Zero by Tom Leveen - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

Sep 16, 2011 Jo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, oh-how-we-laugh, ya, e

I couldn’t actually find a quote that I loved that wouldn’t spoil things so I’m going to quote a quote.

“Love, I said, strangely resembled certain gastric sensations… producing an uneasiness and shudders so delicate that one is not sure whether one is in love or feels like vomiting.”- Salvador Dali.

Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Phew. I’m glad it ended like that. I thought I was going to get stabby…

High Points.
Zero..ish. Mike. Awkward first love. Dali. Coffee shops. Band t-shirts. Golden records....more

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Jan 05, 2012 Katya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, arc-galley, favorites, geek-love, i-wanna-write-like-that, made-me-cry, realism, teen-lit, super-awesome

Also found here: http://theninjareader.tumblr.com/post...

Where do I begin?

Maybe by pointing out my (quite limited) experience with truly great YA books? Or by lamenting the horrible, horrible trends in popular literature? Or maybe wishing for a time where more YA contemporary was written?

How about I begin with this story and how completely awesome it is? Or maybe with two characters who are just so loveable, so awesome, so absolutely fantastic, I just want to sit down with them in a cafe and tal...more Also found here: http://theninjareader.tumblr.com/post...

Where do I begin?

Maybe by pointing out my (quite limited) experience with truly great YA books? Or by lamenting the horrible, horrible trends in popular literature? Or maybe wishing for a time where more YA contemporary was written?

How about I begin with this story and how completely awesome it is? Or maybe with two characters who are just so loveable, so awesome, so absolutely fantastic, I just want to sit down with them in a cafe and talk until dawn?

Amanda "Zero", is our protagonist - a seventeen year old girl who has been accepted to the college of her dreams, but has to give up when her scholarship application is shot down. She can't talk to her best friend anymore, and her house is a constant war zone. Enter Mike, the drummer of the band Gothic Rainbow, whom Zero meets at a gig.

And if you think that this is just another rom-com about bands achieving greatness and misunderstood artists getting recognition and problems and home... you would be right, and yet completely wrong at the same time. Allow me to explain - those elements do exist in this book. But unlike "She's All That", Zero actually puts them to far better use.

Let me put it this way - in your standard rom-com, Zero would go through some uber-traumatic experience, then get on her feet with Mike's help, and then meet some gallery owner who totally digs her art and skyrockets her to fame and fortune. This doesn't happen - not only are there is no immediate artistic recognition in this novel, Zero is refreshingly proactive when it comes to... well, everything. That is not to say that she's without her flaws - on the contrary, she makes plenty of mistakes, but she recovers from them, and, more importantly, she refuses to take anything lying down.

And can I just say I love it when I see a realistic portrayal of sex and a sexual relationship in a book? Just sayin'.

Mike... what can I say? Have my babies? Or let me have yours, unless Amanda beats me to it. I mean, seriously, if Amanda is refreshing, Mike is, I don't know, revolutionary, at least as far as romantic interests in YA come. I mean, the dude actually refuses to let his girlfriend have a low self-esteem, and goes about it in a convincing, non-creepy way! Either this is an awesome feat, or I've been reading too muck YA Paranormal.

So, great characters, great story, great voice. I have nothing else to say but "Pre-order away!"

NOTE: A copy of this book was provided by the publishers via NetGalley.(less)

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Aug 26, 2011 Isamlq rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley

Based on its cover, I was expecting a darker heavier YA. Surprisingly, Zero is sweet… not that it was all sweet all the time since her a dysfunctional family and uncomfortable friendships are a big part of it… but it’s mostly about a girl figuring out what’s best for her. Amanda is Zero. Her nickname alone should be enough to clue you in as to what she thinks of herself. And it’s this fact, above all, that bothered me… and apparently her as well. Reading her work out what she was worth and what...more

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Jun 19, 2012 J rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-favs, tom-leveen-novels

"But we're only going around once, you know? I mean, we're not going to be able to do this when we're twenty-five, thirty. Forty. If we're gonna screw up, let's do it now while we still can."---Mike

I have never been so JEALOUS, completely drenched in jealousy, for a book character's life or lives as I am of Zero and Mike. Youth hands people a blank slate, or for the sake of Zero and Salvador Dali's love of art, a blank canvas to paint their lives any which way the wind blows them. Young people a...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-for-sure, kindle, contemporary, ya-loved, ya-liked, ya-take-it-or-leave-it, awesome-inner-dialogue, mock-prints-2012

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the ARC.

ok.. 4.5 star, maybe just 4 for the lack of an exciting plot.

**spoilers ahead, ye be warned..oh, and also heavy sarcasm. I'm not a sexist, I swear**

I'm warning you right now. I'm going to use profanity in this review. Those who know me know I'm not much of a potty mouth. Except when I'm driving, but that's a whole different story.

I'm going to call bullshit to this so-called 'Tom Leveen'. Bullshit, Tom. Bullshit.

