Period 8

Apr 06, 2013 Giselle rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, contemporary

What attracted me to this book initially was the mention of a bully. The blurb on the back of the book even says "A new novel about an ultimate bully and the ethics of love". Sounds pretty good for any gritty contemporary fan, no? Except this "bully" is just a very weird guy with an obvious hidden agenda. The "ethics of love" part is correct, though. The whole book felt like an after-school-special-slash-Sunday-school-summon about love, telling the truth, and teenage hormones.

What is Period 8?...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Emily May rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ya-na, 2013, boring, contemporary

Not for me.

Just a quick scan of the few reviews available for this book shows me those words appearing several times in one form or another. It seems to be the common opinion that this book is waiting to be loved by someone - though, who that someone is, it's hard to tell. Guys, maybe. Guys who like to read character studies and aren't put off by a plot that is slow and arguably not even there.

This was my first problem - this book is painfully slow. It is about a group of high school kids who m...more

Not for me.

Just a quick scan of the few reviews available for this book shows me those words appearing several times in one form or another. It seems to be the common opinion that this book is waiting to be loved by someone - though, who that someone is, it's hard to tell. Guys, maybe. Guys who like to read character studies and aren't put off by a plot that is slow and arguably not even there.

This was my first problem - this book is painfully slow. It is about a group of high school kids who meet every day in a lunch group called "Period 8". This group is ran by Logs, a soon-to-be retiring teacher who cares about his students like they were his own kids and offers them a place where they can talk about what is bothering them. What is said in Period 8, stays in Period 8. But two-thirds of the way in and very little has happened beyond these student conversations. Mary Wells goes missing, then reappears, then goes missing and then reappears again... but this is skimmed over, the main focus is the character discussions.

I don't mind a character-driven story as long as there is actually a story to drive and I felt this book contained too little plot. This is less a criticism and more an observation from the point of view of someone who doesn't like this style of storytelling. I think this book has the potential to be a favourite in the hands of the right person who appreciates something slower, with a subtle build-up to the bigger picture. I, unfortunately, found it tedious. It felt like I was waiting forever for the story to hit me, only to reach the end and realise that it was supposed to have happened somewhere in there.

However, I think I would have still given it three stars or at least another half if it wasn't for what I believe was a clumsy attempt to create teen characters by using annoying, stereotypical language. You know sometimes when authors exaggerate a character-type so much that, instead of becoming what they had intended, they just become laughable? Like creating a "bad boy" with tattoos, Harley, leather jacket and probably a skull earring to go with it all... well, I think very few high school teens actually speak like the ones in this book.

Like I said at the beginning, this is probably the right book for someone, but that someone just isn't me.(less)

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Mar 25, 2013 Kris rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, contemporary, ya-books, dnf

This book is supposedly about the "ultimate bully." Picking up this book, I expected a gritty contemporary about the dark side of high school and teenagers struggling with moral conflicts. What I got was a high school drama overloaded with hormones and teenage angst.

The plot is dull and disorganized. The story is introduced seemingly with the assumption that we know who the characters area. There's a reason why it's often discouraged to start a story with dialogue. We don't know anything about t...more This book is supposedly about the "ultimate bully." Picking up this book, I expected a gritty contemporary about the dark side of high school and teenagers struggling with moral conflicts. What I got was a high school drama overloaded with hormones and teenage angst.

The plot is dull and disorganized. The story is introduced seemingly with the assumption that we know who the characters area. There's a reason why it's often discouraged to start a story with dialogue. We don't know anything about the characters or the plot yet. It would have been fine if enough backstory was given along with the dialogue, but it isn't. The same trend continues throughout the novel with the dialogue dominating the text. Several chapters into the plot, I still had no idea what was going on.

When I was wondering where the bully was, I find out that this is more of a crime novel (but not really) than a bully novel, a girl goes missing and suddenly reappears, refusing to talk about what happens to her, and a bunch of other messed-up things happen. This actually could have been an interesting novel if it focused more on the mystery/crime/thriller aspect and did a better job of setting up the context, such as setting up character motivation, grounding the story more, and elaborating more on what was going on. There can be such thing as too much detail, but in this case there was far too little.

