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Folded Notes from High School
A status-obsessed senior unexpectedly falls for a freshman because of his Danny Zuko audition in their high school's production of Grease in this epistolary novel set in 1991.
It's 1991, and Tara Maureen Murphy is finally on top. A frightening cross between Regina George and Tracy Flick, Tara Maureen Murphy is any high school's worst nightmare, bringing single-minded ambition, narcissism, manipulation, and jealousy to new extremes. She's got a hot jock boyfriend in Christopher Patrick Caparelli, her best friend Stef Campbell by her side, and she's a SENIOR, poised to star as Sandy in South High's production of Grease. Cinching the role is just one teensy step in Tara's plot to get out of her hometown and become the Broadway starlet she was born to be. She's grasping distance from the finish line--graduation and college are right around the corner--but she has to remain vigilant. It gets trickier with the arrival of freshman Matthew Bloom, whose dazzling audition for the role of Danny Zuko turns Tara's world upside down. Freshmen belong in the chorus, not the spotlight! But Tara's outrage is tinged with an unfamiliar emotion, at least to her: adoration. And what starts as a conniving ploy to "mentor" young Matt quickly turns into a romantic obsession that threatens to topple Tara's hard-won status at South High....
It's 1991, and Tara Maureen Murphy is finally on top. A frightening cross between Regina George and Tracy Flick, Tara Maureen Murphy is any high school's worst nightmare, bringing single-minded ambition, narcissism, manipulation, and jealousy to new extremes. She's got a hot jock boyfriend in Christopher Patrick Caparelli, her best friend Stef Campbell by her side, and she's a SENIOR, poised to star as Sandy in South High's production of Grease. Cinching the role is just one teensy step in Tara's plot to get out of her hometown and become the Broadway starlet she was born to be. She's grasping distance from the finish line--graduation and college are right around the corner--but she has to remain vigilant. It gets trickier with the arrival of freshman Matthew Bloom, whose dazzling audition for the role of Danny Zuko turns Tara's world upside down. Freshmen belong in the chorus, not the spotlight! But Tara's outrage is tinged with an unfamiliar emotion, at least to her: adoration. And what starts as a conniving ploy to "mentor" young Matt quickly turns into a romantic obsession that threatens to topple Tara's hard-won status at South High....
400 pages, Hardcover
First published April 3, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
June 3, 2018
I started reading Folded Notes from High School on 5/31/18 and finished it on 6/2/18. This book is an interesting read. Definitely fun to read private letters between high schoolers. I do wonder what other classmates are writing to their friends about as I’m also writing to my friends. I love the idea for this book with folded notes because I also did that back in high school. The folding of the notes and the passing to friends between classes was fun. This book didn’t include the excitement of writing in class, folding the notes, passing the notes in the hallways, and sneaking a read during class, but instead focus on the contents of the notes itself. I do like the references to what’s happening in the 90’s. I like the mention of using a Walkman to listen to music and making mixed tapes of songs as gifts. I did that too!
This book is told in a “folded notes” format with Tara Maureen Murphy writing to her boyfriend Christopher Patrick Caparelli (CPC) and replying to him after he wrote one to her. There are notes between Matthew (Matt) Bloom and Tara and notes from Tara to her best friend Stephanie Campbell. These notes are passed to each other in the high school hallways as a way of communication between 1991 to 1992, Tara’s senior year. Matt is CPC’s neighbor and new to high school. Tara wants to be nice to CPC’s neighbor and decides to write a welcome note to him. This book is organized by the school’s timeline, beginning with Sept 1991, at the start of the school year and every month after that. One day when Tara’s note to Matt ends up on Pam’s table, Pam decided to read it. Then Pam wrote a note to Tricia and Tricia wrote a note to Deena, and on. Just when the drama reaches its peak, it dies down and stop! J to the K! (It means… well read this book to find out!)
This book is well written and definitely has the voices of high school students. The main character, Tara, who thinks highly of herself, is very whiny and looks down on everyone. She talks bad about other people a lot. On rare moments, Tara seems to be vulnerable and says some meaningful things. I like how Tara is good at averting confrontation and avoid shouting back when she’s being told off. I like Matt’s positive outlook on life and on achieving what he wants. I like Matt’s letter to Pammy and him telling her off as well as his final letter to Tara. I like Stephanie and her positive attitude, especially giving people a chance and seeing the good in everything. The pages inside the book would’ve been awesome if it was printed with lines from a notebook or stationary paper. The high school drama that goes on with and around Tara is a fast paced read and I highly recommend everyone to read it.
Pro: easy to read, fast paced, page turner, humor, 90’s vibes, dating, folded notes, friendships
Con: none
I rate it 5 stars!
Visit my blog for a detailed review at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com
This book is told in a “folded notes” format with Tara Maureen Murphy writing to her boyfriend Christopher Patrick Caparelli (CPC) and replying to him after he wrote one to her. There are notes between Matthew (Matt) Bloom and Tara and notes from Tara to her best friend Stephanie Campbell. These notes are passed to each other in the high school hallways as a way of communication between 1991 to 1992, Tara’s senior year. Matt is CPC’s neighbor and new to high school. Tara wants to be nice to CPC’s neighbor and decides to write a welcome note to him. This book is organized by the school’s timeline, beginning with Sept 1991, at the start of the school year and every month after that. One day when Tara’s note to Matt ends up on Pam’s table, Pam decided to read it. Then Pam wrote a note to Tricia and Tricia wrote a note to Deena, and on. Just when the drama reaches its peak, it dies down and stop! J to the K! (It means… well read this book to find out!)
