165th out of 272 books
—
510 voters
Manicpixiedreamgirl
by
Tom Leveen (Goodreads Author)
Sometimes the most dramatic scenes in a high school theater club are the ones that happen between the actors and crew off stage.
Seventeen-year-old Tyler Darcy's dream of being a writer is starting to feel very real now that he's sold his first short story to a literary journal. He should be celebrating its publication with his two best friends who've always had his back, b...more
Seventeen-year-old Tyler Darcy's dream of being a writer is starting to feel very real now that he's sold his first short story to a literary journal. He should be celebrating its publication with his two best friends who've always had his back, b...more
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published
April 23rd 2013
by Random House Children's Books
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Once again, in Manicpixiedreamgirl, Leveen writes realistic, edgy teen characters that tug at your heartstrings and make you root for their ultimate triumph.
As Manicpixiedreamgirl opens, Tyler and his two friends are celebrating the publication of one of Tyler's stories in a magazine. The three of them are all in various stages of intoxication in a city park. Tyler is receiving texts and phone calls from two different girls--Syd, who has been his steady girlfriend for two years, and Becky, who h...more
As Manicpixiedreamgirl opens, Tyler and his two friends are celebrating the publication of one of Tyler's stories in a magazine. The three of them are all in various stages of intoxication in a city park. Tyler is receiving texts and phone calls from two different girls--Syd, who has been his steady girlfriend for two years, and Becky, who h...more
Quick read, romantic, and at times heartbreaking.
This was my first Tom Leveen novel, and I'm totally hooked. I'll definitely be adding his other books to my to-read list. I loved how Leveen alternated between narrating the story in the present and then in the past, allowing Manicpixiedreamgirl to unfold and keep me interested. Tyler Darcy narrates his obsession for a girl named Becky, which started on his first day of his freshman year of high school. He watches Becky from a distance and asks h...more
This was my first Tom Leveen novel, and I'm totally hooked. I'll definitely be adding his other books to my to-read list. I loved how Leveen alternated between narrating the story in the present and then in the past, allowing Manicpixiedreamgirl to unfold and keep me interested. Tyler Darcy narrates his obsession for a girl named Becky, which started on his first day of his freshman year of high school. He watches Becky from a distance and asks h...more
Many thanks to Random House for offering this ARC on netgally.com. This is the second Tom Leeven ARC I have received and read. I loved Zero and Loved Manicpixiedreamgirl even more. Leveen's first book, Party, gave me some mixed feelings, but Zero was great and Manicpixiedreamgirl just proves that Leveen is getting better and better. His characters are real and avoid stereotypes. They are not "all bad" or "all good," they are characters who live in grey, who make good decisions and poor ones...ju...more
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Apr 14, 2013
Jen Ryland
added it
For the complete review, including a brief history of the Manic Pixie Dream girl,
Check out my blog, YA Romantics
Manicpixiedream girl is about a boy who drifts into a relationship he's not that into because he can't bring himself to reach out to the girl he's really interested in.
The book switches between the past and the present, between the aftermath of Tyler's girlfriend discovering that he's obsessed with another girl and his prior encounters with Becky, the girl in question. The flashback s...more
Check out my blog, YA Romantics
Manicpixiedream girl is about a boy who drifts into a relationship he's not that into because he can't bring himself to reach out to the girl he's really interested in.
The book switches between the past and the present, between the aftermath of Tyler's girlfriend discovering that he's obsessed with another girl and his prior encounters with Becky, the girl in question. The flashback s...more
Okay so I do not like the description Goodreads has. On my arc copy instead o a normal summary it has a little blurb taken from page 9 of the novel, and that is what made me pick up this book.
Now to review,
I am in love with Tyler and his story. While this may just be another YA fiction book with mostly normal YA novel problems, I swear Tyler just makes me forget all of that. The voice the author has given to him makes him believable, I actually think I may know someone kind of like him. He kept...more
Now to review,
I am in love with Tyler and his story. While this may just be another YA fiction book with mostly normal YA novel problems, I swear Tyler just makes me forget all of that. The voice the author has given to him makes him believable, I actually think I may know someone kind of like him. He kept...more
Words cannot even begin to explain how much I loved this book. I don't know what it is, but I just could not put this one down. I finished this in one day. During finals week. That's gotta tell you something!
The moment Tyler Darcy sees Rebecca Webb, he's a goner. For the next three years, Tyler continues to obsess over Becky and everything about her, even though he starts dating Sydney at the end of freshman year. There's just something about Becky he can't get out of his head. Tyler's a writer,...more
The moment Tyler Darcy sees Rebecca Webb, he's a goner. For the next three years, Tyler continues to obsess over Becky and everything about her, even though he starts dating Sydney at the end of freshman year. There's just something about Becky he can't get out of his head. Tyler's a writer,...more
Tom Leveen writes with a voice that is so authentically teenager, that I sometimes forget that a dude in his late-30s is writing the book.
Also, I love his creative swearing. Example:
"'Wow', Robby said calmly, folding his hands on the table, quite possibly in an effort to keep from tearing my jaw off. 'That was impressive, Ty. Now do you mind, please, explaining to us what the almighty holy fuck just happened here?'"
I really liked the way the book was put together. It takes place over the course...more
Also, I love his creative swearing. Example:
"'Wow', Robby said calmly, folding his hands on the table, quite possibly in an effort to keep from tearing my jaw off. 'That was impressive, Ty. Now do you mind, please, explaining to us what the almighty holy fuck just happened here?'"