Period 8 felt like a confessional. Rather than being an eighth period at the end of the day, it's a group that meets up at lunch to discuss whatever they want to talk. For the most part, it's about their own problems, and private arguments often get mixed up in this class. I didn't like how the students talk. Not only is their language littered with cuss words, they often talk down to one another. At one point early on in the novel, the boys even make excuses about why a guy might cheat on his girlfriend. They also call a girl "Virgin Mary" just because they think she hasn't had sex before, which apparently is very unusual at their school. Their attitudes and actions were a shocker for me because I don't live in that kind of world, and it doesn't seem like a healthy environment. There's so much angst and hormones flying around. That's the most color the characters have. For the most part, they're flat and either boring or plain annoying. I never felt as though I really got to know any of them, which was especially hard because the story often changed perspectives for no apparent reason. All it did was make me more annoyed at certain characters after being suddenly bombarded with their personal problems.

On the whole, this book was one big headache for me. I won't be recommending it.

--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog Imaginary Reads.

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Mar 06, 2013 Heidi (yabibliophile) added it

Classic Crutcher yet totally different. I know that doesn't really make sense.

Added 3/6
Chris freaking Crutcher. Obviously I requested the heck outta this one. And I am so glad that I did. Period 8 is a delightful blend of classic Crutcher characters with a new twist.

As a long time Crutcher fan I really enjoyed getting to see something a little different from him. I adore all of the authors previous titles but it was fun to see the "thriller" aspect added in. While reading I kept second guessing...more Classic Crutcher yet totally different. I know that doesn't really make sense.

Added 3/6
Chris freaking Crutcher. Obviously I requested the heck outta this one. And I am so glad that I did. Period 8 is a delightful blend of classic Crutcher characters with a new twist.

As a long time Crutcher fan I really enjoyed getting to see something a little different from him. I adore all of the authors previous titles but it was fun to see the "thriller" aspect added in. While reading I kept second guessing what I thought was going on. I had all sorts of ideas about who was in to what but I didn't feel like I knew for sure. That really kept me on the edge of my seat.

As much as I enjoyed the thrills of Period 8 it was the characters that grabbed my attention and wouldn't let go. No one does authentic teen characters like Chris Crutcher. The highs, the lows, the confusion of being a teen. We see it all. Paulie is a guy you want to know. He's not perfect but he's aware of his imperfections and acknowledges them with humor and aplomb. And Mr. Logsdon. I wish every school had at least one teacher like him. I actually found myself identifying with him more than with the teen characters (which is a first for me in a Crutcher novel... even though I'm so far removed from my teen years!)

I had extremely high expectations for Period 8. Chris Crutcher met and exceeded them all. I soaked up the humor and authenticity I've come to expect from him and loved the edge of mystery and suspense that was added in. Chris Crutcher, y'all. Chris freaking Crutcher.

NOTE:
Chris Crutcher is one of my all time favorite authors ever, but I never would have picked up his books without some prodding. I thought they were all "sports books" and that I didn't like that kind of thing. Turns out I was wrong on both accounts. I actually like "sports books" and, even if I didn't, Chris Crutcher's books are about so much more than sports. His years of work as both a child and family therapist and as an educator show through. Crutcher tackels some of the most heartbreaking situations that teens face. His approach is authentic and relatable. He doesn't skirt around issues, but addresses them head on. This has lead to many challenges against his books for a variety of reasons. These challenges are why I picked his books up for the first time. Anyone who has that many books on banned and challenged lists and is still publishing must be doing something right. Check out his website here. As much as I loved Period 8 I don't really recommend it if you're trying to get a feel for a "classic Crutcher" book. Start with Whale Talk or Deadline. Honestly though, you can't go wrong. Just pick up one of his books!
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May 19, 2013 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library, ya

