What do you think?
Rate this book
Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome Episode I: Bad Boy
In February 1986, once-invisible sophomore Avery “Ace” Craig suddenly becomes the most magnetic guy at Hancock High. Armed with a Walkman and mixtapes packed with everything from AHa to ZZ Top, Avery charges toward manhood with confidence, charisma, and a genius IQ—but has no clue how to handle what’s next.
On a school trip to D.C., a handshake with President Reagan, a glimpse of his future, and a sexual awakening set off a chain reaction. Girls notice him, his hormones detonate, and his friends are clueless. With no adults to turn to, Ace must navigate the thrilling, terrifying terrain alone—with only a Boy Scout Handbook, his instincts, and a Princess Leia poster to guide him.
Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome, the product of ten years’ relentless craftsmanship and an immersive exploration of teen experience, takes a sensual and unflinching look at teenage relationships. A saga about the freedom, romance, and epic adventure of suburban life in Cold War America, Episode I: Bad Boy is for readers seeking a time machine back to the last great American decade.
386 pages, Paperback
Published January 20, 2026
17 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Chris Orcutt
16 books19 followersChris Orcutt is a professional writer with over thirty years of experience and more than a dozen meticulously crafted novels to his name.
Born in Maine, he has spent most of his life in New York. He attended college in Boston, graduating summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, with a degree in philosophy. His professional writing career began at Taconic Newspapers (where he was honored by the New York Press Association), followed by freelance reporting for the Poughkeepsie Journal, New York’s oldest newspaper.
In his 20s and early 30s, while honing his craft as a fiction writer, Orcutt earned a living as a high school American Studies teacher, college writing instructor, and speechwriter. His earlier fiction—including the Dakota Stevens Mystery Series and One Hundred Miles from Manhattan—has earned praise from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews.
For over a decade, Orcutt immersed himself in ’80s teen culture and shunned the internet in monastic devotion to his magnum opus, Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome, a 9-book episodic novel debuting in January 2026. Writing drafts on typewriters and vintage computers, blasting everything from A-Ha to ZZ Top, and drinking enough coffee to fill a swimming pool (seriously), he set out to craft an authentic and fearless exploration of the suburban teenage experience in 1980s America. The result prompted one cultural historian to dub him “Lord of the ’80s” and another “The American Tolstoy.”
He loathes bad writing, stoplights, Grammarly, and pretentious people—but loves old movies, Peanuts comics, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, and cross-country skiing. Orcutt lives quietly in New York’s Hudson Valley with his wife and Muse, Alexas, and their dog Dashiell Hammett.
Follow me on Facebook
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 22, 2026
* Thanks to the author and LibraryThing for an ARC. *
I realized immediately upon beginning that I am not the intended audience for this book; doubtless, many will find this delightful and satisfying. I was a parent during the times of this story so my memories are certainly colored differently, but the deeply portrayed cultural landscape of 1986 isn't just the stage, it takes the stage. All the rest is pretty cringe.
To me, vicarious wish-fulfillment dominates the book, with a way-too-cool teen-dude just sashaying his way through sexual affairs and hijinx: heavy mid-life crisis vibes, indeed. Thanks, but no thanks.
I realized immediately upon beginning that I am not the intended audience for this book; doubtless, many will find this delightful and satisfying. I was a parent during the times of this story so my memories are certainly colored differently, but the deeply portrayed cultural landscape of 1986 isn't just the stage, it takes the stage. All the rest is pretty cringe.
To me, vicarious wish-fulfillment dominates the book, with a way-too-cool teen-dude just sashaying his way through sexual affairs and hijinx: heavy mid-life crisis vibes, indeed. Thanks, but no thanks.
August 16, 2025
Okay, I am biased a bit as I have been the Muse to the author for almost 30 years. However, I am also a careful and critical reader and would never recommend a book it it were poorly written or boring.
Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome is an innovative genre-defining novel. Remember being 16 and every interaction and event felt EPIC? When friendships and relationships ran hot and cold and were the most important thing in your life? Orcutt captures ALL OF IT. The novel is 9 episodes because Avery and his friends have a LOT of feelings and adventures. This is a novel for the original latchkey kids...we lived it. For our parents and children, it will explain a lot about why our generation is the way we are (totally awesome).
Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome is an innovative genre-defining novel. Remember being 16 and every interaction and event felt EPIC? When friendships and relationships ran hot and cold and were the most important thing in your life? Orcutt captures ALL OF IT. The novel is 9 episodes because Avery and his friends have a LOT of feelings and adventures. This is a novel for the original latchkey kids...we lived it. For our parents and children, it will explain a lot about why our generation is the way we are (totally awesome).
August 25, 2025
For such an incredibly rich literary experience, Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome, Episode I: Bad Boy, reads easily and beautifully. The book isn’t just a glimpse of the 1980s; it IS the 1980s. Readers from all adult generations (Gen X, especially!) will love every word, scene, and thought.
There is something (well, many things) distinctive and remarkable about Chris Orcutt’s magnum opus. He reaches the heart and mind in a way so natural that the reading process comes off like seeing one’s own original thoughts and emotions in print—this is very rare territory. He does things with Bad Boy that I cannot recall any other author doing, or doing nearly so well. Many of the 1980s period references are presented in novel ways that both explain the referenced elements and add ultra-realistic life to the story. Orcutt’s use of music is mind-blowing. All of his techniques, and his utter mastery of imaginative writing, add a relatability and “cannot put it down” fondness to his already fantastic plot and theme.
The plot, an introduction to the life and times of young hero Avery “Ace” Craig, flows like a roller coaster with action, drama, romance, humor, suspense, thrills, and more. It is all bound together in a simply mesmerizing fashion. There is a deep philosophy at work, magnified by a grounded psychology, an understanding of how men and women relate to each other, and a resonating dose of faith. In the end, readers are left with several concurrent cliffhangers: adventurous, potentially dangerous, and frantically passionate. All of it will leave readers predicting, picking sides, hoping, fearing, laughing, and holding on tight. Hurry up, Episode II!
Bad Boy is a genuinely encompassing and immersive adventure, one that will have the mind and heart buzzing, on multiple levels, and for some time once the reading stops. The book is fun, engaging, and staggeringly impactful. I suspect it will cement Orcutt’s place in the echelons of timeless literature. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.
There is something (well, many things) distinctive and remarkable about Chris Orcutt’s magnum opus. He reaches the heart and mind in a way so natural that the reading process comes off like seeing one’s own original thoughts and emotions in print—this is very rare territory. He does things with Bad Boy that I cannot recall any other author doing, or doing nearly so well. Many of the 1980s period references are presented in novel ways that both explain the referenced elements and add ultra-realistic life to the story. Orcutt’s use of music is mind-blowing. All of his techniques, and his utter mastery of imaginative writing, add a relatability and “cannot put it down” fondness to his already fantastic plot and theme.
The plot, an introduction to the life and times of young hero Avery “Ace” Craig, flows like a roller coaster with action, drama, romance, humor, suspense, thrills, and more. It is all bound together in a simply mesmerizing fashion. There is a deep philosophy at work, magnified by a grounded psychology, an understanding of how men and women relate to each other, and a resonating dose of faith. In the end, readers are left with several concurrent cliffhangers: adventurous, potentially dangerous, and frantically passionate. All of it will leave readers predicting, picking sides, hoping, fearing, laughing, and holding on tight. Hurry up, Episode II!
Bad Boy is a genuinely encompassing and immersive adventure, one that will have the mind and heart buzzing, on multiple levels, and for some time once the reading stops. The book is fun, engaging, and staggeringly impactful. I suspect it will cement Orcutt’s place in the echelons of timeless literature. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Dust off your Walkman, grab your Trapper Keeper, and race home to watch MTV. If you know what I’m talking about, then you are going to love the first installment of a 9 book series by Chris Orcutt titled Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome: Episode 1, Bad Boy. This trip down memory lane to 1986 is totally righteous and anything but bogus.