This book is well written and definitely has the voices of high school students. The main character, Tara, who thinks highly of herself, is very whiny and looks down on everyone. She talks bad about other people a lot. On rare moments, Tara seems to be vulnerable and says some meaningful things. I like how Tara is good at averting confrontation and avoid shouting back when she’s being told off. I like Matt’s positive outlook on life and on achieving what he wants. I like Matt’s letter to Pammy and him telling her off as well as his final letter to Tara. I like Stephanie and her positive attitude, especially giving people a chance and seeing the good in everything. The pages inside the book would’ve been awesome if it was printed with lines from a notebook or stationary paper. The high school drama that goes on with and around Tara is a fast paced read and I highly recommend everyone to read it.
Pro: easy to read, fast paced, page turner, humor, 90’s vibes, dating, folded notes, friendships
Con: none
I rate it 5 stars!
Visit my blog for a detailed review at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com
April 27, 2018
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.This book takes us back to high school in 1991 and is told in an interesting format of folded notes. The book follows a girl named Tara Maureen Murphy, who is inspired by the mean girls Regina George and Tracy Flick, her boyfriend Christopher Patrick Caparelli, best friend Stef Campbell, freshman Matt Bloom and several other teenagers that end up entwined in Tara's world.
I liked the 1990's feel to the book and I can see how movies such as Mean Girls ran an inspiration there. Thought I loved the setting of the year, I wasn't sure how the teenager's of today's Era were really going to relate to this book. I do find that as far as subject matter goes, it does transcend time and although technology has changed, the action of some teenagers do not.
Tara was hard to follow, she was terrible. She ran hot and cold, flipped-flopped, so much that it gave me some serious whiplash and felt like she had some serious case of split personality. She was a classic mean girl and I found her grating. The things she did to the people around her, the way she lied was quiet a bit frustrating.
The other characters were fabulous, especially Tara's friend Stef and Matt, I loved them as characters and I was glad they were able to stand up to Tara and her conniving ways.
Because this is told from folded notes, we don't actually know why Tara is the type of character she is. Most the story centers on high school drama, such as dating and Tara not getting what she wants so she strikes back like a snake. She makes some really poor decisions with life choices and it makes you want to scream.
I did end up just listening to this book on Audio and I have to say, the audiobook saved it. The array of different narrators made this a much more addictive read and much easier to get through, they did an amazing job with capturing the different characters through their notes in this book. I do give the audio it four stars, even if I found the book just okay, because it definitely won me over.
The last page in the end, I think made me a bit angry because it felt like a cliffhanger of some kind that I felt was not needed. I don't know if the author is planning on a spin-off based on that paragraph left at the end, but if he isn't that part just left me annoyed. As far as I know, this is a standalone.This review was originally posted on Night Owl Book Cafe
I liked the 1990's feel to the book and I can see how movies such as Mean Girls ran an inspiration there. Thought I loved the setting of the year, I wasn't sure how the teenager's of today's Era were really going to relate to this book. I do find that as far as subject matter goes, it does transcend time and although technology has changed, the action of some teenagers do not.
Tara was hard to follow, she was terrible. She ran hot and cold, flipped-flopped, so much that it gave me some serious whiplash and felt like she had some serious case of split personality. She was a classic mean girl and I found her grating. The things she did to the people around her, the way she lied was quiet a bit frustrating.
The other characters were fabulous, especially Tara's friend Stef and Matt, I loved them as characters and I was glad they were able to stand up to Tara and her conniving ways.
Because this is told from folded notes, we don't actually know why Tara is the type of character she is. Most the story centers on high school drama, such as dating and Tara not getting what she wants so she strikes back like a snake. She makes some really poor decisions with life choices and it makes you want to scream.
I did end up just listening to this book on Audio and I have to say, the audiobook saved it. The array of different narrators made this a much more addictive read and much easier to get through, they did an amazing job with capturing the different characters through their notes in this book. I do give the audio it four stars, even if I found the book just okay, because it definitely won me over.
The last page in the end, I think made me a bit angry because it felt like a cliffhanger of some kind that I felt was not needed. I don't know if the author is planning on a spin-off based on that paragraph left at the end, but if he isn't that part just left me annoyed. As far as I know, this is a standalone.This review was originally posted on Night Owl Book Cafe
April 20, 2018
"I guess I forgot me along the way. I forgot who I am. What I’m made of. You tried so hard to remind me, but I was basically deaf. You could have done sign language and I wouldn’t have gotten it. I guess that means I wasn’t deaf. I was dumb. Ignorant. Arrogant. All of it."
There has to be more than this. I frantically flipped the pages and shook it to see if secret pages would magically fall out of this book. It was so petty and delicious that I’m still hungry for more.
This was a fantastic blast from the past. We are all so very guilty of passing notes to one another in class and in the hallways. But it always seemed that you got caught when the gossip was at its juiciest. I know that I've had a regret or ten of spreading that gossip to some of my best friends.
