What do you think?
Rate this book
In the Break
After Juan's best friend Jamie is faced with major family drama, they decide to skip town until the situation cools down and go to Mexico in search of the perfect wave. Joined by Jamie's sister Amber, the three of them embark on a road trip of a lifetime. Filled with love, loss, and surfing, Jack Lopez delivers a story as intense as catching the ultimate wave.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2006
5 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 3, 2016
This was a little bit of a different read for me. It involved real world problems and lots of surfing which is not a sport I am very familiar with.
The basis of the book is the main character Jaun wants to help out his best friend who got in a fight with his step father. This leads Juan to steal his mothers cars and take his best friend and best friends sister on a surfing trip to Mexico. Away from the police and the step father.
The book is kind of dry at points and far fetched at some points in my opinion. It is a sad book and nothing really turns out how I wanted it to.
Unless you are a surfing fan I personally wouldn't read it.
The basis of the book is the main character Jaun wants to help out his best friend who got in a fight with his step father. This leads Juan to steal his mothers cars and take his best friend and best friends sister on a surfing trip to Mexico. Away from the police and the step father.
The book is kind of dry at points and far fetched at some points in my opinion. It is a sad book and nothing really turns out how I wanted it to.
Unless you are a surfing fan I personally wouldn't read it.
September 26, 2022
In the Break is a story of friendship, loyalty, romance, family, and adventure. The author Jack Lopez did a great job at portraying the character's emotions and actions, and I got a clear picture of what was happening in the story. While some parts were confusing or not as interesting, the book was great overall.
The story is about Juan's best friend, Jamie, who had a horrible and violent fight with his abusive stepfather. On a whim, Juan, Jamie, and Amber drive out of town to go down to Mexico and live free lives while surfing. This decision was made so that Jamie would not be caught by the cops and so that he could escape from his abusive at home life. They surf a lot, like every day, and during that time romance and friendships grow between the group.
I enjoyed this book because of the idea of trying to catch the perfect wave, and the story of running away from home. The decision to leave was unplanned and they had an amazing experience together, and that made the whole book amazing. Even though I don't surf, I love books about surfing and books about teen life and romance and stuff. The author's writing was great, and that made the whole experience wonderful. I hope to come across more books like this, and I hope that I can one day have a break and catch the perfect wave.
The story is about Juan's best friend, Jamie, who had a horrible and violent fight with his abusive stepfather. On a whim, Juan, Jamie, and Amber drive out of town to go down to Mexico and live free lives while surfing. This decision was made so that Jamie would not be caught by the cops and so that he could escape from his abusive at home life. They surf a lot, like every day, and during that time romance and friendships grow between the group.
I enjoyed this book because of the idea of trying to catch the perfect wave, and the story of running away from home. The decision to leave was unplanned and they had an amazing experience together, and that made the whole book amazing. Even though I don't surf, I love books about surfing and books about teen life and romance and stuff. The author's writing was great, and that made the whole experience wonderful. I hope to come across more books like this, and I hope that I can one day have a break and catch the perfect wave.
December 20, 2017
Lopez, Jack In The Break, 192 p. Little, Brown –
Juan and his best friend Jamie spend the best part of their days catching waves at their favorite breaks up and down the shore. When Jamie’s stepfather forces a confrontation, Jamie beats him until he is close to death. With Amber, Jamie’s sister, the pair head to Mexico to find a place for Jamie to hide out. With the help of an old Mexican man, the friends head out to a sheltered island with gorgeous waves and pods of dolphins playing in the surf. Danger lurks right around the corner.
Part of the blurb on the back of the book calls the author’s writing “lyrical”, and it might be, but its hard to tell through all of the swearing. Clunky and jarring, the large amount of swear words – totally without purpose – interrupt the reading and spoil the novel.
NO
Juan and his best friend Jamie spend the best part of their days catching waves at their favorite breaks up and down the shore. When Jamie’s stepfather forces a confrontation, Jamie beats him until he is close to death. With Amber, Jamie’s sister, the pair head to Mexico to find a place for Jamie to hide out. With the help of an old Mexican man, the friends head out to a sheltered island with gorgeous waves and pods of dolphins playing in the surf. Danger lurks right around the corner.
Part of the blurb on the back of the book calls the author’s writing “lyrical”, and it might be, but its hard to tell through all of the swearing. Clunky and jarring, the large amount of swear words – totally without purpose – interrupt the reading and spoil the novel.
