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Carter Finally Gets It #2
Carter's Big Break
After surviving freshman year (just barely), Carter is craving his summer break. Unfortunately, when he and his girlfriend, Abby, part ways, it looks as though summer just might break him. Things start to look up when he’s unexpectedly cast in an independent film opposite the world’s biggest tween sensation, Hilary Idaho. With Hollywood knocking on his door, Carter gets a taste of the good life. But as the film spirals out of control, he begins to fear that he’s not the “somebody” he thinks he is and more the “nobody” he’s sure he always has been. Find out if Carter goes Hollywood…or Hollywood goes Carter.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published May 13, 2010
49 people are currently reading
543 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
January 23, 2016
Dont feel like saying something :/ Dramtic build up, pretentious narration mixed with humor. one extra star for the last part. Now shoo....
April 13, 2022
I really enjoyd the storyline and all of the extra details that they put in the book to make it more funny and interesting.
March 2, 2020
Good book. Had good dialog and wording
July 12, 2012
After spending his freshman year figuring out who he was, Will Carter is ready for a restful summer with his girlfriend, Abby.
But when their drama teacher reveals that local author and celebrity is coming back to town to film an independent film version of his best-selling novel and that he believes Carter and Abby are the perfec actors for the lead roles, suddenly Carter's life can't get any better.
Unfortunately, Carter can't get out of his own way fast enough, quickly alienating Abby during a make-out session in the park and getting the lead role in the film opposite teen sensation Hillary Idaho. Carter's involvement in the film means he won't spend the summer bonding with his dad building the deck outside and that he'll have more than his share of opportunities to alienate his family, friends and any chance he might have of getting back with Abby.
Just as he did in Carter Finally Gets It, Brent Crawford creates a believable teenage boy, who for better or worse thinks and speaks like most fourteen year old boys do. Because of this, I fully expect these Crawford's books to come under fire and be added to the banned book list at any moment. Heaven forbid we have an authentic, realistic sounding teenage boy who is focused on and obsessed with that thing that all teenage boys are obsessed with--and no, I don't mean his acting career.
But what makes Carter tick and work is that while he's your typical teenage boy, there's also a nice guy in there struggling to get out. Sure, he alienates Abby by his request on the slides, but he also is a friend to Hillary Idaho, helping the Hollywood tween star see there's more to life than the one she's leading and that maybe she shouldn't be so addicted to drugs and alcohol at this stage in her life. Carter also helps her get away from the pressure of being her family's meal ticket and sole provider and getting the chance to enjoy life as a real teenager instead. (Of course, Carter doesn't count on the fact that the paparazzi follow Idaho everywhere and an innocent afternoon on the local rope swing soon ends up on the cover of the gossip magazines).
Carter's Big Break is as funny and real as Carter Finally Gets It. And while Carter may take a few steps backward from what he learned in his freshman year, it's still a fun, entertaining book. It's a young adult book without a paranormal romance or a dystopian future, making it all the more refreshing. It's a novel that can easily be given to boys or girls who are Carter's age and they'll find out there is something more out there in the young adult world besides vampires and contests to the death.
Carter's Big Break is funny, realistic and a lot of fun. It's also got me curious to see what happens to Carter next in the upcoming third installment in the series.
But when their drama teacher reveals that local author and celebrity is coming back to town to film an independent film version of his best-selling novel and that he believes Carter and Abby are the perfec actors for the lead roles, suddenly Carter's life can't get any better.
Unfortunately, Carter can't get out of his own way fast enough, quickly alienating Abby during a make-out session in the park and getting the lead role in the film opposite teen sensation Hillary Idaho. Carter's involvement in the film means he won't spend the summer bonding with his dad building the deck outside and that he'll have more than his share of opportunities to alienate his family, friends and any chance he might have of getting back with Abby.
Just as he did in Carter Finally Gets It, Brent Crawford creates a believable teenage boy, who for better or worse thinks and speaks like most fourteen year old boys do. Because of this, I fully expect these Crawford's books to come under fire and be added to the banned book list at any moment. Heaven forbid we have an authentic, realistic sounding teenage boy who is focused on and obsessed with that thing that all teenage boys are obsessed with--and no, I don't mean his acting career.
But what makes Carter tick and work is that while he's your typical teenage boy, there's also a nice guy in there struggling to get out. Sure, he alienates Abby by his request on the slides, but he also is a friend to Hillary Idaho, helping the Hollywood tween star see there's more to life than the one she's leading and that maybe she shouldn't be so addicted to drugs and alcohol at this stage in her life. Carter also helps her get away from the pressure of being her family's meal ticket and sole provider and getting the chance to enjoy life as a real teenager instead. (Of course, Carter doesn't count on the fact that the paparazzi follow Idaho everywhere and an innocent afternoon on the local rope swing soon ends up on the cover of the gossip magazines).
Carter's Big Break is as funny and real as Carter Finally Gets It. And while Carter may take a few steps backward from what he learned in his freshman year, it's still a fun, entertaining book. It's a young adult book without a paranormal romance or a dystopian future, making it all the more refreshing. It's a novel that can easily be given to boys or girls who are Carter's age and they'll find out there is something more out there in the young adult world besides vampires and contests to the death.
Carter's Big Break is funny, realistic and a lot of fun. It's also got me curious to see what happens to Carter next in the upcoming third installment in the series.
May 21, 2013
I really wanted to rate this three stars. I really did. But that wasn't even because I thought the story deserved it - it was because I loved the first book so much, it pains me to rate this so low.
Okay, I'm being melodramatic. But Carter, what happened? You had such a fun and rocking freshman year, all leading to a boring and uneventful summer? And people might try to argue with me on that one, but think about it. What really happened in this book? He gets the lead for a movie. He rehearses. He hangs out with his co-star. Anything else to add?
And this book wasn't even about Carter, it was all about Hilary Idaho. Seriously. I wanted to read this book because I wanted to read about the awesomeness which is Carter, not about some drugged-up celebrity named Hilary Idaho.
It was just...aargh. The only thing that made me even remotely entertained was the (barely) humor and the sentimentality in the end. It didn't even make me laugh a lot. Really disappointing. What a shame. It was like Brent Crawford was being forced to write it. Now I don't know whether to read the last book or not.
Anyway, though, the narrator of the audiobook was really in character. Audiobooks are actually really fun!
September 30, 2012
Carter's Big break is a realistic fiction with some comedy and romance involved. Brent Crawford does a great job on expressing the teens feeling and emotions toward the auditions, which makes the reader fall into the story.After the first year of freshman year, carter was awarded with summer break. He wanted his summer vacation to be special and memorable especially with his girlfriend, Abby, And thing start to look really good when he was unexpectedly casted for an independent film with world's biggest teen superstar, Hilary Idaho.As Carter knock into the good life of the hollywood, He finds out about the someone he cared to be someone he doesn't know. I really liked the book, this book was about a teenager about at age of the high school student, and as a similar thoughts those i can agree with the main characters.
July 16, 2010
While I enjoyed this book, it didn't match the excitement and humor of Crawford's first book. I felt it was predictable and cliquish, but I will still recommend it to my middle schoolers because I know they aren't as critical as I am and reading is reading, right?!
November 15, 2015
Good Lord, I need to get a life outside of YA reading. Or do I?! I say not! Bring on book #3 in this series.
May 23, 2019
Carter’s Big Break
Carter is the main character of this book, he has a ex girlfriend named Abby. Him and Abby are off and on towards the end of the book. They are both just getting done with their freshman year of high school and they are really looking forward to summer break. The beginning of freshman year Carter got into a fight with the school bully, Carter knocked him out with a textbook and that was the last fight the senior bully was able to get in to be expelled, that’s when Abby and Carter were together. Carter’s girlfriend at the time wanted him to be in a play with her and it turns out he is the lead for the movie, all he did was rehears towards the end of his freshman year.
As you start getting further into the book you start to realize Carter isn’t the main character anymore. It starts to focus more on a guy named Hilary Idaho who is the worlds famous teen star. Hilary is a guy who is on drugs almost the whole time, and he takes Carter with him. Carter then realizes he left all his friends and family to be in a movie. He left to go cast in HollyWood once summer hit, he cast in an unexpectedly independent film. All Carter wanted was to get a taste of the good life, as months go by and he’s still being cased in the movie that’s when he realizes he’s a “nobody” to his friends and family instead of the “somebody” he was in school.
November 14, 2016
2nd book of Carter. This summer he gets offered a movie role along side Hillary Idaho - celebrity teen. He wants to be good for the role, so he works hard at putting himself into the mindset of the character. The writer loves Carter and when Carter improvises or makes a mistake, the writer finds it amazing. The downside is Hillary is not what he expected. She has major mood swings and then he smells alcohol on her breathe. Next she overdoses on pills and is taken to the hospital. While Hillary is spiraling out of control, Carter must figure out the type of man he wants to be. When he sees everyone who should be helping Hillary but instead feed her the pills to keep her working, he decides he can't be that. The movie ends because Hillary can't complete it and Carter is okay with that. In the fall, he goes back to football even though he doesn't like it. He is trying to get back with Abby who broke up with him because he was immature.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2018
This book was an amazing book. the book is about a young boy named carter who auditioned for a movie being filmed in his school with his ex girlfriend. and the director liked his raw talent so he choose carter for the movie. now he has to spend some time with the famous actress named hillary idaho. so his summer started off bad but then it ended up being great. he gets the taste of the good life. but as the film start to turn sideways he starts to think that instead of being someone he's actually a no one. find out if carter gets to be the someone he wanted to be or not. overall the book was amazing and i can relate to some parts, it's a really fantastic book i would definitely recommend it.
October 17, 2018
This book is a very amusing book to read, just like the first book in the series. It talks about how teenagers grow up on their poor decision-making skills and their many mistakes. The main character is a great example of this theme and he presents to the readers his way of living through these tough teenage moments. His relationships with himself, his friends, his girlfriend, and the society demonstrates not only his characteristics but also make the readers connect to themselves. I enjoyed reading this book just as I enjoyed the first one, I would want to keep on reading this series of books because we as the readers can relate the books and the stories in them to ourselves.
July 15, 2018
One and Done
I very much enjoyed the first book in this series, which I thought was both funny and reasonably authentic. I got this one in order to follow Will Carter's growth and his adventures.
This second volume was generally a disappointment. There are a few laughs and an upbeat ending, but if anything it felt like Carter had regressed. That might be the fault of the slim plot or of the strain I felt behind every chuckle, but either way when it comes to Will Carter I'm pretty much done.
I very much enjoyed the first book in this series, which I thought was both funny and reasonably authentic. I got this one in order to follow Will Carter's growth and his adventures.
This second volume was generally a disappointment. There are a few laughs and an upbeat ending, but if anything it felt like Carter had regressed. That might be the fault of the slim plot or of the strain I felt behind every chuckle, but either way when it comes to Will Carter I'm pretty much done.
November 30, 2019
I thought this book was okay. I didn’t really have a point only that actors lives aren’t as perfect as you think. I liked the characters fine, but wasn’t really a fan of Hillary Idaho, the actress who is assumed to have a “great life.” Overall this book was definitely not one of the better books I’ve read, and some parts are a little bit like “don’t try this at home” and stupid. So I didn’t really like this book.
January 9, 2018
just as fun as the first one
April 18, 2018
LOVED THIS BOOK! It was so funny and very addictive. Great for a perosn who likes easy to read and short but also great books!
September 20, 2012
Why I picked it up: It’s on the list for a YALSA challenge I’m doing.
This book starts on the last day of Carter’s freshman year. He and his girlfriend Abby find out that a movie is going to be filmed in their town that summer and the writer/director, who grew up in their town, wants the local kids to audition. But the producers want the stars of their Kidz Channel, including just-out-of-rehab Hillary Idaho. Apparently this is a sequel to Carter Finally Gets It, though I have not read it.
This book really won me over, and that was no easy feat considering there were elements in the beginning that really, really turned me off. (See my rant below for details.) Many characters were multi-dimensional and Carter did some great and not out of character soul-searching while still remaining a believable, wise-cracking teenage boy. I loved details like him talking about sitting with one leg crossed over the other because he saw someone else did it and he liked how it looked and he wanted to look how he perceived the other person. I so remember that in my growing-up years! (And now, if I tell the truth!) There were some really funny moments and for the most part did seem realistic to high school. I gave it three stars but it would have been four stars if not for the topic covered in the rant. The fact that I gave it those 3 despite my major complaint should really speak to the fact that I really did come to like the book and appreciated a lot of elements in it.
A note on the audio: I had heard of reader Nick Podehl and that he was good, but I hadn't actually listened to anything he'd read before. He was amazing. A. Mazing. If I were rating just his performance and not the actual book, this would be 5 stars. He captures the teenage boy voice so well. All the goofiness, all the variations; it was wonderful.
There is a warning on the back of the audio book: “This book is intended for immature audiences. If you find teen guys annoying and/or disgusting, this may not be the book for you. There's gotta be something about a cute wizard or moody vampire around here...Go find it!” I admit, I found the warning hilarious. Charming. I have no problem with immature content. I did not think the warning applied to me. I can handle fart jokes, puberty jokes or references, regular teenage boy stuff.
However.
I am putting the rant in spoiler tags NOT because any plot points are revealed, but because of the language necessary to explain my problem.
One of my favorite quotes: “I fail tests all the time because I don’t get the details right, but I get the ideas: History: war is good. Social studies: war is bad. Geography: wars were fought here, here and here.”
Random thing I am taking from this book: I have no desire for a tattoo, but I have put much thought over the years into what I would get (and where I would put it) were I ever forced to get a tattoo. And this book gave me my answer. A mustache on the side of my index finger!
Contains: sexual language; alcohol use; drug use
This book starts on the last day of Carter’s freshman year. He and his girlfriend Abby find out that a movie is going to be filmed in their town that summer and the writer/director, who grew up in their town, wants the local kids to audition. But the producers want the stars of their Kidz Channel, including just-out-of-rehab Hillary Idaho. Apparently this is a sequel to Carter Finally Gets It, though I have not read it.
This book really won me over, and that was no easy feat considering there were elements in the beginning that really, really turned me off. (See my rant below for details.) Many characters were multi-dimensional and Carter did some great and not out of character soul-searching while still remaining a believable, wise-cracking teenage boy. I loved details like him talking about sitting with one leg crossed over the other because he saw someone else did it and he liked how it looked and he wanted to look how he perceived the other person. I so remember that in my growing-up years! (And now, if I tell the truth!) There were some really funny moments and for the most part did seem realistic to high school. I gave it three stars but it would have been four stars if not for the topic covered in the rant. The fact that I gave it those 3 despite my major complaint should really speak to the fact that I really did come to like the book and appreciated a lot of elements in it.
A note on the audio: I had heard of reader Nick Podehl and that he was good, but I hadn't actually listened to anything he'd read before. He was amazing. A. Mazing. If I were rating just his performance and not the actual book, this would be 5 stars. He captures the teenage boy voice so well. All the goofiness, all the variations; it was wonderful.
There is a warning on the back of the audio book: “This book is intended for immature audiences. If you find teen guys annoying and/or disgusting, this may not be the book for you. There's gotta be something about a cute wizard or moody vampire around here...Go find it!” I admit, I found the warning hilarious. Charming. I have no problem with immature content. I did not think the warning applied to me. I can handle fart jokes, puberty jokes or references, regular teenage boy stuff.
However.
I am putting the rant in spoiler tags NOT because any plot points are revealed, but because of the language necessary to explain my problem.
One of my favorite quotes: “I fail tests all the time because I don’t get the details right, but I get the ideas: History: war is good. Social studies: war is bad. Geography: wars were fought here, here and here.”
Random thing I am taking from this book: I have no desire for a tattoo, but I have put much thought over the years into what I would get (and where I would put it) were I ever forced to get a tattoo. And this book gave me my answer. A mustache on the side of my index finger!
Contains: sexual language; alcohol use; drug use
April 8, 2015
**Review also on AwesomeBookNuts.blogspot.com.**
This was cute and funny and endearing. But not nearly as cute and funny and endearing as the first book in the series, Carter Finally Gets It. The thing about the first book was that Carter was figuring things out for himself. And it was hilarious. And poignant and so honest.
Carter's Big Break was more about Carter finding things out about other people. Which, the way that Crawford writes, is entertaining and taught some good lessons, but it just didn't live up to the first book.
I didn't love that Hilary Idaho and all her issues was such a big part of this story. I understand what Crawford was trying to do: HIlary Idaho is an international superstar who's got lots of issues and insecurities and addictions because she had no childhood and is basically used by everyone around her. He says all that without saying any of it, which was masterfully done. But it felt cliche. I've heard all that before. I've seen that story play out a hundred times with actual little starlets. So, well done, Crawford, for covering the topic so well (I would totally believe he had some kind of real-life experience with this) and making us all simultaneously feel sorry for and sickened by child stars. But I just wasn't that interested in Hilary Idaho. Or anyone like her.
All the acting info and stuff about shooting a movie was pretty interesting. It read like a normal guy writing an insider's look at filming. Which was great. Usually when you get an inside look at something it's either too superficial to be informative or too "inside" to understand (i.e. you have to look up half the terms used). I really did like the "normal guy" take on acting in a movie.
We don't see as much of Carter's friends in this book. Which is disappointing because his friends, and Carter's reactions to them, are hilarious. Even Abby, the love interest, is hardly around for this story. So most of the characters I loved in the first are replaced by a movie crew and director and stuff. Sad.
Carter still comes up with funny/cringe-worthy things to say and think. But I didn't laugh as much as the first book. Carter was still also completely honest and accurate as a teenage boy. Which I really appreciate.
I don't know what else to say about this. I love this author and these characters so I'll definitely read the next in the series but I wouldn't recommend this as a stand-alone. You don't need to read the first one to understand what's happening in the second, but you should read the first in order to fall in love with the characters before you decide to move on.
Sexual Content: Mild (much to Carter's dismay, although there are lots of sexual thoughts going on.)
Language: Moderate (may have even been Mild; I can't remember much cursing)
Violence: Mild
Drugs/Alcohol: Moderate
This was cute and funny and endearing. But not nearly as cute and funny and endearing as the first book in the series, Carter Finally Gets It. The thing about the first book was that Carter was figuring things out for himself. And it was hilarious. And poignant and so honest.
Carter's Big Break was more about Carter finding things out about other people. Which, the way that Crawford writes, is entertaining and taught some good lessons, but it just didn't live up to the first book.
I didn't love that Hilary Idaho and all her issues was such a big part of this story. I understand what Crawford was trying to do: HIlary Idaho is an international superstar who's got lots of issues and insecurities and addictions because she had no childhood and is basically used by everyone around her. He says all that without saying any of it, which was masterfully done. But it felt cliche. I've heard all that before. I've seen that story play out a hundred times with actual little starlets. So, well done, Crawford, for covering the topic so well (I would totally believe he had some kind of real-life experience with this) and making us all simultaneously feel sorry for and sickened by child stars. But I just wasn't that interested in Hilary Idaho. Or anyone like her.
All the acting info and stuff about shooting a movie was pretty interesting. It read like a normal guy writing an insider's look at filming. Which was great. Usually when you get an inside look at something it's either too superficial to be informative or too "inside" to understand (i.e. you have to look up half the terms used). I really did like the "normal guy" take on acting in a movie.
We don't see as much of Carter's friends in this book. Which is disappointing because his friends, and Carter's reactions to them, are hilarious. Even Abby, the love interest, is hardly around for this story. So most of the characters I loved in the first are replaced by a movie crew and director and stuff. Sad.
Carter still comes up with funny/cringe-worthy things to say and think. But I didn't laugh as much as the first book. Carter was still also completely honest and accurate as a teenage boy. Which I really appreciate.
I don't know what else to say about this. I love this author and these characters so I'll definitely read the next in the series but I wouldn't recommend this as a stand-alone. You don't need to read the first one to understand what's happening in the second, but you should read the first in order to fall in love with the characters before you decide to move on.
Sexual Content: Mild (much to Carter's dismay, although there are lots of sexual thoughts going on.)
Language: Moderate (may have even been Mild; I can't remember much cursing)
Violence: Mild
Drugs/Alcohol: Moderate
September 17, 2015
This review may contain spoilers for Carter Finally Gets It, the first book in the series.
Carter’s looking forward to the summer after his freshman year of high school. With Abby by his side and long days ahead to spend with friends, it’s going to be a great summer. Then his drama teacher convinces him and Abby to audition for a movie that’s being made in town. You would think a role in a real movie would make a great summer into a fantastic one, but it’s all kind of a drag. First, he and Abby break up. Then he has to spend all his time working on the movie. The little downtime he does get is spent, not with his friends, but with Hilary Idaho, star of the movie. Hilary is Carter’s age but she’s a huge star, a singer and an actress on the Kids Channel.
I appreciated the male perspective more in Carter Finally Gets It. In Carter’s Big Break, I found myself more easily annoyed with Carter than I was in the first book. He was always trying to impress someone: his friends, Abby, Hilary Idaho, anyone really. It got old after awhile, even though it’s probably pretty realistic for someone Carter’s age.
That said, I think the things I liked the most about Carter in the first book were missing from this one. In Carter Finally Gets It, Carter was just a regular guy. The things that happened to him and his friends could happen to anyone. But how many kids get the chance to star in a movie with actual celebrities? I mean, the guy was in ONE high school musical before landing the role. I don’t care how good he was for a high school production. Anyone would have a long way to go before being ready for Hollywood.
It was also odd that Brent Crawford, the author of the series, wrote some version of himself into the book. The author of the book-turned-movie (and director of the movie) was named CB and he had the letters S-T-A-Y and F-O-C-U tattooed on his fingers. The very first things you see on Brent Crawford’s website are those tattoos on his own hands. Those are not the only similarities between the two. While some will appreciate the inside joke, it pulled me out of the story.
It’s not all bad though. Carter finds himself in some situations that he’s not quite ready for, and I enjoyed his struggle on what to do about them. Although he turns to his father for advice, Carter realizes that he’s going to have to make his own decision. It shows some real growth and maturity for the character. I’m looking forward to the third book, to having Carter back in school and (hopefully) in some regular guy scenarios, and to seeing how a slightly more mature Carter handles the things he will have to face.
Carter’s looking forward to the summer after his freshman year of high school. With Abby by his side and long days ahead to spend with friends, it’s going to be a great summer. Then his drama teacher convinces him and Abby to audition for a movie that’s being made in town. You would think a role in a real movie would make a great summer into a fantastic one, but it’s all kind of a drag. First, he and Abby break up. Then he has to spend all his time working on the movie. The little downtime he does get is spent, not with his friends, but with Hilary Idaho, star of the movie. Hilary is Carter’s age but she’s a huge star, a singer and an actress on the Kids Channel.
I appreciated the male perspective more in Carter Finally Gets It. In Carter’s Big Break, I found myself more easily annoyed with Carter than I was in the first book. He was always trying to impress someone: his friends, Abby, Hilary Idaho, anyone really. It got old after awhile, even though it’s probably pretty realistic for someone Carter’s age.
That said, I think the things I liked the most about Carter in the first book were missing from this one. In Carter Finally Gets It, Carter was just a regular guy. The things that happened to him and his friends could happen to anyone. But how many kids get the chance to star in a movie with actual celebrities? I mean, the guy was in ONE high school musical before landing the role. I don’t care how good he was for a high school production. Anyone would have a long way to go before being ready for Hollywood.
It was also odd that Brent Crawford, the author of the series, wrote some version of himself into the book. The author of the book-turned-movie (and director of the movie) was named CB and he had the letters S-T-A-Y and F-O-C-U tattooed on his fingers. The very first things you see on Brent Crawford’s website are those tattoos on his own hands. Those are not the only similarities between the two. While some will appreciate the inside joke, it pulled me out of the story.
It’s not all bad though. Carter finds himself in some situations that he’s not quite ready for, and I enjoyed his struggle on what to do about them. Although he turns to his father for advice, Carter realizes that he’s going to have to make his own decision. It shows some real growth and maturity for the character. I’m looking forward to the third book, to having Carter back in school and (hopefully) in some regular guy scenarios, and to seeing how a slightly more mature Carter handles the things he will have to face.
November 8, 2012
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
In CARTER FINALLY GETS IT, freshman Will Carter feels like he has truly made it. He scores the lead in the school musical Guys and Dolls, and he has an incredibly hot girlfriend. Yeah, his grades still stink, and his best friend, EJ, has gotten way more "lucky" with the ladies, but life is looking pretty good.
It would be nice to get a summer job as lifeguard at the local pool, but that's looking fairly iffy. Right now, the only employment prospect involves helping his dad tear off the old deck and rebuild. That's when Carter hears Hollywood is actually planning to film a movie in his little hometown of Merrian.
After his success in Guys and Dolls, Carter has a fascination and an appreciation for acting. He and his girlfriend, Abby, decide to try out for the movie. They are familiar with the script based on the book Down Gets Out, which was written by a native of Merrian. C. B. Down came to town to see the school musical and even praised Carter's work, leaving him hopeful about landing a part in the movie.
His dream comes true when he is cast as the lead, a young C. B. Down. Unfortunately, Abby only gets the understudy role for the female lead. That's a bummer for Abby, but not so much for Carter, since it means he will be acting opposite Hilary Idaho, an incredibly popular young star. It's the chance of a lifetime, and he knows his pals are going to be totally jealous.
Despite the movie producer's doubts, Carter is a natural. His improvising pleases everyone, but he finds out acting isn't as easy as it looks. The stress causes him sleepless nights and constant upheaval in his relationships with friends and family. As time passes, he sees the same stress take its toll on Hilary, his fellow actor. She is spinning out of control, and Carter begins to notice that he is the only one who seems to care.
Fans of Brent Crawford's first CARTER novel will be jumping at the chance to find out about Carter's latest adventures. This second book features typical Carter antics and humor; however, there is a bit darker cast to the plot. Crawford shows Carter dealing with some life-changing experiences and facing some tough facts about how people treat one another. Carter is growing up, but so are his fans, who will take these changes in stride, just as they will in their own lives.
In CARTER FINALLY GETS IT, freshman Will Carter feels like he has truly made it. He scores the lead in the school musical Guys and Dolls, and he has an incredibly hot girlfriend. Yeah, his grades still stink, and his best friend, EJ, has gotten way more "lucky" with the ladies, but life is looking pretty good.
It would be nice to get a summer job as lifeguard at the local pool, but that's looking fairly iffy. Right now, the only employment prospect involves helping his dad tear off the old deck and rebuild. That's when Carter hears Hollywood is actually planning to film a movie in his little hometown of Merrian.
After his success in Guys and Dolls, Carter has a fascination and an appreciation for acting. He and his girlfriend, Abby, decide to try out for the movie. They are familiar with the script based on the book Down Gets Out, which was written by a native of Merrian. C. B. Down came to town to see the school musical and even praised Carter's work, leaving him hopeful about landing a part in the movie.
His dream comes true when he is cast as the lead, a young C. B. Down. Unfortunately, Abby only gets the understudy role for the female lead. That's a bummer for Abby, but not so much for Carter, since it means he will be acting opposite Hilary Idaho, an incredibly popular young star. It's the chance of a lifetime, and he knows his pals are going to be totally jealous.
Despite the movie producer's doubts, Carter is a natural. His improvising pleases everyone, but he finds out acting isn't as easy as it looks. The stress causes him sleepless nights and constant upheaval in his relationships with friends and family. As time passes, he sees the same stress take its toll on Hilary, his fellow actor. She is spinning out of control, and Carter begins to notice that he is the only one who seems to care.
Fans of Brent Crawford's first CARTER novel will be jumping at the chance to find out about Carter's latest adventures. This second book features typical Carter antics and humor; however, there is a bit darker cast to the plot. Crawford shows Carter dealing with some life-changing experiences and facing some tough facts about how people treat one another. Carter is growing up, but so are his fans, who will take these changes in stride, just as they will in their own lives.
September 19, 2011
Narrator Nick Podehl does it again, expertly adding just the right amount of flair to bring young Will Carter’s voice to life.
School may be out for the summer, but that in no way lessons Carter’s adolescent struggles. Life is hard for teens these days, especially when they’re forced to face some very grown-up situations and Carter is no exception. Again a large factor to play into his troubles is sex. As with most guys his age, the big question is who’s getting some and who’s out of luck and as far as his girlfriend Abby is concerned, Carter fits just nicely into the latter category. And his prospects don’t seem to be looking up when Abby dumps him (again) and starts hanging out with a college guy. The plan of a laidback chill summer with the guys at the pool continues to diminish to more of a dream than a plausible reality when Carter’s dad announces his plan for the two of them to spend the summer “bonding” tearing down and rebuilding the deck off the back of the house. All seems lost for a summer of fun until Carter is unexpectedly saved from sweating the hot months away on manual labor and male bonding with dad, when a movie crew rolls into town and Carter’s new found love for the theater and natural ability prove useful when he is cast in the lead role. Carter soon finds being thrust into the “movie star” life doesn’t solve any of his current problems, if fact it just aides in adding a whole new slew of issues, some that he may not be ready to handle just yet.
Although just a funny as CARTER FINALLY GETS IT, in this second installment, CARTER’S BIG BREAK author Brent Crawford also ADDRESSES some very serious issues facing the youth of today. Hot topic issues such as teen sex, actually have consequences for some of the characters; as dose underage drinking and drug use. I know many parents will be pleased that Crawford not only noted the reality of these acts taking place in the lives of our young people today, but he also chose to highlight the very real impact such choices could make on the lives of those who decide to partake. And to that I say, well done!
School may be out for the summer, but that in no way lessons Carter’s adolescent struggles. Life is hard for teens these days, especially when they’re forced to face some very grown-up situations and Carter is no exception. Again a large factor to play into his troubles is sex. As with most guys his age, the big question is who’s getting some and who’s out of luck and as far as his girlfriend Abby is concerned, Carter fits just nicely into the latter category. And his prospects don’t seem to be looking up when Abby dumps him (again) and starts hanging out with a college guy. The plan of a laidback chill summer with the guys at the pool continues to diminish to more of a dream than a plausible reality when Carter’s dad announces his plan for the two of them to spend the summer “bonding” tearing down and rebuilding the deck off the back of the house. All seems lost for a summer of fun until Carter is unexpectedly saved from sweating the hot months away on manual labor and male bonding with dad, when a movie crew rolls into town and Carter’s new found love for the theater and natural ability prove useful when he is cast in the lead role. Carter soon finds being thrust into the “movie star” life doesn’t solve any of his current problems, if fact it just aides in adding a whole new slew of issues, some that he may not be ready to handle just yet.
Although just a funny as CARTER FINALLY GETS IT, in this second installment, CARTER’S BIG BREAK author Brent Crawford also ADDRESSES some very serious issues facing the youth of today. Hot topic issues such as teen sex, actually have consequences for some of the characters; as dose underage drinking and drug use. I know many parents will be pleased that Crawford not only noted the reality of these acts taking place in the lives of our young people today, but he also chose to highlight the very real impact such choices could make on the lives of those who decide to partake. And to that I say, well done!
February 20, 2011
This sequel to Carter Finally Gets It was entertaining and made me laugh out loud a few times, although overall I don't think it was quite as strong as the first book. Set the summer after Carter's freshman year of high school, the school break begins on a bad note when his girlfriend dumps him after he makes an incredibly daft comment. He wants her back but isn't sure how to go about it because successfully dealing with girls is definitely not a talent he has, but a distraction quickly appears in his life when he's cast in a locally filmed movie with a Hollywood star.
Once again, Carter manages to get through days with an equal amount of idiocy and naivety, and his narration is hilarious. I started laughing on the first page when he describes how a teacher said he couldn't fail the last test of the year or else he'd be stuck in summer school; Carter tells the reader, "I aced that sucker with a D+." There were so many great one-liners like this and so many wonderful descriptions that made me laugh.
I think what kept this book from being as great as it could have been is that the Hollywood movie plotline never felt quite real. Carter Finally Gets It was brilliant because it captured a teen boy muddling his way through the high school scene; Carter's Big Break didn't simply continue that but tried to up the ante by throwing a movie in the mix, and it didn't capture the full charm that the first one had.
I did enjoy the ways in which Carter matured (though, really, he didn't mature that much, which is funny from the reader's perspective), and I loved his commentary on the world around him. I liked this book a lot, but I wish there had been less Hollywood and more normalcy in the book to give it a more balanced reality. That said, however, if you liked the first book (and I know that's not a book for everyone!), you'll probably find this one amusing. I sure did.
Once again, Carter manages to get through days with an equal amount of idiocy and naivety, and his narration is hilarious. I started laughing on the first page when he describes how a teacher said he couldn't fail the last test of the year or else he'd be stuck in summer school; Carter tells the reader, "I aced that sucker with a D+." There were so many great one-liners like this and so many wonderful descriptions that made me laugh.
I think what kept this book from being as great as it could have been is that the Hollywood movie plotline never felt quite real. Carter Finally Gets It was brilliant because it captured a teen boy muddling his way through the high school scene; Carter's Big Break didn't simply continue that but tried to up the ante by throwing a movie in the mix, and it didn't capture the full charm that the first one had.
I did enjoy the ways in which Carter matured (though, really, he didn't mature that much, which is funny from the reader's perspective), and I loved his commentary on the world around him. I liked this book a lot, but I wish there had been less Hollywood and more normalcy in the book to give it a more balanced reality. That said, however, if you liked the first book (and I know that's not a book for everyone!), you'll probably find this one amusing. I sure did.
April 29, 2016
Carters Big Break
"Carter's Big Break" by Brent Crawford was published in 2010 and is about a teenage freshman named Carter who decides to audition for a movie that is going to be made in their hometown and decides to leave his friends alone for most of the summer.Carter and Abby who have been dating for a while now are in a unstable relationship that interferes with the making of the movie. While in the heating sun Carter gets into many problems with the cast of the movie and almost gets removed from the movie. Hillary who is a famous actor and has many problems of her own, so Carter decides to help her out.Carter then starts to realize that he lost many friendships and tries to get them back.
"Carter's Big Break" is a funny and realistic book that has lots of drama and relationships and with that many strengths like keeping a good pace so I could understand every detail and everything Carter does in the story. The weakness from the book are that it leaves the reader hanging and doesn’t explain in the end what happens to Abby and Carter relationship. The writers style was good I could easily understand what the writer was saying.The characters wee also good because on the main characters it explains very good their external and internal traits.The book overall was a medium paced book with good explanations and good descriptions on the characters.
Overall I did enjoy the book with its comedy and drama that keeps you wanting to read more and leaves you hanging (I didn’t like that part) but it still makes you think what Carter did when he got back to school.I would recommend this book to high school student because some teens can actually connect to what Carter is going through in the book. Also people that like comedy and characters that take risks and live life to the fullest.
"Carter's Big Break" by Brent Crawford was published in 2010 and is about a teenage freshman named Carter who decides to audition for a movie that is going to be made in their hometown and decides to leave his friends alone for most of the summer.Carter and Abby who have been dating for a while now are in a unstable relationship that interferes with the making of the movie. While in the heating sun Carter gets into many problems with the cast of the movie and almost gets removed from the movie. Hillary who is a famous actor and has many problems of her own, so Carter decides to help her out.Carter then starts to realize that he lost many friendships and tries to get them back.
"Carter's Big Break" is a funny and realistic book that has lots of drama and relationships and with that many strengths like keeping a good pace so I could understand every detail and everything Carter does in the story. The weakness from the book are that it leaves the reader hanging and doesn’t explain in the end what happens to Abby and Carter relationship. The writers style was good I could easily understand what the writer was saying.The characters wee also good because on the main characters it explains very good their external and internal traits.The book overall was a medium paced book with good explanations and good descriptions on the characters.
Overall I did enjoy the book with its comedy and drama that keeps you wanting to read more and leaves you hanging (I didn’t like that part) but it still makes you think what Carter did when he got back to school.I would recommend this book to high school student because some teens can actually connect to what Carter is going through in the book. Also people that like comedy and characters that take risks and live life to the fullest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2011
Carter’s Big Break by Brent Crawford is a very funny and interesting book.
Carter’s Big Break has some mature content but it is not too bad.
An example of a funny part is “I fail tests all the time because I don’t get the details right, but I get the ideas: History: war is good. Social studies: war is bad. Geography: wars were fought here, here and here.” (pg 82) This part is funny because this is how I sometimes think about Social Studies. Carter says lines like these a lot of times during the book. Carter is a very funny individual so every once in a while you will have a laugh.
Another example of a funny part is “We run around the house and surprise Nutt, whose peeing onto a fancy bush. I give him a push that sends his legs into the urinated branches.”(pg 104-105) This line is funny because it creates a very funny image in your head. Carter also does a lot of dumb things that are funny. Carter’s ideas get him in trouble a lot and you just want to keep reading so you can find out what dumb thing he does next.
Another example of a funny part is “I start to ride back to C.B.’s but am almost killed by my parents’ Accord barreling around a curve , followed by twenty other cars running from the police cruisers that are now parked in front of the Dwell house.”(pg 114) This shows how crazy Carter’s life is. Carter always gets himself into weird situations and they are funny. Carter has lots of things happening to him and I connected with most off those things.
I like Carter’s Big Break by Brent Crawford because it has a lot of funny content. This book also had a lot of things I connected to so it was easy to understand.
Carter’s Big Break has some mature content but it is not too bad.
An example of a funny part is “I fail tests all the time because I don’t get the details right, but I get the ideas: History: war is good. Social studies: war is bad. Geography: wars were fought here, here and here.” (pg 82) This part is funny because this is how I sometimes think about Social Studies. Carter says lines like these a lot of times during the book. Carter is a very funny individual so every once in a while you will have a laugh.
Another example of a funny part is “We run around the house and surprise Nutt, whose peeing onto a fancy bush. I give him a push that sends his legs into the urinated branches.”(pg 104-105) This line is funny because it creates a very funny image in your head. Carter also does a lot of dumb things that are funny. Carter’s ideas get him in trouble a lot and you just want to keep reading so you can find out what dumb thing he does next.
Another example of a funny part is “I start to ride back to C.B.’s but am almost killed by my parents’ Accord barreling around a curve , followed by twenty other cars running from the police cruisers that are now parked in front of the Dwell house.”(pg 114) This shows how crazy Carter’s life is. Carter always gets himself into weird situations and they are funny. Carter has lots of things happening to him and I connected with most off those things.
I like Carter’s Big Break by Brent Crawford because it has a lot of funny content. This book also had a lot of things I connected to so it was easy to understand.
April 29, 2016
Carter's Big Break is overall a good and well written book by Brent Crawford that was published in 2010. This novel is about a teenager named Carter, who loves drama class and is starred in an important role of a movie. Although it may seem he may be living the life of a Hollywood actor, he also has difficulties in his relationship with his girlfriend Abby on the side which easily distracts him. After Carter and Abby take a "break" from their relationship, he is introduced to a famous kid's channel actress who is around the same age as him named Hilary Idaho. She plays as Carter's girlfriend in the upcoming film that he is starring in. Before the two teenagers got to know one another they both agreed on keeping their relationship platonic but going further into the book it seems that they both have forgotten about their agreement.
The author's style he chose to present in this book is the perfect style for young teenagers because he doesn’t use big vocabulary words that will bore you to sleep. The choice of language that was used in this novel will have you want to read deeper into the story. The character's actions are also really similar to the actions of most teenagers in high school which makes this book more realistic.
Overall this was a really good book that I enjoyed reading because I had similar connections with the characters in this novel. I would really recommend this book to male teenagers because the characters in this book will make you feel like reading about people you’ve already known about.
The author's style he chose to present in this book is the perfect style for young teenagers because he doesn’t use big vocabulary words that will bore you to sleep. The choice of language that was used in this novel will have you want to read deeper into the story. The character's actions are also really similar to the actions of most teenagers in high school which makes this book more realistic.
Overall this was a really good book that I enjoyed reading because I had similar connections with the characters in this novel. I would really recommend this book to male teenagers because the characters in this book will make you feel like reading about people you’ve already known about.
June 3, 2013
I loved the secend one just as much as I loved the first.This book was just as funny as the first.In this book Carter thinks about his life and whathe wants to be when he's older,and what's right and whats wrong (the rocketship question is wrong). Carter tries to figure out what kind of man he wants to be:"Am I supposed to intimidate other people?C.B has all those tatoose,and so do most of the crew guys.He wears dreadlocks,a beard,and has muscles like armor.What don't I know?What is so dangerous out there that I need to shield myself from?Am I supposed to be more Neanderthal or less?Lynn preaches respect, and making a girl 'feel special' but her boyfriend is textbook alpha male.My dad dosn't do CrossFit and isn't all tatted up but I don't think any one steals his lunch money. I guess part of being a man is choosing which kind you want to be.I'm not sure you even have a choose,but at this point,I think I might.".It came a little late in the book,but it was still nice to see Carter thinking about what kind of man he wants to be. i think everybody has a choice to be the person they want to be,either when the time is right or with a little help. I'm sad that I finished all the Carter books,I'll miss Carter and love for Abbey, his friends getting him almost arrested twice (but they have his back),his family,bike,and his ADD humor.I reccemend this book to anyone who enjoys humor (appropriate and inappropriate),a high school story, and all together a good book
July 20, 2010
This fair book is a sequel to a great book, so I'm a little disappointed. I can't heap enough praise on Carter Finally Gets It, with its fresh blend of goofy humor and honest adolescent guy. I love Carter because he's a lot like guys I have known, wrestling with familiar problems. My best friend could have been Carter. I could have been Carter. My eight-year-old son occasionally drops hints of Carter-osity, at which I simultaneously grin and cringe.
In this book, Carter remains grin-and-cringe worthy, but now he's in completely unbelievable circumstances. He's cast in a Nickelodeon-esque film along with a Miley Cyrus/Lindsay Lohan-type co-star. The director wants authenticity, the starlet wants to party, Carter wants to do a good job. Not so goofy. Not so fresh. While there are some great scenes - and Crawford does seem to know his way around the catering tables of a movie set - the story doesn't feel real.
Perhaps I'm being harsh. Carter Finally Gets It is the better book, but there are some good moments in this one as well. Just keep expectations small.
In this book, Carter remains grin-and-cringe worthy, but now he's in completely unbelievable circumstances. He's cast in a Nickelodeon-esque film along with a Miley Cyrus/Lindsay Lohan-type co-star. The director wants authenticity, the starlet wants to party, Carter wants to do a good job. Not so goofy. Not so fresh. While there are some great scenes - and Crawford does seem to know his way around the catering tables of a movie set - the story doesn't feel real.
Perhaps I'm being harsh. Carter Finally Gets It is the better book, but there are some good moments in this one as well. Just keep expectations small.
February 8, 2011
*spoiler alert*
this book was amazing i loved everything about it i would recommend this book who can have a sese of humor because this book is hilarious. throughout the book carter learns that being an actor is hard between rembering your line getting your lines together an it was tough for hilary who is an actor nd eveybody thihks that she is a fake but thats not true she has problems at home and her acting is all she has to save her family from bankrupt she has a body guard and is rude to her she screams and curses ar her like she is older than her.carter notices it and onre day when he went to the set to start acting for the movie he smalled her breath and it smelled like alchol and he figured out that she hasnt stopped her drinking habits he wasnt sure how to help her and then he figured out that the director was giving her pills that she didnt need so she can feel and one day she overdosed on it and her body guard matilda was worried about what would happen. carter was just as worried about her. qhen carter goes back to school he decide that he wouold stick tp footbsll because actig in that movie caused him to be a jerk to his family and his best friends and its stressfull for him so he decided to stick to football. so as i said earlier i would recaommend this book who can have a sense of humor because this book is HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!
this book was amazing i loved everything about it i would recommend this book who can have a sese of humor because this book is hilarious. throughout the book carter learns that being an actor is hard between rembering your line getting your lines together an it was tough for hilary who is an actor nd eveybody thihks that she is a fake but thats not true she has problems at home and her acting is all she has to save her family from bankrupt she has a body guard and is rude to her she screams and curses ar her like she is older than her.carter notices it and onre day when he went to the set to start acting for the movie he smalled her breath and it smelled like alchol and he figured out that she hasnt stopped her drinking habits he wasnt sure how to help her and then he figured out that the director was giving her pills that she didnt need so she can feel and one day she overdosed on it and her body guard matilda was worried about what would happen. carter was just as worried about her. qhen carter goes back to school he decide that he wouold stick tp footbsll because actig in that movie caused him to be a jerk to his family and his best friends and its stressfull for him so he decided to stick to football. so as i said earlier i would recaommend this book who can have a sense of humor because this book is HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!
May 10, 2015
I had as much fun reading this book as I did the first one. Very entertaining, and even more funny than the first book. Crawford does a tremendous job writing this novel.
Just the same as the first book, I would for sure recommend this to my friends. They would find the book hilarious just as I did.
Relating to this book was easy, because it seemed like all of the situations that Carter is trying to overcome are the same situations that I have heard of or been in.
As the first one did, this book had a deeper meaning behind what the words were saying. Being who you are, especially around friends is important. If you hide what you enjoy, and say you have fun doing the things your friends like, then you become someone different. I felt that if you like yourself, everyone else will too. Another important thing I learned is that you shouldn't believe everything you hear.
I remember a couple of literary terms that I came across in this book. One would be imagery, as Carter described his Hollywood crush, Hillary Idaho. He described her so well that I could picture her in my mind. The other term I came across was conflict, just like the first book. Carter and his on/off girlfriend, Abby, still fight about almost every little thing there is.
As a teenage reader I would give this book 5 stars, and would recommend it to anybody.
Just the same as the first book, I would for sure recommend this to my friends. They would find the book hilarious just as I did.
Relating to this book was easy, because it seemed like all of the situations that Carter is trying to overcome are the same situations that I have heard of or been in.
As the first one did, this book had a deeper meaning behind what the words were saying. Being who you are, especially around friends is important. If you hide what you enjoy, and say you have fun doing the things your friends like, then you become someone different. I felt that if you like yourself, everyone else will too. Another important thing I learned is that you shouldn't believe everything you hear.
I remember a couple of literary terms that I came across in this book. One would be imagery, as Carter described his Hollywood crush, Hillary Idaho. He described her so well that I could picture her in my mind. The other term I came across was conflict, just like the first book. Carter and his on/off girlfriend, Abby, still fight about almost every little thing there is.
As a teenage reader I would give this book 5 stars, and would recommend it to anybody.
June 30, 2011
I enjoyed the first Carter book, so I was interested to see how this would pan out. A few have said that this one isn't as funny as the first,and that is true, but that doesn't hurt the book in anyway. Carter deals with some weird stuff here, so it's alright. Carter is still a teenage boy in over his head with life and he does stupid things that he really should have learned not to do by now. This is quite realistic and I think one of the better things about Crawford's character work. Teenage boys are idiots and take a awhile to learn things, especially if they got the ADD all hardcore. Believe me, I know. I like Carter a lot, however the story he is in this time is pretty lame. He lands a part in a movie with a teenage actress/pop idol named Hilary Idaho (real creative there, Brent) for pretty unlikely reasons. It's an adventure that has been done. To death. I feel like Crawford needed to try a little harder. My fiancee says that she feels male YA authors like to think "Wouldn't it have been cool if BLANK happened to me in high school," and then they write some book where that happens. This feels kind of like that. All this said, I think I did enjoy it and I would read another one. I just hope the next one is better.
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