What I Liked About Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome:
Nostalgia:
I can’t think of a better time to be a teenager than in the 80s (other than the 50s maybe), and this book brings back all of the nostalgia from that time period. This is the first book of nine installments that brings back the memories of making mixtapes for your friends, and living with parents who smoked all of the time.
I laughed at the memory of answering the home rotary phone in one room, running to your bedroom to lift the receiver in your room, and then running back to the other room to hang up the other receiver. It brought back memories of my sister listening in on my phone calls, my mom getting on the line to tell me to go to bed, and then screening my calls once we got an answering machine.If you can’t relate to any of this, then this probably isn’t the book for you. If these moments ring true for you, Orcutt’s novel will be a total blast!
Playlist:
One of the book’s most brilliant features is the music playlist built right into the story. Orcutt scores each chapter with iconic 80s hits that serve as a clever ‘soundtrack’ for the plot. Instead of just reading the lyrics, I actually sang them to the tune in my head! It was so much fun to treat each song like a puzzle, hunting for hints about what would happen next. Tell me, which 80s song always gets you singing along?
The Characters:
Avery “Ace” Craig is your normal teenage boy. What I enjoy about his character is that he smart and respectful. He may be “hunky,” but his newfound status of “good-looking” among the girls happens almost overnight. I remember when I came back to school in the 10th grade and all of a sudden, the guys were taller than me and had muscles! It was the strangest thing. Avery is shocked by all of the girls’ attention, as well.
Since this is a coming-of-age story, you get the down and dirty mind of a teenage boy also. This is definitely not a young adult book that I would recommend to my students. This book is SPICY! I actually had to ask my husband if this is truly how a teenage boy’s mind works. I’ll let you guess what he said.
There is a wide range of female characters also. They are pretty common of what you would see in any normal high school. The sweet, the slutty, the smart, the shy, and the scrupulous. I wonder which character you are going to cheer for when it comes to who is best for Avery?
The Parts of Bodaciously True…That Made Me Laugh:
** “He stuffed his sweater in his bag and walked into her tiny classroom. Across the room, Miss Shipley sat on her desk with her legs crossed. She was correcting a stack of papers with a red pen.”
Why did this make me laugh? After teaching for 32 years, I can honestly say that I never sat on my desk to grade papers. It also cracked me up because at that time, everything was graded with a red pen. It was about the 2000s when it also became “outlawed” to grade with a red pen. We didn’t want to hurt the students’ feelings. 😉
** “Avery checked the mailbox, hoping the tapes he’d ordered from the Columbia House Record and Tape Club had arrived, but the box was empty.”
I can almost smell the cardboard box that those tapes came in. The exhilaration you felt when you saw the box in the mail was like no other. Oh, and in the box, Avery uses that company to get back at someone else. So funny, but you are going to have to read the book to find out what happened.
My Rating:
I enjoyed reading this book. I can’t wait to read the next installment when it comes out in April. It’s a lot of spice (if that bothers you, don’t read it), a lot of humor, and very relatable. I wish the first book had ended in a different way, but it helps to know the next one will be out soon. This is why I gave it four out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Chris Orcutt for providing a free copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.
What is your favorite 80s song or a specific memory from that era? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
What I Liked About Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome:
Nostalgia:
I can’t think of a better time to be a teenager than in the 80s (other than the 50s maybe), and this book brings back all of the nostalgia from that time period. This is the first book of nine installments that brings back the memories of making mixtapes for your friends, and living with parents who smoked all of the time.
I laughed at the memory of answering the home rotary phone in one room, running to your bedroom to lift the receiver in your room, and then running back to the other room to hang up the other receiver. It brought back memories of my sister listening in on my phone calls, my mom getting on the line to tell me to go to bed, and then screening my calls once we got an answering machine.If you can’t relate to any of this, then this probably isn’t the book for you. If these moments ring true for you, Orcutt’s novel will be a total blast!