NO
April 18, 2020
i didn’t really like the ending :(
February 17, 2009
I'm going to be honest, I picked this book up because Jack Lopez is a client of Nathan Bransford, a literary agent who runs this fantastic blog that I read every day. I wanted to get a flavor for what kinds of book he likes in the YA genre... what gets him to say "Yes," to a query and wanting to read more. I have to say I was surprised, I actually hated the beginning of the book, it totally dragged for me (and not just because it's about surfing... more about that later), but because I didn't find it to be very well written. The story line was essentially intriguing, but Lopez assumed we'd care about the conflict with Jamie and his stepdad, F. I didn't intrinsically care, which made for tough reading. I had to force myself to read the book early on, almost as an assignment to myself.
Later in the book Lopez gets into the Jamie/F dynamic and it was really interesting, and I wished that that had been at the beginning to make me care about Jamie. Also, the Jamie/Juan dynamic is awesome (later in the book), fleshed out with stories about their shared childhood, and that should have been hinted at or brought out earlier (so I would have cared).
In regard to the whole premise of using surfing as a plot device/motif, I have essentially zero knowledge of surfing, it's culture, etc., but Lopez did a really good job with that. He made me understand so I was in the tube with Juan, I was waiting in line for a set with him. I got it.
The ending isn't at all what I wanted, but it was poignant and I literally had a lump in my throat while reading. None the less, Lopez gets a little heavy-handed with his descriptions and musings in the last 20 pages and I found myself skimming those parts to get at the real meat of what was happening and how Juan felt about it.
My final critique is in regard to Lopez's actual word choice. He does this weird thing where he weaves together surfing lingo, cussing, laid back chatter, and then Prince George-era English. Seriously, he uses the word "for" as a replacement for "because" like he got paid on commission by the word "for." An example for you: "Lopez wrote awkward sentences, for he had a deep love of the word 'for.'" Weird. Just write "because." Seriously, every time he used it (which was a ton of instances) I felt like I was being stabbed, for it broke my heart that he ruined otherwise perfectly good prose.
The book earned a B+ rating because the premise was good, the characters were strong, the ending was moving, but it wasn't executed as well as it could have been.
Later in the book Lopez gets into the Jamie/F dynamic and it was really interesting, and I wished that that had been at the beginning to make me care about Jamie. Also, the Jamie/Juan dynamic is awesome (later in the book), fleshed out with stories about their shared childhood, and that should have been hinted at or brought out earlier (so I would have cared).
In regard to the whole premise of using surfing as a plot device/motif, I have essentially zero knowledge of surfing, it's culture, etc., but Lopez did a really good job with that. He made me understand so I was in the tube with Juan, I was waiting in line for a set with him. I got it.
The ending isn't at all what I wanted, but it was poignant and I literally had a lump in my throat while reading. None the less, Lopez gets a little heavy-handed with his descriptions and musings in the last 20 pages and I found myself skimming those parts to get at the real meat of what was happening and how Juan felt about it.
My final critique is in regard to Lopez's actual word choice. He does this weird thing where he weaves together surfing lingo, cussing, laid back chatter, and then Prince George-era English. Seriously, he uses the word "for" as a replacement for "because" like he got paid on commission by the word "for." An example for you: "Lopez wrote awkward sentences, for he had a deep love of the word 'for.'" Weird. Just write "because." Seriously, every time he used it (which was a ton of instances) I felt like I was being stabbed, for it broke my heart that he ruined otherwise perfectly good prose.
The book earned a B+ rating because the premise was good, the characters were strong, the ending was moving, but it wasn't executed as well as it could have been.
November 9, 2010
Juan the main character, and best friend of Jamie. Jamie has a fight with his step father F. In no time Juan, Jamie, and Jamie's sister Amber are leaving town, making their way towards Mexico. They wanted Jamie to lay low for a little till thing seem to calm down. This might be the last chance they have to surf so they do as much as possible on their journey to Mexico. Just when they thought things were getting better, something happens that turns things upside down. From here out they have to decide things on their own.
SETTING: Jamie house , its not what I would call home sweet home. There are a lot of fights between Jamie and his step father Frederick but they call him F. another setting would be in Mexico , where Jamie , Juan (Jamie’s best friend) , and amber (Jamie’s sister) find their perfect wave. They discover new relationship , and a new point of view of each other.
CONFLICT: There are a few fights between Jamie and his step father F , one the causes F to have go the hospital. Also there was a disagreement between Jamie and Juan. Jamie doesn't think that Juan should be more than friend with Jamie's sister Amber.
