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Rusty Summer
There’s school, and then there’s the real world. If you’re lucky enough to survive the first, you owe it to yourself to explore the second…
So let’s roll…
With graduation a month away, I’m hitting the road with my best friends Beau, Leonie, and Leonie’s awesome rescue dog, The Bomb. We’ve all got something on our minds. Beau is schooling our school for ignoring brutal bullying. Beautiful, crazy Leonie is striving to become a model. And I’m drilling to join a local roller derby team—The Rat City Roller Girls—where my bulk is actually a benefit! But first, somewhere between finals and graduation, I need some answers. I need to see my dad. Face to face.
Unless he’s moved without telling me, my dad is out in the wilds of Alaska—somewhere remote, beautiful, and amazing, where there will be wild animals, and hot guys, and adventures and lies and heartbreaks. It’s further from home than any of us have ever been. Sometimes that’s how far you need to go to figure out exactly where you want to be…
So let’s roll…
With graduation a month away, I’m hitting the road with my best friends Beau, Leonie, and Leonie’s awesome rescue dog, The Bomb. We’ve all got something on our minds. Beau is schooling our school for ignoring brutal bullying. Beautiful, crazy Leonie is striving to become a model. And I’m drilling to join a local roller derby team—The Rat City Roller Girls—where my bulk is actually a benefit! But first, somewhere between finals and graduation, I need some answers. I need to see my dad. Face to face.
Unless he’s moved without telling me, my dad is out in the wilds of Alaska—somewhere remote, beautiful, and amazing, where there will be wild animals, and hot guys, and adventures and lies and heartbreaks. It’s further from home than any of us have ever been. Sometimes that’s how far you need to go to figure out exactly where you want to be…
352 pages, Paperback
First published October 28, 2014
8 people are currently reading
660 people want to read
About the author
Mary McKinley
11 books5 followersMARY MCKINLEY is a TV writer/performer whose work has been featured most recently on the Seattle-based sketch comedy project, The 206, and on Biz Kid$, an Emmy winning young adult show on PBS. For the last thirteen years she has written standup & sketch comedy with her partner, John Keister, as well as several TV pilots. A lifelong Seattle resident, Mary graduated with a BFA from Seattle University.
From the Author's Website
From the Author's Website
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
May 25, 2015
I really thought this was a great book. Yes people will have gripes, such as the vernacular being annoying -- but give it a chance. The bigger picture and the topics are what make this book amazing.
This book tackles bullying, LGBTQ issues, kids with labels, suicide, and poor family upbringing. This was a thoughtful look at these issues through the experiences of those in the book. There is no quick fix for these issues, but there are ways to make changes bit by bit. Younger readers may learn to consider what the life is like for others, perhaps be a little kinder or be a friend. So many teenagers are lonely and contemplate suicide. For adult readers, they can keep in mind that it only takes one friend or one mentor to make a difference. Instead of shying away from troubled kids in your life, try to make a difference. Be there.
Growing up, I had friends from many circles but never really a group. I was friendly with everyone but never really belonged in a clique. My parents taught me that everyone is a potential friend. They mentored the "bad" kids in our neighborhood -- teaching some to drive when their parents didn't, encouraging them, helping in ways they could, and treating them with respect. Guess what? These troubled kids treated my parents with respect and their outlook on life and themselves changed. My parents told me (the goody goody) to go outside and and play with the kids that were sitting on a couch in their front yard smoking. So at a young age, I didn't size up others the way my peers did. I knew that everyone had something to give, needed friendship and respect, and had things to share with the world. One year the day after Halloween, our yard was covered in smashed pumpkins. We finished our morning routine and headed outside to find the pumpkins GONE. Down the street, two of the "bad kids" were smoking on the couch. We took our leftover candy and asked if they cleaned our yard. "Yeah...it wasn't cool that someone would do that to you guys."
So I was amazed when this book evoked my feelings of the past and shared it's message that is so deeply rooted in my own being. First these three were alone in a sea of teenagers that looked down on them. Readers experience their isolation and desperation. We see them find each other and a glimmer of camaraderie starts. After Beau gets beat up badly, they embark on a roadtrip. Taking time to extract themselves from the stressors, they bond, evaluate their own situations (and each others). When they get to their destination, they find mentorship. I loved that there was no "easy fix" for their issues, but more of a change in mindset. It is also for the reader to change their mindset and do what they can when the issues present themselves.
Oh, and that teenage vernacular issue that keeps getting slammed in reviews? I see it differently. As the book opens, the main character has a bit of a facade. She wants to blend in so much in her world that she doesn't even reveal to the reader that she is a girl until several pages in. Her voice in the book starts out with a lot of typical high school acronyms and eye-rolling slang because that is another way to blend in with the crowd. However, as she finds her stability and matures, that falls away. The author reflects all the changes going on within the main character by increasing the strength and maturity of her voice as the story progresses. Subtle if you're not evaluating it. The author's website hints that true life friends and situations inspired the story.
The only area I wish the author would have touched on is to contemplate the life of the bullies in the book. It would have been one more "big picture" moment.
A couple of quotes from the book that stick with me:
Because this is an Advance Reader Copy prior to publication, quotes are subject to change in the final version.
When discussing why a girl would put out so much to anyone and everyone, "There is not enough love in her world for her to reject it lightly. Even its ugly counterfeit doppelganger, which is all it ever was with him."
"I will try never to judge anyone again. Who knows how or why they are here or from what hell they escaped."
I received a free digital ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Read
May 19, 2015DNF'd with no rating. I didn't make it far enough to even rate. I think this was written by a ten year old.
April 19, 2015
Hoo boy.
