The Screwed-Up Life of Charlie the Second
By: Drew Ferguson
Review by: Lauren
Charlie Stewart the Second isn’t the most popular guy in his High School. He’s a geek with a dad, whom he calls First, that is always pushing him to do better. Not to worry though, Charlie is also pretty sarcastic and plays soccer. It’s actually that sport that begins to change his life, when a new kid joins the team. When the two start a relationship, Charlie is thrown into a world of discovery, passion…and death?
The Screwed -Up Life of Charlie the Second is told entirely through Charlie’s journal entries which provided a much more personal account of his life and thoughts, which I definitely enjoyed. Charlie is an average teenage boy who is simply trying to write his own story, without being the kid on the sidelines all the time. The story is not sugar-coated, and is very realistic to teenage life. I would definitely recommend this novel, but for older teens and up. The book contains mature moments, without being explicit.
Rating: 4/5
GIVEAWAY!
Alright, we are having a giveaway with this book review.
The Prize: A Marked Up Copy of The Screwed-Up Life of Charlie the Second
How to enter: If you comment on this review, you get TWO entries. If you comment on anything else posted on this blog until the end of the contest, you get one extra entry. Each time you post after this=another new entry, so you can get quite a few chances. Make sense?
Deadline: August 31
Ooh! This book looks quite fantastic and I’d love to win a marked up copy. Great review!
Liv: Glad you think so, I definitely enjoyed it.
Thanks so much. And you have two entries! Don’t forget to post on all the new posts for the rest of the month to get more entries!!!
-Lauren
I’m curious about this book, sign me up!
faked_sugartone at hotmail.com
Diana: Sure thing!
I’d love to enter! I love journal entry books! Cute cover!
aleareads@gmail.com
I’ve been hearing a bit about this book, but yours is the first review I’ve read. Sounds pretty good. A marked up copy would be neat to share with my students. It might give them a peek into the mind of an author.
RJ
This books sounds very interesting! Thanks for the opportunity to win!
this book sounds pretty darn interesting and like something i would definitely enjoy
lc_intocable at yahoo.com
Alea: I do as well. When I was in grade school, I was really big on books in the form of diaries.
readingjunky: Well, I’m honored to be the first review you’ve read of the book. It was definitely good, and the marked up copy is definitely very informative about the book and the author…but if you win, I’d read the book first, just in case it’s too mature for your students!
alyce: no problem. thanks for commenting!
robin_titan: Well, if you win, I hope you enjoy it…and if you don’t, definitely keep an eye out for it! It’s worth reading, I believe.
Lauren
This sounds like a fun book! I’d love to read it! Count me in, Lauren! Thanks 🙂 xx
bunnybx at gmail . com
This book sounds great. I’d love to be entered. Thanks!
Cool! I would like to be entered please.
i remember reading about this book before somewhere…dont remember where, but it sounded good 😀
Lauren, thanks for the review. I’ll be sure to send you a signed final copy once I get them–which, they tell me should be any day now. Let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help support Shooting Stars.
Bunny B: No problem!
Carinthia: Welcome, count yourself entered. Don’t forget to post on new entries to the blog for more chances!
the bookworm: entered!
the book muncher: he held a contest in june…maybe that’s when? But it is a good book!
Drew: You’re very welcome. It was a great book, and thanks so much!! that’s very kind of you. 🙂
Just posting about the contest/review is great! we definitely appreciate it.
Again, everyone: Don’t forget to post on other entries on the blog from this review on till the deadline for lots more entries!
-Lauren
I’m really looking forward to Charlie.
I think there’s a little bit of him in us all.
sounds like a good read, and I like that cover!
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
loyal: definitely, I agree. I’m excited for it’s official release as well.
naida: it is! i highly enjoyed it…want to read it again actually. LOL and I love the cover as well. it’s kind of eye-catching, but not in a flashy way. that’s nice.
-lauren
What a funny cover.
🙂
Sounds like a really fun book by the looks of your review. And the cover is cute too! I’d totally love to win a marked up copy!!
Great review. Sounds good! =)
This look like a fun read — And I like the idea of a marked up copy!
This sounds like a great book, and sign me up for the giveaway. 😉
Vanessa: it is a bit amusing, I agree.
Amber: I enjoyed it very much yes, and marked up copies ARE fun!
Gwendolyn: Glad you like the idea. We try and do these sometimes, so keep checking the blog!
towerofbooks: sure thing! 🙂
-Lauren
Hrm…I am quite curious regarding this book. I saw a review somewhere else about it and thought it seemed like a good book.
Enter me please!
LOL kinda like my life but a different name and gender lol 🙂
Just wanted to say, that sounds like a pretty good book.
I love the idea of a book written through journals
Well, I’d love a marked-up copy of this book – I went to high school with Drew and I’m dying to see if anyone I know is in its pages in some form! Congrats, Drew!
Huh, I somehow missed this contest earlier. Looks like a good book!
This looks like a very interesting story. I’d love to read it. Marked up copies are just fine by me.
doot65{at}comcast[dot]net
Elizabeth
I have read pieces from Drew Ferguson in the past that were fantastic! I can’t wait to read this book. Thank you for writing this review and bringing the book to more people’s attention.
Kate: Awesome, well best of luck to you then! Definitely get the book if you don’t win. 🙂
Crystal Adkins: Really? That’s kind of cool!
Alexia: I’m happy it does!
Chas: Me as well. They provide a different perspective on things for sure!
Dave: Oh, that’s cool. Well thanks for entering and best of luck. Keep checking back!
Livinia: Yeah, I enjoyed it!!
Sharyn: Thanks so much! I definitely hope it does well. I really enjoyed it. 🙂
-Lauren
Sounds like a pretty good book. Please sign me up!! Especially for a marked up copy.
I heard about this book today, and it sounds great. I would love to have a copy for my son, a gay teen who is coping with all that entails. Thanks!
tiffany.taylor (at) insightbb.com
Tasha: Entered!
Tiffany: Thanks for entering. It really is a great book, and best of luck in the contest. You get more entries by posting on all the most recent posts. If you want more ideas of books for your son, feel free to drop me an email:
lauren51990@aol.com
-Lauren
Oh I would love to win a copy!! Sounds like a awesome read. photoquest(at)bellsouth(dot)net
As soon as we got the book in my store today, I bought the first copy. I can’t wait to read it! 🙂
kyle: That’s awesome! Way to go for buying it. I hope you enjoy it.
-Lauren
Yes! I want to win this book! It seems interesting.
Even though I have an ARC already, I kinda still want a marked-up copy, lol. I think this idea is so cool, and I hope I can win a marked-up copy at some point, but especially this one.
I also think it’s funny that you didn’t think it was explicit because I wrote that it was explicit in my review of it. But either way, VERY mature content, lol.
Paradox: I’m glad you think so. Best of luck in the contest!
Book Chic: I’m really glad you like the idea, and I definitely get what you mean about wanting the marked up copy…it’s really cool as you read along. 🙂
You get more entries by posting any any posts after this as well, so…just a thought! It might help you!
Definitely mature content. I guess I found it less explicit then other things that I’ve read, and I think it kind of parallels other YA books I’ve read….if that makes sense. So it’s mature, but I didn’t find it too bad.
-Lauren
Well, it wasn’t a YA book, it’s technically being published in the adult fiction section. And I’ve read much more explicit stuff too, but usually that stuff was um ahem specifically FOR adults, if you know what I mean. lol
And I don’t find it bad for myself, as I’m a gay man, so I didn’t mind reading all about Charlie’s fantasies and sex life. I actually really enjoyed those parts, haha. But for other people, it might be a bit too much information at times.
Book Chic: I didn’t realize they were marketing towards adults, but I figured it would probably be the case…and really, it’s a good way to go I suppose.
And yes, I get what you mean about the more explicit stuff being FOR adults! lol
Well, from a completel opposite point of view, I didn’t mind those parts either. It wasn’t too much more extreme then other type of books that focus a lot on the topic of sex, but it could definitely be a bit weird to read for others. I suppose you must do a bit of research on the book! 🙂
-Lauren
This book looks quite fantastic.