The Wrong Kind of Weird by James Ramos is a fun way to relive those high school years.

Cam is part of the anime loving geek group with Karla is the popular crowd queen. They started a secret relationship over the summer and now Cam is not quite sure where they stand. We follow Cam, Karla and all their friends as they navigate high school and all the complicated relationships.

This book was so much fun. I would love to see it as a Netflix movie and the Pride and Prejudice scene with Cam’s sister was the best.

I love a YA romance, especially one that incorporates important topics with a diverse cast of friends.

I also recommend the audio!

Thanks to @netgalley and @inkyardpress for the e-arc.

This book wasn't really my cup of tea. I liked the characters and the plot, but the book felt bogged down by dated references that I, a millennial in my 40s, understood, but they made me wonder if today's teens would get them. And they weren't references to things I am personally a fan of (such as Pokémon and Dragon Ball). I feel like this book was meant for a very, very niche crowd. The characters could be so witty and funny and I wanted to see how the relationships turned out, but I found myself bored by all the Dragon Ball references and explanations, and the fun moments couldn't overtake them.

Thank you netgalley for the e copy in exchange for a honest review. I really enjoyed this book, I lost my dad and found myself in a funk where I didn’t want to read for awhile. I loved the characters and felt like it was a quick read. I judged the cover thinking it was going to be really “Ya” and unenjoyable but I was wrong!!

3.75 but rounding up for the review!

This story is filled with anime - specifically Dragon Ball references. Ramos is able to perfectly embody the nerd trope in Cameron & his friends - it’s scary good and can be considered annoying. The other characters, specifically the popular ones, are viewed through a narrow lens. While I think this was intentional, the characters felt a little flat and it was hard to identify with them. Up until the halfway point of the story, I wouldn’t have been able to tell who was who on the cover.

I think the story was done well. I appreciated Cam’s development even if I think he took too long and the author might have some unresolved issues with popular kids. This is a YA that’s definitely for teens. There’s mentions of sex but nothing explicit and I think the topic was covered well. I enjoyed that Cam’s tribe was LGBTQIA+. I enjoyed that he had a mostly supportive family (even though I didn’t think the bit about his father was necessary).

Overall I think the book was a good read and a book that should be shared with teens - especially ones that think of themselves as outsiders.

What a delightful YA romance! This book has a wide range of BIPOC representation and will be great for lovers of anime, nerd culture, and Pride & Prejudice. It's part romance, but part coming-of-age for our main character, Cam - he is trying to navigate his true self and interests, with social pressures to be with the popular crowd.

It definitely took me back to the awkwardness of high school - where you are navigating cliques, figuring out who you really are, and building your own self-confidence.

As a fan of all things Star Wars, Studio Ghibli, and Jane Austen I was immediately drawn in. This reads like a contemporary Pride and Prejudice if Elizabeth and Darcy had secretly dated the whole time. Our MC, Cameron and his friends are members of G.A.N.U (Geeks and Nerds United) and distinctly NOT popular kids, even though Cameron has been secretly dating the Queen Bee, Karla, since summer break. Throughout the book Cameron discovers his own self worth and the toxicity of his relationship with Karla while dropping almost as many pop culture references as Ready Player One. If it sounds like the perfect John Hughes plot, I'm happy to point you to Can't Buy Me Love, (1987) where a young Patrick Dempsey pays the popular girl to be his fake girlfriend.Th

The Wrong Kind of Weird is full of fun high-school high jinks and diverse representation. However, I I was disappointed with how long the toxic relationship lasted. It definitely crossed the border from interesting exposition to frustrating. The story was fun but I was a bit disappointed that the writing fell a bit flat. There was just so much unnecessary explaining of pop-culture references. Either we get it, and we're the intended audience for this book, or we don't. I also would have loved to see more emotional development with our three MCs than we got.

Overall, a fun ya read that celebrates all things nerdy and tells you to love what you love and not be ashamed.
Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the e-arc.

Although a little difficult to get into, I liked the story overall and absolutely loved the diverse characters in this book. Their view on school and the world around them was incredibly relatable. I could definitely see this playing out in one of the many teen dramas I’ve watched over the years.

Voluntarily reviewed after receiving a free copy courtesy of NetGalley, the Publisher and the author, James Ramos.

The Wrong Kind of Weird follows Cameron Carson, who is a member of Geeks and Nerds United and has been “ secretly hooking up with student council president, cheerleader, theater enthusiast, and all-around queen bee Karla Ortega since the summer.” The problem is that this coffee shop co-worker's romance was to end by the next school year. But this secret love story isn't all sweetheart because “Karla isn’t intending on blending their friend groups anytime soon, or at all.” Enter Mackenzie, who wears her heart on her sleeves so when “Cameron finds himself unexpectedly bonding with” her. While also being snubbed by Karla he begins to wonder who really is just a friend and who might be more.
During this story, you couldn't help but want the best for Cameron, aka Cam. And want the best for his friend group. We meet so many characters throughout this book, and many characters do grow and develop. My favorite thing about Cam and his friends is that they are passionate about what they love may it be anime, manga, cosplay, etc.
Things unfold events that make Cam think that each person has something they love and should be embarrassed or shamed for liking, whether it's anima, sport, theater, fashion, whatever it may be. They have a Friday night movie night but Cam skips it to go to a party, thinking he wants to prove that he can be cool. Karla and Cam come from different groups in school hiding from their friends. From hookups to meeting new people Cam realizes what he wants from a relationship. Mackenzie and Cam’s sister, Cassie we're my favorite, I just enjoyed reading about them. They made me smile. Ramos’s writing style is simple, easy to follow, and has a cheerful vibe to it, there were a few cheesy lines but this is an entertaining read. This book covers many important topics queer, race, sexism, and teen relationships, bullying. I do have to note that the ending felt rushed to me.
This is a charming coming-of-age story of awkward and hilarious moments all wrapped around the geeky high school years.

I'm writing this now because the strike is over. This book isn't something I usually read. It was obvious from the start that there was going to be a love triangle. And I really didn't like WHY there was a love triangle to begin with. But it wasn't too bad. It was cute enough, but I wouldn't go out my way to read it again.

The Wrong Kind of Weird is a fun but forgettable YA coming of age story. I say coming of age, because even though it centers around a love triangle of sorts, it’s more about our main character navigating his relationships and who he is. What I liked about this is his arc, and the author’s passion for the fandoms he writes about. I also think it’s funny at times, and I liked that it was sex positive. It talked about sex in an honest way, which is rare. Lastly, I feel like the ending was satisfying.

There was nothing I really hated about this. I disliked how long the toxic relationship in this goes on, and I disliked the lack of accountability some characters face. The main issue is that these felt like characters I’ve read before, which makes sense because they feel real high schoolers. The problem is there’s no layers to a lot of them, and a few relationships lacked real development. Still, I think teenage readers will like this. I feel like a lot of teen boys will relate to the main character, and that’s important.

Ultimately, this was just okay. I’d be interested in what the author does next, and think there’s a lot of potential here. I don’t think it’s meant for my library, but it definitely has a home in other spaces.

This was a super cute, male POV, high school romance and coming of age story. Cameron is a member of the Geeks and Nerds United group and also happens to be secretly making out with the most popular girl in school on the side. This definitely won’t end well. Yikes! Cameron ultimately does some soul searching to find the romantic path that makes him feel most fulfilled and authentic. I enjoyed the character development, but overall felt the plot was common.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley & InkYard Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

First, I don't read much YA and definitely not contemporary YA so I can't speak to how it compares to other works in this genre. There are some other reviews on Goodreads that offer this information so check them out.

I was intrigued by the title and the juxtaposition in the cover.

What I liked:
1. As a mom to a teenage son, I appreciate that this book is from a male POV. I think it's important for EVERYONE to see themselves in books and - whether this is true or not - my impression is that it is weighted more to the female pov.
2. Strong friendship group. Cam seems like a typical teenage guy who likes himself - but also wants to be part of the "in crowd".
Within the very cliche plot, Cameron not only accepts himself but sees value in who he is as well as realizing this is true for other groups of people that he had previously thought were very different from him. While his decision to reach out and form friendships is wrapped around a desire to "win the girl" it does result in him forming quasi-friendships with new people, who also realize that they share interests with the "nerds" (author depiction, not mine).
Even the one who I thought would be the 'evil mean girl' didn't turn out that way.
We are all more the same than we are different I think sums up the theme pretty well.
3. The inclusion of anime/manga. I don't actually know much about any of it but I enjoyed the inclusion and I didn't feel lost.
4. Forgiveness: There is tension between Cam and his friends once they find out about some of his actions. He's sorry about it. They're mad about it. But they forgive him. And their friendship continues. Learning to forgive people's actions that betray us is an important lesson and I liked how Ramos handled it.

While the book is full of cliche characters and situations, several of which made me roll my eyes, overall I think it's something I think most teenagers would be able to identify with.
Content Warnings: yes, there is kissing/making out/touching/undressing. There's not actual sex. Consent and protection are clearly discussed. There's a party and alcohol is referenced.

I received a dARC via Netgalley; this is my honest review.

(Actual: 3.5⭐️ rounded down) This was a cute read and was super easy to visualize as a teen rom-com on Netflix or Hulu (the fun kind, rather than cringy). The characters were relatable, the plot engaging (with a few unexpected parts too!), and I just think it does a really great job at capturing both the awkwardness of high school & the beauty of getting older and coming into our own. I’d definitely read more by this author!

This book was so much fun! James Ramos captures the voice of a teenager so well, and it's great to see someone nerd out on page so fiercely. The story as a whole is interesting, but truly the work of art here lies in Cam's inner voice. All the choices made by Ramos feel perfect and effortless.

I did see that some people are adverse the amount of cursing in the book, however its a realistic portrayal of how young people think/talk. Anyone who doesn't understand that doesn't know teens.

A cute, fun read that I devoured in just 24 hours. Loved the characters, loved the moral of the story, loved every step of the journey from beginning to end!

This book felt like it would make a good movie….a teenage rom-com movie that is cheesy but fun. (And honestly this might be the exception that proves the rule that the book is always better than the movie). I thought the story was cute, but it wasn’t ground breaking and felt pretty typical to the movie tropes that exist for high school movies.

This was indeed quirky/nerdy, and a bit unrealistic in my opinion. I’ve worked with many quirky kids and I’ve never seen them interact in ways they do in this book. As for the plot, it was not the easiest to get into but that may be just due to my own preference.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this light read. Cameron was such a relatable character, geeky, smart, and funny. He finds himself in a relationship with popular girl Karla who doesn't want anyone at school to know about them. It gets increasingly difficult to swallow his dignity as he's repeatedly ignored in public.. When he meets McKenzie, and they start to bond over anime in the GANU club (Geeks and Nerds United), Cam starts to wonder if he's going after the right person.

This was a fast cute read that will leave no lasting impression and I'll probably forget that I read it. I had to laugh because I plunged into this one not remembering what it was about and spent the first chapter or so thinking I was reading from a lesbian's point of view. Don't ask me why. I have no idea.

This was a simple high school story - something you'd probably watch on the CW. Boy hooks up with popular girl in secret, boy tries to change himself so that popular clique will accept him, boy starts getting feelings for a different girl that sees the "real" him. The only difference here is the nods to Pride & Prejudice - I particularly liked how Cameron's sister made him pay attention to the hand stretch part after Darcy helps Elizabeth into the carriage.

Anyway, cute, fine, good for a one time read.

THIS WAS EXTREMELY CUTE. High schooler Cam is caught in the middle as he secretly grows closer to the most popular girl at school, but at the cost of being true to himself and the crew of friends he's most comfortable around. I loved this - wonderful lessons that are important for le youth to read through; a great representation of diversity as well [socioeconomic, racial, sexual orientation, etc]. 4 stars for a cozy, quick yet fun read that definitely went off the rails as secrets were revealed but not in the stressful ways that books that employ this trope sometimes lean too hard into. Warning: there is a lot of anime [my friend Joey's ears just perked up], manga, fantasy discussion in here. Just skim right on by if that's not your thing, like I did. One of the main themes of this book is to find your thing and not give a rat's tass about if it's cool or not, so just do you, boo!