Though unpolished, I really liked the first book, Beau, Lee, The Bomb, and Me ...and don't worry, The Bomb is a sweet doggy (that has terrible flatulence -- thus the name). I felt that the themes and the stories were amazing. You can see the ratings weren't great, but I loved it. The story was about some kids in school that were frequently bullied for different reasons. They go on a road trip, learn about each other, and learn about their place in this world and how to make a difference.
Book #2, The Hurt Patrol got better ratings overall, but to me needed a lot more editing. This was Beau's story as told by Rusty (which was the biggest issue and barrier for readers in my opinion).
*Heavy sigh* This book needed major editing in my opinion. As with the other two books the author starts the book with MC Rusty in full blown teenage vernacular. It's distracting. However, as each book progresses, and the author gets into the story, this slowly goes away in favor of a stronger MC voice. The author should start with that more mature voice. This story was fairly anticlimactic, but ties up what happens to the three as they are about to graduate.
The story was too long, covered a variety of things that didn't quite mesh. It's too bad really. This was one I was really hoping would return to the magic of the first book.
Thank you Netgalley for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Though unpolished, I really liked the first book, Beau, Lee, The Bomb, and Me ...and don't worry, The Bomb is a sweet doggy (that has terrible flatulence -- thus the name). I felt that the themes and the stories were amazing. You can see the ratings weren't great, but I loved it. The story was about some kids in school that were frequently bullied for different reasons. They go on a road trip, learn about each other, and learn about their place in this world and how to make a difference.
Book #2, The Hurt Patrol got better ratings overall, but to me needed a lot more editing. This was Beau's story as told by Rusty (which was the biggest issue and barrier for readers in my opinion).
*Heavy sigh* This book needed major editing in my opinion. As with the other two books the author starts the book with MC Rusty in full blown teenage vernacular. It's distracting. However, as each book progresses, and the author gets into the story, this slowly goes away in favor of a stronger MC voice. The author should start with that more mature voice. This story was fairly anticlimactic, but ties up what happens to the three as they are about to graduate.
The story was too long, covered a variety of things that didn't quite mesh. It's too bad really. This was one I was really hoping would return to the magic of the first book.
Thank you Netgalley for a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 4, 2014
Beau, Lee, the Bomb & Me by Mary McKinley is a first reads win and I'm giving my honest opinion. This story tells of bullying and learning to fight back. Rusty is sick of the bullying she gets from her classmates. She is smart and big. Lee hangs out with her. Lee is beautiful but for some reason she acts as a slut. New kid moves into town. His name is Beau. An instant dislike from the kids. They discover he's gay. One day he was crossing the campus when four of the bullies beat the crape out of him necessatating a visit to the hospital. his mom threatens to sue the school and three of the four boys. Beau is done with all the crape. He wants to visit his gay uncle in San Francisco. They make plans to leave. Rusty will drive her moms minivan. Rusty looks up the blue book value and leaves her mom the cash she's been saving up. They take off but first head to the Oregon town where Twilight was filmed.
October 8, 2014
I received an e-copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
DNF- 30%
Full review can be seen on my blog, The Hardcover Lover.
DNF- 30%
Full review can be seen on my blog, The Hardcover Lover.
June 30, 2019
four stars for beau, leonie, the bomb, and the uncles (especially uncle oscar—his dialogue was my favorite), but the missing fifth star is for how much rusty annoyed me and the writing style (wayyyy too many exclamation points, terrible use of slang, and the super cheesy last page)
December 17, 2014
I received an ARC through NetGalley.
Beau, Lee, The Bomb & Me sounded like it was going to be a fun story with a lot of heart. Well, it's more like a big, ol' mess and then gets a lot of heart at the end. Rusty is our 200+ pound narrator who is tortured daily at school, so she's happy when there's a new kid to take some of the pressure off of her. Of course, she and Beau strike up a friendship and brave the bullies together. At least until things go too far and Beau is beat up. He needs to get away, so he decides to reach out to his gay uncle in San Francisco. Rusty gets her mom's van, and then their friend Leonie jumps in with them, and off they go on a road trip from Seattle to the city by the bay.
I immediately hated Rusty. She is completely irritating. She's smart, which is great, but she's also one of those smart people who uses her brains to put others down. She doesn't do it to their face, but she makes a lot of snarky comments about everyone. And just about anytime she makes a reference to something, she follows it up with "look it up" because apparently there's no way we can know what she's talking about. She also has no filter, so the first half of Beau, Lee, The Bomb & Me feels very rambly and all over the place. Rusty seriously says everything that comes to mind, and that girl has some high and mighty opinion on EVERYTHING. I just could not stand her. She does mellow out during their trip though, which was good. Oh, and there are no chapter breaks which added to the rambly feel, and the most common punctuation was an ellipsis...
I also had major issues with Rusty's best friend, Leonie. She's the pretty girl who's kind of an outcast because she's a slut. That's all well and good, except she's also an idiot. This girl knows nothing. She's been having a relationship with one of her teachers for two years (she's 16), and doesn't understand why she can't shout their love from the rooftops. Um, seriously? It's illegal! Rusty explains this to her but she doesn't know what her boyfriend being in a "position of authority" means and why that's bad. She does have some big revelation about their relationship later and calls it off, but not because she realizes he's using her (and she still doesn't understand why it's illegal!!!), but because he doesn't pick her up or meet her anywhere. She always has to go to him. Are you kidding me right now!? Leoni also didn't know what homophobia was, and then didn't get what it had to do with Beau, who is gay and getting harassed because of it. Basically, everyone had to explain everything to her because she knows nothing. Then she'd get stuck on some aspect of conversations that wasn't even the point of what they're talking about, and it was just frustrating!
