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Phoebe Will Destroy You
The summer I was seventeen I met this girl…
Nick has the best of moms and the worst of moms. On the upside, she’s a distinguished professor and bestselling author. On the downside, she’s a serious alcoholic, with no clue how to relate to her son or husband.
Nick, meanwhile, has finished his junior year and needs a break from his stressful home life. What better place to spend the summer than Seaside, Oregon, a sleepy beach town where he can chill out, meet girls, and work at his Uncle’s car wash.
Enter local legend, Phoebe Garnet. She’s funny, sexy, but dangerously self-destructive. Suddenly Nick is more in love, more obsessed, more heartsick than he’s ever been in his life.
Why does Nick love her so much? Will he survive this obsession? And who can he turn to for help?
Nick has the best of moms and the worst of moms. On the upside, she’s a distinguished professor and bestselling author. On the downside, she’s a serious alcoholic, with no clue how to relate to her son or husband.
Nick, meanwhile, has finished his junior year and needs a break from his stressful home life. What better place to spend the summer than Seaside, Oregon, a sleepy beach town where he can chill out, meet girls, and work at his Uncle’s car wash.
Enter local legend, Phoebe Garnet. She’s funny, sexy, but dangerously self-destructive. Suddenly Nick is more in love, more obsessed, more heartsick than he’s ever been in his life.
Why does Nick love her so much? Will he survive this obsession? And who can he turn to for help?
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 19, 2018
1 person is currently reading
298 people want to read
About the author
Blake Nelson
27 books402 followersBlake Nelson grew up in Portland, Oregon. He began his career writing short humor pieces for Details Magazine.
His first novel GIRL was originally serialized in SASSY magazine and was made into a film staring Selma Blaire and Portia De Rossi.
His novel PARANOID PARK won the prestigious International Grinzane Literary Award and was made into a film by Gus Van Sant.
His most recent Young Adult novel THE PRINCE OF VENICE BEACH has been shortlisted for the 2015 Edgar Award.
His 2011 novel RECOVERY ROAD has been adapted into a television drama for ABC FAMILY and will premier in January of 2016.
His first novel GIRL was originally serialized in SASSY magazine and was made into a film staring Selma Blaire and Portia De Rossi.
His novel PARANOID PARK won the prestigious International Grinzane Literary Award and was made into a film by Gus Van Sant.
His most recent Young Adult novel THE PRINCE OF VENICE BEACH has been shortlisted for the 2015 Edgar Award.
His 2011 novel RECOVERY ROAD has been adapted into a television drama for ABC FAMILY and will premier in January of 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
July 2, 2018
Reading a Blake Nelson book is like getting all snuggly under a fuzzy blanket in your softest lounge clothes while enjoying rooibos tea and assorted cookies with sprinkles. He just brings all those cozy, familiar feels. Because his words resonate with you so strongly you're like, "How is he in my head?"
PHOEBE WILL DESTROY YOU was yet another beautiful novel I never wanted to put down. It's filled with everyday observations we've all wondered about, like how did that rusted-out washing machine get there in the middle of the woods? This story was about awakening, about allowing the kind of love you deserve to happen to you, about learning that you are worthy of being treated with care and respect.
This story will speak to you. Listen hard.
PHOEBE WILL DESTROY YOU was yet another beautiful novel I never wanted to put down. It's filled with everyday observations we've all wondered about, like how did that rusted-out washing machine get there in the middle of the woods? This story was about awakening, about allowing the kind of love you deserve to happen to you, about learning that you are worthy of being treated with care and respect.
This story will speak to you. Listen hard.
Read
July 23, 2018nah. some half-assed manic pixie dream girl bullshit. NAH.
September 12, 2018
A book title that quite literally has NOTHING to do with the story! - ONE STAR RATING
Initial Thoughts and Overall Review:
When I first heard about this book I was really looking forward to reading it. Why? Unpopular culture, women and girls are portrayed as these clingy and annoying humans that go crazy when a man or boy doesn't return their feelings. They can't seem to control their emotions and suddenly all they can think about is capturing the love of their crush... of obsession. I wanted to read this because it sounded like Nelson took this concept and reversed the roles. While this is is true, this is not what the story is about at all. The title is Phoebe Will Destroy You, but the book had very little to do with Nick - the main character - and Phoebe. Phoebe actually doesn't even make an appearance until the middle of the book. So, the title as well as the synopsis of the book is extremely deceiving. I went into this book thinking it was about what the synopsis described but really the synopsis was a secondary plot - at best.
