Not one of the better books I have read lately.

Taylor is a whiner, lazy and the perfect candidate for TSTL. He makes Jamie from [b:Love Drugged|7882705|Love Drugged|James Klise|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1271377387s/7882705.jpg|11089260] look like a go getter, and he (Jamie) definitely is TSTL. I really think the only reason Taylor survives is shear luck and his best friend Benny, who, some how, keeps him from flopping. Poor Benny gets all the heavy lifting here with Taylor taking advantage of their friendship more than once. There doesn't seem to be much giving on Taylor part, so he is also extremely selfish.

No, I do not like Taylor at all.

Also there is a perfect example in this book as to why romance in high school is a stupid idea. Taylor is so obsessed with his love-crush he lets his grades slip to the point Benny actually offers to give him a secondary science project (which he does beside his primary one, trying to cover Taylor's backside). Though Taylor takes responsibility for his mistakes, the one I feel bad for is Benny. (Benny is too good to believe.) The science teacher offers Taylor an alternate to summer school and off to a summer camp for teens who've undergone trauma/abuse/etc. are given a chance to have some normalcy (since Benny is practically glued to Taylor's hip) they go. There, they meet Addy, a young man with deep scars and traumas, and over the course of the summer, the pair help the young man to a new view on life. I felt this part was rather weak and not very well realized, but what do I know? On the other hand, the drama was minimal here.

To weaken this 300 page story further, there is the stereotypical B with an itch who keeps getting in the way of Taylor's love-crush, and a really underdeveloped stalker motif with a guy named Kevin. I skimmed pretty much that part because I really had no patience or interest in the plot at that point.

All around disappointing read. ( )