end up in a fistfight with Lita’s boyfriend.” Okay, during the story, Lita does not even have a boyfriend. And the event they are talking about happens in the last 20 pages. So why would you even put that in your description if it’s basically a lie? Therefore, I think Pete needs to get a new publisher who will actually read the book before the jacket and cover are designed. If anyone read “The Big Crunch”, you may remember how the jacket flap said that there was a character named “Jen” when really they meant “June”. How can you put the wrong name in your description??? Case in point.
Anyway, despite my ranting I really did like this book. It was funny, realistic, and a great light read. I recommend it if you don’t want to read anything too serious. 5 out of 5 stars.
June 4, 2012
Lita Wold and Adam Merchant have been friends since they were very young, and now they are juniors at Wellstone High School. Lita, who is working on a romance novel, aspires to be a writer like her famous author mother. Unbeknownst to anyone, Lita also secretly writes an advice blog under the alias, Miz Fitz, doling out answers on dating and boys. Adam, on the other hand, has no interest in writing, so Lita is surprised, but also a little upset, when Adam announces his intentions to write a book on what boys really want from their relationships with girls. Writing a book turns out to be a lot of work, so Adam ends up obtaining much of his book from material he finds online. Unfortunately, a good bit of it comes from Miz Fitz’s blog!
What Boys Really Want is a quick, playful read about relationships built on a book about relationships! It is told in the alternating voices of Lita and Adam and spiced up with “quotes” from Lita’s Miz Fitz blog and Adam’s book. There is a lot of humor in the book; I found myself laughing out loud at some of the scenes in the novel!
I loved both Lita and Adam. Lita is a sarcastic, tough realist; she tells it like it is. Adam is exactly the opposite; he is easy-going, fun-loving, and happy-go-lucky. Adam’s eventual love interest, Blair, who some students think is a “skank”, actually has the same type personality as Lita. It is no surprise Adam is drawn to her. Dennis, Adam’s friend, is the typical geeky tech guy. I was delighted to find that two school librarians figure prominently in the story. One is the strict, stereotypical librarian, and the other is a cool, laid-back bibliophile.
The dialogue is realistic and believable, and the teen interactions are spot-on. The blog and book snippets at the beginning of each chapter add a lot to the mood of the book. There are some surprises and twists in the story that I did not expect! Although the book is a little over three hundred pages, it did not take long to read at all.
Teens will easily relate to the events, dialogue, and characters in the book! I recommend What Boys Really Want to middle school, high school, and public libraries.
**Note: The copy reviewed was an advanced reader's copy obtained from Library Media Connection in exchange for an honest review.
What Boys Really Want is a quick, playful read about relationships built on a book about relationships! It is told in the alternating voices of Lita and Adam and spiced up with “quotes” from Lita’s Miz Fitz blog and Adam’s book. There is a lot of humor in the book; I found myself laughing out loud at some of the scenes in the novel!
I loved both Lita and Adam. Lita is a sarcastic, tough realist; she tells it like it is. Adam is exactly the opposite; he is easy-going, fun-loving, and happy-go-lucky. Adam’s eventual love interest, Blair, who some students think is a “skank”, actually has the same type personality as Lita. It is no surprise Adam is drawn to her. Dennis, Adam’s friend, is the typical geeky tech guy. I was delighted to find that two school librarians figure prominently in the story. One is the strict, stereotypical librarian, and the other is a cool, laid-back bibliophile.
The dialogue is realistic and believable, and the teen interactions are spot-on. The blog and book snippets at the beginning of each chapter add a lot to the mood of the book. There are some surprises and twists in the story that I did not expect! Although the book is a little over three hundred pages, it did not take long to read at all.
Teens will easily relate to the events, dialogue, and characters in the book! I recommend What Boys Really Want to middle school, high school, and public libraries.
**Note: The copy reviewed was an advanced reader's copy obtained from Library Media Connection in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2012
I really did want to like Pete Hautman's What Boys Really Want so much more, but sadly, it wasn't exactly my cup of tea. I read Hautman's The Big Crunch last year and thought it was a delightful, quirky contemporary novel that deserved some more love than it had received... so when I began reading his latest novel, I was hoping it would be along these similar lines. That didn't happen.
There was nothing really likeable or endearing about any of the characters, which made it rather difficult for me to actually care what happened to them. When Adam suddenly decides that he'll write a book about relationships, Lita scoffs and laughs at the idea. And for good reason, because he's such an unlikely person you'd ever expect to spend time writing anything. Surprisingly, he doesn't give up on the idea though... but he's completely clueless that most of his book is actually plagiarized and taken from a blogger named Miz Fitz who gives relationship advice on her blog. I mean, how does any high school student not know what plagiarism is?
And then there's Lita, whose biggest secret is that she's the mastermind behind the Miz Fitz blog, a fact nobody else knows. As Miz Fitz, she replies to reader questions with the kind of sarcasm she never would have used in person. (These were fun to read!) When she learns that Adam is writing a book, she becomes jealous and starts pulling away from him because she's always wanted to be a writer. Instead, she turns her attentions to helping her best friend, Emily, go out with the fellow student she's been seriously crushing on. Normally, I would think Lita was being a supportive friend... but I just couldn't agree with the superficial methods she told her to do.
It hurts to say it, but I was disappointed with how What Boys Really Want turned out to be. There wasn't really any character development and I found it hard to find acceptance in their actions. The novel had a great premise with tons of potential to really explore relationships... but in the end, the result just didn't live up to my expectations.
There was nothing really likeable or endearing about any of the characters, which made it rather difficult for me to actually care what happened to them. When Adam suddenly decides that he'll write a book about relationships, Lita scoffs and laughs at the idea. And for good reason, because he's such an unlikely person you'd ever expect to spend time writing anything. Surprisingly, he doesn't give up on the idea though... but he's completely clueless that most of his book is actually plagiarized and taken from a blogger named Miz Fitz who gives relationship advice on her blog. I mean, how does any high school student not know what plagiarism is?
And then there's Lita, whose biggest secret is that she's the mastermind behind the Miz Fitz blog, a fact nobody else knows. As Miz Fitz, she replies to reader questions with the kind of sarcasm she never would have used in person. (These were fun to read!) When she learns that Adam is writing a book, she becomes jealous and starts pulling away from him because she's always wanted to be a writer. Instead, she turns her attentions to helping her best friend, Emily, go out with the fellow student she's been seriously crushing on. Normally, I would think Lita was being a supportive friend... but I just couldn't agree with the superficial methods she told her to do.
It hurts to say it, but I was disappointed with how What Boys Really Want turned out to be. There wasn't really any character development and I found it hard to find acceptance in their actions. The novel had a great premise with tons of potential to really explore relationships... but in the end, the result just didn't live up to my expectations.
May 8, 2012
I almost always enjoy the books of Pete Hautman because they are fast-paced, honest, and provocative. The witty exchanges among his characters seem honest and authentic and not pretentious and more clever than anyone has a right to be. He almost always hits the mark when describing teens and high school, and this one, while not as incredible as Godless, his National Book Award winner, is satisfying and made me laugh while also providing insight into what makes others tick. The premise here is that Lita and Adam are long-time friends. As soon as I realized that, I steeled myself for one of those stories about how they eventually realize that they are meant to be more than friends, but (happily) that's not the case here. As the storyline moves to its conclusion, it quickly becomes clear that although the two are friends, they haven't always been honest with each other. Lita, who loves to write, has never told Adam that she's actually blogging as acerbic advice columnist Miz Fitz and that she has often plotted to wreck his previous romantic entanglements and plans to do the same with his current attraction to Blair Thompson, a girl she judges as a skank because of her appearance. Adam, on the other hand, fails to tell Lita that he's writing a book about what boys really want, and that many of the ideas in the book have been taken from other writers, including the blog Lita writes. In many respects, this book is about assumptions about others, close calls and near misses and miscommunication or failure to communicate. It's about the daily drama that is high school, and if Lita is high strung and more emotionally unbalanced than might be desired, Adam himself seems clueless about basic ethical issues such as plagiarism. Although some might disagree, I liked how Lita justifies her own actions as being for the good of others, leaving her smug and clueless while readers know that she's heading for a fall. Perhaps while fooling herself, she ends up fooling no one in the end, a lesson worth considering by us all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2012
One of my goals for the summer of 2012 is to try to add to my bag of tricks for reluctant readers by reading Young Adult books that might be considered humorous and light. Pete Hautman's "What Boys Really Want" is a book that I will add to this bag of tricks. It contains the requisite language, sex jokes, drinking, and teenage angst - though nothing graphic or over the top. These characteristics, the title, and the concept will entice both teen female and male readers.
Best friends Lita Wold and Adam Merchant come up with the idea to write a book about what it is that teen boys and teen girls really want. Both claim the idea as their own, but it is Adam who actually follows through with the idea and, with struggle, self-publishes a hilarious book called "What Boys Really Want." He "borrows" ideas from an infamous teen blog written by Miz Fitz. Little does he know that Miz Fitz is actually his best friend, Lita. All sorts of jealousy, anger, wheeling and dealing, romance, and fun ensue.
"What Boys Really Want" is told from the alternating viewpoints of both Lita and Adam, and exemplifies much of what Miz Fitz covers in her column and Adam covers in his book. The action generally moves along quickly and there is a great, though unlikely, unexpected ending. For Minnesota teens, there is lots of local color, as the book is set in the Minneapolis area. I did not appreciate the fact that for most of the book, Lita is such a bitch. It is hard to stick with a book when you really don't like one of the main characters. She treats her "friends" horribly, is totally self-involved, has few redeeming qualities, and in general doesn't do much for the reputation of teen girls. Adam, on the other hand, though he is somewhat clueless, is very likable. Minor characters are generally well-developed as well.
Not great literature, but kind of a fun romp. I will recommend it to students looking for a fun, fast read.
Best friends Lita Wold and Adam Merchant come up with the idea to write a book about what it is that teen boys and teen girls really want. Both claim the idea as their own, but it is Adam who actually follows through with the idea and, with struggle, self-publishes a hilarious book called "What Boys Really Want." He "borrows" ideas from an infamous teen blog written by Miz Fitz. Little does he know that Miz Fitz is actually his best friend, Lita. All sorts of jealousy, anger, wheeling and dealing, romance, and fun ensue.
"What Boys Really Want" is told from the alternating viewpoints of both Lita and Adam, and exemplifies much of what Miz Fitz covers in her column and Adam covers in his book. The action generally moves along quickly and there is a great, though unlikely, unexpected ending. For Minnesota teens, there is lots of local color, as the book is set in the Minneapolis area. I did not appreciate the fact that for most of the book, Lita is such a bitch. It is hard to stick with a book when you really don't like one of the main characters. She treats her "friends" horribly, is totally self-involved, has few redeeming qualities, and in general doesn't do much for the reputation of teen girls. Adam, on the other hand, though he is somewhat clueless, is very likable. Minor characters are generally well-developed as well.
Not great literature, but kind of a fun romp. I will recommend it to students looking for a fun, fast read.
July 15, 2012
~3/5
[Taken from my blog: http://geekyreading.blogspot.com/2012... ]
I was surprised by some of the things in this book, in a good and bad way. I liked it alright, but it wasn’t quite as good as I was hoping, in some ways.
This book is about two friends, who have known each other forever, and how one of them decides to write a book about what boys really want, while the other has a blog snarkily answering questions related to boys and girls, mostly.
It’s told in alternating point of views, for which I was glad, because otherwise it might have only been in Lita’s head. And I wasn’t a big fan of Lita. She could have been really enjoyable, too, what with having a blog and how her answers were always very entertaining. But instead she was almost always angsty and moody and it got kind of annoying. It might be because I’m not a moody person, especially not aloud, and how she was upset about things for no, or little to no, reason, all the time.
Adam, on the other hand, I really enjoyed. He’s pretty much a dumb, clueless, teenage boy, but I still really enjoyed him. He was kind of sweet, and he was trying, and it wasn’t really his fault that he was so dumb about how publishing works and why Lita was always mad at him.
The ending is probably my favorite part of the book. Adam was an idiot through most of the book, and Lita was moody, but they both met some pretty sweet special someones, and I wasn’t expecting how the relationships between them turned out. It wasn’t a typical, boy and girl are friends forever and so of course love each other, even though there were several hints to that that weren’t cleared up. Either way, it was actually a pretty good ending.
This was not as good as I was hoping, but I enjoyed it enough, and do plan to read another of Hautman’s books.
[Taken from my blog: http://geekyreading.blogspot.com/2012... ]
I was surprised by some of the things in this book, in a good and bad way. I liked it alright, but it wasn’t quite as good as I was hoping, in some ways.
This book is about two friends, who have known each other forever, and how one of them decides to write a book about what boys really want, while the other has a blog snarkily answering questions related to boys and girls, mostly.
It’s told in alternating point of views, for which I was glad, because otherwise it might have only been in Lita’s head. And I wasn’t a big fan of Lita. She could have been really enjoyable, too, what with having a blog and how her answers were always very entertaining. But instead she was almost always angsty and moody and it got kind of annoying. It might be because I’m not a moody person, especially not aloud, and how she was upset about things for no, or little to no, reason, all the time.
Adam, on the other hand, I really enjoyed. He’s pretty much a dumb, clueless, teenage boy, but I still really enjoyed him. He was kind of sweet, and he was trying, and it wasn’t really his fault that he was so dumb about how publishing works and why Lita was always mad at him.
The ending is probably my favorite part of the book. Adam was an idiot through most of the book, and Lita was moody, but they both met some pretty sweet special someones, and I wasn’t expecting how the relationships between them turned out. It wasn’t a typical, boy and girl are friends forever and so of course love each other, even though there were several hints to that that weren’t cleared up. Either way, it was actually a pretty good ending.
This was not as good as I was hoping, but I enjoyed it enough, and do plan to read another of Hautman’s books.
August 8, 2012
Help me Miz Fitz!
How do I know if a guy doesn't like me, or is just shy? -- qwertygurl
Miz Fitz sez:
Those two things are not mutually exclusive. Maybe he doesn't like you AND he's shy. Here's a test. Ask him out. If he turns red, he's shy. If he gags, he doesn't like you. If he does both, perform the Heimlich maneuver.
I've finally found it... a book that is funny, has enough sex jokes and language to keep my 8th graders interested, and actually deals with copyright and plagiarism (usually an instantaneous trigger for complete boredom). Adam and Lita have been friends since kindergarten. He's the likeable, easily distracted fun guy, and she's the snarky writer who authors a secret advice-for-teens blog using the name Miz Fitz. Adam, in looking for a moneymaking scheme, decides to write "a book about what guys and girls really think." After attempting the girl side of things though, he gives up and sticks to what he knows: what boys think. Told from alternating his and her viewpoints, neither narrator is completely reliable. Adam attempts to write the book, date Blair (the official school skank), and survive calculus class. Lita keeps up with her blog, starts dating a guy she finds fixing a 69 GTO when she goes for a walk after yet another battle with her famous romance-writing mother, and treis to do some romance-fixing along the way. Each character gets into awkward situations, with misunderstandings and consequences (including a 5-day suspension from the assistant principal known as "The Terminator"). I love Pete Hautman -- this is not his most serious work, but I like having the opportunity to talk about when it's okay to copy and paste (and advertise and sell) and when it's not. It's that MarionTheLibrarian in me! Definitely 8th grade and up for the *interesting* content.
How do I know if a guy doesn't like me, or is just shy? -- qwertygurl
Miz Fitz sez:
Those two things are not mutually exclusive. Maybe he doesn't like you AND he's shy. Here's a test. Ask him out. If he turns red, he's shy. If he gags, he doesn't like you. If he does both, perform the Heimlich maneuver.
I've finally found it... a book that is funny, has enough sex jokes and language to keep my 8th graders interested, and actually deals with copyright and plagiarism (usually an instantaneous trigger for complete boredom). Adam and Lita have been friends since kindergarten. He's the likeable, easily distracted fun guy, and she's the snarky writer who authors a secret advice-for-teens blog using the name Miz Fitz. Adam, in looking for a moneymaking scheme, decides to write "a book about what guys and girls really think." After attempting the girl side of things though, he gives up and sticks to what he knows: what boys think. Told from alternating his and her viewpoints, neither narrator is completely reliable. Adam attempts to write the book, date Blair (the official school skank), and survive calculus class. Lita keeps up with her blog, starts dating a guy she finds fixing a 69 GTO when she goes for a walk after yet another battle with her famous romance-writing mother, and treis to do some romance-fixing along the way. Each character gets into awkward situations, with misunderstandings and consequences (including a 5-day suspension from the assistant principal known as "The Terminator"). I love Pete Hautman -- this is not his most serious work, but I like having the opportunity to talk about when it's okay to copy and paste (and advertise and sell) and when it's not. It's that MarionTheLibrarian in me! Definitely 8th grade and up for the *interesting* content.
February 8, 2012
The Good Stuff
Very realistic in terms of dialogue and the relationships between the friends
Absolutely hilarious at times
Nice messages about understanding the differences between men and women and how they can communicate more effectively and not done in a preachy way which really ticks off YA readers (and old Mom's too)
Characters of Lita and Adam are likeable and develop throughout the story
Likeable Librarian who is not at all stereotypical (ok there is another stereotypical librarian in it too, but hey at least we got one good one)
Fabulous snarky witty dialogue
Honestly its just a fun light read to spend the afternoon with
The Not So Good Stuff
Not sure Adam realized how horrific plagiarism is and he really wasn't punished enough for it
Could have been fleshed out a bit
Favorite Quotes/ Passages
"It was the incredibly hot Mrs Corinna Crowe, who has done more to increase the number of guys using the school library than Harry Potter and Stephen King combined."
"Mrs Crowe had implied that he wouldn't mention my little escapade to Mrs Crowe, but I didn't believe him. Married people are notoriously bad at keeping secrets from each other."
"Why not?" She saw the expression on my face."Oh. Sorry, I thought you'd gotten past that being-embarrassed-to-have-parents thing."
"I think I have another year or two to go on that." I said
Who Should/Shouldn't Read
Perfect for those looking for a funny light read
Not for those looking to find out what boys want -- trust me its better not knowing LOL!
Fans of Hautman's other books might be a tad disappointed in this one
3.75 Dewey's
I received this from Scholastic in Exchange for an Honest Review
Very realistic in terms of dialogue and the relationships between the friends
Absolutely hilarious at times
Nice messages about understanding the differences between men and women and how they can communicate more effectively and not done in a preachy way which really ticks off YA readers (and old Mom's too)
Characters of Lita and Adam are likeable and develop throughout the story
Likeable Librarian who is not at all stereotypical (ok there is another stereotypical librarian in it too, but hey at least we got one good one)
Fabulous snarky witty dialogue
Honestly its just a fun light read to spend the afternoon with
The Not So Good Stuff
Not sure Adam realized how horrific plagiarism is and he really wasn't punished enough for it
Could have been fleshed out a bit
Favorite Quotes/ Passages
"It was the incredibly hot Mrs Corinna Crowe, who has done more to increase the number of guys using the school library than Harry Potter and Stephen King combined."
"Mrs Crowe had implied that he wouldn't mention my little escapade to Mrs Crowe, but I didn't believe him. Married people are notoriously bad at keeping secrets from each other."
"Why not?" She saw the expression on my face."Oh. Sorry, I thought you'd gotten past that being-embarrassed-to-have-parents thing."
"I think I have another year or two to go on that." I said
Who Should/Shouldn't Read
Perfect for those looking for a funny light read
Not for those looking to find out what boys want -- trust me its better not knowing LOL!
Fans of Hautman's other books might be a tad disappointed in this one
3.75 Dewey's
I received this from Scholastic in Exchange for an Honest Review
August 14, 2013
I was going to give it three stars and be all, "3.5, but GoodReads hasn't caved on the half-star ratings yet." Then I decided that it was funny enough to go up to four instead.
Example Funny Bit #1, from page 1:
Miz Fitz,
My boyfriend is always stupid stuff. How can I fix him?
–Angie
Miz Fitz sez:
Get a dog. Fixing a dog is easier.
Example Funny Bit #2, from page 109:
Miz Fitz,
Is it true that you can tell how big a boy's thing is from his shoe size?
–Up All Night Wondering
Miz Fitz sez:
If by "thing" you mean "foot," then the answer is yes.
Example Funny Bit #3, from page 174:
Back in the early part of the last century, an actress named Mae West said, "Is that a gun in your pocket? Or are you just glad to see me?" She was referring, of course, to a suspicious bulge in a man's pants. It happens. It swells up and gets, well, hard. Not hard like a rock – more like a zucchini.
Favorite "That's So Me!" Quote, from page 149: I don't read for reality. I've got enough of that.
Conclusion: A good choice when you want a light read to break up all the heavy-duty grown-up-ness. I definitely relate to Lita more than Adam, but this has much to do with the book-nerd thing as it has to do with the female thing. Adam was a little too space-case-y for me to relate. That said, I don't feel like anyone in this book is especially outside the realm of believability. Some things I never did, but I usually chalk that up to me being totally atypical. Would I read it again? No. Would I recommend it? I'm not one for recommending things. Was it a big ol' waste of my time? No, but if I'd made it last another day, I'd feel more productive…
Example Funny Bit #1, from page 1:
Miz Fitz,
My boyfriend is always stupid stuff. How can I fix him?
–Angie
Miz Fitz sez:
Get a dog. Fixing a dog is easier.
Example Funny Bit #2, from page 109:
Miz Fitz,
Is it true that you can tell how big a boy's thing is from his shoe size?
–Up All Night Wondering
Miz Fitz sez:
If by "thing" you mean "foot," then the answer is yes.
Example Funny Bit #3, from page 174:
Back in the early part of the last century, an actress named Mae West said, "Is that a gun in your pocket? Or are you just glad to see me?" She was referring, of course, to a suspicious bulge in a man's pants. It happens. It swells up and gets, well, hard. Not hard like a rock – more like a zucchini.
Favorite "That's So Me!" Quote, from page 149: I don't read for reality. I've got enough of that.
Conclusion: A good choice when you want a light read to break up all the heavy-duty grown-up-ness. I definitely relate to Lita more than Adam, but this has much to do with the book-nerd thing as it has to do with the female thing. Adam was a little too space-case-y for me to relate. That said, I don't feel like anyone in this book is especially outside the realm of believability. Some things I never did, but I usually chalk that up to me being totally atypical. Would I read it again? No. Would I recommend it? I'm not one for recommending things. Was it a big ol' waste of my time? No, but if I'd made it last another day, I'd feel more productive…
May 3, 2012
I found this book surprisingly light-hearted and entertaining. The main premise of the book deals with communication struggles and differences between the genders, and while the characters in this book are teenagers, the theme can easily cross that age gap and makes this book easily applicable to anyone who's experienced difficulty in communicating with the opposite sex at one time or another.
While the cover looks like one that'll mainly attract girls, the story is told from alternating viewpoints and humorous in a way that would likely appeal to both girls and guys. The main character, Lita, has an extremely dry sense of humor. Adam, her best friend, is very likable and I found it extremely entertaining to be inside his head throughout the book.
Of course, this part may make me slightly bias, but the book begins when they are tubing down Apple River, and I just could not help but wonder if it was the one and same Apple River that I also grew up tubing down. As the story continued and mentioned both Lake Superior and the Mall of America, I KNEW it was indeed the Apple River just over the border in Wisconsin! The familiarity of the Twin Cities suburbia setting made me enjoy it all the more, being a native Minnesotan myself.
A quick and fun read! Realistic and funny characters with a good dose of humor and a light touch of romance, I would give this title especially to reluctant readers, or anyone looking for a humorous, entertaining read.
While the cover looks like one that'll mainly attract girls, the story is told from alternating viewpoints and humorous in a way that would likely appeal to both girls and guys. The main character, Lita, has an extremely dry sense of humor. Adam, her best friend, is very likable and I found it extremely entertaining to be inside his head throughout the book.
Of course, this part may make me slightly bias, but the book begins when they are tubing down Apple River, and I just could not help but wonder if it was the one and same Apple River that I also grew up tubing down. As the story continued and mentioned both Lake Superior and the Mall of America, I KNEW it was indeed the Apple River just over the border in Wisconsin! The familiarity of the Twin Cities suburbia setting made me enjoy it all the more, being a native Minnesotan myself.
A quick and fun read! Realistic and funny characters with a good dose of humor and a light touch of romance, I would give this title especially to reluctant readers, or anyone looking for a humorous, entertaining read.
December 9, 2011
This book is set to come out in early 2012, i think...
Pete Hautman is a really quirky and fun writer, but this book kind of missed the mark for me. It's told in a two-person narrative (two best friends, a boy and a girl) and switches off speakers two or three times during each chapter. My first issue with this book is that it's really really confusing and at times annoying to read the narrative switches. I've read books that do this really seamlessly and beautifully, but the way he uses the two characters' perspectives makes it seem choppy and disconnected.
I had to push myself through this book because the plot is very slow. this isn't helped by the fact that there are two narrators, and you are therefore reading two different sides to one story. The only exciting part happens towards the very end of the book, which was still slightly disappointing. In fact, the whole book was slightly disappointing.
One thing I did like, though, was the little snippets of blog notes or advice column answers at the beginning of each chapter. Hautman's use of these, i thought, were cute and effective, because they gave the book more of an everyday, teenager-like feeling and because they were interesting.
But overall, 3/5 stars. More cons than pros.
Pete Hautman is a really quirky and fun writer, but this book kind of missed the mark for me. It's told in a two-person narrative (two best friends, a boy and a girl) and switches off speakers two or three times during each chapter. My first issue with this book is that it's really really confusing and at times annoying to read the narrative switches. I've read books that do this really seamlessly and beautifully, but the way he uses the two characters' perspectives makes it seem choppy and disconnected.
I had to push myself through this book because the plot is very slow. this isn't helped by the fact that there are two narrators, and you are therefore reading two different sides to one story. The only exciting part happens towards the very end of the book, which was still slightly disappointing. In fact, the whole book was slightly disappointing.
One thing I did like, though, was the little snippets of blog notes or advice column answers at the beginning of each chapter. Hautman's use of these, i thought, were cute and effective, because they gave the book more of an everyday, teenager-like feeling and because they were interesting.
But overall, 3/5 stars. More cons than pros.
January 12, 2012
No, this is not a nonfiction informational book about what boys really want. Instead, this is a hilarious fiction book about a boy writing said nonfiction book. But Lita, the other half of their best-friend relationship, is mad (or rather jealous) - she is supposed to be the writer in this relationship! When Adam becomes obsessed with writing this book, getting it published as soon as possible, his relationship with Lita seems to be getting jeopardized in the process. Which begs the question, what are they really looking for?
I was very pleasantly surprised with this one! I like the light humor that was woven through the whole novel. I liked Lita's sarcastic, dry humor, which helped greatly when she was being annoying. I enjoyed the fact that Adam had no clue what he was doing, how he tried to publish his novel without looking it over. It made it seem more real, since Adam is not the kind of person to be writing a book in the first place!
This is a very light, funny read. There is not much depth, so don't read this if that is what you're looking for. But, not every book needs to be extremely deep and thought provoking, some books are just plain fun.
I was very pleasantly surprised with this one! I like the light humor that was woven through the whole novel. I liked Lita's sarcastic, dry humor, which helped greatly when she was being annoying. I enjoyed the fact that Adam had no clue what he was doing, how he tried to publish his novel without looking it over. It made it seem more real, since Adam is not the kind of person to be writing a book in the first place!
This is a very light, funny read. There is not much depth, so don't read this if that is what you're looking for. But, not every book needs to be extremely deep and thought provoking, some books are just plain fun.
February 19, 2012
What can I say other than I am very disappointed. The only reason I finished this book was because I admire the author. The book is written in a he said/she said format. The girl, Lita, was so unsympathetic until past page 120. Lita, for the most part acts like a hurt young girl, but she inflicts most of pain herself. She writes an anonymous blog under the name Miz Fitz where she gives love advice to others where it is she who needs it the most.
Her protagonist is Adam, a seeming nice kid who, for some unknown reason, is friends with Lita. He gets it into his head to write a book called, What Boys Really Want. His striving to get the book written leads him into trouble at school, meet the school “hot chick/slut. He is also trying to help a friend overcome shyness to go out with a girl.
Things don’t go smoothly and everything explodes in Adams face as well as Lita/Miz Fitz. In the end, I really don’t care about them enough to recommend this to anyone.
Next time I will take my own advice and quit reading a book after about 40 pages.
Her protagonist is Adam, a seeming nice kid who, for some unknown reason, is friends with Lita. He gets it into his head to write a book called, What Boys Really Want. His striving to get the book written leads him into trouble at school, meet the school “hot chick/slut. He is also trying to help a friend overcome shyness to go out with a girl.
Things don’t go smoothly and everything explodes in Adams face as well as Lita/Miz Fitz. In the end, I really don’t care about them enough to recommend this to anyone.
Next time I will take my own advice and quit reading a book after about 40 pages.
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