What do you think?
Rate this book
Narrative Loserdom: From Journal One
Justin Taggart doesn’t know anything (about being a loser). He likes girls and plays sports and has some friends. Unfortunately his fear of rejection outweighs his ability to deal with these well. Mostly there’s Sterling, the girl of his dreams who knows how to stop his heart by not knowing he likes her. Another thing is trying to get money with Adam, who’s rich anyway so it’s more about hanging out. As for Justin, he makes ends meet by mowing people’s yards with Adam, and sometimes by breaking into vending machines and selling late-night cable programming to peers (also with Adam). But it’s not like he doesn’t feel bad about it, since Jesus died for his sins. School is pretty terrible with all the work and practice, but there are a few people there worth mentioning. Anyone who picks up his journal will be in for something, if they feel like getting through a lot of grammar and spelling problems. They’ll probably end up seeing that they shouldn’t have looked at it anyway, because this is someone’s private anthem of girls, grass, and loserdom.
204 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
1 person is currently reading
6 people want to read
About the author
Ryan Collins
25 books6 followersRyan Collins was born in Texas in 1985. While attending Texas State University he earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science with a minor in writing, and moved toward a post-graduate degree in computer information systems. In the company of a few unpublished short stories, Narrative Loserdom represents his first self-published novel. Ryan works for a local communications company in Austin, Texas, where he resides with his girlfriend and pugs.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 9, 2012
2 and a half stars
" Anyone who picks up his journal will be in for something, if they feel like getting through a lot of grammar and spelling problems. " (From book description)
If there is one warning I'll give for this book, it's the fact that this is written in a very simplistic interpretation of what goes on inside the typical adolescent male mind. Which basically means a lot of bad grammar/spelling, tons of wtf moments and general disbelief at how incredibly lame boys can be.
I saw someone compare it to Catcher In The Rye, to which I sadly groan. That is a stretch beyond reason. It's written in journal format and has entries that seem completely pointless and out of the blue. This kid is no poet. It's set in 2001/2002, so I could relate to being a teenager during that time, which was a plus.
It is, however, not bad for what it is. If you can get over the fact that the writing isn't going to be spellbinding and the stories are going to be utterly random, then it is kind of funny and other times painful. Sometimes painfully funny. It's like watching David Brent(from The Office) make an ass out of himself.
I thought it was pretty ridiculous and that's what made it funny. Reading about all the "cons" Justin and his friends attempt (and usually fail) were probably my favourite parts of the book, from screwing with wires to get free cable, to taping porn and selling it to classmates, to trying to steal arcade tickets in order to get enough for a PS2 and trying to break into a Coke machine, I was pretty damn amused by the hijinks.
There are also Justin's crazy descriptions of things, such as music videos from Shakira and J-Lo. He describes the weirdest things and at the first I was thrown by it, until I just saw the pointless, random humour in it.
There are grammar/spelling/editing problems but I guess the fact that it's supposed to be a representation of a teenage boy's journal excuses it. I did cringe when he saw a girl wearing shorts and he said, "She was wearing shorts that were short" or something like that. I don't know if the author intended for it to sound so dumb.
It's actually a decent book. It's not a deep book that will make you think. It's more silly and cringe-worthy, as if it's trying to make you remember how awkward it was to be a teenager. It would probably resonate with actual teenage boys. I obviously couldn't relate to the character but I was still pretty amused by the weirdness.
(I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review).
" Anyone who picks up his journal will be in for something, if they feel like getting through a lot of grammar and spelling problems. " (From book description)
If there is one warning I'll give for this book, it's the fact that this is written in a very simplistic interpretation of what goes on inside the typical adolescent male mind. Which basically means a lot of bad grammar/spelling, tons of wtf moments and general disbelief at how incredibly lame boys can be.
I saw someone compare it to Catcher In The Rye, to which I sadly groan. That is a stretch beyond reason. It's written in journal format and has entries that seem completely pointless and out of the blue. This kid is no poet. It's set in 2001/2002, so I could relate to being a teenager during that time, which was a plus.
It is, however, not bad for what it is. If you can get over the fact that the writing isn't going to be spellbinding and the stories are going to be utterly random, then it is kind of funny and other times painful. Sometimes painfully funny. It's like watching David Brent(from The Office) make an ass out of himself.
I thought it was pretty ridiculous and that's what made it funny. Reading about all the "cons" Justin and his friends attempt (and usually fail) were probably my favourite parts of the book, from screwing with wires to get free cable, to taping porn and selling it to classmates, to trying to steal arcade tickets in order to get enough for a PS2 and trying to break into a Coke machine, I was pretty damn amused by the hijinks.
There are also Justin's crazy descriptions of things, such as music videos from Shakira and J-Lo. He describes the weirdest things and at the first I was thrown by it, until I just saw the pointless, random humour in it.
There are grammar/spelling/editing problems but I guess the fact that it's supposed to be a representation of a teenage boy's journal excuses it. I did cringe when he saw a girl wearing shorts and he said, "She was wearing shorts that were short" or something like that. I don't know if the author intended for it to sound so dumb.
It's actually a decent book. It's not a deep book that will make you think. It's more silly and cringe-worthy, as if it's trying to make you remember how awkward it was to be a teenager. It would probably resonate with actual teenage boys. I obviously couldn't relate to the character but I was still pretty amused by the weirdness.
(I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review).
March 11, 2012
This book’s format caught my attention from the beginning. The chapters are set as journal entries, which is always fun for me. There tends to be an authenticity to the writing in this format that you don’t always get in straight narration. For the most part, this book does accomplish that. There is a freshness to the narrator’s, Justin’s, voice. A lot about his personality is revealed in the way he writes, in the words he chooses, even more than in his actions, which is what journal entries tend to accomplish. One thing that did throw me, though, is Justin’s seemingly overnight religious fanaticism. I didn’t quite see a smooth transition between his first entries to the ones where he suddenly starts mentioning God every few sentences.
The plot is free, relaxed, with a lazy summer feeling to it (even though it’s not summer in the book). The antics of the two main characters are quite amusing, typical teenage stuff, which makes for a fun, quick read.
There’s not much of a conclusion to the book, but, again, the format tends to do cause that as well. If you like books that are just a little bit different, this one could be for you.
The plot is free, relaxed, with a lazy summer feeling to it (even though it’s not summer in the book). The antics of the two main characters are quite amusing, typical teenage stuff, which makes for a fun, quick read.
There’s not much of a conclusion to the book, but, again, the format tends to do cause that as well. If you like books that are just a little bit different, this one could be for you.
October 19, 2012
I really enjoyed this retro, slice of life, diary-style story told from a teenage guy's point-of-view. The diary format reminded me a little of the narrators from "Perks of Being A Wallflower" and "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian". There's certainly some guy humor in it that I can't get into being a female, however, it didn't bother me much, cause I know boys will be boys. Overall, the story made me nostalgic, cause the journal is set from 2001 to 2002, the same time frame I was in high school. There the story chronicles the day-to-day mischief, hopes, dreams, loses, failures, and crushes of a guy and his friends.
My one criticism is that the journal stops, in my opinion, very abruptly. While reading the journal, I started to care and wonder if the guy ever did get the girl of his dreams or another girlfriend. Does he graduate high school? What does he go on to do with his life? None of those questions were answered for me. I'm not sure if the author is planning to write a sequel, but I'd like to see it.
My one criticism is that the journal stops, in my opinion, very abruptly. While reading the journal, I started to care and wonder if the guy ever did get the girl of his dreams or another girlfriend. Does he graduate high school? What does he go on to do with his life? None of those questions were answered for me. I'm not sure if the author is planning to write a sequel, but I'd like to see it.
April 19, 2012
3.5 STARS!
Originally posted on: www.bookstoconsider.blogspot.com
Narrative Loserdom is told from Justin's point of view in a journal format. That was the first thing that caught my attention in this novel. The second one was that we got to read what goes through a boy's head and my conclusions are intruguing, or even disturbing sometimes..
What were the best aspects of Narrative Loserdom?
Aside from being written in journal format, which makes this book fresh and unique, I found myself liking all characters. Even Justin's best friend, Adam, who was simply stupid but never failed to make me laugh. Really, I found myself laughing out loud constantly. Furthermore all characters were realistic and easy to relate to, I mean, everyone goes through high school, maybe in Justin's shoes: as a loser or maybe as the beloved and popular Sterling. I loved Justin's and Adam's friendship because they really seem to know each other very well and their friendship only gets better throughout the book.
What could have been better?
There were too many descriptions! Sometimes I just had to jump to the next paragraph because the latter was just too descriptive. I don't read many contemporary novels so I don't know if that's the case in many of them, but Narrative Loserdom never reached a climax; it never picked up pace. And I must say that Justin's religious fanaticism. I don't have anything against it but the religion thing came completely out of the blue: the first half of the book there is no mention of it and the suddenly it is mention all the time.
Overall it was a pleasant and light read. The two main characters (Justin and Adam) were amusing making this book the more fun to read even without any real action in it. I expected to end in a final note but it was actually a rather open ending, which may have to do with its journal format. If you like contemporary novels which are easy to relate to its characters and if you enjoy books in journal format, this just may be the book for you!
Originally posted on: www.bookstoconsider.blogspot.com
Narrative Loserdom is told from Justin's point of view in a journal format. That was the first thing that caught my attention in this novel. The second one was that we got to read what goes through a boy's head and my conclusions are intruguing, or even disturbing sometimes..
What were the best aspects of Narrative Loserdom?