I really liked the way the book was put together. It takes place over the course...more
I am by far not the target audience for this book, which first is a young adult novel and second I suspect may be aimed at boys as the protagonist is a teenage boy. The story centers around a teenage boy named Tyler who has been pining after his dream girl Becky for three years while also dating another girl named Sidney. One fateful night brings everything to a head with the story moving back and forth between what is happening that night and all the moments over the past three years leading up...more
Read more: http://www.sarcasmandlemons.com/2013/...
You know the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. She's Natalie Portman in Garden State. She's Summer in 500 Days of Summer, for a while. Ramona in Scott Pilgrim. Eccentric, adorably quirky savior of the brooding bad boy. She's the girl (or guy) you watched from afar in high school, invented daydreams about, held on a pedestal. Leveen plays with this most common of experiences in an authentic and clever way, creating the brooding boy Tyler and the dream girl...more
You know the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. She's Natalie Portman in Garden State. She's Summer in 500 Days of Summer, for a while. Ramona in Scott Pilgrim. Eccentric, adorably quirky savior of the brooding bad boy. She's the girl (or guy) you watched from afar in high school, invented daydreams about, held on a pedestal. Leveen plays with this most common of experiences in an authentic and clever way, creating the brooding boy Tyler and the dream girl...more
Tyler has a lot to celebrate: two of his short stories have just been published by reputable literary magazines...and he's only 17. Plus, he's got an awesome girlfriend, Sydney. And he's in love!
But the girl he's in love with? Well...it's not Sydney.
Tyler may be dating Sydney, but he can't stop thinking about Becky Webb: a tattooed, sexy drama club star with a reputation that inspires gossip. Becky is Tyler's friend--but deep down, he's always wanted more.
Over the course of one very intense n...more
But the girl he's in love with? Well...it's not Sydney.
Tyler may be dating Sydney, but he can't stop thinking about Becky Webb: a tattooed, sexy drama club star with a reputation that inspires gossip. Becky is Tyler's friend--but deep down, he's always wanted more.
Over the course of one very intense n...more
Tom Leveen gives his characters such great voices. I loved Tyler, really loved him. The reason I'm not giving this a higher rating is because of the jump from present to past. Although it was executed pretty much flawlessly, I still struggled to keep up with the flow of it. I would be getting into one story and then we would flash to the other story and I felt like my mind and heart were derailed.
This had almost a feel of a short story for some reason, maybe it was the ending. Great mail POV bo...more
This had almost a feel of a short story for some reason, maybe it was the ending. Great mail POV bo...more
Rating: 3.5
The Low Down: Ever since he first saw her freshman year, Tyler Darcy has been drawn to Becky Webb like a moth to the flame. She has no idea of his almost obsession with her; after all, in the beginning, he can’t bring himself to speak to her, much less spill his secrets. All his friends know of his infatuation, hell, even his girlfriend knows. Syd is beautiful, smart and so cool. Why she puts up with his fixation is beyond him. But every chance he gets, he looks for Becky. Thinks abou...more
The Low Down: Ever since he first saw her freshman year, Tyler Darcy has been drawn to Becky Webb like a moth to the flame. She has no idea of his almost obsession with her; after all, in the beginning, he can’t bring himself to speak to her, much less spill his secrets. All his friends know of his infatuation, hell, even his girlfriend knows. Syd is beautiful, smart and so cool. Why she puts up with his fixation is beyond him. But every chance he gets, he looks for Becky. Thinks abou...more
Sometimes the most dramatic scenes in a high school theater club are the ones that happen between the actors and crew off stage.
With this sentence, I was hooked and knew that I must read this book. Tom Leveen made me a believer in his talent with his novel Zero and amazed me even more with manicpixiedreamgirl. His writing is dynamic and honest and REAL. He draws the reader in with his character development and overwhelms us with his storytelling. Pure genius. Leveen just gets it right.
The story...more
With this sentence, I was hooked and knew that I must read this book. Tom Leveen made me a believer in his talent with his novel Zero and amazed me even more with manicpixiedreamgirl. His writing is dynamic and honest and REAL. He draws the reader in with his character development and overwhelms us with his storytelling. Pure genius. Leveen just gets it right.
The story...more
It starts with a girl. She's not just any girl, but the girl of Tyler's dreams. From the first moment he locks eyes with her, he knows that he's done for. Though we try to move on, sometimes there's just the smallest bit of hope that keeps us from letting go. Tom Leveen's Manicpixiedreamgirl shows what it's like to be stuck on the thought of someone you may never be able to have.
The story is set over the span of one night, with various flashbacks to help the reader get a better feel of each char...more
The story is set over the span of one night, with various flashbacks to help the reader get a better feel of each char...more
Mar 11, 2013
Amy
added it
Another great book by Tom Leveen! This is a contemporary YA story about Tyler who has a crush/obsession on a girl that spans years of high school. The book moved from present to past which I thought worked very well. I loved watching Tyler discover that Becky wasn't exactly who he wanted/expected her to be. As in Leveen's other stories, the book is peopled with...well, people. The characters are so believable and every note of dialogue rings true. I'd recommend this one for older teens who can h...more
Aug 12, 2012
Patricia
marked it as keep-in-mind
Nerdfighter he is?
This is what happens when something confuses me. I forget what grammar is.
This is what happens when something confuses me. I forget what grammar is.
Reviewed on my blog: http://sharingsoda.blogspot.com/2013/...
May 19, 2013
Jessica Day
marked it as to-read
May 19, 2013
Whitney
marked it as to-read
May 18, 2013
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Tom Leveen has 22 years of theatre experience as an actor and director. He was the Artistic Director and a co-founder of two companies: Chyro Arts Venue, an all-ages nonprofit visual and performing venue; and Is What It Is Theatre, a community theatre that operated for 13 seasons. Tom lives with is wife and son in the Phoenix area. PARTY was his first novel, followed by ZERO (a 2013 YALSA Best Boo...more
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