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Resisting the Rebel
This book contains a villain pretending to be a hero, a hero pretending to be a villain, a disco-dancing heroine, two overprotective sidekicks, a little bit of bad language, and a whole lot of swoony kissing.
Spirit committee leader Mandy Pennington is secretly in love with her best friend, Gus, but when he hooks up with her archenemy at a party, she decides to win him over once and for all. She just doesn’t know how. But who better to help than hot loner Caleb Torrs?
Caleb’s got his own problems, but when he sees Mandy pining over Gus at a party, he thinks she’s finally smoked the spirit stick and lost her mind. Maybe he has, too, because he just asked Mandy to be his fake girlfriend.She’ll get her loser friend’s attention, and he’ll get his stalker ex off his back.It’s a win-win.
But soon one fake date blends into the next and before he knows it, he actually wants to kiss Mandy. For real. Too bad their plan is working, and Gus is finally noticing the one girl Caleb just might be falling for…
Spirit committee leader Mandy Pennington is secretly in love with her best friend, Gus, but when he hooks up with her archenemy at a party, she decides to win him over once and for all. She just doesn’t know how. But who better to help than hot loner Caleb Torrs?
Caleb’s got his own problems, but when he sees Mandy pining over Gus at a party, he thinks she’s finally smoked the spirit stick and lost her mind. Maybe he has, too, because he just asked Mandy to be his fake girlfriend.She’ll get her loser friend’s attention, and he’ll get his stalker ex off his back.It’s a win-win.
But soon one fake date blends into the next and before he knows it, he actually wants to kiss Mandy. For real. Too bad their plan is working, and Gus is finally noticing the one girl Caleb just might be falling for…
235 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 25, 2016
61 people are currently reading
1,653 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Brown Roberts
9 books631 followersLisa Brown Roberts’ award-winning YA romantic comedies have earned praise from Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal.
Lisa's teenaged self tweezed off all her eyebrows, crashed a car into a tree while trying to impress a guy, and accidentally went to prom with someone else's boyfriend. When she couldn't fix any of this in real life, she made up imaginary happy endings in her diary.
Not much has changed.
Lisa lives in Colorado with her family and many, many books.
Chat with Lisa:
Twitter: @LBrownRoberts
Instagram: LisaBrownRoberts
FB: www.facebook.com/authorLisaBrownRoberts
Website: www.lisabrownroberts.com
Lisa's teenaged self tweezed off all her eyebrows, crashed a car into a tree while trying to impress a guy, and accidentally went to prom with someone else's boyfriend. When she couldn't fix any of this in real life, she made up imaginary happy endings in her diary.
Not much has changed.
Lisa lives in Colorado with her family and many, many books.
Chat with Lisa:
Twitter: @LBrownRoberts
Instagram: LisaBrownRoberts
FB: www.facebook.com/authorLisaBrownRoberts
Website: www.lisabrownroberts.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
December 4, 2016
3 stars!
Review at Of Pens and Pages
Mandy Pennington and Caleb Torrs didn't run in the same circle, yet they bumped into each other at a party when Mandy was looking for her childhood crush, Gus. Their meeting was not even close to lovely, and Caleb would rather go home than spend more time with Mandy. Still, he couldn't leave her when a group of stoners were approaching her. He ended up driving her home.
Soon, he realized that maybe he could help Mandy with her Gus issue, and she could help him scare away a crazy stalker ex. How? A fake relationship, of course!
It took me a while to warm up to Mandy. I didn't know if she was a popular kid or not. She's well-liked, active in extra-curricular activities, yet doesn't fall in the popular head cheerleader trope. I didn't know where to put her, and I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not. She also has this "everyone isn't bad, just misunderstood" attitude that came off as annoying sometimes.
When Mandy's learning disabilities––ADHD and dysgraphia––were revealed, I was relieved to see how natural it was depicted. Others looked to her with pity, others with little empathy, and Caleb with understanding. It was heartwarming to see their tutoring sessions, and to see how great Caleb was with Mandy.
It was obvious from the start what a terrible person Gus was, but Mandy's blind to it, always seeing him through rose-colored glasses. She wasn't even put off when he ditched her on her birthday. Infatuation does that sometimes. But Gus didn't come off as a dork. I hated him the first time I read about him.
I wouldn't call Caleb a rebel; he's more of a loner than anything else. He wears black and leather, and has an aura that makes people cautious of him. He reminded me of a pitbull; they have a terrible reputation, but they're total sweethearts. Caleb is smart, he just doesn't participate in school activities the way Mandy does. And he's deeper than anyone thought. He loves literature and is actually quite sweet when he wants to be.
Their friendship/relationship was cute. I loved their character growth, too! When they're not goading each other, they're pretty much flirting without even realizing it. Their banter is hilarious and a little hot sometimes.
I liked Mandy's friends, especially JT. They were loyal to Mandy and had their own ways of showing their care for her.
Over all, I enjoyed this book. The story's predictable but sweet and fluffy. It was fast-paced, entertaining, and heartwarming at times. I was looking for a light, fun, and fluffy read, and I got it when I read this book. If you're looking for a cute YA with fake relationships, cute promposals, and bickering/flirting MCs, you might enjoy Resisting the Rebel.
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Review at Of Pens and Pages
I've got a stalker ex I need to get off my case... You've got a dork you're trying to seduce. It's a win-win."
Mandy Pennington and Caleb Torrs didn't run in the same circle, yet they bumped into each other at a party when Mandy was looking for her childhood crush, Gus. Their meeting was not even close to lovely, and Caleb would rather go home than spend more time with Mandy. Still, he couldn't leave her when a group of stoners were approaching her. He ended up driving her home.
Soon, he realized that maybe he could help Mandy with her Gus issue, and she could help him scare away a crazy stalker ex. How? A fake relationship, of course!
It took me a while to warm up to Mandy. I didn't know if she was a popular kid or not. She's well-liked, active in extra-curricular activities, yet doesn't fall in the popular head cheerleader trope. I didn't know where to put her, and I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not. She also has this "everyone isn't bad, just misunderstood" attitude that came off as annoying sometimes.
When Mandy's learning disabilities––ADHD and dysgraphia––were revealed, I was relieved to see how natural it was depicted. Others looked to her with pity, others with little empathy, and Caleb with understanding. It was heartwarming to see their tutoring sessions, and to see how great Caleb was with Mandy.
It was obvious from the start what a terrible person Gus was, but Mandy's blind to it, always seeing him through rose-colored glasses. She wasn't even put off when he ditched her on her birthday. Infatuation does that sometimes. But Gus didn't come off as a dork. I hated him the first time I read about him.
I wouldn't call Caleb a rebel; he's more of a loner than anything else. He wears black and leather, and has an aura that makes people cautious of him. He reminded me of a pitbull; they have a terrible reputation, but they're total sweethearts. Caleb is smart, he just doesn't participate in school activities the way Mandy does. And he's deeper than anyone thought. He loves literature and is actually quite sweet when he wants to be.
Their friendship/relationship was cute. I loved their character growth, too! When they're not goading each other, they're pretty much flirting without even realizing it. Their banter is hilarious and a little hot sometimes.
"I'm focused." His lips curved dangerously. "Just not on your essay."
I liked Mandy's friends, especially JT. They were loyal to Mandy and had their own ways of showing their care for her.
Over all, I enjoyed this book. The story's predictable but sweet and fluffy. It was fast-paced, entertaining, and heartwarming at times. I was looking for a light, fun, and fluffy read, and I got it when I read this book. If you're looking for a cute YA with fake relationships, cute promposals, and bickering/flirting MCs, you might enjoy Resisting the Rebel.
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July 27, 2016
4 -
Let's stop pretending...
Stars!
Resisting the Rebel is one of those books that came along just when I needed to read it. Having had a week or two of drama filled angsty reads, it was the perfect, light and easy-to-read, story-line that I needed break things up a bit.
Mandy Pennington and Caleb Torrs are polar opposites when it comes to interests, personalities and their general outlooks on life, but for some reason they get along with each other in ways, which comes as more of a shock to Caleb as he is you’re A-typical brooding, solitary teenager, with a Bad-Boy reputation.