There is NO WAY you are a man. You hav...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Annette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Zero is a typical coming-of-age story of a teen during a really difficult period. But, typical is not a bad word in this case. The characters are edgy, and Leveen has written a realistic story that tugged at my heart.

Zero (a nickname she gave herself, which gives you an idea about her self-esteem) has had her world fall apart. After graduation, she and her best and only friend have a falling out. We aren't sure what happened until much later in the book, but we are given hints that this was very...more Zero is a typical coming-of-age story of a teen during a really difficult period. But, typical is not a bad word in this case. The characters are edgy, and Leveen has written a realistic story that tugged at my heart.

Zero (a nickname she gave herself, which gives you an idea about her self-esteem) has had her world fall apart. After graduation, she and her best and only friend have a falling out. We aren't sure what happened until much later in the book, but we are given hints that this was very traumatic.

She also got accepted to her dream school, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, but then doesn't qualify for a scholarship, so now she can't go.

And, her father is drinking heavily and he and her mother do nothing but scream and shout when they are at home together. Little bit of stress?

Zero goes to see a band in a club and is instantly attracted to the drummer because of his eyes. She actually strikes up a conversation (not typical for Zero) and slowly a relationship begins.

I liked the romance in Zero. This isn't you typical insta-love. Mike (the drummer) has recently had a breakup, and Zero has never had a relationship before and is understandably hesitant. But Mike seems to know what to say and do to get Zero to think about herself and make plans for the future.

Zero is a talented artist and a huge fan of Salvador Dali. Dali quotes begin every chapter, adding to the charm of Zero.

I would never have guessed what caused the disagreement with Zero and her friend Jenn. This was a unexpected and unique twist.

All of Zero's issues come to some sort of resolution, although not the way you might guess. This isn't a "happily ever after" perfect ending, but it's pretty hopeful and realistic. Zero makes a big decision at the end, and even though I knew which was the BEST decision, I kind of wanted her to decide the other way. That makes an ending enjoyable!

About that cover -- maybe I missed it, but I don't remember anyone having a Mohawk in the book. Just sayin'.

Teens who enjoy contemporary romance stories, and especially those interested in music or art, should be handed Zero. It's not an earth-shattering book that will stick with me forever, but it is definitely worth the read.(less)

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Jul 31, 2012 Davina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-fiction-drama, teen-fiction-coming-of-age

"Zero" (aka Amanda), has just graduated from high school and is looking forward to a brokenhearted summer after finding out that the art school she applied to (and was accepted to) won't grant her the scholarship she needs to attend. Add to that the fact that she isn't speaking with her best (and only) friend, and that her parents fight so much that it makes her nauseous, and it is easy to understand why Zero has nil confidence and doesn't know what to do with herself. But, at least she can go t...more

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Apr 20, 2012 Wandering Librarians rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, friendship, realistic-fiction, romance, serious-issues, ya

Zero is an artist, or at least she thought she was until her dream college revoked her scholarship. Without the money to attend, and since she isn't speaking to her best and only friend, Zero is now stuck with an empty summer, full of her parent's fighting. To escape, Zero seeks out the punk rock clubs and becomes friends with a group of guys in the band Gothic Rainbow, in particular the drummer, Mike. Slowly Zero begins to find the courage and confidence to seek out her dream of art.

It was clea...more Zero is an artist, or at least she thought she was until her dream college revoked her scholarship. Without the money to attend, and since she isn't speaking to her best and only friend, Zero is now stuck with an empty summer, full of her parent's fighting. To escape, Zero seeks out the punk rock clubs and becomes friends with a group of guys in the band Gothic Rainbow, in particular the drummer, Mike. Slowly Zero begins to find the courage and confidence to seek out her dream of art.

It was clear right away that Zero didn't think much of herself. I mean, she's letting everyone call her Zero. It's not hard to see how she got a low opinion of herself, however. Art is her one love, but she didn't have a teacher in high school that could help her strengthen her skills. The rejection from college hit her hard, and now she thinks she sucks at the one thing that made her happy. Zero is a bit of an outcast, her one close friend being Jenn, who she's now cut herself off from. Her home situation isn't great. Her father is an alcoholic who's drinking a good portion of the family's income (which is why Zero can't afford college).

I thought a nice aspect was that Zero's journey to self-confidence was also reflected in her mother. Zero's mother was pretty beaten down. She yelled and screamed at Zero's father and froze everyone out, but she couldn't do anything that would actually help or change their situation. It was really great to see her at the end stand up and tell her husband that he either needed to get help or get out. Zero and her mother can help each other much more than either of them thought.

Zero's journey to a more confident her starts with a boy. This did not bother me at all, because it doesn't end there. Mike helps Zero a lot, and encourages her, which she did not have in her life before. He can see merit in her art and suggests taking art classes over the summer to work on her technical skills. Zero mentions her weight a lot. She's clearly her self-conscious not only about her self-worth but also her physical appearance. She makes comments about how ugly she is, and how fat. We realize much later on, however, that most of this is in her head. Mike helps her see that she's hiding underneath her big baggy close. Having someone other than your mom tell you you're beautiful goes a long way.

At the end of the book, Mike and his band are leaving for their big break, and he asks Zero to go with him. I didn't know what choice she was going to make. She took the time to think about it and weigh the good and the bad. If it was the Zero at the beginning of the book, she would have been gone in a second. But this new Zero had dreams of her own and was starting to put her life back together. There were things she wanted to do, and so she made the incredibly difficult choice of saying goodbye to Mike, even though she loved him. I was very proud of Zero. I was also proud that she had started using her real name, Amanda.

I could have done without some of the side-plot, like the pregnancy scare. I felt it was unnecessary. The main plot was strong and the pacing was good.

Zero comes out April 24, 2012(less)

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Mar 07, 2012 Jessica(WonderlandReviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

What to say about this book. It is hard to know where to start simply because I loved every aspect of this book.
I got this book by applying to be an Ambuzzador and luckily my application was accepted. I will say they couldn't have picked a better book for me then Zero.
Appearance wise I thought "Finally! A love story for the punks. It isn't a fairy tale Ken and Barbie one." Being what society often classifies as ' punk' since I have piercing's, listen to loud music and at one point have had my ha...more

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Dec 22, 2011 LibriCritic rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-lit

As you can gather from the description, Tom Leveen’s second foray into the adolescent teenage mind (his first book, Party, came out in 2010) is all about awkwardness of first love and the arduous journey of discovering one’s own worth. The main protagonist, who goes by Zero–an obvious indicator of her own selfworth–has angsty issues aplenty. She hates her body, her art, her family, and now her bestfriend. And, like all teenagers, she simultaneous craves and fears the spotlight. After plucking up...more As you can gather from the description, Tom Leveen’s second foray into the adolescent teenage mind (his first book, Party, came out in 2010) is all about awkwardness of first love and the arduous journey of discovering one’s own worth. The main protagonist, who goes by Zero–an obvious indicator of her own selfworth–has angsty issues aplenty. She hates her body, her art, her family, and now her bestfriend. And, like all teenagers, she simultaneous craves and fears the spotlight. After plucking up the courage to talk to a skater boy who also happens to be the drummer in an up-and-coming band, Zero falls head first into a relationship that makes her take a hard look at how she treats herself and what it is she wants out of life.

Tom Leveen does an excellent job capturing the voice of a teenage girl, especially considering he was never one himself. Zero feels authentic in a way that is both interesting and familiar. She is smart, creative, and funny, if you don’t mind 13-year-old-boy humor. Her relationships with her parents and boyfriend are believable, and not overdramatized. In short, she is a character many readers will relate to.

The book deals with a lot of heavy issues without feeling too depressing. Zero worries constantly about her body image, choosing to view herself only through the reflection of the glass framing her Salvador Dali reprints collection–the distorted image obviously mirroring (hehe, pun) the twisted way in which she views herself. Her relationship with her parents is on the rocks. Her father is a heavy drinker spiralling out of control, and Zero places the blame firmly at her mothers feet. She also has had a falling out with her bestfriend–perhaps the most evocative relationship in the entire book, and something, I’m sad to say, that wasn’t as fully explored as it could have been.

The text itself is paired down to the basics. Simple sentences (sorry, no flowery verbosity here), firmly bring about Zero’s veiwpoint and also make the book a quick read (I finished it in under five hours).

However, this book does have one major drawback: the plot. A whole lot of nothing goes on during the book. The characters and interactions Leveen has built are fantastic, but they accomplish next to zilch. The biggest achievement for the main character–giving up her moniker, Zero, for her real name, Amanda–is something that goes unremarked upon, Leveen choosing instead to build up Zero’s indecision whether to follow her rocker boyfriend to LA. When at last Zero makes her decision, it still feels like more like an afterthought than a declaration of selfworth. This feeling carries through to the other, quickly hashed out resolutions concerning Zero’s parents’ marital strife and the conflict with bestfriend Jenn. At the end of the book, everybody–characters and readers alike–are left with the feeling that more could have been said and done, but regrettably was not.(less)

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Nov 24, 2011 Christina (Reading Thru The Night) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, ya-love

IF this book was not inside my IPad I would kiss it and love it and hug it all over. Seriously. I have a fierce crush on this author because of this book alone. (You might remember, I read Party, Leveen's debut book in 2011).

I'm going to give Leveen one of the best compliments that I think I could give because I hardly EVER read a book and think, Man, this would rock if it became a movie. But he just has a KNACK for realistic romcom's. If John Hughes, rest his soul, could have met up with Mr. To...more IF this book was not inside my IPad I would kiss it and love it and hug it all over. Seriously. I have a fierce crush on this author because of this book alone. (You might remember, I read Party, Leveen's debut book in 2011).

I'm going to give Leveen one of the best compliments that I think I could give because I hardly EVER read a book and think, Man, this would rock if it became a movie. But he just has a KNACK for realistic romcom's. If John Hughes, rest his soul, could have met up with Mr. Tom it would be all *fist pump* all night long.

Let me gush less and back up why - -

Amanda is seventeen-turning-eighteen-just-graduated artist who goes by Zero because that's how she feels half of the time. (Her mom will just refer to her as sensitive. Aw moms, aren't they the bestests!) Well, sensitive or not, Amanda is DEVASTATED when she finds out that she got into the prestigious art school but didn't get awarded the scholarship. And you know, she didn't have anyone around her that could say, Girl, take out student loans...you can pay them back, like, later days. Also, her and her bestie had a falling out, which we don't really know why until about a third of the book and then you're gonna already be hooked but will want to hear more about Jenn's story. (Uh, excuse me, Mr. Leveen, if you're reading this, can you please write Jenn's story? Purty please? With snowcaps on top?)

One night right after all of this post graduation garbage, Zero is hangin' out at a club listening to some punk music when her eye latches onto the drummer. The hawt drummer with the gorgeous eyes. And she does something completely unexpected, she talks to him.

This girl already has my admiration for going to the bar by herself, but to then move over and talk to this boy from the band with all of the other band members around? Dude, I wish I was her when I was that young. Zero finds out the boy's name is Mike and he's a pretty decent guy. You know, truly wants to get to know her and find out what she's about while he's still figuring out what he's about. And lots of things happen, like Zero taking an art course and figuring out what wants to do -- and her drunk father almost hitting rock bottom while her mom figures out what to do - - and her relationship with Jenn getting back together after a rocky falling out -- and LURVE.

You see, it's not so much that there's any HUGE EPIPHANY (although there kinda is). But it's MORE like these aren't characters. They're really turning into adults young people and they're turning-into-adults-young-people-who-totally-and-completely-kick-arse.

There's some snark and some body issues and some insecurity and selfishness. There's believe in yourself and not. And then believing in someone else and not. There's PLENTY of mistakes, but then some totally hardcore resolutions. And whereas this book could have left me snuggled with my blankie and thumb wishing for an alternative, I wanted to do a happy boogey for the truism of KNOW THYSELF.

Finally, Mr. Leveen, man thank you for entering the YA scene. We gots lots of ladies to love on, but I'm always looking for yummilicious male authors that I can fangirl slobber over.(less)

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Apr 10, 2013 Luy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I picked this book up one day over the summer when I had about four hours to kill at the library and I figured, eh why not? Living in Arizona sounds almost desirable just from reading this book, and I live in Arizona! Zero is about a recently graduated girl named Amanda Walsh aka Zero. SPOILER ALERT : she loses her best friend Jenn after going home with her at the end of Graduation and getting drunk.. Hmmm. It was kind of funny to me how that happened!
Goodness gracious, I just fell in love wit...more I picked this book up one day over the summer when I had about four hours to kill at the library and I figured, eh why not? Living in Arizona sounds almost desirable just from reading this book, and I live in Arizona! Zero is about a recently graduated girl named Amanda Walsh aka Zero. SPOILER ALERT : she loses her best friend Jenn after going home with her at the end of Graduation and getting drunk.. Hmmm. It was kind of funny to me how that happened!
Goodness gracious, I just fell in love with the way she practically worshipped Salvador Dali! Plus in the beginning her whole, I don't care about how I look but I do. Hits home for a lot of people, nobody wants crap for their style!
Her home life isn't the best, while her dad likes to indulge on alchohol her mom just doesn't seem to understand her. It's pretty tough trying to concentrate on painting when you want to scream at your parents to stop fighting.
Amanda takes a community college art class during the summer and the teacher she has has connections to art schools spcifically Chicago where she wanted to go so badly in the first place. THEN she offers to write Amanda a reccomendation letter and LEAVES. I was freaking out as much as Amanda, HOW DO YOU JUST LEAVE!
How does this guy come up with band names?! They're a bit far from believable but I know a few that hit home. She goes to a concert and makes eye contact with the drummer. INSTANT LOVE. Then when she talks to him she's freaking out on the inside but manages to keep it cool on the outside, can you say deja vu??
The guys name is Mike, and from the way the author Tom explains him, any girl could fall in love with him. On their first date he takes her to Camelback Mountain (not that cool in real life) with ice cream and just hang out. I mean how romantic and simple is that?!
Honestly, this book is beautifully written! I loved it! The ending was amazing too, it didn't leave me with that well what now or NO GO BACK IN TIME, feeling. It kind of ends in whatever way you want to think about but overall it gives you that sensation of hope like Amanda's going to be happy! I love this book it was FANTASTIC!!(less)

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May 01, 2012 Joli rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, books-i-won

I have pretty much gushed over all of the books that I've read recently, but I can't help it. They have just been so fantastic and now Tom Leveen's Zero can be added to the bunch. Amanda, aka Zero, just don't call her Amy, is a main character that is easy to relate to. She's a little awkward, a bit unsure, a big dreamer, but needs that little boost of confidence that no one has given her and she can't seem to find within herself.

Amanda has just graduated from high school and as her summer plans...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Madelyne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, just-simply-a-good-read, want-to-own, random-buzzers

Zero, Amy, Amanda . . . all names belonging to one girl. Zero is an aspiring artist with friend problems, family problems, guy problems and what to do next problems. I think it is safe to say every girl will find some way to relate to this young woman.

The moment you graduate from high school you are immediately bombarded with what’s next. No moment to breathe and take every aspect into quiet contemplation. The few of us who know what does come next may have obstacles we have no control over. Ama...more

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Jun 17, 2012 Ashley Teagle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book. This is definitely a good young adult book. As I was reading, I was thinking back to my own teenage years and how I felt the same way Zero did. Basically it's the story of a teenage girl who is learning, as all young people must, how to deal with relationships. She has issues to work through with her best friend, boyfriend, parents and herself.

The other thing that struck me about this book is how it reflects how a young person comes to understand their journey and purpose in...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Paige rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, 2012-ya-contemporary

I'm not much of an artist myself. I like art, and the yearly trips to the musems in elementary school didn't bother me much, but I haven't been much of an artiste. I left that to my sister.

So I found this ARC on NetGalley. I had read Tom Leeven's first book Party about a year ago. Both books dealt with the artisty, gritty scene of Los Angeles and the surrounding area. And what did I think?

I'm still unsure, and I finished this book three days ago. But I guess if I had to rate it, say how I felt...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Ellen added it

I really liked this book. I thought the author wrote a very realistic and sweet (but not sickeningly so) love story. ALthough it was much more than just a love story. it was a book about attaining your dreams. It also makes you wonder how hard are you willing to work to make your dreams come true. Also what are you willing to give up and risk to make them happen. I liked the way the main character dealt with her personal issues. Zero is far from perfect. I thought zero was a very realistic and l...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Lanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

WARNING: This is more of a rant than a review. Enter at your own peril.
What an absolutely stupid book!
That's what I think as I read it. And the reasons involve the author trying to hard to sound like a teenager, overusing bad words in a way that seems like Tom Leveen's only doing it to hook his audience, and just being slightly pointless. He left alot of strings hanging. How will Zero, (excuse me, Amanda,) ever get into the art collage she wanted to be in? How did Jenn's relationship with Zero...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Sherry rated it 4 of 5 stars

First, let me begin by saying the cover for this book does not do it justice. It does not relate whatsoever to the concept of the storyline. Okay, that being said, I thought this was an excellent book about finding oneself and truly seeing the world for what it is sometimes, chaotic. I like that the author included art as a median for expressing motion.

I also really liked the following quote the author used, as it can apply and/or define most people:

“Mistakes are almost always of a sacred natur...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Noelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Amanda has always gone by the nickname Zero--an apt description of her self-esteem. When she gets accepted into a prestigious art school, her "nothing" status at last seems a thing of the past. Amanda is planning to spend her last summer at home hanging with her best friend, making art and going to see her favorite local bands. What could go wrong? How about not qualifying for a necessary scholarship.

Just like that the best summer ever has become Zero's worst nightmare. She's stuck in remedial a...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Andrew rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Overall, I think that this was a pretty good, fairly quick read. I enjoyed this book a lot more than Leveen's previous book, Party. I liked seeing that Zero knew she had to work more on her paintings but was still proud of the ones she made, and sets a pretty good example about working on art.

However, I think I enjoyed the first half of the book moreso than the second; I enjoyed seeing her enjoy going to music clubs and seeing her become friends with GR, because it made me feel like I could rel

...more

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Sep 17, 2011 Karla Nellenbach rated it 5 of 5 stars

Summary:

Amanda "Zero" Walsh expected the summer between high school graduation and college to be easy and relaxed. She'd do nothing but go to clubs with her BFF Jenn, paint, and just be a lazy teenager while counting down the days until she could make her big escape to Chicago and art school.

