Book Review: High Before Homeroom

I'm very sorry for my absence, dear readers. Things have been a tad bit crazy here in the Big Apple.

However, in my time away, I had a chance to finish up Maya Sloan's unique and compelling young adult crossover novel, High Before Homeroom (the title of which was all yours truly :-p), edited by one of my colleagues.

Sloan tells the story of Doug Schaffer, a sixeteen-year-old boy who can't seem to fit in with anyone. Accept he gets along famously with Laurilee, a girl he works with at the mall and wants more than anything. But Laurilee only dates "bad boys." So, what is a dorky, unpopular kid to do? Adopt a drug addiction to meth, of course! But, Doug's master plan to get just effed up enough to land himself in rehab like one of the popular kids backfires in the most awkward and hilarious ways.

High Before Homeroom is as unconventional as they come, but in the best of ways. With its brutally honest and confused protagonist and its quirky premise, this debut novel--which hits shelves in June 22nd--is sure to intrigue. It also will give you a run for your money with twists and turns along the way that you never saw coming.

My only disappointment with this one was that I had a difficult time relating to Doug. Perhaps it's because I'm a girl or maybe it's because of my pretty straight-laced views of drugs, but I definitely would've liked to feel more connected to him and really understand what he was thinking and feeling. Also, most of the characters are male, so in general, there's a bit of a disconnect. Doug is such an entertaining and open character though that I could certainly still enjoy the book, even sans relatability.

Last Word: When the time comes, grab a copy STAT. This is a book unlike anything you've ever read before. Oh, and check out the fantastic book trailer from S&S below! I won't be shocked if this one gets optioned for film this summer!