Review: Interesting Reading!
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 01 8, 2013
Revenge of a Band Geek Gone Bad reminds me a lot of the movie, Mean Girls. Think about it: high school snobs being mean and rude to those they think are below them. Then said picked-on girl comes back and plots and plots against them until they can't see what's right or wrong any longer. Meanwhile, there's lots of underlying issues that are also working to be resolved. I loved Mean Girls, and I also enjoyed Revenge of a Band Geek Gone Bad.Fifteen year old Melinda is the star of this book. She's kind of a nobody, gets picked on, but is smart, good at what she does, and has a passion for music and art. If only the snobs would just leave her alone for awhile! Melinda's family has their own issues, which is what causes some of Melinda's problems. I can easily relate to Melinda. I'm glad that throughout this story, she really learns and grows as a character, and though a time too many she gets caught up in the glory of getting back at the girls, she comes to her senses and does the right thing. She also get a chance at being a great guy's girlfriend.Josh is the hero of the book. This guy who appears as if he's just a jokester and doesn't take school seriously needs to be given a second look. There's so much more to Josh than he lets on. He's one of those boys that has to allow someone to get really close to him before he shows his true form. He's taken a liking to Melinda, and finds a way to get to know her. Josh is also a character who has plenty of growth, and much of it is thanks to Melinda.I liked the plot of this story. It focuses on Melinda, on Josh, on high school life, and on family drama. The one pitfall I found was that the story in many points lacked a good editor. When I read the story on my e-reader device, I found many sentences out of place and totally jarred me out of the book. While frustrating, I wanted to finish the story because I really became invested in Melinda and Josh, and just had to see where things were going.The author takes on some real life every day issues in the book. Though some didn't have as much development, they were well done and made this book very realistic. So many things that happen, I can see happening in real life, some of those aren't very good things, but regardless, they are a part of this world.Overall, I enjoyed the story! I laughed, I wanted to cry, I wanted to yell and scream, but most of all, I wanted Josh and Melinda to come together not just over a plan of revenge, but for the sake of enjoying the other's company.While is has a few swear words, I think anyone of the age 14 and over can enjoy this story. I'm a full grown adult and couldn't put it down. It's a plot very well done!If you're a fan of contemporary YA with a bit of romance, I suggest Revenge of A Band Geek Gone Bad.Originally posted at LAS YA Reviews