"There’s a decent guy hiding behind all that attitude."
A reputation it turns out is not necessarily as cut and dried as initially assumed as Mandy learns more about him, whilst they keep up their Fake relationship ruse.
"I’ve got a stalker ex I need to get off my case... You’ve got a dork you’re trying to seduce. It’s a win-win."
Mandy blows into his life like and exploding disco ball (she’s all about seventies style, you know) and turns pretty much all of his well laid leave-me-alone vibes on their head. And for some reason Caleb finds himself agreeing to do and be involved with things that normally he wouldn’t be seen willingly within a hundred miles of.
Jackass Caleb was sort of turning into sometimes-nice-guy Caleb.
I liked this couple together, the romance was kept at a PG-13 level, and the secondary characters were involved enough to make the story nicely diverse and well rounded, with heroes and villains a-plenty. This was a sweetly predictable read, I had to take my serious reader head off and switch to my light and fluffy one, and in that genre Lisa Brown Roberts delivered perfectly.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was a pleasure to provide the above honest review.
Resisting the Rebel is one of those books that came along just when I needed to read it. Having had a week or two of drama filled angsty reads, it was the perfect, light and easy-to-read, story-line that I needed break things up a bit.
Mandy Pennington and Caleb Torrs are polar opposites when it comes to interests, personalities and their general outlooks on life, but for some reason they get along with each other in ways, which comes as more of a shock to Caleb as he is you’re A-typical brooding, solitary teenager, with a Bad-Boy reputation.
"There’s a decent guy hiding behind all that attitude."
A reputation it turns out is not necessarily as cut and dried as initially assumed as Mandy learns more about him, whilst they keep up their Fake relationship ruse.
"I’ve got a stalker ex I need to get off my case... You’ve got a dork you’re trying to seduce. It’s a win-win."
Mandy blows into his life like and exploding disco ball (she’s all about seventies style, you know) and turns pretty much all of his well laid leave-me-alone vibes on their head. And for some reason Caleb finds himself agreeing to do and be involved with things that normally he wouldn’t be seen willingly within a hundred miles of.
Jackass Caleb was sort of turning into sometimes-nice-guy Caleb.
I liked this couple together, the romance was kept at a PG-13 level, and the secondary characters were involved enough to make the story nicely diverse and well rounded, with heroes and villains a-plenty. This was a sweetly predictable read, I had to take my serious reader head off and switch to my light and fluffy one, and in that genre Lisa Brown Roberts delivered perfectly.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was a pleasure to provide the above honest review.
August 28, 2016
He was into bad girls, which made sense because he was totally bad boy.
I. Love. This. Book.
Even if it's lame I liked the whole thing about fake relationship, teasing between Mandy and Caleb (who is my new book boyfriend by the way), how he called Mandy with this cute nickname 'Disco', their sharing moment in park and also Mandy's crazy grandma. I also liked how author naturally mentioned difficulties encountered by people with ADHD and learning disabilities.
Although I wouldn't call Caleb bad boy but more likely loner and I would expect that Mandy would experience some mockery situation because of her disco outfits, there wasn't nothing unsuitable to the story.
Sometimes the scariest villains look the most innocent. And heroes don't always wear white.
The story is not exactly original, its totally predictible high school love story actually, but it's very entertaining with a good pace and I enjoyed reading that book. So if you're looking for something with suprising twists or original idea, you will be disappointed. But it's absolutely worth to read.
Bonus points for mentioning X-men and Teen Wolf. Twice!
***
I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 31, 2017
Resisting the Rebel was the cutest book ever! I just can't get over how adorable this fake boyfriend story was! I constantly found myself smiling while sighing and laughing out loud. And when you add in banter and angst that was perfectly done, well I couldn't help but go back and re-read a ton of my favorite scenes! I am completely obsessed with this heartfelt story and it's definitely one of my favorite books from this year!
But here's the thing, I wasn't so sure in the beginning that I was going to connect with Mandy Pennington. Her thoughts and words seemed all over the place and her endless supply of energy had me pausing and looking at her sideways. She was a lot to take in. But by the second chapter I was laughing so hard I had tears pouring down my face and I absolutely loved everything about her. And just a heads up, we do learn about her diagnosis that explains why she is the way she is. Mandy was this sparkly, thoughtful, caring, sweet girl who had the hugest heart ever. But she had a problem that she couldn't figure out how to solve. She desperately wanted her friend Gus to want her back. And thanks to Caleb, it looked like her problem would be solved.
While Caleb Torrs spent his time by himself and his classmates were intimidated by him, he convinced Mandy to become his fake girlfriend after a run in at a party. It was a win win for the both of them since he'd get rid of his stalker ex and it'd push Gus to make a move on Mandy. Or so that was their plan. But what happens when a friendship starts to form between them that has a very strong undercurrent of lust? Or what happens when touches start to feel real and you want more? How can you tell what's fake and what's not? It all played out sooooooo good and the best part was that we got to alternate between Mandy and Caleb, so we got to know every single one of their thoughts.
And I'm so grateful for that because I loved being in Caleb's head. You see, Caleb was everything I want in a book boyfriend. He was dark, broody, mysterious, and had a tragic history. But my favorite thing about Caleb was when he took control of a situation or acted as Mandy's fake boyfriend. Every single one of those moments he was insanely seductive and incredibly sigh worthy. It was amazing how hot he could make some of the scenes, even though not much physically was truly happening. You have to see what I'm talking about because he completely melted me into a puddle and I was absolutely obsessed with Caleb.
And while their story alone would have been more than enough, we got to witness some beautiful friendships and family dynamics that pulled at my heart. Some of the friendships already existed, like Mandy with J.T. And Cammie, and others we got to watch form like Caleb and J.T. I absolutely loved Caleb and J.T.'s bromance. Especially their Red Ranger and Blue Ranger verbal spars! I was laughing, cheering and their moments together always left me feeling all warm and cozy inside. Ohhh I also loved Mandy's Grandma. That woman made me laugh so hard I couldn't catch my breath. This story was filled with so many fabulous characters that I want everyone to meet!
Resisting the Rebel was exactly what I needed and I'm so thankful for this story! So if you're looking for an adorable book that will make you laugh, smile and leave you in the best mood ever, then definitely pick up Resisting the Rebel! I can't recommend it enough!
PS The song titles at the beginning of the chapters were so cute, and they fitted each chapter perfectly.
PPS Slade and Trina were in this book?!?!?! Oh my gosh, I love them! They were in Playing the Player and if you haven't read that book, I definitely recommend it too!
For more of my reviews, please visit:
“Y-you’re such a—” He was still holding her hand, though he’d loosened his grip.
“Jackass. I know. But let me pretend to be your jackass boyfriend and we’ll both get what we want.”
Everything in her screamed no, but when she finally opened her mouth, the word that fell out was “Okay.”
But here's the thing, I wasn't so sure in the beginning that I was going to connect with Mandy Pennington. Her thoughts and words seemed all over the place and her endless supply of energy had me pausing and looking at her sideways. She was a lot to take in. But by the second chapter I was laughing so hard I had tears pouring down my face and I absolutely loved everything about her. And just a heads up, we do learn about her diagnosis that explains why she is the way she is. Mandy was this sparkly, thoughtful, caring, sweet girl who had the hugest heart ever. But she had a problem that she couldn't figure out how to solve. She desperately wanted her friend Gus to want her back. And thanks to Caleb, it looked like her problem would be solved.
Mandy snatched the cup from his hand. “Apparently they don’t teach manners in hell.”
He licked a few drops of chocolate from his lips, keeping his dangerous eyes on hers. “Oh, they do. Just not the kind you’d approve of.” His lips curved into a wicked grin that sent her body temp into the stratosphere. “They teach us demons all kinds of bad things.” He leaned in close, lowering his voice. “Very bad things, babe.”
While Caleb Torrs spent his time by himself and his classmates were intimidated by him, he convinced Mandy to become his fake girlfriend after a run in at a party. It was a win win for the both of them since he'd get rid of his stalker ex and it'd push Gus to make a move on Mandy. Or so that was their plan. But what happens when a friendship starts to form between them that has a very strong undercurrent of lust? Or what happens when touches start to feel real and you want more? How can you tell what's fake and what's not? It all played out sooooooo good and the best part was that we got to alternate between Mandy and Caleb, so we got to know every single one of their thoughts.
“Practice makes perfect, Disco.” He closed his eyes and brushed his lips across hers, barely making contact, but it was enough to light him up inside. He wanted more. A lot more. Fake, real, whatever the hell this was, he wanted more.
And I'm so grateful for that because I loved being in Caleb's head. You see, Caleb was everything I want in a book boyfriend. He was dark, broody, mysterious, and had a tragic history. But my favorite thing about Caleb was when he took control of a situation or acted as Mandy's fake boyfriend. Every single one of those moments he was insanely seductive and incredibly sigh worthy. It was amazing how hot he could make some of the scenes, even though not much physically was truly happening. You have to see what I'm talking about because he completely melted me into a puddle and I was absolutely obsessed with Caleb.
“I know about life sucking, Caleb,” she muttered. “Trust me, I know. But I choose to believe…I have to believe there’s a reason for everything.”
The desperation in her voice hit him like a punch. He hoped like hell he hadn’t hurt her. He reached out his hand tentatively, resting it on her knee. After a moment, she rested her hand on top of his.
And while their story alone would have been more than enough, we got to witness some beautiful friendships and family dynamics that pulled at my heart. Some of the friendships already existed, like Mandy with J.T. And Cammie, and others we got to watch form like Caleb and J.T. I absolutely loved Caleb and J.T.'s bromance. Especially their Red Ranger and Blue Ranger verbal spars! I was laughing, cheering and their moments together always left me feeling all warm and cozy inside. Ohhh I also loved Mandy's Grandma. That woman made me laugh so hard I couldn't catch my breath. This story was filled with so many fabulous characters that I want everyone to meet!
“Mandy,” he whispered against her cheek, his mouth almost to her lips. Let’s stop pretending . The words were almost there, just hovering in the back of his throat, waiting to escape.
“Caleb,” she whispered back, just as he was about to finally taste her lips for real. “I want…”
You , he willed her to say. Say you want me, not that tool Gus masquerading as a dork.
Resisting the Rebel was exactly what I needed and I'm so thankful for this story! So if you're looking for an adorable book that will make you laugh, smile and leave you in the best mood ever, then definitely pick up Resisting the Rebel! I can't recommend it enough!
PS The song titles at the beginning of the chapters were so cute, and they fitted each chapter perfectly.
PPS Slade and Trina were in this book?!?!?! Oh my gosh, I love them! They were in Playing the Player and if you haven't read that book, I definitely recommend it too!
For more of my reviews, please visit:
July 24, 2016
Two polar opposite high school teens, who really dislike each other, decide to "pretend to be date" so she, Mandy, can make a boy jealous, and he, Caleb, can get an ex off his back!
This really was a cute, sweet story. Definitely a YA book, but geared more for teenage readers than most of the YA books I have recently read. I really enjoyed Mandy's, Gran, and wish she had a bigger role in the storyline.
*I received a copy of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review*
This really was a cute, sweet story. Definitely a YA book, but geared more for teenage readers than most of the YA books I have recently read. I really enjoyed Mandy's, Gran, and wish she had a bigger role in the storyline.
*I received a copy of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review*
October 21, 2020
Feel-good, cute, romance. It was sweet and a bit cliché, but that´s to be expected.
Not the worst book I´ve read this year but definitely not the best either.
Not the worst book I´ve read this year but definitely not the best either.
July 28, 2016
Full Review located here: http://kaitbooktopia.blogspot.com/201...
Resisting the Rebel was a fun and cute read that I think anyone who enjoys those types of books will definitely enjoy this one. There are a lot of cliches, so as long as that doesn't bother you, I think you will fall in love with the story. The plot was entertaining, the characters relatable, and the romance absolutely swoon-worthy.
Resisting the Rebel was a fun and cute read that I think anyone who enjoys those types of books will definitely enjoy this one. There are a lot of cliches, so as long as that doesn't bother you, I think you will fall in love with the story. The plot was entertaining, the characters relatable, and the romance absolutely swoon-worthy.
July 27, 2016
This is a great ya romance where pretending to be involved leads to the real thing. Mandy Pennington is a natural leader, involved in all kinds of societies and groups in her school but she also has ADHD and Dysgraphia making written work a real struggle for her. She does have her own posse of friends, especially J.T. and Cammie and they are both brilliant characters, too. When Mandy's crush, Gus, asks invites her to a party she certainly didn't anticipate him deserting her to go with someone who always denigrates Mandy. That's when the hot loner, Caleb Torrs, steps in to rescue Mandy and gives her a ride home. During this Caleb admits he's having problems with his stalker ex-girlfriend and he suggests Mandy becomes his fake girlfriend to make Gus realise what he's missing and to make it clear to Caleb's ex that she really is ex! As the two get to know each other, Caleb is integrated into Mandy's posse, becomes less of a loner and reconnects with a childhood friend. Get ready for the Power Rangers to come to the rescue, teenage angst to be rampant and for the two to wish their relationship wasn't just a fake one.
The perceptions of others are challenged in this well written story, showing how people change as they mature and that sometimes people's behaviour is an act, used to cover their true nature . . . with villains pretending to be heroes and heroes pretending to be villains. The problems encountered by people with learning disabilities like Dysgraphia are portrayed in a brilliant way, showing that these difficulties may impact severely on self esteem and achievement but, with the correct support, need not necessarily do so, indeed there are some excellent examples of well known people who are generally recognised as being very intelligent who had these same difficulties. I also liked how the attitudes to peers were altered as they got to know each other, reconnected and started to appreciate each others strengths and weaknesses, learning to support each other and to stop being so judgemental. A great read that I highly recommend!
The perceptions of others are challenged in this well written story, showing how people change as they mature and that sometimes people's behaviour is an act, used to cover their true nature . . . with villains pretending to be heroes and heroes pretending to be villains. The problems encountered by people with learning disabilities like Dysgraphia are portrayed in a brilliant way, showing that these difficulties may impact severely on self esteem and achievement but, with the correct support, need not necessarily do so, indeed there are some excellent examples of well known people who are generally recognised as being very intelligent who had these same difficulties. I also liked how the attitudes to peers were altered as they got to know each other, reconnected and started to appreciate each others strengths and weaknesses, learning to support each other and to stop being so judgemental. A great read that I highly recommend!
November 7, 2016
Sorry but no. Nope nope nope.
I might have enjoyed this one if I read it at 13 y/o? Or not?
No time for review, maybe later though I doubt I'll want to come back to this book anytime soon...
I might have enjoyed this one if I read it at 13 y/o? Or not?
No time for review, maybe later though I doubt I'll want to come back to this book anytime soon...
July 25, 2016
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This book did not start out well for me, and I almost put it down 10% of the way in. However, once I made it far enough, it picked up enormously, and I found myself enjoying it at the end. I did have to give in a bit to the silliness of some of it, but I do enjoy some silliness from time to time.
If you read my reading updates lower down, you’ll see I was not enjoying it until about 18% in. There were three main reasons for this: Mandy came across as stupid, Caleb came across as a bad cliché and some of the language used irked me.
The way the story started, I thought Mandy was seriously annoying and dippy. She was so blind to Gus’ idiot behaviour, and she kept chanting mantras and whatnot. I couldn’t take her seriously at all. Her character made sense later on, but it was not a pleasant introduction.
Things didn’t start off well for Caleb either. He came off like as 100% bad boy stereotype, especially the whole motorcycle boots and jacket thing. WHY DID HE HAVE THESE THINGS?! Why was he walking around and driving in motorcycle boots?! Wearing the gear without having a bike makes you look like a poser. It’s that simple. I have a motorcycle jacket, and I do feel like a BAMF in it, but I have it because my boyfriend has a motorcycle, and I enjoy riding on the back of it. (Yes, my mom loved that.) Also, my boyfriend owns two different pairs of motorcycle boots, one of which is more comfortable and wearable than the other (which is knee-high, for long journeys), but he always takes a pair of other shoes to switch to because they’re not the best for casual strolling about. If he was going to have the clothes, the least the author could have done is say he has a bike and a car.
Mandy had ADHD and dysgraphia, which YAY, represent the learning difficulties! First of, it’s not PC to call dyslexia and similar diagnoses as learning disabilities in the UK; they’re called difficulties, and some people even call them differences. To be fair, this only happened once, but it made me sad. I studied these as part of my degree, and I did my final placement at a school specifically for people with dyslexia and related difficulties, so I am not completely clueless about the subject, and I have a lot of respect for the children who learn strategies to help them with school (not the most supportive environment). Because of this, I took issue with how Mandy referred to herself as having a “squirrel brain”. This stopped me in my tracks when I first read it. When writing about disabilities and difficulties, authors have to be very careful about the language they use and how they portray their characters. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt and believe that she was trying to write a believable character who used inappropriate language about herself; during your internal monologues to and about yourself, do you not refer to certain personal traits with less than PC language? I know I do, so I hoped that that was what the author was aiming for. If I were her, I would have taken the “squirrel brain” thing out, or at least addressed it head-on and explained it. Maybe Mandy could have said she knew she shouldn’t call it that, but it helped her make sense of her own mind and how it worked, racing around.
But what did I like? Well, once the two stars began “dating”, I enjoyed their back and forth. There were plenty of incredibly charged scenes that I could physically feel. It was also great to see that one of them knew the relationship wasn’t fake early on and actually tried to change that.
There were hilarious moments that had me giggling on my couch. I also loved the adorable nerdiness interspersed throughout the story, for example, the power rangers references and the Star Wars promposal. There were even references to Teen Wolf!
I also liked how Caleb opened up throughout the story, while Mandy learned to stand up for herself. It wasn’t the smoothest and most natural of transitions, but it was there, and I cheered at the end when she was the one to take action.
In the end, I had fun reading the book, even with its shaky start and questionable language. It had enough cute, funny and extremely hot moments to tip the book into more favourable territory. I can recommend it if you need some fun, and maybe the first few chapters will be easier to get through if you know it gets better!
This book did not start out well for me, and I almost put it down 10% of the way in. However, once I made it far enough, it picked up enormously, and I found myself enjoying it at the end. I did have to give in a bit to the silliness of some of it, but I do enjoy some silliness from time to time.
If you read my reading updates lower down, you’ll see I was not enjoying it until about 18% in. There were three main reasons for this: Mandy came across as stupid, Caleb came across as a bad cliché and some of the language used irked me.
The way the story started, I thought Mandy was seriously annoying and dippy. She was so blind to Gus’ idiot behaviour, and she kept chanting mantras and whatnot. I couldn’t take her seriously at all. Her character made sense later on, but it was not a pleasant introduction.
Things didn’t start off well for Caleb either. He came off like as 100% bad boy stereotype, especially the whole motorcycle boots and jacket thing. WHY DID HE HAVE THESE THINGS?! Why was he walking around and driving in motorcycle boots?! Wearing the gear without having a bike makes you look like a poser. It’s that simple. I have a motorcycle jacket, and I do feel like a BAMF in it, but I have it because my boyfriend has a motorcycle, and I enjoy riding on the back of it. (Yes, my mom loved that.) Also, my boyfriend owns two different pairs of motorcycle boots, one of which is more comfortable and wearable than the other (which is knee-high, for long journeys), but he always takes a pair of other shoes to switch to because they’re not the best for casual strolling about. If he was going to have the clothes, the least the author could have done is say he has a bike and a car.
Mandy had ADHD and dysgraphia, which YAY, represent the learning difficulties! First of, it’s not PC to call dyslexia and similar diagnoses as learning disabilities in the UK; they’re called difficulties, and some people even call them differences. To be fair, this only happened once, but it made me sad. I studied these as part of my degree, and I did my final placement at a school specifically for people with dyslexia and related difficulties, so I am not completely clueless about the subject, and I have a lot of respect for the children who learn strategies to help them with school (not the most supportive environment). Because of this, I took issue with how Mandy referred to herself as having a “squirrel brain”. This stopped me in my tracks when I first read it. When writing about disabilities and difficulties, authors have to be very careful about the language they use and how they portray their characters. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt and believe that she was trying to write a believable character who used inappropriate language about herself; during your internal monologues to and about yourself, do you not refer to certain personal traits with less than PC language? I know I do, so I hoped that that was what the author was aiming for. If I were her, I would have taken the “squirrel brain” thing out, or at least addressed it head-on and explained it. Maybe Mandy could have said she knew she shouldn’t call it that, but it helped her make sense of her own mind and how it worked, racing around.
But what did I like? Well, once the two stars began “dating”, I enjoyed their back and forth. There were plenty of incredibly charged scenes that I could physically feel. It was also great to see that one of them knew the relationship wasn’t fake early on and actually tried to change that.
“Apparently they don’t teach manners in hell.”
He licked a few drops of chocolate from his lips, keeping his dangerous eyes on hers. “Oh, they do. Just not the kind you’d approve of.”
There were hilarious moments that had me giggling on my couch. I also loved the adorable nerdiness interspersed throughout the story, for example, the power rangers references and the Star Wars promposal. There were even references to Teen Wolf!
“You make it sound like we’re living in a comic book with villains and superheroes.” He slanted him and assessing look. “And sidekicks.”
J.T. grinned. “When you think about it, that’s pretty much what high school is, isn’t it?”
I also liked how Caleb opened up throughout the story, while Mandy learned to stand up for herself. It wasn’t the smoothest and most natural of transitions, but it was there, and I cheered at the end when she was the one to take action.
In the end, I had fun reading the book, even with its shaky start and questionable language. It had enough cute, funny and extremely hot moments to tip the book into more favourable territory. I can recommend it if you need some fun, and maybe the first few chapters will be easier to get through if you know it gets better!
See this review in its natural environment, Dani Reviews Things.
August 4, 2016
This is a new to me author and after reading the blurb I was super excited to get my hands on this one. This book was hard to read for me. The beginning was slow for me and the characters weren't all that likable or developed in my opinion. This was an opposite attracts contemporary YA novel and I was just not feeling it.
Mandy has been in love with her best friend Gus for forever and when he asks her to go to a party with him she jumps at the chance. Little does she know that he is only going there to hook up with her archenemy, Kay. She devises a plan to get to him once and for all which is where Caleb comes in. He is the ultimate bad boy who just so happens to need help getting his stalker ex girlfriend Elle off his back. So they come up with the ridiculous plan of having a pretend relationship to make Gus jealous and make Elle back off. But like most pretend relationships in books nowadays, feelings come into play and they soon have to decide whether or not they want to make this relationship real.
I seriously disliked Gus from the beginning! Mandy claims he is her best friend but he all but ditches her when school starts to hang out with the lacrosse team and Kay. He also completely forgot that it was Mandy's birthday when he took her to that party and he ditched her. I felt like his character was nothing but drama after drama and I was not feeling anything but disdain and anger towards his character. I felt indifference toward Elle. I felt like her character was just there for unnecessary drama.
I thought Mandy and Caleb were fine but the situations they were in became monotonous after awhile. Mandy has both ADHD and dysgraphia which are both learning difficulties and as a result, I felt like her character was all over the place. I got used to it after awhile but I found it kind of annoying and hard to read at times. She had an interesting fascination with everything disco which I found interesting at times but I think the author took it a little too far sometimes. I thought it was weird that she had a hard time trusting her best friends over the whole Gus situation. I thought she was an okay character, albeit annoying, but just not some I could ultimately relate to. I liked Caleb and his bad boy vibe but I think he was more of a loner who was afraid to get too close to people because of things that happened in his past. I couldn't really see a connection between him and Mandy till probably the last little bit of the book.
I found this book to be very monotonous and predictable. I like how the author created tension between Mandy and Caleb and that was probably what kept me reading the book but that didn't really make the plot any more interesting. I would have liked if the author combined the tension with more character development and a deeper plot.
Overall the book was an okay read for me. The storyline wasn't that compelling and the characters weren't all that strong. While this didn't turn out to be the book for me, I wish the author much success in her future books.
Mandy has been in love with her best friend Gus for forever and when he asks her to go to a party with him she jumps at the chance. Little does she know that he is only going there to hook up with her archenemy, Kay. She devises a plan to get to him once and for all which is where Caleb comes in. He is the ultimate bad boy who just so happens to need help getting his stalker ex girlfriend Elle off his back. So they come up with the ridiculous plan of having a pretend relationship to make Gus jealous and make Elle back off. But like most pretend relationships in books nowadays, feelings come into play and they soon have to decide whether or not they want to make this relationship real.
I seriously disliked Gus from the beginning! Mandy claims he is her best friend but he all but ditches her when school starts to hang out with the lacrosse team and Kay. He also completely forgot that it was Mandy's birthday when he took her to that party and he ditched her. I felt like his character was nothing but drama after drama and I was not feeling anything but disdain and anger towards his character. I felt indifference toward Elle. I felt like her character was just there for unnecessary drama.
I thought Mandy and Caleb were fine but the situations they were in became monotonous after awhile. Mandy has both ADHD and dysgraphia which are both learning difficulties and as a result, I felt like her character was all over the place. I got used to it after awhile but I found it kind of annoying and hard to read at times. She had an interesting fascination with everything disco which I found interesting at times but I think the author took it a little too far sometimes. I thought it was weird that she had a hard time trusting her best friends over the whole Gus situation. I thought she was an okay character, albeit annoying, but just not some I could ultimately relate to. I liked Caleb and his bad boy vibe but I think he was more of a loner who was afraid to get too close to people because of things that happened in his past. I couldn't really see a connection between him and Mandy till probably the last little bit of the book.
I found this book to be very monotonous and predictable. I like how the author created tension between Mandy and Caleb and that was probably what kept me reading the book but that didn't really make the plot any more interesting. I would have liked if the author combined the tension with more character development and a deeper plot.
Overall the book was an okay read for me. The storyline wasn't that compelling and the characters weren't all that strong. While this didn't turn out to be the book for me, I wish the author much success in her future books.
August 1, 2016
I received an eARC of Resisting the Rebel from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange with an honest review.
First things first, I am a realist. And I here by declare Lisa Brown Roberts as the Queen of Romance and Comedy.
The charisma that these characters have is amazing. I has a hard time catching my breath from swooning & laughing !
I will admit that at the beginning , I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style. I knew that Lisa can write better than that because I read other works by her. But the elements of this story made me overlook this.
What this book is and how it is marketed ,is what I dream the future industry of book publishing would become. Let me explain . Mandy has ADHD, and we see through out the story how this affects her school life and day to day interactions. However, the book is not being sold, or even 100% focussed on her ADHD.
Don't get me wrong, I love how now we have a lot of diversity in books. And we currently really need these books. It is important to have such books, especially during this transition phase of having diverse characters. But I can't wait for the day to come, when I open the book and discover that the character is actually disabled, has mental illness , belongs to any of LQBTQ community, is a POC, is a Muslim, Jewish, Atheist ,or even a devoted Christian . This book 100% did that.
When it comes to how well ADHD is presented, I am not 100% sure, but I think it was decently represented . If you have ADHD and read this book, let me know your thoughts.
I was able to connect with Maddy on so many levels! Especially when it comes to school stuff .
“How can my response be wrong?” Mandy
Maddy's Response to The Catcher In The Rye is exactly the same as mine to those who tell me (I didn't read TFIOS correctly !)"
I absolutely loved this book, and I can't the rest of Lisa's stories !
I give it 4.5/5 stars.
First things first, I am a realist. And I here by declare Lisa Brown Roberts as the Queen of Romance and Comedy.
The charisma that these characters have is amazing. I has a hard time catching my breath from swooning & laughing !
I will admit that at the beginning , I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style. I knew that Lisa can write better than that because I read other works by her. But the elements of this story made me overlook this.
What this book is and how it is marketed ,is what I dream the future industry of book publishing would become. Let me explain . Mandy has ADHD, and we see through out the story how this affects her school life and day to day interactions. However, the book is not being sold, or even 100% focussed on her ADHD.
Don't get me wrong, I love how now we have a lot of diversity in books. And we currently really need these books. It is important to have such books, especially during this transition phase of having diverse characters. But I can't wait for the day to come, when I open the book and discover that the character is actually disabled, has mental illness , belongs to any of LQBTQ community, is a POC, is a Muslim, Jewish, Atheist ,or even a devoted Christian . This book 100% did that.
When it comes to how well ADHD is presented, I am not 100% sure, but I think it was decently represented . If you have ADHD and read this book, let me know your thoughts.
I was able to connect with Maddy on so many levels! Especially when it comes to school stuff .
“How can my response be wrong?” Mandy
Maddy's Response to The Catcher In The Rye is exactly the same as mine to those who tell me (I didn't read TFIOS correctly !)"
I absolutely loved this book, and I can't the rest of Lisa's stories !
I give it 4.5/5 stars.
August 27, 2016
This book contains a villain pretending to be a hero, a hero pretending to be a villain, a disco-dancing heroine, two overprotective sidekicks, a little bit of bad language, and a whole lot of swoon kissing.
First of all love the declaimer, it was not the unoriginal "sweet, cute, blah blah blah", so I got hooke from the first page.
“Sometimes the scariest villains look the most innocent. And heroes don’t always wear white.”
Ok, so I liked both characters and the friends. I like that he wasn't the player bad boy, but just gloomy kind, I liked that she wasn't just a nerd or the cliche characters but actually has a unique style, and originality.
Loved the fact that after talked about ADD, that she talked to embrace it and not be ashamed of it, and just live with it and say "fuck you, cause I still can do whatever I want eve with having you".
Loved the fact that showed the teachers can be biased, and that standing up to them is ok.
Loved that Caleb was a writer, loved it.
Loved that Mandy Mandy was a dancer, it was unique, it really was.
“It was never fake with us, Disco. Never.”
Loved them together. They totally clicked.
But most of all loved their mutual best friend J.T.
He was the best. Since the book sometimes bored me I was planning to give only twi stars, but then the proposal came, and when the chants started I was gone!! And then....
“Three more days to bust a move! Get your asses ready to groove! If Caleb Torrs can do the Hustle, just think what he’ll do with all those muscles!”
J.T. wrote this and surprised everyone and I was not coming back lol
Definitely made me laugh at the end!!!
Loved it!
First of all love the declaimer, it was not the unoriginal "sweet, cute, blah blah blah", so I got hooke from the first page.
“Sometimes the scariest villains look the most innocent. And heroes don’t always wear white.”
Ok, so I liked both characters and the friends. I like that he wasn't the player bad boy, but just gloomy kind, I liked that she wasn't just a nerd or the cliche characters but actually has a unique style, and originality.
Loved the fact that after talked about ADD, that she talked to embrace it and not be ashamed of it, and just live with it and say "fuck you, cause I still can do whatever I want eve with having you".
Loved the fact that showed the teachers can be biased, and that standing up to them is ok.
Loved that Caleb was a writer, loved it.
Loved that Mandy Mandy was a dancer, it was unique, it really was.
“It was never fake with us, Disco. Never.”
Loved them together. They totally clicked.
But most of all loved their mutual best friend J.T.
He was the best. Since the book sometimes bored me I was planning to give only twi stars, but then the proposal came, and when the chants started I was gone!! And then....
“Three more days to bust a move! Get your asses ready to groove! If Caleb Torrs can do the Hustle, just think what he’ll do with all those muscles!”
J.T. wrote this and surprised everyone and I was not coming back lol
Definitely made me laugh at the end!!!
Loved it!
July 21, 2016
I really really liked this one! Resisting the Rebel is right up my alley with the brooding bad boy who may not be so bad after all. He likes to keep to himself. I get it... His love for reading only makes him that much more adorable and Mandy needs a serious kick in the butt for not seeing it sooner! Speaking of Mandy I totally loved her hippie vibe and thought it was pretty cool to read about a smart, cool girl, who just so happens to have dysgraphia and ADHD. You don't see that often and I actually had never even heard of dysgraphia until this book. Awareness is always a plus.
In fact all the characters were pretty cool ( other than Gus. Ugh! ). Her besties are awesome especially J.T. and when Caleb and Mandy bond at the park and Caleb starts letting her in, it's just so sweet. Then Mandy names it their snow globe moment and totally makes me love her even more. She's so adorkably cute. There's also some awesome references to Power Rangers ( I totally loved that show when I was 9 ), Gilmore Girls, Teen Wolf, and Sky High. So in conclusion, yes I loved it, yes you should read it if YA contemporary romance with a bad boy is your thing. You won't regret it!
** Thanks Entangled Teen and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. **
In fact all the characters were pretty cool ( other than Gus. Ugh! ). Her besties are awesome especially J.T. and when Caleb and Mandy bond at the park and Caleb starts letting her in, it's just so sweet. Then Mandy names it their snow globe moment and totally makes me love her even more. She's so adorkably cute. There's also some awesome references to Power Rangers ( I totally loved that show when I was 9 ), Gilmore Girls, Teen Wolf, and Sky High. So in conclusion, yes I loved it, yes you should read it if YA contemporary romance with a bad boy is your thing. You won't regret it!
** Thanks Entangled Teen and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. **
July 20, 2016
Awesome YA sweet read. The characters of Mandy and Caleb are both incredible and I loved the slow build of their relationship. My only complaint about this book is the cover. Seriously, this needs a leather wearing bad boy on the cover! A minor complaint but still!
Caleb is known as the school bad boy. People didn't mess with him and he was fine with that. Since he prefers fictional characters over actual people being a loner works for him. Mandy on the other hand is on every committee, loves people, and just wants to be accepted as she is. ADHD and all. When she goes to a party with her long time crush Gus only to be left hanging when he hooks up with miss popularity, she's surprised when Caleb comes to her rescue. Even more surprising is his proposal. Pretend to be his girlfriend to help get rid of his stalker ex and he'll help her make Gus jealous and come running back to her. Slowly Caleb finds himself being pulled into Mandy's world and surprise of all surprises, liking it and her more than he ever thought possible.
Definitely a book I would recommend to everyone who enjoys a good YA read!
Caleb is known as the school bad boy. People didn't mess with him and he was fine with that. Since he prefers fictional characters over actual people being a loner works for him. Mandy on the other hand is on every committee, loves people, and just wants to be accepted as she is. ADHD and all. When she goes to a party with her long time crush Gus only to be left hanging when he hooks up with miss popularity, she's surprised when Caleb comes to her rescue. Even more surprising is his proposal. Pretend to be his girlfriend to help get rid of his stalker ex and he'll help her make Gus jealous and come running back to her. Slowly Caleb finds himself being pulled into Mandy's world and surprise of all surprises, liking it and her more than he ever thought possible.
Definitely a book I would recommend to everyone who enjoys a good YA read!
March 23, 2017
Not quite the book for me, sad to say. ‘Resisting the Rebel’ feels too juvenile and too campy - even by Entangled Crush’s standards - and lays the clichés on thick with the brooding bad boy and a flighty, rainbow, navel-gazing girl who are opposites in every way.
It’s probably perfect for teens whose greatest worry is securing a date for the school dance and keeping their grades up amidst the million of social activities they juggle, but this book made it especially hard to connect with any of the characters, particularly Mandy Pennington who came across as silly and full of air (while projecting some weird new-age vibe) than unusual and quirky. The seventies and hippie references coated the entire story in multi-hued shades of tie-dye and by the end of it, I thought I deserved some weed that I managed to get through it.
It’s probably perfect for teens whose greatest worry is securing a date for the school dance and keeping their grades up amidst the million of social activities they juggle, but this book made it especially hard to connect with any of the characters, particularly Mandy Pennington who came across as silly and full of air (while projecting some weird new-age vibe) than unusual and quirky. The seventies and hippie references coated the entire story in multi-hued shades of tie-dye and by the end of it, I thought I deserved some weed that I managed to get through it.
February 7, 2017
This was cuter in some parts than in others, but overall, it was a fun read. I definitely preferred the banter between Disco and the demon when it was just them and no one else was around. ;0) Plus, all of those almost-kisses were pretty dang hot. And the friendships in this book made the story...I might not have liked Mandy at all, if not for them. And while I've always loved the fake boyfriend trope, I might like it even more because of Caleb. =)
September 21, 2016
4.5 “Disco & Power Rangers” STARS
ARC via NetGalley
Thank you, Entangled Crush!
You guys, this book! This. Freaking. Hot. YA. Contemporary. Book.
Everyone knows I'm a huge fan of the fake boyfriend/girlfriend trope. HUGE FAN. So this book caught my attention pretty quickly. Throw in a rebel, brooding love interest, and you have me begging and going all: *grabby hands* *grabby hands*
This time, the fake relationship felt even better because this two totally had the hots for each other way before they even considered pretending to be a couple. And when I say the hots, I mean THE hots. I know that doesn't even make sense, but who cares?
Here we have super quirky, disco-loving, spirit-leader Mandy. A girl who calms herself by thinking of mantras such as "The universe only gives me what I can handle". Dude, she's awesomely hilarious. And also one of those characters you spend half the time wanting to shake to see if she gets back down to Earth, and the other half trying to keep her exactly where she is because the world is an ugly place for such a gentle soul.
But Mandy's life isn't all rainbows and blutterflies and calming mantras. She lost her mother when she was younger. Her dad isn't around all that much because he's working his behind off to feed their family. Her brother is too busy smoking weed to care about anything else. And her grandmother is sick (but she's still a hilarious old lady). Mandy also has ADHD and dysgraphia, which means school isn't that easy for her. To make matters worse, her long-time crush, Gus, is hooking up with her long-time nemesis.
The only thing working for Mandy is her friendship with J.T. and Cammie.
Then Caleb happens. He's the school dark, brooding and kind-of-scary bad boy. He wears leather and has perfect hair. And a perfect face. And body. Meaning he's hot AF. Caleb is also super sarcastic, has just broken up with a very crazy, potentially stalker ex-gf and wants nothing to do with overly happy people like Mandy. Until this one night that he gives her a ride home and can't stop thinking about her after that. Or all the very HOT scenes he wants to do with her.
Mandy and Caleb are opposites -- there's no doubt of that. But you know what they say about opposites, right? Now that Mandy needs to get Gus's attention so he can ask her to homecoming instead of her nemesis, and that Caleb needs to find a way to get his stalker ex-gf off his back, they team up and pretend to be a couple.
Of course pretending is much harder when these two have over-the-freaking-top chemistry. Guys, when I say chemistry, I mean the kind that has you turning pages desperately because you don't want to miss a single encounter and you can't wait for the next time they'll be in the same room together. That kind of chemistry.
So, yeah. watching Caleb and Mandy go from "I can't stand you" to "let me kiss you" to "tell me you don't feel all of this when I kiss you" to "let's kiss more often" is prety awesome.
You know what else is awesome? J.T. and Caleb's bromance. Dude. Dude!!! They called each other Red Ranger and Blue Ranger. Those are boys after my heart. I LOVE Power Rangers (there's a movie adaptation coming and I can't wait for it). So yeah, I shipped J.T. and Caleb probably as hard as Caleb and Mandy.
There were a few times I was annoyed at Mandy, especially with the whole thing with Gus and his eight hands (you'll get it when you read it), but she was such a free spirit that staying mad at her required too much effort. That effort was better spent swooning over Caleb, because he's exactly my type of LI - dark, twisted, good and bad and hot.
As you can see, I enjoyed this sooooo very much. It took me a while to start it because life kept getting in the way, but once I did I told life to gimme a break and didn't stop until I was done. Put life on hold for a couple of hours and read this book. It's totally worth it.
January 1, 2022
***I wanted to thank the publisher/author for approving my request to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I guess this book is inspired by the characters from the movie, Sky High? Specifically Warren and Layla. I'm not going to lie, I did ship them in the movie.
Actual rating: 4.5/5
The story starts when Mandy (Layla) was ditched by her childhood crush, Gus, in a party. Then she meets Caleb (Warren). He felt bad for her (and he doesn't know why) because Gus supposedly left her, and it seems that she was interested in him. In the end, he does give Mandy a ride.
Mandy is an overly optimistic girl who reminds me of Stargirl, while Caleb reminds me of the brooding type of guy in YA literature. I mean, he sits alone during lunch. But ever since they had to act like they're in a relationship, Caleb gets to hang-out with Mandy and her friends. They are a package after all.
For some insane reason, Caleb can't even believe it himself, he decides to make her an offer: be her fake boyfriend. He reasons that he wanted to get rid of his stalker ex and Mandy needed to get her crush jealous.Yeah, right, Caleb.
(yeah, I got some extra paraphernalia courtesy of the publisher)
Then things start to get interesting. Caleb realizes that he starts to fall for her.Mandy is definitely Stargirl!
Caleb becomes overprotective, and he starts to care about Mandy. Both characters felt confused at some point. They can't distinguish what's real and what's not. Did I mention that Caleb calls her Disco while Mandy calls Caleb TDB (Tall Dark Brooding)?It's so cute, I think I'm barfing butterflies!
I love Mandy's friends: Cammie and J.T!
They care about Mandy and support her in her endeavors. I like how J.T. uses Power Rangers to annoy the hell out of Caleb!
I don't want to spoil anything, but it does have a happy ending. I definitely enjoyed reading this book.
I guess this book is inspired by the characters from the movie, Sky High? Specifically Warren and Layla. I'm not going to lie, I did ship them in the movie.
Actual rating: 4.5/5
The story starts when Mandy (Layla) was ditched by her childhood crush, Gus, in a party. Then she meets Caleb (Warren). He felt bad for her (and he doesn't know why) because Gus supposedly left her, and it seems that she was interested in him. In the end, he does give Mandy a ride.
Mandy is an overly optimistic girl who reminds me of Stargirl, while Caleb reminds me of the brooding type of guy in YA literature. I mean, he sits alone during lunch. But ever since they had to act like they're in a relationship, Caleb gets to hang-out with Mandy and her friends. They are a package after all.
For some insane reason, Caleb can't even believe it himself, he decides to make her an offer: be her fake boyfriend. He reasons that he wanted to get rid of his stalker ex and Mandy needed to get her crush jealous.
Then things start to get interesting. Caleb realizes that he starts to fall for her.
Caleb becomes overprotective, and he starts to care about Mandy. Both characters felt confused at some point. They can't distinguish what's real and what's not. Did I mention that Caleb calls her Disco while Mandy calls Caleb TDB (Tall Dark Brooding)?
I love Mandy's friends: Cammie and J.T!
They care about Mandy and support her in her endeavors. I like how J.T. uses Power Rangers to annoy the hell out of Caleb!
"If you hurt her, I will kill you Red Ranger."
I don't want to spoil anything, but it does have a happy ending. I definitely enjoyed reading this book.
He pulled out his brother's lighter, pausing before holding it to the candle wick since everyone was staring at him openmouthed.
"What? You guys seriously thought I could light it with my finger?
Let me guess? Like Warren Peace in Sky High?"
Sammie's gaze darted to Mandy, and they both collapsed into giggles
July 23, 2016
Resisting the Rebel!!! First things first: I received an ARC of this book from Entangled through NetGalley.
The book comes out july 25th. Check it out if you want something cute and fun.
I loved everything about this book. Except for Gus but every person should hate people like Gus!!!!
The characters were amazing. Mandy. OH MANDY!!! I don't think I have ever read a character like her. She was so full of live and just such a positive person. I want one like her around me all time. She got really frustrating sometimes, especially when she was all hellbend to stick with her plan and get together with Gus. But I still loved her. I also really loved Caleb. The other character from whose point we got to read the story from.
The sidecharacters were amazing too. I looved Mandy's friends J.T. and Cammie. I wasn't that sure about Cammie in the beginning but she really REALLY grew on me. And they were amazing friends to Mandy. And Caleb. I'm glad he got used to having them around. Also we need to talk about how amazing Mandy's grandma is. The first meeting between her and Caleb, I actually laughed out loud so many times. She was just awesome.
I'm such a sucker for fake relationships that turn into beautiful friendships and then turn into a real relationship. There is just something so cute and beautiful about this.
So I really loved how the relationship between Mandy and Caleb was developed. It didn't feel rushed, it just felt real. Also can I just say how much I loved him calling her Disco?!
I just really loved the book and I feel like Lisa Brown Roberts writes them so well, that you just fly through these books and enjoy every page. She's turning into one of my favorite authors when it comes to reading something that will give me all the feels.
The book comes out july 25th. Check it out if you want something cute and fun.
I loved everything about this book. Except for Gus but every person should hate people like Gus!!!!
The characters were amazing. Mandy. OH MANDY!!! I don't think I have ever read a character like her. She was so full of live and just such a positive person. I want one like her around me all time. She got really frustrating sometimes, especially when she was all hellbend to stick with her plan and get together with Gus. But I still loved her. I also really loved Caleb. The other character from whose point we got to read the story from.
The sidecharacters were amazing too. I looved Mandy's friends J.T. and Cammie. I wasn't that sure about Cammie in the beginning but she really REALLY grew on me. And they were amazing friends to Mandy. And Caleb. I'm glad he got used to having them around. Also we need to talk about how amazing Mandy's grandma is. The first meeting between her and Caleb, I actually laughed out loud so many times. She was just awesome.
I'm such a sucker for fake relationships that turn into beautiful friendships and then turn into a real relationship. There is just something so cute and beautiful about this.
So I really loved how the relationship between Mandy and Caleb was developed. It didn't feel rushed, it just felt real. Also can I just say how much I loved him calling her Disco?!
I just really loved the book and I feel like Lisa Brown Roberts writes them so well, that you just fly through these books and enjoy every page. She's turning into one of my favorite authors when it comes to reading something that will give me all the feels.
July 22, 2016
I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads
4 Teenage Angst Stars.
Young adult age-range: 13+, parental discretion with a handful of swear words & the dubious actions of one of the characters, but not above the norm of true-to-life situations. Sexual content: kissing.
Lisa Brown Roberts is a new-to-me author, and I look forward to reading more of her works. The writing style flowed fluidly and at a nice pace, with age-appropriate behavior by the characters.
Mandy has ADHD & learning disabilities, and I give mad props to the author for showing how that isn't an indicator on intelligence. Mandy is a joiner, natural leader, and the masses follow her with smiles on their faces. Mandy was an enjoyable character to read, down-to-earth and level-headed (for the most part, but that is plot-related)
Caleb's an awesome, swoon-worthy leading man. Introspective and introverted, he's seen as the bad boy because he's not a joiner.
Opposites attract in the time-tested trope of 'let's play pretend to be together'. Caleb's being stalked by an ex, and Mandy wants her crush since kindergarten to notice her as more than just a friend, so they begin a faux-romance that feels very real for the both of them.
My only complaint is how Mandy believed Gus over her BFFs and boyfriend, and every girl she came into contact with. For a smart girl, she was purposefully being obtuse, but it was realistically done, no matter how frustrating it was to read. I wanted to shake Mandy several times and say, "Girl, I wish you had a momma who could tell you how to spot the signs of a player."
Overall, I think young adults will get the warm and fuzzies from Resisting the Rebel, and those young at heart will get an injection of first crushes and first loves.
4 Teenage Angst Stars.
Young adult age-range: 13+, parental discretion with a handful of swear words & the dubious actions of one of the characters, but not above the norm of true-to-life situations. Sexual content: kissing.
Lisa Brown Roberts is a new-to-me author, and I look forward to reading more of her works. The writing style flowed fluidly and at a nice pace, with age-appropriate behavior by the characters.
Mandy has ADHD & learning disabilities, and I give mad props to the author for showing how that isn't an indicator on intelligence. Mandy is a joiner, natural leader, and the masses follow her with smiles on their faces. Mandy was an enjoyable character to read, down-to-earth and level-headed (for the most part, but that is plot-related)
Caleb's an awesome, swoon-worthy leading man. Introspective and introverted, he's seen as the bad boy because he's not a joiner.
Opposites attract in the time-tested trope of 'let's play pretend to be together'. Caleb's being stalked by an ex, and Mandy wants her crush since kindergarten to notice her as more than just a friend, so they begin a faux-romance that feels very real for the both of them.
My only complaint is how Mandy believed Gus over her BFFs and boyfriend, and every girl she came into contact with. For a smart girl, she was purposefully being obtuse, but it was realistically done, no matter how frustrating it was to read. I wanted to shake Mandy several times and say, "Girl, I wish you had a momma who could tell you how to spot the signs of a player."
Overall, I think young adults will get the warm and fuzzies from Resisting the Rebel, and those young at heart will get an injection of first crushes and first loves.
Shelved as 'abandoned'
May 28, 2017DNF at 42%
I'll be frank and I'll admit that I've been in a sort of a slump lately. I am in no mood to read more serious novels; instead, I aim for the cutesy kinds, where I don't have to use much brainpower at all. Some of the books I've read have been good or okay enough for me to finish to the end. However, others, such as this one and Playing the Player, by the same author (with terrible title selections), have been complete misses. The books I am looking to read right now don't have to be perfectly well-written, but I am in no mood to indulge in the characters' spontaneous and fairly early realizations that they care about each other and wish to kiss one another, just because they "look attractive". I realize these are teenagers we're talking about, and I may have had that sort of mindset back when I was a wily teenager, but I appreciate developments in story, characters, and romance. I don't like reading about two people who like each other from the beginning and keep getting into all these inane misunderstandings, with secondary, supposedly "best friend" characters created for the sole purpose of repeatedly expressing how stupidly obvious it is that the two main characters love one another. It's getting super old now.
I am not going to bother reading any of Roberts' other books. If you want to, I recommend How (Not) to Fall in Love. It's the only redeeming book she's written so far.
I'll be frank and I'll admit that I've been in a sort of a slump lately. I am in no mood to read more serious novels; instead, I aim for the cutesy kinds, where I don't have to use much brainpower at all. Some of the books I've read have been good or okay enough for me to finish to the end. However, others, such as this one and Playing the Player, by the same author (with terrible title selections), have been complete misses. The books I am looking to read right now don't have to be perfectly well-written, but I am in no mood to indulge in the characters' spontaneous and fairly early realizations that they care about each other and wish to kiss one another, just because they "look attractive". I realize these are teenagers we're talking about, and I may have had that sort of mindset back when I was a wily teenager, but I appreciate developments in story, characters, and romance. I don't like reading about two people who like each other from the beginning and keep getting into all these inane misunderstandings, with secondary, supposedly "best friend" characters created for the sole purpose of repeatedly expressing how stupidly obvious it is that the two main characters love one another. It's getting super old now.
I am not going to bother reading any of Roberts' other books. If you want to, I recommend How (Not) to Fall in Love. It's the only redeeming book she's written so far.
July 23, 2016
*This book was received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I really loved this book! Although the title sounds really cliche, the author took a new angle on the common trope of the good girl and bad boy. I loved how Mandy wasn't the typical good girl and was a complex character what with her love of the '70s, family situation, ADHD and disgraphia rather than the generic over-achiever and goody-two-shoes. The characters felt genuine and real and the book was set at a good pace, although there wasn't much action (in the traditional sense), it was never boring. Although Caleb appeared to be the bad-boy brooding type I'm glad the author gave his character more depth; underneath his scowling and menacing fascade he was actually really sweet.
Overall this was an awesome read with unique characters and great writing.
I really loved this book! Although the title sounds really cliche, the author took a new angle on the common trope of the good girl and bad boy. I loved how Mandy wasn't the typical good girl and was a complex character what with her love of the '70s, family situation, ADHD and disgraphia rather than the generic over-achiever and goody-two-shoes. The characters felt genuine and real and the book was set at a good pace, although there wasn't much action (in the traditional sense), it was never boring. Although Caleb appeared to be the bad-boy brooding type I'm glad the author gave his character more depth; underneath his scowling and menacing fascade he was actually really sweet.
Overall this was an awesome read with unique characters and great writing.
September 29, 2016
Que fofuraaaaaa!!!
YA sobre namoro fake pra chamar atenção do crush e acaba se tornando real. Aí, pensei: "ué, só 92726616 YA usam esse plot, q q tem demais?"
Bem,tem uma heroína super carismática, q todos adoram, é viciada em tudo q envolve os anos 70, adora dançar disco, recita mantras o tempo todo, acredita karma e tem problemas de aprendizado.
O herói é aquele bad boy de sempre, q se revela legal e cuidadoso com a heroína.
Esse livro é muito legal e me deu borboletas no estômago, coisa não muito comum quando leio YA ♡♡♡
YA sobre namoro fake pra chamar atenção do crush e acaba se tornando real. Aí, pensei: "ué, só 92726616 YA usam esse plot, q q tem demais?"
Bem,tem uma heroína super carismática, q todos adoram, é viciada em tudo q envolve os anos 70, adora dançar disco, recita mantras o tempo todo, acredita karma e tem problemas de aprendizado.
O herói é aquele bad boy de sempre, q se revela legal e cuidadoso com a heroína.
Esse livro é muito legal e me deu borboletas no estômago, coisa não muito comum quando leio YA ♡♡♡
July 17, 2016
Love, love, love this story. I wasn't reading much earlier this, but when I really picked it yesterday, I was hooked with Mandy, Caleb, J.T., Cammie, and all the rest of Many's posse....well, except Gus, the creep. I particularly liked the allusions to the Power Rangers, the allusions to books and reading, and the glimpses of Slade and Trina, still taking care of their crazy charges.
Must read, especially if you ever thought that the rebel in Sky High was the better boyfriend.
Must read, especially if you ever thought that the rebel in Sky High was the better boyfriend.
September 3, 2016
I really enjoyed this story. Although I wished for Mandy to give Caleb a little more credit.
He was the good guy. Oh, but the granny!!! I loved that old lady.
He was the good guy. Oh, but the granny!!! I loved that old lady.
December 10, 2016
3.5/5 stars!!
August 27, 2018
READ THIS CUTE BOOK IN ONE SITTING! And the fact that is was based off of the Sky High movie IS GREAT. sigh I just love Caleb
January 9, 2019
This book was deliciously cliched and a justified guilty pleasure.
November 10, 2020
This was just the perfect and cutest read!! I haven’t made so many fan girly screeching noises since I last saw all time low in concert haha. This was just absolutely fab! I couldn’t put it down! Also the fake dating and somewhat enemies to lovers (although it’s not but has hints of it) is my kryptonite. What can I say I love a story about a misunderstood “bad boy”.
I loved the characters and I am actually in love with Caleb. Like totally madly in love! I could cry ahhhh. I also adore Mandy as a character. I love that they’re explored really well as people and how we find this out along with the other person.
Also the friendship group! Fantastic characters I love them! I was to meet Cammie and J.T. so much. But other than them and of course Mandy and my love Caleb I want to meet Helen and Gran!! Like what absolute angels! I adore them and just want to spend a day with them I think it would be great!
I just really needed this tooth-achingly sweet but also so endearing read. It also had me wanting to punch a certain character, but violence is never the answer (except sometimes in extremely rare cases a little bit can be excused). It just made me feel all the feels and I’m so glad I picked it up to read when I did!
I loved the characters and I am actually in love with Caleb. Like totally madly in love! I could cry ahhhh. I also adore Mandy as a character. I love that they’re explored really well as people and how we find this out along with the other person.
Also the friendship group! Fantastic characters I love them! I was to meet Cammie and J.T. so much. But other than them and of course Mandy and my love Caleb I want to meet Helen and Gran!! Like what absolute angels! I adore them and just want to spend a day with them I think it would be great!
I just really needed this tooth-achingly sweet but also so endearing read. It also had me wanting to punch a certain character, but violence is never the answer (except sometimes in extremely rare cases a little bit can be excused). It just made me feel all the feels and I’m so glad I picked it up to read when I did!
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