Aside from being written in journal format, which makes this book fresh and unique, I found myself liking all characters. Even Justin's best friend, Adam, who was simply stupid but never failed to make me laugh. Really, I found myself laughing out loud constantly. Furthermore all characters were realistic and easy to relate to, I mean, everyone goes through high school, maybe in Justin's shoes: as a loser or maybe as the beloved and popular Sterling. I loved Justin's and Adam's friendship because they really seem to know each other very well and their friendship only gets better throughout the book.
What could have been better?
There were too many descriptions! Sometimes I just had to jump to the next paragraph because the latter was just too descriptive. I don't read many contemporary novels so I don't know if that's the case in many of them, but Narrative Loserdom never reached a climax; it never picked up pace. And I must say that Justin's religious fanaticism. I don't have anything against it but the religion thing came completely out of the blue: the first half of the book there is no mention of it and the suddenly it is mention all the time.
Overall it was a pleasant and light read. The two main characters (Justin and Adam) were amusing making this book the more fun to read even without any real action in it. I expected to end in a final note but it was actually a rather open ending, which may have to do with its journal format. If you like contemporary novels which are easy to relate to its characters and if you enjoy books in journal format, this just may be the book for you!
February 24, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. I laughed out loud.
It was funny and insightful for me as a mom of boys who will be this age in the years 2023 and 2026. I know some of the antics will be different in twelve years but I have a feeling they will be so similar. Some of the events in this book reminded me of some of the stuff that my brother did when he was that age, some twenty+ years ago. At least the stuff that I remember occurring or heard about years after the fact. In fact, I was telling my mom about this book and she was laughing and referred to things my brother had pulled that sounded so similar despite happening in the mid 1980s.
The main character - the writer of "Journal One" - is a very likeable kid that gets himself into trouble. He knows what he is doing is wrong, but he does it anyway and tries to justify it. So funny, some of the rationale behind his thoughts and actions! I love that he loves his Lord and Savior and tries to do the right thing. Unfortunately, he doesn't always succeed at doing the right thing...but he tries!
Girls are not the main thing in this book. They were definitely present in the writer's thoughts but they were not the reason for his existence. His obsession over Sterling seems typical...especially when he doesn't get the hint.
This book is written as a journal. There are misspellings and abbreviations and various rambling to the author - Justin Taggart - himself. It reads as a journal, which was great to me.
In the end, I wanted this kid to not be a loser or think of himself as a loser.
Would I recommend it: I would if you want a quick read that will make you smile...and shake your head in some parts. Boys will be boys! I would even recommend it to some of my cousins who are this age, or approaching this age...though not for ideas of things to pull, but for the knowledge that hey, we all go through it.
http://everyfreechancebookreviews.blo...
It was funny and insightful for me as a mom of boys who will be this age in the years 2023 and 2026. I know some of the antics will be different in twelve years but I have a feeling they will be so similar. Some of the events in this book reminded me of some of the stuff that my brother did when he was that age, some twenty+ years ago. At least the stuff that I remember occurring or heard about years after the fact. In fact, I was telling my mom about this book and she was laughing and referred to things my brother had pulled that sounded so similar despite happening in the mid 1980s.
The main character - the writer of "Journal One" - is a very likeable kid that gets himself into trouble. He knows what he is doing is wrong, but he does it anyway and tries to justify it. So funny, some of the rationale behind his thoughts and actions! I love that he loves his Lord and Savior and tries to do the right thing. Unfortunately, he doesn't always succeed at doing the right thing...but he tries!
Girls are not the main thing in this book. They were definitely present in the writer's thoughts but they were not the reason for his existence. His obsession over Sterling seems typical...especially when he doesn't get the hint.
This book is written as a journal. There are misspellings and abbreviations and various rambling to the author - Justin Taggart - himself. It reads as a journal, which was great to me.
In the end, I wanted this kid to not be a loser or think of himself as a loser.
Would I recommend it: I would if you want a quick read that will make you smile...and shake your head in some parts. Boys will be boys! I would even recommend it to some of my cousins who are this age, or approaching this age...though not for ideas of things to pull, but for the knowledge that hey, we all go through it.
http://everyfreechancebookreviews.blo...
March 3, 2012
Read more of my reviews at Falling Books!
Narrative Loserdom is a fun and relaxed tale of two teenage boys who stand at the side lines watching life past them by. Their story is told through diary entries, which are written from Justin Taggart's perspective. Yes, yes, I know. A diary? A boy? A boy and a diary? A boy WRITING a diary? I thought it would be full of fighting and lots of partying, I also thought that the idea of a boy having a diary would never work. But, it did! Justin actually has a surprisingly exciting life! A life that you actually want to read about! Justin and his best friend, Adam, seem to get into quite a lot of messed up situations. Girls, friends, family, working, studying, you know all the things that teenage boys have to deal with. Ryan Collins does a great job at making those situations as funny and amusing as possible!
I do think that the book could have been a bit more detailed. I would have liked to know more about what happens during his life. Justin started writing his diary every few days but as the book went on he wrote in his diary less and less, and when I say 'less and less' I mean every few weeks. As the book went on, I also felt became less interested in the main character's life and problems. I would have also like the character's relationships to be explained more. This is how it felt to me:
I like Sterling. She's pretty. We talked. I'm in love.
So, a bit more detail would have been great. However, I did love the humour that this book had. I was probably laughing out loud for half of it!
Overall, Narrative Loserdom is a great book for people who love a good laugh and don't mind the word 'man' being used every few lines. Try it and see how it goes!
Narrative Loserdom is a fun and relaxed tale of two teenage boys who stand at the side lines watching life past them by. Their story is told through diary entries, which are written from Justin Taggart's perspective. Yes, yes, I know. A diary? A boy? A boy and a diary? A boy WRITING a diary? I thought it would be full of fighting and lots of partying, I also thought that the idea of a boy having a diary would never work. But, it did! Justin actually has a surprisingly exciting life! A life that you actually want to read about! Justin and his best friend, Adam, seem to get into quite a lot of messed up situations. Girls, friends, family, working, studying, you know all the things that teenage boys have to deal with. Ryan Collins does a great job at making those situations as funny and amusing as possible!
I do think that the book could have been a bit more detailed. I would have liked to know more about what happens during his life. Justin started writing his diary every few days but as the book went on he wrote in his diary less and less, and when I say 'less and less' I mean every few weeks. As the book went on, I also felt became less interested in the main character's life and problems. I would have also like the character's relationships to be explained more. This is how it felt to me:
I like Sterling. She's pretty. We talked. I'm in love.
So, a bit more detail would have been great. However, I did love the humour that this book had. I was probably laughing out loud for half of it!
Overall, Narrative Loserdom is a great book for people who love a good laugh and don't mind the word 'man' being used every few lines. Try it and see how it goes!
April 19, 2012
With its protagonist struggling to reach maturity and failing miserably through a series of misadventures, Narrative Loserdom has echoes of great novels like J. D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye or The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. This is a format where the protagonist intentionally does not advance and instead remains stuck in a case of arrested development that echoes the problems of the society that surrounds them.
The Good: The journal entry format aids in creating a well-characterized protagonist that is interesting and engaging. Justin Taggart is the best aspect of Narrative Loserdom.
A lot of the misadventures are humerus. Ryan Collins has a good, mild wit that is refreshing.
The Bad: Narrative Loserdom relies on the strength of the protagonist to tie its elements together. While Justin Taggart is a strong character with a lot of detail and lots of interesting internal motivations, he isn't strong enough to tie the narrative together. Instead we get lot of little incidents that don't go anywhere.
Justin Taggart's failure to start a relationship with Sterling is one of the strongest themes in the book, but she hardly ever figures into any of the misadventures, so Taggart's pinings for her ring hollow. Even if Taggart is never meant to get the girl, it would be nice to know more about his motivations for wanting her. Symbolically this may represent his failure to reach maturity, but I'd love to see it fleshed out.
A lot of the pop culture references went right over my head, but that may just be me.
The Bottom Line: This debut novel from Ryan Collins marks him as an author to watch. Despite its flaws, its intelligent design and wit show an author with a lot of potential.
The Good: The journal entry format aids in creating a well-characterized protagonist that is interesting and engaging. Justin Taggart is the best aspect of Narrative Loserdom.
A lot of the misadventures are humerus. Ryan Collins has a good, mild wit that is refreshing.
The Bad: Narrative Loserdom relies on the strength of the protagonist to tie its elements together. While Justin Taggart is a strong character with a lot of detail and lots of interesting internal motivations, he isn't strong enough to tie the narrative together. Instead we get lot of little incidents that don't go anywhere.
Justin Taggart's failure to start a relationship with Sterling is one of the strongest themes in the book, but she hardly ever figures into any of the misadventures, so Taggart's pinings for her ring hollow. Even if Taggart is never meant to get the girl, it would be nice to know more about his motivations for wanting her. Symbolically this may represent his failure to reach maturity, but I'd love to see it fleshed out.
A lot of the pop culture references went right over my head, but that may just be me.
The Bottom Line: This debut novel from Ryan Collins marks him as an author to watch. Despite its flaws, its intelligent design and wit show an author with a lot of potential.
April 6, 2012
FULL REVIEW: http://best-of-ya.blogspot.com/2012/0...
Plot: There wasn’t much of a plot, mostly because this is the journal of a rambling, 16 year old boy named Justin Taggart. Each journal entry is like a little story about his day or something that happened to him or something that frustrated him. He talks about a lot of different things like girls (1 in particular), his best friend Adam, his various “jobs”, high school and football practice. Some entries are really interesting, others are kind of boring, and then some had me going “WHAT? Why would you do that?!” and then laughing.
Characters: Because the chapters are all set as journal entries it is very easy to get to know Justin. This book is written by him, not about him so we really get to see into his head. He pretty much just writes down whatever pops up. At points he was slightly too obsessed with Sterling, but in a funny way. And then there’s his best friend, Adam. By the end of the book I still couldn’t really figure out their friendship. They were best friends, but it almost felt like they didn’t even really like each other that much which was strange. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of “best friends”? The characters were all pretty relatable, but would have been more so if I were a teenage boy I’m sure.
Cover: The cover is a little too plain and doesn’t really go with the whole journal/diary theme of the book.
Overall Impression: Probably would have been more enjoyable if I were a boy and knew what they were talking about half the time, but still a nice read!
Rating: * * *
Plot: There wasn’t much of a plot, mostly because this is the journal of a rambling, 16 year old boy named Justin Taggart. Each journal entry is like a little story about his day or something that happened to him or something that frustrated him. He talks about a lot of different things like girls (1 in particular), his best friend Adam, his various “jobs”, high school and football practice. Some entries are really interesting, others are kind of boring, and then some had me going “WHAT? Why would you do that?!” and then laughing.
Characters: Because the chapters are all set as journal entries it is very easy to get to know Justin. This book is written by him, not about him so we really get to see into his head. He pretty much just writes down whatever pops up. At points he was slightly too obsessed with Sterling, but in a funny way. And then there’s his best friend, Adam. By the end of the book I still couldn’t really figure out their friendship. They were best friends, but it almost felt like they didn’t even really like each other that much which was strange. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of “best friends”? The characters were all pretty relatable, but would have been more so if I were a teenage boy I’m sure.
Cover: The cover is a little too plain and doesn’t really go with the whole journal/diary theme of the book.
Overall Impression: Probably would have been more enjoyable if I were a boy and knew what they were talking about half the time, but still a nice read!
Rating: * * *
February 22, 2012
Beneath the moon and Stars review
This was a very interesting book. It didn't really have much of a plot. It was basically the rambling of a 16 year old teenage guy. At first it was entertaining and kept my attention because he was writing basically everyday. Around the middle it started to get kinda slow. What he was writing was still interesting but he wouldn't write for like days. So that slowed it down a little.
Narrative Loserdom is a curious book about the everyday life of Justin Taggart. It was written as journal entries. The most interesting part for me was all his different jobs. He went from a lawn guy to stealing cable to selling late night tv programs along with the rare breaking into vending machines. Another part I really liked was his obsession with Sterling. Justin is kinda a creeper. Adam was pretty cool too. His odd obsession with adult videos was very interesting. I didn't really understand Justin and Adams relationship. They didn't seem to like each other very much but they were still best friends. Overall I really liked this. Its hard to explain why I liked it.I just did.It was entertaining and isnt something I would normally read.4/5 Stars
Jasmine :)
http://beneaththemoonandstars.blogspo...
This was a very interesting book. It didn't really have much of a plot. It was basically the rambling of a 16 year old teenage guy. At first it was entertaining and kept my attention because he was writing basically everyday. Around the middle it started to get kinda slow. What he was writing was still interesting but he wouldn't write for like days. So that slowed it down a little.
Narrative Loserdom is a curious book about the everyday life of Justin Taggart. It was written as journal entries. The most interesting part for me was all his different jobs. He went from a lawn guy to stealing cable to selling late night tv programs along with the rare breaking into vending machines. Another part I really liked was his obsession with Sterling. Justin is kinda a creeper. Adam was pretty cool too. His odd obsession with adult videos was very interesting. I didn't really understand Justin and Adams relationship. They didn't seem to like each other very much but they were still best friends. Overall I really liked this. Its hard to explain why I liked it.I just did.It was entertaining and isnt something I would normally read.4/5 Stars
Jasmine :)
http://beneaththemoonandstars.blogspo...
March 29, 2012
3.5 STARS
Justin Taggart starts a journal where he begins to document the events of his life he thinks are memorable. Justin is a teenage boy, so the things he chooses to write about are intriguing, to say the least.
I thought this was a subtly funny debut novel by Ryan Collins. The chapters are presented in journal/diary format.
I found Justin to be quite an enigmatic character. He is also a bit hypocritical. He seems to see his friends as losers but not himself, for hanging out with them. He talks about Jesus and seems to be devoted to God, but throughout the whole book he is the one that keeps coming up with devious plans. I also loved that he kept pining away for the same girl throughout the course of the year, because of one night they shared.
There were definitely a few parts that made me laugh. Justin's best friend Adam is pathetic but hilarious, and up for anything Justin wants to do. I really enjoyed how they seemed to grow closer throughtout the year.
I liked this book, but I have to admit there were some large paragraphs I skimmed over because they were just long descriptions of the way to get to a place they were going. Also, I guess I just wish Justin had grown up a bit more. But I suppose that's what he has the rest of high school to do.
Justin Taggart starts a journal where he begins to document the events of his life he thinks are memorable. Justin is a teenage boy, so the things he chooses to write about are intriguing, to say the least.
I thought this was a subtly funny debut novel by Ryan Collins. The chapters are presented in journal/diary format.
I found Justin to be quite an enigmatic character. He is also a bit hypocritical. He seems to see his friends as losers but not himself, for hanging out with them. He talks about Jesus and seems to be devoted to God, but throughout the whole book he is the one that keeps coming up with devious plans. I also loved that he kept pining away for the same girl throughout the course of the year, because of one night they shared.
There were definitely a few parts that made me laugh. Justin's best friend Adam is pathetic but hilarious, and up for anything Justin wants to do. I really enjoyed how they seemed to grow closer throughtout the year.
I liked this book, but I have to admit there were some large paragraphs I skimmed over because they were just long descriptions of the way to get to a place they were going. Also, I guess I just wish Justin had grown up a bit more. But I suppose that's what he has the rest of high school to do.
April 7, 2012
This book was collection of journal entries that were made by a high school-er, named Justin. The readers got a very close look into the mind of this teenage boy, and were rewarded for it.
I really liked this book, it was easy to get into and Justin was a kind protagonist. Every action he did was something the reader could relate to, so the whole thing came off as very realistic. Every journal entry looked exactly as it should, with some grammatical errors and many random memories that had happened to Justin and he wrote down.
While the story lacked a plot, it didn't affect the book overall. You learned about many different characters (sometimes hard to keep them all straight) and got to know all of them. I'd love to learn more about Adam, and what is going on with his family.
The story was very interesting, with plot additions that you don't see in your average YA lit. Like the odd-jobs Adam and Justin did for cash, along with Justin's views on high school life. I recommend this to fans of high school, journal-ing type books and POV of boys (which are fairly scarce in this genre!)
I really liked this book, it was easy to get into and Justin was a kind protagonist. Every action he did was something the reader could relate to, so the whole thing came off as very realistic. Every journal entry looked exactly as it should, with some grammatical errors and many random memories that had happened to Justin and he wrote down.
While the story lacked a plot, it didn't affect the book overall. You learned about many different characters (sometimes hard to keep them all straight) and got to know all of them. I'd love to learn more about Adam, and what is going on with his family.
The story was very interesting, with plot additions that you don't see in your average YA lit. Like the odd-jobs Adam and Justin did for cash, along with Justin's views on high school life. I recommend this to fans of high school, journal-ing type books and POV of boys (which are fairly scarce in this genre!)
April 21, 2012
Narrative Loserdom is the journal of a young high school male. I felt like I was reading a Seinfeld-esque journal. It was a story about nothing, about a boy's year in high school. There was no high or low. It just was.
In some ways it was interesting, in some ways it wasn't. I think it was a unique idea for a story, but could have been better fine tuned. The story is set in 2001 and it's funny reading about Justin, the journaler, watching music videos on MTV.
Justin is trying to be Christian. He's been saved. He doesn't put himself in the best environments, though, especially with his friend, Adam. He tries to break into a Coke machine for money. He's always trying to get free cable and look at porn.
There was no real plot, so to speak. The story is just about daily events in this boy's life. He has a crush on a girl who doesn't like him back. He spends time with different friends. The story's just not very exciting. There's no thrill. There's no ride. Where's the adventure?
However, I did enjoy reading the book. Each chapter was short and easy to get through, not that I need that in a book. I did rate it 3 stars, because it is not a bad story.
In some ways it was interesting, in some ways it wasn't. I think it was a unique idea for a story, but could have been better fine tuned. The story is set in 2001 and it's funny reading about Justin, the journaler, watching music videos on MTV.
Justin is trying to be Christian. He's been saved. He doesn't put himself in the best environments, though, especially with his friend, Adam. He tries to break into a Coke machine for money. He's always trying to get free cable and look at porn.
There was no real plot, so to speak. The story is just about daily events in this boy's life. He has a crush on a girl who doesn't like him back. He spends time with different friends. The story's just not very exciting. There's no thrill. There's no ride. Where's the adventure?
However, I did enjoy reading the book. Each chapter was short and easy to get through, not that I need that in a book. I did rate it 3 stars, because it is not a bad story.
May 7, 2012
*e-book courtesy of the author
I'm surprised how much I enjoyed reading Narrative Loserdom. After a few chapters, or I should say journal entries since the book is written in the form of a diary, I realized it didn't really have a plot. That didn't stop me from being engrossed in the book. I thought it was an entertaining and light read.
I've always loved reading a book with diary entries and this one was no different. I think the author did an excellent job going inside the mind of a teenage boy. I don't consider myself an expert but the author seemed to have nailed the thoughts, the emotions and the interests of a boy : girls, money, sports, friends... Narrative Loserdom is well-written and the journal entries resemble how you'd think a teenage boy would think and write.
I couldn't wait to find out what trouble Justin and his friend Adam were going to get in next. Some parts were pretty funny. I loved reading about their different jobs : mowing the lawn, selling late night tv programs, stealing cable and breaking vending machines. Never a dull moment in the everyday life of sixteen-year-old Justin Taggart!
I'm surprised how much I enjoyed reading Narrative Loserdom. After a few chapters, or I should say journal entries since the book is written in the form of a diary, I realized it didn't really have a plot. That didn't stop me from being engrossed in the book. I thought it was an entertaining and light read.
I've always loved reading a book with diary entries and this one was no different. I think the author did an excellent job going inside the mind of a teenage boy. I don't consider myself an expert but the author seemed to have nailed the thoughts, the emotions and the interests of a boy : girls, money, sports, friends... Narrative Loserdom is well-written and the journal entries resemble how you'd think a teenage boy would think and write.
I couldn't wait to find out what trouble Justin and his friend Adam were going to get in next. Some parts were pretty funny. I loved reading about their different jobs : mowing the lawn, selling late night tv programs, stealing cable and breaking vending machines. Never a dull moment in the everyday life of sixteen-year-old Justin Taggart!
June 30, 2013
My Take: So I really did enjoy this book. The characters were somewhat relatable (they would have been more, had I been a boy...). I enjoyed the almost short story format in each of the journal entries. They made it very easy to just pick up the book and read. We also always had enough detail to understand each character and follow each story line.
The best part for me, however, was the moment in each story where I had the "omg, why are they going to do this? It's so stupid." but really it was the funniest thing that I'd ever heard. I also wish that I could get away with as much as these boys do. I was really rooting for them though. They had some real adventures.
Final Thoughts: It was a very interesting book and I was excited to see what kind of trouble the boys would find themselves in next. It was good that they were just normal boys doing normal things. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves journal type stories or trouble making boys. You really get a glimpse into the brain of a teenage boy. I would definitely recommend it if you are a 10-16 year old boy (not that it's not good for girls!). It was good.
http://one-chapter-ahead.blogspot.ca/
The best part for me, however, was the moment in each story where I had the "omg, why are they going to do this? It's so stupid." but really it was the funniest thing that I'd ever heard. I also wish that I could get away with as much as these boys do. I was really rooting for them though. They had some real adventures.
Final Thoughts: It was a very interesting book and I was excited to see what kind of trouble the boys would find themselves in next. It was good that they were just normal boys doing normal things. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves journal type stories or trouble making boys. You really get a glimpse into the brain of a teenage boy. I would definitely recommend it if you are a 10-16 year old boy (not that it's not good for girls!). It was good.
http://one-chapter-ahead.blogspot.ca/
March 11, 2012
I could tell after the first chapter that this was going to be a very creative story. Actually, I take that back, I knew that after reading the synopsis.
A journal of a teenage boy with all the ramblings, adventures, antics and mischief that come with that?
Yep, this would most certainly be a crazy ride but a fun one!
I think what I liked most about this book was just how real it seemed to be. I could imagine a teenage boy saying and doing pretty much all the crazy stuff that happened in this story.
The misspelling, idiocy, obsessions with girls and ramblings only added to the true personality of the character and to the story itself, in fact Justin reminded me a lot of some of my guy friends in high school.
This wasn't a perfect story by any means and at times it was a little slow and you started wondering why Justin and Adam were even friends but in true boy fashion their friendship just seemed to work as did this book.
Truly a very different look into the mind of a teenage boy and all their antics.
A journal of a teenage boy with all the ramblings, adventures, antics and mischief that come with that?
Yep, this would most certainly be a crazy ride but a fun one!
I think what I liked most about this book was just how real it seemed to be. I could imagine a teenage boy saying and doing pretty much all the crazy stuff that happened in this story.
The misspelling, idiocy, obsessions with girls and ramblings only added to the true personality of the character and to the story itself, in fact Justin reminded me a lot of some of my guy friends in high school.
This wasn't a perfect story by any means and at times it was a little slow and you started wondering why Justin and Adam were even friends but in true boy fashion their friendship just seemed to work as did this book.
Truly a very different look into the mind of a teenage boy and all their antics.
May 7, 2012
The last book that I had read in a journal format was “The diary of a Wimpy Kid”. And I had enjoyed it thoroughly. So, my expectations were high even though I realize that it’s not fair to compare the two.
This book is a journal of a teenager named Justin Taggart. Like any average teenage boy, his narrations include about school, homework, friends, money, work and yes of course, girls! He has an exciting life and he seems to have an affinity for getting into trouble along with his best friend Adam. Then there is this girl that he is ‘in love’ with but feels that she is unaware of his existence.
