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Darcy Walker Teenage Sleuth Thrillers #1
Grade A Stupid
Fifteen years ago, Darcy Walker's parents thought it was a good idea to give her a unique name: Darcy, meaning "dark walker." Whether that was a stroke of genius or stroke of stupid, they definitely nailed the irony. She lacks direction, her grades stink despite a high IQ, she's boringly average--although flirting admirers claim otherwise--and God help her, she's infatuated with a bad-boy.
A bad-boy that her hottie best friend, Dylan, wishes would get acquainted with his fist.
And, oh yeah, there's that tattoo that was a royally stupid idea.
With her life spiraling out of control, everything changes when she skips class and finds a dead body...in fact, it gets worse. It jump starts Darcy's inner-verb, and her brain hardwired for action gets caught up in a situation she can’t let go.
Set in the fictional Cincinnati town of Valley, Ohio, Darcy falls into a world of threats, violence, and gangland exploits chasing down every clue to finger the murderer. When a fellow misfit is fingered for the crime, Darcy goes from zero-to-sixty trying to clear his name--constructing aliases, breaking the law, everything that makes perfect sense to her but reeks of Grade A Stupid to everyone else.
Trouble is...will she live to see 16?
A bad-boy that her hottie best friend, Dylan, wishes would get acquainted with his fist.
And, oh yeah, there's that tattoo that was a royally stupid idea.
With her life spiraling out of control, everything changes when she skips class and finds a dead body...in fact, it gets worse. It jump starts Darcy's inner-verb, and her brain hardwired for action gets caught up in a situation she can’t let go.
Set in the fictional Cincinnati town of Valley, Ohio, Darcy falls into a world of threats, violence, and gangland exploits chasing down every clue to finger the murderer. When a fellow misfit is fingered for the crime, Darcy goes from zero-to-sixty trying to clear his name--constructing aliases, breaking the law, everything that makes perfect sense to her but reeks of Grade A Stupid to everyone else.
Trouble is...will she live to see 16?
372 pages, ebook
First published November 8, 2012
140 people are currently reading
1447 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Lape
25 books558 followersWhere crime and comedy collide…
A.J. Lape writes stories where danger lurks around every corner and laughter is never in short supply. From thrilling teen mysteries to heart-pounding crime thrillers, her wickedly clever pen crafts tales with unstoppable she-roes and anti-heroes flirting with the road to redemption.
She lives in Cincinnati with her husband, two daughters who pop in for cash, and a spoiled Boston Terrier. A graduate of Morehead State University with an MA in Communications, she’s a freelance writer and PI wannabe with an addiction to cold brew.
You can spot her online engaging with fans, double-tapping animal reels, or binge-watching food videos that she sometimes successfully recreates in the kitchen.
Sign up for A.J.'s newsletter by visiting her homepage and filling out the pop-up form.
Author Links:
Website: http://www.ajlape.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajlapewrites/
X: http://twitter.com/ajlape
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorajlape
Fan Club & Street Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ajlap...
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ajlape/
Goodreads Author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Email: aj(at)ajlape(dot)com
A.J. Lape writes stories where danger lurks around every corner and laughter is never in short supply. From thrilling teen mysteries to heart-pounding crime thrillers, her wickedly clever pen crafts tales with unstoppable she-roes and anti-heroes flirting with the road to redemption.
She lives in Cincinnati with her husband, two daughters who pop in for cash, and a spoiled Boston Terrier. A graduate of Morehead State University with an MA in Communications, she’s a freelance writer and PI wannabe with an addiction to cold brew.
You can spot her online engaging with fans, double-tapping animal reels, or binge-watching food videos that she sometimes successfully recreates in the kitchen.
Sign up for A.J.'s newsletter by visiting her homepage and filling out the pop-up form.
Author Links:
Website: http://www.ajlape.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajlapewrites/
X: http://twitter.com/ajlape
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorajlape
Fan Club & Street Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ajlap...
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ajlape/
Goodreads Author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Email: aj(at)ajlape(dot)com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
November 11, 2012
Grade A Stupid
By A.J. Lape
Reviewed by S. Bree High YATR
Do you know the people who are always in trouble, find trouble and trouble finds them? I think we all know a few, right? Well this book introduces you to one, and her name is Darcy Walker. Darcy is smart, like super IQ and yet her grades are awful. She lacks any sense of direction and her school work well just forget it. Darcy has a best friend name Dylan and one serious crush on a bad boy. This her friend Dylan wishes would go away. The story is set in Cincinnati Ohio, which I enjoyed. Although the town is fictional, I am a buckeye so I was able to relate to the area fictional or not.
So let’s say you skip school one day right, you following me? Then while you have skipped school you happen upon a dead body, what do you do? Let us just say most would not got the route of Darcy… this starts her on the twist and turns and quite frankly sometimes crazy insane journey she has in front of her. Plenty of law breaking will take place. Rest assured our trouble finding Darcy seeks out the answers to the mystery and tries to help someone clear his name. Will Darcy still be here when Dylan returns? Will the trouble she keeps getting herself in, end up getting her killed? Darcy wants the truth, regardless of the cost and is willing to do just about anything to get it. I enjoyed the pace of the story and the twists and turns. Lies and deceit run rampant thru the book and A.J. Lape creates the storyline beautifully. She drew me into the story and kept me until the end. I enjoyed the book. I would say this is a good current themed murder mystery story that I was glad I took the time to read. I am looking forward to seeing where her career goes and what she does next. I was given copy of this book for honest review.
By A.J. Lape
Reviewed by S. Bree High YATR
Do you know the people who are always in trouble, find trouble and trouble finds them? I think we all know a few, right? Well this book introduces you to one, and her name is Darcy Walker. Darcy is smart, like super IQ and yet her grades are awful. She lacks any sense of direction and her school work well just forget it. Darcy has a best friend name Dylan and one serious crush on a bad boy. This her friend Dylan wishes would go away. The story is set in Cincinnati Ohio, which I enjoyed. Although the town is fictional, I am a buckeye so I was able to relate to the area fictional or not.
So let’s say you skip school one day right, you following me? Then while you have skipped school you happen upon a dead body, what do you do? Let us just say most would not got the route of Darcy… this starts her on the twist and turns and quite frankly sometimes crazy insane journey she has in front of her. Plenty of law breaking will take place. Rest assured our trouble finding Darcy seeks out the answers to the mystery and tries to help someone clear his name. Will Darcy still be here when Dylan returns? Will the trouble she keeps getting herself in, end up getting her killed? Darcy wants the truth, regardless of the cost and is willing to do just about anything to get it. I enjoyed the pace of the story and the twists and turns. Lies and deceit run rampant thru the book and A.J. Lape creates the storyline beautifully. She drew me into the story and kept me until the end. I enjoyed the book. I would say this is a good current themed murder mystery story that I was glad I took the time to read. I am looking forward to seeing where her career goes and what she does next. I was given copy of this book for honest review.
October 20, 2016
Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book.
DNFed 10%.
This book has unfortunately earned its name. Grade A Stupid was a very unpleasant read, or at least, has a very unpleasant start, as I didn't get past chapter 4.
Let's start with a classic, one of my top 5 pet peeves : "Hey, I'm the MC! I'm gonna repeat how common and not special I am for ages but hey, all the hot boys are falling for me, wow I'm so surprised!".
As you seem to like acronyms, Book, JSYK you have already lost.
But not only our MC (what's her name again?) is so speshul but doesn't know it, she also has an obvious obsession for looks and physique. She describes herself for two pages, just to state that she's "okay-looking but so common" and has "straw hair". We also learn her exact weight and other details we don't need. Also, she's "a precocious child", right... I can't wait to witness her genius.
She states things like :
"I was embarrasingly self-conscious and socially insecure. Part of the problem was that the appropriate things never embarrassed me. If there was a dirty joke, I laughed louder than anyone. If I was supposed to cross my legs like a lady, the message never made it to my brain."
It's flying everywhere! It makes no sense!
She describes other people in many details we still don't need, being often judgy and definite : it's either clumsy writing, or our MC is a psychopath.
The few characters I met during those 4 chapters were walking clichés. Of course her "archenemy" is the blonde, thin and salad-eating popular girl. Yawn.
Then, let's insert some geometrical love forms, because that's mandatory, isn't it? Well, I have neither the time nor the motivation to watch a peeing contest between Hot Bad Boy and Hot Best Friend. Nobody has. FYI it has been done a million times. And it will still be bad in a century.
Her Girl Best Friend (Justice, because how can you not remember that name) seems to think that because she's "biracial", she has no chances whatsoever with Hot Bad Boy. O-kay. Awkward. Is Hot Bad Boy an official racist? Why does she say that? Not explained, but followed by this priceless inner thought of our MC :
"I hated that [that Justice thought she had no chance because she's biracial]. I mean, my father's from Kentucky. There was a good possibility, centuries back, our bloodline might've been a little more pure than I'd care to admit."
Hum. WTF? It's so clumsily said that first, you just wonder what's the meaning of this sentence, then you get the feeling that a comparison is made between being "biracial" and centuries-old incest... I'm sure that was not the intention of the author, at all, but it illustrates perfectly one of the biggest issues of the writing : shortcuts, shortcuts and clumsiness everywhere! And the result is either lack of understanding or horror.
I didn't even get to the "mystery" part, so I cannot give any opinion on the Veronica-Mars vibes this book is supposed to have. That said, you should watch Veronica Mars and skip Grade A Stupid.
Goodbye, book. We were not made for each other.
DNFed 10%.
This book has unfortunately earned its name. Grade A Stupid was a very unpleasant read, or at least, has a very unpleasant start, as I didn't get past chapter 4.
Let's start with a classic, one of my top 5 pet peeves : "Hey, I'm the MC! I'm gonna repeat how common and not special I am for ages but hey, all the hot boys are falling for me, wow I'm so surprised!".
As you seem to like acronyms, Book, JSYK you have already lost.
But not only our MC (what's her name again?) is so speshul but doesn't know it, she also has an obvious obsession for looks and physique. She describes herself for two pages, just to state that she's "okay-looking but so common" and has "straw hair". We also learn her exact weight and other details we don't need. Also, she's "a precocious child", right... I can't wait to witness her genius.
She states things like :
"I was embarrasingly self-conscious and socially insecure. Part of the problem was that the appropriate things never embarrassed me. If there was a dirty joke, I laughed louder than anyone. If I was supposed to cross my legs like a lady, the message never made it to my brain."
It's flying everywhere! It makes no sense!
She describes other people in many details we still don't need, being often judgy and definite : it's either clumsy writing, or our MC is a psychopath.
The few characters I met during those 4 chapters were walking clichés. Of course her "archenemy" is the blonde, thin and salad-eating popular girl. Yawn.
Then, let's insert some geometrical love forms, because that's mandatory, isn't it? Well, I have neither the time nor the motivation to watch a peeing contest between Hot Bad Boy and Hot Best Friend. Nobody has. FYI it has been done a million times. And it will still be bad in a century.
Her Girl Best Friend (Justice, because how can you not remember that name) seems to think that because she's "biracial", she has no chances whatsoever with Hot Bad Boy. O-kay. Awkward. Is Hot Bad Boy an official racist? Why does she say that? Not explained, but followed by this priceless inner thought of our MC :
"I hated that [that Justice thought she had no chance because she's biracial]. I mean, my father's from Kentucky. There was a good possibility, centuries back, our bloodline might've been a little more pure than I'd care to admit."
Hum. WTF? It's so clumsily said that first, you just wonder what's the meaning of this sentence, then you get the feeling that a comparison is made between being "biracial" and centuries-old incest... I'm sure that was not the intention of the author, at all, but it illustrates perfectly one of the biggest issues of the writing : shortcuts, shortcuts and clumsiness everywhere! And the result is either lack of understanding or horror.
I didn't even get to the "mystery" part, so I cannot give any opinion on the Veronica-Mars vibes this book is supposed to have. That said, you should watch Veronica Mars and skip Grade A Stupid.
Goodbye, book. We were not made for each other.
November 15, 2012
This is by far one of the most fun, exciting, and loveable mysteries I have read in a long time. You would never know this is AJ's first book. She has a knack for humor, and telling a mystery like few writers can. You don't know the "whodoneit" until the very end. I love, love LOVE this book and recommend it to young and old. If you don't giggle your way through Darcy's vocabulary, you might need to get an attitude adjustment.
December 3, 2012
If Darcy Walker was a dog, she'd definitely be a Beagle. Never to be trusted outside without a leash, and prone to follow her nose wherever the next adventure beckons.
As life would have it however, Darcy is not a Beagle,she is a 15-yer old busy body, but that in no way means that the afore mentioned attributes don't apply.
When Darcy's uber-hot best friend Dylan goes on vacation, Darcy literally follows her nose right into a mystery involving a dead man, a fight to clear the name of a friend, gangs, bullets, and oh yeah...staying alive might help.
Darcy is the perfect heroine. She doesn't mean to get into trouble, it just seems to find her the way that money finds Forest Gump. She is a very smart girl, who like most teenagers doesn't always make the smartest of choices. She is however very loyal to those she loves, and willing to do whatever she deems necessary to right wrongs and see justice done.
Murphy, a.k.a. Darcy's dad is a parent to love. He is doing his best to love her without losing his mind in the process. He could very easily be overbearing in his quest to shelter Darcy. Instead he chooses the harder road of allowing her to live her life and being there for her through it all.
This book is filled to the brim with an imperfect quirkiness that will remind the reader of what it means to be a teen. Boasting a host of characters so interesting and varied and a plot so full of twists and nail-biting action that you'll forget that it's YA.
This is definitely not
your mother's
Nancy Drew!
Find this review at: http://www.wtfareyoureading.com/2012/...
This is an unsolicited and honest review of a book provided to me by the author.
As life would have it however, Darcy is not a Beagle,she is a 15-yer old busy body, but that in no way means that the afore mentioned attributes don't apply.
When Darcy's uber-hot best friend Dylan goes on vacation, Darcy literally follows her nose right into a mystery involving a dead man, a fight to clear the name of a friend, gangs, bullets, and oh yeah...staying alive might help.
Darcy is the perfect heroine. She doesn't mean to get into trouble, it just seems to find her the way that money finds Forest Gump. She is a very smart girl, who like most teenagers doesn't always make the smartest of choices. She is however very loyal to those she loves, and willing to do whatever she deems necessary to right wrongs and see justice done.
Murphy, a.k.a. Darcy's dad is a parent to love. He is doing his best to love her without losing his mind in the process. He could very easily be overbearing in his quest to shelter Darcy. Instead he chooses the harder road of allowing her to live her life and being there for her through it all.
This book is filled to the brim with an imperfect quirkiness that will remind the reader of what it means to be a teen. Boasting a host of characters so interesting and varied and a plot so full of twists and nail-biting action that you'll forget that it's YA.
This is definitely not
your mother's
Nancy Drew!
Find this review at: http://www.wtfareyoureading.com/2012/...
This is an unsolicited and honest review of a book provided to me by the author.
November 10, 2012
What do you do when you find a dead body in the garbage container?
Do you: A) Call the police; B) Run Far Away; or C) Make sure nothing is touched and wait for help?
Those would be the reasonable things to do right?
Well, what if you have a curious nature?
What if you consider yourself a verb, someone that has to be in action, and cannot stand to be stagnant?
What if you know that no matter what you do you will always be in some kind of trouble?
What do you do?
If you are like Darcy, you do not let anything stop you from figuring out the truth, even if that means breaking the law and dragging others through the mud with you.
Darcy Walker is your typical teenage girl. She has an IQ that is beyond normal and yet, is barely scraping by in her schoolwork. Everyone tells Darcy that she is beautiful but she just assumes they are joking. Then there is her best friend in the whole wide world, Dylan. Dylan Taylor is your typical teenage boy. He is cocky, smart, athletic, and gorgeous.
While Dylan and his family are vacationing in Hawaii for Spring Break, Darcy finds herself entrapped in a web of lies and deceit. Will Dylan find his best friend still alive when he returns or will he find her laid out on the front porch like Darcy's little sister's pet squirrel?
