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Last Stop This Town
The debut novel from "American Pie" series screenwriter David H. Steinberg. It's the last weekend before high school graduation, and as they prepare to go their separate ways, four life-long friends spend a wild and raucous night in New York City that forces them to face their fear of growing up... and growing apart.
West Hartford, Connecticut. Growing up in the suburbs is a mind-numbingly boring experience for most teenagers, and high school seniors Dylan, Noah, Pike, and Walker are no exception. They spend their days testing how fast they can drive on the local residential streets, bribing homeless dudes to buy them beer, and attending crappy house parties. So when Dylan proposes that they spend their last weekend of high school in New York City attending an underground rave, the guys are ready to make some serious memories.
In New York, though, the guys have run-ins with a drug dealer with a penchant for fire extinguishers, a Chinese restaurant owner with a score to settle, an Albanian street gang, con men, hookers, performance artists, and a gaggle of hot, degenerate, rich girls. Over the course of one incredible night, their outrageous journey gives the guys a bonding experience they'll never forget, as they learn that part of growing up means they're going to have to face their futures on their own.
(Parental advisory: This book contains strong language, drinking, drugs, and sexual situations, all involving teens.)
West Hartford, Connecticut. Growing up in the suburbs is a mind-numbingly boring experience for most teenagers, and high school seniors Dylan, Noah, Pike, and Walker are no exception. They spend their days testing how fast they can drive on the local residential streets, bribing homeless dudes to buy them beer, and attending crappy house parties. So when Dylan proposes that they spend their last weekend of high school in New York City attending an underground rave, the guys are ready to make some serious memories.
In New York, though, the guys have run-ins with a drug dealer with a penchant for fire extinguishers, a Chinese restaurant owner with a score to settle, an Albanian street gang, con men, hookers, performance artists, and a gaggle of hot, degenerate, rich girls. Over the course of one incredible night, their outrageous journey gives the guys a bonding experience they'll never forget, as they learn that part of growing up means they're going to have to face their futures on their own.
(Parental advisory: This book contains strong language, drinking, drugs, and sexual situations, all involving teens.)
194 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 7, 2012
18 people are currently reading
585 people want to read
About the author
David H. Steinberg
3 books9 followersDavid H. Steinberg is the screenwriter of the cult classic movie Slackers, National Lampoon's Barely Legal, and several films in the American Pie series. He grew up in West Hartford, Connecticut, entered Yale at age 16, and earned his law degree from Duke, where he served as editor-in-chief of the law review. He practiced law for four years before abandoning his legal career to attend the USC School of Cinema-Television.
Steinberg has written extensively for film and television. Last Stop This Town is his first novel.
Steinberg has written extensively for film and television. Last Stop This Town is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
December 4, 2013
This may be one of the useless books I have ever attempted to read. It could be subtitled: “No teen cliché left out.” It is a world where a bag of Fritos is “sweeeeeet,” reckless speeding is the bravery equivalent of storming a bastion of Taliban, the only cool sex is completely irresponsible, and parties are the entire point of life.
Politics, philosophy, and any other discussion is totally replaced by snarky remarks, vacuous observations, and lame mean comments. After reading about half, I skimmed the rest hoping for some resolution or reason to continue… alas nothing.
This is a book written for pre-adolescents, titillating them about how the real joy life will burst upon them as soon as they reach puberty. It will be the key to non-stop sexual pleasures, unlimited alcohol consumption, and continual pot-smoking. I got it because I was curious about what teens might be reading. "Catcher in the Rye," of "Lord of the Flies" it ain't.
This book deserves a Pulitzer Prize for One-dimensional Predictable Characters. The hero's name is Dylan-- of course. Skip it.
Politics, philosophy, and any other discussion is totally replaced by snarky remarks, vacuous observations, and lame mean comments. After reading about half, I skimmed the rest hoping for some resolution or reason to continue… alas nothing.
This is a book written for pre-adolescents, titillating them about how the real joy life will burst upon them as soon as they reach puberty. It will be the key to non-stop sexual pleasures, unlimited alcohol consumption, and continual pot-smoking. I got it because I was curious about what teens might be reading. "Catcher in the Rye," of "Lord of the Flies" it ain't.
This book deserves a Pulitzer Prize for One-dimensional Predictable Characters. The hero's name is Dylan-- of course. Skip it.
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May 9, 2012If you liked the American Pie movies and want to read a book that has the same feel, you may enjoy this uninhibitedly raunchy YA novel by American Pie series screenwriter David Steinberg.
It seems to me that the majority of so-called "young adult novels" are marketed toward female readers, and I'm curious to learn whether anybody has any insight into why. Are teen boys simply not as avid about book-reading as teen girls? While teen girls huddle between library shelves or sip Barnes & Noble Cafe frappuccinos, are teen boys opting to head to the cineplex instead, fueling the market for movies about car chases and explosions? Or do teen boys tend to graduate straight from children's literature to adult literature, not feeling the same psychological need that many teen girls do to read books about "the high-school experience," books that purport to realistically reflect their own day-to-day lives? Whatever the reason, encountering a male-oriented YA novel like Last Stop This Town was a relatively new experience for me.
You may be wondering why I picked up this book in the first place. Well, author David Steinberg is one of my Goodreads friends, and he made the curious (but flattering) decision to feature one of my poems in his novel. The poem in question is a specimen of my juvenilia, so to speak, which was originally published in The Gamut, the Harvard undergraduate poetry magazine.
There is a scene in Last Stop This Town wherein an eccentric teenage girl named Genevieve, a Harvard-bound high-school senior who has the admirable traits of knowing her own mind and knowing what she wants, bravely stands up to read an obliquely erotic poem at a Greenwich Village poetry reading, thereby winning the heart of one of the four male protagonists of the novel. In my (admittedly biased) mind, this is the kind of female-empowering scene that more male-oriented YA novels and movies need.
It seems to me that the majority of so-called "young adult novels" are marketed toward female readers, and I'm curious to learn whether anybody has any insight into why. Are teen boys simply not as avid about book-reading as teen girls? While teen girls huddle between library shelves or sip Barnes & Noble Cafe frappuccinos, are teen boys opting to head to the cineplex instead, fueling the market for movies about car chases and explosions? Or do teen boys tend to graduate straight from children's literature to adult literature, not feeling the same psychological need that many teen girls do to read books about "the high-school experience," books that purport to realistically reflect their own day-to-day lives? Whatever the reason, encountering a male-oriented YA novel like Last Stop This Town was a relatively new experience for me.
You may be wondering why I picked up this book in the first place. Well, author David Steinberg is one of my Goodreads friends, and he made the curious (but flattering) decision to feature one of my poems in his novel. The poem in question is a specimen of my juvenilia, so to speak, which was originally published in The Gamut, the Harvard undergraduate poetry magazine.
There is a scene in Last Stop This Town wherein an eccentric teenage girl named Genevieve, a Harvard-bound high-school senior who has the admirable traits of knowing her own mind and knowing what she wants, bravely stands up to read an obliquely erotic poem at a Greenwich Village poetry reading, thereby winning the heart of one of the four male protagonists of the novel. In my (admittedly biased) mind, this is the kind of female-empowering scene that more male-oriented YA novels and movies need.
April 10, 2012
When I started this book I was only going to read a couple of chapters and then run some errands. Well I never put the book down til I finished the last page. What a fun read, I loved it. Four guys who have been friends for most of their lives having their last hoorah before going off to college. And what an experience they had, I laughed out loud at times, got teary eyed at other times and cringed at still other times!! I highly recommend this book! Thanks to Goodreads First reads where I won this as a first reads giveaway.
March 1, 2023
This was a light read by a new-to-me author that mostly kept my interest. We follow four boys who are just about ready to graduate from high school. They've been friends for years and are poised to head off to the next phases of their lives. They might be a little scared, but of course none of them would ever admit it. As their last hurrah of high school, they decide to go to NYC for an adventure, planning to attend an exclusive but crazy party. Things start off badly when they can't find the address, and after that they find themselves caught up in a number of unbelievable situations, just like any reckless student who feels himself invincible and adventurous. I don't want to name the activities they get involved in because half the fun is the surprise and craziness of their adventures, but it's all fairly believable and could actually happen. But eventually, the boys grow up, supporting each other and actually learning about each other and themselves. It all ends up happily ever after, and I found myself smiling throughout, despite my misgivings about their actions. This was fun, but somewhat predictable and slowed down from time to time so I had a hard time getting back into it. But overall, a good read.
March 23, 2012
Last Stop This Town is about the last weekend before High School Graduation for 4 seniors -Dylan, Noah, Pike, and Walker. Growing up in a boring suburb town in Connecticut, they decide to make their last weekend eventful and memorable by going to a rave in NYC. Little did they know what was in store on the journey to get to the rave.
Last Stop This Town took me right back to high school, I loved going to raves and had a few interesting weekends myself. I really enjoyed this coming of age book, it was well written and the characters were very interesting. This was a quick read that kept my interest through out the entire book. The adventures that these four guys had were humorous and entertaining. Last Stop This Town does contain strong language, drinking, drugs, and sexual situations which makes it more for the mature young adult crowd, specifically male. However, female YA and adults will love it too.
http://memoriesovertakingme.blogspot....
Last Stop This Town took me right back to high school, I loved going to raves and had a few interesting weekends myself. I really enjoyed this coming of age book, it was well written and the characters were very interesting. This was a quick read that kept my interest through out the entire book. The adventures that these four guys had were humorous and entertaining. Last Stop This Town does contain strong language, drinking, drugs, and sexual situations which makes it more for the mature young adult crowd, specifically male. However, female YA and adults will love it too.
http://memoriesovertakingme.blogspot....
May 12, 2012
How much fun was this book to read? LOADS! :)
Last Stop This Town is a great graduation/road trip story: it keeps you laughing regularly throughout the story with fantastic dialogue, heart-warming (and non-cheesy) guy-bonding relationships. Some of the set pieces are familiar but done well or with quirky twists - and in honesty there are so many truthful elements to the scenes that I found myself genuinely caught up in the story page after page.
Being a book written by a successful movie screenwriter (including American Pie 2) there is a definite 'filmic' quality to the novel, but it reflects only in a positive way. Dialogue is realistic, punchy and very well done throughout. The novel has great pace too - shifting through a range of character perspectives and interesting scenes with enough detail and development without getting bogged down.
Read my full review at: http://melcj.wordpress.com/2012/05/12...
Overall Rating: 4.5*
Last Stop This Town is a great graduation/road trip story: it keeps you laughing regularly throughout the story with fantastic dialogue, heart-warming (and non-cheesy) guy-bonding relationships. Some of the set pieces are familiar but done well or with quirky twists - and in honesty there are so many truthful elements to the scenes that I found myself genuinely caught up in the story page after page.
Being a book written by a successful movie screenwriter (including American Pie 2) there is a definite 'filmic' quality to the novel, but it reflects only in a positive way. Dialogue is realistic, punchy and very well done throughout. The novel has great pace too - shifting through a range of character perspectives and interesting scenes with enough detail and development without getting bogged down.
Read my full review at: http://melcj.wordpress.com/2012/05/12...
Overall Rating: 4.5*
April 18, 2012
Looking for a book that can go from a homeless dude throwing his own poop to a sentimental scene between lifelong best friends in less than 200 pages? This book is raunchy, sentimental, hilarious and totally engaging. I started reading it this morning before work and finished it this evening after I got home. Although my high school days are sorta far behind me, I related to the "end of an era" theme as a semi-recent college graduate. The ending made me tear up a bit, too. I look forward to reading more of Steinberg's books (and I'm not just saying that because I got to interview him for work!)
April 14, 2012
I fell in love with these guys on the first page. Every nuance of theirs was so perfectly realized that I couldn't help cheering them on and hoping that this night would indeed be the stuff of life-long memories. Funny and touching, this story has it all. David H. Steinberg has totally captured that fragile high school graduation period when childhood and security definitively end and our "real" adult lives begin. It is not easy to depict this important cusp but he does so with grace and humour.
August 12, 2016
Yes, I'm clearly biased but this book is honestly such a fun read.
April 4, 2012
Enjoyable quick read. Very easy to visualize as a movie!
August 26, 2020
Apparently I picked this up for free on my Kindle in 2012. I could't sleep last night, so decided to read it. This morning I see the author wrote American Pie. That tracks. This book is a cliche-ridden abuse of suspension of disbelief. This is Superbad (or any and every teen flick) fanfic and not even close to being well done.
January 8, 2025
I felt the cinematic influence here, but this wasn't for me.
June 8, 2012
***Originally posted to: Bookish Book Blog |YA and Adult Book Reviews, Author Interviews, Guest Posts, Giveaways and news! ^___^
Packed with raunchy humour and hold-on-tight-to-your-socks action, Last Stop This Town is a delightfully entertaining, surprisingly elegant, and intensely gripping story of four friends' last weekend together. And boy, what a weekend it turns out to be! From the screenwriter of "American Pie" series, David H. Steinberg, comes a brilliant and refreshing tale of friendship, growing older and growing apart. It might not be the most profoundly meaningful novel out there, but one absolutely worth reading nevertheless.
Four life-long friends: Dylan, Noah, Pike, and Walker. Last weekend before high school graduation. An a brilliant idea to spend it in New York. That's basically the premise of this book. Add to that a whole lot of crazy (with a capital "C") events - from troubles with drug-dealers, to dangerous encounters with street gangs - and what you'll get is one explosive mix. Considering that this book is only 194 pages long, it's remarkable how many plot twists are crammed into it. And in a good way! I honestly didn't have time to pause and catch my breath, I breezed through the whole thing in just a few short hours. As a matter of fact, reading this book felt less like reading and more like watching a good old-school comedy movie. I found myself entirely captivated and laughing out loud. Okay, more like snorting and shaking my head in amusement, but still!
I liked all the characters a lot. All four guys are so very different from each other and I loved watching them interacting with one another. The dialogues were fresh, natural and sparkly. Their good-natured, semi-serious bickering was so entertaining and heart-warming, it reminded me of my old group of friends, and I'm pretty sure I teared up a couple of times (yes, I'm sentimental like that). Steinberg did a fabulous job capturing the essence of high school friendship, with all the teen angst, pervy sense of humour and unexpected depth. I loved it!
While some humour is hit or miss (mostly hit, though) - depending on the reader's taste - Last Stop This Town is overall very enjoyable and funny. Its attractiveness lies in its honest, engaging, and at times truly moving narrative. And while for the most part it's a light and cheerful read, it does not shy away from melancholic moments, either. They kind of take you by surprise and pull on your heart strings. After all, we've all been there. We all lived through high school surrounded by a tight group of friends. And in the end, we all had to move on with our lives. Last Stop This Town offers a story that we all can relate to, and that is precisely what makes it so readable. It's a great summer read, don't hesitate to pick it up!
Packed with raunchy humour and hold-on-tight-to-your-socks action, Last Stop This Town is a delightfully entertaining, surprisingly elegant, and intensely gripping story of four friends' last weekend together. And boy, what a weekend it turns out to be! From the screenwriter of "American Pie" series, David H. Steinberg, comes a brilliant and refreshing tale of friendship, growing older and growing apart. It might not be the most profoundly meaningful novel out there, but one absolutely worth reading nevertheless.
Four life-long friends: Dylan, Noah, Pike, and Walker. Last weekend before high school graduation. An a brilliant idea to spend it in New York. That's basically the premise of this book. Add to that a whole lot of crazy (with a capital "C") events - from troubles with drug-dealers, to dangerous encounters with street gangs - and what you'll get is one explosive mix. Considering that this book is only 194 pages long, it's remarkable how many plot twists are crammed into it. And in a good way! I honestly didn't have time to pause and catch my breath, I breezed through the whole thing in just a few short hours. As a matter of fact, reading this book felt less like reading and more like watching a good old-school comedy movie. I found myself entirely captivated and laughing out loud. Okay, more like snorting and shaking my head in amusement, but still!
I liked all the characters a lot. All four guys are so very different from each other and I loved watching them interacting with one another. The dialogues were fresh, natural and sparkly. Their good-natured, semi-serious bickering was so entertaining and heart-warming, it reminded me of my old group of friends, and I'm pretty sure I teared up a couple of times (yes, I'm sentimental like that). Steinberg did a fabulous job capturing the essence of high school friendship, with all the teen angst, pervy sense of humour and unexpected depth. I loved it!
While some humour is hit or miss (mostly hit, though) - depending on the reader's taste - Last Stop This Town is overall very enjoyable and funny. Its attractiveness lies in its honest, engaging, and at times truly moving narrative. And while for the most part it's a light and cheerful read, it does not shy away from melancholic moments, either. They kind of take you by surprise and pull on your heart strings. After all, we've all been there. We all lived through high school surrounded by a tight group of friends. And in the end, we all had to move on with our lives. Last Stop This Town offers a story that we all can relate to, and that is precisely what makes it so readable. It's a great summer read, don't hesitate to pick it up!
May 10, 2012
3.5 of 5 Stars
This is a pretty good, quick read. There is some hilarious stuff in here, which is the main take-away value for this type of book. While a good bit of this story is similar to American Pie, I have to say the book is better. It had been a while since I watched the movie, and when I thought back on the characters, I remembered Jim, Stifler, Finch, and "that other guy." After viewing the movie again, I realized there are actually two "other guys" (completely forgot Chris Klein was even in it). However, I don't think I will forget the characters in Last Stop This Town. The author switched up certain personality traits and added new ones. Dylan, Noah, Pike, and Walker are all very distinct characters and I like all of them. Some of the plot is similar, especially to American Pie 2, but there are also some nice changes and new things here as well.
The dialogue is very appropriate for boys their age/type. Although, at times the story is very unrealistic; and that's fine - I understand I'm reading fiction. The main issue I have with this book is that the boys all seem to have sums of money that normal teenagers do not have access to, and it is never explained how they received it - no mention of jobs, etc. Dylan's father runs his own business, but I got the impression that they weren't rich.
The book is written from the third person perspective, and the author writes the majority from the character's perspectives, only told in third person. Sometimes, though, he switches to telling the story as though an outsider is observing the scene. It doesn't happen often, but when it does it draws the reader out of the story momentarily.
I like the ending and overall enjoyed the book. Considering how often I read, sometimes I cannot remember the plot and characters of a story after a couple of months. I see the book cover or read the name somewhere, but all I remember is that I read the book and if I liked it or not. I might remember a few of the details. However, there are certain good books that I remember all the character's names and nearly every tiny detail of the story. I'm pretty sure this book will fall in the latter category. It is not the best book I've ever read or even in my top ten, but Last Stop This Town is a good, memorable story.
P.S. One of my favorite parts of this book is a scene involving a homeless guy and the sentence: "He's got a doodie!" I laughed so hard at some of this stuff tears were streaming down my face.
Did I purchase this book: Yes, $0.99
Would I read it again: Hmm, possibly.
Do I recommend to others: Yes
This review is also on my blog: http://ginspeaks.blogspot.com/2012/05...
This is a pretty good, quick read. There is some hilarious stuff in here, which is the main take-away value for this type of book. While a good bit of this story is similar to American Pie, I have to say the book is better. It had been a while since I watched the movie, and when I thought back on the characters, I remembered Jim, Stifler, Finch, and "that other guy." After viewing the movie again, I realized there are actually two "other guys" (completely forgot Chris Klein was even in it). However, I don't think I will forget the characters in Last Stop This Town. The author switched up certain personality traits and added new ones. Dylan, Noah, Pike, and Walker are all very distinct characters and I like all of them. Some of the plot is similar, especially to American Pie 2, but there are also some nice changes and new things here as well.
The dialogue is very appropriate for boys their age/type. Although, at times the story is very unrealistic; and that's fine - I understand I'm reading fiction. The main issue I have with this book is that the boys all seem to have sums of money that normal teenagers do not have access to, and it is never explained how they received it - no mention of jobs, etc. Dylan's father runs his own business, but I got the impression that they weren't rich.
The book is written from the third person perspective, and the author writes the majority from the character's perspectives, only told in third person. Sometimes, though, he switches to telling the story as though an outsider is observing the scene. It doesn't happen often, but when it does it draws the reader out of the story momentarily.
I like the ending and overall enjoyed the book. Considering how often I read, sometimes I cannot remember the plot and characters of a story after a couple of months. I see the book cover or read the name somewhere, but all I remember is that I read the book and if I liked it or not. I might remember a few of the details. However, there are certain good books that I remember all the character's names and nearly every tiny detail of the story. I'm pretty sure this book will fall in the latter category. It is not the best book I've ever read or even in my top ten, but Last Stop This Town is a good, memorable story.
P.S. One of my favorite parts of this book is a scene involving a homeless guy and the sentence: "He's got a doodie!" I laughed so hard at some of this stuff tears were streaming down my face.
Did I purchase this book: Yes, $0.99
Would I read it again: Hmm, possibly.
Do I recommend to others: Yes
This review is also on my blog: http://ginspeaks.blogspot.com/2012/05...
August 12, 2012
Rating Clarification: 3.5 / 5
If you want to see more of my reviews, check out my blog @ Moosubi Reviews!
As a current high school student, I suppose I'm supposed to relate to the four main characters in this novel. In a way, I did - at points, I understood their feelings of wanting to belong, questions about the future, and not wanting to let go of one's childhood. Other elements, I'm afraid, weren't as easy to relate to - however, Last Stop, This Town was definitely an entertaining read!
Last Stop, This Town revolves around four teenage male seniors, wanting to make the best of their last days. I liked that each was strong in their own way and had a distinct personality - it was pretty easy to determine which character's mind a reader was exploring. I also found that each guy was relatively realistic - their insults are their form of "love" and friendship to each other, and realistically, each guy thought about sex. As a whole, they were pretty entertaining, although I found that obviously I didn't really relate to them in a lot of their thoughts. On a side note however, although I found this tolerable, a lot of the book describes features that are rather risque - for example, groping certain parts, having sex, making out, etc. (They are guys after all!) If that kind of thing does not appeal to your or offends you, this book wouldn't be for you.
The plot however, is something one would probably expect out of a cliche, comedy road trip movie. It was pretty light and funny, and moved along quickly enough - however, I found there wasn't really anything special. As I expected, It's probably the type of thing that's good for a summer or weekend read, which was what I happened to be looking for!
Overall, Last Stop, This Town is a pretty short and enjoyable read that however often presents more "mature" elements like drugs, alcohol, and sex, although it really isn't a controlling factor of the book. I would recommend this to people looking for a shorter but different read - this is one of the unique contemporaries to me because it isn't the typical high school girl-POV concentrating on finding a boyfriend.
If you want to see more of my reviews, check out my blog @ Moosubi Reviews!
As a current high school student, I suppose I'm supposed to relate to the four main characters in this novel. In a way, I did - at points, I understood their feelings of wanting to belong, questions about the future, and not wanting to let go of one's childhood. Other elements, I'm afraid, weren't as easy to relate to - however, Last Stop, This Town was definitely an entertaining read!
Last Stop, This Town revolves around four teenage male seniors, wanting to make the best of their last days. I liked that each was strong in their own way and had a distinct personality - it was pretty easy to determine which character's mind a reader was exploring. I also found that each guy was relatively realistic - their insults are their form of "love" and friendship to each other, and realistically, each guy thought about sex. As a whole, they were pretty entertaining, although I found that obviously I didn't really relate to them in a lot of their thoughts. On a side note however, although I found this tolerable, a lot of the book describes features that are rather risque - for example, groping certain parts, having sex, making out, etc. (They are guys after all!) If that kind of thing does not appeal to your or offends you, this book wouldn't be for you.
The plot however, is something one would probably expect out of a cliche, comedy road trip movie. It was pretty light and funny, and moved along quickly enough - however, I found there wasn't really anything special. As I expected, It's probably the type of thing that's good for a summer or weekend read, which was what I happened to be looking for!
Overall, Last Stop, This Town is a pretty short and enjoyable read that however often presents more "mature" elements like drugs, alcohol, and sex, although it really isn't a controlling factor of the book. I would recommend this to people looking for a shorter but different read - this is one of the unique contemporaries to me because it isn't the typical high school girl-POV concentrating on finding a boyfriend.
November 10, 2013
www.moodylions.com for more :)
(Parental advisory: This book contains strong language, drinking, drugs, and sexual situations, all involving teens.)------>; Well I mean, that's sort of to be expected.
Within the first few pages of the book, I wasn't very invested with the characters, I could barely remember their names. But with the progression of the novel, I quickly learned that each character had their own place in the story. Dylan, the leader of the pack and owner of the Cube, Noah, the most-of-the-time voice of reason and Dylan's second hand, Pike, the horny stoner (with a heart), and finally Walker, the nerdy virgin. I grew to like these guys more and more as they fought to arrive to their destination of NYC.
Of course I could see the resemblances between the American Pie movies and the book because they both have those embarrassing-but-almost-too-unbelievable-but-I-mean-I-guess-I-could-see-that-happening-in-a-movie-or-something- situations that the guys get stuck in. At some points, the book was a bit too predictable. I could tell when that first punch would be thrown, when the cell phone would be forgotten, etc. But I liked it.
As I continued reading the novel and the boys continued discussing their futures it evoked a feeling of nostalgia. I am yet to graduate (I had about a year left before graduating when I wrote this, but I've graduated now and can confirm all of these feelings) but I understood what the guys were going through, and the importance of creating memories that would stay with us forever. The fear that came along with graduation and the probability of losing most of your friends to the fact that you don't go to the same school anymore. I got it! And that made me love the story that much more, even though I am a straight edge 16 year old girl, I was still able to relate to these 4 guys on the cusped of manhood.
I would mostly recommend this novel to guys, since they would probably appreciate it the most, but I loved the book to be honest! Last Stop This Town may have had a few unbelievable situations and a some typical events but it still had that witty coming of age narrator that all teen readers seek to find.
(Parental advisory: This book contains strong language, drinking, drugs, and sexual situations, all involving teens.)------>; Well I mean, that's sort of to be expected.
Within the first few pages of the book, I wasn't very invested with the characters, I could barely remember their names. But with the progression of the novel, I quickly learned that each character had their own place in the story. Dylan, the leader of the pack and owner of the Cube, Noah, the most-of-the-time voice of reason and Dylan's second hand, Pike, the horny stoner (with a heart), and finally Walker, the nerdy virgin. I grew to like these guys more and more as they fought to arrive to their destination of NYC.
Of course I could see the resemblances between the American Pie movies and the book because they both have those embarrassing-but-almost-too-unbelievable-but-I-mean-I-guess-I-could-see-that-happening-in-a-movie-or-something- situations that the guys get stuck in. At some points, the book was a bit too predictable. I could tell when that first punch would be thrown, when the cell phone would be forgotten, etc. But I liked it.
As I continued reading the novel and the boys continued discussing their futures it evoked a feeling of nostalgia. I am yet to graduate (I had about a year left before graduating when I wrote this, but I've graduated now and can confirm all of these feelings) but I understood what the guys were going through, and the importance of creating memories that would stay with us forever. The fear that came along with graduation and the probability of losing most of your friends to the fact that you don't go to the same school anymore. I got it! And that made me love the story that much more, even though I am a straight edge 16 year old girl, I was still able to relate to these 4 guys on the cusped of manhood.
I would mostly recommend this novel to guys, since they would probably appreciate it the most, but I loved the book to be honest! Last Stop This Town may have had a few unbelievable situations and a some typical events but it still had that witty coming of age narrator that all teen readers seek to find.
July 14, 2014
Four teenage boys--a ladies man, a lover, a dork, and an oddball--are looking for one last hurrah together, partying it up and trying to get laid, before they have to grow up and go off to college.
Does the plot seem familiar? Tragically, it's the same plot given to us by Adam Herz, in ,American Pie. David H. Steinberg, who is credited with writing the storylines for American Pie 2 and American Pie: Book of Love, should, and probably does, know this.
As a fan of the American Pie movies, I entered into this book with slightly more than an open mind; I was pretty damn excited! And even though the first few chapters did make me laugh, the more I read the more I found myself waiting for the story to pick up. I eventually came to a realization: This is all there is.
Here's the problem and there is no way of getting around it: This story is like evidence that Steinberg peaked with AP2. This story reads like a retelling of AP1, with a slightly less focused plot and different character names. With the success of the American Pie franchise, a knock-off seems cliché and cheap; problems made worse by the lack of detail in character development. This story is told in a: "This is what happened---> This is what they said..." format, without any real attention to the characters thoughts or emotions. With a screenplay, maybe these aren't important details. After all, isn't that what the actors are for? To give fictional characters, physical expression? But in a book, there are no actors and readers do need the details or else the characters are rendered meaningless.
These flat, unrealistic characters that got shoved into a ridiculous, done-better-the-first-time plot, get kind of boring. Especially, as the the end of the story draws to a close, you see no real sign of character evolution--except for the characters saying that they've evolved. And how can they evolve? They've been typecast. You know who they are and where they will predictably go.
Is this original? No. Is it entertaining? Yes, if you can manage not to overthink it.
But I like to overthink my books.
Does the plot seem familiar? Tragically, it's the same plot given to us by Adam Herz, in ,American Pie. David H. Steinberg, who is credited with writing the storylines for American Pie 2 and American Pie: Book of Love, should, and probably does, know this.
As a fan of the American Pie movies, I entered into this book with slightly more than an open mind; I was pretty damn excited! And even though the first few chapters did make me laugh, the more I read the more I found myself waiting for the story to pick up. I eventually came to a realization: This is all there is.
Here's the problem and there is no way of getting around it: This story is like evidence that Steinberg peaked with AP2. This story reads like a retelling of AP1, with a slightly less focused plot and different character names. With the success of the American Pie franchise, a knock-off seems cliché and cheap; problems made worse by the lack of detail in character development. This story is told in a: "This is what happened---> This is what they said..." format, without any real attention to the characters thoughts or emotions. With a screenplay, maybe these aren't important details. After all, isn't that what the actors are for? To give fictional characters, physical expression? But in a book, there are no actors and readers do need the details or else the characters are rendered meaningless.
These flat, unrealistic characters that got shoved into a ridiculous, done-better-the-first-time plot, get kind of boring. Especially, as the the end of the story draws to a close, you see no real sign of character evolution--except for the characters saying that they've evolved. And how can they evolve? They've been typecast. You know who they are and where they will predictably go.
Is this original? No. Is it entertaining? Yes, if you can manage not to overthink it.
But I like to overthink my books.
May 19, 2012
This was an easy read, quick and fun. And completely bat shit crazy. I don't mean crazy in a good way either. This book is the first book version I've ever read of the wacky high school comedy genre (as in all of those terrible but entertaining movies). And like every wacky high school comedy the point is make the most of the time you have with your friends because everything is going to change. Which would be fine if Steinberg didn't beat the reader over the head with it. Subtlety is NOT his forte.
In fact, I think that is what is wrong with the entire book. There is no subtlety in the whole book. No nuance, no finesse. Its like the book was written with the sole purpose of it being turned into a teen comedy. And I FUCKING hate that. If you want to write a screenplay, just do it (and obviously he's been successful at that). But books and movies are DIFFERENT and I for one like them that way. This book was all about pushing boundaries and being edgy just for their own sake. No point, no art. And frankly I don't want my YA novels to have sex and drugs and drinking just to make me go "wow, look how crazy it is to be a teenager now". We had drugs and sex and drinking when I was a teenager, too, Steinberg. I'm not shocked, and if you could manage to string a good story in there somewhere I'd actually be all for it.
Not that this book was all bad. Honestly, I would watch the movie. I wouldn't go to see it in the theaters, but I'd watch it on netflix and laugh. And then I'd go read a real YA novel. One that has something to say about life, the human condition and growing up. One that is fun without pandering to the lowest common denominator. You know, something that doesn't make me feel vaguely ashamed to have read it.
In fact, I think that is what is wrong with the entire book. There is no subtlety in the whole book. No nuance, no finesse. Its like the book was written with the sole purpose of it being turned into a teen comedy. And I FUCKING hate that. If you want to write a screenplay, just do it (and obviously he's been successful at that). But books and movies are DIFFERENT and I for one like them that way. This book was all about pushing boundaries and being edgy just for their own sake. No point, no art. And frankly I don't want my YA novels to have sex and drugs and drinking just to make me go "wow, look how crazy it is to be a teenager now". We had drugs and sex and drinking when I was a teenager, too, Steinberg. I'm not shocked, and if you could manage to string a good story in there somewhere I'd actually be all for it.
Not that this book was all bad. Honestly, I would watch the movie. I wouldn't go to see it in the theaters, but I'd watch it on netflix and laugh. And then I'd go read a real YA novel. One that has something to say about life, the human condition and growing up. One that is fun without pandering to the lowest common denominator. You know, something that doesn't make me feel vaguely ashamed to have read it.
Read
May 30, 2012I admit it, I was lured into reading this book by the setting - NYC, the timeframe - the weekend before graduation when the characters would be on the cusp of change, and by the author - an American Pie screenwriter. I loved most of the movies of the franchise and was swayed to read the books for that reason.
AND I wanted to read a book that would make me laugh my face off.
Last Stop This Town reads like a raunchy teen comedy. The main characters best friends Dylan, Noah, Walker and Pike fill a niche of the typical teenage boys. There were moments of depth to each character, but mostly they were just out to have a good time on their last weekend together before graduating. The different situations that they would get themselves into or find themselves in did not seem very realistic or likely. Maybe it was possible for most of these events to happen, but not all in the same night. Again for this reason, the book read like a movie where anything is possible and if something can go wrong, it most likely will. BUT having said that, it shouldn't take away from the fun time that I had while reading this.
Last Stop This Town may not be for everyone, but I thought it was a good time. It reminded me of my guy friends from high school - because yes, the loud, obnoxious, thrill seekers who may not be the best influences can make good friends, provide lots of laughs, and keep you on your toes.
AND I wanted to read a book that would make me laugh my face off.
Last Stop This Town reads like a raunchy teen comedy. The main characters best friends Dylan, Noah, Walker and Pike fill a niche of the typical teenage boys. There were moments of depth to each character, but mostly they were just out to have a good time on their last weekend together before graduating. The different situations that they would get themselves into or find themselves in did not seem very realistic or likely. Maybe it was possible for most of these events to happen, but not all in the same night. Again for this reason, the book read like a movie where anything is possible and if something can go wrong, it most likely will. BUT having said that, it shouldn't take away from the fun time that I had while reading this.
Last Stop This Town may not be for everyone, but I thought it was a good time. It reminded me of my guy friends from high school - because yes, the loud, obnoxious, thrill seekers who may not be the best influences can make good friends, provide lots of laughs, and keep you on your toes.
May 6, 2012
This review is based on a free copy of the book received from the publisher through the Goodreads Advance Reader process.
With their 12 year educational sentence nearly done what better way to celebrate then go to New York. Friends since the first year of their sentence, that would be Grade 1, they know that things will be changing after they graduate so this is a celebration of their friendship.
Typical banter amongst the four gives us clues as to their positions within their little clique.
Although there are regular chapters in the book the author breaks those into bite size chunks or sub chapters which keeps the story flowing, as well as maintaining multiple points of interest for the reader.
Remember their youthful adventures as they grew up together, paints more of the background.
So they have their big adventure and then return home a little wiser, a little battered, and a little reflective of what has been and what will be.
A good read
With their 12 year educational sentence nearly done what better way to celebrate then go to New York. Friends since the first year of their sentence, that would be Grade 1, they know that things will be changing after they graduate so this is a celebration of their friendship.
Typical banter amongst the four gives us clues as to their positions within their little clique.
Although there are regular chapters in the book the author breaks those into bite size chunks or sub chapters which keeps the story flowing, as well as maintaining multiple points of interest for the reader.