This book is entirely told all through notes that were passed in school. No matter what was said to one another, it was still passed along.
Tara is definitely queen bee of her H.S. She is the girl a lot of others dream of being and she's dating the most popular guy (cliche). When she learns of a freshman who is trying for the lead in the school production of Grease, she takes him under her wing and tells him the ins and outs of surviving H.S. hell. She does this while taking down everyone in her path. Tara is a vicious little player, but will her lies catch up to her? Something tells me that they always do!
Folded Notes from High School was funny, cringe-worthy, and memorable. The scenarios are very believable and some of these I have personally witnessed. I think that may be the reason why I enjoyed this a lot more than others. The more time that passes with this after I've read it, the more I love it! Maybe I'm just addicted to drama.... (Super guilty)
I honestly believe that this would make a fantastic movie. It would be like Mean Girls but more bitchy.
Let me be honest here for a minute! We all have a little Tara in us waiting to come out and slap someone!
There has to be more than this. I frantically flipped the pages and shook it to see if secret pages would magically fall out of this book. It was so petty and delicious that I’m still hungry for more.
This was a fantastic blast from the past. We are all so very guilty of passing notes to one another in class and in the hallways. But it always seemed that you got caught when the gossip was at its juiciest. I know that I've had a regret or ten of spreading that gossip to some of my best friends.
This book is entirely told all through notes that were passed in school. No matter what was said to one another, it was still passed along.
Tara is definitely queen bee of her H.S. She is the girl a lot of others dream of being and she's dating the most popular guy (cliche). When she learns of a freshman who is trying for the lead in the school production of Grease, she takes him under her wing and tells him the ins and outs of surviving H.S. hell. She does this while taking down everyone in her path. Tara is a vicious little player, but will her lies catch up to her? Something tells me that they always do!
Folded Notes from High School was funny, cringe-worthy, and memorable. The scenarios are very believable and some of these I have personally witnessed. I think that may be the reason why I enjoyed this a lot more than others. The more time that passes with this after I've read it, the more I love it! Maybe I'm just addicted to drama.... (Super guilty)
I honestly believe that this would make a fantastic movie. It would be like Mean Girls but more bitchy.
Let me be honest here for a minute! We all have a little Tara in us waiting to come out and slap someone!
December 29, 2020
Prepare yourself for Nostalgiaville. Folded notes from High School--if you find one still, from your faraway year, it is something like a time capsule. And just in time! For, I wonder, do 2020 high schoolers still write them. Or is it just cell phones? They still write em, right?
And they would never write THESE types of notes. They are sillier in real life, trivial. In high school you want to be an individual--these characters are obviously writers in the epistolary novel. I remember writing notes because of boredom. Otherwise, well, you told the person to their face or you lost them, forever... (This is my personal experience. I would also doodle. I would write on a page that had a space for my classmates answer, to pass back and forth. I would try to sound intelligent, but betrayals, break ups, hook ups? No. The folded note would never contain my life story! ("He is my boyfriend, so I guess he is my priority." [108]) Plus, I was in the closet, anyway.)
But before you dismiss the notes of being nothin' but all character, all depth, but no high school minutiae, think again. Our "hero" writes "[Kathy Connery...] Her voice sounds like 'a farting frog eating another farting frog' (164)... She might have better skin now, but does that really make up for all the years that she didn't?" (188) The haterade is a staple of the folded note. Gossip. The genuine high school drama (Seniors vs. Freshmen, first loves, the first adult like tactics to get what you want. Oh the selfishness!
And they would never write THESE types of notes. They are sillier in real life, trivial. In high school you want to be an individual--these characters are obviously writers in the epistolary novel. I remember writing notes because of boredom. Otherwise, well, you told the person to their face or you lost them, forever... (This is my personal experience. I would also doodle. I would write on a page that had a space for my classmates answer, to pass back and forth. I would try to sound intelligent, but betrayals, break ups, hook ups? No. The folded note would never contain my life story! ("He is my boyfriend, so I guess he is my priority." [108]) Plus, I was in the closet, anyway.)
But before you dismiss the notes of being nothin' but all character, all depth, but no high school minutiae, think again. Our "hero" writes "[Kathy Connery...] Her voice sounds like 'a farting frog eating another farting frog' (164)... She might have better skin now, but does that really make up for all the years that she didn't?" (188) The haterade is a staple of the folded note. Gossip. The genuine high school drama (Seniors vs. Freshmen, first loves, the first adult like tactics to get what you want. Oh the selfishness!
March 8, 2018
Tara Maureen Murphy is a senior in high school in 1991. I loved the idea of setting a novel in this time period, which is probably now considered "historical fiction." I did not, however, enjoy the novel. Tara's voice is grating and manipulative. I get it, and I lived it - high school girls are brutal. Tara is mean, inconsiderate, and condescending to everyone she encounters, including her best friend from childhood, her boyfriend, the new freshman boy who lives across the street from her boyfriend, and her best friend's new friend, etc. Only one of these people is particularly horrible. The rest seem to be perfectly nice, and in my opinion, put up with her manipulative crap for WAY too long.
I was hoping this novel would be more like Mean Girls (I wanted a "Come to Jesus" moment, if I'm being honest), and like life, it didn't end that way.
Even worse than Tara may be the way that all the other characters are written - identically to Tara. There was no solid differentiation of voices. I understand that teens use the same language, vocabulary, and word choice as each other (again, I was a teen who wrote notes and spent time on AIM), but in novel format, it came off poorly.
The main character IS terrible, but she's also a trope, and that's a whole other layer of issues.
I did not like this book, but I think some teens will be able to relate. I just hope this book resonates with people like Tara's best friend, and not with people like Tara. We don't need to be giving bullies extra fuel by continuing to enable them in being horrible to the people around them. I'm tired of depictions of girls who tear other girls down. I guess I just didn't really understand the purpose of this novel. Were we supposed to empathize with Tara? Or was this a social commentary on what to do if you run into someone like her? My suspicion is that the author did not have a purpose in mind when writing this, other than "hey, let's relive the 90s, man!"
I was hoping this novel would be more like Mean Girls (I wanted a "Come to Jesus" moment, if I'm being honest), and like life, it didn't end that way.
Even worse than Tara may be the way that all the other characters are written - identically to Tara. There was no solid differentiation of voices. I understand that teens use the same language, vocabulary, and word choice as each other (again, I was a teen who wrote notes and spent time on AIM), but in novel format, it came off poorly.
The main character IS terrible, but she's also a trope, and that's a whole other layer of issues.
I did not like this book, but I think some teens will be able to relate. I just hope this book resonates with people like Tara's best friend, and not with people like Tara. We don't need to be giving bullies extra fuel by continuing to enable them in being horrible to the people around them. I'm tired of depictions of girls who tear other girls down. I guess I just didn't really understand the purpose of this novel. Were we supposed to empathize with Tara? Or was this a social commentary on what to do if you run into someone like her? My suspicion is that the author did not have a purpose in mind when writing this, other than "hey, let's relive the 90s, man!"
April 22, 2018
I went into this novel expecting a major blast from the past full of nostalgic feelings and 90's vibes, but that's not exactly how it went down. Tara truly is (as the first sentence in the synopsis states) a status-obsessed senior and her attitude and manipulative personality was a little hard to take. I was really excited for this novel because I wanted a little trip down memory lane, but what I got was a flashback of all the mean girls from high school.
Don't get me wrong, the novel is full of delicious and entertaining drama, but it became a little redundant at times, and I had a hard time really getting into it. I definitely wanted to know how the story would end, but I didn't find myself really liking or relating to any of the characters.
All in all, the story was entertaining, but I was expecting so much more. I would recommend this for an easy summer read, but if you're looking for a high school throwback with lots of 90's nostalgia, this one was lacking a little something. Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Don't get me wrong, the novel is full of delicious and entertaining drama, but it became a little redundant at times, and I had a hard time really getting into it. I definitely wanted to know how the story would end, but I didn't find myself really liking or relating to any of the characters.
All in all, the story was entertaining, but I was expecting so much more. I would recommend this for an easy summer read, but if you're looking for a high school throwback with lots of 90's nostalgia, this one was lacking a little something. Thank you to Penguin Teen for sending a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
October 19, 2018
3.5 Stars-- This book is written in note form, and it totally feels like a bunch of young teens were writing notes to each other. A+ believability!
Do you need to like the main character to like a book? Because I DON'T!! Tara Maureen Murphy is a selfish liar who will always look out for #1-- herself. She's jealous and diabolical. Annoying and fucking entertaining!! It made for a rollercoaster of emotions following her through her final year of high school.
This book is a combo of many things that I freaking LOVE in books. First off, it's set in the 90's-- which, let's be honest, was the best decade of all. Second, I love reading books told in unique formats. This book was told as notes passed from one teen to another and that was fun. Third, the DRAMA. I like reading about high school drama and maybe others would find it unexciting, but for whatever reason, I like it. There is A LOT of high school drama in this book-- oh my. This is mainly because the main character is a drama queen (she's described as a cross between Tracy Flick & Regina George) & lives for the drama (the literal play kind & the kind that she finds in her relationships with others).
Was this book perfection?? No. It had some lulls in the story where things weren't as page-turning. The ending was abrupt and it felt like the author just sort of ran out of pages. It left me like: WHERE IS THE REST????
The best parts-- The notes FELT like notes, which brought me back to my own note passing days. Tara was diabolical and insufferable at times-- which is just how I like my mean girls. The things she would write to Matt!! He put up with so much crap from this force of a girl and I was hooked on the anticipation of him telling her off.
OVERALL: A super fun book, and we need those, right? I really loved the 90's setting, the references to mixed tapes and retro bands & fashions, and the note format that the book was told in. I totally recommend this as something to mix-in with your darker, more serious books. It wasn't perfect but it was fun!
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Pink Polka Dot Books
Do you need to like the main character to like a book? Because I DON'T!! Tara Maureen Murphy is a selfish liar who will always look out for #1-- herself. She's jealous and diabolical. Annoying and fucking entertaining!! It made for a rollercoaster of emotions following her through her final year of high school.
This book is a combo of many things that I freaking LOVE in books. First off, it's set in the 90's-- which, let's be honest, was the best decade of all. Second, I love reading books told in unique formats. This book was told as notes passed from one teen to another and that was fun. Third, the DRAMA. I like reading about high school drama and maybe others would find it unexciting, but for whatever reason, I like it. There is A LOT of high school drama in this book-- oh my. This is mainly because the main character is a drama queen (she's described as a cross between Tracy Flick & Regina George) & lives for the drama (the literal play kind & the kind that she finds in her relationships with others).
Was this book perfection?? No. It had some lulls in the story where things weren't as page-turning. The ending was abrupt and it felt like the author just sort of ran out of pages. It left me like: WHERE IS THE REST????
The best parts-- The notes FELT like notes, which brought me back to my own note passing days. Tara was diabolical and insufferable at times-- which is just how I like my mean girls. The things she would write to Matt!! He put up with so much crap from this force of a girl and I was hooked on the anticipation of him telling her off.
OVERALL: A super fun book, and we need those, right? I really loved the 90's setting, the references to mixed tapes and retro bands & fashions, and the note format that the book was told in. I totally recommend this as something to mix-in with your darker, more serious books. It wasn't perfect but it was fun!
My Blog:
Pink Polka Dot Books
Read
April 27, 2018I made it about 150 pages or so.
This was just...wow.
My reaction in three GIFs:
There was slut shaming, there was bullying, there was a ridiculous main character, and this was just written in a way that made me question if teenage women actually wrote like this in the early 90s...or ever? To quote, "Do you get what I mean? Do you?"
Honestly, this could have been a super cute book. But then, the author had to bring in
This just wasn't a great book and the fact that it's just in notes would have been cute if it hadn't also been so detrimental to the story. From what I read of the conclusion (because sometimes I like to get too close to a trash fire, oops), this novel could have benefited from being told in a traditional format. There was just so much not said that happened beyond the notes. It's just impossible to fully grasp these characters with so little to work with. Especially when it appears that there's a potential lack of full comprehension of how a teenage girl would talk and act. Also, if these characters are such complex creations with what looks to be psychotic tendencies, a story written in notes is nowhere near enough context.
Anyway, I'm putting this book to rest now. I'm not rating it because I didn't finish it.
Happy reading!
This was just...wow.
My reaction in three GIFs:
There was slut shaming, there was bullying, there was a ridiculous main character, and this was just written in a way that made me question if teenage women actually wrote like this in the early 90s...or ever? To quote, "Do you get what I mean? Do you?"
Honestly, this could have been a super cute book. But then, the author had to bring in
This just wasn't a great book and the fact that it's just in notes would have been cute if it hadn't also been so detrimental to the story. From what I read of the conclusion (because sometimes I like to get too close to a trash fire, oops), this novel could have benefited from being told in a traditional format. There was just so much not said that happened beyond the notes. It's just impossible to fully grasp these characters with so little to work with. Especially when it appears that there's a potential lack of full comprehension of how a teenage girl would talk and act. Also, if these characters are such complex creations with what looks to be psychotic tendencies, a story written in notes is nowhere near enough context.
Anyway, I'm putting this book to rest now. I'm not rating it because I didn't finish it.
Happy reading!
May 12, 2018
This book. this book is.... wonderfully written. the characters draw you in and you are invested. However. I hate Tara. There are two characters I like In this story but they are overshadowed by the hate I have for the main character. also. if you want an ending that is satisfactory and conplete, please take this book and throw it into the nearest bonfire. but kudos to Matt Boren for having a wonderful way with words.
July 11, 2018
*ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review*
This was my first book by Matt and I was super excited to read it since I heard it was strictly told through folded notes. All of them center around a character by the name of Tara.
Tara is a senior in high school and she has her eyes set on acting on Broadway in her future. Meanwhile, she wants to play the leas in every play her school puts out and we follow her as drama seems to find her and vice versa.
I loved how fast it was to get through this novel. I really enjoyed getting to know different characters through their notes to each other. Sadly, I was more invested in everyone else instead of the main character.
I had a lot of problems with Tara. It wasn't even because she was the popular girl that acts like the world is hers to conquer. Sometimes those characters are the most interesting but that wasn't the case here. I just couldn't stomach her or anything she said and did.
This novel also mostly follows Matt, a freshman that Tara has 'taken under her wing' since he auditions for plays as well. Tara catches feelings for him even though she has a boyfriend and to me, it wasn't believable. Her feelings for him came out of nowhere and I just felt like it was a bunch of lies. I wish there was some sort of build up in the notes instead of having it come out of nowhere.
I liked that there were some unique aspects that this novel brought to the table but it was all mostly regular high school drama that I've read a bunch of times before. Even though I don't like Tara, this book left me wanting more. I really hope Matt writes another novel (that probably follows Matt this time instead of Tara) because that last note has me wanting to know what happens next!
2.5/5 stars
This was my first book by Matt and I was super excited to read it since I heard it was strictly told through folded notes. All of them center around a character by the name of Tara.
Tara is a senior in high school and she has her eyes set on acting on Broadway in her future. Meanwhile, she wants to play the leas in every play her school puts out and we follow her as drama seems to find her and vice versa.
I loved how fast it was to get through this novel. I really enjoyed getting to know different characters through their notes to each other. Sadly, I was more invested in everyone else instead of the main character.
I had a lot of problems with Tara. It wasn't even because she was the popular girl that acts like the world is hers to conquer. Sometimes those characters are the most interesting but that wasn't the case here. I just couldn't stomach her or anything she said and did.
This novel also mostly follows Matt, a freshman that Tara has 'taken under her wing' since he auditions for plays as well. Tara catches feelings for him even though she has a boyfriend and to me, it wasn't believable. Her feelings for him came out of nowhere and I just felt like it was a bunch of lies. I wish there was some sort of build up in the notes instead of having it come out of nowhere.
I liked that there were some unique aspects that this novel brought to the table but it was all mostly regular high school drama that I've read a bunch of times before. Even though I don't like Tara, this book left me wanting more. I really hope Matt writes another novel (that probably follows Matt this time instead of Tara) because that last note has me wanting to know what happens next!
2.5/5 stars
June 18, 2018
I should have quit when I was considering it at the halfway point. I love epistolary novels, but this one, the main character Tara is terrible. She's very unlikable.
The early 90s lingo when Tara would send messages to her best friend Steph was very annoying.
The fact that two main characters, Steph and Stacy, had similar names was unnecessarily confusing.
It was disappointing.
I was hoping for it to be more like "We Are Still Tornadoes". No, it's not. That was sweet and poignant and kindly nostalgic. This was not.
The early 90s lingo when Tara would send messages to her best friend Steph was very annoying.
The fact that two main characters, Steph and Stacy, had similar names was unnecessarily confusing.
It was disappointing.
I was hoping for it to be more like "We Are Still Tornadoes". No, it's not. That was sweet and poignant and kindly nostalgic. This was not.
May 5, 2018
Ummm...yeah. Tara was awful. This was not good. But I read it all in one evening...so there's that?
June 8, 2020
Fun and quick read. It brought me back to middle school and early high school. It was an average read for me, nothing special but jut a nice quick read that doesnt require much thought. I will also say that Tara the main chacter was really unlikable and kind of annoying at times but Matt was a cute fun chacter. It was just like so much unnecessary drama just like high school and if like reading that then you would like this book.
Read
July 9, 2019DNF
This wasn’t the type of book for me. The concept was interesting and it was written well. The audiobook also has a different narrator for every student who writes a note, which i think shows how much detail was put into the book. I probably would have loved this a few years ago.
Narrated by Taylor Spreitler, Ramy Youssef, Ryan Newman, and a Full Cast
This wasn’t the type of book for me. The concept was interesting and it was written well. The audiobook also has a different narrator for every student who writes a note, which i think shows how much detail was put into the book. I probably would have loved this a few years ago.
Narrated by Taylor Spreitler, Ramy Youssef, Ryan Newman, and a Full Cast
January 29, 2024
Tara absolutely got on my last nerve This book brought me back to my highschool days, passing notes. And Drama
February 3, 2022
3.5 Stars
A great quick read and so glad I saw this book on here read by a friend......such a nostalgic look back into how we communicated with each other back when I was a teenager. Passing notes, folding them and sharing secrets on those lined pieces of papers. It was a refreshing book to read after many serious and intense books of late. Have to admit, happy that I grew up back then vs. now for these kids with social media, cellphones stuck to their faces and no real awareness of everything and everyone they are missing right there in front of them.....
A great quick read and so glad I saw this book on here read by a friend......such a nostalgic look back into how we communicated with each other back when I was a teenager. Passing notes, folding them and sharing secrets on those lined pieces of papers. It was a refreshing book to read after many serious and intense books of late. Have to admit, happy that I grew up back then vs. now for these kids with social media, cellphones stuck to their faces and no real awareness of everything and everyone they are missing right there in front of them.....
December 31, 2021
Nailed high school. And every time I criticize my kids for texting and not talking, I need to remember we did the same by writing and passing notes!
200 books for 2021 done.
200 books for 2021 done.
March 12, 2025
I really like this book. I found it really funny that they were sending letters to each other when I did the same thing in high school.
November 8, 2024
I picked this up because my favorite radio show does a segment where they read one of the producer’s old notes from high school. I figured this would be interesting, since I love notes and I love when characters interact that way.
I’m starting to understand why people find fault with some of the Royal Diaries and Dear America books. It bothered me a bit that the characters in this book did all of their important communication through notes. Did they ever interact in person? It’s alluded to that they did, I just felt like this was pushing my suspension of disbelief a bit too far. While their personalities were strong, I wanted to see actual dialogue with them.
The romantic obsession bit of the blurb is pretty misleading. Tara and Matt kiss once...and that’s it. She’s much more invested in her relationship with Christopher, honestly. I was expecting full-blown Lifetime movie villain obsession from her, but aside from being conniving in other aspects of her life, her relationship with Matt didn’t scream obsession. I did like that she slowly chipped away at each problem in her life until they all kind of imploded at the same time - to her detriment. Tara’s a fun character, but she had it coming, and it was so satisfying to see everyone in her life realize how awful she really is.
This was a very quick read and while kind of not a super realistic format, it was fun. It’s unique, the characters aren’t too fleshed out and the plot is predictable, but it’s hilarious and definitely one of those stories that requires popcorn because of how juicy it gets.
I’m starting to understand why people find fault with some of the Royal Diaries and Dear America books. It bothered me a bit that the characters in this book did all of their important communication through notes. Did they ever interact in person? It’s alluded to that they did, I just felt like this was pushing my suspension of disbelief a bit too far. While their personalities were strong, I wanted to see actual dialogue with them.
The romantic obsession bit of the blurb is pretty misleading. Tara and Matt kiss once...and that’s it. She’s much more invested in her relationship with Christopher, honestly. I was expecting full-blown Lifetime movie villain obsession from her, but aside from being conniving in other aspects of her life, her relationship with Matt didn’t scream obsession. I did like that she slowly chipped away at each problem in her life until they all kind of imploded at the same time - to her detriment. Tara’s a fun character, but she had it coming, and it was so satisfying to see everyone in her life realize how awful she really is.
This was a very quick read and while kind of not a super realistic format, it was fun. It’s unique, the characters aren’t too fleshed out and the plot is predictable, but it’s hilarious and definitely one of those stories that requires popcorn because of how juicy it gets.
April 2, 2018
Really I am mentally ranking this 3 stars - but I felt the writing was good enough to warrant another star.
It’s hard to describe why I didn’t like it but also why I did like it. The story is told through notes written from student to student over a single school year, which sounded cool originally but definitely is a weakness as far as context.
I did not like any of the characters. They were each very cliche and one dimensional, and the entire thing was so over dramatic and teen angsty, hormonal (not in a good way) to the extreme I couldn’t stand it. But at the same time, I could not stop reading! It’s like a bad reality show that has zero substance but is so enticing/tragicomic you have to keep watching to see what happens next.
I didn’t think it was the most realistic representation of high school adolescence but what would I know. I didn’t go to high school in the 90’s nor did I have such a hook-up/drama filled time of it.
It’s hard to describe why I didn’t like it but also why I did like it. The story is told through notes written from student to student over a single school year, which sounded cool originally but definitely is a weakness as far as context.
I did not like any of the characters. They were each very cliche and one dimensional, and the entire thing was so over dramatic and teen angsty, hormonal (not in a good way) to the extreme I couldn’t stand it. But at the same time, I could not stop reading! It’s like a bad reality show that has zero substance but is so enticing/tragicomic you have to keep watching to see what happens next.
I didn’t think it was the most realistic representation of high school adolescence but what would I know. I didn’t go to high school in the 90’s nor did I have such a hook-up/drama filled time of it.
April 9, 2018
I 100% knew a bunch of girls just like Tara in high school. Those passive aggressive, jealous and vindictive girls who are irritated and threatened by everyone else’s successes.
Tara’s obsession with perception is very typical of an insecure high school girl. And reading the notes really threw me back into a not-entirely pleasant time. The shade this girl throws on her poor best friend? I was genuinely shocked that Stef stuck with her as long as she did... and poor Matt Bloom. Tara’s entire correspondence just seemed so transparent.
After this not so great trip down memory lane I’m almost tempted to break out my box of notes from this same period in my life (which took place a little over a decade after the time in this book). But I resisted that urge after some less happy flashbacks to some notes I remember receiving.
There was a little Tara, Stef and Stacey in me but for the most part I behaved more like Stef or Stacey than Tara.
Tara’s obsession with perception is very typical of an insecure high school girl. And reading the notes really threw me back into a not-entirely pleasant time. The shade this girl throws on her poor best friend? I was genuinely shocked that Stef stuck with her as long as she did... and poor Matt Bloom. Tara’s entire correspondence just seemed so transparent.
After this not so great trip down memory lane I’m almost tempted to break out my box of notes from this same period in my life (which took place a little over a decade after the time in this book). But I resisted that urge after some less happy flashbacks to some notes I remember receiving.
There was a little Tara, Stef and Stacey in me but for the most part I behaved more like Stef or Stacey than Tara.
Read
August 27, 2018I can't rate this one. I can't decide if it was so stupid that I found it comical or if it was so corny that I hated it. It reminded me of a 90s chick flick, which I am fond of, so that may be what kept me going. I'm just not sure about the whole thing...
April 20, 2018
Three and a half stars. Silliness but in a good way. A fun guilty pleasure and quick read. I'm an 80s kid so enjoyed the notes format and cultural and New England references.
February 17, 2021
This enjoyable YA book takes the reader through the way high school kids communicated before texting; the hand written note.
The story follows the life of the It girl Tara and her last year of high school, where she has the popular boyfriend and is part of the power couple. When he boyfriend asks her to start being nice to his new neighbor named Matt, even though he is only a freshman and shares a love of school plays with Tara, when things don't go the way Tara wants them to, her perfect world starts falling apart.
The author creates Tara as someone who at first the reader may feel bad for, but realizes how people like her were going back to their own HS days; cunning, selfish, and mean.
The setting is great taking place in the early 1990s (when I graduated HS as well), and captures the stereotypes of the high school mentality all through notes. The book does suddenly end, but it was still a fun ride, hoping that Tara and her kind would either wise up, or get what's coming to her. I'm not usually a fan of YA books, but this was a good one.
For an in depth review, visit my page at : https://lancewrites.wordpress.com/202...
The story follows the life of the It girl Tara and her last year of high school, where she has the popular boyfriend and is part of the power couple. When he boyfriend asks her to start being nice to his new neighbor named Matt, even though he is only a freshman and shares a love of school plays with Tara, when things don't go the way Tara wants them to, her perfect world starts falling apart.
The author creates Tara as someone who at first the reader may feel bad for, but realizes how people like her were going back to their own HS days; cunning, selfish, and mean.
The setting is great taking place in the early 1990s (when I graduated HS as well), and captures the stereotypes of the high school mentality all through notes. The book does suddenly end, but it was still a fun ride, hoping that Tara and her kind would either wise up, or get what's coming to her. I'm not usually a fan of YA books, but this was a good one.
For an in depth review, visit my page at : https://lancewrites.wordpress.com/202...
September 16, 2022
a ver, yo ya aviso que seguramente si hubiese leído el libro y no escuchado el audiolibro le habría puesto una nota más baja o ni lo habría terminado porque me pasaría cada página tirándome de los pelos, pero el audiolibro hace que sea extremadamente disfrutable.
¿es Tara una protagonista horrible, mala persona, manipuladora e impulsiva? sí, obvio. aunque siento que al final hay consecuencias, es posible que para alguna gente eso no sea suficiente. es uno de esos libros que tienes que estar preparado para el tipo de historia que va a contar, porque si no va a ser una experiencia bastante exasperante.
¿es Tara una protagonista horrible, mala persona, manipuladora e impulsiva? sí, obvio. aunque siento que al final hay consecuencias, es posible que para alguna gente eso no sea suficiente. es uno de esos libros que tienes que estar preparado para el tipo de historia que va a contar, porque si no va a ser una experiencia bastante exasperante.
September 13, 2018
I loved the format of this book and I really think the author did a great job capturing the early 90s through the voices of the characters. The full cast audiobook was also really fantastic, so why the two stars you ask? I HATED the main character. I know she isn't supposed to be someone we like, but she spent the entire book basically being terrible and then gas-lighting her friends when they called her out on it, and really didn't seem to have consequences, or consequence she actually cared about happening to her. The ending was also not that fantastic. I am not sure if the author intends to write a second book, I almost hope so, so that the ending makes more sense.
March 4, 2023
i wish i could get my time and energy back
June 7, 2018
Funny and so nostalgic!!! The art of folded note writing is so lost!!! Great character development too!!! Takes me back to the 90s!!!
July 8, 2018
Read the full review at Worn Pages and Ink.
Folded Notes from High School was the light, quick, entertaining read that you’d expect it to be. It’s got that nostalgia factor for anyone who remembers anything about the 90s. Boren kicks things off right at the begging by defining a folded note in a humorous opening that acknowledges how much things have changed from the pre-technology era until now. I did really love the 90s vibe. It was a nice throwback to my childhood. Boren draws a stark line, defining the exact era that this novel takes place and setting the tone for the story. This whole book, written epistolary style, is a nod to anyone who grew up in the time before the Internet and text messages, when notes were passed in class and in the hallways. Perhaps they still are, but Boren takes the stance that this is a thing of the past.
Beyond enjoying the nostalgia throughout–the “4eva”s, the crazy silly acronyms, the rambling silly notes on college-ruled paper–I can’t say that I was much of a fan of the protagonist. Tara Maureen Murphy is incredibly immature for a senior in high school. She’s vapid, self-absorbed, and has no redeeming qualities. She’s the focal point of the story so other characters who show a lot more potential and who are much more interesting get lost in the whirlwind of her narrative. I was intrigued by secondary characters like Tara’s friend Stef who for Tara is little more than a soundboard to bounce her own ideas off of, or Stacey who resides in the background but has strong morals and a level of maturity not seen in any other character in the story. I wanted more of Tara’s freshman friend, Matt, who is thriving in theatre and who knows who he is and what he wants. There were so many great secondary characters who take a backseat to Tara’s theatrics, leaving me a bit disappointed in this story as a whole.
Folded Notes from High School was the light, quick, entertaining read that you’d expect it to be. It’s got that nostalgia factor for anyone who remembers anything about the 90s. Boren kicks things off right at the begging by defining a folded note in a humorous opening that acknowledges how much things have changed from the pre-technology era until now. I did really love the 90s vibe. It was a nice throwback to my childhood. Boren draws a stark line, defining the exact era that this novel takes place and setting the tone for the story. This whole book, written epistolary style, is a nod to anyone who grew up in the time before the Internet and text messages, when notes were passed in class and in the hallways. Perhaps they still are, but Boren takes the stance that this is a thing of the past.
Beyond enjoying the nostalgia throughout–the “4eva”s, the crazy silly acronyms, the rambling silly notes on college-ruled paper–I can’t say that I was much of a fan of the protagonist. Tara Maureen Murphy is incredibly immature for a senior in high school. She’s vapid, self-absorbed, and has no redeeming qualities. She’s the focal point of the story so other characters who show a lot more potential and who are much more interesting get lost in the whirlwind of her narrative. I was intrigued by secondary characters like Tara’s friend Stef who for Tara is little more than a soundboard to bounce her own ideas off of, or Stacey who resides in the background but has strong morals and a level of maturity not seen in any other character in the story. I wanted more of Tara’s freshman friend, Matt, who is thriving in theatre and who knows who he is and what he wants. There were so many great secondary characters who take a backseat to Tara’s theatrics, leaving me a bit disappointed in this story as a whole.
April 29, 2018
This was a kind of fun book but the story isn't really strong. The main thing I liked was that it brought back memories of when we all wrote notes to each other and made up silly nicknames,etc.
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