AJ Lape will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page until the last. She is a master storyteller and knows how to reel you in and keep you coming back for more. Grade A Stupid is a book that is right up there with the Nancy Drew Mysteries by Carolyn Keene and the Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon! Excellent from start to finish, I know you won't be disappointed!
Do you: A) Call the police; B) Run Far Away; or C) Make sure nothing is touched and wait for help?
Those would be the reasonable things to do right?
Well, what if you have a curious nature?
What if you consider yourself a verb, someone that has to be in action, and cannot stand to be stagnant?
What if you know that no matter what you do you will always be in some kind of trouble?
What do you do?
If you are like Darcy, you do not let anything stop you from figuring out the truth, even if that means breaking the law and dragging others through the mud with you.
Darcy Walker is your typical teenage girl. She has an IQ that is beyond normal and yet, is barely scraping by in her schoolwork. Everyone tells Darcy that she is beautiful but she just assumes they are joking. Then there is her best friend in the whole wide world, Dylan. Dylan Taylor is your typical teenage boy. He is cocky, smart, athletic, and gorgeous.
While Dylan and his family are vacationing in Hawaii for Spring Break, Darcy finds herself entrapped in a web of lies and deceit. Will Dylan find his best friend still alive when he returns or will he find her laid out on the front porch like Darcy's little sister's pet squirrel?
AJ Lape will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page until the last. She is a master storyteller and knows how to reel you in and keep you coming back for more. Grade A Stupid is a book that is right up there with the Nancy Drew Mysteries by Carolyn Keene and the Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon! Excellent from start to finish, I know you won't be disappointed!
December 14, 2012
This review was written by Justine exclusively for Bex 'n' Books.
Grade ‘A’ Stupid is a MUST read! This YA Mystery really transported me back to those drama filled and awkward teenage years. Darcy even at times reminded me of a teenage Stephanie Plum.
I must say AJ kept me in stitches with such gems as when Vinnie is trying to park his girlie POS bug, that’s pink and has eyelashes on the head lights!
"Cursing, he tried the whole thing again and lost three eyelashes off his right headlight. Heaven help us, we’d committed three hit and runs, and he’d blinded his Bug."
But sadly as all good things, this too came to an end; and as you will quickly learn, I am a stickler for endings! As I exited Darcyville, I found myself delighted with my visit. AJ took over 400 pages to give us instantly lovable characters, a who-done-it that kept me guessing to the very end, and a conclusion that did just that concluded…………. For now.
Book 2 titled "No Brainer" is due this coming spring and I can tell you this, Bex will get out of the way or I’ll send the dingoes if I am not the reviewer of that book!
I am giving it 5 fairies!
Grade ‘A’ Stupid is a MUST read! This YA Mystery really transported me back to those drama filled and awkward teenage years. Darcy even at times reminded me of a teenage Stephanie Plum.
I must say AJ kept me in stitches with such gems as when Vinnie is trying to park his girlie POS bug, that’s pink and has eyelashes on the head lights!
"Cursing, he tried the whole thing again and lost three eyelashes off his right headlight. Heaven help us, we’d committed three hit and runs, and he’d blinded his Bug."
But sadly as all good things, this too came to an end; and as you will quickly learn, I am a stickler for endings! As I exited Darcyville, I found myself delighted with my visit. AJ took over 400 pages to give us instantly lovable characters, a who-done-it that kept me guessing to the very end, and a conclusion that did just that concluded…………. For now.
Book 2 titled "No Brainer" is due this coming spring and I can tell you this, Bex will get out of the way or I’ll send the dingoes if I am not the reviewer of that book!
I am giving it 5 fairies!
July 22, 2016
Grade A Stupid is Grade A Brilliant! This is the first book in a fun mystery series, and I can see the author going places. This book was clever and funny, kept me interested. The main character, Darcy, has issues--God-given issues she was born with. A.J. Lape does a great job painting Darcy's challenges (sometimes slapstick) along with her good intentions that sometimes go awry. You'll be cheering for Darcy all the way as, despite better judgment, her 15-year-old-ADD self propels her to get involved, fighting crime. She's a heroine in her own unique way.
Aside from the murder-mystery core, Darcy navigates high school and teen angst with unwitting humor. I laughed out loud in places and thoroughly enjoyed this read which is not just for teens, but for everyone. I can't wait for the next installment.
Aside from the murder-mystery core, Darcy navigates high school and teen angst with unwitting humor. I laughed out loud in places and thoroughly enjoyed this read which is not just for teens, but for everyone. I can't wait for the next installment.
December 12, 2012
This is a must read for every mystery loving book reader. Darcy Walker will keep your mind wondering what will happen to her or what she will get into on the next page.Wow!! How the last chapter ends will make your hair raise. I really like Murphy who is Darcy's father.I think if you read this book you will learn to love Darcy and all of her school friends. I can remember how it was when I was in high school and it has not changed since then. It brought back lots of memories and made me laugh at some of the episodes that went on. I can't wait until the next book comes out. Thanks, AJ Lape.
September 27, 2016
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Darcy, our main character is good at getting in trouble. While following a classmate who she thinks is reaching out in need of help she stumbles upon a body in a trashcan and things pretty much escalate from there.
This book suffers from an overuse of the ‘Look how spechul I am’’ ‘trope. No joke. Darcy the main character describes herself as a flat chested, braces wearing, straw haired, slightly curvy(?) normally strange, not particularly smart but given to random flashes of genius 15 year old. Of course she’s never been kissed or had a boyfriend but what she does seem to have surprisingly, for such an average girl is a ton of good looking guys falling all over her.
Darcy, who has a best friend, who is a guy, who is incredibly hot, who she is not dating, whose name is Dylan, who has nothing whatsoever to do with the story, decides she’s really the love child of Veronica Mars and Stephanie Plum (Yes I know that’s scientifically impossible but I can’t say Darcy thinks so), and realizes that, only she, can solve a murder after finding a corpse in the bin next to her school. Annoyed with the previous sentence? Me too, but if you’re planning on reading this book, get used to it. Apart from all the run on sentences the story plods forwards at a glacial pace with lots of stops to describe Darcy’s clothes, what she’s eating and what she thinks of every person she meets. Can you tell how unimpressed I am with this so far?
The characterization is sloppy, the language needs reworking and Darcy truly is Grade A Stupid. She is a huge klutz(of course!), but all the hot males, as opposed to the ugly/old/weird/evil ones, find her irresistible. So irresistible in fact that they regularly asks for sexual (initimate? Whatever a kiss is) favours whenever she asks them a simple question. This happens with at least two of them just in case you’re wondering. Darcy herself is judgmental of others, obnoxious and a smartass in a completely un-endearing way. She tends to believe everyone around her is dumber than her, and this is enough to make me dislike her to the point where I’m actually on Ivy’s side. Speaking of Ivy, what teenage girl, in a serious long term dysfunctional relationship, goes around throwing herself at other boys?
Most of the characters have extra special names too, (Justice, Jinx, Rainn, Jubilee…)which really made it hard for me to get into the flow of the story. There are a whole lot of inconsistencies as well, like Darcy getting in trouble for skipping a class when she finds the body and then in the next chapter making a wilful decision to skip class while saying she’s never skipped before. But don’t worry, everything you may know or maynot know(but can use a dictionary for) is explained in meticulous detail. I found this incredibly annoying. And it’s probably just me but the whole brushing teeth with a toothbrush that’s fallen on the road just grosses me out.
All in all, did not enjoy which is a bit sad because I do adore Veronica Mars and Stephanie Plum and I did see a little bit of that in Darcy. There were parts where I could relate to her and parts that made me chuckle. Not enough of them to justify a higher rating but they did exist. All in all this reminded me of a high school students’ fantasy rather than anything bordering reality. Sure we all wished the hot ones fell for us but that doesn’t make it an interesting story. 1 star read for me.
Darcy, our main character is good at getting in trouble. While following a classmate who she thinks is reaching out in need of help she stumbles upon a body in a trashcan and things pretty much escalate from there.
This book suffers from an overuse of the ‘Look how spechul I am’’ ‘trope. No joke. Darcy the main character describes herself as a flat chested, braces wearing, straw haired, slightly curvy(?) normally strange, not particularly smart but given to random flashes of genius 15 year old. Of course she’s never been kissed or had a boyfriend but what she does seem to have surprisingly, for such an average girl is a ton of good looking guys falling all over her.
Darcy, who has a best friend, who is a guy, who is incredibly hot, who she is not dating, whose name is Dylan, who has nothing whatsoever to do with the story, decides she’s really the love child of Veronica Mars and Stephanie Plum (Yes I know that’s scientifically impossible but I can’t say Darcy thinks so), and realizes that, only she, can solve a murder after finding a corpse in the bin next to her school. Annoyed with the previous sentence? Me too, but if you’re planning on reading this book, get used to it. Apart from all the run on sentences the story plods forwards at a glacial pace with lots of stops to describe Darcy’s clothes, what she’s eating and what she thinks of every person she meets. Can you tell how unimpressed I am with this so far?
The characterization is sloppy, the language needs reworking and Darcy truly is Grade A Stupid. She is a huge klutz(of course!), but all the hot males, as opposed to the ugly/old/weird/evil ones, find her irresistible. So irresistible in fact that they regularly asks for sexual (initimate? Whatever a kiss is) favours whenever she asks them a simple question. This happens with at least two of them just in case you’re wondering. Darcy herself is judgmental of others, obnoxious and a smartass in a completely un-endearing way. She tends to believe everyone around her is dumber than her, and this is enough to make me dislike her to the point where I’m actually on Ivy’s side. Speaking of Ivy, what teenage girl, in a serious long term dysfunctional relationship, goes around throwing herself at other boys?
Most of the characters have extra special names too, (Justice, Jinx, Rainn, Jubilee…)which really made it hard for me to get into the flow of the story. There are a whole lot of inconsistencies as well, like Darcy getting in trouble for skipping a class when she finds the body and then in the next chapter making a wilful decision to skip class while saying she’s never skipped before. But don’t worry, everything you may know or maynot know(but can use a dictionary for) is explained in meticulous detail. I found this incredibly annoying. And it’s probably just me but the whole brushing teeth with a toothbrush that’s fallen on the road just grosses me out.
All in all, did not enjoy which is a bit sad because I do adore Veronica Mars and Stephanie Plum and I did see a little bit of that in Darcy. There were parts where I could relate to her and parts that made me chuckle. Not enough of them to justify a higher rating but they did exist. All in all this reminded me of a high school students’ fantasy rather than anything bordering reality. Sure we all wished the hot ones fell for us but that doesn’t make it an interesting story. 1 star read for me.
January 28, 2013
For a book categorized as "young adult" I'll admit I had my suspicions that the story would be too cliché and silly. But, as I generally enjoy YA book because they are quick and light, I thought I'd give it a shot, considering that it was available for free through Amazon. that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I stayed up until 3am to finish it last night just because I couldn't put it down!
The premise is unique for a ya book, yet the characters were great and seemingly accurate for teenagers. (I'm not that far removed from high school, but I sometimes forget how silly we all were.) Anyway, it seemed like the author gave a great amount of credit to how intellectually developed some teens, like Darcy, can be.
Darcy was such a fun character, free spirited and fun loving. Her detective skills were spot on, and her passion for getting the case solved, no matter how many times she recognized it was a stupid idea, made her character that much more believable. Her character flaws were probably one of my favorite things about the story.
I also loved the detail that the author put in, especially with respect to the legal things (mostly because she was totally accurate, and didn't bend reality to fit the needs of the story!) The underlying mystery was clever, thorough, and didn't leave any key details out. While it can be easy to take the "cop out" approach, and not give the reader important info to make sure the ending reveal is secret until the end, thus author gave the reader all of the info, cleverly disguised sometimes, but potentiality giving the reader the ability to figure out whodunit, if you were paying close attention. That makes a great story!
My only complaint was really with Dylan's character and his territorial and controlling nature with Darcy, and how Darcy just let him be that way. But, I do recognize that this isn't entirely implausible... I understand, yet part of me got ragey and wanted to smack them both across the face. I guess the important part was that this minor detail didn't detract from the impact that the rest of Darcy' s character had.
I really enjoyed this book and am so happy to have discovered it, and even more happy to learn that a sequel/continuation of the series is forthcoming! I will definitely be buying the next one regardless of if it's free :)
The premise is unique for a ya book, yet the characters were great and seemingly accurate for teenagers. (I'm not that far removed from high school, but I sometimes forget how silly we all were.) Anyway, it seemed like the author gave a great amount of credit to how intellectually developed some teens, like Darcy, can be.
Darcy was such a fun character, free spirited and fun loving. Her detective skills were spot on, and her passion for getting the case solved, no matter how many times she recognized it was a stupid idea, made her character that much more believable. Her character flaws were probably one of my favorite things about the story.
I also loved the detail that the author put in, especially with respect to the legal things (mostly because she was totally accurate, and didn't bend reality to fit the needs of the story!) The underlying mystery was clever, thorough, and didn't leave any key details out. While it can be easy to take the "cop out" approach, and not give the reader important info to make sure the ending reveal is secret until the end, thus author gave the reader all of the info, cleverly disguised sometimes, but potentiality giving the reader the ability to figure out whodunit, if you were paying close attention. That makes a great story!
My only complaint was really with Dylan's character and his territorial and controlling nature with Darcy, and how Darcy just let him be that way. But, I do recognize that this isn't entirely implausible... I understand, yet part of me got ragey and wanted to smack them both across the face. I guess the important part was that this minor detail didn't detract from the impact that the rest of Darcy' s character had.
I really enjoyed this book and am so happy to have discovered it, and even more happy to learn that a sequel/continuation of the series is forthcoming! I will definitely be buying the next one regardless of if it's free :)
March 20, 2013
Laugh Out Loud Entertaining Read!!!!
I’ll start by saying that I typically don’t read young adult novels. I have no interest in reading about teenage angst, pettiness, crushes, etc. But when I saw all the Facebook buzz about this book, I decided to pick up a copy to see what all the hype was about. What I discovered was a witty, entertaining, laugh out loud, not your stereotypical young adult mystery.
I absolutely love Darcy! She’s not the “it” girl – she’s not the captain of the cheerleading squad or homecoming queen. What she is is a teenage girl who knows who she is and is comfortable in her own skin. She’s a middle of the road student with a part time job and a small group of close knit friends. She’s not the most coordinated of individuals which makes for some pretty entertaining scenes. She’s relatable.
The “Darcy-isms” in this book had me laughing out loud; some of the things that flew out of Darcy’s mouth were straight up unexpected and had me laughing, sometimes uncontrollably! Her internal thoughts were just as humorous.
The story flowed well and had me guessing who the bad guy was until the very end. There’s an interesting cast of characters from Vinnie and his moon pies, to Dylan and his swoon-worthiness, to Ivy and her oh-I-just-can’t-stand-her-attitude, to Murphy – the single dad trying his best to raise his daughters. I truly recommend this read for teens and adults! I've been pulled into Darcyville and I can't wait to read more!
I’ll start by saying that I typically don’t read young adult novels. I have no interest in reading about teenage angst, pettiness, crushes, etc. But when I saw all the Facebook buzz about this book, I decided to pick up a copy to see what all the hype was about. What I discovered was a witty, entertaining, laugh out loud, not your stereotypical young adult mystery.
I absolutely love Darcy! She’s not the “it” girl – she’s not the captain of the cheerleading squad or homecoming queen. What she is is a teenage girl who knows who she is and is comfortable in her own skin. She’s a middle of the road student with a part time job and a small group of close knit friends. She’s not the most coordinated of individuals which makes for some pretty entertaining scenes. She’s relatable.
The “Darcy-isms” in this book had me laughing out loud; some of the things that flew out of Darcy’s mouth were straight up unexpected and had me laughing, sometimes uncontrollably! Her internal thoughts were just as humorous.
The story flowed well and had me guessing who the bad guy was until the very end. There’s an interesting cast of characters from Vinnie and his moon pies, to Dylan and his swoon-worthiness, to Ivy and her oh-I-just-can’t-stand-her-attitude, to Murphy – the single dad trying his best to raise his daughters. I truly recommend this read for teens and adults! I've been pulled into Darcyville and I can't wait to read more!
May 25, 2014
4.5 Stars
This was not an easy read. It was a little overwhelming and OTT at times. Some scenes seemed implausible and chaotic. The main character Darcy's ADD must have been the author's quirk because the writing style felt like that. However, I loved the book overall and it was a treat to read. I enjoyed all the relationships between Darcy and her guys- Dylan the controlling & (overly)-loveable best friend, her band of brothers Vinnie, Jon & Finn, her dad Murphy and all the bad-boy suspects. I didn't know what was going on with the mystery at all times but I enjoyed the ride. Darcy is a great character who you laugh with and love; but she is stupid in that she knows the danger she is in yet keeps on going. She didn't have a good enough reason for her detecting after a while.
I would have liked if the author slowed down the "after" scenes in the end. When all the drama was over I wanted to see a scene between Darcy and her father. I wanted to see him crazy worried and angry but we didn't get any interaction between the two.
I also loved that we get hints at Darcy's past and her troubled psyche. I can't wait to read more and learn more about this great character in this thrilling teenager's world.
This was not an easy read. It was a little overwhelming and OTT at times. Some scenes seemed implausible and chaotic. The main character Darcy's ADD must have been the author's quirk because the writing style felt like that. However, I loved the book overall and it was a treat to read. I enjoyed all the relationships between Darcy and her guys- Dylan the controlling & (overly)-loveable best friend, her band of brothers Vinnie, Jon & Finn, her dad Murphy and all the bad-boy suspects. I didn't know what was going on with the mystery at all times but I enjoyed the ride. Darcy is a great character who you laugh with and love; but she is stupid in that she knows the danger she is in yet keeps on going. She didn't have a good enough reason for her detecting after a while.
I would have liked if the author slowed down the "after" scenes in the end. When all the drama was over I wanted to see a scene between Darcy and her father. I wanted to see him crazy worried and angry but we didn't get any interaction between the two.
I also loved that we get hints at Darcy's past and her troubled psyche. I can't wait to read more and learn more about this great character in this thrilling teenager's world.
January 27, 2013
A Review of Grade A Stupid by A J Lape
I am not the biggest YA fan, so I approached this book with caution but once I began reading it, I was pulled in by the excellent writing style of the author. The characters are adorable and whilst the plot is not necessarily a huge shocker, it doesn't need to be, because the fun and entertainment in this story are the characters and the silly, 'grade A stupid' antics that Darcy engages in. I found this book to be adorable and am most impressed with the writing skill of this debut author.
YA fans - get this!
A review by Aneesa Price - Sugary, Spicy Reads
I am not the biggest YA fan, so I approached this book with caution but once I began reading it, I was pulled in by the excellent writing style of the author. The characters are adorable and whilst the plot is not necessarily a huge shocker, it doesn't need to be, because the fun and entertainment in this story are the characters and the silly, 'grade A stupid' antics that Darcy engages in. I found this book to be adorable and am most impressed with the writing skill of this debut author.
YA fans - get this!
A review by Aneesa Price - Sugary, Spicy Reads
January 27, 2013
The book actually feels like it has ADD just like the main character. It is a bit frenetic, but eventually comes together for a good story. In fact, as I slept after finishing it, I found myself starting the next book in the series and physically turning the I touch page. It obviously got under my skin and I did enjoy it! I will definitely read the next one!
June 13, 2019
well this was grade a stupid
but I also did ask for it
bc it was a free kindle book
writing was mediocre
but it meant that I didn't actually have to use brain cells to read it
the story was real confusing
(remember, I'm v bad at lots of names)
there were a lot of quite hilarious moments so that was cool
it wasn't a /terrible/ use of my time?
but I also did ask for it
bc it was a free kindle book
writing was mediocre
but it meant that I didn't actually have to use brain cells to read it
the story was real confusing
(remember, I'm v bad at lots of names)
there were a lot of quite hilarious moments so that was cool
it wasn't a /terrible/ use of my time?
May 4, 2019
My introduction to Darcyville, and I am so glad I picked this up! I'm not sure what took me so long to start this series as it has been on my TBR for a long time, but I wish I had read it sooner. After reading many, many psychological thrillers and finding that not so many are " thrilling" me any more I decided to try something new. Darcy and her band of misfits are a fresh take on the world of crime. The love of her best friend Dylan and everyone in her life is very heart warming. Laughing all the way through the story for the first time in a very long time was refreshing, but that in no way takes away from the mysteries and crime solving. I fell in love with Darcy and picked up every book in the series knowing I had to have more! I highly recommend this series!!
January 4, 2018
Brilliant
Loved every minute of this book. I feared for darcy,'s life time and again as she kept getting closer to closure. Well done
Loved every minute of this book. I feared for darcy,'s life time and again as she kept getting closer to closure. Well done
June 13, 2015
Ok, that was ABSOLUTELY brilliant!!!
I don't even know how I ended up with owning this book on my kindle, but.. Thank you little books' fairy! I owe you one!! (Just go and buy it.. It’s totally worth the coffee-price it has!)
I guess it was fate or just good luck.. Either way I'm so happy and satisfied I’m gonna buy the paperback right this moment!
Grade A stupid is pure genius and I loved every single word of it. It took me a while to understand the title: I really thought that “Grade” was a verb and for me was like a pun I didn’t understand but was sooo fascinating.. Guess that makes me a royal “Grade A stupid” myself! *Give me five, Darcy!*
This is probably one the funniest and wittiest novels I’ve ever read and I found everything I was looking (and hoping) for: great laughs, witticism, a mistery, characters you really root for and love, feelings and above all, a “Wow, you really are a Writer with capital W!” way of handling words.. *_*
Darcy, the main character is.. Darcy is amazing and I really loved her (ok, sometimes I even said “She’s definitely like me! This could me speaking!”): she’s not a supermodel (not even close) but a plain 15 years old girl with normal teenager problems (is finding a dead body considered a normal teenager’s problem? :D) who eats lots of chocolate and cookies and knows nothing about boys.. Plus, she has a super best friend, Dylan: Dylan is perfection made human.. He is hot, he is overprotective (someone would say “possessive” :D), he’s nice and well.. Perfect in a non-irksome way. You really wish you had him on your side, he is what you call ‘an amazing friend”. I hoped the two of them would go to first base but.. Well, I have still three more books to read! (*so happy!*) I enjoyed their relationship, their ability to communicate through quick glances and also the ‘corporal’ part (hugs, mostly) of their friendship!!
The author took me off guard in solving the mistery.. Go for it A.J. Lape!! I didn’t expect the thriller part to be so well-built because I thought that the YAish part would overtake the rest but.. No! Yei!!
Thumbs up for this great novel, I’m looking forward to reading the next installment, there are a lot of things I’m curious about!!!! (The author dropped a huge bomb in the last pages.. OMG!!!).
A.J. Lape is great and I’m 100% she would be a great friend to talk to!!
EXPERTS SAY THEY may have identified a gene for the daredevil. I think I was first in line when God was passing out that type of idiocy. Maybe I was stupid that way, because cliff diving in Hawaii or parachuting without a parachute sounded like things I’d like to try.
She belted out, “Whose bright idea was this to skip class?!” There wasn’t a lot of finger pointing going on. For God’s sake, everyone knew it was me.
He narrowed his eyes. “I think it was stupid. Grade A stupid.” (Yeah, here I understood the title. :D)
“I promise to the best of my abilities and faculties will allow, to cut my stupid behavior in half.”
She was in the back of the line when God was handing out common sense, but her mother wasn’t.
Last Christmas, I received a tank with a goldfish named George Washington. I thought, This is going to be easy. You didn’t have to pet them; you didn’t have to walk them; you just had to keep them alive. Evidently, that entailed some skills I didn’t possess because I had an aquatic graveyard in my back yard.
And if Liam thought I wanted to be with my best friend then he was an idiot. Dylan had better hair than me. No one wanted to be with someone that had better hair than they did.
I hated parties—especially if you were supposed to socialize with people you didn’t know that well.
Sydney was squatting down in the middle of a group of people, cleaning up broken glass, wearing a red string bikini that had the word “kiss” on her left bum cheek, the word “my” on the right. Right there in big black letters. Not able to contain the laugh, I was hoping to find a suit that said, “find” on one boob, the word “my” on the other. Seriously, we really needed a search party.
“Thank you for having us over, Mrs. Taylor. I think I’ve just met my future wife.” He tweaked me on the nose. Coughing up some bun, it dribbled down the front of my suit along with a slice of tomato. My word, I don’t know why they kept me around. It’s like I’d been raised by wolves.
I don't even know how I ended up with owning this book on my kindle, but.. Thank you little books' fairy! I owe you one!! (Just go and buy it.. It’s totally worth the coffee-price it has!)
I guess it was fate or just good luck.. Either way I'm so happy and satisfied I’m gonna buy the paperback right this moment!
Grade A stupid is pure genius and I loved every single word of it. It took me a while to understand the title: I really thought that “Grade” was a verb and for me was like a pun I didn’t understand but was sooo fascinating.. Guess that makes me a royal “Grade A stupid” myself! *Give me five, Darcy!*
This is probably one the funniest and wittiest novels I’ve ever read and I found everything I was looking (and hoping) for: great laughs, witticism, a mistery, characters you really root for and love, feelings and above all, a “Wow, you really are a Writer with capital W!” way of handling words.. *_*
Darcy, the main character is.. Darcy is amazing and I really loved her (ok, sometimes I even said “She’s definitely like me! This could me speaking!”): she’s not a supermodel (not even close) but a plain 15 years old girl with normal teenager problems (is finding a dead body considered a normal teenager’s problem? :D) who eats lots of chocolate and cookies and knows nothing about boys.. Plus, she has a super best friend, Dylan: Dylan is perfection made human.. He is hot, he is overprotective (someone would say “possessive” :D), he’s nice and well.. Perfect in a non-irksome way. You really wish you had him on your side, he is what you call ‘an amazing friend”. I hoped the two of them would go to first base but.. Well, I have still three more books to read! (*so happy!*) I enjoyed their relationship, their ability to communicate through quick glances and also the ‘corporal’ part (hugs, mostly) of their friendship!!
The author took me off guard in solving the mistery.. Go for it A.J. Lape!! I didn’t expect the thriller part to be so well-built because I thought that the YAish part would overtake the rest but.. No! Yei!!
Thumbs up for this great novel, I’m looking forward to reading the next installment, there are a lot of things I’m curious about!!!! (The author dropped a huge bomb in the last pages.. OMG!!!).
A.J. Lape is great and I’m 100% she would be a great friend to talk to!!
EXPERTS SAY THEY may have identified a gene for the daredevil. I think I was first in line when God was passing out that type of idiocy. Maybe I was stupid that way, because cliff diving in Hawaii or parachuting without a parachute sounded like things I’d like to try.
She belted out, “Whose bright idea was this to skip class?!” There wasn’t a lot of finger pointing going on. For God’s sake, everyone knew it was me.
He narrowed his eyes. “I think it was stupid. Grade A stupid.” (Yeah, here I understood the title. :D)
“I promise to the best of my abilities and faculties will allow, to cut my stupid behavior in half.”
She was in the back of the line when God was handing out common sense, but her mother wasn’t.
Last Christmas, I received a tank with a goldfish named George Washington. I thought, This is going to be easy. You didn’t have to pet them; you didn’t have to walk them; you just had to keep them alive. Evidently, that entailed some skills I didn’t possess because I had an aquatic graveyard in my back yard.
And if Liam thought I wanted to be with my best friend then he was an idiot. Dylan had better hair than me. No one wanted to be with someone that had better hair than they did.
I hated parties—especially if you were supposed to socialize with people you didn’t know that well.
Sydney was squatting down in the middle of a group of people, cleaning up broken glass, wearing a red string bikini that had the word “kiss” on her left bum cheek, the word “my” on the right. Right there in big black letters. Not able to contain the laugh, I was hoping to find a suit that said, “find” on one boob, the word “my” on the other. Seriously, we really needed a search party.
“Thank you for having us over, Mrs. Taylor. I think I’ve just met my future wife.” He tweaked me on the nose. Coughing up some bun, it dribbled down the front of my suit along with a slice of tomato. My word, I don’t know why they kept me around. It’s like I’d been raised by wolves.
December 27, 2012
Darcy is like any other 15 year old year except she finds a dead body in a dumpster while skipping class. You would expect her to call the police. No. Not Darcy. She investigates and tries to see if he is still alive. It was still on her mind, but she becomes determined to find out who did it when a fellow class mates is accused of the crime. How far will she go to find out the truth and when she does will she live to tell who the killer is. Not to mention sorting out her feeling for Liam and Dylan. Welcome to Darcy’s world. :D
This book was just AHHH that’s all I can say. It was just that good. It was sooo not what I was expecting. I have no idea why it crossed my mind that this book was going to have some paranormal in it. LOL I felt like such a fool. That didn’t stop me from reading and I’m glad that I continued. I was addicted from the start. I was trying to figure out who the killer was the whole time. I was like WHO IS IT!!!!! And when we finally figure out whom it was the person only crossed my mind once. There was so many things going on and so much information being given that you would think you would become confused. But I didn’t. There was just so much mystery and danger it was fascinating. Darcy is unlike any character I have seen before, but I’ll talk about her later. Even though it was full of danger I was laughing most of the time. Darcy was just hilarious. Other times I was sad and biting my nails. The whole book was written fantastically and I would change anything about the book or the characters. I can’t wait for No Brainer and see how much more trouble Darcy can get into. :D
If you love a book with a good mystery that is jam packed with danger this is the book for you.
Darcy: Darcy was ADD to the max. Nothing ever kept her attention except for finding out who the killer was. She doesn’t do anything like a normal teenage would do. She is always getting into trouble for the simplest of things. To top that all of she is hilarious, if I wasn’t cringing with fear for her I was laughing at her. She was a highly enjoyable character.
Dylan: He was totally protective of Darcy. Heck he was protective of everyone that he loved. There were some times where I was like he needs to back off. He would tell Darcy what to do and she would do it. Other than that I really liked him. I wish that we could have figured out a little bit more about him in this book, but there is always the next one. ;)
Liam: Liam is tall, hot and every girl in the school wants him. You think I would be ecstatic that he likes Darcy WRONG. He is a Fastard. If you want to know what it means you have to read the book. LOL Anyway he just has a lot of secrets and I can tell he is just playing around with Darcy to get at Dylan.
Favorite Quote:
“Liam!” I yelled. “I see you, I see me, and a lot of foggy windows underneath the midnight blue sky. I don’t know, throw in some baby-making music, too.”
This book was just AHHH that’s all I can say. It was just that good. It was sooo not what I was expecting. I have no idea why it crossed my mind that this book was going to have some paranormal in it. LOL I felt like such a fool. That didn’t stop me from reading and I’m glad that I continued. I was addicted from the start. I was trying to figure out who the killer was the whole time. I was like WHO IS IT!!!!! And when we finally figure out whom it was the person only crossed my mind once. There was so many things going on and so much information being given that you would think you would become confused. But I didn’t. There was just so much mystery and danger it was fascinating. Darcy is unlike any character I have seen before, but I’ll talk about her later. Even though it was full of danger I was laughing most of the time. Darcy was just hilarious. Other times I was sad and biting my nails. The whole book was written fantastically and I would change anything about the book or the characters. I can’t wait for No Brainer and see how much more trouble Darcy can get into. :D
If you love a book with a good mystery that is jam packed with danger this is the book for you.
Darcy: Darcy was ADD to the max. Nothing ever kept her attention except for finding out who the killer was. She doesn’t do anything like a normal teenage would do. She is always getting into trouble for the simplest of things. To top that all of she is hilarious, if I wasn’t cringing with fear for her I was laughing at her. She was a highly enjoyable character.
