Release Date: December 23, 2014
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: BEA
Summary
A bright, poignant, and deeply funny autobiographical account of coming of age as an amputee cancer survivor, from Josh Sundquist: Paralympic ski racer, YouTube star, and motivational speaker.
Josh Sundquist only ever had one girlfriend.
For twenty-three hours.
In eighth grade.
Why was Josh still single? To find out, he tracked down the girls he had tried to date and asked them straight up: What went wrong?
The results of Josh's semiscientific, wholly hilarious investigation are captured here. From a disastrous Putt-Putt date involving a backward prosthetic foot, to his introduction to CFD (Close Fast Dancing), to a misguided "grand gesture" at a Miss America pageant, this story is about looking for love--or at least a girlfriend--in all the wrong places. (courtesy of Goodreads)
Review
We Should Hang Out Sometime is a funny memoir about an awkward boy's even more awkward attempt and failure at dating. The book itself is a bit awkward since it features him recounting each failed potential relationship and goes back to the girl in question to ask her memories years later. It's a quick, fun read.
Geeky is the new sexy these days. Pretty much ever celebrity claims to have been a big nerd when they were young. Sometimes I think that was true and sometimes it definitely wasn't. Josh Sundquist appears to have been and still to be a geek. Someone who overanalyzes himself and relationships to the point of inevitable doom. We benefit from Josh's overanalysis, because that's all this book is - complete with numerous ven diagrams and graphs to add to the nerdiness and up the book's coolness factor.
What Josh principally appears to be, apart from a geek, is a very nice guy. He is also an amputee, which is an important part of his character. This could easily have been a woe-is-me, people won't date me because I only have one leg story, but it was not. Actually, I think Josh at one time believed that his leg was the reason he didn't have a girlfriend but through the analysis leading to this book, he discovered that it was his personality's fault, not his leg.
Awkwardness abounds! Josh lays out his dating life with a variety of different anecdotes and interviews. Many of these are laugh-out-loud funny as Josh does a lot of well-intentioned but stupid things. Honestly, I probably wouldn't have dated him, although I was equally awkward in a different way. In the process of telling his story, you also get a good feel of Josh's teenage life. He was fortunate to have a wonderful family and lots of supportive friends. Apart from losing his leg (which is very sad), Josh is a lucky boy. Even though he doesn't get the girls, his life is very happy. It's a pleasant change to read about happy people after the drama of so many YA novels.
One thing I noticed in reading other reviews that were critical of this book was that many other readers were put off by the inherent misogyny in Josh's attempts to "hunt" girlfriends and then what appears to be dropping their friendships entirely after they didn't date him. I didn't get that feeling while reading it, but I also understand why other readers felt that way. The only thing that bothered me was imagining myself as one of those girls and how I probably wouldn't have wanted to be interviewed years later and featured in a book.
We Should Hang Out Sometime is indeed an embarrassing true story. It is also a kind true story though. Basically everyone comes off in this story as a nice person. Josh makes himself seem like a nerdy, cool guy and doesn't throw anyone under the bus. It reads like a well-written, funny account of typical teenage failures. Definitely something for a quick read.
Recommendation: Probably borrow, but maybe buy.
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I don't know the book didn't really grow on me and it doesn't seem full of events for some reason
ReplyDeleteNejoud @ CurrentlyReading
I'm actually pretty excited to read this. I've found that I really enjoy reading memoirs from time to time, especially when they're funny, and this definitely seems like something I'd like. I've seen this book everywhere within the past 2 weeks, so I'm adding to my TBR as we speak :)
ReplyDeleteThis one is totally new to me and It looks good. I love finding new books from blogs. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat Review!
Michelle @ Book Briefs
I've not heard of this before, but may have to read it, sounds kinda adorable as well as funny
ReplyDeleteI'm crying, this sounds hilarious! I've seen this novel all over tumblr and other blogs, but I still haven't gotten around buying yet. Maybe now it's time at last.
ReplyDeleteLovely review. And thanks for being honest.
ReplyDeleteHeh, awkwardness abounds! I'm not 100% sure this book is for me because I experience second hand embarrassment so easily, but I do think I would find it pretty funny as well.
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