Remember their youthful adventures as they grew up together, paints more of the background.
So they have their big adventure and then return home a little wiser, a little battered, and a little reflective of what has been and what will be.
A good read
February 6, 2015
This was a tough decision for me, but I liked it enough to give it four stars. I kept thinking about how much the book was like one of the various teen comedy movies like Van Wilder, American Pie, Superbad, etc. After I had finished the book, I saw on Goodreads that the author was actually a screenwriter for several of these types of films, including American Pie! If you don't care for those kinds of movies, you'll probably not like this book.
This book is about four friends who are graduating from high school. Because they are all headed to different colleges, they decide to do something exciting with each other before they lose their close friendship. This leads to a crazy, sex- and drug-filled, hilarious adventure that is this book.
This book is about four friends who are graduating from high school. Because they are all headed to different colleges, they decide to do something exciting with each other before they lose their close friendship. This leads to a crazy, sex- and drug-filled, hilarious adventure that is this book.
September 20, 2014
Great read. I was a little nervous about it in light of a similar book I recently read, but Mr. Steinberg's credit as an American Pie screenwriter had me sold. The book and its story didn't let me down, with all the hallmark things I enjoy most (one-liners, well-placed and realistic profanity, gross-out humor and the good old standby 'turn the character's dream scenario into a complete nightmare' technique).
The prose read a little screenplay-like and Mr. Steinberg utilized a lot of Tom Swifties in his dialogue attribution, but these are small points of criticism. Good coming-of-age story, great characters and grounded enough in reality to keep the reader attached to what's going on and to care about the characters.
The prose read a little screenplay-like and Mr. Steinberg utilized a lot of Tom Swifties in his dialogue attribution, but these are small points of criticism. Good coming-of-age story, great characters and grounded enough in reality to keep the reader attached to what's going on and to care about the characters.
August 28, 2012
Last Stop This Town' is about a group of friends and their fear of growing up, and most importantly, of growing apart.
Noah just broke up with his girlfriend, Pike is a pothead, Walker needs to get laid, and Dylan, well, he's DYLAN.
Being one week away from their graduation, Dylan decides the destination of the group on the weekend is a party in New York, instead of going to the traditional beach party hosted by Marco.
This change of plans results in many hilarious situations, as the four of them, together and individually, overcome their fears and fetch for their desires.
All I've got to say is: THIS BOOK NEEDS TO BE MADE INTO A MOVIE!
Noah just broke up with his girlfriend, Pike is a pothead, Walker needs to get laid, and Dylan, well, he's DYLAN.
Being one week away from their graduation, Dylan decides the destination of the group on the weekend is a party in New York, instead of going to the traditional beach party hosted by Marco.
This change of plans results in many hilarious situations, as the four of them, together and individually, overcome their fears and fetch for their desires.
All I've got to say is: THIS BOOK NEEDS TO BE MADE INTO A MOVIE!
April 2, 2012
Closer to a 2.5, all things considered. It's not a trainwreck, and it's very readable, but it's very much a paint-by-numbers last-hurrah-after-high-school road trip movie that seems to rely on pushing the envelope more than telling a solid story. Unfortunate because the book landed a number of good blurbs, further unfortunate since the author has written a number of films. Maybe it doesn't translate over as well. Can't really recommend unless you're really into this sort of lowbrow thing.
November 25, 2012
The trouble with this book is that there is so much extraneous detail... descriptions that don't matter, a lot of he said, she said, he sighed, etc etc that made for a choppy, disconnected read. I also wasn't too impressed to see that a screenwriter for the American Pie series would actually reference American Pie in his first book. It's just... I don't know tacky? There was a loose plot and a blah ending. This book, re-written in to a screenplay, would probably become another ok summer teen flick... but as a book it failed.
March 28, 2016
This book really reminded me of the Blue Lily, Lily Blue series. Unlike those ones, it doesn't deal with science or befriending a ghost. But the friendships they have are spot on. You have the leader of the pack, the druggie, the virgin, and the guy who doesn't really know what to do with himself and does what the leader tells him to do. They all are about to graduate High school. Dylan, the leader, decides to bring them all into the city. Limits are pushed. Things happen to each of them. In the end, it makes them closer but also apart.
July 20, 2012
The action kept coming. Just when you think it can't get any crazier, the night in New York has more to offer. The four main characters are distinctly written. The plot is believable. There were some laugh out loud moments. There were too many pop culture references that may date this book in the future but it absolutely does not distract from the story at all. For me, it read like a movie. It's movie reference would be "The Hangover" meets "Adventures in Babysitting".
July 29, 2016
I actually enjoyed this book. The book was very short (less than 200 pages), but still very interesting. A very quick read, I finished this book in a day between breaks at work. Starts off good, and ends good. Very fun read!
August 30, 2012
Four friends about to graduate high school decide to head to NYC for one last memory making night. Last Stop This Town fits in perfectly between the childhood innocence of Stand By Me and the adult antics of The Hangover. I really enjoyed this book.
November 29, 2012
Quick read, slightly cheesy, predictable (believable, but predictable) male characters and no depth to the female characters. And what is with the use of exclamation points IN the narrative? Please, no. Periods and commas only. Maybe an occasional semicolon.
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