Dylan: He was totally protective of Darcy. Heck he was protective of everyone that he loved. There were some times where I was like he needs to back off. He would tell Darcy what to do and she would do it. Other than that I really liked him. I wish that we could have figured out a little bit more about him in this book, but there is always the next one. ;)
Liam: Liam is tall, hot and every girl in the school wants him. You think I would be ecstatic that he likes Darcy WRONG. He is a Fastard. If you want to know what it means you have to read the book. LOL Anyway he just has a lot of secrets and I can tell he is just playing around with Darcy to get at Dylan.
Favorite Quote:
“Liam!” I yelled. “I see you, I see me, and a lot of foggy windows underneath the midnight blue sky. I don’t know, throw in some baby-making music, too.”
March 26, 2013
"It wasn't easy for me to study, let alone multitask. I was distracted easily and so hyperactive that trying to hold my attention was like wrangling a greasy pig. It wasn't for the impatient or faint of heart. What did that look like?"
So says Darcy Walker in her verbal self-portrait. The answer to her final question is crucial to reading Grade A Stupid by A.J. Lape. In fact, the key to reading and enjoying this book lies in understanding and embracing this character's honest and accurate description of herself.
The 15 year-old heroine of Grade A Stupid is Darcy Walker, whose gorgeousness is blossoming and attracting boys to her like summer honeysuckle flowers attract bees. She is ROTFL funny, warm-hearted, awkward, intelligent, stubborn, extremely lucky, and totally suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). As a sleuth, Darcy is the anti-Nancy Drew. She is eccentric like Sherlock Holmes. But, she is every bit as curious and focused a both famous detectives when it comes to solving a mystery.
Two gruesome murders send Darcy's friend, Oscar, to jail. Darcy's intuition and knowledge of Oscar tell her that he is not guilty of murder. She vows to help Oscar. Her dedication to setting him free from his imprisonment is a testament to true friendship. In reference to friendship, has it been mentioned that Darcy's best friend is a smokin' hot boy named, Dylan? Dylan's utter and unashamed devotion to Darcy has not been seen in literature since Heathcliff's devotion to Catherine in Wuthering Heights. These two friendships make for action-filled adventures across the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area.
To read Grade A Stupid is to completely enter the overactive mind of Darcy Walker and experience zany, erratic escapades which will leave readers laughing and longing to find out who really committed the murders. It will also have readers anxious to find out more about Darcy and the secrets which lie within her unique world known as Darcyville.
So says Darcy Walker in her verbal self-portrait. The answer to her final question is crucial to reading Grade A Stupid by A.J. Lape. In fact, the key to reading and enjoying this book lies in understanding and embracing this character's honest and accurate description of herself.
The 15 year-old heroine of Grade A Stupid is Darcy Walker, whose gorgeousness is blossoming and attracting boys to her like summer honeysuckle flowers attract bees. She is ROTFL funny, warm-hearted, awkward, intelligent, stubborn, extremely lucky, and totally suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). As a sleuth, Darcy is the anti-Nancy Drew. She is eccentric like Sherlock Holmes. But, she is every bit as curious and focused a both famous detectives when it comes to solving a mystery.
Two gruesome murders send Darcy's friend, Oscar, to jail. Darcy's intuition and knowledge of Oscar tell her that he is not guilty of murder. She vows to help Oscar. Her dedication to setting him free from his imprisonment is a testament to true friendship. In reference to friendship, has it been mentioned that Darcy's best friend is a smokin' hot boy named, Dylan? Dylan's utter and unashamed devotion to Darcy has not been seen in literature since Heathcliff's devotion to Catherine in Wuthering Heights. These two friendships make for action-filled adventures across the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area.
To read Grade A Stupid is to completely enter the overactive mind of Darcy Walker and experience zany, erratic escapades which will leave readers laughing and longing to find out who really committed the murders. It will also have readers anxious to find out more about Darcy and the secrets which lie within her unique world known as Darcyville.
February 1, 2013
Grade A Stupid
By A.J. Lape
Reviewed by S. Bree High YATR
Do you know the people who are always in trouble, find trouble and trouble finds them? I think we all know a few, right? Well this book introduces you to one, and her name is Darcy Walker. Darcy is smart, like super IQ and yet her grades are awful. She lacks any sense of direction and her school work well just forget it. Darcy has a best friend name Dylan and one serious crush on a bad boy. This her friend Dylan wishes would go away. The story is set in Cincinnati Ohio, which I enjoyed. Although the town is fictional, I am a buckeye so I was able to relate to the area fictional or not.
So let���s say you skip school one day right, you following me? Then while you have skipped school you happen upon a dead body, what do you do? Let us just say most would not got the route of Darcy��� this starts her on the twist and turns and quite frankly sometimes crazy insane journey she has in front of her. Plenty of law breaking will take place. Rest assured our trouble finding Darcy seeks out the answers to the mystery and tries to help someone clear his name. Will Darcy still be here when Dylan returns? Will the trouble she keeps getting herself in, end up getting her killed? Darcy wants the truth, regardless of the cost and is willing to do just about anything to get it. I enjoyed the pace of the story and the twists and turns. Lies and deceit run rampant thru the book and A.J. Lape creates the storyline beautifully. She drew me into the story and kept me until the end. I enjoyed the book. I would say this is a good current themed murder mystery story that I was glad I took the time to read. I am looking forward to seeing where her career goes and what she does next. I was given copy of this book for honest review.
By A.J. Lape
Reviewed by S. Bree High YATR
Do you know the people who are always in trouble, find trouble and trouble finds them? I think we all know a few, right? Well this book introduces you to one, and her name is Darcy Walker. Darcy is smart, like super IQ and yet her grades are awful. She lacks any sense of direction and her school work well just forget it. Darcy has a best friend name Dylan and one serious crush on a bad boy. This her friend Dylan wishes would go away. The story is set in Cincinnati Ohio, which I enjoyed. Although the town is fictional, I am a buckeye so I was able to relate to the area fictional or not.
So let���s say you skip school one day right, you following me? Then while you have skipped school you happen upon a dead body, what do you do? Let us just say most would not got the route of Darcy��� this starts her on the twist and turns and quite frankly sometimes crazy insane journey she has in front of her. Plenty of law breaking will take place. Rest assured our trouble finding Darcy seeks out the answers to the mystery and tries to help someone clear his name. Will Darcy still be here when Dylan returns? Will the trouble she keeps getting herself in, end up getting her killed? Darcy wants the truth, regardless of the cost and is willing to do just about anything to get it. I enjoyed the pace of the story and the twists and turns. Lies and deceit run rampant thru the book and A.J. Lape creates the storyline beautifully. She drew me into the story and kept me until the end. I enjoyed the book. I would say this is a good current themed murder mystery story that I was glad I took the time to read. I am looking forward to seeing where her career goes and what she does next. I was given copy of this book for honest review.
November 5, 2016
Darcy Walker thinks she is an average, boring girl. Nothing is further from the truth. Darcy is a girl who runs into danger, finds danger, chases danger, taunts danger, rethinks her strategy and does it again. Darcy is trouble. The funny thing is is that she really is a pretty good girl, not a Mary Sue, but definitely not a rebel. When Darcy finds a dead gang member in the dumpster across from her school, instead of immediately calling the cops she investigates the body. Did I mention that Darcy has ADHD, OCD, she is an adrenaline junkie, and she has a genius IQ. When someone she knows is innocent goes down for the crime, Darcy's OCD kicks in and she must get involved. The only downside is that she just doesn't realize how bad things are going to get.
Overall, I really liked this book. It was funny. Darcy was hilarious, even though she was completely socially awkward, and completely...weird. I don't know how else to say it. Her father, sister and nanny (I think it was her sister's nanny...or I hoped so) were great characters. I loved the back short on her father. The mystery portion was a tad drawn out, but I did not know who the big bad was until it was revealed. I like that.
Unfortunately, there was also some negatives in the book. The love quadrangle, the she really is beautiful and doesn't know it, all the hot boys want her, she is completely blind to the fact that her best friend is in love with her, etc. It had all of these overdone cliches that made me want to pull my hair out. It also had a lot of religious undertones, but it wasn't really a religious book. That was strange.
Even though this book had so many bands, I really did enjoy it. I would give it 3 1/2 stars!
*I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy of this book and have given an honest reveiew*
Overall, I really liked this book. It was funny. Darcy was hilarious, even though she was completely socially awkward, and completely...weird. I don't know how else to say it. Her father, sister and nanny (I think it was her sister's nanny...or I hoped so) were great characters. I loved the back short on her father. The mystery portion was a tad drawn out, but I did not know who the big bad was until it was revealed. I like that.
Unfortunately, there was also some negatives in the book. The love quadrangle, the she really is beautiful and doesn't know it, all the hot boys want her, she is completely blind to the fact that her best friend is in love with her, etc. It had all of these overdone cliches that made me want to pull my hair out. It also had a lot of religious undertones, but it wasn't really a religious book. That was strange.
Even though this book had so many bands, I really did enjoy it. I would give it 3 1/2 stars!
*I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy of this book and have given an honest reveiew*
December 3, 2013
I was given a copy of the book for a fair and honest review of the book. I really enjoyed the adventures of Darcy Walkers and hope there are many more books in the series. The Book tells of a teenager Darcy Walkers adventures during high school and after finding a body in a dumpster and her adventures to find who done it. Darcy Walker is a character you can relate to and root for her adventures or misadventures lol. I like her father Murphy's Kentucky actions and way of doing things since i am from Kentucky and have family in Cincinnati. It is good clean book for young adults or the young at heart which has no dirty words but has some wonderfully creative Darcy speak which is great high light of the book . I enjoyed the many twist and turns in the storyline and was left guessing till the very end. It was hard to put down at night or during the day cause i wanted to know what was going to happen next. I liked there were some questions left unanswered for another time or maybe another book. It was upbeat book which made me want to know more about adventures in Darcyville and her family and friends and look forward to reading the next book in the series.
March 6, 2016
Okay there are A TON of five star reviews, so I thought there's no reason for me to do one. BUT I was at the laundromat and I was really bored, so I looked at the books on my Kindle app, and even though I have books I haven't read I still decided to read Grade A Stupid. The only problem? I couldn't help but laugh, so when I started giggling I went hmm maybe I should stop, before I start to look like this 
because I've done that before, one time I was watching an old Psych on my tablet and people looked at me like I had escaped from the asylum. So as most of the other reviews say, it is an amazing book. And the last thing, I saw that some people said it was too long when I saw that I thought of a Jane Austen quote “but for my own part, if a book is well written, I always find it too short.” But remember
DO NOT READ IT IN PUBLIC ;)
because I've done that before, one time I was watching an old Psych on my tablet and people looked at me like I had escaped from the asylum. So as most of the other reviews say, it is an amazing book. And the last thing, I saw that some people said it was too long when I saw that I thought of a Jane Austen quote “but for my own part, if a book is well written, I always find it too short.” But rememberDO NOT READ IT IN PUBLIC ;)
May 14, 2020
This was a fun YA book that took a turn for the serious when dead bodies started appearing. Add to that the fact that our heroine, Darcy, was incapable of staying out of dangerous situations and then broadcasting what she found to everyone in her high school, this was definitely an action packed novel.
What I didn’t enjoy was the predictability of the story. I can honestly say I was not at all surprised by the ending, although the final scene was well written and exciting. I also found myself very tired of Darcy being the lovable ditz who all the boys wanted to be with. This girl was constantly falling off chairs, face planting, and dribbling food down the front of herself. Sound attractive? Apparently to high school boys, yes. I didn’t quite fathom the draw.
Overall, the book did entertain me in a light and easy manner. If you’re looking for a beach read, this is it.
What I didn’t enjoy was the predictability of the story. I can honestly say I was not at all surprised by the ending, although the final scene was well written and exciting. I also found myself very tired of Darcy being the lovable ditz who all the boys wanted to be with. This girl was constantly falling off chairs, face planting, and dribbling food down the front of herself. Sound attractive? Apparently to high school boys, yes. I didn’t quite fathom the draw.
Overall, the book did entertain me in a light and easy manner. If you’re looking for a beach read, this is it.
January 23, 2013
*No Spoilers!*
I got this book free on my Amazon Kindle and really enjoyed it!
The story line was great, full of one-liners making me laughing out loud, and the mystery was well done with surprising pieces to it!
The one thing that made me give this book four out of five stars was the writing. Perhaps the author should read through it again? I found myself having to flip back a few pages to re-read because I didn't understand who Darcy was talking to or what had just happened making it hard to follow. The book isn't missing paragraphs but sentences. Overall a great book that is set up perfectly for the second in the series.
I got this book free on my Amazon Kindle and really enjoyed it!
The story line was great, full of one-liners making me laughing out loud, and the mystery was well done with surprising pieces to it!
The one thing that made me give this book four out of five stars was the writing. Perhaps the author should read through it again? I found myself having to flip back a few pages to re-read because I didn't understand who Darcy was talking to or what had just happened making it hard to follow. The book isn't missing paragraphs but sentences. Overall a great book that is set up perfectly for the second in the series.
January 24, 2013
I adored this book.
The story is fresh, young and hip. I think it is hip at the age of 39 I may not know anymore.
The story is also logical. Which is according to me, is a major plus point.
Darcy, at the age of 15 is a beautiful young girl with ADD and an above average IQ. She is also bored easily and all girl around the hunk in school.
I think most if not all YA will love this book. It is fun and Darcy is a very likeable character. I can also not see any parent taking offence or seeing this as being negative.
I give this a 5 * rating. Partly because I loved to read it and partly because I am convinced you will love to read it as well.
WaAr
The story is fresh, young and hip. I think it is hip at the age of 39 I may not know anymore.
The story is also logical. Which is according to me, is a major plus point.
Darcy, at the age of 15 is a beautiful young girl with ADD and an above average IQ. She is also bored easily and all girl around the hunk in school.
I think most if not all YA will love this book. It is fun and Darcy is a very likeable character. I can also not see any parent taking offence or seeing this as being negative.
I give this a 5 * rating. Partly because I loved to read it and partly because I am convinced you will love to read it as well.
WaAr
January 29, 2013
Gotta fall in love with a character that is so flawed she is human. You feel like you can really connect to Darcy.
This is a story of a 15 yr girl who has the biggest heart in the world, and she lets it guide her into trouble to save her friend from going to prison. She makes stupid moves until you are screaming at her, she puts herself in danger until you want to shake some sense into her. Through it all you know she is doing it for the right reasons though.
I loved the relationship's between Darcy and "her brothers" and her relationship with her Best Friend. I can't wait to find out what happens next!
This is a story of a 15 yr girl who has the biggest heart in the world, and she lets it guide her into trouble to save her friend from going to prison. She makes stupid moves until you are screaming at her, she puts herself in danger until you want to shake some sense into her. Through it all you know she is doing it for the right reasons though.
I loved the relationship's between Darcy and "her brothers" and her relationship with her Best Friend. I can't wait to find out what happens next!
August 30, 2013
Darcy Darcy Darcy where to even begin with her. She is definitely grade A stupid but you can't help but love her. This book is amazing and very well written. How did you spend your high school years? Maybe with a boyfriend or going to parties. Not Darcy Walker. She finds a body and instead of doing the normal thing and call the police she jumps in the dumpster. This book will take you from murder and gangs to trying to get a boyfriend. It is hilarious and mystery all in one book. I definitely recommend this to everyone. It will keep ou at the edge of your seat the whole time and not want to put it down until you know for sure what is going on.
December 21, 2012
I loved this book. Darcy is hilarious, even if she isn't meaning to be. I ad to admit I scratched my head more than once thinking really? No wonder the title, lol. But it is a good book with lots of action and is acceptable for any age group capable of reading it. Now that it is on sale is the perfect time to get a fun read that brings more than one smile to your face. I can't imagine anyone not loving this book and I can't wait to see what Darcy and Ms. Lape have in store for us. Go buy it!!!
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