Playlist:
One of the book’s most brilliant features is the music playlist built right into the story. Orcutt scores each chapter with iconic 80s hits that serve as a clever ‘soundtrack’ for the plot. Instead of just reading the lyrics, I actually sang them to the tune in my head! It was so much fun to treat each song like a puzzle, hunting for hints about what would happen next. Tell me, which 80s song always gets you singing along?
The Characters:
Avery “Ace” Craig is your normal teenage boy. What I enjoy about his character is that he smart and respectful. He may be “hunky,” but his newfound status of “good-looking” among the girls happens almost overnight. I remember when I came back to school in the 10th grade and all of a sudden, the guys were taller than me and had muscles! It was the strangest thing. Avery is shocked by all of the girls’ attention, as well.
Since this is a coming-of-age story, you get the down and dirty mind of a teenage boy also. This is definitely not a young adult book that I would recommend to my students. This book is SPICY! I actually had to ask my husband if this is truly how a teenage boy’s mind works. I’ll let you guess what he said.
There is a wide range of female characters also. They are pretty common of what you would see in any normal high school. The sweet, the slutty, the smart, the shy, and the scrupulous. I wonder which character you are going to cheer for when it comes to who is best for Avery?
The Parts of Bodaciously True…That Made Me Laugh:
** “He stuffed his sweater in his bag and walked into her tiny classroom. Across the room, Miss Shipley sat on her desk with her legs crossed. She was correcting a stack of papers with a red pen.”
Why did this make me laugh? After teaching for 32 years, I can honestly say that I never sat on my desk to grade papers. It also cracked me up because at that time, everything was graded with a red pen. It was about the 2000s when it also became “outlawed” to grade with a red pen. We didn’t want to hurt the students’ feelings. 😉
** “Avery checked the mailbox, hoping the tapes he’d ordered from the Columbia House Record and Tape Club had arrived, but the box was empty.”
I can almost smell the cardboard box that those tapes came in. The exhilaration you felt when you saw the box in the mail was like no other. Oh, and in the box, Avery uses that company to get back at someone else. So funny, but you are going to have to read the book to find out what happened.
My Rating:
I enjoyed reading this book. I can’t wait to read the next installment when it comes out in April. It’s a lot of spice (if that bothers you, don’t read it), a lot of humor, and very relatable. I wish the first book had ended in a different way, but it helps to know the next one will be out soon. This is why I gave it four out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Chris Orcutt for providing a free copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.
What is your favorite 80s song or a specific memory from that era? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
March 18, 2026
Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome Episode I: Bad Boy by Chris Orcutt is a vivid and immersive coming-of-age novel set in 1986, capturing the culture, energy, and emotional intensity of suburban America during the Cold War era.
The story follows Avery “Ace” Craig, a highly intelligent but socially inexperienced teen navigating sudden popularity, shifting relationships, and personal transformation. The blend of humor, nostalgia, and adolescent self discovery creates a dynamic narrative that reflects both the excitement and confusion of teenage life.
The novel’s strong sense of time and place complete with music references, cultural touchpoints, and historical context adds authenticity and atmosphere. At its core, the story explores identity, independence, and the transition into adulthood, all framed within a distinctly 1980s backdrop.
Overall, this book offers readers an energetic, character driven journey that combines nostalgia, growth, and bold storytelling into a memorable coming of age experience.
The story follows Avery “Ace” Craig, a highly intelligent but socially inexperienced teen navigating sudden popularity, shifting relationships, and personal transformation. The blend of humor, nostalgia, and adolescent self discovery creates a dynamic narrative that reflects both the excitement and confusion of teenage life.
The novel’s strong sense of time and place complete with music references, cultural touchpoints, and historical context adds authenticity and atmosphere. At its core, the story explores identity, independence, and the transition into adulthood, all framed within a distinctly 1980s backdrop.
Overall, this book offers readers an energetic, character driven journey that combines nostalgia, growth, and bold storytelling into a memorable coming of age experience.