The idea that a teenage guy would maintain a journal is somewhat unusual, but it was just a ‘party’ to read it! The best part of this book is that it is very true to life and something we can relate to. Also, Justin’s (or should I say Ryan’s?) sense of humour is simply great. I laughed aloud almost throughout the book. It is pretty well written.
What I didn’t like was that the entries were too far apart towards and Justin’s relationship with Sterling was very abrupt.
This book is a journal of a teenager named Justin Taggart. Like any average teenage boy, his narrations include about school, homework, friends, money, work and yes of course, girls! He has an exciting life and he seems to have an affinity for getting into trouble along with his best friend Adam. Then there is this girl that he is ‘in love’ with but feels that she is unaware of his existence.
The idea that a teenage guy would maintain a journal is somewhat unusual, but it was just a ‘party’ to read it! The best part of this book is that it is very true to life and something we can relate to. Also, Justin’s (or should I say Ryan’s?) sense of humour is simply great. I laughed aloud almost throughout the book. It is pretty well written.
What I didn’t like was that the entries were too far apart towards and Justin’s relationship with Sterling was very abrupt.
Read
April 27, 2012This book definitely captures what I think a teenage boy is like - girl crazy but shy around girls at the same time; trying to find a balance between what he wants to do and what he should do because of his belief in God and Jesus, etc. Justin does some things that I wouldn't consider a typical teenager behavior (some stealing and pirating), but most of the time, he acts and writes like a teenager. The book is written in journal form so it is very stream of consciousness and because of that there isn't a real plot to the story and the ending is quite abrupt. I did find the book a little funny - one part that made me laugh out loud the most was when he was transfixed with Shakira's dancing - as are some adult men that I know (ahem, Paul and Jon).
There were a few spelling errors in the book but I'm willing to drop those considering this is written as a journal by a teenage boy.
In the end, I thought it was an o.k. book. I would recommend this book to teenage boys (like my nephew).
There were a few spelling errors in the book but I'm willing to drop those considering this is written as a journal by a teenage boy.
In the end, I thought it was an o.k. book. I would recommend this book to teenage boys (like my nephew).
April 17, 2012
Loved this book.!! Personally I loved how the author shed light on the internal conflict that all Christians struggle with when they give into the everyday temptations of the world. More importantly, this book discredits the popular holier than thou stereotype that is so often associated with Christianity, and serves to remind the reader that no man is infallible. I also liked how the author chose to make the main character a "loser". This was a sharp contrast to many other books in its genre which tend to highlight adolescents as being unrealistically glamorous.
The only criticism I have about the book was the detailed street directions. I thought it was a little distracting and I am not really sure where the author was going with this. Another thing that was confusing was the flash back entries, not really sure why the author would write about the same thing. With all that being said, this was still an excellent book that I think everyone can relate to in some way.
The only criticism I have about the book was the detailed street directions. I thought it was a little distracting and I am not really sure where the author was going with this. Another thing that was confusing was the flash back entries, not really sure why the author would write about the same thing. With all that being said, this was still an excellent book that I think everyone can relate to in some way.
January 18, 2016
A fictional diary written by the character Justin Taggart, a 15 year old Texan boy who—let’s face it—may be a bit of a loser at school. Written in episodic spurts from July 2001 to July 2002, he chronicles his misadventures with his friend Adam, in which they invent new ways to steal TV cable, try to break into a Coke machine, and run a lawn-mowing service.
The diary format of the story definitely works, but with some flaws. While the writing style is very much consistent with the abilities of an aspiring writer, there’s too much description and explanation for the reader’s benefit, considering the narrator is writing out his thoughts by hand. In terms of character, we never really get to know anyone beyond Adam and Justin, so the protagonist’s half-hearted documentation of his high school crushes seem a bit pointless. With a very abrupt ending to conclude the story, Narrative Loserdom comes off as a somewhat amusing, but ultimately unpolished work.
The diary format of the story definitely works, but with some flaws. While the writing style is very much consistent with the abilities of an aspiring writer, there’s too much description and explanation for the reader’s benefit, considering the narrator is writing out his thoughts by hand. In terms of character, we never really get to know anyone beyond Adam and Justin, so the protagonist’s half-hearted documentation of his high school crushes seem a bit pointless. With a very abrupt ending to conclude the story, Narrative Loserdom comes off as a somewhat amusing, but ultimately unpolished work.
April 8, 2012
3.5 Stars
See my more detailed review on my blog here: http://immabookworm.blogspot.ca/2012/...
See my more detailed review on my blog here: http://immabookworm.blogspot.ca/2012/...
July 25, 2016
full review to come
May 25, 2012
See my review exclusively on www.tinasbookreviews.com -- SOON!!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews