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The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life

by Tara Altebrando (Goodreads Author)

3.48 of 5 stars 3.48 · rating details · 716 ratings · 141 reviews

An all-day scavenger hunt in the name of eternal small-town glory

With only a week until graduation, there's one last thing Mary and her friends must do together: participate in the Oyster Point High Official Unofficial Senior Week Scavenger Hunt. And Mary is determined to win.

Mary lost her spot at Georgetown to self-professed "it" bully Jake Barbone, and she's not about to...more

239 pages

Published July 5th 2012 by Dutton Juvenile

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July 2012

24th out of 56 books — 132 voters

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Penguin Teen Summer 2012!

16th out of 25 books — 56 voters

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Feb 02, 2013 Eric rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: older-ya-vibe, pop-culture-goodness, love-me-some-gay-boys, new-england, young-adult-fiction

¡Ayúdame! How much I loved this book. What's kind of crazy is how there were a few moments of "WAKE UP MARY!" sprinkled in and I still loved it. I won't ruin it for anyone but honestly, scavenger hunts have never been more fun in a book. If you're looking for a movie...Scavenger Hunt with Arnold. Bless his heart, Arnold Schwarzenegger, in one of his first real movies. Anyway, focus Eric, the book is fun. I like how it doesn't matter about who's smart or quicker, it's really about loving life (24...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Keertana rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life is by no means The Best Book You’ve Ever Read in Your (Pathetic) Life, but it may just be the most original. This was a novel that was brimming with unique flavor, ideas, and creativity which I absolutely adored. While I wish that Altebrando had managed to take more command of her narration and further develop the more serious and deep aspects of this novel, I can’t deny that it was funny, realistic, and a novel that I simply could not put down till I had...more The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life is by no means The Best Book You’ve Ever Read in Your (Pathetic) Life, but it may just be the most original. This was a novel that was brimming with unique flavor, ideas, and creativity which I absolutely adored. While I wish that Altebrando had managed to take more command of her narration and further develop the more serious and deep aspects of this novel, I can’t deny that it was funny, realistic, and a novel that I simply could not put down till I had finished it. It was most definitely of my better reading experiences and it was a worthwhile break from the usual YA Contemporary of today.

Most high schools have graduation ceremonies, parties, and games to celebrate the end of senior year, but Oyster Point has their annual Scavenger Hunt. Mary and her friends, Winter, Patrick, and Dez, are determined to win this year and show their fellow teammates that they’re not the losers they are proclaimed to be. For Mary, this night is to be revenge on Jake Barbone, the bully whose family legacy got him into Georgetown instead of Mary. Not only is this night about revenge though, it’s also about love, for Mary is yearning to become the girlfriend of Carson, her long-time crush. But, while Carson is most definitely breaking up with his girlfriend, he may not be doing it for her and someone close to Mary may also have his eye on her. Unknown to Mary and her friends, this night will not only test their supreme scavenge hunting skills, but also the very bonds of their friendship itself.

I suppose I’ll start out by outlining what I liked about this story. For one, the idea was most definitely original. I’ve never heard of these types of scavenger hunts before although I found myself dearly wishing that I had had one in my own high school. I loved the manner in which Altebrando managed to sweep the reader into the thrill and excitement of this night, which simply added to the overall fun of the story. Furthermore, I thought the pacing of the novel was perfect and none of the quests to find objects were too rushed or too dragged out. In a novel such as this, pacing is key and the fact that it was spot on enabled me to keep flipping the pages frantically and eagerly.

Yet, what I loved the most about this book was the character dynamics and I admired the way Altebrando portrayed her cast throughout the book. I always find that in situations where a group of people are thrown together and forced to work together efficiently, problems are bound to arise. Altebrando combines the plethora of issues these students face on their quest in an extremely realistic manner, making this journey one filled with awkwardness, confusion, and constant bickering. Not only do Mary and Winter like the same guy, but Patrick likes Mary, Dez happens to get injured, and when Carson, the guy who Mary and Winter join them, things only begin to get more heated. While I often wanted to smack them all for all their unnecessary drama and tell them to mature up and work together, I realized that this type of situation was typical of high school students, which only added to my enjoyment of this tale.

But (there’s always a but isn’t there?), there were some aspects of this novel which I felt let me down. In the midst of this whirlwind adventure, Altebrando attempts to explore the differences that each of these teens have and tries to bring forth some depth into this novel by shedding light on their difficulties at home and school. While I appreciate her effort, I unfortunately believe it failed. In fact, I may have enjoyed this novel more if it were just a fun scavenger hunt with hormonal and nostalgic high school seniors. I believe that Altebrando failed to make the serious issues she brought up come to light and shine in this story as they were rather quickly inserted into scenes and were not developed themselves. This novel would have definitely been better if she had managed to further develop those ideas realistically, but as she did not, it took away from the story.

Overall though, I really liked this book. It was fun, snarky, and simply an enjoying read. Plus, I found that I enjoyed the few lessons that did manage to emerge throughout the story and the character development was excellent as well. If you’re looking for a story that is quick, relaxing, and entertaining, look no longer! The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life is the one for you! ;)

You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less)

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Jun 12, 2013 Jane rated it 3 of 5 stars

There was a lot I liked about this book, and there was a lot that I found annoying.

I dunno. I mean, I would definitely be down for participating in an epic night of scavenger hunting shenanigans. And I do think that one of the book's greatest strengths is that it manages to convey the sense of conflict and craziness that comes with graduating. I understand the whole "leaving your mark" mentality. But I'm not sure I buy into the whole "if we win the scavenger hunt, that'll really show Barbone an...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Ade rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

This book just... Oh this book. I didn't like anyone. Seriously, I hated them all. Mary is crazy and obsessed with Carson, who's in love with Winter, who's also in love with Carson, while Patrick is in love with Mary, who isn't in love with Patrick, and Dez is just kind of in love with himself. That's what this book was about. It wasn't about an epic scavenger hunt that changed them forever, it was about some stupid fucked up love square with a little bit of scavenger thrown in to keep things in...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, romance, school-story, young-adult

The unofficial Senior Scavenger Hunt is a big deal at Mary's school, even though her mother has strictly forbidden her to participate (other hunts have ended with hospital and police visits). She feels strongly, though, that she has to start being active in her life; to stand up for herself and for her friends, who have been bullied throughout high school. One of the other teams they're up against is the main bully's team, and Mary is determined to win--at any cost. As the teams race through the...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Annette rated it 4 of 5 stars

What and unexpected treat The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life is. I laughed but also was impressed with the unexpected depth of the characters as they discover significant truths about themselves and their friends in less than a 24-hour period.

Our narrator is Mary, who is about to finish her senior year of high school. She and three friends are participating in the Unofficial Senior Week Scavenger Hunt, a "secret" annual event that Mary is determined to win.

Her greatest adversary is Barbone,...more What and unexpected treat The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life is. I laughed but also was impressed with the unexpected depth of the characters as they discover significant truths about themselves and their friends in less than a 24-hour period.

Our narrator is Mary, who is about to finish her senior year of high school. She and three friends are participating in the Unofficial Senior Week Scavenger Hunt, a "secret" annual event that Mary is determined to win.

Her greatest adversary is Barbone, who got an athletic scholarship to Georgetown, and Mary didn't get accepted. To say there's some bitter feelings is an understatement. The list of items and tasks for the scavenger hunt is imaginative and entertaining. However, the fun isn't only their quest to collect as many points as possible, it's also learning about the characters' motivations and back stories. The romances and crushes. The breakups and secrets. A lot is cleverly revealed during this seemingly simple story of some high school students' annual contest.

Mary finds out her enemies aren't necessarily deserving of her hatred, her friends are keeping secrets, and one friend in particular wants to be more than friends. She learns some hard lessons about priorities, family, and taking one for the team. How Mary handles all these revelations is entertaining, but not always perfect.

I found it unrealistic that this ritual occurs every year during the same week, but presumably it's a secret for the townspeople and police. The kids were all worried about revealing themselves to the authorities in fear that the hunt would be ruined. I didn't buy the need for secrecy. If this really happens every year, there's no need for secrecy.

I enjoyed Mary's point of view and connected with her the most, but the other characters were interesting and added color to the story. The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life is fun, light-hearted, and is paced so that you can't really put it down. It's a short book, and I read it in two sittings (had to do some work, or probably would have finished it in one!) Recommend this one to your contemporary fans. It's a great story about friendship and loyalty and about working to meet a goal. Although this is narrated by a girl, there are strong male characters which make The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life accessible to boys too.(less)

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Jan 06, 2013 Rachael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mary is tired of being in the backseat of her own life. And more than anything, she’s tired of being second best. That’s why she’s determined to win the Oyster Point High Official Unofficial Senior Week Scavenger Hunt: not only is it her last chance to leave her mark at school, but there’s no way that she’s going to let bully Jake Barbone come out on top again. But as the competition heats up, Mary’s team is no longer sure that they’re cut out for all of it, especially when every little tension...more Mary is tired of being in the backseat of her own life. And more than anything, she’s tired of being second best. That’s why she’s determined to win the Oyster Point High Official Unofficial Senior Week Scavenger Hunt: not only is it her last chance to leave her mark at school, but there’s no way that she’s going to let bully Jake Barbone come out on top again. But as the competition heats up, Mary’s team is no longer sure that they’re cut out for all of it, especially when every little tension between the friends comes to light. Mary thought that she was prepared to win this scavenger hunt at all costs, but with feelings and futures in the balance, she’s starting to reconsider just how far she’s willing to go—and how important winning really is.

The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life is a fast-paced story of scavenger hunt madness and more: basically the type of competition I’d love to be a part of in my head but would probably hate to do in real life. That’s probably the main reason I’m drawn to stories like these, because they allow me be along for the ride without running around and strategizing myself. And for the most part, I really enjoyed riding around with Mary and her friends and watching as they checked item after item off their lists. This story isn’t just about an epic scavenger hunt adventure, though; it’s also about Mary’s changing relationships with her closest friends. While I was certainly interested in this aspect of the story, I found that unfortunately, emotions and feelings often got drowned out by the manic pace of the plot and the urgency to get as many points as possible. As a result, I never truly connected with any of the characters of this story and the ending wasn’t nearly as satisfying as it could have been, even though it ends on a hopeful note. Despite this, I still found The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life a fast and fun read.

The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life appeals to readers who also enjoyed Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg and One Lonely Degree by C.K. Kelly Martin.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com (less)

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Sep 20, 2012 K rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

Scavenger hunts make me all anxious. I didn’t know this about myself before reading this book. So maybe just reading about them does.

It’s almost-summer, that oddly romanticized period of senior year between prom and graduation. Nerdy Mary needs something—one win—to show for all her good girl years, and the annual senior scavenger hunt is her last chance. She and her friends form a team and Mary *must* win. Really, she has an almost maniacal need to get awarded that Yeti lawn ornament by the end...more

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Sep 20, 2012 BAYA Librarian rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a fun kinetic story that blends a high-stakes scavenger hunt with teen relationship drama. Just as with her last novel, Dreamland Social Club, Altebrando is great at creating quirky but realistic teen characters who engage in witty and believable dialogue. While a lot of the story is about the affairs of the heart, it is also about friendship and the rites of passage teens experience as they grow older.

Just before Senior graduation Mary and her friends Patrick, Dez, and Winter decide tha...more This is a fun kinetic story that blends a high-stakes scavenger hunt with teen relationship drama. Just as with her last novel, Dreamland Social Club, Altebrando is great at creating quirky but realistic teen characters who engage in witty and believable dialogue. While a lot of the story is about the affairs of the heart, it is also about friendship and the rites of passage teens experience as they grow older.

Just before Senior graduation Mary and her friends Patrick, Dez, and Winter decide that they are tired of being semi-nobodies and that they will prove themselves to be socially worthy by winning the annual end-of-year Senior scavenger hunt. Meanwhile, as the hunt goes on, a ton of relationship drama happens because Mary has a crush on rival competitor Carson, who already has a girlfriend but maybe might be breaking up with her, but her best friend Patrick has a crush on her (Mary) and meanwhile Winter is acting weird every time Carson interacts with her. Both Mary and Patrick cling to their impossible crushes in the face of all good sense. All four friends have their friendships tested and feelings hurt throughout the scavenger hunt. Feelings are messy and sometimes irrational, and the story does a good job showing how that is without tying everything up in a neat bow at the end.

The four friends are constantly on the move, rushing in and out of stores and houses and parks and all kinds of places collecting scavenger hunt items. They are working off a very long scavenger hunt list and receiving more items and riddles and clues from the hunt organizers via text messages, so there is constantly something happening. But as they drive and run around, all these relationship dramas unfold in brief private moments, through meaningful glances, and over texts. At times each of the friends is on the verge of wanting to quit - quit the scavenger hunt or even quit a friendship. But the format of the scavenger hunt prevents them from having their drama blow up - the momentum of the hunt pushes them along, and their ties as friends and their desire to win keeps them working together even while there is tension in the air.

Beyond all the relationship drama, this book is also about growing up. To Mary, the Scavenger Hunt represents a major rite of passage. Each year’s Hunt is designed by the last year’s winners who are now college freshmen. As Mary interacts with people who have moved on from high school she starts to see that life has so many more possibilities than the narrow ones of high school. Mary feels like she’s been unfairly put in a box that she doesn’t like and wants to use the Scavenger Hunts as a way to prove to everyone that she matters. At one point in the book a minor character calls out Mary for being blind to her own "first world problems", which makes Mary wonder if she is the one who sees things narrowly, and not everyone else. The Best Night... manages to be a light and fun book that takes its protagonist's anxieties and frustrations seriously while still pointing out that in the scheme of things, she's got a pretty good life, with an exciting future ahead of her.(less)

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Sep 17, 2012 Lesley rated it 4 of 5 stars

The first book in a long while I've wanted to just keep reading! A great premise: a (fun) scavenger hunt, during which the main character reflects on her memories of her hometown and school years, worries about her future, and wishes she hadn't been an "also-ran." Various dramas unfold, hearts are broken, etc. It all seemed very realistic to me. In fact, the grown-up me kept thinking things like, "Why are you just sitting there, dealing with this angst-y drama? There's a scavenger hunt to win! G...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bullies, families, friendship, school, romance, music, ncbla2013

The seniors of Oyster Point spend one night at the end of the year looking for items for a scavenger hunt. For Mary Gilhooley, winning the hunt with her friends may be the only bright spot on a rather dismal high school career. As the friends try to figure out clues and track down both common and unusual items to rack up points, all sorts of things happen. Friends are betrayed, crushes are revealed, and Mary herself comes to realize that she hasn't always had the noblest of motives or been the k...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

Oyster Point High School has a tradition. During senior week, there is an unofficial scavenger hunt. Parents, cops, and other authority figures try to shut it down. Naturally, the winning team gets everlasting glory. (Or, at least glory until a new team wins the Yeti the next year.)

Mary is determined to win since she didn't get into Georgetown and football player Barbone did. She wants to show someone up for once. She's got a team of also-rans with her: Winter, her best friend; Patrick, her guy...more Oyster Point High School has a tradition. During senior week, there is an unofficial scavenger hunt. Parents, cops, and other authority figures try to shut it down. Naturally, the winning team gets everlasting glory. (Or, at least glory until a new team wins the Yeti the next year.)

Mary is determined to win since she didn't get into Georgetown and football player Barbone did. She wants to show someone up for once. She's got a team of also-rans with her: Winter, her best friend; Patrick, her guy best friend; and Dez, who is obviously gay and takes a lot of crap because of it. Meanwhile, she'd like to hook up with Carson who is about to break up with Jill, but another girl might have already caught his attention. And Patrick likes her that way, as she just found out at prom.

The first chapter or so of THE BEST NIGHT OF YOUR (PATHETIC) LIFE is hard to parse. There are a lot of characters, motivations, and scavenger hunt items to get straight in your head. But pretty soon it's a fast ride to long-lasting memories, questionable morals, and the definition of first world problems. I like how Mary's perception of herself changes throughout the story. She thinks she's invisible at the beginning. But it turns out she's been leaving an impression all along - and that sometimes it was a bad one.

I did not like that people kept pressuring her to give Patrick a chance, but it was very realistic. I had the same thing happen to a friend in high school. But Mary manages pretty well, in my opinion. She may not be the most in tune with herself, but she's got some things figured out.

The characterization is better than your average high school comedy movie. The jerk jock has his reasons for not liking Mary. Each of the scavenger hunt members gets a chance to shine and express their point of view. Even one of the scavenger hunt organizers gets some personality. It adds depth to the standard plot.

I bring up movies because THE BEST NIGHT OF YOUR (PATHETIC) LIFE reminded me more of a movie version of high school than actual high school. It works since Tara Altebrando's novel is basically the literary version of a movie. It's that one crazy night where anything can happen, even the nerds ending up on top.(less)

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Jul 22, 2012 Gaisce rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-ya

Oyster Point seniors get to take part of what may be the best dumb teenage antic excuse in history: a scavenger hunt. Mary and her friends, Patrick, Winter, and Dez, are planning to make this their last hurrah after four years of being slighted and made second-tier to bully Jack Barbone and his popular crowd. But as the night goes on and friendships are tested Mary may need to discover more than just some esoteric items if she's going to make this the best night of her (pathetic) life.

Narrative-...more Oyster Point seniors get to take part of what may be the best dumb teenage antic excuse in history: a scavenger hunt. Mary and her friends, Patrick, Winter, and Dez, are planning to make this their last hurrah after four years of being slighted and made second-tier to bully Jack Barbone and his popular crowd. But as the night goes on and friendships are tested Mary may need to discover more than just some esoteric items if she's going to make this the best night of her (pathetic) life.

Narrative-wise, the book starts off a little clunky. The first twenty pages are chock to the brim full of exposition, the who's who, the history of the friends, the random asides or observations, and a solid foundation of just why Mary desperately wants to beat Barbone in this thing. While the tone is authentic in its scattered and rushed teenager way, it comes off more like someone saying "so this person--who looks like this and you know them from this--is doing that, I'm going to fill you in on the details" and not as a seamless immersion into the story. But for people who are turned off by that, it immediately starts to mellow out once the scavenger hunt gets on the way and, like I said, it really tells you what kind of a person Mary is.

For the record, Mary is not the easiest protagonist to like. Actually, three out of the four kids I had issues warming up to as the novel started. Mary is high strung and has, quite possibly, the most terrible romantic sense ever. Patrick has a few ugly moments of entitlement as he tries to break out of the friendzone that has been the foundation of his relationship with Mary. Winter is going through some issues that brings her into conflict with not only her teammates but other scavenger teams. But this is all made up for because Dez is awesome and his dad is awesome and basically he's the heart of the team (view spoiler). But they're interesting and you want to know more about Mary, even if you spend some time yelling at her to get a clue. Not a scavenger clue, a reality clue.

However, the best and most excitingly awesome part about this book is the scavenger hunt. It's a mixture of rare items, things they can build, find, write about, and some trivia quizzes, which may lead to clues for bigger point scores. This kind of adventure was something I wish I had for senior year, and Altebrando gives out a full list of the items because I think she knows that readers want to try it too. Obviously, some of the quests and the pressure of finding enough points to win the game leads to stress and issues that crop up amongst the group and their rival teams.

Some of the scenes might read a little too on the nose (view spoiler) but, honestly, I didn't care. It kept me turning pages, even when the characters took time out to deal with non-scavenger related messes. I wanted to see if they would win. I wanted to see if Mary would reach a moment where she figured out what was more important than winning and, if so, what that would be.

"The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life" is not the best book I've ever read in my (pathetic) life, but it's fun, compelling, full of characters who grow on you even if you sometimes want to smack them. So, teenagers basically. The ending isn't a typical good guys win, the scavenger hunt parts really make me want to do things like build a dodecahedron made out of dixie cups or listen to Blue Oyster Cult, and I breezed through it in a day wishing there was more of it to read. If you're looking for a quirky end-of-school summer novel that really encapsulates the idea of doing something great and wild before you head off to a new stage in life, this book is amazing.

And one closing spoilerific observation. (view spoiler)(less)

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Dec 21, 2012 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-lit, young-adult, adventure, coming-of-age, humor

3.5 stars

This is a solid 3 star book but I'm bumping it up a little because it made me really nostalgic. Considering how much I hated high school, that's pretty impressive.

It's the end of senior year at Oyster Point High School and Mary and her "also-ran" friends have decided to participate in the annual senior scavenger hunt across the city. It's an all day/night excursion with several rounds. Teams earn points based on what they are able to accumulate. Mary's friends wouldn't normally particip...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Sara (LitHacker.com) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Verdict: Non-stop fun. While technically not a “summer” novel, it sure feels like one!

Perfect for: People who have had relationship drama. People who secretly like watching other peoples’ relationship drama (who doesn’t?). People who love lists and scavenger hunts (who doesn’t????)

Summary: Just before Senior graduation Mary and her friends Patrick, Dez, and Winter decide that they are tired of being semi-nobodies and that they will prove themselves by winning the annual end-of-year Senior scaven...more

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May 11, 2013 Madison rated it 2 of 5 stars

I had high hopes going into this book considering I was obsessed with Dreamland Social Club. SADLY I WAS LET DOWN. I was iffy about this book from the beginning but I felt I owed it to the author.

Here we go....

Okay first of all the description on the jacket is in no way an accurate representation of the novel. This was NOT a book about "coming-of-age" or "crushing-crushes".. it was more like "pointless-plot" and "psycho-love triangles".

One of the main things that pissed me off was the lack of de...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Stella rated it 4 of 5 stars

Holy crap, The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life WAS my life. Well, I've never participated in an epic scavenger hunt like the one in the book, but I felt so connected to the main characters it was a little creepy. Mary's nostalgia got to me the most; how she knew as the night went on that everything in her life would soon change quickly and drastically. Maybe it would be the last time she and her friends would really all have fun together, maybe the last time they would ride around and make jo...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Kate (Ms. Hammond) Hammond rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, realistic, young-adult

High school is wonderful and terrible all at the same time. One of the best/worst parts is figuring out that there actually is a bigger world beyond the daily triumphs, failures, laughs, and heartbreaks of high school, and that's just what senior Mary Gilhooley is about to do.

Mary starts the novel feeling desperate to make her mark on her high school years, and thinks the only ways to do that are to 1) win the famed scav hunt yeti statue, thereby sticking it to her longtime rival Jake Barbone;...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Sasha rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Shelves: contemporary, penguin, young-adult, audiobook, unexpectedly-enjoyed, read-in-one-sitting, read-in-2012, 2012-publication

This book was so much fun and I haven’t had this much of a “fun light-hearted adventure” in a while. Mary is trying to win the senior scavenger hunt to prove that she’s worth something and she ends up discovering more than just items off of a list – she discovers herself and what it means to grow up. Sure, she a whiny teenage girl – she complains about things like how she didn’t get the guy and how she didn’t get into her first choice college – “first world problems” as called by a guy in the bo...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Jennifer Holovack rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mary and her friends are seniors who are about to graduate high school and go off in different directions to college. They form their self-named group, the "Also-rans" to compete in a senior scavenger hunt and to try to take back some measure of respect from the classmates who tormented them their entire lives. In the span of one night, secrets are revealed, hearts are broken and they all have a night they will never forget. Tara Altebrando's Dreamland Social Club was a great surprise of a novel...more

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Jul 05, 2012 Jen Ryland added it

Shelves: completely-comtemp-2012, standalone-challenge-2012

I am obsessed with scavenger hunts. I've seen every episode of the Amazing Race, and have been designing treasure hunts since I was a kid. Plus, this book is one of those Happened In One Night stories that's just breakneck, crazy, middle of the night fun. If you want to read my post about other books that take place in one night, go here: Books That Take Place in One Night

The scavenger hunt plot of this book is great, but the author also adds tension and depth by having the hunt take place at th...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Britta rated it 4 of 5 stars

Tara Altebrando's previous novel, Dreamland Social Club (see review), is a bit of a hidden gem - a book I really enjoyed but not a lot of people know about. Because of my that, my hopes for this new novel were very high. The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life read differently from her first, but there was the same rich voice of a main character, and quirky action that I loved from Altebrando's writing. This novel is a very quick read, and I would definitely recommend it.

Whenever I think of "scav...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Emma rated it 5 of 5 stars

High school is ending. After an entire life spent in second place, Mary Gilhooley hopes the Oyster Point High Official Unofficial Senior Week Scavenger Hunt will be her chance to finally come out on top. Jake Barbone may be going to Georgetown instead of her, cute Carson might be dating someone else, but this scavenger hunt is Mary's.

Even if her misfit friends decide to prepare by wearing the least practical scavenger hunt outfits ever. Sure, changing Dez's mind about anything fashion related wa...more

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May 06, 2012 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-time-favorites

This book was a really good read. I didn’t expect to like it so much. I really felt, I don’t know…connected (for lack of a better word) to this book because the characters are in the same stage of life I currently am in. It made me really wish that my school had an awesome tradition like the scavenger hunt.
After reading this book, you realize it’s not just a last night before a new beginning. It’s not just one of the last times to have fun and go crazy in your high school years. The story is als...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Karyl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, library-reads, young-adult-reads

I wish I could give this three and a half stars. It's a fast, interesting read. Mary is a high school senior who feels as though she and her friends are nothing more than also-rans, so she decides they're going to former a team for their school's unofficial senior scavenger hunt. In typical teen novel fashion, it's not just a scavenger hunt; Mary had lots to learn about her friends and herself. I wanted to smack her a few times; her obsession about whether this particular boy liked her was annoy...more

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Jun 06, 2013 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed The Best Night of your (Pathetic) Life. I thought it was such a good "last hoorah" kind of book. I really connected with the main character, Mary, even though I did agree that sometimes her motives were a little petty. She really did have "first world problems", but I still loved her regardless. I thought the entire idea of writing a story about one last senior event was a great idea. It really brought back nostalgia to my last year of high school and all my old friends. The ent...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Adriane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, 2012-books, reviewed, to-review

Senior week tradition ends in a scavenger hunt. A mega scavenger hunt all over town picking up crazy things and following wacky clues. For Mary it is her one last chance to prove herself and she is determined to win, with the help of her three best friends from high school they head out for a night where anything can, and does happen! Beacause, after all, it is the best night of your (pathetic) life!

I really enjoyed this one. I found it to be a really quick and easy read. It was fun, a fun night...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Kerry rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction

This book reads like a teen movie from the 90s, but that does nothing to detract from its charm or fun storyline. A Senior Week Scavenger Hunt is Mary's last chance to come out on top in her high school or forever be dubbed an "also-ran"; just another way of saying loser. Over the course of 1 afternoon and night she and her best friends will do everything they must to win while trying to avoid police, getting grounded, and heartbreak. I appreciated that Mary remains true to her principles throug...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Jamie rated it 3 of 5 stars

So I finally go to reading my ARC of The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life by Tara Altebrando. Once I started reading it though I didn't want to put it down. An easy and entertaining read, it's perfect for a rainy day, a car ride, or just any time really. Complete with adventure, hijinks, intrigue and romance the book was a bit of a 'coming of age story'. As much as one can 'come of age' in one day, which is just what the main character, Mary, does. She and her friends, Dez, Winter and Patrick...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Diane rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen

Mary and her friends participate in the Best Night of Your Pathetic Life, a scavenger hunt for seniors of Oyster Point right before graduation. It all takes place within a a few hours and pulls in many of the standard characters you would expect of high school (the jock-bully, the smart nerd, etc.). The action is non-stop and you may find yourself caught up in it, wanting to flip the pages faster and faster. Surprisingly, time is taken to a degree of showing the characters of more gray than blac...more

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Contemporary

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Humor

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Young Adult > High School

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Young Adult > Teen

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Adventure

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Romance

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Young Adult > Young Adult Contemporary

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Travel > Road Trip

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“I knew guys got erections.
I was perfectly prepared to deal with it. When the right guy and the right erection came along.” — 4 people liked it

“I felt sort of sad that I couldn’t remember the last time, before tonight, that I’d paid such close attention to the sky. It felt like that must be some kind of sign that I’d lost my innocence and grown up without even realizing it.” — 2 people liked it

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