What??? I just finished Period.8 and the ending left me hanging. Come on, as the characters were finishing up their dialogue and I was finally putting all the pieces together I had my ending all wrapped up in my head and then Mr. Crutcher throws in some added pieces into the mix in the final pages and my nice little ending is all messed up. Nothing really wrong with that except for now, I have options to which I must decide what to do with. Ha, nice job Mr. Crutcher.
Welcome to high school and we...more What??? I just finished Period.8 and the ending left me hanging. Come on, as the characters were finishing up their dialogue and I was finally putting all the pieces together I had my ending all wrapped up in my head and then Mr. Crutcher throws in some added pieces into the mix in the final pages and my nice little ending is all messed up. Nothing really wrong with that except for now, I have options to which I must decide what to do with. Ha, nice job Mr. Crutcher.
Welcome to high school and welcome to Period 8. This is supposed to be a class where discussion is the norm. What do they discuss? Anything is possible and most everything is discussed- the sky is the limit. The teacher is Bruce Logsdon or Logs for short and he is a pretty laid back teacher. Pretty honest and open fellow and he will welcome you with open arms into his classroom. Just have to remember that what gets said in Period 8 stays in Period 8, period. Well, it is supposed to be that way. When things start to go wrong, the students in Period 8 realize they have a mess on their hands and need to take action. Hannah and Paulie are an item and when an incident occurs, they break up which affects the whole classroom. One action puts the whole ball into play or does it?
The idea of having a classroom where the students come in just to talk sounds more like therapy but if you could make it work, that would be wonderful. If the students like the teacher and they have to be at school for that hour, I can see it happening and then the idea of having the talks stay within the classroom walls, if only that could work. So much is happening in this book with Virgin Mary disappearing and then reappearing, the relationship issues, the parent problems, Arney’s issues and then we add the ending, and this book is loaded. Mr. Crutcher tells it like it is and does not flowery- coat his words or add anything to take away from the true feeling of his characters. You feel the emotions and the power of his characters and that is why I like his writings.
This book is for older YA readers as there is adult language and subject matter contained within.
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May 12, 2013 Ann Carpenter rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic

I was engaged with this book almost all the way through, and very much so towards the beginning. I thought the characters seemed very realistic in the ways that they talked to one another and related to each other. Other parts of the book, however, were disappointing.

It was obvious to me who the main villain was going to be, since I know a lot about sociopaths. The adult villain surprised me. But a lot of the rationale behind pretty much any of the villains' actions escapes me. Why did Arney mak...more

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May 09, 2013 JenniferJ rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, 2013d-170, young-adult

This is one of those books that I think folks is either gonna love it or hate it and sadly I fall on the latter. It starts out kinda slow opening with a teenage guy (Paul)in a pickle because he cheated on his girlfriend and decides to tell her about it. This was my first sign of disappointment. Well for starters I don't like cheating stories but my reason was not because the guy told the truth but because it was just so unrealistic especially in teenagers! How many teen guys is gonna go up to hi...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Ken Kugler rated it 4 of 5 stars

Chris Crutcher has written another book that rocks. In Period 8, of course it has to use sports as a focal point. In this book it is swimming but is used mostly as a focal point for Paulie “Bomb”, a way too thoughtful for and focused for a teen but that is what Chris Crutcher works with best. The other two main characters are Bruce Logsdon, also known as “Logs”, who is in the last year of a teaching career and Hannah, Pauli’s’ love interest until he screws up royally.
Paulie cheated on Hannah an...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Gladys rated it 5 of 5 stars

Met the author yesterday durin Teenbookcon he talk about this book in a way that really intrigue me. I'm sure that the way he described the story that inspired him had many people in the audience with tear eyes. Well I decided to buy his book and read it. At first it disappointed me because of his view of guys cheating on their girlfriends, it sounded like a very typical male answer " it's not on purpose is nature" type of argument. However I decided to keep reading and the true story came toget...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am a huge Chris Crutcher fan. I really respect him - as an author and as a person. I couldn't wait to read Period 8, and I will have a line of students when I return to school waiting for this one as well. It doesn't disappoint. There are some classic Crutcher elements - the strong language, the wise teacher/mentor, the imperfect narrator that you can't help but to pull for, the real-life issues that people don't like to talk about.

But this novel feels a little different that the others. At t...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Annette rated it 3 of 5 stars

While Period 8 provides and interesting story, I did have some problems with the book.

Paul is a member of "Period 8," a class that certain students attend at Heller High. You can talk about anything you want, or just listen. It's basically just a bull session. Paul makes a big mistake - he cheats on his long-time girlfriend, Hannah. And, he feels so bad he has to tell her. Of course they break up, and this is the beginning of a big mess. All is not what it seems (and that's an understatement) an...more While Period 8 provides and interesting story, I did have some problems with the book.

Paul is a member of "Period 8," a class that certain students attend at Heller High. You can talk about anything you want, or just listen. It's basically just a bull session. Paul makes a big mistake - he cheats on his long-time girlfriend, Hannah. And, he feels so bad he has to tell her. Of course they break up, and this is the beginning of a big mess. All is not what it seems (and that's an understatement) and the mess involves many more students than just Hannah and Paul.

I'm being purposefully vague, because I have to be. You really need to go into Period 8 without knowing what it's about.

Period 8 is a unique, creative story. I can't say I've read anything like it before. I've read some reviews that say it's about bullying, but what is happening in this school is way different than traditional bullying. So I wouldn't call it a bullying book.

The difficulties I had with Period 8 are the slow pace at the beginning and the far-fetched premise. We are about half way through the book before anything really out of the ordinary occurs. There's a lot of build up -- setting up the characters and their histories. Too much build up, in my opinion. For half the book, I had no idea where this story was headed. And, I don't mean that in a good way. It's just a bunch of high school students that have this special relationship because of this class. So what?

Secondly, when you do find out who the bad guys are and why these things are happening, I really didn't buy it. I was fascinated and intrigued, but in reality, I can't see anything like this really happening and going on for so long without people finding out about it. It's a bit over the top for me.

Period 8 is well written, relatable, short, and realistically portrays high school relationships. For that reason, I can easily recommend it to my students. The ending is very exciting, and I don't think they will be as critical as I am about the premise.(less)

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Feb 09, 2013 Alicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: abuse, boy, dysfunctional, mystery, romance, sports

A suspenseful thriller from Crutcher, this book is definitely in the stratosphere of good YA mysteries similar to What Happened to Cass McBride? by Giles or Wish You Were Dead by Strasser. While there are certain plot points that one must suspend their disbelief (a teacher reliving his glory days before retirement with a VERY loose and somewhat unprofessional relationship with swimmer Paulie, but all of the students of period 8). While I respect that he is their mentor and adviser on certain iss...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Sally Kruger added it

I'm still pinching myself unable to believe I scored an ARC of PERIOD 8 by Chris Crutcher. Scheduled for release in April of 2013, PERIOD 8 is an example of vintage Crutcher combined with a dash of mystery. I was almost breathless in the final 30-40 pages as the action rushed to a riveting conclusion.

Teacher Bruce Logsdon is about to complete his last year of teaching. He's one of those special teachers who just seem to connect with kids in a way that goes beyond the classroom. Logs, as he is kn...more

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Apr 16, 2013 NCPL Teenzone rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: edgy-contemporary, sports, ya, realistic

Period 8 is a group of high school students that meet in Mr Logs' classroom during lunch. Logs is the teacher/mentor every student needs and deserves to have in their lives. He listens, supports, and cares about his students and only offers advice as a last resort. Period 8 is a safe haven where any subject or conversation is fair game. The only rule is complete honesty (no bs) and like in AA, what is said in Period 8 stays in Period 8.

Paulie Bomb is a senior swimmer, who enjoys spending his ea...more

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Dec 14, 2012 Pam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read

GoodReads Synopsis: In this full-length novel from Chris Crutcher, his first since the best-selling Deadline, the ultimate bully and the ultimate good guy tangle during Period 8.

Paul "the Bomb" Baum tells the truth. No matter what. It was something he learned at Sunday School. But telling the truth can cause problems, and not minor ones. And as Paulie discovers, finding the truth can be even more problematic. Period 8 is supposed to be that one period in high school where the truth can shine, a...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Lectus rated it 3 of 5 stars

What I liked most about this book was the cursing. Totally realistic. High school kids don't talk like saints! So Period 8 was refreshing in this aspect.

So, this bunch of kids meet during period 8 with the guidance of a counselor to discuss whatever issues they have. The only rule is to always tell the truth.

Then a girl, Mary, goes missing and things about Mary (also known as Virgin Mary because she doesn't have sex) come up. Like, the total control freak that her father is.

The story covers che...more

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Dec 23, 2012 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-mt-bookpile

The suspense part of the book gets a little overshadowed by the over-writing, but that doesn't mean it isn't there. There's a very (very!) slow build, so you have to stick with it before getting to the payoff.

Period 8 is more a concept - the really cool teacher hosts what seems like an encounter group in his classroom during lunch. "Logs" is one of those beloved guys, the teacher everyone confides in. He also is training with Paulie, having aspired to swimming the channel in his youth; Paulie,...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Kia rated it 5 of 5 stars

I thought this book was great! In this day and age, when I feel that teens are babied and taught that they will and should be great at everything, this was a refreshing read. It was gritty and realistic. If a students can have a drug ring, they can definitely have a sex ring.
Arney Stacks was quite an original. I liked that Crutcher illustrated that teens can be very cunning and manipulative. That you just can't give everyone the benefit of the doubt. In the case of Mary Wells and Kylie, he sho...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Barb Dean rated it 5 of 5 stars

PERIOD 8is Chris Crutcher's latest teen novel and from the first page takes the reader into the hard, dark realities of life. This is classic Crutcher because this man does not avoid the harsh realities that confront teenagers daily. But Crutcher himself admits that he has put this one on steroids. But this novel also features a wise, compassionate adult in the person of Bruce Logsdon, the teacher who opens his classroom during lunch for PERIOD EIGHT. During PERIOD EIGHT students gather in ‘Logs...more

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Apr 22, 2013 Stormy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

I feel like there were two competing story lines in Period 8. There’s the events of the actual Period 8, a lunchtime get together of a jumble of high school students from different backgrounds, social groups, and grade levels. They’re led by Logs, the supportive teacher who leads what, in essence, becomes a high school therapy group. No topic is off-limits in Period 8, but everything remains confidential.

There’s quite a few scenes that take place in Period 8, and they all felt overly dramatic to...more I feel like there were two competing story lines in Period 8. There’s the events of the actual Period 8, a lunchtime get together of a jumble of high school students from different backgrounds, social groups, and grade levels. They’re led by Logs, the supportive teacher who leads what, in essence, becomes a high school therapy group. No topic is off-limits in Period 8, but everything remains confidential.

There’s quite a few scenes that take place in Period 8, and they all felt overly dramatic to me. It was a lot like watching a high school soap opera, and these scenes were by far my least favorite part of the book. While I do appreciate the idea of the listening, caring teacher who actually gets his students and supports them both in and out of class, the way the book reads seems just a little. . . off. I think it might be because we never really see the build-up to Period 8, instead there’s just a mess of characters all talking to each other about things that don’t seem like would normally be discussed so easily. Also, there’s a strong attempt to create a realistic teenage dialogue in this book, and while I think Chris Crutcher gets it better than most, it still feels a little stilted.

That’s story line A. Then, we have story line B, which is where the psychopathic bully comes in. I enjoyed this story line much more, because while it may not have been exactly realistic, the action didn’t feel forced and I really enjoyed the pacing. If there had been slightly more of a focus on what was actually going on and less of the conversations in Period 8, this book would have ended up with a much higher rating from me. Even though it’s pretty easy to spot the initial bully the first time he’s introduced, there’s quite a few plot twists that I didn’t see coming. The ending was left me reeling a little bit and I definitely had to read the last few pages again.

Unfortunately, this book does use one of my least favorite tropes– the informed character trait. We’re told Paulie is a good guy and great teenager by dialogue from other people before we ever get to see it. And while in this case the informed trait may actually be true, unlike some books, I still feel a little letdown whenever someone’s character is introduced to me through dialogue. It’s a minor thing in this book, but enough that I noticed it.

Ultimately, I did end up enjoying Period 8 more than I thought I would, but there are definitely some aspects of the book that didn’t quite do it for me.

Final Impression: There were two main story lines in Period 8, one of which I really disliked and one that I enjoyed immensely. As a result, I have a few mixed feelings on this book. There were a few things that annoyed me, such as the informed character trait and the forced teenage dialogue, but the twists towards the end were excellently done and this book definitely ended on a positive impression. 3/5 stars.