Putting aside the fact that the book is not at all about what it claims to be, the book itself was quite disappointing. We follow Nick around as he experiences this small town over the summer and it's just a bunch of random events that happen but don't actually lead up to anything. It goes like this: Nick's mom is alcoholic so he goes and stays with his Aunt and Uncle for the summer, he goes to parties and makes new friends, meets a girl and thinks he loves her, goes back home, and realizes he doesn't love her. What kind of a plot is that? I would have much rather read about his experiences with his mother than this weird kind of summer experience that had little to do with his life, what he's gone through, and where he would go next. The worst part was that the story didn't even feel like it was building up to anything. You know what I'm talking about! When you read a book, you can feel the build. You can feel the anticipation and you keep reading because you know it's going to come to a head. But, the book didn't even have that. I didn't feel the build up or the anticipation. It was like we were just mindlessly following this character around until he went back to his day to day life. I'm very disappointed by this book. It had the potential to be something really interesting as we experiencing the crazy and jealous character that's actually a male... but it failed.
Character Development:
Nick:
I have to say that Nick is a likeable character. You can feel the inner struggle he has with his mother. He has this kind of "I'll just role with it" personality, which I admire considering how much he's been through with his mom. Perhaps this is why he all of sudden had these feelings for Phoebe? Maybe she reminded him of his mom's "I don't care about anyone" attitude... so he felt drawn to her? Overall, I liked him as a character. I would have preferred to get more about his life with and without his mom and his struggles to live a normal life with such an alcoholic parent.
Jace:
I enjoyed the character of Jace. She was one of the few characters who had any semblence of normalcy. First of all, she works in a library... love that. She has this desire to leave her small town and experience the world. I thought she had a lot of ambition and was just a really sweet person.
Phoebe:
SHE HAD NO PERSONALITY WHAT SO EVER! We saw very little of her even though the book title has her name in it. She did very little to cause Nick's feelings of "love" towards her, which caused me to have a difficult time wrapping my head around why he would have feelings for her in the first place. During conversations, her sentences were 2-3 words... and that's when she REALLY had something to say. She wasn't appealing at all and it made Nick's feelings unbelievable.
Emily:
I didn't quite understand her character. This is one of those characters that is around a lot but we don't get a back story about them. Emily has a lot of opinions and has no issue sharing them, which is fine. But we don't know anything about her.
Justin:
Justin is an interesting character. He's kind of the loose canon friend from the wrong side of the tracks who takes the new kid under his wing and shows him the ropes of the town. But again, we don't really know anything about him. We know he doesn't really have any motivation and is a big fan of day drinking at the beach. But other than that, we don't know anything about his family, his likes and dislikes, etc. He's just there. And that's it.
The Theme Of Addiction:
I really enjoyed the book when it was focused on addiction. I thought that the information provided and the insight the author included was really interesting and well done. I liked when Nick's mother was in the conversation or part of whatever was going on because it added a level of complexity that I really felt the book was lacking otherwise. I was hoping we would get to see more of her or get to see her and Nick interact more, but that was kept to a minimum.
I really did like when the author described alcoholism as a disease that people don't want or wish to have and it isn't their fault. I thought that was a really great way to describe it. I also liked how Nick struggled to see it that way. It really showed his lack of education on the matter as well as how young he actually is. As an adult, Nick's dad was able to see alcoholism in this way but Nick was not. It was interesting to see the difference in perspectives on the matter.
Nick also does a lot of drinking throughout the summer and spends a lot of time with people who also drink. I thought with was really accurate portrayal of what people can do as a reaction to when someone they care about is an alcoholic. Some people choose not to drink at all and some people end up going down the same path. I thought it was interesting to see Nick struggle with that.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I gave this one star because while there were interesting parts, those interesting parts were not enough to justify everything the book was missing: a plot, complex characters, environment building, and much of what makes a book a good read. If you're looking for something to mindlessly read or get through quickly then maybe give this a try but otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it.