The road trip portion of Beau, Lee, The Bomb & Me was kind of fun, but I was very annoyed with it at first. Beau and Leonie want to take a detour to Forks, which is 200 miles out of their way. If I was Rusty, I'd be irritated by them too. But instead of explaining that they're short on gas money and it's too far out of the way, she goes on and on and on about how stupid Twilight is until Lee points out that just because she doesn't like it, doesn't mean she gets to make them feel bad for liking it. And then Rusty is all concerned about their funds, but stops at two restaurants in one day and orders full meals, then whines when Lee wants a t-shirt as a souvenir. But then Rusty rents a cabin so Beau can see the ocean, because apparently the Pacific Ocean doesn't exist at their destination, and then proceeds to whine about money again. COME ON!
Once our trio (plus a dog Lee rescues) arrives in San Francisco things do get better. I really liked Beau's uncles. They were both funny, but also taught them a lot about their struggles and what they're doing to change things. However, there are pages and pages of ranting, which felt like having their message shoved down my throat. I totally agree with everything their saying, but it kind of felt like an attack of opinion. And it just kept going and going and going. Uncle Oscar also came across as an inspirational poster rather than a believable character. The last quarter of Beau, Lee, The Bomb & Me was pretty great though. I loved how everything turned out, especially for Rusty, even if I still didn't like her at all.
In the end, Beau, Lee, The Bomb & Me was a huge disappointment. The only character I actually liked and thought was written well was Beau. I felt so bad when he didn't get the answers he hoped for, but it's not up to his uncles to tell him how to live his life. It was also nice to see his eyes opened up to a whole world of possibilities. Unfortunately, everyone else sucked, especially our narrator.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
Beau, Lee, The Bomb & Me sounded like it was going to be a fun story with a lot of heart. Well, it's more like a big, ol' mess and then gets a lot of heart at the end. Rusty is our 200+ pound narrator who is tortured daily at school, so she's happy when there's a new kid to take some of the pressure off of her. Of course, she and Beau strike up a friendship and brave the bullies together. At least until things go too far and Beau is beat up. He needs to get away, so he decides to reach out to his gay uncle in San Francisco. Rusty gets her mom's van, and then their friend Leonie jumps in with them, and off they go on a road trip from Seattle to the city by the bay.
I immediately hated Rusty. She is completely irritating. She's smart, which is great, but she's also one of those smart people who uses her brains to put others down. She doesn't do it to their face, but she makes a lot of snarky comments about everyone. And just about anytime she makes a reference to something, she follows it up with "look it up" because apparently there's no way we can know what she's talking about. She also has no filter, so the first half of Beau, Lee, The Bomb & Me feels very rambly and all over the place. Rusty seriously says everything that comes to mind, and that girl has some high and mighty opinion on EVERYTHING. I just could not stand her. She does mellow out during their trip though, which was good. Oh, and there are no chapter breaks which added to the rambly feel, and the most common punctuation was an ellipsis...
I also had major issues with Rusty's best friend, Leonie. She's the pretty girl who's kind of an outcast because she's a slut. That's all well and good, except she's also an idiot. This girl knows nothing. She's been having a relationship with one of her teachers for two years (she's 16), and doesn't understand why she can't shout their love from the rooftops. Um, seriously? It's illegal! Rusty explains this to her but she doesn't know what her boyfriend being in a "position of authority" means and why that's bad. She does have some big revelation about their relationship later and calls it off, but not because she realizes he's using her (and she still doesn't understand why it's illegal!!!), but because he doesn't pick her up or meet her anywhere. She always has to go to him. Are you kidding me right now!? Leoni also didn't know what homophobia was, and then didn't get what it had to do with Beau, who is gay and getting harassed because of it. Basically, everyone had to explain everything to her because she knows nothing. Then she'd get stuck on some aspect of conversations that wasn't even the point of what they're talking about, and it was just frustrating!
The road trip portion of Beau, Lee, The Bomb & Me was kind of fun, but I was very annoyed with it at first. Beau and Leonie want to take a detour to Forks, which is 200 miles out of their way. If I was Rusty, I'd be irritated by them too. But instead of explaining that they're short on gas money and it's too far out of the way, she goes on and on and on about how stupid Twilight is until Lee points out that just because she doesn't like it, doesn't mean she gets to make them feel bad for liking it. And then Rusty is all concerned about their funds, but stops at two restaurants in one day and orders full meals, then whines when Lee wants a t-shirt as a souvenir. But then Rusty rents a cabin so Beau can see the ocean, because apparently the Pacific Ocean doesn't exist at their destination, and then proceeds to whine about money again. COME ON!
Once our trio (plus a dog Lee rescues) arrives in San Francisco things do get better. I really liked Beau's uncles. They were both funny, but also taught them a lot about their struggles and what they're doing to change things. However, there are pages and pages of ranting, which felt like having their message shoved down my throat. I totally agree with everything their saying, but it kind of felt like an attack of opinion. And it just kept going and going and going. Uncle Oscar also came across as an inspirational poster rather than a believable character. The last quarter of Beau, Lee, The Bomb & Me was pretty great though. I loved how everything turned out, especially for Rusty, even if I still didn't like her at all.
In the end, Beau, Lee, The Bomb & Me was a huge disappointment. The only character I actually liked and thought was written well was Beau. I felt so bad when he didn't get the answers he hoped for, but it's not up to his uncles to tell him how to live his life. It was also nice to see his eyes opened up to a whole world of possibilities. Unfortunately, everyone else sucked, especially our narrator.
Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.
December 30, 2015
I would rate 1/5 stars for this book.