January 21, 2026
Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome Episode I: Bad Boy was an uplifting, immersive read that feels like stepping through a time portal into the 1980s. Although I was not born in that decade, I have been on an 80s kick, and this book did an excellent job of making the era feel alive. The author’s use of definitions and explanations at the bottom of the page explain items in the 80s like dolphin shorts and Walkman’s. The inclusion of songs playing in key moments adds an extra sensory layer that lets you feel the mood and rhythm of the characters’ world. I also appreciated that the full list was collected at the back of the book, which made revisiting the vibe easy and intentional.
The story captures that specific magic of youth, when everything feels new, bright, and full of possibility.
That said, the final hundred pages began to feel a bit one note; and were a bit difficult to get through. I found myself wanting more emotional depth and contrast.
The story captures that specific magic of youth, when everything feels new, bright, and full of possibility.
That said, the final hundred pages began to feel a bit one note; and were a bit difficult to get through. I found myself wanting more emotional depth and contrast.
August 25, 2025
Reading Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome, Episode I: Bad Boy felt like stepping into a magical time machine—and I didn’t want to leave. The ‘80s setting is pitch-perfect, from the Walkman and mixtapes to the quiet chaos of figuring out who you are. Ace is such a lovable, messy character, and his coming-of-age story is both funny and incredibly moving.
There’s a deep nostalgia here—not just for the pop culture, but for that feeling of being on the edge of everything for the first time. It reminded me how strange, thrilling, and painful growing up can be. A heartfelt, beautifully nostalgic read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Have Pen, Will Travel for providing an eARC of Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome, Episode I: Bad Boy prior to publication.
There’s a deep nostalgia here—not just for the pop culture, but for that feeling of being on the edge of everything for the first time. It reminded me how strange, thrilling, and painful growing up can be. A heartfelt, beautifully nostalgic read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Have Pen, Will Travel for providing an eARC of Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome, Episode I: Bad Boy prior to publication.
January 15, 2026
Ace is a teenage boy, and this book sure feels like it was written by one. What I liked: the 80's setting and all the songs, fashions, pop culture. What I disliked: the horny teen, James Bond wannabe, point of view. For a while it was entertaining but then it got very oogey and then annoying. I think teenage boys must be the target audience (or middle-aged men who still think like teenage boys?) It was entertained by some of this, but it is no great literary feat.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review. All books are read by me and reviewed without the use of AI.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review. All books are read by me and reviewed without the use of AI.
October 18, 2025
I would like to thank to LibraryThing providing a copy of the book. Also to Chris Orcutt for signing my book.
80’s was the greatest time ever to be a teenager in America but if you have Ace���s charisma.
There is a lot of work on this book. This masterfully written, entertaining and enjoyable book unfortunately coincides with the farewell of MTV. I always had a smile on my face while reading it.
Looking forward to read the upcoming episodes.
80’s was the greatest time ever to be a teenager in America but if you have Ace���s charisma.
There is a lot of work on this book. This masterfully written, entertaining and enjoyable book unfortunately coincides with the farewell of MTV. I always had a smile on my face while reading it.
Looking forward to read the upcoming episodes.
November 12, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of Bodaciously True and Totally Awesome by Chris Orcutt! This book was a true blast from the past. If you have any connection to the 1980s- or just want to experience that unforgettable decade- this is the book for you. The music references are spot on and seamlessly woven into the story. The 80s were the best decade, and this book perfectly captures its energy, nostalgia, and spirit.
January 24, 2026
This book got off to a little bit of a slow start for me, but quickly turned into a super interesting read. Having gone through high school at around the same time the main character did, I thoroughly enjoyed all the blast-from-the-past references. I especially liked the interesting footnotes left scattered at the bottom of various pages that further explained some of the very 80's characteristics and events. Being a female, I found it intriguing to get inside the head of a guy in such a real and honest way. I must say, Ace seems to be larger than life, yet endearingly vulnerable and sexually desperate. Appreciated the reminiscing and perspective that this book provided. Can't wait to see what happens in Episode 2!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews