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Ghostboy, Chameleon & the Duke of Graffiti
Some endings are inevitable, but so are some stories.
Cora, the principal’s gloomy goth daughter, is not exactly popular Duke Meyer’s type. Still, Duke finds himself inexplicably drawn to her dark eyes and mysterious manner. She makes it clear she doesn’t return his admiration, but when a burst appendix lands Duke in the hospital, he and Cora will be forced to come together by the most unlikely intermediary: her eight-year-old brother, Jaime.
So begins an epic tale—that of Ghostboy, Chameleon and the Duke of Graffiti.
A tale of three normal kids who, against all odds, will become exceptional.
A tale of hopes and dreams, of indelible friendship and first love.
Ghostboy, Chameleon & the Duke of Graffiti is a gorgeous debut novel that will resonate with the thoughtful fans of John Green’s blockbuster The Fault in Our Stars.
Foreword Reviews INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award Finalist!
Cora, the principal’s gloomy goth daughter, is not exactly popular Duke Meyer’s type. Still, Duke finds himself inexplicably drawn to her dark eyes and mysterious manner. She makes it clear she doesn’t return his admiration, but when a burst appendix lands Duke in the hospital, he and Cora will be forced to come together by the most unlikely intermediary: her eight-year-old brother, Jaime.
So begins an epic tale—that of Ghostboy, Chameleon and the Duke of Graffiti.
A tale of three normal kids who, against all odds, will become exceptional.
A tale of hopes and dreams, of indelible friendship and first love.
Ghostboy, Chameleon & the Duke of Graffiti is a gorgeous debut novel that will resonate with the thoughtful fans of John Green’s blockbuster The Fault in Our Stars.
Foreword Reviews INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award Finalist!
318 pages, Paperback
First published April 8, 2015
31 people are currently reading
753 people want to read
About the author
Olivia Wildenstein
47 books5,233 followersOlivia is a USA Today best-selling author of romantasy. When she’s not swooning over her characters’ steamy escapades, or plotting their demise, you can find her sipping wine and crafting her next twisted, romantic masterpiece, all while trying to convince her children and leading man that she loves them more than her laptop.
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WEBSITE: http://oliviawildenstein.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
October 20, 2015
*SORRY FOR THE CRAPPY REVIEW*
I'm just unable to write something okay right now, but I need to post my review, so here it is.
I feel like I'm heartless because I didn't cry... Oh well, it doesn't mean I didn't like the book!
There's something really funny about this book. I think it has to do with the fact that it's told in Duke's perspective, which makes the story a whole lot different than it would have been if it had been told in Cora's. Duke can have quite stupid thoughts, which made me want to slap him or just face-palm, but most of the things he said were actually quite funny, which I liked. The fact that it's told in his words also make him seem more compassionate and nice, and it made Cora seem more mysterious and intriguing. I wasn't sure about the narrator at first, but I ended up really liking it!
The story is pretty sad, even though most of the story isn't about the sadness. Jaime is an incredible little guy who has a difficult life but never gives up or stops smiling, so if that doesn't give you hope, then I don't know what would. I loved how everyone tried to make his life better and how most of their time together was spent laughing, which made me forget about cancer and death.
There's a bit of everything in this book, from romance to sadness, which makes it great for everyone. I really enjoyed the time I spent reading it, so I'd definitely recommend it. It's different from most books I've read before, which is even better.
(Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
I'm just unable to write something okay right now, but I need to post my review, so here it is.
I feel like I'm heartless because I didn't cry... Oh well, it doesn't mean I didn't like the book!
There's something really funny about this book. I think it has to do with the fact that it's told in Duke's perspective, which makes the story a whole lot different than it would have been if it had been told in Cora's. Duke can have quite stupid thoughts, which made me want to slap him or just face-palm, but most of the things he said were actually quite funny, which I liked. The fact that it's told in his words also make him seem more compassionate and nice, and it made Cora seem more mysterious and intriguing. I wasn't sure about the narrator at first, but I ended up really liking it!
The story is pretty sad, even though most of the story isn't about the sadness. Jaime is an incredible little guy who has a difficult life but never gives up or stops smiling, so if that doesn't give you hope, then I don't know what would. I loved how everyone tried to make his life better and how most of their time together was spent laughing, which made me forget about cancer and death.
There's a bit of everything in this book, from romance to sadness, which makes it great for everyone. I really enjoyed the time I spent reading it, so I'd definitely recommend it. It's different from most books I've read before, which is even better.
(Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
October 30, 2020
1 DNF Star
Bland writing, 2D, cliche, and unrealistically immature characters (ESPECIALLY the hero) that just became boring. All the reviews talk about how much they cried and blah, but I literally didn't feel anything and I cry over EVERYTHING. It's probably because I didn't get that far (doubt that's why tho). It felt like it was trying too much to be a John Green book, and it was just cliche after cliche, with odd pacing. I would definitely try this author's newer books again because I believe this one is a debut, so imma give it a pass, but ya, I don't really understand all the five stars.
Bland writing, 2D, cliche, and unrealistically immature characters (ESPECIALLY the hero) that just became boring. All the reviews talk about how much they cried and blah, but I literally didn't feel anything and I cry over EVERYTHING. It's probably because I didn't get that far (doubt that's why tho). It felt like it was trying too much to be a John Green book, and it was just cliche after cliche, with odd pacing. I would definitely try this author's newer books again because I believe this one is a debut, so imma give it a pass, but ya, I don't really understand all the five stars.
April 14, 2020
well, okay book...that was too many emotions...
don't read if you can handle the death of a loved one or fucking cancer in the storyline..
solid young adult book...
bittersweet & heartbreaking...
May 7, 2015
This is one of the best books I've ever read. Ms Wildenstein sent me this book for free in exchange for a fair and impartial review. Thank you. Olivia. I'm so glad I didn't miss this one!
This is a very well written YA novel with all the trials and tribulations of getting through high school. The characters are beautifully developed, the story is both witty and sad.
The three main characters are Duke, Cora and Jaime, Cora's eight year old brother. Jaime has terminal brain cancer.
This book has what you might expect in a YA novel, guy/girl relationships, teens hanging together, etc. The main plot line is about the wonderful, loving relationship between Duke and Jaime. This is a book for persons of any age. If you only purchase one book this year, this is definitely the one to buy (and better add a box of tissues to the order).
This is a very well written YA novel with all the trials and tribulations of getting through high school. The characters are beautifully developed, the story is both witty and sad.
The three main characters are Duke, Cora and Jaime, Cora's eight year old brother. Jaime has terminal brain cancer.
This book has what you might expect in a YA novel, guy/girl relationships, teens hanging together, etc. The main plot line is about the wonderful, loving relationship between Duke and Jaime. This is a book for persons of any age. If you only purchase one book this year, this is definitely the one to buy (and better add a box of tissues to the order).
May 22, 2015
Great ya story about love and loss. Duke, a sophomore in highschool, thinks he has problems until he meets Jamie, an eight years old boy with terminal brain cancer. From then on he is determined to help Jamie with his bucket list and together write a story with Jamie as the superhero. The story was really well done and even Jamie's death, sad though it is, has a positive side for the other characters.
May 7, 2015
Love! This was a great read. Don't forget the tissues though! This story made me smile, roll my eyes, laugh, and cry like a baby. The characters are very well written and developed. The one thing I enjoyed most about reading this story is how real the characters seemed to be. I love Jaime, Duke, Cora, and Grandma of course. I would definitely recommend this to everyone!!!!
June 13, 2015
I'm the author. Can't give it less stars. ;)
Seriously now, GHOSTBOY is a modern coming of age where children and adolescents are confronted not only with growing up, but with grown-up problems.
Seriously now, GHOSTBOY is a modern coming of age where children and adolescents are confronted not only with growing up, but with grown-up problems.
December 24, 2015
*I received digital ARC of this book from the publisher through Netgalley*
Review is also posted on Let’s Say It’s A Blog.
This is the book that I doubt I would enjoy because of the childlike title yet something I would pick up anyway because of the unique title. After I read the brief description available on Netgalley, I became more curious as I couldn’t make out where the title clicked with the story. Ghostboy, Chameleon, and the Duke of Graffiti sounds exactly like a fantasy book for me. While I wasn’t right about it, I wasn’t totally wrong either. That is the title of a fantasy book; the one that exists inside this contemporary book.
The next thing that picked up my interest ―after the cover― was the perspective being used in this book. Now that I think about it, I’ve never read a book where the story is told solely from the male lead’s perspective. I was a little worried that it wouldn’t sound good or came out unnatural as the author is female but she actually did a really good job ‘voicing’ teenage boy to deliver the plot.
The story began with a scene where Duke was brought to principal’s office after his attempt to spread out his creativity all the way to principal’s car (yes, he’s the graffiti boy on the title). Duke’s not a bad student, really. He did it as a challenge to join some exclusive club called Alphas which two of his best friends were already in. Duke’s ended up grounded and had a new side role at school as janitor, both for a month. While being in this messed up situation that Duke met Cora, the Goth girl slash principal’s daughter. It’s not that he never met her before. He did know her; they just never really talked to each other until this time. Guess detention kind of opened up his world to more than just the basketball team, popular cheerleaders, and the Alphas.
I have to admit that the first few chapters of this book are sort of plain and uneventful. Maybe it’s the short-length scenes, or the unsmooth transitions between each scene, or the fact that at first the scenes seemed too focused on mundane things of Duke’s life rather than picking up the plot forward. Duke went on with his janitor assignments, occasionally ran into Cora, little banter happened, him trying to brush his weird feeling for the Goth girl by dating another girl, negotiating with his parents to let him go out, and hanging out with friends who encouraged him to keep his spirit joining the Alphas.
It went on like that even though I did highlight some funny scenes throughout the book. It felt so long when I realized I was still on the first quarter of the book that the first twist finally came. I couldn’t remember on which chapter exactly that I began to fully enjoy the story. Maybe it was after the first twist came up or much later when Duke finally met someone who changed so much of his life. Meeting an eight years old Jaime, gave Duke’s more useful thing to do other than worrying about school boy’s cliché things: popularity at school, basketball, girls, or joining some secret club. Discovering the little boy’s big secret, Duke felt something shift inside him, something where he felt more thankful for the life he had, for the complete family he got, something that pushed him to do the right thing in his life.
Duke’s character represents everything a good teenage boy is like. He thinks and acts as naturally as most boys his age but I do love that he’s such a loving kid to his family. I love Duke’s relationship with his parents and his grandma. Actually Duke’s family is really something; it looks like so much fun to hang out with them and everything they do is really comical. I lost count on how many times I laughed whenever their scenes were up. Even scene as worrying as Duke’s sudden appendix attack was so darn funny for me.
And then there’s Cora who isn’t as lucky as Duke’s in family department. With incomplete parents and little brother who already had to face a big battle with cancer at eight, Cora had her own issue that shaped her into a girl with cold demeanor and thick make-up. After several encounters with Cora, Duke felt so taken aback with his weird feeling for the girl who’s so different than his usual type. Perhaps it’s the cold-shoulders that Cora kept throwing at him, or her charcoal-like make-upped eyes, but Duke felt the urge to unravel whatever she hid behind the mask. I like that it’s not exactly an insta-love happening between them. They resented each other from the start yet in the end they shared equal affection for the same person. Jaime who was no other than Cora’s little brother started to build a tight bond with Duke when he decided to write him a story, trying to give him adventure he probably would never get. Their relationship seemed casual at first but slowly it tightened and soon they realized that they never wanted to be separated from each other. Duke never knew that Jaime would be more than just his writing-buddy and he never knew that Jaime would be the very person that brought him and Cora closer than ever. The three of them formed a unique group as they went on a mission to cross each point from Jaime’s bucket list.
As much as I love the romance in this book, I love Duke’s relationship with Jaime more. I guess it’s after Duke started to hang out more with Jaime that I started to really enjoy the story ―including the one Duke and Jaime wrote together.
That’s when this book started to give me so much ‘feels’.
I shed my first tear on 80% mark. And that’s also the beginning of every tear I shed again and again all the way to the last page. When I first read the book I know exactly just how it would end up eventually. But I guess Ms. Wildenstein tried to relay this to us from the start, that no matter how it ends, it’s the story that matters the most. See the words etched on the cover?
Some endings are inevitable, but so are the stories.
She tried to remind us again through Jaime’s words:
“Just because you know the ending doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read it.”
I could so relate to this. Growing up I always hold on the process-based thinking system. I am taught not to worry so much about the result as what much more important is the process. The ending was one painful experience for each character yet no one wanted to change a thing if it meant replacing the togetherness, unforgettable moments, and the tight bond had been formed between them. There was this red thread between the story of this book and the one written by the characters. It’s really beautiful and poignant.
Ghostboy, Chameleon, and the Duke of Graffiti is the book about finding unexpected love and losing unexpected friend in unexpected time and place. Duke’s character teaches us that you don’t need to be the most popular kid at school or be in some fancy exclusive club to be able to do amazing thing and give people happiness. This book might feel ordinary for me at first but it felt so good to discover what a ride it took me to the last page. It’s just so many feeling all blended into one. And what an ending to wrap them up with… :)
I strongly recommend this book for everyone who wants to experience what I said above. Ms. Wildenstein chose two cliché themes of YA novel ―terminal illness and story-writing― and put them together into an astonishing story that many people would find it hard to put it down. What a stellar debut novel!
Review is also posted on Let’s Say It’s A Blog.
This is the book that I doubt I would enjoy because of the childlike title yet something I would pick up anyway because of the unique title. After I read the brief description available on Netgalley, I became more curious as I couldn’t make out where the title clicked with the story. Ghostboy, Chameleon, and the Duke of Graffiti sounds exactly like a fantasy book for me. While I wasn’t right about it, I wasn’t totally wrong either. That is the title of a fantasy book; the one that exists inside this contemporary book.
The next thing that picked up my interest ―after the cover― was the perspective being used in this book. Now that I think about it, I’ve never read a book where the story is told solely from the male lead’s perspective. I was a little worried that it wouldn’t sound good or came out unnatural as the author is female but she actually did a really good job ‘voicing’ teenage boy to deliver the plot.
The story began with a scene where Duke was brought to principal’s office after his attempt to spread out his creativity all the way to principal’s car (yes, he’s the graffiti boy on the title). Duke’s not a bad student, really. He did it as a challenge to join some exclusive club called Alphas which two of his best friends were already in. Duke’s ended up grounded and had a new side role at school as janitor, both for a month. While being in this messed up situation that Duke met Cora, the Goth girl slash principal’s daughter. It’s not that he never met her before. He did know her; they just never really talked to each other until this time. Guess detention kind of opened up his world to more than just the basketball team, popular cheerleaders, and the Alphas.
I have to admit that the first few chapters of this book are sort of plain and uneventful. Maybe it’s the short-length scenes, or the unsmooth transitions between each scene, or the fact that at first the scenes seemed too focused on mundane things of Duke’s life rather than picking up the plot forward. Duke went on with his janitor assignments, occasionally ran into Cora, little banter happened, him trying to brush his weird feeling for the Goth girl by dating another girl, negotiating with his parents to let him go out, and hanging out with friends who encouraged him to keep his spirit joining the Alphas.
It went on like that even though I did highlight some funny scenes throughout the book. It felt so long when I realized I was still on the first quarter of the book that the first twist finally came. I couldn’t remember on which chapter exactly that I began to fully enjoy the story. Maybe it was after the first twist came up or much later when Duke finally met someone who changed so much of his life. Meeting an eight years old Jaime, gave Duke’s more useful thing to do other than worrying about school boy’s cliché things: popularity at school, basketball, girls, or joining some secret club. Discovering the little boy’s big secret, Duke felt something shift inside him, something where he felt more thankful for the life he had, for the complete family he got, something that pushed him to do the right thing in his life.
Duke’s character represents everything a good teenage boy is like. He thinks and acts as naturally as most boys his age but I do love that he’s such a loving kid to his family. I love Duke’s relationship with his parents and his grandma. Actually Duke’s family is really something; it looks like so much fun to hang out with them and everything they do is really comical. I lost count on how many times I laughed whenever their scenes were up. Even scene as worrying as Duke’s sudden appendix attack was so darn funny for me.
And then there’s Cora who isn’t as lucky as Duke’s in family department. With incomplete parents and little brother who already had to face a big battle with cancer at eight, Cora had her own issue that shaped her into a girl with cold demeanor and thick make-up. After several encounters with Cora, Duke felt so taken aback with his weird feeling for the girl who’s so different than his usual type. Perhaps it’s the cold-shoulders that Cora kept throwing at him, or her charcoal-like make-upped eyes, but Duke felt the urge to unravel whatever she hid behind the mask. I like that it’s not exactly an insta-love happening between them. They resented each other from the start yet in the end they shared equal affection for the same person. Jaime who was no other than Cora’s little brother started to build a tight bond with Duke when he decided to write him a story, trying to give him adventure he probably would never get. Their relationship seemed casual at first but slowly it tightened and soon they realized that they never wanted to be separated from each other. Duke never knew that Jaime would be more than just his writing-buddy and he never knew that Jaime would be the very person that brought him and Cora closer than ever. The three of them formed a unique group as they went on a mission to cross each point from Jaime’s bucket list.
As much as I love the romance in this book, I love Duke’s relationship with Jaime more. I guess it’s after Duke started to hang out more with Jaime that I started to really enjoy the story ―including the one Duke and Jaime wrote together.
That’s when this book started to give me so much ‘feels’.
I shed my first tear on 80% mark. And that’s also the beginning of every tear I shed again and again all the way to the last page. When I first read the book I know exactly just how it would end up eventually. But I guess Ms. Wildenstein tried to relay this to us from the start, that no matter how it ends, it’s the story that matters the most. See the words etched on the cover?
Some endings are inevitable, but so are the stories.
She tried to remind us again through Jaime’s words:
“Just because you know the ending doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read it.”
I could so relate to this. Growing up I always hold on the process-based thinking system. I am taught not to worry so much about the result as what much more important is the process. The ending was one painful experience for each character yet no one wanted to change a thing if it meant replacing the togetherness, unforgettable moments, and the tight bond had been formed between them. There was this red thread between the story of this book and the one written by the characters. It’s really beautiful and poignant.
Ghostboy, Chameleon, and the Duke of Graffiti is the book about finding unexpected love and losing unexpected friend in unexpected time and place. Duke’s character teaches us that you don’t need to be the most popular kid at school or be in some fancy exclusive club to be able to do amazing thing and give people happiness. This book might feel ordinary for me at first but it felt so good to discover what a ride it took me to the last page. It’s just so many feeling all blended into one. And what an ending to wrap them up with… :)
I strongly recommend this book for everyone who wants to experience what I said above. Ms. Wildenstein chose two cliché themes of YA novel ―terminal illness and story-writing― and put them together into an astonishing story that many people would find it hard to put it down. What a stellar debut novel!
August 24, 2015
I've received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
I really hate to be the girl who begins a review with "that book was free but mheeew, sorry not sorry I'm giving it a bad rating." I get absolutely no kick out of giving this book a poor rating and a bad review. The author seems like a extremely good person and I really wish I could go for tea with her instead of leaving this negative review on her first bookish child's page. I also really wish this book had gone through another round of editing process: the male POV was unconvincing and the book is filled with clichés that have "worked" in other books. Clearly, there was a marketing strategy behind the whole thing. Cancer, unpopular girl + jock, some tingling touch and impossible to forget smells...
Exhibit A:
Exhibit B: When the rich saviour asked an unpopular girl who wants nothing to do with him:
But one thing at a time.
Typical rich jock with secret writing aspirations meets typical unpopular goth girl in a contrived plot. The moment he sniffs her perfume, he can't get her out of his head. He wants to solve her every step of the way. Throw in there a half-assed discussing about Wuthering Heights (Twilight influence, I'm guessing?) Of course, the rich saviour complex drives the plot. Different from the blurb, yes?
I thought the romance watered down the cancer subplot and the issue with Duke's father...? Huh. Ok, the truth is: I can't speak of a cancer subplot. No, people, we don't shave heads for brain scans. The brain cancer in general... It's scientifically wrong. We don't do PET and then CAT(CT) scans. CT scans because of what it implies (X-rays) can't be prescribed until the end of times, one after the other. CT scans are also the least used form of brain scans in brain cancer because they only show tumours in some kinds of brain cancer (those near the skull/bones) on top of being very imprecise. Same thing about the impossibility to reproduce brain scans until eternity-do-them-part applies to PET scans as they involve injecting a radioactive substance. We usually use MRI, less invasive and much more accurate. Don't get me started on the "cancer" symptoms or we will be here all day long. This is the reason why I can't call this book powerful or deep; the cancer is used as a plot device to contrive Duke and Cora to realize their love for each other and have tingling fingertips. It's sensationalism, pure and simple, in all its inaccuracies. When your character development stems from other people's pain, your character is simply too bland, and I have issues with the way you're using your last read: The Fault in Our Stars.
As I said not deep.
The characters were vastly 2D, bland, and revolving solely around Jaime. The plot is driven by dialogues rather than by stuff happening, meaning the storytelling is weak. Well, at least in my book. The chapters are short and dry and to the point, which personally, is not a writing style I favour.
In all honesty, I don't understand why often, female authors create such a dichotomy between female characters: The Pure One VS The Other Sluts. Where do we learn to hate ourselves this much that we write male characters thinking of sex as normal, and female characters doing the same as "Those Bitches Should Die"? There's no female friendship in this book and the description of female characters drove me bunkers because no one is good enough as a woman unless she's not wearing make-up, a natural beauty and other whatnot, and not interested in sex and playing the part of a good big sister.
If a woman is tall and have large shoulders:
If she shows no interest in your penis:
If she wears too much make-up:
It tries really hard to be deep, but when a man judges a woman's appearance and worth by how much make-up she wears, I'm handing out bad reviews and I'm not even sweating it. Because Cora is a Goth, Duke is convinced that she's broken. She must be wearing a mask. She must be hurting! Grams answers that it must be grief making a woman act that way about her appearance. All hail her non-wisdom! Of course, women without make-up have no issues: they are the way they should be.
I really hate to be the girl who begins a review with "that book was free but mheeew, sorry not sorry I'm giving it a bad rating." I get absolutely no kick out of giving this book a poor rating and a bad review. The author seems like a extremely good person and I really wish I could go for tea with her instead of leaving this negative review on her first bookish child's page. I also really wish this book had gone through another round of editing process: the male POV was unconvincing and the book is filled with clichés that have "worked" in other books. Clearly, there was a marketing strategy behind the whole thing. Cancer, unpopular girl + jock, some tingling touch and impossible to forget smells...
Exhibit A:
"My finger tingled as though her skin had burnt mine.
Exhibit B: When the rich saviour asked an unpopular girl who wants nothing to do with him:
"Why do you push everyone away?
But one thing at a time.
Typical rich jock with secret writing aspirations meets typical unpopular goth girl in a contrived plot. The moment he sniffs her perfume, he can't get her out of his head. He wants to solve her every step of the way. Throw in there a half-assed discussing about Wuthering Heights (Twilight influence, I'm guessing?) Of course, the rich saviour complex drives the plot. Different from the blurb, yes?
I thought the romance watered down the cancer subplot and the issue with Duke's father...? Huh. Ok, the truth is: I can't speak of a cancer subplot. No, people, we don't shave heads for brain scans. The brain cancer in general... It's scientifically wrong. We don't do PET and then CAT(CT) scans. CT scans because of what it implies (X-rays) can't be prescribed until the end of times, one after the other. CT scans are also the least used form of brain scans in brain cancer because they only show tumours in some kinds of brain cancer (those near the skull/bones) on top of being very imprecise. Same thing about the impossibility to reproduce brain scans until eternity-do-them-part applies to PET scans as they involve injecting a radioactive substance. We usually use MRI, less invasive and much more accurate. Don't get me started on the "cancer" symptoms or we will be here all day long. This is the reason why I can't call this book powerful or deep; the cancer is used as a plot device to contrive Duke and Cora to realize their love for each other and have tingling fingertips. It's sensationalism, pure and simple, in all its inaccuracies. When your character development stems from other people's pain, your character is simply too bland, and I have issues with the way you're using your last read: The Fault in Our Stars.
"What Jaime is going through... it should remind you of what's truly important in life."
As I said not deep.
The characters were vastly 2D, bland, and revolving solely around Jaime. The plot is driven by dialogues rather than by stuff happening, meaning the storytelling is weak. Well, at least in my book. The chapters are short and dry and to the point, which personally, is not a writing style I favour.
In all honesty, I don't understand why often, female authors create such a dichotomy between female characters: The Pure One VS The Other Sluts. Where do we learn to hate ourselves this much that we write male characters thinking of sex as normal, and female characters doing the same as "Those Bitches Should Die"? There's no female friendship in this book and the description of female characters drove me bunkers because no one is good enough as a woman unless she's not wearing make-up, a natural beauty and other whatnot, and not interested in sex and playing the part of a good big sister.
If a woman is tall and have large shoulders:
"Joss? She's a man."
If she shows no interest in your penis:
"I'd always assumed they (Goth People) worshipped Satan, but instead I learned they worshipped tolerance. I also read that many were same-sex-oriented. Was that Cora's case?"
If she wears too much make-up:
"Grams, why would a girl make herself look ugly on purpose?"
It tries really hard to be deep, but when a man judges a woman's appearance and worth by how much make-up she wears, I'm handing out bad reviews and I'm not even sweating it. Because Cora is a Goth, Duke is convinced that she's broken. She must be wearing a mask. She must be hurting! Grams answers that it must be grief making a woman act that way about her appearance. All hail her non-wisdom! Of course, women without make-up have no issues: they are the way they should be.
September 22, 2015
Also posted at Sporadic Reads
The title is definitely a mouthful, but don't let that discourage you in picking this up. I think it lived up to its marketing strategy, "A gorgeous debut novel that will resonate with the thoughtful fans of John Green’s blockbuster The Fault in Our Stars."
The story starts of with Duke in the principal's office, because he was caught doing a prank to enter an exclusive brotherhood, the Alphas. It was one of his dreams to be a member of this elite group because it will help him in the future. The head of the group is one of the top names in Silicon Valley, and being connected to the Alphas means a great advantage.
Duke is a typical teenage boy. He cared about his reputation, he plays basketball, he likes girls, and he's got friends that have the same interests as him. Even though he's a typical hot-blooded teen, he loved school and excels in writing. Because of the prank he pulled, he was punished and was tasked to do after school duties to clean around the school. That's where he met Cora, the goth daughter of the principal. Duke started to be fascinated with Cora. He wanted to solve her. He wanted to know why she hides behind the thick white makeup and gloomy aura. But Cora didn't give him the time of day, until he meets Jaime, Cora's younger brother.
Jaime was terminally ill. He was diagnosed with brain cancer. He and Duke stroke up an unlikely friendship, and Duke was determined to write a story with adventures that used Jaime's wild imagination. When Duke learned about Jaime's bucket list, he made it his life's mission to make all of them come true. I loved how Jaime's bucket list wasn't ordinary. It's not the typical "I want to go to Disneyland" kind of thing. He was 8, but his ideas were extraordinary.
While Duke and Jaime spent time with writing their book of adventures, Cora slowly got to know him. Duke's intention to "solve" her wasn't romantic at all. He just wanted to understand her, but I love the fact that the author took time for them to get to know each other.
I love Duke's grandmother. She's a darling. She's one of the reasons why I enjoyed this book. She's a very cool grandma. While I love her grandmother, I didn't really care for the other side stories. I think the author spent a lot of time adding the side stories, when she could have added excerpts of the book that Duke and Jaime were writing.
You must have tissues handy. I swear, this book made me bawl! I think it was because I loved Jaime's personality. You will love this 8-year old kid. I swear!
Overall, the book made me laugh, annoyed, shake my head, roll my eyes, and cry. I liked it a lot and you shouldn't miss out! #
The title is definitely a mouthful, but don't let that discourage you in picking this up. I think it lived up to its marketing strategy, "A gorgeous debut novel that will resonate with the thoughtful fans of John Green’s blockbuster The Fault in Our Stars."
The story starts of with Duke in the principal's office, because he was caught doing a prank to enter an exclusive brotherhood, the Alphas. It was one of his dreams to be a member of this elite group because it will help him in the future. The head of the group is one of the top names in Silicon Valley, and being connected to the Alphas means a great advantage.
Duke is a typical teenage boy. He cared about his reputation, he plays basketball, he likes girls, and he's got friends that have the same interests as him. Even though he's a typical hot-blooded teen, he loved school and excels in writing. Because of the prank he pulled, he was punished and was tasked to do after school duties to clean around the school. That's where he met Cora, the goth daughter of the principal. Duke started to be fascinated with Cora. He wanted to solve her. He wanted to know why she hides behind the thick white makeup and gloomy aura. But Cora didn't give him the time of day, until he meets Jaime, Cora's younger brother.
Jaime was terminally ill. He was diagnosed with brain cancer. He and Duke stroke up an unlikely friendship, and Duke was determined to write a story with adventures that used Jaime's wild imagination. When Duke learned about Jaime's bucket list, he made it his life's mission to make all of them come true. I loved how Jaime's bucket list wasn't ordinary. It's not the typical "I want to go to Disneyland" kind of thing. He was 8, but his ideas were extraordinary.
While Duke and Jaime spent time with writing their book of adventures, Cora slowly got to know him. Duke's intention to "solve" her wasn't romantic at all. He just wanted to understand her, but I love the fact that the author took time for them to get to know each other.
I love Duke's grandmother. She's a darling. She's one of the reasons why I enjoyed this book. She's a very cool grandma. While I love her grandmother, I didn't really care for the other side stories. I think the author spent a lot of time adding the side stories, when she could have added excerpts of the book that Duke and Jaime were writing.
You must have tissues handy. I swear, this book made me bawl! I think it was because I loved Jaime's personality. You will love this 8-year old kid. I swear!
Overall, the book made me laugh, annoyed, shake my head, roll my eyes, and cry. I liked it a lot and you shouldn't miss out! #
September 22, 2015
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Ghostboy, Chameleon & the Duke of Graffiti focuses on the lives of Duke, a normal red-blooded teenager focused on all things that seem so important at that age, popularity, friends, girls and school. He meets Cora who is "goth" and wants to solve her and how and why she is the way she is. Duke then meets Jamie when he is taken in to hospital for an emergency surgery. Jamie is an 8 year old battling cancer that will forever change the way Duke sees the world and just what is important.
A truly touching story that once I began to read I just could not put down. Duke making it his mission to give Jamie all his wants and fill his life with happiness is a story that will move anyone. Cora's story is also one not to be missed as how this girl is the way she is. I would definitely suggest keeping some tissues handy when reading this book.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Ghostboy, Chameleon & the Duke of Graffiti focuses on the lives of Duke, a normal red-blooded teenager focused on all things that seem so important at that age, popularity, friends, girls and school. He meets Cora who is "goth" and wants to solve her and how and why she is the way she is. Duke then meets Jamie when he is taken in to hospital for an emergency surgery. Jamie is an 8 year old battling cancer that will forever change the way Duke sees the world and just what is important.
A truly touching story that once I began to read I just could not put down. Duke making it his mission to give Jamie all his wants and fill his life with happiness is a story that will move anyone. Cora's story is also one not to be missed as how this girl is the way she is. I would definitely suggest keeping some tissues handy when reading this book.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
May 26, 2015
Thought provoking and emotional.
I received a free electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.
A heartfelt story about friendship, different values in life, and finding your place in the world. I became deeply attached to the characters and found myself laughing and crying along with them. A book that makes you stop and think is one I will suggest to all readers regardless if they are 16 or 80 years old. Thus, I highly recommend Ghostboy,Chameleon & the Duke of Graffiti. Making the reader wonder why society has limitations based upon age and questioning such values as happiness, kindness, and forgiveness. There are so many topics covered including death, race, age, and wealth. That Ghostboy, Chameleon & the Duke of Graffiti would make an excellent book club choice that would stimulate lots of discussion.
I received a free electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.
A heartfelt story about friendship, different values in life, and finding your place in the world. I became deeply attached to the characters and found myself laughing and crying along with them. A book that makes you stop and think is one I will suggest to all readers regardless if they are 16 or 80 years old. Thus, I highly recommend Ghostboy,Chameleon & the Duke of Graffiti. Making the reader wonder why society has limitations based upon age and questioning such values as happiness, kindness, and forgiveness. There are so many topics covered including death, race, age, and wealth. That Ghostboy, Chameleon & the Duke of Graffiti would make an excellent book club choice that would stimulate lots of discussion.
July 3, 2015
Oh my gosh, I loved this book! I fell in love with all the characters. I laughed with them, agonized with them, cried with them and cheered for them. This books is a MUST for all students. Boys and girls alike. This would be a wonderful book for required reading. There is so much to talk about. I can't wait for my daughter to read this book so we can discuss it! I won this book on Goodreads and what a great win it was. The author gave me a choice of a hard copy or a Kindle copy and I chose Kindle. I really like reading on my Kindle. I wish more authors gave us that choice! Thank you Olivia Wildenstein for writing this book and offering it for a giveaway on Goodreads!
April 4, 2017
Full disclosure: the author sent me a free electronic version of the book for an honest review.
Not sure how to explain how I feel about this book...it was touching and I LOVED every chapter. I finished it in less than 24 hours, because I just couldn't put it down. At first, I thought I would be too old to appreciate it, but the storylines go so much further than normal high school experiences. The characters are extremely likeable and deal with hardships, from tiffs with a best friend to the death of a loved one. Considering this was her debut novel, I absolutely cannot wait to see what Olivia Wildenstein comes up with next.
Not sure how to explain how I feel about this book...it was touching and I LOVED every chapter. I finished it in less than 24 hours, because I just couldn't put it down. At first, I thought I would be too old to appreciate it, but the storylines go so much further than normal high school experiences. The characters are extremely likeable and deal with hardships, from tiffs with a best friend to the death of a loved one. Considering this was her debut novel, I absolutely cannot wait to see what Olivia Wildenstein comes up with next.
March 30, 2015
I loved this! I think I read the entire thing in two days. The pacing is perfect and the scenes are satisfying. It's a sweet and touching story that will stick with you even after you've finished.
December 5, 2015
I received this book from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ghostboy, Chameleon & the Duke of Graffiti is about Duke Meyer and what I felt was his battle with his conscience. Duke is faced with a challenge that he has to do in order to become an Alpha- an elite, secretive group that will get him anywhere. He feels that he needs this so he tries hard to live up to the expectations. Cora Matthews is the principle's daughter and is covered with makeup that makes her stand out. Duke makes it his mission to find out with this girl's story is.
I for one am glad that I ignored the synopsis and requested this book anyway. The synopsis made it sound like this book would be filled with romance and all those mushy things. I'm telling you now, that was not the case. I'm not saying there wasn't romance, but it was so little that it had to be seen from under a microscope. This is not what the book was about.
Duke finds out why Cora is the way she is and learns that both her and her dad are suffering because Cora's little brother has brain cancer. When I found this out, my heart broke. The kid's nine and he was most probably going to die. That is not what made me cry though. When Jaime is introduced, I was met with this sweet boy who was grinning and so happy and had dreams and a bucket list and it was as if nothing was wrong. That's what made me cry. Jaime wasn't stupid, he knew what was going to happen and he was still so optimistic.
Duke offers to write a story for Jaime so that he can live out his adventures and so starts Ghostboy, Chameleon & the Duke of Graffiti.
This book was amazing. I loved every minute of it. The story was extremely realistic. I was constantly reminded that this could happen to any one and it made me want the characters to be happy. This book was, in my opinion, perfect. I loved the characters,the story, the writing style and the way it was implemented.
Ghostboy, Chameleon & the Duke of Graffiti is about Duke Meyer and what I felt was his battle with his conscience. Duke is faced with a challenge that he has to do in order to become an Alpha- an elite, secretive group that will get him anywhere. He feels that he needs this so he tries hard to live up to the expectations. Cora Matthews is the principle's daughter and is covered with makeup that makes her stand out. Duke makes it his mission to find out with this girl's story is.
I for one am glad that I ignored the synopsis and requested this book anyway. The synopsis made it sound like this book would be filled with romance and all those mushy things. I'm telling you now, that was not the case. I'm not saying there wasn't romance, but it was so little that it had to be seen from under a microscope. This is not what the book was about.
Duke finds out why Cora is the way she is and learns that both her and her dad are suffering because Cora's little brother has brain cancer. When I found this out, my heart broke. The kid's nine and he was most probably going to die. That is not what made me cry though. When Jaime is introduced, I was met with this sweet boy who was grinning and so happy and had dreams and a bucket list and it was as if nothing was wrong. That's what made me cry. Jaime wasn't stupid, he knew what was going to happen and he was still so optimistic.
Duke offers to write a story for Jaime so that he can live out his adventures and so starts Ghostboy, Chameleon & the Duke of Graffiti.
This book was amazing. I loved every minute of it. The story was extremely realistic. I was constantly reminded that this could happen to any one and it made me want the characters to be happy. This book was, in my opinion, perfect. I loved the characters,the story, the writing style and the way it was implemented.
January 18, 2016
An incredibly easy 5-star rating for this one. I read this debut novel in one day, marveling the entire time as the beautiful sophistication of interwoven plot lines and subtle character arcs spooled out so organically. I knew I was in the hands of a master story-teller from the start. Cora, Jaime, and Duke are triple protagonists with their own tragic and fun and wonderful story lines, but the bit players in this novel are fully realized as well. It's a very real view of one American high school's life -- from the shallow veneers of teen behaviors to much deeper conflicts and challenges facing the community and individuals we come to care about. I'm not a cry-er, but this novel had me in tears and celebrating various victories with a full range of emotion. There isn't one word of false dialogue, one moment of forced plot, or one beat that stretches too long. Wildenstein plays a little fast and loose with the ages and maturity levels of certain characters, but she does so in a way that rings true (in each case) and serves to enhance rather than detract from the full characterization. Every page is masterfully developed and laid down. I didn't know what to expect here -- I'd seen high praise for this novel before reading it, and sometimes that means I'll judge it more harshly than I would otherwise. This one stands up to the most critical eye, from any angle. I believe Olivia Wildenstein has at least one if not more than one other novel coming out soon, and I will surely read them all. BIG thumbs up.
July 22, 2015
This is one of the best stories I've read and definitely one of my new favorite books! I find it incredible that this is a debut novel and pretty much self published! From the incredible title and premise to the gorgeous writing, the author wanted to appeal to John Green fans and she's 100 percent on target! The characters are incredible. They are not stereotypes, but are very real and have depth. Duke's friends are created in a way that clearly portrays their social status without making them stereotypical jerks at all. Duke is very real, as is Cora. I love how the secondary characters were never shallow stereotypes....they all had realistic and meaningful traits. Every event in the story was plausible, and nothing felt contrived. The story makes the reader laugh and cry on the same page and the story is bittersweetingly wondrous. The author's writing style flows and the story is impossible to put down until the last word. I love love loved this book and highly reccommend it to readers. I think Jamie's courage and zest for living will stay with me a long time. I hope this treasure gets "found" and marketed to the teen masses. It's that good! No one will regret buying and reading this book!
March 5, 2018
Maybe it's not about the happy ending; maybe it's about the story."
I think that this quote really sums up my feelings about this book.
Duke Mayer is a typical obnoxious teenager, with annoying friends, a possible girlfriend, a funny grandmother and an urge to belong to an exclusive club, The Alphas. Enter Cora Matthews, the principal's Goth daughter, whose beauty is hidden by overdone makeup and angst.
When Duke is rushed to the Hospital for an emergency appendectomy, his life is forever changed. His roommate is Cora's young brother, Jaime, who is suffering from a brain tumor.
Duke decides to write a book with Jaime about a superhero named Ghostboy and his sidekick, The Duke of Graffiti. His relationship with the entire Matthews' family changes his life.
This book is poignant, heartbreaking and heartwarming, sometimes all at the same time. You will laugh and you will cry, but you will also be entertained. The characters are wonderful and the story is very good. At times, I grew a little tired of the High School antics of Duke and his friends, but all in all, I truly enjoyed this book.
The narrator did a good job portraying the different characters and I think that he added a lot to the book.
I think that this quote really sums up my feelings about this book.
Duke Mayer is a typical obnoxious teenager, with annoying friends, a possible girlfriend, a funny grandmother and an urge to belong to an exclusive club, The Alphas. Enter Cora Matthews, the principal's Goth daughter, whose beauty is hidden by overdone makeup and angst.
When Duke is rushed to the Hospital for an emergency appendectomy, his life is forever changed. His roommate is Cora's young brother, Jaime, who is suffering from a brain tumor.
Duke decides to write a book with Jaime about a superhero named Ghostboy and his sidekick, The Duke of Graffiti. His relationship with the entire Matthews' family changes his life.
This book is poignant, heartbreaking and heartwarming, sometimes all at the same time. You will laugh and you will cry, but you will also be entertained. The characters are wonderful and the story is very good. At times, I grew a little tired of the High School antics of Duke and his friends, but all in all, I truly enjoyed this book.
The narrator did a good job portraying the different characters and I think that he added a lot to the book.
May 24, 2021
What such a wonderful little treasure. I wish I had read this book before because I really loved it! Perfect for teenagers but also for everyone what enjoy interesting characters and a touching, emotional and entertaining plot. At the end of the book I had a lump in my throat and yes, I shed some tears.
I liked a lot reading this story from Duke’s point of view. He’s not only a pretty boy and basketball star as it would look like from outside, he’s so much more, smart, good-hearted, funny and with a big talent for drawing and writing stories. And Cora is an enigma and a challenge for him. Her looks and her lacking of social skills are designed to keep people away but Duke is decided to figure her out and fix her.
Fast-paced, funny, positive, enjoyable, heart-wrenching and very well written. I had a great time reading this original book.
I liked a lot reading this story from Duke’s point of view. He’s not only a pretty boy and basketball star as it would look like from outside, he’s so much more, smart, good-hearted, funny and with a big talent for drawing and writing stories. And Cora is an enigma and a challenge for him. Her looks and her lacking of social skills are designed to keep people away but Duke is decided to figure her out and fix her.
Fast-paced, funny, positive, enjoyable, heart-wrenching and very well written. I had a great time reading this original book.
August 21, 2015
I really didn't care much about Duke and didn't like his friends or anything that was happening in the first half of the book. I didn't care about Cora or Duke's obsession with her either. I would have given the first half of the book a generous three stars...if I had even finished it. I only held on because I was told it would get good eventually. Enter Jaime (finally!) and the book turns around. The second half of the book made up for the first half and I just wish Jaime had been introduced sooner and we would have been given more time with him. Had there been more of Ghostboy, Chameleon and Duke (the characters AND the story the boys are writing) I think it could have easily been a five star read for me.
March 13, 2019
Wow! Break my heart and leave me with a sobbing grin!
This book is so beautiful and fun. I couldn't stop thinking about it and didn't want it to end but I couldn't stop reading for long either. The writing is perfect and completely immersive and though the whole idea isn't unique it's written in such a way that it's not like any other story about similar situations.
I really loved the characters and a lot of Duke's "mistakes" in his relationships made me realize what I could do to be an easier to understand person and I really liked that despite the fact that he is wealthy he's not pretentious and he clearly has a good heart. I liked Cora a lot too. I liked how spikey she is but it's obviously to protect her heart.
And Jaime...what can I even say....😭
This book is so beautiful and fun. I couldn't stop thinking about it and didn't want it to end but I couldn't stop reading for long either. The writing is perfect and completely immersive and though the whole idea isn't unique it's written in such a way that it's not like any other story about similar situations.
I really loved the characters and a lot of Duke's "mistakes" in his relationships made me realize what I could do to be an easier to understand person and I really liked that despite the fact that he is wealthy he's not pretentious and he clearly has a good heart. I liked Cora a lot too. I liked how spikey she is but it's obviously to protect her heart.
And Jaime...what can I even say....😭
May 14, 2015
wow got this book as an arc totally loved this book it is about a boy he gets in trouble has to do community service then he has an appendix attack has to have surgery where he meets an eight year old boy with cancer he later finds out that his father's company may have invented a medicine that may have cause the cancer to grow faster ...he and the eight year old writes a book about the adventures..it was nice he tried to do all the things on the childs bucket list
May 30, 2015
I received the ebook from the author.
Just finished reading the story and what other reviewers have written. I agree with all of them, and I don't know what else I could add. The rollercoaster of emotions was quite the experience and a reminder to not take life for granted.
I am definitely going to purchase a couple of print copies for my friends and family to read. It was a well-written story, and I look forward to reading the next story by Olivia Wildenstein.
Just finished reading the story and what other reviewers have written. I agree with all of them, and I don't know what else I could add. The rollercoaster of emotions was quite the experience and a reminder to not take life for granted.
I am definitely going to purchase a couple of print copies for my friends and family to read. It was a well-written story, and I look forward to reading the next story by Olivia Wildenstein.
January 18, 2018
I received a copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This was an okay read. I thought the story was good. However, it could have been better. Also, I thought that it was not as engaging as I thought it would be, which made me bored. I thought the characters were okay. I did not love them nor dislike them. I just did not feel a connection with them, and that influenced my rating. I hope to read more books from this author. Overall, an alright read.
This was an okay read. I thought the story was good. However, it could have been better. Also, I thought that it was not as engaging as I thought it would be, which made me bored. I thought the characters were okay. I did not love them nor dislike them. I just did not feel a connection with them, and that influenced my rating. I hope to read more books from this author. Overall, an alright read.
May 10, 2015
Gorgeous novel that will appeal to readers of all ages. This page-turner touches on major universal themes and is written beautifully. Cora, Duke and Jaime are deftly drawn out and compelling. I laughed, I cried and, perhaps most importantly, I finished the book with an ear-to-ear smile. A must-read from a promising new writer!
June 3, 2015
This is a wonderfully written story about a high school boy and his relationships with family, friends and a secret club. I cried, I Laughed and I was thankful for the choice of the author to make the story real and gritty. I recommend this to anyone that loves a great read with good and bad but true to life storylines.
April 17, 2016
I received an ebook from the author and must say I enjoyed every second of this story. It was a great YA story. I fell in love with all the characters especially the main three: Cora, Duke, and Jamie. I love when I am emotionally attached to a book, which happened in this book. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good YA story filled with emotion.
May 12, 2015
Ghostboy, Chameleon & The Duke Of Graffiti By Olivia Wildenstein is an excellent story. Once you read about Duke, Cora and Jamie becoming entwined into each others lives, you will find yourself hooked to the very last word on the very last page. Thank you GOODREADS FIRSTREADS for this Free book.
June 4, 2015
Beautiful and heartwarming first novel from a very promising young writer . For young and old(er) readers alike .
I will definitely look out for her next books .
I will definitely look out for her next books .
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