There are a lot of slangs and spoken language, which to some extent is alright, but I think it is overused in this book.
The story didn't impress me or live up to my expectations. I could only read 1/5 of the book and get bored afterwards. The book didn't progress in the beginning much but rather just going around and around. Therefore, I didn't want to finish it.
I'm sorry if my opinion differs from others', but this is just how I thought and felt when reading the book.
There are a lot of slangs and spoken language, which to some extent is alright, but I think it is overused in this book.
The story didn't impress me or live up to my expectations. I could only read 1/5 of the book and get bored afterwards. The book didn't progress in the beginning much but rather just going around and around. Therefore, I didn't want to finish it.
I'm sorry if my opinion differs from others', but this is just how I thought and felt when reading the book.
September 17, 2014
If you have a memory of the time when you defended a friend for anything, felt the hopeless sting of school clique rejection, realized the strength and joy of bonding with those who are "different" or in desperate need, you will want to stand up and cheer for these four outcasts as they find their way in the bigger world.
Mary McKinley has a fresh and wonderful voice: she captures the pain, the indignity, the anxiety, and finally the triumph of the outcast teen. Love it.
Mary McKinley has a fresh and wonderful voice: she captures the pain, the indignity, the anxiety, and finally the triumph of the outcast teen. Love it.
October 7, 2015
When 16-year-old Rusty sees new boy Beau appear at her school she is relieve he will be fresh meat for the bullies who torment Rusty for being fat. She’s right they paint die fag on Beau’s locker and beat him up. Desperate he decides to run away in search of his gay uncle in San Francisco.
Read
October 5, 2014This one was interesting and full of heavy situations. Review to come
Want to read
October 29, 2014*I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. I will read and review the book when I receive it.*
did-not-finish
December 31, 2014DNF at 10%
December 5, 2018
High school is hard. I know this as a) someone who attended high school and b) as someone who now works in a high school. It was difficult for me and someone who had a fairly typical upbringing but it must be even harder if you are an outsider, or the kids who is considered to be a bit easy or to be the new kid who happens to be gay. These three character types are present in Beau, Lee, the Bomb and Me, the sensational novel by Mary McKinley.
The story centres on Rusty (the Outsider), she is your classic overweight girl who just tries to get through high school. Her two best friends Lee (the Easy One) and Beau (the Gay One) are her support system. Without them she would be lost and lonely. When Beau is attacked in a heinous hate crime and decides to leave, Rusty decides to go with him and Lee tags along for the ride.
They head towards San Francisco because Beau believes life will be better for him there. Along the way they discover the delights of driving across America alongside discovering things about themselves.
Beau, Lee, the Bomb and Me is a classic coming of age story (which is one of my two favourite types of story and it is a classic road trip story (my other favourite kind). Combined, there was no way I was going to hate this novel. In fact, I would go so far as to say that I bloody loved it. I loved how McKinley created these characters that one the outside, to other people they seemed like a motley crew of misfits but actually it was just the narrow minded attitude of others that needed a reality check.
Beau, Lee, the Bomb and Me is a combination of great story telling, loveable characters and history lesson and I would and will recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
Beau, Lee, the Bomb and Me by Mary McKinley is available now.
The story centres on Rusty (the Outsider), she is your classic overweight girl who just tries to get through high school. Her two best friends Lee (the Easy One) and Beau (the Gay One) are her support system. Without them she would be lost and lonely. When Beau is attacked in a heinous hate crime and decides to leave, Rusty decides to go with him and Lee tags along for the ride.
They head towards San Francisco because Beau believes life will be better for him there. Along the way they discover the delights of driving across America alongside discovering things about themselves.
Beau, Lee, the Bomb and Me is a classic coming of age story (which is one of my two favourite types of story and it is a classic road trip story (my other favourite kind). Combined, there was no way I was going to hate this novel. In fact, I would go so far as to say that I bloody loved it. I loved how McKinley created these characters that one the outside, to other people they seemed like a motley crew of misfits but actually it was just the narrow minded attitude of others that needed a reality check.
Beau, Lee, the Bomb and Me is a combination of great story telling, loveable characters and history lesson and I would and will recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
Beau, Lee, the Bomb and Me by Mary McKinley is available now.
February 22, 2018
It's been so long since I found a book that I could immediately connect with. Rylee, the narrator, is literally me in a nutshell. I related so hard with this character both physically and mentally! I love the rest of the characters with all of my heart, but Uncle Oscar holds a special place in my heart. His confidence is what I aspire for. This book is a beautiful and sad story of growing up, and learning how to grab the reins of life and run with it. I truly recommend this book to everyone!
February 17, 2018
This was a fun story - the ending was a little too perfect for me, but I really liked the narrator.
June 20, 2019
The damaged-teenagers road-trip story I didn't know I needed. Someone needs to make it into a Christmastime TV movie. I'd watch the hell out of it.
June 16, 2020
Okay this was not my kind of book the dialogue was difficult for me to get through
however, I do appreciate what the author was trying to accomplish with this book.
I felt that the author was trying to tackle topics and put them in a perspective
that perhaps can help people to understand those topics etc.
I honestly don't know.
The synopsis gives you enough so I don't need to go into it.
I would like to try another book by this author in the future.
This book just wasn't my cup of tea but, appreciated for others.
however, I do appreciate what the author was trying to accomplish with this book.
I felt that the author was trying to tackle topics and put them in a perspective
that perhaps can help people to understand those topics etc.
I honestly don't know.
The synopsis gives you enough so I don't need to go into it.
I would like to try another book by this author in the future.
This book just wasn't my cup of tea but, appreciated for others.
November 17, 2016
I'm honestly surprised at how much I ended up loving this book.