Thank you for reading!
Initial Thoughts and Overall Review:
When I first heard about this book I was really looking forward to reading it. Why? Unpopular culture, women and girls are portrayed as these clingy and annoying humans that go crazy when a man or boy doesn't return their feelings. They can't seem to control their emotions and suddenly all they can think about is capturing the love of their crush... of obsession. I wanted to read this because it sounded like Nelson took this concept and reversed the roles. While this is is true, this is not what the story is about at all. The title is Phoebe Will Destroy You, but the book had very little to do with Nick - the main character - and Phoebe. Phoebe actually doesn't even make an appearance until the middle of the book. So, the title as well as the synopsis of the book is extremely deceiving. I went into this book thinking it was about what the synopsis described but really the synopsis was a secondary plot - at best.
Putting aside the fact that the book is not at all about what it claims to be, the book itself was quite disappointing. We follow Nick around as he experiences this small town over the summer and it's just a bunch of random events that happen but don't actually lead up to anything. It goes like this: Nick's mom is alcoholic so he goes and stays with his Aunt and Uncle for the summer, he goes to parties and makes new friends, meets a girl and thinks he loves her, goes back home, and realizes he doesn't love her. What kind of a plot is that? I would have much rather read about his experiences with his mother than this weird kind of summer experience that had little to do with his life, what he's gone through, and where he would go next. The worst part was that the story didn't even feel like it was building up to anything. You know what I'm talking about! When you read a book, you can feel the build. You can feel the anticipation and you keep reading because you know it's going to come to a head. But, the book didn't even have that. I didn't feel the build up or the anticipation. It was like we were just mindlessly following this character around until he went back to his day to day life. I'm very disappointed by this book. It had the potential to be something really interesting as we experiencing the crazy and jealous character that's actually a male... but it failed.
Character Development:
Nick:
I have to say that Nick is a likeable character. You can feel the inner struggle he has with his mother. He has this kind of "I'll just role with it" personality, which I admire considering how much he's been through with his mom. Perhaps this is why he all of sudden had these feelings for Phoebe? Maybe she reminded him of his mom's "I don't care about anyone" attitude... so he felt drawn to her? Overall, I liked him as a character. I would have preferred to get more about his life with and without his mom and his struggles to live a normal life with such an alcoholic parent.
Jace:
I enjoyed the character of Jace. She was one of the few characters who had any semblence of normalcy. First of all, she works in a library... love that. She has this desire to leave her small town and experience the world. I thought she had a lot of ambition and was just a really sweet person.
Phoebe:
SHE HAD NO PERSONALITY WHAT SO EVER! We saw very little of her even though the book title has her name in it. She did very little to cause Nick's feelings of "love" towards her, which caused me to have a difficult time wrapping my head around why he would have feelings for her in the first place. During conversations, her sentences were 2-3 words... and that's when she REALLY had something to say. She wasn't appealing at all and it made Nick's feelings unbelievable.
Emily:
I didn't quite understand her character. This is one of those characters that is around a lot but we don't get a back story about them. Emily has a lot of opinions and has no issue sharing them, which is fine. But we don't know anything about her.
Justin:
Justin is an interesting character. He's kind of the loose canon friend from the wrong side of the tracks who takes the new kid under his wing and shows him the ropes of the town. But again, we don't really know anything about him. We know he doesn't really have any motivation and is a big fan of day drinking at the beach. But other than that, we don't know anything about his family, his likes and dislikes, etc. He's just there. And that's it.
The Theme Of Addiction:
I really enjoyed the book when it was focused on addiction. I thought that the information provided and the insight the author included was really interesting and well done. I liked when Nick's mother was in the conversation or part of whatever was going on because it added a level of complexity that I really felt the book was lacking otherwise. I was hoping we would get to see more of her or get to see her and Nick interact more, but that was kept to a minimum.
I really did like when the author described alcoholism as a disease that people don't want or wish to have and it isn't their fault. I thought that was a really great way to describe it. I also liked how Nick struggled to see it that way. It really showed his lack of education on the matter as well as how young he actually is. As an adult, Nick's dad was able to see alcoholism in this way but Nick was not. It was interesting to see the difference in perspectives on the matter.
Nick also does a lot of drinking throughout the summer and spends a lot of time with people who also drink. I thought with was really accurate portrayal of what people can do as a reaction to when someone they care about is an alcoholic. Some people choose not to drink at all and some people end up going down the same path. I thought it was interesting to see Nick struggle with that.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I gave this one star because while there were interesting parts, those interesting parts were not enough to justify everything the book was missing: a plot, complex characters, environment building, and much of what makes a book a good read. If you're looking for something to mindlessly read or get through quickly then maybe give this a try but otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it.
Thank you for reading!
May 25, 2018
*An ARC was provided by Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
"Maybe it was better to forget some people completely."
Alright, before I start this off: this was not a bad book. It wasn't the most interesting or unique novel I've ever read, but it wasn't a poor or weak read. However, I've got some issues with it so I'm going to use my favorite tool in the whole world:
A classic, classy, pros and cons list.
Pros:
-I enjoyed the main character, ?, and his friends and family. This book had a relaxed but realistic grasp on familial relationships and budding friendships.
-I will always be a sucker for the "spending the summer somewhere new because I need time away from home" troupe. It's so overused recently, but I love it anyway. Fight me on this.
-Unlike many, many YA authors, it's clear that Blake Nelson actually understands the reality of small-town life. It's boring, it's usually sweaty, and almost always, the locals make their own fun because there isn't anything else to do. There was no romanticization about small towns in here and that was nice.
-This was just an easy, pleasant book.
Cons (it's pretty much one big thing):
-This book is called Phoebe Will Destroy You, yet Phoebe is in this book for like twenty pages total. And she doesn't come in for a while. So, yeah. That's a bit offputting. And when she does, she doesn't do much? I'm not going to say much else, because spoilers, but I would just like to reiterate that the character the book is titled after is in the book for like three chapters.
Okay. Don't let me rant deter you from reading this if you've had your eye on it. It's a good book, but nothing like what the title and summary lead you to believe.
"Maybe it was better to forget some people completely."
Alright, before I start this off: this was not a bad book. It wasn't the most interesting or unique novel I've ever read, but it wasn't a poor or weak read. However, I've got some issues with it so I'm going to use my favorite tool in the whole world:
A classic, classy, pros and cons list.
Pros:
-I enjoyed the main character, ?, and his friends and family. This book had a relaxed but realistic grasp on familial relationships and budding friendships.
-I will always be a sucker for the "spending the summer somewhere new because I need time away from home" troupe. It's so overused recently, but I love it anyway. Fight me on this.
-Unlike many, many YA authors, it's clear that Blake Nelson actually understands the reality of small-town life. It's boring, it's usually sweaty, and almost always, the locals make their own fun because there isn't anything else to do. There was no romanticization about small towns in here and that was nice.
-This was just an easy, pleasant book.
Cons (it's pretty much one big thing):
-This book is called Phoebe Will Destroy You, yet Phoebe is in this book for like twenty pages total. And she doesn't come in for a while. So, yeah. That's a bit offputting. And when she does, she doesn't do much? I'm not going to say much else, because spoilers, but I would just like to reiterate that the character the book is titled after is in the book for like three chapters.
Okay. Don't let me rant deter you from reading this if you've had your eye on it. It's a good book, but nothing like what the title and summary lead you to believe.
August 26, 2018
It felt not necessarily unfinished but lacking in detail. I was mostly annoyed the whole time I was reading it.
May 12, 2018
I first heard of author Blake Nelson when I was 15 years old and roaming my local Barnes & Noble. The cover of Girl jumped out at me and after reading the first paragraph, I was hooked. It was the middle of summer, I was in love for the first time, and I remember I couldn't believe my luck in finding this incredible book at the same time I was experiencing so many of the same feelings. Looking back on my journal entries from that summer, I noticed I even called my first love "my very own Todd Sparrow", who was a character in Girl.
So it's an understatement to say that Blake Nelson is pretty much the king of the modern coming of age novel to me. When I heard about this upcoming release, I jumped at the opportunity to request an ARC.
Nick's mom returns home from rehab as he's finishing his junior year of high school. His dad saves him from the awkward summer ahead by sending him to the small beach town Seaside, Oregon to stay with family members and work at his uncle's car wash.
Nick spends his summer days vacuuming up the loose change from patron's cars and going to parties with his cousins at night. He still isn't completely over his first love and believes he lost her because of his family drama, but is open to meeting some girls over the summer. He flirts with his cousin's best friend and likes the idea of hanging out with her but it isn't long before he notices local party girl legend Phoebe Garnet.
Returning to a beach bonfire before sunrise to find a missing book, Nick finds Phoebe on the beach still black-out drunk but manages to get her safely home. Soon she's all he can think about and he's dreaming up a future for them. Her self-destructive behavior doesn't bother Nick; he thinks he can save her from the monotony of her sleepy town and the few opportunities it affords.
In a summer that changes his life forever, Nick finds himself dealing with his mom moving out of the family home, his obsession with Phoebe, and planning his future when everything is filled with uncertainty. In between, he finds time to party and fight with preppy out-of-towners.
Teenage romance awkwardness abounds and the languid days of summer stretch on in Phoebe Will Destroy You. Blake Nelson has written another authentic story filled with the unchanging universal truths of being a teen.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Phoebe Will Destroy You is scheduled for release on June 19, 2018.
For more full book reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
So it's an understatement to say that Blake Nelson is pretty much the king of the modern coming of age novel to me. When I heard about this upcoming release, I jumped at the opportunity to request an ARC.
Nick's mom returns home from rehab as he's finishing his junior year of high school. His dad saves him from the awkward summer ahead by sending him to the small beach town Seaside, Oregon to stay with family members and work at his uncle's car wash.
Nick spends his summer days vacuuming up the loose change from patron's cars and going to parties with his cousins at night. He still isn't completely over his first love and believes he lost her because of his family drama, but is open to meeting some girls over the summer. He flirts with his cousin's best friend and likes the idea of hanging out with her but it isn't long before he notices local party girl legend Phoebe Garnet.
Returning to a beach bonfire before sunrise to find a missing book, Nick finds Phoebe on the beach still black-out drunk but manages to get her safely home. Soon she's all he can think about and he's dreaming up a future for them. Her self-destructive behavior doesn't bother Nick; he thinks he can save her from the monotony of her sleepy town and the few opportunities it affords.
In a summer that changes his life forever, Nick finds himself dealing with his mom moving out of the family home, his obsession with Phoebe, and planning his future when everything is filled with uncertainty. In between, he finds time to party and fight with preppy out-of-towners.
Teenage romance awkwardness abounds and the languid days of summer stretch on in Phoebe Will Destroy You. Blake Nelson has written another authentic story filled with the unchanging universal truths of being a teen.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Phoebe Will Destroy You is scheduled for release on June 19, 2018.
For more full book reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
August 23, 2018
Wow, was this ever stupid.
"I thought if I ever got a chance to talk to Phoebe, I'd ask her questions, because a girl like that might have something interesting to say."
The prose is more in the vein of an earnest 12-year old with a vague concept of what life might be about but no true understanding due to lack of experience. Superficial and vague but mostly dull AF.
"I thought if I ever got a chance to talk to Phoebe, I'd ask her questions, because a girl like that might have something interesting to say."
The prose is more in the vein of an earnest 12-year old with a vague concept of what life might be about but no true understanding due to lack of experience. Superficial and vague but mostly dull AF.
November 14, 2018
I feel like although this book is marketed to young adults, it is written in a way that makes it seems as though it was intended for a younger audience. There is basically no plot line and it's hard to keep up with the constantly changing scenes that don't really make sense with the story. The book was slow moving and I felt that nothing motivated me to want to burrow myself in it's pages. A book should make you think in astonishment and shock once you finish it but sadly, I only felt glad that I had finally finished reading this book. Maybe this book is for you but I wouldn't recommend you read it unless you want to be bored.
January 15, 2018
Nick rushes from an imploding home life straight into the trenches of your first real love, the love that makes you do things you don't think through...the kind of love that makes you dream about the life you and your object of affection will have (even if you are only 17 years old). Nick falls in love with Phoebe...the mysterious, dangerous, maybe an alcoholic girl that everyone knows but no one knows.
My favorite part of this book was seeing Nick grow up, in ways that only love can make you grow.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the ARC!
My favorite part of this book was seeing Nick grow up, in ways that only love can make you grow.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the ARC!
March 4, 2019
I read this for a YA Lit class I’m taking. It reminds me of a lesser Perks of Being a Wallflower. Nick is much like Charlie in that he’s young and having new experiences and is socially awkward. But he’s not as likable or funny to me as Charlie is. He thinks he’s “in love” with Phoebe, your typical manic pixie dream girl. He’s not. He’s obsessive and creepy to the point he’s imagining her moving in with him and his dad after hanging with her like twice. Title made it sound different than it was. Book was slow-paced. I was not a fan.
June 18, 2019
Read in a morning while waiting for an eye appointment where I was told I could get readers. Not sure if the book or the readers make me feel old. Or both. Not not enjoyable as a quick read I was left wanting a whole lot more from the title character. I thought it did a decent job of getting in the head of the lead male character. My criticism--His thoughts were descriptively written even as all of his relationships were superficial. Don't boys deserve better? Or maybe that's just a book on their reality...
October 14, 2019
Bizarre teenage emotional drama
July 30, 2020
Oof. What a wreck. I read this book to widen my perspective on teen romance for a book I’m trying to write myself, and to put it lightly, the only thing this book taught me was what NOT to do. Where do I even start?
The thing that bothered me the most was the romanticized view of abuse and mental illness while also demonizing that mental illness in the same breath. Obviously, Phoebe is a deeply disturbed young woman who needs help, not to be seen as a mysterious object only worth possessing. Gag. The obnoxious male gaze was just infuriating. Why is it so much easier for male authors to label a female character as a mysterious and unfathomable figurine rather than a human with complex emotions?
The next thing that bothered me was the lack of detail, characterization, or any thought really. Not one character had a personality. I wasn’t invested in any character or relationship. Everything felt like a stale piece of bread. Now had the book gone into the direction of Nick’s mental illness, I would have understood why he was so self-centered and apathetic. But it never went there.
As a fellow writer, I also felt a sense of flatness with all the telling and not showing. I did this, she said that, I felt this, I think that, OMG OBVIOUSLY, please just use descriptive dialogue and imagery for the love of God.
And last but not least, the half-assed switch to Jace in the last 2 pages? What even?? I don’t feel bad for Nick at all. I wanted her to spit all over him. She was never explored as a deep-thinking, interesting individual and was just seen as another far more boring object to possess and now that shiny Phoebe was unavailable, I guess he’ll settle for Jace? Gross.
I’d like to say that this book had potential, but it really didn’t. There’s so much work to be done. It really feels like this book was a rushed first draft that was never edited. Just bad. I do not recommend.
The thing that bothered me the most was the romanticized view of abuse and mental illness while also demonizing that mental illness in the same breath. Obviously, Phoebe is a deeply disturbed young woman who needs help, not to be seen as a mysterious object only worth possessing. Gag. The obnoxious male gaze was just infuriating. Why is it so much easier for male authors to label a female character as a mysterious and unfathomable figurine rather than a human with complex emotions?
The next thing that bothered me was the lack of detail, characterization, or any thought really. Not one character had a personality. I wasn’t invested in any character or relationship. Everything felt like a stale piece of bread. Now had the book gone into the direction of Nick’s mental illness, I would have understood why he was so self-centered and apathetic. But it never went there.
As a fellow writer, I also felt a sense of flatness with all the telling and not showing. I did this, she said that, I felt this, I think that, OMG OBVIOUSLY, please just use descriptive dialogue and imagery for the love of God.
And last but not least, the half-assed switch to Jace in the last 2 pages? What even?? I don’t feel bad for Nick at all. I wanted her to spit all over him. She was never explored as a deep-thinking, interesting individual and was just seen as another far more boring object to possess and now that shiny Phoebe was unavailable, I guess he’ll settle for Jace? Gross.
I’d like to say that this book had potential, but it really didn’t. There’s so much work to be done. It really feels like this book was a rushed first draft that was never edited. Just bad. I do not recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2018
I received this as an EARC provided by netGalley for an honest review. This is and will be a 100% brutally honest review. Let me start by saying I gave this a 2/5 stars. Yes you read that correctly. 2 our of 5. When I went into this book I had no idea it was told in a males prospective and honestly if his name wasn’t Nick I may have never known. I thought there was no point to this novel. It started good but it never went anywhere. There honestly was no big point to the story. With every story it’s like a hill once you hit the top stuff happens but after 200 pages nothing had happened it was basically all about a guy who fell in love with a girl in a day but it never went anywhere. I thought this would be a cute summer read but I was mistaken. I believe it would have been a good book if something had happened but nothing did. I felt as though I was reading an essay on someone’s summer break when they get back to school. I honestly did not enjoy this. I wish I had but sadly I did not. Now just because I didn’t doesnt mean you won’t either. We are all different and have different taste. It’s sad to say this one was a dud for me I hope it’s not to others.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2018
5 stars for the story of the mysterious Phoebe and the lovable Nick!
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for the opportunity to read and review Phoebe Will Destroy You by Blake Nelson!
Nick visits relatives for the summer, getting a break from his mother and her alcoholism. Nick and his parents live in a college town and his parents both work for the university and since his mother returned from rehab, she seems bored and distant to Nick and her husband. The relatives he visits live in a laid back town and he’s looking forward to seeing them and being in a different environment. Nick meets quite a few new people, makes friends and they have interesting experiences together, but there’s one person that gets into his mind more than anyone else- Phoebe. She’s a complete mystery and that’s a big part of why Nick finds her attractive and appealing. Nick imagines a future with Phoebe but it always involves changing some part of Phoebe’s life to create that future. The ambiguity of the ending left me hoping that Nick is enjoying his present and continues to enjoy his future with or without Phoebe in it. 5 stars for the lovable Nick!
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for the opportunity to read and review Phoebe Will Destroy You by Blake Nelson!
Nick visits relatives for the summer, getting a break from his mother and her alcoholism. Nick and his parents live in a college town and his parents both work for the university and since his mother returned from rehab, she seems bored and distant to Nick and her husband. The relatives he visits live in a laid back town and he’s looking forward to seeing them and being in a different environment. Nick meets quite a few new people, makes friends and they have interesting experiences together, but there’s one person that gets into his mind more than anyone else- Phoebe. She’s a complete mystery and that’s a big part of why Nick finds her attractive and appealing. Nick imagines a future with Phoebe but it always involves changing some part of Phoebe’s life to create that future. The ambiguity of the ending left me hoping that Nick is enjoying his present and continues to enjoy his future with or without Phoebe in it. 5 stars for the lovable Nick!
December 10, 2018
Blake Nelson is certainly the king of the Young Adult novel and his latest entry in the genre doesn't disappoint. Nick is seventeen and spending the summer in Seaside, Oregon with his aunt and uncle. Nick's mom is not just an alcoholic and a slut, but she's also a leftist, elitist bitch who looks down on people like Nick's aunt and uncle, because they are car wash owners and not academics. Nick spends his summer learning how the other half lives and negotiating the topsy turvy world of teen relationships, falling in love with a bad girl and getting hurt in the process. Blake Nelson writes both teen angst and the world of locals well, weaving a tight knit story from the rare male point of view. I am excited that soon my oldest son will be old enough to read Blake Nelson. :)
June 4, 2022
"Phoebe Will Destroy You," is a great book for high schoolers about a teen named Nick from Eugene Oregon who goes to the beach to stay with his cousins for the summer. While working at the car wash his uncle owns, he meets Phoebe, a local who is known for being pretty but shy. He attempts to hang with her but she keeps him on edge. It's a great story and I highly recommend it. A golden line is: “That was the thing about Phoebe: She seemed to need more love, and so somehow you generated more love. And all that extra love moving through you, it was like a drug, it was pure ecstasy, filling you up and then flowing into her, and then coming back to you again, creating this vortex of incredible bliss.”(Blake 250)
September 6, 2018
Another fun read by Blake Nelson. The characters are VERY Blake Nelson characters, and you find yourself rooting for them (and booing others). When Nick's parents' problems take over the house, he heads away to his uncle's for the summer, where instead of being a privileged son-of-a-professor, he works at a carwash in a "redneck town." (Seemingly all of the characters are white.) He finds himself a nothng in a town where he seems to pride himself on being better than everyone else, but then, he falls in love with Phoebe. His assumptions
February 7, 2019
Blake Nelson's so good. His books are rarely about some big important event. Instead, they're just about growing up, figuring yourself out, figuring the world out. There might be an identity crisis or something, but it's always within a very simple plot. I love that. It somehow feels more impressive to write a book about nothing than it is to write with this big amazing plot. I guess both kinds of books are hard to write, so I'm glad there are authors doing both. If you like coming-of-age, identity-crisis, angsty books, you'd like Blake Nelson. He delivers every time.
August 2, 2022
3.5
I was surprised and not at the same time when I saw the rating and reviews for this book. While I agree with a lot of the things the reviews said, I actually enjoyed reading this book a lot. The writing was pretty bad if I’m being honest, but I’m my opinion that made the book even better. It truly felt like I was reading the diary of a 17 year old boy. I was shocked by how REAL his thoughts and inner dialogue was. There wasn’t much of a love story if I’m being honest, but this book wasn’t really marketed as one anyway.
I was surprised and not at the same time when I saw the rating and reviews for this book. While I agree with a lot of the things the reviews said, I actually enjoyed reading this book a lot. The writing was pretty bad if I’m being honest, but I’m my opinion that made the book even better. It truly felt like I was reading the diary of a 17 year old boy. I was shocked by how REAL his thoughts and inner dialogue was. There wasn’t much of a love story if I’m being honest, but this book wasn’t really marketed as one anyway.
August 30, 2024
i liked the writing style but the plot itself was lacking. the mc would spend like full pages obsessing over the girl (phoebe) which technically makes sense with the story but also was annoying to have to read all of it (it was usually irrelevant btw!). the characters barely communicated and the ending was so mid… we find out that the mc and this side character are endgame but it feels so empty since they barely talk about their feelings …. idk. was lacking. it’s 3 stars bc of the writing style.
August 1, 2022
Very surface level story about a teenage boy who spends a summer in an oregon beach town while his parents separate. Basically, boy meets girl, boy meets town slut, screws her twice and decides he's in love with her then goes home and decides he might like girl one. That's it. Literally. There's no destroying and Phoebe appears on maybe 15 pages of this book. I thought this was silly AF but midgrade readers might like it because it's just a teensy bit scandalous.
November 22, 2023
My daughter is named Phoebe and she has "destroyed" me since the day she was born. So I hoped this might be an entertaining little read. But there wasn't nearly enough of the enigmatic Phoebe character (you don't even meet her until 100+ pages in) and there was far too much of the hormone-plagued main character, Nick. I don't know what I was expecting from a Young Adult novel, but this missed the mark.
March 17, 2024
I just liked this quote
“You wanted to think something lasted when you loved someone. Some part of that connection remained, that the person stayed inside you in a way. But maybe that wasn’t always true. And maybe with someone like Phoebe, you didn’t want them lingering on the outskirts of your heart, reminding you how unsafe the world was. Maybe it was better to forget some people completely. If you could. If that was even possible”
“You wanted to think something lasted when you loved someone. Some part of that connection remained, that the person stayed inside you in a way. But maybe that wasn’t always true. And maybe with someone like Phoebe, you didn’t want them lingering on the outskirts of your heart, reminding you how unsafe the world was. Maybe it was better to forget some people completely. If you could. If that was even possible”
July 12, 2018
3.5 stars The writing was completely unpretentious and seemingly effortless, which was refreshing. I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend, but I needed a little more about Phoebe to make it 4 stars.
June 4, 2020
I read it because I really liked Girl. Some interesting descriptive passages, but overall dull and it goes nowhere, as if unfinished. There could be a real story here, but it is left to your imagination to create it. Duller than almost any TV series episode.
July 9, 2018
I wish it had just a bit more.
August 24, 2019
The summer before senior year can be a turning point for many emerging adults, and this author captures the essence of this phase of life with beautiful grit!
July 13, 2022
No real climax of the story. I simple read for when one needs to ease into something different.
July 2, 2023
2.5 stars
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