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Hamilton High #2
Shut Out
Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part, Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention.
Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. And Lissa never sees her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, coming.
Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. And Lissa never sees her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling, coming.
273 pages, Hardcover
First published September 5, 2011
About the author
Kody Keplinger
15 books6,784 followersI'm a 19-year-old college student and young adult author. My first book, THE DUFF, debuted on September 7, 2010. I write books for teenagers and strive to be honest and true-to-life. For more info, check out my website.
http://kodykeplinger.com
http://kodykeplinger.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,900 reviews
December 22, 2015
You know there's something wrong with a book when the boys are falling all over themselves for the main character and you're wondering why.
I guess Lissa was okay at first. For the first half, maybe. But then she turned into this huge caricature who just lost all intelligence and became obsessed with winning the "war" and finding every pretext to feel sorry for herself. I am aware not all teenagers are sensible, responsible beings. I do, however, like to actually feel something other than annoyance for a book narrator. Which is sadly all that I felt here.
Another qualm I have about this book: it felt like a giant feminist manifesto.
Let me explain. I don't know if you've ever read one of Kody's blog articles, but she heavily denounces the disparity between males and females when talking about sex. And I do like her blog posts. I agree with her whole-heartedly, it is unfair. BUT, as a reader, I really don't need to be lectured all the way through the novel. I do understand that literature is one of the ways you can change people's mentality, but in this case, it was so completely blatant that I felt I was reading the author's views more than the character's. Which is a shame, really, as I would have loved reading a book delivering the same content, with, you know. Craft and subtlety.
I was actually going to give this one 2 stars, but Lissa managed to heighten my frustration to such spectacular levels at the end that I just couldn't even give it that.
I guess Lissa was okay at first. For the first half, maybe. But then she turned into this huge caricature who just lost all intelligence and became obsessed with winning the "war" and finding every pretext to feel sorry for herself. I am aware not all teenagers are sensible, responsible beings. I do, however, like to actually feel something other than annoyance for a book narrator. Which is sadly all that I felt here.
Another qualm I have about this book: it felt like a giant feminist manifesto.
Let me explain. I don't know if you've ever read one of Kody's blog articles, but she heavily denounces the disparity between males and females when talking about sex. And I do like her blog posts. I agree with her whole-heartedly, it is unfair. BUT, as a reader, I really don't need to be lectured all the way through the novel. I do understand that literature is one of the ways you can change people's mentality, but in this case, it was so completely blatant that I felt I was reading the author's views more than the character's. Which is a shame, really, as I would have loved reading a book delivering the same content, with, you know. Craft and subtlety.
I was actually going to give this one 2 stars, but Lissa managed to heighten my frustration to such spectacular levels at the end that I just couldn't even give it that.
July 9, 2020
3.5 stars!
Shut Out is one of those books that was so fun to listen to! This is the second book of Kody Keplinger's I've read (Duff being the first) and I have to say I love her style. She writes fun reads with just enough seriousness/emotion to keep me invested. But they're also on the light side and entertaining. This was just the type of story I was in the mood for!
Lissa is sick of the feud at her school. Soccer boys vs. Football boys. It's been going on too long. It's effecting her and her relationship with her football playing boyfriend. After enough is enough she decides to fight back. She gets together with the girls dating other players from both teams and they unite. They make a pack to 'hold out' until this feud is over. The boys will surely stop this if they're getting cut off, right? It seems like a legit plan but things never seem to go according to plan...
Lissa was a fantastic heroine. I love the way she was with her family, she reminded me a lot of myself in that regard. Her dad and brother were great, and her best friend Casey had me laughing throughout the story. I loved how her relationship with our hero progressed. The narration was good when it came to Lissa, but anytime she was voicing any other character, not so great. Still, overall this is an audiobook I would recommend and I would definitely recommend reading it for all YA lovers.
Shut Out is one of those books that was so fun to listen to! This is the second book of Kody Keplinger's I've read (Duff being the first) and I have to say I love her style. She writes fun reads with just enough seriousness/emotion to keep me invested. But they're also on the light side and entertaining. This was just the type of story I was in the mood for!
Lissa is sick of the feud at her school. Soccer boys vs. Football boys. It's been going on too long. It's effecting her and her relationship with her football playing boyfriend. After enough is enough she decides to fight back. She gets together with the girls dating other players from both teams and they unite. They make a pack to 'hold out' until this feud is over. The boys will surely stop this if they're getting cut off, right? It seems like a legit plan but things never seem to go according to plan...
Lissa was a fantastic heroine. I love the way she was with her family, she reminded me a lot of myself in that regard. Her dad and brother were great, and her best friend Casey had me laughing throughout the story. I loved how her relationship with our hero progressed. The narration was good when it came to Lissa, but anytime she was voicing any other character, not so great. Still, overall this is an audiobook I would recommend and I would definitely recommend reading it for all YA lovers.
December 23, 2020
Fast read with great message about girls and sexuality: the inequality between boys and girls regarding sex and how they identify with what deems socially “acceptable” against what they actually feel.
Teen girls should read this one and I have a feeling they would love it too. I might read more of Keplinger’s work since I’ve never read anything by her before and I found this to be a very brave book complete with interesting narrative voice.
Teen girls should read this one and I have a feeling they would love it too. I might read more of Keplinger’s work since I’ve never read anything by her before and I found this to be a very brave book complete with interesting narrative voice.
December 13, 2014
I know why some people might not like this book, I understand the problems they might have with the situations, the characters and so on, but i'm as sure as hell that i did like it, probably as much as I liked The DUFF.
Full review: (originally posted at ReadingAfterMidnight)
You know, this is a strange world we are living in.
I always read some reviews here and there (about some books - not only this one) and I see people saying that [this] or [that] are not some books that they would allow their children read, because they include some cuss words or some sex mentioning, and THEN I hear some middle school (yes, MIDDLE SCHOOL!) girls talking about how many boys they are sleeping with.
Am I the only one thinking that something is not right?
Some people think that if the kids don't read about some things, they are somehow protected, but in fact, it is not true, because without you knowing, those kids are doing as much and more, and they get to the point of being clueless, like the characters in this book, not knowing what is normal, and what is not.
On the other hand, of course being a good parent is a big responsibility, and it seems to be something hard to achieve - not allowing too much but not being too strict either, and I wouldn't know since I am not a parent yet. But anyways this is raising some questions that have to be answered.
Now about the book:
This is exactly the kind of book I would have wanted to read in high school.. remember when 2 or 3 (or more) friends of yours were talking about their private life and you couldn't not wonder if there was something wrong with you for not making the same decisions? Well I wish my younger self would have been more sure about her decisions and wouldn't have felt like she was missing something when in fact this is such a private subject that you're the only one who could tell what is good and what is wrong for yourself.. no one else can do that.
I don't know why it is advertised the way it is, but the content of this books is lighter compared to some other books.
SHUT OUT is more about discovering yourself, defining what is 'normal' by your own terms, not letting other people's life control what you want to do, respecting yourself and your body and making decisions based on what makes you feel happy, and comfortable, and safe. It's about the pressure from the others and not letting it bother you, change you, define you.
But I'll start from the beginning, to make some things more clear.
The book starts in the middle of the war between the soccer team and the football team. We didn't have any kind of teams back in high school (there were some games between the teachers and the students but those don't count at this point), but I could see this happening.. Boys are always boys, and they don't need the best reasons in the world to pick a fight.
The first scene (including some car egging) is, as you might think, absolutely ridiculous, and it only reminded me about how silly boys are in high school and it made me roll my eyes. But from there on, form my part at least, there was not too much eyes-rolling and I found the book to be quite entertaining and fun, and between the words there are also some good messages.
To put it short, the main character (Lissa) is sick of being second on her boyfriend's list of priorities, she is tired of being lied to, and she is even more annoyed to find out that this "war" is getting people really hurt, so she decides to put an end to it. She talks with the girlfriends of all the other players and decides to not give the boys what they want, until they give up the stupid fight. This sounds pretty easy right?
Well, it should be, but then the strike is backfiring in their own faces and the boys with their new "leader" make their own moves, and things get a little more complicated and fun to watch (from time to time a bit ridiculous as well, but fun nevertheless). Of course one of the results was the expected one, and Lissa got a ticket in the first row for it, but the fact that there were some realistic facts in it, made this books so great.
I liked their sleepovers and talking sessions, and I like that everyone felt at some point free to speak their mind, and if they made a decision about their own personal life, no one was there to convince them otherwise.
I am of course talking about Mary here - she was sweet and kind, and a bit shy. She knew she wasn't ready to take her relationship to the next level and even when she heard the other girls talking about their experience she still didn't change her mind.
At the opposite side we find Chloe - she doesn't have a boyfriend, doesn't need one, never sleeps with someone having a girlfriend and really enjoys one-night-stands. But there was more to her than this. Being Lissa's friend we found more about her, and I wish I could have a friend like her. She was what you call 'a good friend', telling you when you were right or wrong, being supportive but also speaking her mind, always there for her friend no matter what - I guess she was my favorite character in the book (..except from Cash maybe)
Another character I liked was Ellen - she and Lissa were best friends before having boyfriends from different sides, but they still cared for each other and showed that with their actions. I liked her even more when she opened Lissa's eyes, making her understand that the strike was meant to stop a fight not create another, making her understand that hurting people is what they were suppose to stop - she was a good friend even after all this time.
I should mention Lissa's father too, because I really liked him. It was hard for him to watch for his daughter and the only thing he could do was give her some advices (on some subjects at least). He let her make her own decisions, based on her happiness, and he was as supportive as he could.
Now back to the boys.. I don't want to spoil everything for you so all I'm going to say is that I would have punched Randy (repeatedly) and I would have hugged Cash (repeatedly*1000). I understand why Lissa felt so safe in a relationship that didn't make her always happy, and I think I know why she liked Cash better (and Oh! I love that scene from the 'last summer'..so sweet :D).
There were some things that made me really confused and I can't say that I could relate with Lissa (and to begin with, I think that she deserved way more than the backseat of some car at some point - just saying), but I kind of understood her and her actions.
It made me sad her confession about needing a mother to talk (or even a stepmother) because she didn't know what was right or wrong and she needed someone to be there for her and give her some advices. I wanted her to have more confidence under that "Ice Queen" appearance, but she was just a kid, it is normal for her to have doubts and search for answers.
And of course the love story is kind of sweet, with the ups and downs - I just wish they have realized sooner that they like each other and not make so many self-assumptions.
One more thing I want to add:
- Chloe seemed to have something in common with Bianca from "The DUFF";
- Lissa was as much as a 'control freak' as Natalie from "Not That Kind Of Girl", a story that I found somehow similar to this one in many aspects.
All in one - a great read. I enjoyed this book from the first page to the last one and I am waiting for Kody's new book now :D
This review can also be found at ReadingAfterMidnight.com
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September 28, 2015
3.5 stars
“You can't control everything. Sometimes you just need to relax and have faith that things will work out. Let go a little and just let life happen.���
Lissa has a problem. Her boyfriend Randy keeps putting her second to a stupid rivalry between the football players and the soccer players at her high school. Every time they make out in his car it gets egged, he leaves dates early for retaliation attacks and so on. Lissa isn't the only one fed up, all of the girlfriends for boys on both of the teams are done. So Lissa comes up with a plan: no sex until the rivalry ends.
But with this no sex plan comes consequences and the girls learn which boys they can trust once sex is removed. On top of that Lissa now has to work with Cash, a boy from the soccer team and who she once had a crush on before she got with Randy.
“You amaze me Lissa Daniels. Most girls would cave as soon as I gave them the puppy-dog look with these amazing eyes."
"Sorry. I like boys. Not dogs. You should've dated a different girl if you wanted someone to bend to your will.”
A modern day Lysistrata, I expected to love this book and only ended up liking it. It lacked the emotional punch that usually comes with Keplinger's books, and Cash as a hero seemed so clueless most of the time that I wanted to punch him. As with all of Kody's books I was sucked in by the writing and finished this book in a matter of hours, but it wasn't a big winner for me. Maybe a little winner.
I will say as a person who works in libraries, and I worked my way from the bottom up I got a little nitpicky about Lissa's job as a shelver in a library while reading. I've never known any job title to be a shelver, it's a page who does that work. And pages almost never ever shelve together, they get their own sections and carts and it's a solitary job. So the scenes where Cash and Lissa keep getting put together shelving we not realistic for me. And before y'all attack me I know it's a book it's not real life, but it took me out of the story and that took away from the believability in the book for me.
“Sometimes it's hard to predict who will make a person happy. But in the end, that's what matters.”
I also wanted a bit more from the plot in terms of Lissa's family relationship, her dad and brother were strong side characters and I felt they were underutilized. And we only scratched the surface of Kelsey and Cash as other side characters. The focus kept being solely on Lissa and Randy and I kid of wish the author had written more.
This review is sounding like a bitch fest. I really did enjoy reading, and I don't regret reading it, but it's not something I would readily recommend to other readers.
“You can't control everything. Sometimes you just need to relax and have faith that things will work out. Let go a little and just let life happen.���
Lissa has a problem. Her boyfriend Randy keeps putting her second to a stupid rivalry between the football players and the soccer players at her high school. Every time they make out in his car it gets egged, he leaves dates early for retaliation attacks and so on. Lissa isn't the only one fed up, all of the girlfriends for boys on both of the teams are done. So Lissa comes up with a plan: no sex until the rivalry ends.
But with this no sex plan comes consequences and the girls learn which boys they can trust once sex is removed. On top of that Lissa now has to work with Cash, a boy from the soccer team and who she once had a crush on before she got with Randy.
“You amaze me Lissa Daniels. Most girls would cave as soon as I gave them the puppy-dog look with these amazing eyes."
"Sorry. I like boys. Not dogs. You should've dated a different girl if you wanted someone to bend to your will.”
A modern day Lysistrata, I expected to love this book and only ended up liking it. It lacked the emotional punch that usually comes with Keplinger's books, and Cash as a hero seemed so clueless most of the time that I wanted to punch him. As with all of Kody's books I was sucked in by the writing and finished this book in a matter of hours, but it wasn't a big winner for me. Maybe a little winner.
I will say as a person who works in libraries, and I worked my way from the bottom up I got a little nitpicky about Lissa's job as a shelver in a library while reading. I've never known any job title to be a shelver, it's a page who does that work. And pages almost never ever shelve together, they get their own sections and carts and it's a solitary job. So the scenes where Cash and Lissa keep getting put together shelving we not realistic for me. And before y'all attack me I know it's a book it's not real life, but it took me out of the story and that took away from the believability in the book for me.
“Sometimes it's hard to predict who will make a person happy. But in the end, that's what matters.”
I also wanted a bit more from the plot in terms of Lissa's family relationship, her dad and brother were strong side characters and I felt they were underutilized. And we only scratched the surface of Kelsey and Cash as other side characters. The focus kept being solely on Lissa and Randy and I kid of wish the author had written more.
This review is sounding like a bitch fest. I really did enjoy reading, and I don't regret reading it, but it's not something I would readily recommend to other readers.
June 3, 2015
3.5
How to write a fun YA contemporary?
Well, just follow Kody Keplinger's recipe cause she's got it down to a science!
She was constantly cracking me up with her dry humor. And what I loved most about her? She felt like a real teenager who at times-let's be honest, more often than not- made mistakes.
She was also strong. She wasn't perfect or had some constant God-sent advice for all her problems. She sounded real, and yes, I was annoyed with her at times, but when I sit back and think about how I was at that age, I have to admit, I was a pain in the ass too.
This was what made me fall in love with the book. Not the boyfriend, the high school drama or even the plot. It was the effin amazing friends that surround her! The friendships were breathtakingly beautiful and I don't mean in their perfection but in their realness. I mean I know that Chloe was one of the supporting characters but to be honest she could have been the lead for all I care. That's how much I loved her. Effin goldmine here.
And that's the thing, she didn't only have one amazing friend. If you've read other reviews you'll know I usually rant about the fact that nowadays authors tend to only make the female lead and her best friend the only characters you like. But Kody Keplinger managed to wow me with countless friends and thank the Lord with the absence of the cliche mean girl. She was able to give depth to not only Lissa(which btw her name's Melissa, just felt like I had to point it out :P) but to every character. They're all distinct in their own ways. Can I hear a hallelujah?!
I'm not even gonna gush but
I don't know what the heck is wrong with me lately but I am falling hard for good guys and Cash is freaking amazeballs amazing! AMAZEBALLS AMAZING!
I don't know if you've ever noticed that most YA kind of fall flat. I mean, it's not like I expect great wonders from these books or anything but I do tend to expect some difference in the characters as the book progresses, especially if the point of the plot has some kind of maturity(not that this plot was mature or anything, sex strike is not a sensible way to go). What I mean is some plots tend to lead the characters to growing up and finding themselves. This was one of them. And we see her growth in the way she learns to deal with her family, in the way she starts to accept herself and in the way she starts to carry herself as a person. And I loved that.
And finally...
Do you know how sometimes books are preachy or you feel like the author is just shoving their own beliefs down your throat as you read the book? You know how sometimes it's annoying as heck? Well, while it may feel like the author is driving her advice home through these characters, I couldn't help but wholeheartedly agree.
We're taught at a young age that sex is a taboo subject. That it shouldn't be broadcast like some news at 6. We're taught to judge a girl's worth by the amount of guys she's slept with but at the same time taught to admire guys because of how many women he's been able to take to bed. Girls are taught that if you like sex too much, you're a whore but if you don't like it you're a prude. Guys are taught that the more women you sleep with, the cooler you'll be and if you don't like to sleep around then obviously you must be gay.
Sometimes life and choices aren't as black and white. And I loved how Shut Out portrayed it.
In the end it wasn't perfect but it did manage to make me think. And if that's something I could take away from a YA contemporary romance then great.
How to write a fun YA contemporary?
Well, just follow Kody Keplinger's recipe cause she's got it down to a science!
“I'm serious. They'll call me a pussy."
"And if you help them, I'll call you a dick. So no matter what you do, you're going to be some form of genitalia.”
She was constantly cracking me up with her dry humor. And what I loved most about her? She felt like a real teenager who at times-let's be honest, more often than not- made mistakes.
She was also strong. She wasn't perfect or had some constant God-sent advice for all her problems. She sounded real, and yes, I was annoyed with her at times, but when I sit back and think about how I was at that age, I have to admit, I was a pain in the ass too.
“I didn’t do this to end the fighting. I did it because I know it’s important to you. And you’re important to me.”
This was what made me fall in love with the book. Not the boyfriend, the high school drama or even the plot. It was the effin amazing friends that surround her! The friendships were breathtakingly beautiful and I don't mean in their perfection but in their realness. I mean I know that Chloe was one of the supporting characters but to be honest she could have been the lead for all I care. That's how much I loved her. Effin goldmine here.
“I’ll always come if you want me to, Liss.”
And that's the thing, she didn't only have one amazing friend. If you've read other reviews you'll know I usually rant about the fact that nowadays authors tend to only make the female lead and her best friend the only characters you like. But Kody Keplinger managed to wow me with countless friends and thank the Lord with the absence of the cliche mean girl. She was able to give depth to not only Lissa(which btw her name's Melissa, just felt like I had to point it out :P) but to every character. They're all distinct in their own ways. Can I hear a hallelujah?!
"Because I want to see you with someone better than him. Someone who will see how lucky they are to have you."
I bit my lip, nervous but determined to ask my next question. "Do you happen to have someone particular in mind, Cash?"
"Maybe."
I'm not even gonna gush but
I don't know what the heck is wrong with me lately but I am falling hard for good guys and Cash is freaking amazeballs amazing! AMAZEBALLS AMAZING!
“Chloe didn't have all the answers, either. I knew that now. But she had known something all along that I hadn't: that being ashamed of what you want or how you feel is pointless, and letting anyone else make you feel ashamed is a waste. We all wanted different things, and that was okay. Chloe wanted sex without commitment. Mary wanted to wait until she was ready. And I wasn't sure what I wanted, but I didn't want to make any decisions until I knew. And I was proud of that.”
I don't know if you've ever noticed that most YA kind of fall flat. I mean, it's not like I expect great wonders from these books or anything but I do tend to expect some difference in the characters as the book progresses, especially if the point of the plot has some kind of maturity(not that this plot was mature or anything, sex strike is not a sensible way to go). What I mean is some plots tend to lead the characters to growing up and finding themselves. This was one of them. And we see her growth in the way she learns to deal with her family, in the way she starts to accept herself and in the way she starts to carry herself as a person. And I loved that.
And finally...
Do you know how sometimes books are preachy or you feel like the author is just shoving their own beliefs down your throat as you read the book? You know how sometimes it's annoying as heck? Well, while it may feel like the author is driving her advice home through these characters, I couldn't help but wholeheartedly agree.
“It's so screwed up, the standards...You should like it, but you shouldn't like it too much or talk about how much you like it. You should do it, but you shouldn't do it with too many people or talk about how much you're doing it. It's like there are so many rules, but none of them make sense.”
We're taught at a young age that sex is a taboo subject. That it shouldn't be broadcast like some news at 6. We're taught to judge a girl's worth by the amount of guys she's slept with but at the same time taught to admire guys because of how many women he's been able to take to bed. Girls are taught that if you like sex too much, you're a whore but if you don't like it you're a prude. Guys are taught that the more women you sleep with, the cooler you'll be and if you don't like to sleep around then obviously you must be gay.
Sometimes life and choices aren't as black and white. And I loved how Shut Out portrayed it.
In the end it wasn't perfect but it did manage to make me think. And if that's something I could take away from a YA contemporary romance then great.
July 25, 2013
Shut Out is loosely based on the retelling of Aristophanes’ Lysistrata;
Lissa is sick and tired of the rivalry between the soccer and football team, it’s been running almost like forever.
But now it’s seriously getting out of hand, it’s coming in between her relationship with Randy, her boyfriend.
So Lissa comes up with a plan to get all the soccer and football player’s girlfriends together and go on a "strike".
A SEX STRIKE!!!
It’s bound to get the boys so wound up that they will put an end to their petty rivalry.
But then the boys put Cash (whose totally drop dead gorgeous may I add) as their leader and they start to fight back. But who will eventually cave and admit defeat?
And is Lissa getting far too involved than she should be?
FIRST , THE GOOD:
-->Creative plot? Definitely.
Shut Out, was a good book, even though I thought 'woah high school girls?'. It had a more 18+ just after high school feel for me.
I applaud Keplinger for writing so honestly and not shying away from the reality that teens cuss and they have sex ( And yes in a group, girls/women do talk candidly about sex).
Probably more than most adults want to admit.
So, it is reality and it shouldn't be taboo to write about it.
I think that every girl can relate to one of the issues revolving around sex in this book, maybe more.
There is frank talk about teenage girls' sexual lives,
exploration of double standards,
it's okay to not be ashamed of who you are,
don't change yourself for a guy,
don't do something you're not comfortable with,
and you should always talk to someone if you're having a bad time, you'll feel better after - even if it's just your friends that you're talking to and an inspiration from a classic (I'm a sucker for modern re-tellings).
Now, the bad:
1) It was just glaringly obvious she was at times extremely ego-centric. Said ego-centrism highlighted here:
“So, Homecoming,” I said loudly, interrupting a conversation Randy was having with Shane. I was sure it wasn’t important, anyway."
Yeah, I can see why two guys would want her...
2)During the strike, the girls talked about and treated the guys like they were brain-dead puppies who needed to be manipulated to serve a greater purpose and the guys, like in a lot of YA, were just "sex-sex-football-fight-sex" guys who of course have no feelings at all.
3)The story line was a bit predictable, but very cute anyhow.
It was an one-dimensional YA book to me.
But whatever. I still liked the book, not loved, but LIKED.
Shut Out was a good read.
It had it's frustrating moments, sigh worthy moments, and its hilarious moments; and the sex strike was ingenious.
So, a 3.5 stars from me.
Lissa is sick and tired of the rivalry between the soccer and football team, it’s been running almost like forever.
But now it’s seriously getting out of hand, it’s coming in between her relationship with Randy, her boyfriend.
So Lissa comes up with a plan to get all the soccer and football player’s girlfriends together and go on a "strike".
A SEX STRIKE!!!
It’s bound to get the boys so wound up that they will put an end to their petty rivalry.
But then the boys put Cash (whose totally drop dead gorgeous may I add) as their leader and they start to fight back. But who will eventually cave and admit defeat?
And is Lissa getting far too involved than she should be?
FIRST , THE GOOD:
-->Creative plot? Definitely.
Shut Out, was a good book, even though I thought 'woah high school girls?'. It had a more 18+ just after high school feel for me.
I applaud Keplinger for writing so honestly and not shying away from the reality that teens cuss and they have sex ( And yes in a group, girls/women do talk candidly about sex).
Probably more than most adults want to admit.
So, it is reality and it shouldn't be taboo to write about it.
I think that every girl can relate to one of the issues revolving around sex in this book, maybe more.
There is frank talk about teenage girls' sexual lives,
exploration of double standards,
it's okay to not be ashamed of who you are,
don't change yourself for a guy,
don't do something you're not comfortable with,
and you should always talk to someone if you're having a bad time, you'll feel better after - even if it's just your friends that you're talking to and an inspiration from a classic (I'm a sucker for modern re-tellings).
Now, the bad:
1) It was just glaringly obvious she was at times extremely ego-centric. Said ego-centrism highlighted here:
“So, Homecoming,” I said loudly, interrupting a conversation Randy was having with Shane. I was sure it wasn’t important, anyway."
Yeah, I can see why two guys would want her...
2)During the strike, the girls talked about and treated the guys like they were brain-dead puppies who needed to be manipulated to serve a greater purpose and the guys, like in a lot of YA, were just "sex-sex-football-fight-sex" guys who of course have no feelings at all.
3)The story line was a bit predictable, but very cute anyhow.
It was an one-dimensional YA book to me.
But whatever. I still liked the book, not loved, but LIKED.
Shut Out was a good read.
It had it's frustrating moments, sigh worthy moments, and its hilarious moments; and the sex strike was ingenious.
So, a 3.5 stars from me.
March 31, 2015
"Because." Cash's fingers stilled, resting lightly against the back of my head, which didn't hurt anymore. He looked down at me for a long second before continuing. "Because I want to see you with someone better than him. Someone who will see how lucky they are to have you."
I bit my lip, nervous but determined to ask my next question. "Do you happen to have someone particular in mind, Cash?"
"Maybe."
4 days, three (attempted) books, and countless exaggerated sighs later, and I can't get this author's characters out of my head. You heard me right-I have read two other books since finishing DUFF and nothing compares. I even tried to break back into my normal genre....but nothing seemed to stand up to the quirky inner dialogue of the heroines that this author creates. And, I'll be the first to admit it, her male leads are unforgettable. First, Wesley. And now, Cash Sterling??? Seriously?? I mean, no, they aren't amazing or crazy memorable, but they are sweet, endearing, kind-they fall hard for the female leads and they have the confidence and cockiness that gives them that sexy little edge that I have been missing, lately. My point to all this?? I read two other books, fully, before this, and I literally skipped their reviews (don't worry, I'll go back to them this week) to write this one. Because when a book makes me feel good...that's all that matters-and this book made me smile ear to ear.
"Lissa," Cash said slowly, drawing out the A at the end of my name. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but...Did you just mark a typo in your book?"
I bit my lip. "No. Of course not. Why would you say that?"
"Because you just marked something on the page with a red ink pen-like the ones teachers use to check papers."
"No, I didn't."
"Lissa."
5 stars. Sigh. It feels so wrong, but oh so right. I went to put a four, because, come on, how juvenile is this plot?? More than once I tried to imagine any one of my friends picking this up and not rolling their eyes...unsuccessfully, I might add. But then I thought to myself, WTF do I care what people think??? When I have a specific book type in my head, it's literally the only kind of book that will get a good rating from me. Lately? My choice of poison has been high school drama, sexy boys who have the sweetest touch of possessiveness while not 100% being in a relationship with the main girl, and fun friendships that keep the main character afloat. I dunno. It's perfect for my mood right now.
"It's not silly," he said. "What's silly is my deep-seated and unreasonable fear of fish."
I frowned. "Fish? Like food?"
"No, that doesn't bother me so much. Fish that are alive. I can't swim in lakes or rivers or anything besides a swimming pool because I'm always convinced the fish are swimming all over me...all slimy and...ugh."
I laughed, and Cash smiled.
"We all have our quirks," he said. "This is yours. You wouldn't be you without it."
I think the reason I'm so skeptical as to whether other people I know would love this story (I know most of my friends are like me and could overlook any idiosyncrasies and dumb shit in DUFF, because, well, Wesley) or not is the amount of cliches that overflow in these books. I mean, I'm the QUEEN of not liking cliches (Hmm well, no, maybe not, but I roll my eyes sometimes, I swear!!) but for some reason, this author makes the stupidest things, like, say, this war they have going on in the book, seem almost charming. And my biggest warning to anyone who trusts my thoughts or reviews??? This book is dangerously cheesy. It has alll the cheese!!! But only the best kind of cheese.
So, here's the plot, in a nutshell. Lissa has a douchey boyfriend, Randy. Randy is on the football team. The football team and the soccer team have this epic (not so epic, it's more moronic-me and the girls agree on this front) rivalry that's been going on for years and years....and, while the biggest problem the girls see is that the boys put this childish rivalry ahead of 'together time', it's becoming more than that. People are kind of getting hurt-it's no longer just an emotional thing. And so, after being put second for the final time, Lissa decides enough is enough. She gathers all the girlfriends of the football and soccer players and induces a strike. What kind of strike, you ask?? Well, it's simple: No more sex until the rivalry is over. *insert eyeroll* Right?? It sounds soooo juvenile. And, in a way, it is. But then again, I didn't find it to be so-this author has a way of making it all seem...authentic. Authentic as any teenage melodrama could be. And, hold the eye rolling, I actually really enjoyed this plot. It put the skeezers in the lime light and showed what boys were truly in love with their girls....and what boys just wanted an opportunity to be with certain, aforementioned girls, like, say...Lissa??
I could just make out the boys' retreating backs as they skirted across Ellen's backyard and out toward the gravel back roads of Hamilton. The moonlight framed their silhouettes, and for a moment, one paused. I could see him turning his head back, but he was too far off for me to recognize his face as he looked at the house. At the window. At me.
Somehow, I knew it was Cash.
Cash. Cash Sterling. What a sweetheart. He got under my skin, deep. I won't say he weaseled his way deeper than Wesley in my heart, but he got a nice little spot in the corner, saved all just for him. He was the guy always in the background, always secretly supporting Lissa and helping her when she fell. He was the guy that when her heart got broken time and again, he silently helped her pick up the pieces. I absolutely adored the way he treated her, the way he looked at her. I loved the way he was, just in general. I only wish we'd have gotten more time with him...though, the way it all happened seemed to be perfect, just as it was.
My body was riddled with electric shocks as his kisses grew more intense. My fingers grasped at his short brown hair, pulling him to me. I'd never felt like this, like I wanted to climb into another person's skin. Like I wanted every inch of him to touch every inch of me, to twine myself around him and never let go. I'd never kissed anyone this way.
So, yeah. I really enjoyed this. It had tons of stuff that was moronic, naturally, with that kind of plot...but I loved it, all the same. The biggest problem I see people having is the assumptions. Assuming it was all a game. Assuming 'he' thought he was too good for her. Assuming that kiss wasn't real. Not talking to each other about what they really felt for one another or what happened in the past...it's a killer. But, eh. I enjoyed this WAY too much to nitpick. It is what it is-I paid for cheap thrills and wanted petty high school drama. I got it. *singing voice* Drammmaaaaaaaa.
For more of my reviews, please visit:
I bit my lip, nervous but determined to ask my next question. "Do you happen to have someone particular in mind, Cash?"
"Maybe."
4 days, three (attempted) books, and countless exaggerated sighs later, and I can't get this author's characters out of my head. You heard me right-I have read two other books since finishing DUFF and nothing compares. I even tried to break back into my normal genre....but nothing seemed to stand up to the quirky inner dialogue of the heroines that this author creates. And, I'll be the first to admit it, her male leads are unforgettable. First, Wesley. And now, Cash Sterling??? Seriously?? I mean, no, they aren't amazing or crazy memorable, but they are sweet, endearing, kind-they fall hard for the female leads and they have the confidence and cockiness that gives them that sexy little edge that I have been missing, lately. My point to all this?? I read two other books, fully, before this, and I literally skipped their reviews (don't worry, I'll go back to them this week) to write this one. Because when a book makes me feel good...that's all that matters-and this book made me smile ear to ear.
"Lissa," Cash said slowly, drawing out the A at the end of my name. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but...Did you just mark a typo in your book?"
I bit my lip. "No. Of course not. Why would you say that?"
"Because you just marked something on the page with a red ink pen-like the ones teachers use to check papers."
"No, I didn't."
"Lissa."
5 stars. Sigh. It feels so wrong, but oh so right. I went to put a four, because, come on, how juvenile is this plot?? More than once I tried to imagine any one of my friends picking this up and not rolling their eyes...unsuccessfully, I might add. But then I thought to myself, WTF do I care what people think??? When I have a specific book type in my head, it's literally the only kind of book that will get a good rating from me. Lately? My choice of poison has been high school drama, sexy boys who have the sweetest touch of possessiveness while not 100% being in a relationship with the main girl, and fun friendships that keep the main character afloat. I dunno. It's perfect for my mood right now.
"It's not silly," he said. "What's silly is my deep-seated and unreasonable fear of fish."
I frowned. "Fish? Like food?"
"No, that doesn't bother me so much. Fish that are alive. I can't swim in lakes or rivers or anything besides a swimming pool because I'm always convinced the fish are swimming all over me...all slimy and...ugh."
I laughed, and Cash smiled.
"We all have our quirks," he said. "This is yours. You wouldn't be you without it."
I think the reason I'm so skeptical as to whether other people I know would love this story (I know most of my friends are like me and could overlook any idiosyncrasies and dumb shit in DUFF, because, well, Wesley) or not is the amount of cliches that overflow in these books. I mean, I'm the QUEEN of not liking cliches (Hmm well, no, maybe not, but I roll my eyes sometimes, I swear!!) but for some reason, this author makes the stupidest things, like, say, this war they have going on in the book, seem almost charming. And my biggest warning to anyone who trusts my thoughts or reviews??? This book is dangerously cheesy. It has alll the cheese!!! But only the best kind of cheese.
So, here's the plot, in a nutshell. Lissa has a douchey boyfriend, Randy. Randy is on the football team. The football team and the soccer team have this epic (not so epic, it's more moronic-me and the girls agree on this front) rivalry that's been going on for years and years....and, while the biggest problem the girls see is that the boys put this childish rivalry ahead of 'together time', it's becoming more than that. People are kind of getting hurt-it's no longer just an emotional thing. And so, after being put second for the final time, Lissa decides enough is enough. She gathers all the girlfriends of the football and soccer players and induces a strike. What kind of strike, you ask?? Well, it's simple: No more sex until the rivalry is over. *insert eyeroll* Right?? It sounds soooo juvenile. And, in a way, it is. But then again, I didn't find it to be so-this author has a way of making it all seem...authentic. Authentic as any teenage melodrama could be. And, hold the eye rolling, I actually really enjoyed this plot. It put the skeezers in the lime light and showed what boys were truly in love with their girls....and what boys just wanted an opportunity to be with certain, aforementioned girls, like, say...Lissa??
I could just make out the boys' retreating backs as they skirted across Ellen's backyard and out toward the gravel back roads of Hamilton. The moonlight framed their silhouettes, and for a moment, one paused. I could see him turning his head back, but he was too far off for me to recognize his face as he looked at the house. At the window. At me.
Somehow, I knew it was Cash.
Cash. Cash Sterling. What a sweetheart. He got under my skin, deep. I won't say he weaseled his way deeper than Wesley in my heart, but he got a nice little spot in the corner, saved all just for him. He was the guy always in the background, always secretly supporting Lissa and helping her when she fell. He was the guy that when her heart got broken time and again, he silently helped her pick up the pieces. I absolutely adored the way he treated her, the way he looked at her. I loved the way he was, just in general. I only wish we'd have gotten more time with him...though, the way it all happened seemed to be perfect, just as it was.
My body was riddled with electric shocks as his kisses grew more intense. My fingers grasped at his short brown hair, pulling him to me. I'd never felt like this, like I wanted to climb into another person's skin. Like I wanted every inch of him to touch every inch of me, to twine myself around him and never let go. I'd never kissed anyone this way.
So, yeah. I really enjoyed this. It had tons of stuff that was moronic, naturally, with that kind of plot...but I loved it, all the same. The biggest problem I see people having is the assumptions. Assuming it was all a game. Assuming 'he' thought he was too good for her. Assuming that kiss wasn't real. Not talking to each other about what they really felt for one another or what happened in the past...it's a killer. But, eh. I enjoyed this WAY too much to nitpick. It is what it is-I paid for cheap thrills and wanted petty high school drama. I got it. *singing voice* Drammmaaaaaaaa.
For more of my reviews, please visit:
August 22, 2011
2 1/2 stars.
Original review posted on The Book Smugglers: HERE
Shut Out is a modern-day retelling of Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, a classic Greek play about Lysistrata and her attempt to end the Peloponnesian War by persuading the women of the warring nations to withhold sex from their husbands in order to force peace negotiations. This foments a battle of the sexes as both sides try to stand their ground until eventually, the men give in and peace is achieved.
I was curious to see how Kody Keplinger would deal with this premise in a modern context and especially with what I, personally, consider the most troubling aspects of the play when taken out of its historical context: 1) sex is more important to men than to women and women are able to withstand lack of sexual release more easily; and 2) the fact that sex can be used as a feminine weapon.
In Shut Out the “war” is a ten-year-long rivalry between the football team and the soccer team at Hamilton High School. The heroine of the novel is Lissa and she is sick and tired of competing for her boyfriend’s attention. Randy is the quarterback of the school and even though he loves her, he doesn’t seem to love her enough to put her first. Lissa then concocts this plan and rallies all the girlfriends to join her on a hookup strike. As the battle rages on, the girls become friends and share their fears and hopes about sex and boys whilst Lissa becomes disillusioned with Randy and falls in love with another guy, Cash Sterling.
I am troubled by this novel.
On the one hand there are quite a few positive things about it. The novel is honestly quite fun if one can disregard the premise and the potentially problematic aspects that stem from it. The romance that develops between Cash Sterling (quite possibly the cheesiest character’s name in the history of cheesiness and therefore I am torn between finding it ridiculous or awesome. Maybe awesomely ridiculous?) and Lissa is quite sweet and I genuinely rooted for the two of them. I also breezed through the book quite easily.
The most positive aspect of the novel however, was definitely the frank discussions about sex that the girls had once the feud starts and the friendship that grows between them. There is an exploration about slut shaming and how harmful and unfair it is especially when considering that boys grow a positive reputation for the same sort of experience that the girls are shamed for. There are conversations about the fact that there is no normal when it comes to sex: that being a virgin is ok, that not being a virgin is ok; that liking sex is awesome and not liking it or not being prepared for it is ok too. Even though some of it comes across as perhaps too message-heavy, the overall message about sex is a very positive message that I completely, 100% agree with.
On the other hand and I am aware how is going to sound ridiculous considering that this is the very premise of the novel, it troubles me that in a modern context, sex is the weapon that girls chose to wield. That they couldn’t think of anything else they could do to stop the rivalry between the two teams like for example: youtube campaigns, riots and pickets, conversations or rallies, engaging other people in this conversation, bringing in TV crews, or radio crews to report on this ridiculous feud and so on and so forth.
It is easy to accept that aspect of the original play considering the fact that the play was written over two thousand years ago in a time where women had little political power and could not affect the outcome of the war in any other possible way. It is much harder to accept that this is the only way they can think of to stop this war (which is not even a war AT ALL, only a silly rivalry) in a modern context. Not a single girl even offers an alternative.
Although it is brought up at different points that it is wrong to use sex as a weapon, I felt this was only partly addressed when some of the girls used it to seduce and leave the boys hanging on. I feel that there is much more to sexual politics and sex being used as a feminine weapon than simply giving guys blue balls.
Further to that, despite all the positive messages about sex and girls, and how things are complex and there is a myriad of ways of dealing with it all, I think that the main assumption that the girls can withhold sex more easily than boys goes largely unchecked. There is the idea that boys would do anything for sex, that girls are more in control and unfortunately it reeks of gender essentialism and I am unconvinced that this was explored or truly addressed in depth. This is even more plain when you consider that not a single one of these girls seem to play any sports, that the girls swear their oath on an issue of Cosmos and the boys on an issue of Sports Illustrated and that the girls seem to be more frustrated when the boys withhold conversation from them.
In the end, despite the obvious positive aspects, I felt dissatisfied with the novel as a whole.
Original review posted on The Book Smugglers: HERE
Shut Out is a modern-day retelling of Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, a classic Greek play about Lysistrata and her attempt to end the Peloponnesian War by persuading the women of the warring nations to withhold sex from their husbands in order to force peace negotiations. This foments a battle of the sexes as both sides try to stand their ground until eventually, the men give in and peace is achieved.
I was curious to see how Kody Keplinger would deal with this premise in a modern context and especially with what I, personally, consider the most troubling aspects of the play when taken out of its historical context: 1) sex is more important to men than to women and women are able to withstand lack of sexual release more easily; and 2) the fact that sex can be used as a feminine weapon.
In Shut Out the “war” is a ten-year-long rivalry between the football team and the soccer team at Hamilton High School. The heroine of the novel is Lissa and she is sick and tired of competing for her boyfriend’s attention. Randy is the quarterback of the school and even though he loves her, he doesn’t seem to love her enough to put her first. Lissa then concocts this plan and rallies all the girlfriends to join her on a hookup strike. As the battle rages on, the girls become friends and share their fears and hopes about sex and boys whilst Lissa becomes disillusioned with Randy and falls in love with another guy, Cash Sterling.
I am troubled by this novel.
On the one hand there are quite a few positive things about it. The novel is honestly quite fun if one can disregard the premise and the potentially problematic aspects that stem from it. The romance that develops between Cash Sterling (quite possibly the cheesiest character’s name in the history of cheesiness and therefore I am torn between finding it ridiculous or awesome. Maybe awesomely ridiculous?) and Lissa is quite sweet and I genuinely rooted for the two of them. I also breezed through the book quite easily.
The most positive aspect of the novel however, was definitely the frank discussions about sex that the girls had once the feud starts and the friendship that grows between them. There is an exploration about slut shaming and how harmful and unfair it is especially when considering that boys grow a positive reputation for the same sort of experience that the girls are shamed for. There are conversations about the fact that there is no normal when it comes to sex: that being a virgin is ok, that not being a virgin is ok; that liking sex is awesome and not liking it or not being prepared for it is ok too. Even though some of it comes across as perhaps too message-heavy, the overall message about sex is a very positive message that I completely, 100% agree with.
On the other hand and I am aware how is going to sound ridiculous considering that this is the very premise of the novel, it troubles me that in a modern context, sex is the weapon that girls chose to wield. That they couldn’t think of anything else they could do to stop the rivalry between the two teams like for example: youtube campaigns, riots and pickets, conversations or rallies, engaging other people in this conversation, bringing in TV crews, or radio crews to report on this ridiculous feud and so on and so forth.
It is easy to accept that aspect of the original play considering the fact that the play was written over two thousand years ago in a time where women had little political power and could not affect the outcome of the war in any other possible way. It is much harder to accept that this is the only way they can think of to stop this war (which is not even a war AT ALL, only a silly rivalry) in a modern context. Not a single girl even offers an alternative.
Although it is brought up at different points that it is wrong to use sex as a weapon, I felt this was only partly addressed when some of the girls used it to seduce and leave the boys hanging on. I feel that there is much more to sexual politics and sex being used as a feminine weapon than simply giving guys blue balls.
Further to that, despite all the positive messages about sex and girls, and how things are complex and there is a myriad of ways of dealing with it all, I think that the main assumption that the girls can withhold sex more easily than boys goes largely unchecked. There is the idea that boys would do anything for sex, that girls are more in control and unfortunately it reeks of gender essentialism and I am unconvinced that this was explored or truly addressed in depth. This is even more plain when you consider that not a single one of these girls seem to play any sports, that the girls swear their oath on an issue of Cosmos and the boys on an issue of Sports Illustrated and that the girls seem to be more frustrated when the boys withhold conversation from them.
In the end, despite the obvious positive aspects, I felt dissatisfied with the novel as a whole.
September 26, 2019
What seemed like a silly premise turned out to be something relevant but still very entertaining at the same time. I was kind of impressed really. The main plot, girls agreeing on a sex-strike against boys to end the rivalry between football and soccer players is pretty funny especially when the boys were trying to fight back, seducing the girls by taking off their shirts. Lol. But as the story pushes through, it becomes not only about just the “war”.
I didn’t think so much into Shut Out but as I keep turning the pages, the story becomes more meaningful. I admire the light and yet impactful take on feminism and gender equality. Girls looking out for other girls. The friendship bit is quite admirable really.
I like the narrative’s straightforwardness and honesty and I really appreciate that it’s about doing away with labels and stereotypes. Not a lot of YA books openly talk about sex but this book managed to do that without making it embarrassing. I actually think it’s quite informative and helpful especially to young adults on the verge of wanting to know more about their sexuality and don’t know whom to talk to about these things.
There is also an underlying theme on grief that resulted to Lissa’s (the main character) control issues which kind of where all the events including the conflicts in the story rooted from and I’m glad that by end of the story, she learns to let herself loose a bit, embrace life and risks including involving herself with the really cute and adorable Cash.
I didn’t think so much into Shut Out but as I keep turning the pages, the story becomes more meaningful. I admire the light and yet impactful take on feminism and gender equality. Girls looking out for other girls. The friendship bit is quite admirable really.
I like the narrative’s straightforwardness and honesty and I really appreciate that it’s about doing away with labels and stereotypes. Not a lot of YA books openly talk about sex but this book managed to do that without making it embarrassing. I actually think it’s quite informative and helpful especially to young adults on the verge of wanting to know more about their sexuality and don’t know whom to talk to about these things.
There is also an underlying theme on grief that resulted to Lissa’s (the main character) control issues which kind of where all the events including the conflicts in the story rooted from and I’m glad that by end of the story, she learns to let herself loose a bit, embrace life and risks including involving herself with the really cute and adorable Cash.
August 29, 2011
PERSONAL REVIEW: Wow! Is that really what High School is like these days? I'm getting old!
SCHOOL LIBRARIAN REVIEW: I think parents who opened this up to some random page and started reading might have some issues with this book. If I put this on my library shelves, I'd expect someone - at some point - to complain...or even challenge this book. And, I might have to agree, which is why this book would not be one I would purchase for my school library.
First off let me say that this has an overall good message. Be yourself. Don't let other people make you do things you are not willing to do. Be an individual. Think for yourself. Think! But, that being said, this book is not for everyone.
The girlfriends of both the soccer and football teams all agree to withhold sex until the rivalry between the teams is quashed.
I have a few problems with the premise:
*It assumes that the girls are all having sex, only one comes out as being a virgin and she is treated poorly when she says so.
*It assumes that the girls are not a part of the rivalry. I know that in many cases girls are a lot more mean-spirited than boys and it's unlikely that they are all going to want the same ends here.
*It assumes that none of the girls are in sports of their own. They are all available after school for the games and shopping or whatever, but not one girl is said to be involved in extracurriculars of their own of any kind.
The idea that the girls are afraid to talk about sex, but the 'sex strike' makes them open up to one another is a good idea, but it doesn't really help the girls who are likely to read the book understand anything that they may need in real life. The girls say, "I don't like it" or "I'm afraid" or whatever, and a girl who reads this book will say, yeah...me, too. But then the writer does nothing to help the reader truly understand the issues. It had the potential to be life-changing...instead, it's just fluff.
SCHOOL LIBRARIAN REVIEW: I think parents who opened this up to some random page and started reading might have some issues with this book. If I put this on my library shelves, I'd expect someone - at some point - to complain...or even challenge this book. And, I might have to agree, which is why this book would not be one I would purchase for my school library.
First off let me say that this has an overall good message. Be yourself. Don't let other people make you do things you are not willing to do. Be an individual. Think for yourself. Think! But, that being said, this book is not for everyone.
The girlfriends of both the soccer and football teams all agree to withhold sex until the rivalry between the teams is quashed.
I have a few problems with the premise:
*It assumes that the girls are all having sex, only one comes out as being a virgin and she is treated poorly when she says so.
*It assumes that the girls are not a part of the rivalry. I know that in many cases girls are a lot more mean-spirited than boys and it's unlikely that they are all going to want the same ends here.
*It assumes that none of the girls are in sports of their own. They are all available after school for the games and shopping or whatever, but not one girl is said to be involved in extracurriculars of their own of any kind.
The idea that the girls are afraid to talk about sex, but the 'sex strike' makes them open up to one another is a good idea, but it doesn't really help the girls who are likely to read the book understand anything that they may need in real life. The girls say, "I don't like it" or "I'm afraid" or whatever, and a girl who reads this book will say, yeah...me, too. But then the writer does nothing to help the reader truly understand the issues. It had the potential to be life-changing...instead, it's just fluff.
August 22, 2011
First, the good: frank talk about teenage girls' sexual lives, exploration of double standards, inspiration from a classic (I'm a sucker for modern re-tellings).
The bad? It took me a long while to feel as if I could relate to the protagonist at all. It seemed like her only personality trait for a good portion of the book was having a boyfriend. Finally, we find out she's also a control freak who works in a library (just like me! ha!)
But seriously, the fact that every single girl in this book (with the exception of the "slut") has an athlete boyfriend really bugged me. They talk about the question of what is normal for a teenage girl in terms of sex. There's the girl who does it with her boyfriend, the girl who does "everything but" with her boyfriend, the girl who is waiting to do it with her boyfriend, and the girl who does it with lots of guys but doesn't tie herself down to one boyfriend. What about the plain ol' girl who has no guy (or guys) in her sex life? If I'd read this when I was a teenager, I'd tell all these chicks to shut up and stop complaining. At least you have boyfriends! The grownup me realizes that half of their boyfriends are total dicks.
The bad? It took me a long while to feel as if I could relate to the protagonist at all. It seemed like her only personality trait for a good portion of the book was having a boyfriend. Finally, we find out she's also a control freak who works in a library (just like me! ha!)
But seriously, the fact that every single girl in this book (with the exception of the "slut") has an athlete boyfriend really bugged me. They talk about the question of what is normal for a teenage girl in terms of sex. There's the girl who does it with her boyfriend, the girl who does "everything but" with her boyfriend, the girl who is waiting to do it with her boyfriend, and the girl who does it with lots of guys but doesn't tie herself down to one boyfriend. What about the plain ol' girl who has no guy (or guys) in her sex life? If I'd read this when I was a teenager, I'd tell all these chicks to shut up and stop complaining. At least you have boyfriends! The grownup me realizes that half of their boyfriends are total dicks.
February 15, 2020
representation: disability rep (paraplegic rep, uses wheelchair), potential OCD rep (not explicitly stated), potential ace rep (not explicitly stated).
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 2 . 5 s t a r s *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
hooooo boy, do i have thoughts on this one.
i honestly can't tell if this was supposed to be a satire or not? because i can see what it was trying to do, and in some ways, it was really cool how it tackled double standards between guys and girls regarding sex (e.g. girls can like sex/talk about sex too & if a girl sleeps around she's a slut but if a guy does it he's a legend etc.). and that part, i really appreciated... but the slut shaming and girl hate??? here's where i'm like... was this supposed to be satirical?? but then again, this was published 9 years ago, so considering that time, i suppose it's pretty ahead of its time with the double standards stuff. i don't know.
with that being said, it was still just a very average book in my opinion. lots of petty high school drama, the miscommunication trope (which i HATE) and annoying girl hate just made this really annoying to read at times.
trigger warnings: slurs (f*g), death of a parent (in the past), cheating, slut shaming, girl hate.
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 2 . 5 s t a r s *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
hooooo boy, do i have thoughts on this one.
i honestly can't tell if this was supposed to be a satire or not? because i can see what it was trying to do, and in some ways, it was really cool how it tackled double standards between guys and girls regarding sex (e.g. girls can like sex/talk about sex too & if a girl sleeps around she's a slut but if a guy does it he's a legend etc.). and that part, i really appreciated... but the slut shaming and girl hate??? here's where i'm like... was this supposed to be satirical?? but then again, this was published 9 years ago, so considering that time, i suppose it's pretty ahead of its time with the double standards stuff. i don't know.
with that being said, it was still just a very average book in my opinion. lots of petty high school drama, the miscommunication trope (which i HATE) and annoying girl hate just made this really annoying to read at times.
trigger warnings: slurs (f*g), death of a parent (in the past), cheating, slut shaming, girl hate.
October 24, 2011
I'm still trying to figure out how to review this. I read and finished it a few days ago and I thought it was good and I mean really good. I was really hesitant to pick this up because I read The DUFF and really didn't like it, I didn't like the writing, the characters or the plot, I basically didn't like the book. SO you can see why I was pretty hesitant to pick up Shut Out. But boy am I glad that I did.
Shut out is about Lissa, a girl who is constantly reminded of the ongoing feud between the soccer and football teams in her school [spoilers removed], her and the other girls dating the guys on the teams decide that they have had enough. They go on a strike, a sex strike to be exact. They are with holding sex until the bouts stop the feud. It soon turns into an all out war. [spoilers removed]
I liked the plot, it was kind of a modern telling of Lysistrata, the greek play where women withheld sex from their husbands until they stopped going to war. The women won in the end (I read the play). I liked the writing more than I liked the writing in The Duff and the characters had their flaws, boy did they have a lot of flaws. But in a way, those flaws made me like the characters more. It made them real.
Overall, it was a good read and I read it all in one sitting. I recommend it to YA lovers, romance lovers and people looking for a funny/ fluffy/ interesting/ nice/ readable/ enjoyable book. Because if that's what your looking for, look no further. This is it.
Shut out is about Lissa, a girl who is constantly reminded of the ongoing feud between the soccer and football teams in her school [spoilers removed], her and the other girls dating the guys on the teams decide that they have had enough. They go on a strike, a sex strike to be exact. They are with holding sex until the bouts stop the feud. It soon turns into an all out war. [spoilers removed]
I liked the plot, it was kind of a modern telling of Lysistrata, the greek play where women withheld sex from their husbands until they stopped going to war. The women won in the end (I read the play). I liked the writing more than I liked the writing in The Duff and the characters had their flaws, boy did they have a lot of flaws. But in a way, those flaws made me like the characters more. It made them real.
Overall, it was a good read and I read it all in one sitting. I recommend it to YA lovers, romance lovers and people looking for a funny/ fluffy/ interesting/ nice/ readable/ enjoyable book. Because if that's what your looking for, look no further. This is it.
September 19, 2011
I was afraid to read Shut Out because friend of mine was disappointed after reading it. But I'm happy that I read it - it was refreshing novel in the flood of young adult fiction. I recommend this book to all teen girls, and to some girls over twenties, who have some issues with sex and what is expected of them when it comes to it. Ending is the only thing that I was... how to put it...sarcastic, maybe? I know you writers want to make us satisfied, so, obviously, you give us happy endings. But in the real life, things don't end that way. Girl who sleeps with more boys than it's by some twisted social standards acceptable is still a slut, and guy doing the same thing is the man. But most unnerving thing is this - girls are the biggest enemies to each other - they are first to call someone slut or whore or easy. They hide the truth about their sex lives, they are feeding all those double standards instead to fight them.
So, my dear girls all around the world, stop acting like fucking prudes! We all love sex! We are all doing it! Next time, don't stand on sidelines and let someone judge a girl you know because she sleeps with her boyfried (it's normal! What? Like you are just going to stare into each other eyes for a whole year? Get serious, please!)
So, my dear girls all around the world, stop acting like fucking prudes! We all love sex! We are all doing it! Next time, don't stand on sidelines and let someone judge a girl you know because she sleeps with her boyfried (it's normal! What? Like you are just going to stare into each other eyes for a whole year? Get serious, please!)
September 10, 2011
4.5 stars
Be warned you may find this review full of over enthusiastic gushing for this book. Shut Out was just an awesome read.
Shut Out is loosely based on the retelling of Aristophanes’ Lysistrata; Lissa is sick and tired of the rivalry between the soccer and football team, it’s been running ever since her brother Logan went to high school, which was 10 years ago. But now it’s seriously getting out of hand, it’s coming in between her relationship with Randy, with Randy focusing more on the rivalry than their relationship and people are now seriously getting hurt. So Lissa comes up with a plan to get all the soccer and football player’s girlfriends together and go on a hook up strike. It’s bound to get the boys so wound up that they will put an end to their petty rivalry. But then the boys put Cash (whose totally drop dead gorgeous may I add) as their leader and they start to fight back. But who will eventually cave and admit defeat? And is Lissa getting far too involved than she should be?
I really enjoy books that have a competitive rivalry going on between groups of people and watching one group trying to outwit the other. Some of the antics in Shut Out were just hysterical. I had so many favourite scenes, such as when the boys were singing N’sync’s tearin’ up my heart to woo back the girls, Cash and Lissa playing the star game and all the times Cash and Lissa worked at the library together.
I loved the characters in Shut Out, Lissa, a strong protagonist who stood her ground and didn’t back down from something she believed in. Cash, he was good looking, charming, caring and totally swoon worthy. He has definitely made it to my top 10 literary crushes. The rest of the characters; Chloe, Ellen, Logan and Lissa’s dad were also extremely funny and hugely likeable.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Shut Out; it was funny, endearing and just really easy to get into. I definitely need to buy myself a copy, so that I can re-read through all my favourite parts. I very much look forward to reading more of Kody Keplinger’s books in the future.
Thank you Lesley for lending me your copy!
Be warned you may find this review full of over enthusiastic gushing for this book. Shut Out was just an awesome read.
Shut Out is loosely based on the retelling of Aristophanes’ Lysistrata; Lissa is sick and tired of the rivalry between the soccer and football team, it’s been running ever since her brother Logan went to high school, which was 10 years ago. But now it’s seriously getting out of hand, it’s coming in between her relationship with Randy, with Randy focusing more on the rivalry than their relationship and people are now seriously getting hurt. So Lissa comes up with a plan to get all the soccer and football player’s girlfriends together and go on a hook up strike. It’s bound to get the boys so wound up that they will put an end to their petty rivalry. But then the boys put Cash (whose totally drop dead gorgeous may I add) as their leader and they start to fight back. But who will eventually cave and admit defeat? And is Lissa getting far too involved than she should be?
I really enjoy books that have a competitive rivalry going on between groups of people and watching one group trying to outwit the other. Some of the antics in Shut Out were just hysterical. I had so many favourite scenes, such as when the boys were singing N’sync’s tearin’ up my heart to woo back the girls, Cash and Lissa playing the star game and all the times Cash and Lissa worked at the library together.
I loved the characters in Shut Out, Lissa, a strong protagonist who stood her ground and didn’t back down from something she believed in. Cash, he was good looking, charming, caring and totally swoon worthy. He has definitely made it to my top 10 literary crushes. The rest of the characters; Chloe, Ellen, Logan and Lissa’s dad were also extremely funny and hugely likeable.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Shut Out; it was funny, endearing and just really easy to get into. I definitely need to buy myself a copy, so that I can re-read through all my favourite parts. I very much look forward to reading more of Kody Keplinger’s books in the future.
Thank you Lesley for lending me your copy!
June 14, 2017
I´m going through a phase and I only want to read and re-read high school romances. This was absolutely what I needed right now before starting another long fantasy series.
Hamilton High we meet again! This time as well as the first time around Kody Keplinger nails it! Everything about this book is amazing, the plot, characters, subplot, character development. I love that smartass humor and the witty comebacks.
I love Lissas characters, she is a control freak and she owns up to it, what I love the most is that her friends/boyfriend/family don't love her despite the fact that she is a control freak but BECAUSE she is one.
In Shut Out we get to meet a lot of different and diverse characters, I like how different they all are. I like the "girl power" and how they all own up to everything, the way they talk about feelings and how they all have different views/feelings about sex. Even though technically it is a love story/romance for me it was more about friendship between the girls, ofc that's just my opinion. But I liked how they stood by each other no matter what. I loved it! Now if Kody Keplinger could write more books in the next few months my life would be complete.
The only thing I will never stop complaining about is the ending. Is it really that hard to write one more chapter? I'm not asking about 100 pages, just like 5-7?
Now I have to read 100 books so I can forget this one and read it all over again in a few months!
Hamilton High we meet again! This time as well as the first time around Kody Keplinger nails it! Everything about this book is amazing, the plot, characters, subplot, character development. I love that smartass humor and the witty comebacks.
I love Lissas characters, she is a control freak and she owns up to it, what I love the most is that her friends/boyfriend/family don't love her despite the fact that she is a control freak but BECAUSE she is one.
In Shut Out we get to meet a lot of different and diverse characters, I like how different they all are. I like the "girl power" and how they all own up to everything, the way they talk about feelings and how they all have different views/feelings about sex. Even though technically it is a love story/romance for me it was more about friendship between the girls, ofc that's just my opinion. But I liked how they stood by each other no matter what. I loved it! Now if Kody Keplinger could write more books in the next few months my life would be complete.
The only thing I will never stop complaining about is the ending. Is it really that hard to write one more chapter? I'm not asking about 100 pages, just like 5-7?
Now I have to read 100 books so I can forget this one and read it all over again in a few months!
July 17, 2014
1-1.5 stars
This is the first review I've written for a 1 star book and I debated whether to write it at all, but here it goes...
To me, the experience of this book can be divided into three stages...
Stage One: The Warning Alarm
When the book starts, we get to see Lissa and her boyfriend. We learn there's a war going on between the soccer and the football team of the same school. That was the first thing that bugged me. Those boys acted so immaturely, pulling pranks, acting like this WAR is a matter of life and death, beating each other,...And, it's not even common knowledge how the entire stupid thing started, they just follow out the pattern of acting like jerks. Lissa is definitely not happy about all this and feels neglected, because her boyfriend ranks her below the Grand War.
All right, here I got to be incredulous at the behaviour of the guys and I had a bad feeling, but I could sympathize with Lissa, so I held out hope despite my bad feeling.
Stage Two:Evacuation Begins!!!
In order to stop the war Lissa thinks up a scheme. The only way to stop the war is to make boys see they're not acting right. To do that, she had to make them stop and think about things more important to them than the Great War (later on known as GW). So she thinks of... *drumrolls please* a SEX STRIKE! Isn't that the first idea that would come to you? I know, it would to me, since, you know, it's so logical. I seriously started disliking Lissa and the girls here. Those boys, despite their behaviour, aren't kids. You can't, and SHOULDN'T try to change them by withholding a treat. Withholding intimacy in a relationship to make them see the light? It could and would cause serious strife. No one, especially a guy, likes to be blackmailed and manipulated. And they're all, if he loves you, he would change and wouldn't go somewhere else for some-some. Maybe so, but he'd feel resentment. Waiting because your girl isn't ready or has some issues is one thing. Waiting because there's some great cause to make you change your mind is another.
I disliked Lissa even more because she kept lying to the girls about how she's making sacrifices, too, in order to get them on the Sex Strike thing. This idea is so far removed from reality I don't know what to say.
Stage Three:Fire, FIRE, run for your lives!
And from there on, the disaster continues. The girls all hold out and tell their boyfriends why, the boys unite and think up plans how to win them over. Lissa is the official leader of the girls, Cash(a soccer player unlike her boyfriend, who plays football) the leader of boys. The boys start trying to woo girls, the girl reciprocate by playing the teasing game (Lissa's useful suggestion, 'cause she's just full of them). "Let me wear my skimpy clothes and flirt and in time you'll be desperate enough to quit"... And it continues.
A serious rivalry between boys and girls begins. They're engaged in a GW 2, full with soldiers being labeled traitors and spies. Lissa likes Cash and is attracted to him, but she can't do anything, because he's an enemy! Drama, drama!
I don't know, the whole book annoyed me. I did like Cash, but it wasn't enough to save it to me.
I know there was a message meant here, and I think it's something about no girl-on-girl badmouthing and talking about Sluts and Virgins and accepting that what you do with your boyfriend and yourself is no one else's business. And it is a positive one, but it all went wrong for me on the way. Too much drama, characters not likable enough and the plot seriously repelled me. So, yeah.
Note-I did in fact read the blurb before reading this book, so I did know, what to expect in general, but because I kind of liked DUFF, I was willing to take a chance on the book. And it's quite possible I missed out on good things in the book because I was so annoyed I saw red for most of it.
This is the first review I've written for a 1 star book and I debated whether to write it at all, but here it goes...
To me, the experience of this book can be divided into three stages...
Stage One: The Warning Alarm
When the book starts, we get to see Lissa and her boyfriend. We learn there's a war going on between the soccer and the football team of the same school. That was the first thing that bugged me. Those boys acted so immaturely, pulling pranks, acting like this WAR is a matter of life and death, beating each other,...And, it's not even common knowledge how the entire stupid thing started, they just follow out the pattern of acting like jerks. Lissa is definitely not happy about all this and feels neglected, because her boyfriend ranks her below the Grand War.
All right, here I got to be incredulous at the behaviour of the guys and I had a bad feeling, but I could sympathize with Lissa, so I held out hope despite my bad feeling.
Stage Two:Evacuation Begins!!!
In order to stop the war Lissa thinks up a scheme. The only way to stop the war is to make boys see they're not acting right. To do that, she had to make them stop and think about things more important to them than the Great War (later on known as GW). So she thinks of... *drumrolls please* a SEX STRIKE! Isn't that the first idea that would come to you? I know, it would to me, since, you know, it's so logical. I seriously started disliking Lissa and the girls here. Those boys, despite their behaviour, aren't kids. You can't, and SHOULDN'T try to change them by withholding a treat. Withholding intimacy in a relationship to make them see the light? It could and would cause serious strife. No one, especially a guy, likes to be blackmailed and manipulated. And they're all, if he loves you, he would change and wouldn't go somewhere else for some-some. Maybe so, but he'd feel resentment. Waiting because your girl isn't ready or has some issues is one thing. Waiting because there's some great cause to make you change your mind is another.
I disliked Lissa even more because she kept lying to the girls about how she's making sacrifices, too, in order to get them on the Sex Strike thing. This idea is so far removed from reality I don't know what to say.
Stage Three:Fire, FIRE, run for your lives!
And from there on, the disaster continues. The girls all hold out and tell their boyfriends why, the boys unite and think up plans how to win them over. Lissa is the official leader of the girls, Cash(a soccer player unlike her boyfriend, who plays football) the leader of boys. The boys start trying to woo girls, the girl reciprocate by playing the teasing game (Lissa's useful suggestion, 'cause she's just full of them). "Let me wear my skimpy clothes and flirt and in time you'll be desperate enough to quit"... And it continues.
A serious rivalry between boys and girls begins. They're engaged in a GW 2, full with soldiers being labeled traitors and spies. Lissa likes Cash and is attracted to him, but she can't do anything, because he's an enemy! Drama, drama!
I don't know, the whole book annoyed me. I did like Cash, but it wasn't enough to save it to me.
I know there was a message meant here, and I think it's something about no girl-on-girl badmouthing and talking about Sluts and Virgins and accepting that what you do with your boyfriend and yourself is no one else's business. And it is a positive one, but it all went wrong for me on the way. Too much drama, characters not likable enough and the plot seriously repelled me. So, yeah.
Note-I did in fact read the blurb before reading this book, so I did know, what to expect in general, but because I kind of liked DUFF, I was willing to take a chance on the book. And it's quite possible I missed out on good things in the book because I was so annoyed I saw red for most of it.
Shelved as 'wishlist'
October 1, 2020Only $1.99 right now!!! (By the author of THE DUFF!)
I remember hearing somewhere that this is like a modern retelling of Lysistrata and I am all over that because unlike all the tragedies, Lysistrata is a girl power Greek play about women denying their a-hole husbands and boyfriends sex until they stop warring with each other
I remember hearing somewhere that this is like a modern retelling of Lysistrata and I am all over that because unlike all the tragedies, Lysistrata is a girl power Greek play about women denying their a-hole husbands and boyfriends sex until they stop warring with each other
January 10, 2020
Weak writing, two dimensional characters. Overused names. I see where the author wanted to go with this but they ultimately failed.
May 29, 2011
Initial thoughts:
This was a FABULOUS sophomore novel, that I loved. I highly recommend picking this up in September- it will not disappoint.
Official review:
Shut Out was a spectacular sophomore novel by young writer Kody Keplinger. It was filled with steamy romance, tested friendships, girl power, and more. This was inspired by the play Lysistrata and I can't wait to check it out now. I started reading this the second it arrived in my mailbox and I didn't put it down until I finished later that day. Kody's sophomore novel sucked me in and I can't stop recommending it!
Lissa is happy with her boyfriend, Randy, and things would be perfect if it wasn't for the rivalry. Randy is on the football team and her school has had a long running war between the soccer and football teams. And so the girlfriends are also dragged into it. Randy is often involved in pranks against the other group and Lissa lost her old best friend when she started dating a soccer player. Lissa is tired of getting her car egged when she's making out with Randy and being left behind when he runs off with the football team to take revenge on the soccer players. Lissa was a kick-butt main character. Not in the beats-people-up-destroys-paranormal-creatures way, but in an entirely realistic and refreshing way. Lissa took things into her own hands and made a difference where it mattered. How does she do this? By arranging a sex strike.
The hookup strike was such a unique idea and I loved how Kody presented it. Soccer and football girlfriends joined together in a pact (not to give their boyfriends any action until the rivalry ended) and soon the war has divided the groups into two new ones: boys versus girls. The plot was fast paced and kept me on my toes. Who would cave first? Would the rivalry end once and for all? A lot of unexpected things occurred as the novel progressed and I never knew what was going to happen next. Especially when Lissa starts to develop feelings for the leader of the boys (and soccer player) Cash Sterling.
All of the characters in Shut Out had something special about them and the boys were swoon worthy (one in particular!). I loved Lissa and she learned a lot about herself, her family, her friends, and her heart by starting the strike. Some novels shy away from discussing sex and the physical aspects of relationships, but not Shut Out. I adored Kody Keplinger's realistic and exciting new novel and am sure many others will, too.
In the end, Shut Out had great characters (including one named Kelsey!), an original plot, and an important message tied in. I have loved both of Kody's novels and I'm sure I will feel the same about whatever she writes next!
Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
This was a FABULOUS sophomore novel, that I loved. I highly recommend picking this up in September- it will not disappoint.
Official review:
Shut Out was a spectacular sophomore novel by young writer Kody Keplinger. It was filled with steamy romance, tested friendships, girl power, and more. This was inspired by the play Lysistrata and I can't wait to check it out now. I started reading this the second it arrived in my mailbox and I didn't put it down until I finished later that day. Kody's sophomore novel sucked me in and I can't stop recommending it!
Lissa is happy with her boyfriend, Randy, and things would be perfect if it wasn't for the rivalry. Randy is on the football team and her school has had a long running war between the soccer and football teams. And so the girlfriends are also dragged into it. Randy is often involved in pranks against the other group and Lissa lost her old best friend when she started dating a soccer player. Lissa is tired of getting her car egged when she's making out with Randy and being left behind when he runs off with the football team to take revenge on the soccer players. Lissa was a kick-butt main character. Not in the beats-people-up-destroys-paranormal-creatures way, but in an entirely realistic and refreshing way. Lissa took things into her own hands and made a difference where it mattered. How does she do this? By arranging a sex strike.
The hookup strike was such a unique idea and I loved how Kody presented it. Soccer and football girlfriends joined together in a pact (not to give their boyfriends any action until the rivalry ended) and soon the war has divided the groups into two new ones: boys versus girls. The plot was fast paced and kept me on my toes. Who would cave first? Would the rivalry end once and for all? A lot of unexpected things occurred as the novel progressed and I never knew what was going to happen next. Especially when Lissa starts to develop feelings for the leader of the boys (and soccer player) Cash Sterling.
All of the characters in Shut Out had something special about them and the boys were swoon worthy (one in particular!). I loved Lissa and she learned a lot about herself, her family, her friends, and her heart by starting the strike. Some novels shy away from discussing sex and the physical aspects of relationships, but not Shut Out. I adored Kody Keplinger's realistic and exciting new novel and am sure many others will, too.
In the end, Shut Out had great characters (including one named Kelsey!), an original plot, and an important message tied in. I have loved both of Kody's novels and I'm sure I will feel the same about whatever she writes next!
Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
September 12, 2011
Most rivalries usually connect with two opposing school, but that's not the case for Hamilton High. The football team and the soccer team are at constant war with all their hazing, pranks and fights and the girls who date these moronic idiots are always pushed aside during the rivalry months. Lissa is sick to death of always coming in second, so she comes up with a plan with more then a little help from her friends. What is the one thing boys can all agree on that will make them change the error of their ways?
Why, sex of course;)
A sex strike! Let the battle of the sexist begin and maybe come out of it with more then they ever expected....
I really loved Kody Keplinger's debut novel, The Duff, it was funny and entertaining and it made me swoon. Keplinger did it again in this remarkable amusing book, SHUT OUT.
I've never thought sex as a weapon would be humorous, but I guess it all depends on the story-line. Lissa has some very neurotic tendency issues since the death of her mother. She needs to be in constant control, always worring about others people, always afraid of losing another person she loves. She has her quirks sure, but she's a very easy character to like. I wish I could say the same thing about her boyfriend Randy, see, he's pretty much an asswipe.
I kinda wish my affections weren't so easily placed, I don't know why, but I like love triangles that feature both guys who are great, it makes it harder to choose which one I'd like the character to end up with and it makes you think about the situation even more. But in this case, it's not really hard to know which guy to route for. Cash is sweet and warm and funny and he's always cared for Lissa. They had some really intense moments that made my insides turn into goo.
But this story is more then just romance, it's also has some great girl power going on. These girls by all rights should be enemies, and yet they all come together anyways and I thought that was really very cool.
The writing is so funny, lovelovelove the dialog, but I feel that I should warn anyone who may take offence to foul language and graphic talk about sex. This book is about sex. Period. So if that makes you uncomfortable, this might not be the book for you. Anyone else who doesn't mind it so much? Then ya'll are gonna love it!!
All in all, I thought this was a great book. It's fun and innovated and completely an entertaining experience! I'm really looking forward to seeing what Keplinger will come up with next. Her books are always such a blast!
Why, sex of course;)
A sex strike! Let the battle of the sexist begin and maybe come out of it with more then they ever expected....
I really loved Kody Keplinger's debut novel, The Duff, it was funny and entertaining and it made me swoon. Keplinger did it again in this remarkable amusing book, SHUT OUT.
I've never thought sex as a weapon would be humorous, but I guess it all depends on the story-line. Lissa has some very neurotic tendency issues since the death of her mother. She needs to be in constant control, always worring about others people, always afraid of losing another person she loves. She has her quirks sure, but she's a very easy character to like. I wish I could say the same thing about her boyfriend Randy, see, he's pretty much an asswipe.
I kinda wish my affections weren't so easily placed, I don't know why, but I like love triangles that feature both guys who are great, it makes it harder to choose which one I'd like the character to end up with and it makes you think about the situation even more. But in this case, it's not really hard to know which guy to route for. Cash is sweet and warm and funny and he's always cared for Lissa. They had some really intense moments that made my insides turn into goo.
But this story is more then just romance, it's also has some great girl power going on. These girls by all rights should be enemies, and yet they all come together anyways and I thought that was really very cool.
The writing is so funny, lovelovelove the dialog, but I feel that I should warn anyone who may take offence to foul language and graphic talk about sex. This book is about sex. Period. So if that makes you uncomfortable, this might not be the book for you. Anyone else who doesn't mind it so much? Then ya'll are gonna love it!!
All in all, I thought this was a great book. It's fun and innovated and completely an entertaining experience! I'm really looking forward to seeing what Keplinger will come up with next. Her books are always such a blast!
July 11, 2011
Shut Out is a 5 star book for me because of the sex. The topic and discussion of sex—get your mind out of the gutter people! :)
I applaud Kody Keplinger for having the confidence to address the topic of sex in young adult fiction. Shockingly, it is still a taboo subject for the genre and Keplinger does it with maturity, intelligence and humor.
In this battle of the sexes’ tale, the girls of Hamilton High led by Lissa Daniels go on a sex strike to end a rivalry between the soccer and football teams. The questions and feelings that arise due to this strike for the boys and the girls will get readers of all ages talking and thinking. How they feel about sex? How a girl is perceived who has sex or doesn’t have sex? How boys are perceived? How other girls treat girls who have sex? How a relationship can change? If boys and girls could really open up and talk about sex like that, high school would be a better place—hell the world would be a better place!
Then...there was Cash…sigh….the boy has it all. A very swoon worthy Cash Sterling will set your heart aflutter, make you blush and sigh. Lissa and Cash’s flirty, fun scenes together will make you giggle, smile, and perhaps pick up a copy of Atonement!
I love Keplinger’s voice! It is needed in young adult fiction!
I applaud Kody Keplinger for having the confidence to address the topic of sex in young adult fiction. Shockingly, it is still a taboo subject for the genre and Keplinger does it with maturity, intelligence and humor.
In this battle of the sexes’ tale, the girls of Hamilton High led by Lissa Daniels go on a sex strike to end a rivalry between the soccer and football teams. The questions and feelings that arise due to this strike for the boys and the girls will get readers of all ages talking and thinking. How they feel about sex? How a girl is perceived who has sex or doesn’t have sex? How boys are perceived? How other girls treat girls who have sex? How a relationship can change? If boys and girls could really open up and talk about sex like that, high school would be a better place—hell the world would be a better place!
Then...there was Cash…sigh….the boy has it all. A very swoon worthy Cash Sterling will set your heart aflutter, make you blush and sigh. Lissa and Cash’s flirty, fun scenes together will make you giggle, smile, and perhaps pick up a copy of Atonement!
I love Keplinger’s voice! It is needed in young adult fiction!
May 10, 2017
I totally loved this book. I actually didn't think I'd like it that much.... but loved it. It's a unique story, haven't read one like it. This is the second book from this author that I've read.... I think she will be put in my favourite author shelf
April 24, 2016
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 Starz
April 13, 2018
actual rating: 2.5
You can't control everything. Sometimes you just need to relax and have faith that things will work out. Let go a little and just let life happen.
I honestly don't know where to start with my feelings towards this book and i usually love Kody's books and i'm pretty familiar with her writing and books.
Plot: Ok, something about this entire book rubbed me the wrong way and the plot was so all over the place it didn't really help me love this story anymore. First of all i feel like the teenagers in this book were all out of whack is there anything else they could be talking about other then sex? no apparently not and if you look at the majority of teenagers conversations sex isn't the main topic all the time.
I don't think i should have read this book because its directed at more female readers but i thought i'd give it a go like i always do and yes i was annoyed and disappointed. This entire book was about one character trying to get back at a guy for not calling her back when they first hooked up one summer, like honestly?
The girls are all annoying and all the guys are douche bags, and mix them all together and you get a shit show just waiting to happen and oh boy does it happen.
I'm sorry if your a fan of this book but i honestly shouldn't have picked it up in the first place but i always like reading out of my comfort zone but maybe i should have just left this one alone.
You can't control everything. Sometimes you just need to relax and have faith that things will work out. Let go a little and just let life happen.
I honestly don't know where to start with my feelings towards this book and i usually love Kody's books and i'm pretty familiar with her writing and books.
Plot: Ok, something about this entire book rubbed me the wrong way and the plot was so all over the place it didn't really help me love this story anymore. First of all i feel like the teenagers in this book were all out of whack is there anything else they could be talking about other then sex? no apparently not and if you look at the majority of teenagers conversations sex isn't the main topic all the time.
I don't think i should have read this book because its directed at more female readers but i thought i'd give it a go like i always do and yes i was annoyed and disappointed. This entire book was about one character trying to get back at a guy for not calling her back when they first hooked up one summer, like honestly?
The girls are all annoying and all the guys are douche bags, and mix them all together and you get a shit show just waiting to happen and oh boy does it happen.
I'm sorry if your a fan of this book but i honestly shouldn't have picked it up in the first place but i always like reading out of my comfort zone but maybe i should have just left this one alone.
March 30, 2012
On one hand, Miss Keplinger’s youthful style and her exploration of sexuality is exactly what YA contemporary readers need to see. On the other hand, her books aren’t what would typically be considered “well-written”; while her stories provide valuable messages, they aren’t what would conventionally be considered smartly crafted. Personally I believed Shut Out to be a better read than The DUFF, Keplinger’s debut, but still it’s not a novel without its fault.
The students at Hamilton High are caught at war with each other – the footballers and soccer players hate one another, their rivalry so great it’s jumped out off the fields and into the players’ personal lives. The girlfriends of the players are fed up with being placed second to pranks and fights, so they decide to take a stand to end the rivalry. Lissa, the girlfriend of the quarterback Randy, is exhausted with being egged and mocked, so she initiates the Hook-up Strike, getting all the girlfriends to, basically, become abstinent.
Shut Out is about discovering one’s sexuality and what it means to be a powerful woman, and since those two topics are really central in a young woman’s life, you’d think that Lissa’s feelings and identity would be thoroughly looked at. Oddly enough, the opposite things happened - every time Lissa had to make a crucial decision, Keplinger would cut from her head and explain the whole situation in dialogue, just as every time you thought Lissa was going to go all physiological and really think to herself, she ran up and away. Books have main characters for a reason. While a cast of developed characters is important, they’re never as essential as the lead’s individuality. Unfortunately, in the case of Shut Out, there was way too much focus on all characters besides Lissa. The fact that I never knew how Lissa felt, and that I rarely saw inside her head, completely slowed down and ruined the message of the story.
That being said, though the cast of characters were annoying, stereotyped and boring, they were well written for their place in the story. I liked that the warm-hearted football players, “Virgin Marys” (literately) and “sluts” were defined and undefined. I didn’t exactly agree with a lot of what was written about because I feel like Keplinger threw too many ideas in, some that even opposed others, but I am very glad that Keplinger has continued to write about the views of feminism and sexuality.
I know that Keplinger is a young writer, but even if I hadn’t, I think I’d have been able to pick up on the fact just in reading Shut Out. Keplinger, though she has an advanced idea of feminism – even if it’s not always greatly portrayed – has a very standard writing style. While some authors are able to pull off a bland prose, little description and basic structure, Keplinger isn’t one of them because she has absolutely no unique style. I’d, in a second, be able to pick out a Dessen paragraph in a draw between hers, John Green’s and Deb Caletti's, but with Keplinger, there is no individual style to make her different from every other writer out there. There’s no pretty/gritty writing, there’s no witty/serious dialogue, there’s no real climax to anything she writes. And while I’d like to say that it’s refreshing to have an author who isn’t afraid to go without stylistic use, it really isn’t as such as all one bland sentence after another bland sentence makes is, well, a bland book. Another thing I noticed was the technique of info-dumping the thesis(s) into the dialogue; stepping onto the soap-box is basically what the characters did every time a new idea was established, thus giving me the feeling that I was being preached at. Like I said, Keplinger has great views on feminism, she just needs to work on how to write them across.
I’ll continue to read Keplinger’s work because I believe she’ll become an even stronger writer as she continues to publish, but truthfully, there were many problems with this book, from the conventions of it to the portrayal of sexuality. I’m not sure that Shut Out is the best choice if you’re looking for a great portrayal of feminism or writing, but it has some key messages worth looking in to.
The students at Hamilton High are caught at war with each other – the footballers and soccer players hate one another, their rivalry so great it’s jumped out off the fields and into the players’ personal lives. The girlfriends of the players are fed up with being placed second to pranks and fights, so they decide to take a stand to end the rivalry. Lissa, the girlfriend of the quarterback Randy, is exhausted with being egged and mocked, so she initiates the Hook-up Strike, getting all the girlfriends to, basically, become abstinent.
Shut Out is about discovering one’s sexuality and what it means to be a powerful woman, and since those two topics are really central in a young woman’s life, you’d think that Lissa’s feelings and identity would be thoroughly looked at. Oddly enough, the opposite things happened - every time Lissa had to make a crucial decision, Keplinger would cut from her head and explain the whole situation in dialogue, just as every time you thought Lissa was going to go all physiological and really think to herself, she ran up and away. Books have main characters for a reason. While a cast of developed characters is important, they’re never as essential as the lead’s individuality. Unfortunately, in the case of Shut Out, there was way too much focus on all characters besides Lissa. The fact that I never knew how Lissa felt, and that I rarely saw inside her head, completely slowed down and ruined the message of the story.
That being said, though the cast of characters were annoying, stereotyped and boring, they were well written for their place in the story. I liked that the warm-hearted football players, “Virgin Marys” (literately) and “sluts” were defined and undefined. I didn’t exactly agree with a lot of what was written about because I feel like Keplinger threw too many ideas in, some that even opposed others, but I am very glad that Keplinger has continued to write about the views of feminism and sexuality.
I know that Keplinger is a young writer, but even if I hadn’t, I think I’d have been able to pick up on the fact just in reading Shut Out. Keplinger, though she has an advanced idea of feminism – even if it’s not always greatly portrayed – has a very standard writing style. While some authors are able to pull off a bland prose, little description and basic structure, Keplinger isn’t one of them because she has absolutely no unique style. I’d, in a second, be able to pick out a Dessen paragraph in a draw between hers, John Green’s and Deb Caletti's, but with Keplinger, there is no individual style to make her different from every other writer out there. There’s no pretty/gritty writing, there’s no witty/serious dialogue, there’s no real climax to anything she writes. And while I’d like to say that it’s refreshing to have an author who isn’t afraid to go without stylistic use, it really isn’t as such as all one bland sentence after another bland sentence makes is, well, a bland book. Another thing I noticed was the technique of info-dumping the thesis(s) into the dialogue; stepping onto the soap-box is basically what the characters did every time a new idea was established, thus giving me the feeling that I was being preached at. Like I said, Keplinger has great views on feminism, she just needs to work on how to write them across.
I’ll continue to read Keplinger’s work because I believe she’ll become an even stronger writer as she continues to publish, but truthfully, there were many problems with this book, from the conventions of it to the portrayal of sexuality. I’m not sure that Shut Out is the best choice if you’re looking for a great portrayal of feminism or writing, but it has some key messages worth looking in to.
June 30, 2011
This is a surprising thing, an update of the Greek play, THE LYSISTRATA, set in a modern American high school. In the play, the women of Athens withhold sexual favors from their husbands so that they will end the war with Sparta, so this seems like a strange story to update. But at Hamilton High School, the big rivalry is between the football and soccer teams, and the girlfriends are sick of it! They've been stood up because their boyfriends are busy egging people's doors, they've been interrupted in intimate situations by pranks, and now someone's been hurt. So Lissa, girlfriend of the quarterback, calls a meeting. Whatever you're doing with your boyfriend: kissing, second base, third, "home," stop it until this rivalry ends!
This book was fun and interesting, not the least because of the character of Lissa (endearingly neurotic), and the complicated relationship she has with her family and her boyfriend. I also loved the girls pointing out that it wasn't fair that they got called names for having sex, got called names for NOT having sex, and the boys just looked awesome no matter what they did. This is a great battle-of-the-sexes book, but it should come with a warning: it is very, very frankly about sex. The girls talk about it a great deal. There is also quite a bit of language. It's definitely geared at older teens/adults, so just be warned!
This book was fun and interesting, not the least because of the character of Lissa (endearingly neurotic), and the complicated relationship she has with her family and her boyfriend. I also loved the girls pointing out that it wasn't fair that they got called names for having sex, got called names for NOT having sex, and the boys just looked awesome no matter what they did. This is a great battle-of-the-sexes book, but it should come with a warning: it is very, very frankly about sex. The girls talk about it a great deal. There is also quite a bit of language. It's definitely geared at older teens/adults, so just be warned!
February 10, 2016
Relectura.
First in spanish, then in english.
En serio me gusta mucho este libro. Ojo, no es ninguna obra maestra. No tiene una prosa perfecta, es más bien simple y fresca, la historia no es la más pensada del mundo y tiene sus momentos cliches. Pero aun así creo que es un libro que debe ser más leído. Tiene un espíritu juvenil bien retratado y tiene un buen mensaje sobre la sexualidad y las mujeres, y obvio, los chicos también; porque cuestiona muchas cosas que damos por sentado en nuestra sociedad y que simplemente no están bien. (y está basado en una obra clásica, leeendo).
Así que, aunque suelo dar a este tipo de contemporaneos, 3,5, le dejo 4 estrellas por ese punto extra. ;)
In english:
I really like this book. I know there is not a masterpiece. The writing is no perfect, is just simple and fresh, and is not the most think through story ever and haves all these cliche moments. But, yet, I think it is a book that must be read. It haves a juvenile spirit that is well represented and a message about sex, womens and boys that it must be talk, because it flash out a lot of things that are settle in our society that are not good. (And also, is based in classic play, so aweesome)
So, even so that I'm used to give this kind of contemporaries a 3.5, I give it 4 stars for it. ;)
Esa clase de historia para pasar el rato que te hacen reir del todo. La recomiendo :)
First in spanish, then in english.
En serio me gusta mucho este libro. Ojo, no es ninguna obra maestra. No tiene una prosa perfecta, es más bien simple y fresca, la historia no es la más pensada del mundo y tiene sus momentos cliches. Pero aun así creo que es un libro que debe ser más leído. Tiene un espíritu juvenil bien retratado y tiene un buen mensaje sobre la sexualidad y las mujeres, y obvio, los chicos también; porque cuestiona muchas cosas que damos por sentado en nuestra sociedad y que simplemente no están bien. (y está basado en una obra clásica, leeendo).
Así que, aunque suelo dar a este tipo de contemporaneos, 3,5, le dejo 4 estrellas por ese punto extra. ;)
In english:
I really like this book. I know there is not a masterpiece. The writing is no perfect, is just simple and fresh, and is not the most think through story ever and haves all these cliche moments. But, yet, I think it is a book that must be read. It haves a juvenile spirit that is well represented and a message about sex, womens and boys that it must be talk, because it flash out a lot of things that are settle in our society that are not good. (And also, is based in classic play, so aweesome)
So, even so that I'm used to give this kind of contemporaries a 3.5, I give it 4 stars for it. ;)
Esa clase de historia para pasar el rato que te hacen reir del todo. La recomiendo :)
June 9, 2015
Honestly this is a intriguing read, but there's tons of problems and the whole idea was quite stupid. As for The protagonist Lissa was fine until the very end, Cash was cute if it wasn't for him I won't be reading this.
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