I already liked the book from the beginning because I thought the main character, Rusty, was very funny and I liked her sarcasm. I also liked the way the book is written. Since it's told from her point of view, it's written as if it's her speaking voice. That makes the pacing unique and it makes the descriptions even funnier because it's being told through her humerous perspective.
At first, I wasn't sold on the plot, though. The pacing was a little slow and pointless for me at times. But, by the end, I was seriously laughing out loud hysterically. I love how the relationships between the characters grew and became more realistic. By the end, I was really attached to them and felt like they were real life friends. I related to them and their love for one another so much. I especially love Beau's uncles! They're so tender and loveable - they're like somewhere between being fairy godmothers and santa claus.
SPOILERS BELOW...
I also love how all the friends overcame their own personal obstacles. It was so inspiring. It was a feel-good ending and I'm glad. At one point I thought that everything was set up for disaster to strike. But I'm glad the book didn't try to cop out with some needlessly dark and tragic ending.
The other thing the story made me realize is how far we've come in such a short time. This book is copyrighted in 2014 and I was so confused at first because the uncles were wistfully waiting for a day in which they could finally marry. I forgot how recent it was that something as basic as gay marriage was FINALLY legalized! We have so many battles to fight still, but it it made me happy to remember that we ARE making progress. The world IS getting beter and one day maybe there won't be any places where kids like Beau have to run away from violence...
I already liked the book from the beginning because I thought the main character, Rusty, was very funny and I liked her sarcasm. I also liked the way the book is written. Since it's told from her point of view, it's written as if it's her speaking voice. That makes the pacing unique and it makes the descriptions even funnier because it's being told through her humerous perspective.
At first, I wasn't sold on the plot, though. The pacing was a little slow and pointless for me at times. But, by the end, I was seriously laughing out loud hysterically. I love how the relationships between the characters grew and became more realistic. By the end, I was really attached to them and felt like they were real life friends. I related to them and their love for one another so much. I especially love Beau's uncles! They're so tender and loveable - they're like somewhere between being fairy godmothers and santa claus.
SPOILERS BELOW...
I also love how all the friends overcame their own personal obstacles. It was so inspiring. It was a feel-good ending and I'm glad. At one point I thought that everything was set up for disaster to strike. But I'm glad the book didn't try to cop out with some needlessly dark and tragic ending.
The other thing the story made me realize is how far we've come in such a short time. This book is copyrighted in 2014 and I was so confused at first because the uncles were wistfully waiting for a day in which they could finally marry. I forgot how recent it was that something as basic as gay marriage was FINALLY legalized! We have so many battles to fight still, but it it made me happy to remember that we ARE making progress. The world IS getting beter and one day maybe there won't be any places where kids like Beau have to run away from violence...
January 29, 2015
3.5 stars
There was a lot to like about this book and some points I’d like to make as to why it could have been a better book. What was so wonderful about this novel, I believe is the storyline for starters. Bullying and being different was the story's theme. Rusty, was humiliated every day at school and it just became routine for him. Beau, a new student, starts taking the heat from the students because he’s gay. Rusty and Beau end up being friends and they lean on each other. This sounds like a great start and it is. The guys at school start a fight with Beau and his mother decides to call authorities. It’s too much for Beau so he decides it time to visit his uncle in San Francisco, perhaps he can give Beau some advice. Rusty knows he can’t travel this distance by himself, so she decides to accompany him and before long it’s a road trip. Leonie decides to join them also as her relationship is drama with a capital d. Everything moves smoothly, almost too smoothly I believe and the pace is quick. Things happen too rapidly without any warning. It’s not as if I wanted harm or conflict to the characters, I just felt that among the characters things were too perfect. They did have an incident with the Bomb but it only lasted for a few minutes otherwise they were one with each other. In San Francisco, the teens are living the life with Beau’s uncle and his partner, Oscar. My favorite character has to be Oscar. I loved his talks, his random all over the place feelings that were spewing from his lips. His thoughts were all tied together along a string, each like a thread falling off to the side, all filled with emotions and held together with his passion and energy. This book was good yet too perfect for me.
#DiveDiversity
There was a lot to like about this book and some points I’d like to make as to why it could have been a better book. What was so wonderful about this novel, I believe is the storyline for starters. Bullying and being different was the story's theme. Rusty, was humiliated every day at school and it just became routine for him. Beau, a new student, starts taking the heat from the students because he’s gay. Rusty and Beau end up being friends and they lean on each other. This sounds like a great start and it is. The guys at school start a fight with Beau and his mother decides to call authorities. It’s too much for Beau so he decides it time to visit his uncle in San Francisco, perhaps he can give Beau some advice. Rusty knows he can’t travel this distance by himself, so she decides to accompany him and before long it’s a road trip. Leonie decides to join them also as her relationship is drama with a capital d. Everything moves smoothly, almost too smoothly I believe and the pace is quick. Things happen too rapidly without any warning. It’s not as if I wanted harm or conflict to the characters, I just felt that among the characters things were too perfect. They did have an incident with the Bomb but it only lasted for a few minutes otherwise they were one with each other. In San Francisco, the teens are living the life with Beau’s uncle and his partner, Oscar. My favorite character has to be Oscar. I loved his talks, his random all over the place feelings that were spewing from his lips. His thoughts were all tied together along a string, each like a thread falling off to the side, all filled with emotions and held together with his passion and energy. This book was good yet too perfect for me.
#DiveDiversity
January 30, 2015
It's bad enough being smart or fat in a high school with known bullying issues, Rusty Winters is both. It's even worse to be gay, which is unfortunate for new kid Beau Gales.
When Beau arrives, Rusty's first thought is relief when she thinks the school might have someone else to target for a while. But when Rusty and Beau become fast friends, it hits her hard when Beau's bullying escalates to a beating on his way home. Rusty and fellow misfit Leonie readily agree to follow Beau when he decides to run away to San Francisco to ask his gay uncle for advice.
This road-trip novel is peppered with nods to The Wizard of Oz that range from clever to heavy-handed. A detour to the town of Forks (of "Twilight" fame) and numerous additional plot points—including the friends deciding how to properly deal with Leonie's molestation by her teacher and others, a car-jacking, and more—force much of the character development off-page in the form of time jumps and informative asides.
Lengthy passages about the devastating effects of the AIDS outbreak, often reductive explanations of the gay rights movement, and numerous reminders about the importance of tolerance lend a self-righteous tone to the narrative.
While the issues of bullying and gay rights are timely, outmoded pop-culture references and odd slang choices lend a dated feel to this novel. Worth a look for those hoping to flesh out their LGBTQ or bullying selections as well as hardcore Oz-philes. A good choice to pair with Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan.
*A slightly different version of this review appeared in an issue of School Library Journal from which it can be seen in various sites online*
When Beau arrives, Rusty's first thought is relief when she thinks the school might have someone else to target for a while. But when Rusty and Beau become fast friends, it hits her hard when Beau's bullying escalates to a beating on his way home. Rusty and fellow misfit Leonie readily agree to follow Beau when he decides to run away to San Francisco to ask his gay uncle for advice.
This road-trip novel is peppered with nods to The Wizard of Oz that range from clever to heavy-handed. A detour to the town of Forks (of "Twilight" fame) and numerous additional plot points—including the friends deciding how to properly deal with Leonie's molestation by her teacher and others, a car-jacking, and more—force much of the character development off-page in the form of time jumps and informative asides.
Lengthy passages about the devastating effects of the AIDS outbreak, often reductive explanations of the gay rights movement, and numerous reminders about the importance of tolerance lend a self-righteous tone to the narrative.
While the issues of bullying and gay rights are timely, outmoded pop-culture references and odd slang choices lend a dated feel to this novel. Worth a look for those hoping to flesh out their LGBTQ or bullying selections as well as hardcore Oz-philes. A good choice to pair with Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan.
*A slightly different version of this review appeared in an issue of School Library Journal from which it can be seen in various sites online*
November 25, 2014
A GoodReads Giveaway
“The first time I thought about killing myself, I was twelve,” says narrator Rylee Winters, now pushing seventeen.
She doesn’t think about suicide anymore but she remains hurt, angry and lonesome — an outcast, of sorts, because she is one of “the fat family.”
When Beau Gales registers at her school — Baboon High, in Rylee’s mind— she sees him as “fresh meat” for the school bullies to torture, thus taking some of the pressure off her.
But Beau turns out to be quite a guy. He has managed to have “forged kindness from the torment he’s faced.”
Leonie, nee DuBois, the nominal school slut, completes the trio of misfits — The Misfit Patrol — at the center of this novel…
…this novel that becomes the story of a road trip from Seattle to San Francisco, essential Beau’s quest to find a place where he feels at home. Beau hopes to find Answers About Life — kinda — from his Uncle Frank.
During the trip in Rylee’s mother’s van, the road warriors meet the Bomb. Yes, the Bomb, but I’m not revealing the nature of the Bomb. You’ll have to see for yourself.
The saddest line in the book is seen after Leonie [Lee] reveals that her stepfather molested her when she was a little girl: “I can’t even remember that little kid…the little girl I was.”
That is a heart-wrenching line, eh b’ys?
This novel is fun to read even though some of its pages are a smidgen preachy. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes a little needed sermonizing kicks butt.
Oh, another thing; you’ll hear tell of — and hear — some great music in this book, not the least of which is Uncle Oscar’s rendition of “Somewhere over the Rainbow”.
“The first time I thought about killing myself, I was twelve,” says narrator Rylee Winters, now pushing seventeen.
She doesn’t think about suicide anymore but she remains hurt, angry and lonesome — an outcast, of sorts, because she is one of “the fat family.”
When Beau Gales registers at her school — Baboon High, in Rylee’s mind— she sees him as “fresh meat” for the school bullies to torture, thus taking some of the pressure off her.
But Beau turns out to be quite a guy. He has managed to have “forged kindness from the torment he’s faced.”
Leonie, nee DuBois, the nominal school slut, completes the trio of misfits — The Misfit Patrol — at the center of this novel…
…this novel that becomes the story of a road trip from Seattle to San Francisco, essential Beau’s quest to find a place where he feels at home. Beau hopes to find Answers About Life — kinda — from his Uncle Frank.
During the trip in Rylee’s mother’s van, the road warriors meet the Bomb. Yes, the Bomb, but I’m not revealing the nature of the Bomb. You’ll have to see for yourself.
The saddest line in the book is seen after Leonie [Lee] reveals that her stepfather molested her when she was a little girl: “I can’t even remember that little kid…the little girl I was.”
That is a heart-wrenching line, eh b’ys?
This novel is fun to read even though some of its pages are a smidgen preachy. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes a little needed sermonizing kicks butt.
Oh, another thing; you’ll hear tell of — and hear — some great music in this book, not the least of which is Uncle Oscar’s rendition of “Somewhere over the Rainbow”.
December 15, 2014
Rylee is “..not just muffin top fat. Oh, no, no, my friends. I mean I stopped weighing after I reached two hundred and thirty pounds.” Rusty to her classmates, Rylee is tortured every day in the mean way kids can be- kicking her books down the hall, stepping on her hand... Beau comes to Seattle from another state. As a gay student he is also tortured, even beaten up, then blamed for the incident by the homophobic principal. Leonie looks for attention from anyone. Even if it means sexual favors from any boy at school- including her teacher. All feel they are misfits. All are bullied in the extreme.
So what do you do? Leave. It's almost winter break anyway. Let's steal the family van and head to San Francisco and Beau’s Uncle Frankie. He’s gay. He’ll have all the answers. Along the way, we'll steal an abused dog and wax poetic about the Pacific Ocean. Rylee’s voice is a perfect blend of comedic timing and serious observations on the world at large. We love the sassy teen who loves old music groups, and her playlist is in the appendix.
There are some historic facts that are untrue, but the tenor and theme are so well done, we overlook them. When Uncle Frankie’s partner says “hella true dat, dude,” the kids say it sounds preposterous. You feel like saying that to Rylee as well: lose the over-stylized language.
The second in the series, Rusty Summer, will be out in May of 2015.
A word to writers who write about Seattle: please don’t perpetuate the Seattle stereotype of rain and grey every single day. That’s so cliché and just incorrect.
So what do you do? Leave. It's almost winter break anyway. Let's steal the family van and head to San Francisco and Beau’s Uncle Frankie. He’s gay. He’ll have all the answers. Along the way, we'll steal an abused dog and wax poetic about the Pacific Ocean. Rylee’s voice is a perfect blend of comedic timing and serious observations on the world at large. We love the sassy teen who loves old music groups, and her playlist is in the appendix.
There are some historic facts that are untrue, but the tenor and theme are so well done, we overlook them. When Uncle Frankie’s partner says “hella true dat, dude,” the kids say it sounds preposterous. You feel like saying that to Rylee as well: lose the over-stylized language.
The second in the series, Rusty Summer, will be out in May of 2015.
A word to writers who write about Seattle: please don’t perpetuate the Seattle stereotype of rain and grey every single day. That’s so cliché and just incorrect.
September 21, 2014
With a terrific narrator – she is the vigorous glue that holds this book together – and with echoes of The Wizard of Oz – three kids bullied beyond belief head out to find one of the kid’s uncles who, he believes, will give him the heart to live and to find a true and real home.
But each of the kids is looking for something bullied out of their lives, and thus they come to that city of acceptance, San Francisco, to discover answers that will at least begin to solve their dilemmas.
Do they? You’re going to have to pick this up and find that out for yourself
There is so much good in this book, so much that everyone can find for themselves, for all of those, and there are more than you think, hurt at some point in their lives – here, there may be honest and up front wisdom.
I think the book is a little long and I am disappointed that the editor didn’t do more to cut this book a bit and there is also way out of date Valley Girl talk that hurts the dialogue and makes it seem, well, Valley Girl. Who says, ‘OMG! OMG! OMG!’ – I have never heard anyone of any age from anywhere go on like that. There is also out of date material on the AIDS Memorial Quilt – sadly, it is still growing and would fill the Washington, DC Mall as it did back in the 90s.
But there is too much good in this book to let these matters stop you from reading this – it is a marvelous book, and one of the best on bullying I have read.
But each of the kids is looking for something bullied out of their lives, and thus they come to that city of acceptance, San Francisco, to discover answers that will at least begin to solve their dilemmas.
Do they? You’re going to have to pick this up and find that out for yourself
There is so much good in this book, so much that everyone can find for themselves, for all of those, and there are more than you think, hurt at some point in their lives – here, there may be honest and up front wisdom.
I think the book is a little long and I am disappointed that the editor didn’t do more to cut this book a bit and there is also way out of date Valley Girl talk that hurts the dialogue and makes it seem, well, Valley Girl. Who says, ‘OMG! OMG! OMG!’ – I have never heard anyone of any age from anywhere go on like that. There is also out of date material on the AIDS Memorial Quilt – sadly, it is still growing and would fill the Washington, DC Mall as it did back in the 90s.
But there is too much good in this book to let these matters stop you from reading this – it is a marvelous book, and one of the best on bullying I have read.
December 6, 2014
I have picked this one up and set it down a few times now. I feel so guilty setting it aside because it hits on the serious issue of bullying, self-worth, and more. I totally respect the author for tackling these subjects.
Unfortunately, I'm struggling. It's a social commentary more so than a story so far in the pages that I've read. I wanted more story. I also am not in the right frame of mind for something so heavy. I know that is the authenticity of the piece because bullying does make life ugly and horrid to live day by day which is why I guess I don't want to relive it through a story. I read the blurb and it was clear what to expect, but I focused in more on the road trip adventure side of the story and not what led up to it so that's on me.
So I guess its a case of 'it's me and not you' when it comes to the fit between me and this book being off. Maybe some other time I'll pick the book up again. I do wish to say that I was impressed by that very authenticity. I truly felt like I was hanging out with a group of misfit teens and what it is like for them. The author's writing style and tone were good as was her ability to draw me in. I would read something else she wrote.
Unfortunately, I'm struggling. It's a social commentary more so than a story so far in the pages that I've read. I wanted more story. I also am not in the right frame of mind for something so heavy. I know that is the authenticity of the piece because bullying does make life ugly and horrid to live day by day which is why I guess I don't want to relive it through a story. I read the blurb and it was clear what to expect, but I focused in more on the road trip adventure side of the story and not what led up to it so that's on me.
So I guess its a case of 'it's me and not you' when it comes to the fit between me and this book being off. Maybe some other time I'll pick the book up again. I do wish to say that I was impressed by that very authenticity. I truly felt like I was hanging out with a group of misfit teens and what it is like for them. The author's writing style and tone were good as was her ability to draw me in. I would read something else she wrote.