When needed scholarship monies are denied, her friendship with Jenn collapse because of an event that Zero can only describe as majorly awkward and her parents' relationship takes a turn for the nasty, Zero'...more

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Feb 26, 2012 Hillary rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

3.5

Where to start? I was seriously taken by surprise by this book. I did enjoy it. The cover doesn’t really convey the charm, wit, and, emotion contained within its confines.
Zero aka Amanda Walsh is troubled. Life isn’t turning out exactly as she had planned after graduation. Family issues, best friend issues, and art school issues top her list of problems. What should really top her list is her lack of self-respect as well as self-confidence. This is where the book was frustrating to me. I kn...more 3.5

Where to start? I was seriously taken by surprise by this book. I did enjoy it. The cover doesn’t really convey the charm, wit, and, emotion contained within its confines.
Zero aka Amanda Walsh is troubled. Life isn’t turning out exactly as she had planned after graduation. Family issues, best friend issues, and art school issues top her list of problems. What should really top her list is her lack of self-respect as well as self-confidence. This is where the book was frustrating to me. I know this is typical behavior of some teens, but I wanted to reach in and strangle her for her open loathing of herself at some points. Her public pointed jabs at herself just got under my skin.
Mike is an interesting character. A punk rock drummer with talent and has a seriously sensible head on his shoulders? Why…Hello there… His family issues, sensibility, and sensitivity draw you in. He is someone who tries to inspire the others around him, even it is quietly. He does this for Zero, and it only endeared him even more to me.
Highlights to the relationship between Zero and Mike are that they aren’t the sun, moon, and everything in between to one another. They both have their art and their own friends, but they find rightness in each other. It’s a warming and healthy depiction of a relationship that sometimes gets lost in YA novels. There isn’t really any pressure from one side or the other and there is a natural progression to it.
The family issues are real and nicely approached, even if not a main arch it is a touch that adds more to Zero and how/why she feels like she does about herself, about her art, about…her life. The same can be said for Mike as well as Jenn.
I wish there had been more about/with her best friend Jenn. It was an intriguing arch but it fell kind of short for me.
The ending was pleasant. It kept me guessing what exactly was going to happen. I wanted everything to happen but that isn’t realistic, and the ending leaves hope. What any good ending should leave off with, if not rainbows and spring flowers should most definitely be hope.
(less)

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Nov 27, 2011 Heather rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, not-my-favorite, could-barely-finish, extremely-annoying-main-characters

Oh my goodness did this book completely annoy the crap out of me. Normally when I finish a book I like to sit with it, and think about it for a little bit before compiling my thoughts into a review... However this book bugged me so incredibly bad I could not sit around thinking about it any longer after finishing the last page. Now, let me start off by saying that the writing in this book wasn't bad, it was actually pretty okay if you're looking at it from a structured and gramatical stand point...more Oh my goodness did this book completely annoy the crap out of me. Normally when I finish a book I like to sit with it, and think about it for a little bit before compiling my thoughts into a review... However this book bugged me so incredibly bad I could not sit around thinking about it any longer after finishing the last page. Now, let me start off by saying that the writing in this book wasn't bad, it was actually pretty okay if you're looking at it from a structured and gramatical stand point. You could even argue that the plot line wasn't even all that bad, nor were some of the supporting characters... The biggest problem with this book is it's incredibly immature, selfish, and overly self deprecating main character Zero (Amanda is her actual name). I wanted to shout at her to please stop being so horribly self absorbed!!!! I can't take it anymore!
Zero is your typical teenage artist type with problems.... Yes, her family is difficult... but it's hard to be so overly sympathetic with her, because while her parents clearly have issues with each other, they seem to truly love her. The author's other mistake is making her friend Jenn, and her boyfriend Mike's home situations seem a little worse... Though Zero really takes no interest in them in that way because; Gasp!!!! She might have to think about someone other than herself! All she does is complain about what she has missed out on. LIke for instance the scholarship that she wasn't awarded, though she did get into her first and only choice dream school. Instead of at least believing that she has any artistic talent because she was ACCEPTED to an Art school, she decides to think she has none because of losing the scholarship. The whole woe is me goes on... and on... and on... and, well you get the point.
Lets go onto her relationships, she really only has about 5, which includes her parents, her friend Jenn, an Art teacher, and her boyfriend Mike. She decides to not talk to her best friend Jenn for weeks, because it finally comes out that Jenn made a pass at her, because she feels Zero is the only person that understands her. First of all, from the start of the book its presented like she cut Jenn out of her life, because Jenn did something bad to her... I was expecting her to have hooked up with a past boyfriend, or stabbed her in the back some other way, because of all the buildup before the big reveal... I was not expecting the reason to be that Jenn cared TOO much for her! Seriously?! Come On! Instead of talking to Jenn, and asking her best friend of 4 years what could make her do such a thing, she cuts her off completely. Jenn even attempts to talk and apologize to her several times before Zero will even talk to her. Eventually they become friends again, but all you see of their friendship is Jenn being there and supportive of her, never the other way around. Even though Jenn's parent's are incredibly absent, and she seems to sleep around with a large number of different people to fill the void.
Now Lets move onto Mike. She meets him at a concert, after seeing him play she decides to talk to him. They hit it off, eventually start going out... the usual. Here's the thing though, you don't really feel anything about their relationship. It's kind of just there, and Mike just becomes another person that she eventually treats like shit. He again is another character that clearly cares for her, and supports her, yet she barely does anything in return... except when he asks her to draw up the flyers for his band. Even when it comes to sex, which is has asked her to wait on, she decides to disregard his feelings and just push on into what she wants. Somehow he forgives her as if nothing happened, even asks her to join him on his bands tour... but she declines, (which I can understand) but she does it only for herself, all of the obligations that come to her mind are about her, not really about anyone else in her life.
Her parents and her art teacher are mentioned enough to be fairly main characters, but again the only real interaction we see between her and them, is her being mad or annoyed with them, and eventually acting like a spoiled child... especially with her mother. She could not be more disrespectful to her if she tried. The thing is though, it's hard to understand her total resentment of her, because while she could possibly be annoying at times by asking questions about her teenage daughter's whereabouts, she doesn't really show any other traits that might require such a reaction.

I apologize if I am being too cruel with this book, but it's difficult to find anything to really like about it. The main character was incredibly awful, and the plot could have been good, but ultimately really didn't go anywhere. Not enough happened in this book to make it worth the read, or exciting enough to help you ignore Zero. On the bright side, I did read this as an ARC... so maybe some things will change before actual publication. We can hope right?
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Apr 29, 2012 David Bishop rated it 3 of 5 stars

I, personally, have no taste for realistic-fiction books, so my review is going to be a little biased on that account. But anyways, I think that it was an okay book. If you like realistic fiction, then this is definitely yours, but if not, stay away. I do like, however, how Tom Leveen, the author, drew out the characters and gave them all their own unique style, as he should have. It is a well developed book with well developed characters, and a great ending. I am not going to give you a basic o...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Zandra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: family, realistic, teen-fiction, low-self-esteem, alcoholism, art, dating, family-problems, punk-rock, violence, clubs, phoenix-arizona

Uh oh! Looks like Tom Leveen may very well be becoming one of my favorite teen authors. I loved his first book, PARTY, and found this one to be just as memorable and enjoyable. Seventeen-year-old Amanda "Zero" Walsh, a recent high school graduate in Phoenix, Arizon, is a talented artist who is disappointed that her plan to attend and art school in Chicago fell through. While dealing with this, she struggles with the state of her troubled family and the fall-out she's had with her best friend Jen...more

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May 24, 2012 Cristy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-of-age, fiction-relationships, music, realistic-fiction, serious-issues-ya

Great read… Don’t be dissuaded by the Mohawk-d guy and seemingly angsty punk vibe implied by the cover art, there’s a lot more heart to this coming of age story.

I loved Zero (aka, Z/Amanda/Amy), totally related to her. She eerily brought be back to age 17 with her floundering, insecurities and off-beaten, artsy ways. It’s kinda surprising that she was brought to life by Tom Leveen, not having prior knowledge of that fact, I would have guess a female to be the author of ZERO, which just a testam...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Cialina (Muggle-Born) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, 2012, owned

Meet Zero. She’s an aspiring artist. Unfortunately, her lack of self-confidence (and lots of family drama) prevents her from going after her dream: to attend a prestigious art school in Chicago. It’s supposed to be Zero’s fun, laid-back summer before college. Instead, she’s stuck at home with one less friend, living in a house where her parents never stop arguing.

Alright, let me admit it: when I first found out that I was going to be an Ambuzzador for ZERO by Tom Leveen, I thought, “Uh-oh… This...more Meet Zero. She’s an aspiring artist. Unfortunately, her lack of self-confidence (and lots of family drama) prevents her from going after her dream: to attend a prestigious art school in Chicago. It’s supposed to be Zero’s fun, laid-back summer before college. Instead, she’s stuck at home with one less friend, living in a house where her parents never stop arguing.

Alright, let me admit it: when I first found out that I was going to be an Ambuzzador for ZERO by Tom Leveen, I thought, “Uh-oh… This is not the kind of contemporary that I read.” And, I’m not going to lie; it’s true. I like sweet, romantic contemporaries and the cover does not give that impression at all. It looks edgy and punk rock and not me. But I was determined to give ZERO by Tom Leveen a shot. And this is one of those cases where I shouldn’t have judged a book based on its cover.

Amanda, a.k.a Zero was a tough protagonist to like based on first impressions. Zero has a pretty abrasive personality and it took me a while to find something about her that I could relate to. At first I couldn’t help thinking, Geez, what a Negative Nancy! Amanda was really overly critical and cynical about almost everything. But once I learned more about her, I understood why she acts that way. After a while, I related immensely with Amanda. Every now and then, a girl feels self-conscious about her body. It’s really only with time that a girl comes to love herself. Furthermore, I really could relate with Amanda’s frustrations with the college system. It is unbelievably expensive nowadays and it’s terrible how the cost of education can prevent one from going after their dream.

Music plays a huge role in ZERO by Tom Leveen. Unfortunately, I’m pretty much the complete opposite of an audiophile. As much as I would have loved to relate with the whole punk rock scene, it just didn’t happen. I wanted to get into the music as much as Zero did but for someone who isn’t into music as much, I think it’s hard to imagine being part of the audience of a concert. There are so many mentions of different bands in ZERO by Tom Leveen and my music knowledge is so limited that I couldn’t tell if they were real or fake bands. (I never really did find out…) However, I do think it would have been awesome to have actually heard some of the songs that Tom Leveen had written for the book.

Furthermore, there is a pretty realistic romance in ZERO by Tom Leveen. Mike is pretty likeable and I think he is one of the things that was key for Amanda’s character development. His encouragement to push her to follow her dreams as well as his own passion for his music really helps prioritizes Amanda’s goals in the near future.

ZERO by Tom Leveen also touches on a little bit of LGBTQ issues in the form of Amanda’s best friend. Initially, I thought Amanda was homophobic, but after I kept on reading I thought her reaction to be quite normal. It doesn’t matter if Jenn is straight or gay. If it had been me and one of my friends (guy or girl) I think I would have been freaked out at first if I really didn’t see it coming. I’m glad how their friendship developed in the book.

Lastly, art is essential to the book. If you’re not familiar with Salvador Dali, or have never even heard of him, go look him up on Wikipedia before reading ZERO by Tom Leveen. I think it’s important for a reader to at least be familiar with some of the works that inspire Amanda so much in the book.

While I enjoyed reading ZERO by Tom Leveen quite a bit, I think what makes this book different from a four-star book is memorability. I just don’t think that ZERO by Tom Leveen will leave a lasting impression on me, despite the fact that I liked reading it. The ending of ZERO by Tom Leveen was perfect. I couldn’t have been more satisfied with Amanda and I was really glad on how much she had matured over the course of the book.

I would recommend ZERO by Tom Leveen to readers who love contemporary novels – especially those about art and/or music.(less)

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Apr 23, 2012 Adriana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Amanda Walsh's a.k.a. Zero's life has made a turn for the worse. Her parents are still arguing, her dad is still drinking way too much, she wasn't able to get scholarship money to go to her dream school, and her and her best friend are just not talking.

She loves the artist Salvador Dali (think clocks) after she was introduced to him by her all time favorite art teacher well Teacher period Mr. Hilmer who always told her she was doing a good job on her artwork. She doesn't like her body but it doe...more Amanda Walsh's a.k.a. Zero's life has made a turn for the worse. Her parents are still arguing, her dad is still drinking way too much, she wasn't able to get scholarship money to go to her dream school, and her and her best friend are just not talking.

She loves the artist Salvador Dali (think clocks) after she was introduced to him by her all time favorite art teacher well Teacher period Mr. Hilmer who always told her she was doing a good job on her artwork. She doesn't like her body but it doesn't stop her from awkwardly trying to talk to the drummer with the killer eyes named Mike from Gothic Rainbow. He actually wants to hang out with her. (A lot of italicizing so far).

From then on out everything seems to be going right. Well she still isn't able to go to the school of her dreams but she's working on her art, her parents are still yelling but she's got the perfect Mike to distract her, and she's still on the outs with her friend but then again... she's got Mike to distract her. But not everything is what it should be. Throughout her summer Zero learns to discover who she truly can be.

LOVED Zero! Her personality was just so awesome and entertaining. She's just this teen that sometimes can be awkward and can be unsure of herself. It really doesn't make any sense to me how she had like no friends in school. There are always artists around. I guess since my school has art programs and music programs I'm used to people that would be otherwise known as outcasts which I really find super weird. I just wanted to kick her sometimes because seriously stop saying those things about yourself! But I'm one to talk since I've felt unsure and crappy about myself sometimes. The same thing with art. She can actually create it. I on the other hand can only copy an image that's already there. This book has made me want to draw again because even if I'll never be able to draw like others do...its fun! I love when books make me want to do things. I give thanks to books that make me want to do things!

Mike was cool. I didn't expect him. I mean I did because I obviously read the summary but I assumed he be more... into himself? I don't know why I think that of musicians sometimes, He is a punk skater boy so I just assumed... well he ended up being such a great guy with his own issues as well. He encouraged and I was like I love you dude! Such a great guy.

I didn't know who Dali was until she mentioned clocks and I assumed... correctly this time! I live in Florida so maybe I'll check out his museum in St. Petersburg this summer. The quotes in the beginning were very interesting. This guy was cool.

Definitely awkward with her friend. Didn't expect that but it was a nice twist. Later on too... I'd recommend that this book be read by older teenagers. Still if you are old enough to read it I'd recommend reading it. I absolutely loved it. Can't wait to read Party. Later Skater!

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Feb 28, 2012 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

Zero has a great eye catching cover that is sure to grab my student’s attention at first glance. The story of Amanda aka Zero is sure to also hold my student’s attention in this great read. I liked that the main character had problems that any of my students would find realistic and believable and could place themselves in her shoes. I also have a few girls that would love this novel just because they are a lot like the artsy Zero and they can easily place themselves in her shoes with so many co...more

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