Review: The Swift Boys & Me by @Kody_Keplinger

I have been looking forward to Kody Keplinger’s new middle grade book for a while now. I discovered Keplinger when I picked up her first book (written while she was a teenager!) DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend. I instantly loved it and all its truth. From then on I have anxiously waited each of her new novels. When I read that her 4^th novel, The Swift Boys & Me, was going going to be a middle grade story about 12-year-old Nola’s friendship with her next door neighbors, the 3 Swift brothers, I was definitely intrigued.

The story starts off with the boys’ dad leaving them. This completely destroys their world and ultimately Nola’s. Their days of carefree friendship are gone as the boys are thrust into a world of complete chaos. As the boys go down different paths, Nola desperately tries to keep everything the same. It seems without the Swift boys she is equally lost.

Keplinger does a wonderful job of taking you down memory lane. I was instantly thrown back to my days as a 6^th grader and all the fun that was had from sleepovers, jumping on trampolines, bike riding, and causing mayhem in my local neighborhood. I often caught myself smiling and reminiscing of the good ole days when life was much simpler with the exception of friend drama…just like for Nola. Whether or not this life is still typical for today’s 12-year-old I do not know. The age of technology has thrust today’s preteen into a whole new atmosphere that I couldn’t imagine.

All the characters in The Swift Boys & Me are impossible not to love and grow attached to. I would totally be okay if Keplinger decided to turn this stand alone novel into a series or come back later on as the characters have gotten older. If you are looking for a sweet story of friendship and growing up then I would recommend that you check out The Swift Boys & Me (and while you’re at it – get The Duff because it is fabulous!) 

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

A Midsummer's Nightmare

By Kody Keplinger

Pub. Date: June 5, 2012

Pages: 304

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars - Okay.

Urgh, I was so looking forward to this book. I love Kody Keplinger's work. I picked up The DUFF at a YA book sale and fell in love with her characters and writing. When Shut Out came out, I was hooked again. I love that her characters are real. Real problems, they talk like normal teenagers do, and they have sex. Real. Plus the fact that Keplinger is so young, I love her fresh perspectives on situations. So when Barnes and Noble sent me A Midsummer's Nightmare 3 weeks before the street day I was beyond stoked! (Sidenote, I did write to BN to let them know their mistake. Street dates are there for a reason, no matter how awesome it is to get a copy early).

Now, the actual review. Sigh. I wanted to love this book more than anything.... but I couldn't. Reason? The main character Whitley was just beyond annoying. If you are going to make your main character a bitch, you need to make her either lovable or redeemable. Also, Keplinger had too many factors into the storyline. There was alcohol abuse, cyberbulling, daddy issues, dealing with divorce, etc. etc. and then you add a romance into the mix? Way too much going on. It needed to be simplified. The storyline itself was awesome. Girl hooks up with random guy for one night stand and then he turns out to be her future stepbrother? That little blurb was enough for me to pre-order this book. Remember, I am a librarian, so buying books is a huge deal for us.

I didn't fall for the romance. I didn't think the character of Nathan had much going for him. I needed to know more about him. I did think the ending was open enough for a sequel, which I would read. I do not think all Whitley's issues were resolved at the end of the book (mainly regarding her relationship with her mother). 

If you have never read any of Keplinger's books, go get The Duff... It is awesome. A Midsummer's Nightmare? Not so much.


Second Sidenote, her next book, Goldfish, looks awesome.