December 8, 2014
****An Advanced Reading Copy of Beau, Lee, The Bomb & Me by Marry McKinley was generously provided to me via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.
This book is literally about the title; a boy named Beau, a girl named Lee, a dog called The Bomb and Me--by Me I mean another girl named Rusty.
It's about bullying that being written descriptively, I can feel the 'shame' that these teenagers feels. What a sad fact that today's bullying can be this harsh or maybe even harsher. I don't understand why. Anyway, what I don't really like about this book is that, Rusty, the main character, constantly thinking that she's so much better than other people yet she don't have a guts to prove it. She just sulks there but whining inside.
Beau is gay, Lee is acting like a slut, Rusty is smart but fat and together they're going on a road trip where Beau could seek advice from his uncle. It's a pretty fun read, but these gang continue acting like a bunch of children instead of teenagers and that annoys me.
Overall I enjoyed it but this book is clearly not my favorite. The theme is good, if only the writing is not this childish.
This book is literally about the title; a boy named Beau, a girl named Lee, a dog called The Bomb and Me--by Me I mean another girl named Rusty.
It's about bullying that being written descriptively, I can feel the 'shame' that these teenagers feels. What a sad fact that today's bullying can be this harsh or maybe even harsher. I don't understand why. Anyway, what I don't really like about this book is that, Rusty, the main character, constantly thinking that she's so much better than other people yet she don't have a guts to prove it. She just sulks there but whining inside.
Beau is gay, Lee is acting like a slut, Rusty is smart but fat and together they're going on a road trip where Beau could seek advice from his uncle. It's a pretty fun read, but these gang continue acting like a bunch of children instead of teenagers and that annoys me.
Overall I enjoyed it but this book is clearly not my favorite. The theme is good, if only the writing is not this childish.
December 26, 2014
I was extremely disappointed with this book. I had high expectations, which after a rather promising beginning fell quickly by the wayside.
Rylee aka Rusty is an extremely overweight "carrot-topped" high school girl who is used to being a loner, when she meets Beau, a new boy at school who is nice. Soon, along with her only other friend Leonie, the three become inseparable through their shared loneliness and ostracized status. From here, the book descends quickly. After Beau is designated as being gay, bullied to the point of being beaten comes the to-be-expected road trip to (oh, you don't have to guess!) San Francisco to meet his gay uncle.
The language in this book is outdated, but the far more egregious habit of the author is the tendency to overwrite. Even emotional action is examined in excruciating detail. The characters are overly-stereotypical and the history lesson is beaten into the reader's skull for far too many pages.
As an advocate and enthusiast of well-written YA novel involving the LGBT community, I am deeply sadden at the acceptance of this work for publication.
Rylee aka Rusty is an extremely overweight "carrot-topped" high school girl who is used to being a loner, when she meets Beau, a new boy at school who is nice. Soon, along with her only other friend Leonie, the three become inseparable through their shared loneliness and ostracized status. From here, the book descends quickly. After Beau is designated as being gay, bullied to the point of being beaten comes the to-be-expected road trip to (oh, you don't have to guess!) San Francisco to meet his gay uncle.
The language in this book is outdated, but the far more egregious habit of the author is the tendency to overwrite. Even emotional action is examined in excruciating detail. The characters are overly-stereotypical and the history lesson is beaten into the reader's skull for far too many pages.
As an advocate and enthusiast of well-written YA novel involving the LGBT community, I am deeply sadden at the acceptance of this work for publication.
September 12, 2015
I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Mary McKinley, Kensington and Netgalley. A copy of this review is posted on my blog, too: flyingbookpages.wordpress.com
Believe me, I tried. I love discovering good books and the privilege to read awesome books in advance is just so overwhelming and I rarely DNF a book. *sigh* This is the second book that I DNF-ed this year.
If you read my review for "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl", you know why I don't DNF a book. And I honestly want to know what this is all about and how it ends but I'm truly sorry because I didn't understand one thing.
I barely got to the first 5% of the book when I put it down. I tried going back to it the next few days but it still didn't work. I was convinced that I had a reading slump so I decided to read some other books and I loved them. I wasn't on a slump. This book just didn't work for me.
So I'm sorry, Mary, for not finishing the book. I know Rylie has an awesome story to tell but it's just not for me.
Believe me, I tried. I love discovering good books and the privilege to read awesome books in advance is just so overwhelming and I rarely DNF a book. *sigh* This is the second book that I DNF-ed this year.
If you read my review for "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl", you know why I don't DNF a book. And I honestly want to know what this is all about and how it ends but I'm truly sorry because I didn't understand one thing.
I barely got to the first 5% of the book when I put it down. I tried going back to it the next few days but it still didn't work. I was convinced that I had a reading slump so I decided to read some other books and I loved them. I wasn't on a slump. This book just didn't work for me.
So I'm sorry, Mary, for not finishing the book. I know Rylie has an awesome story to tell but it's just not for me.
October 5, 2014
This was just an okay book for me, one that I probably would not have finished if it weren't an ARC. The premise is familiar-teenage bullying far more extreme than many of us have ever experienced. I'm not saying this worst case scenario doesn't happen, but it just seemed a bit clichéd. And of course the band of misfits in this tale find each other, seek each other out for comfort and solace. I'm not sure why this one didn't connect with me. I felt the dialogue was a bit too forced, a bit too sarcastic and biting far too often. I'm sure it was meant to be humorous but I found it to be more of a distraction. The book was short enough to be of interest to those looking for a fairly quick, although twisted, read on the trials and tribulations of navigating high school life.
ARC provided by NetGalley
ARC provided by NetGalley
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