RESOLUTION: Jamie goes out of town for a while , to Mexico where he can relax , get away , just take a breath. Jamie ends up dying on this trip in Mexico while surf though. His mom ends up leaving Jamie's step father after Jamie and his last fight.
MAIN PLOT: The main plot would be when Jamie and F's last fight. Jamie got the cops called on him , but he had left before they got there. He tried to avoid them (as in the cops) by leaving town to go to Mexico.
SETTING: Jamie house , its not what I would call home sweet home. There are a lot of fights between Jamie and his step father Frederick but they call him F. another setting would be in Mexico , where Jamie , Juan (Jamie’s best friend) , and amber (Jamie’s sister) find their perfect wave. They discover new relationship , and a new point of view of each other.
CONFLICT: There are a few fights between Jamie and his step father F , one the causes F to have go the hospital. Also there was a disagreement between Jamie and Juan. Jamie doesn't think that Juan should be more than friend with Jamie's sister Amber.
RESOLUTION: Jamie goes out of town for a while , to Mexico where he can relax , get away , just take a breath. Jamie ends up dying on this trip in Mexico while surf though. His mom ends up leaving Jamie's step father after Jamie and his last fight.
MAIN PLOT: The main plot would be when Jamie and F's last fight. Jamie got the cops called on him , but he had left before they got there. He tried to avoid them (as in the cops) by leaving town to go to Mexico.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2012
Reviewed by Long Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com
IN THE BREAK is a story of friendship, loyalty, romance, tragedy, and the forever search of that perfect wave. In commanding style, Jack Lopez takes readers through the highs and lows of the characters, their feelings and emotions, and in the end leaves us with an unforgettable tale.
After Juan's best friend, Jamie, has a hostile fight with his stepfather, everything seems grim. In a flash of emergence, Juan, Jamie, and Jamie's sister, Amber, flee town on their own for Mexico, to let Jamie lay low for a while until things at home calm down. And while they're at it, they might as well surf as much as possible. Their days of fun surfing and nights of romance lead them to believe everything will turn out okay. But things don't seem to slow down, the ocean isn't calm, and eventually the tide catches up to Juan -- and it's from there that he must decide how to handle things.
Jack Lopez's lyrical and flowing writing style takes the reader away from their surroundings and allows them to be washed away with the current. Lopez's killer command of description and handle of language allows him to communicate truly believable voices and create a narrator with a scope of view not often observed in contemporary literature today. With hands-on description of real big wave surf and the southern California surfing scene, readers will get lost in the words and find themselves plummeting through every drop of loss and heartache, and escaping into an unbelievably well-told story.
Cheers to J.L.
IN THE BREAK is a story of friendship, loyalty, romance, tragedy, and the forever search of that perfect wave. In commanding style, Jack Lopez takes readers through the highs and lows of the characters, their feelings and emotions, and in the end leaves us with an unforgettable tale.
After Juan's best friend, Jamie, has a hostile fight with his stepfather, everything seems grim. In a flash of emergence, Juan, Jamie, and Jamie's sister, Amber, flee town on their own for Mexico, to let Jamie lay low for a while until things at home calm down. And while they're at it, they might as well surf as much as possible. Their days of fun surfing and nights of romance lead them to believe everything will turn out okay. But things don't seem to slow down, the ocean isn't calm, and eventually the tide catches up to Juan -- and it's from there that he must decide how to handle things.
Jack Lopez's lyrical and flowing writing style takes the reader away from their surroundings and allows them to be washed away with the current. Lopez's killer command of description and handle of language allows him to communicate truly believable voices and create a narrator with a scope of view not often observed in contemporary literature today. With hands-on description of real big wave surf and the southern California surfing scene, readers will get lost in the words and find themselves plummeting through every drop of loss and heartache, and escaping into an unbelievably well-told story.
Cheers to J.L.
October 5, 2011
I really enjoyed reading this book mainly because it was funny. It tells about the mistakes that these teenagers make and the consequences. I was very surprised of the ending because I expected something else to happen but the ending is very realistic and surprising. When you start reading it, you will not want to stop because you will want to know what is going to happen next. The main conflict that started their tragic adventure is the fight between Jamie and his stepdad, this lead to Juan stealing his moms car and escaping to Mexico to hide his best friend Jamie from his abusive stepdad. While they are hiding out, they try to find the perfect wave and try to surf as much as possible while things calm down with their families. This is definitely the best book I have read so far because it is different than other books I have read and I can relate to a lot of parts in the story. Even though i'm not into surfing, I still loved it because it was also about teenagers running from trouble and what they do to distract them from feeling bad about leaving home. Overall this was a fun and depressing book to read. You might get lost and confused in some parts, but I would recommend this to everyone, especially teenagers.
Read
October 2, 2015Surfing big waves isn't easy but but when you practice a lot it gets easier, and don't be feared. " that's the problem surfing with older guys you cant let them bully you, you have to take a stand and take your wave". Don't cut them any slack " who gave a shit, we were just surfing". Greg Scott hadn't been expecting this, and i too caught up to him and propelled myself by grabbing on to him and thrusting myself forward, paddling hard to catch Jamie. You have to stand up for yourself and your wave. "had the kook pissed him off and been older, Jamie might have thrown down with him in the shallow water". When he shot down the line and some guy dropped in on him i tensed , through the kook flopped off his board.
November 4, 2007
Juan lives for surfing. He and his best friend Jamie spend all of their free time at the beach enjoying the surf and perfecting their skills. But Jaime gets into trouble when he finally stands up to his step-father, injuring him severely. Scared of what will happen next, Jamie, Juan and Jaime's sister, Amber, take off in Juan's mother's car and head for Mexico.
This book is filled with descriptions of what it is like to surf and describes the surfing lifestyle. It also captures the mindlessness of kids who run from trouble and who justify their actions in meaningless ways. Not a bad book, but it got waterlogged a few times and didn't keep my interest all the way through.
This book is filled with descriptions of what it is like to surf and describes the surfing lifestyle. It also captures the mindlessness of kids who run from trouble and who justify their actions in meaningless ways. Not a bad book, but it got waterlogged a few times and didn't keep my interest all the way through.
April 27, 2012
Overly romanticizing the waves and the water in every chapter, Juan is our eyes, ears, and nose to Jack Lopez’s novel In the Break. Juan wants the reader to know what each individual grain of sand looks like at every beach he surfs at. Unquestionably, Juan is a stooge but that doesn’t mean he’s not a likable or relatable character. He is just only 16 and 16-year olds typically are people who become stuck in the moment. Everything to them is a water painting, so having Juan to deliver some possible insight on his doomed journey would be an act of clairvoyance.
More at: http://www.examiner.com/review/in-the...
More at: http://www.examiner.com/review/in-the...
November 10, 2013
This is Huck Finn and On the Road meets teenage surfing in Southern California; part coming-of-age, part adventure, part chasing the white whale.
Its telling is absolutely stunning and beautiful. Short and punchy dialogue, matter-of-fact presentation, with exquisite beautiful passages. All with something heavy hanging over the MC's head that propels him forward. I want to post a stunning passage here but I can't even begin to pick the best one.
I'm proud to call Jack Lopez professor and delighted to read the details of home that he captured but I forgot. Prof. Lopez, I didn't think you'd make me cry. Thanks a lot.
Its telling is absolutely stunning and beautiful. Short and punchy dialogue, matter-of-fact presentation, with exquisite beautiful passages. All with something heavy hanging over the MC's head that propels him forward. I want to post a stunning passage here but I can't even begin to pick the best one.
I'm proud to call Jack Lopez professor and delighted to read the details of home that he captured but I forgot. Prof. Lopez, I didn't think you'd make me cry. Thanks a lot.
December 2, 2014
In this book, In The Break, the main character Juan Lopez, faced with challenges in surfing, crushes, and his own friend's mishaps. After an unfortunate event, Juan and Jamie are forced to run away to Mexico were they go on many adventures to find the "Perfect Wave." I enjoyed this book very much although the character dialogue is very smashed together and I often found myself wondering why this character would that. I would put this book's reading difficulty as easy because it is meant to tell an action packed story and does not focus on the wording of the book.
August 1, 2011
Jamie and Juan have been friends forever so when Jamie has a fight with his new violent stepfather Juan borrows his mother's car and Jamie's older sister - a surfing buddy who actually has a driver's license - helps Jamie to run to Mexico to escape charges. In Mexico they search out a new surfing place where the waves are peaking after a recent earthquake and their lives are changed forever.
April 28, 2010
This book was a book that any people can relate to. in the book it shows the life of Juan and his friend Jamie who beat the s%$t out of his father and they run away to mexico with amber(Jammie's Sister) and find adventure.
February 12, 2008
I liked this a lot towards the end. It has a really sad ending, I was not expecting the outcome.
Read
January 6, 2012This book is not for immature people. Very mature and grown up parts in this book.
October 25, 2013
Haunting and memorable.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews