I had hoped to purchase this title for my secondary library, but it is just too cheesy for my patrons. There are too few patrons in my library who would enjoy this.

Unfortunately this book has gone in my DNF pile. It just wasn't engaging me like it would have years ago when I first requested it. My reading tastes have changed a lot over the years as I've gotten older and unfortunately some of the books requested years ago have been affected by my reading tastes and the fact that a lot of books for younger audiences haven't been grasping my attention as of late. I thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Sadly, this book doesn't seem like it's for me. I tried to get in to it, unsuccessfully, and after reading other reviews it seems like I will not.

unfortunately, this one wasn't for me! I just wanted things to pick up quicker and this one was a little bit slower. I wanted more angst as well.

I am working through and clearing out my list of galleys and unfortunately not interested in reading this any more.

Good day! Before anything else, I would like to extend my deepest, sincerest gratitude for sending me a digital review copy of this book (via NetGalley). Thank you very much for the opportunity!

Unfortunately, I am sad to say that I have lost interest in this particular title, and consequently, I have decided against finishing it. Forcing myself to finish a book I am disinterested in (solely for the sake of finishing it) can only negatively impact the entirety of my reading experience, which, in turn, could result in me writing an unfairly negative review. That is a circumstance I hope to avoid. With that said, I believe that the best course of action is for me to simply not read it and to refrain from publicly posting any feedback regarding this book.

I hope you understand where I'm coming from. Again, thank you for the lovely opportunity!

No longer interested in reading this. Clearing out old galleys.

Relationships are a fun thing to write about and this one left me wanting more. I dislike the cancer romance books and this one didn't disappoint in the typical stereotype. The cover lead me to believe there would be more depth, but not so much. Taco was a disappointing character. The relationship with his Father seemed to be forced and the pregnancy hard to wrap my head around.

I did not put this negative review online, but voiced it here on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to review it prior to sending it to our readers.

Over-the-Top on Purpose

I trust Geoff Herbach. Books like "Stupid Fast" demonstrate that he knows his audience and can write great teen characters.

So why is the hero of this book, Taco, such a hyper, clueless, child? I suspect what we're trying to do here is drive home, in an amusing and engaging fashion, a number of important life lessons. And we're doing it in a sneaky I'm-smarter-than-he-is way.

This is the story of an unexpected teen pregnancy. But, it's not a heavy message book, or an after school special, or a serious episode of "Blossom". And it certainly isn't a kitchen-sink drama or an attempt at something realistic. It's the story of a big-hearted, clueless knucklehead who has no practical grasp on reality and an almost childish engagement with the real world. It seems to me that at almost every stage of this book a younger reader will see what's coming, know more than Taco, and feel superior to and more informed and in charge than Taco. And maybe that's what we're going for.

Everything is exaggerated for effect. Taco's dead Mom, the absent Father, the alcoholic older brother, the hot girlfriend and the non-stop trysts. And Taco is the naive innocent who has to learn the way of the world. He learns about sex, pregnancy, girlfriends, friends, money, responsibility, and family. This book becomes a very entertaining variation on a book that could have been called "Sex and Pregnancy for (Teenage Male) Dummies", with some of the same jokes and examples.

That's not to say that the book isn't often funny and touching. It's hard not to like generous and optimistic Taco, immaturity and all. And the reader is often caught off guard by an insightful, edgy or especially perceptive observation or throwaway line. Because it's Herbach there is great energy, humor and life affirmation here. Hard lessons are learned fairly painlessly, and there are happy outcomes for all involved. So, it's entertaining, but it makes an impression and leaves behind a message. I wouldn't want this to be my kid's only sex education, but as a painless way to drive home a message on impressionable minds it's not a bad choice at all. I waffled on this as I read it, because sometimes it almost made everything seem too easy, but on balance I saw this as an ambitious, interesting and oddly helpful bit of early teen fiction.

(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

Taco is a manic pixie dream boy. Trying to survive life and enjoy every day, despite living with his alcoholic older brother who is struggling to keep them afloat, his world is thrown into even more chaos when his girlfriend finds out she is pregnant.