Review originally posted on my blog at Book. Blog. Bake. (less)

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Mar 20, 2013 ExLibris_Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars

The title, Period 8, refers to the time each day when a group of teens from all different social realms come together in Mr. Logson's class to talk. They talk about their lives, debate deeper issue, and generally share everything. It was in interesting premise and I thought I was in for a YA contemporary about the struggles that many teens face in their high school years. However, the story quickly morphs into more of a thriller, with one member of the group slowly being revealed to be...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: high school, swimmers, adults

Shelves: adults-reading-ya-lit, book-group, bullying, faves, gms-spring, guys-read, high-school-fairs, sports-novels, book-fairs-spring-2013

I am an unapologetic Chris Crutcher fan.
Period 8 doesn't disappoint, still as Chris says in the intro- he Definitely Steps It Up.
There is clearly a puppet master behind the scenes- we think we know who, but certainty is saved for the final pages. Chris is going for the one weakening finger holding onto the cliff with lives in the balance in this high stakes story.
Orbiting around Period 8, a daily lunch session moderated by the estimable Logs(Bruce Logsdon- teacher extraordinaire) who is retirin...more

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May 04, 2013 Kelly Hager rated it 2 of 5 stars

I don't know what it was with this book, but I didn't connect to it at all.

If you read the synopsis, you'll see that it has a lot of the things I generally love in books: creepy people, a serious issue (in this case, bullying), a good teacher, and it's YA.

And yet it fell short for me. Ultimately, I didn't care about the characters or what happened to them.

And I am sure the problem is me. If you look on Goodreads, you'll see that it's almost at four stars.

But even though I wasn't in love with...more

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May 19, 2013 Lonna Pierce rated it 4 of 5 stars

This intense Chris Crutcher YA novel has another swimmer protagonist, as did Whale Talk, Stotan! and Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, among others. Hip & funny dialogue is another hallmark of Crutcher, and he does not disappoint. Things are not what they seem in Paulie's small town high school, and after losing his girlfriend Hannah for cheating, he and Mr. Logs, a favorite teacher who runs Period 8 in his classroom at lunchtime, try to figure out what nefarious secrets underlie the goings on i...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Ariel Uppstrom rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have always loved Chris Crutcher books. At first, this one was very suspenseful, but the ending left me unsatisfied and with more questions than answers.

The story follows Paulie as a he deals with the consequences of cheating on his girlfriend with a girl who keeps going missing and then reels him into her web of lies and mystery. It quickly becomes obvious that something isn't right about Arney, a kid who is a total poser and lier. He tries to appear perfect and it's clearly an act. The rela...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Erin Richards rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I was excited to win an ARC of Period 8 from a Goodreads giveaway. I love seeing more teen boy-focused books on the shelves. Having said that, I liked Period 8. But I really wanted to love it. I thought the idea of an “eighth period” with an intact cohort group of kids from all backgrounds was fantastic. Add a supposed bully to the mix to this free period and the idea sold me. As others have said in their reviews, the book is not necessarily just a book about bullying (which is suggested on the...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Meg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, ya

Chris Crutcher is a master storyteller. He weaves strong characters and intricate plots together so well. It was a slow starter for me, but with a fast ending. Some mature themes make this appropriate for high school only. As Paulie Baum works his way through the last month of his senior year his life is turned upside down by a series of events. At first, they seem unrelated: a surprising encounter with a female classmate, another girl's emotional breakdown, and a friend's traitorous actions. As...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was fast-paced, but I felt like it had a lot of flaws. The whole dang thing was dialogue... which certainly kept things moving, but it wasn't always well written, or believable. It also didn't allow hardly any character development. Paulie's a nice guy who made a mistake. Hannah's a tough but nice girl. Justin's a good friend. Mary's troubled and traumatized. Log's kind and caring and has some sort of "been there" troubled past. Arney's creepy and manipulative. Wow, way to develop your...more

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May 21, 2013 Mrs. Mcguire rated it 4 of 5 stars

Chris Crutcher is a master storyteller. He weaves strong characters and intricate plots together so well. It was a slow starter for me, but with a fast ending. Some mature themes make this appropriate for high school only. As Paulie Baum works his way through the last month of his senior year his life is turned upside down by a series of events. At first, they seem unrelated: a surprising encounter with a female classmate, another girl's emotional breakdown, and a friend's traitorous actions. As...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Viv rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: I wouldn't.

First off, I won an advanced reading copy of Period 8 via a giveaway hosted by Goodreads.

When it comes to books, I am always honest about what I thought about them and because of this trait I tend to only read books that I know without a doubt I will enjoy. I had thought this was one of those books and I was wrong. I found it dry and lacking until almost the very end, but by then I was so disenchanted I just wanted to get it over with. It's like going on a date with someone and the chemistry is...more

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