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34th out of 104 books
—
26 voters
Zipped
by
Laura McNeal (Goodreads Author),
Tom McNeal
WHEN 15-YEAR-OLD MICK Nichols opens the wrong e-mail, he learns a terrible secret: His stepmother is having an affair with a man named Alexander Selkirk. Mick is stunned. Should he tell his father, confront his stepmother, or keep it all to himself? And who, exactly, is Alexander Selkirk? Mick becomes obsessed with the infidelity, in spite of some serious distractions. Dis...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
September 14th 2004
by Knopf Books for Young Readers
(first published March 11th 2003)
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Zipped is the second in a series of three young adult books set in a small town near Syracuse, New York. (The books are connected only in the sense of having the same mise-en-scène.)
Mick Nichols, 15, is close to his dad and his pretty stepmom Nora, has a crush on a girl in school named Lisa, and is generally pretty happy. But as the story opens, Mick discovers, through the e-mail trash in the family computer, that Nora is having an affair. He is devastated: hurt, angry, maybe even jealous. And h...more
Mick Nichols, 15, is close to his dad and his pretty stepmom Nora, has a crush on a girl in school named Lisa, and is generally pretty happy. But as the story opens, Mick discovers, through the e-mail trash in the family computer, that Nora is having an affair. He is devastated: hurt, angry, maybe even jealous. And h...more
I wouldn’t recommend the book zipped by Tom McNeal to a friend because the book does not have a strong plot .The book zipped is about this high school boy Mick who is struggling with out of interpersonal problems. As his love life take off he receives tragic news about this step-mom who he never really like too much.
One reason I disapprove of this book is because of the aspect of the weak plot. On page 131 it said "This led to a theology-free discussion of the pinkest family farm, which led to...more
One reason I disapprove of this book is because of the aspect of the weak plot. On page 131 it said "This led to a theology-free discussion of the pinkest family farm, which led to...more
Yuck. I very rarely quit on books, but with shelves overflowing with my next reads I just couldn't justify giving this one anymore time. Theoretically, the story follows the intertwined lives of four teens following their sophomore year of high school as they "start a tough new job, face family problems, deal with changing friendships, and find love," but the story the publishers promoted in the title, book jacket blurb, and marketing set readers up to think the main story is about Mick discover...more
I feel very strongly that this book would keep an audience of high schoolers perfectly entertained very easily. It was an easy read, and a page turner throughout the whole book. If mystery is the genre you prefer, then this book will be perfect. Not only was there suspense, but also good laughs here and there. This book was exactly what I was looking for, and it was written so well that it all felt real. When Mick (the main character) was angry, I felt it too. "Zipped" was an excellent choice, a...more
This book, honestly, was quite weird. Where the story sets in a perspective of a boy named Mick Nichols. He struggles to find out why his family isn't as unified as it is suppose to be, but eventually he discovers that both his mother and his father is having an affair. Where his mother is having an affair with another man; Alexander Selkirk, while his father is having an affair with a man. This clearly portrays that Mick's family has no form of chemistry and unification. It made me wonder what...more
Jun 11, 2012
Adrian Leung
added it
Mick Nichol realizes that his family is not like normal families. Aside from the fact that he has a step mother, there are more things that don't make sense to him. After a period of searching for the answer to his many questions, Mick finds out a dark secret about both his parents and the reason to which his family doesn't seem like a family. he learns that both his parents were having an affair. his step mother was having an affair with another man while his father was also having an affair wi...more
Jul 18, 2011
Nyree
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommended to Nyree by:
i scour $1 clearance book racks @ 1/2 price books!
Shelves:
young-adult
an easy read in the rain by the campfire. teenage crushes and light drama, nothing too heavy or too hard to comprehend while fighting off squirrels, chipmunks and toddlers vying for your attention. a little bit of a mystery to solve but very mellow and not entirely a surprise ending. more of a warm fuzzy ending. the writing style was not distracting to me or else i wouldn't have been able to read it so quickly and also i would have stopped reading it if it didn't flow. but that's just my opinion...more
Keep in mind this is a YA novel. I thought from the blurb on the back that the story was going to be about a Mick finding out his step-mother was cheating on his father. Well, it was a little bit, but then I had to read about several other characters, I didn't really care about. Maybe it's because I am an adult, but to me the Mormon plot line was thrown in, just to let me know that Mormon's can say things like - breast, nipple and lesbian. I would have preferred a story about Mick and his strugg...more
This book was okay. It’s about how the protagonist Mick found out about the affairs his step mom who has been treating him and his father really nicely is having an affair with another man. He found this out accidentally when he was checking the computer for emails. I like books which I can make inferences in but this book wasn’t my thing. The idea of Mick’s step mom having an affair was thrown into the beginning of the story. This made me interested of course, having the conflict but as the sto...more
Mick Nichols is an average 15-year-old, with normal 15-year-old problems. That is, until he discovers one of his stepmothers secrets. Now, Mick battles with the his choices, the consequences of these choices, and most importantly, his relationship with his family. Mick try's to find this mysterious man of his stepmother's and on the way, finds new friends.
I really liked Zipped. All of the problems, and choices that Mick (and his friends) had to face, were problems that all of us have, or were ea...more
I really liked Zipped. All of the problems, and choices that Mick (and his friends) had to face, were problems that all of us have, or were ea...more
Okay, very belatedly getting around to typing up a review for this one, which sort of defeats the purpose of reviewing, but there you go. This one's going to be brief, since it's been like a month and a half since I read it and all.
I've read this book a lot of times and always really enjoyed it when I was younger. I think it's a solid book with interesting storylines that weave together (always a favourite literary device of mine) and complicated, not entirely likeable characters. I also think i...more
I've read this book a lot of times and always really enjoyed it when I was younger. I think it's a solid book with interesting storylines that weave together (always a favourite literary device of mine) and complicated, not entirely likeable characters. I also think i...more
Zipped
September 14,2004 Knopf books for Young Readers
Pgs.304 $7.99
Laura McNeal
ISBN: 9780375830983
"Click" "Click Click" "Scroll down" "Type" "Enter" "Stared at the screen blankly with nothing to say." Ever felt like that? That is Mick Michols. Zipped is an interesting book, it is written from a boy's point of view. If a girl is reading it it would feel weird to be in a boy's shoe. Laura McNeal won't make girl feel awkward in a boy's shoe, she makes it like your still in a girl's brain.
In Zipped...more
September 14,2004 Knopf books for Young Readers
Pgs.304 $7.99
Laura McNeal
ISBN: 9780375830983
"Click" "Click Click" "Scroll down" "Type" "Enter" "Stared at the screen blankly with nothing to say." Ever felt like that? That is Mick Michols. Zipped is an interesting book, it is written from a boy's point of view. If a girl is reading it it would feel weird to be in a boy's shoe. Laura McNeal won't make girl feel awkward in a boy's shoe, she makes it like your still in a girl's brain.
In Zipped...more
I'm really tired so the word I'm searching for to describe this book just isn't coming to me. But this book seemed like it was more of a pop-fiction book. Aimed at younger readers (teenagers) but something adults would also probably pick up to read because it sounded interesting but only to find out halfway through the book that it's rediculously insane and not worth their time.
For me, it was a fun read, but it's not something that's going to stick with me. I had no problems with the writing thi...more
For me, it was a fun read, but it's not something that's going to stick with me. I had no problems with the writing thi...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I found this book interesting, as the characters are portrayed with good/bad sides. Mick's stepmother is a great stepmother, genuinely cares for Mick, and yet she seems to be having an affair. The villain of the story, regularly visits an old lady and cares for her cats for a daily basis. Myra and Pam, the brainy beauty queens, who're college girls now, are actually very nice and friendly. Characters have multiple layers, as Myra says in the book, "a face behind the face behind the face."
This book was written for teens, but as with so many YA novels, I wouldn't want my teens reading it. It was an interesting book about deceit. I also found it interesting that one of the main characters was Mormon. One of the authors attended BYU (and I would assume was at some point Mormon herself), and the book offered no explanations for what wards are or some other Mormon terms, but the book was definitely not intended for an LDS audience. Anyway, it was an interesting story.
Believable characters set in believable situations. That's not all I ask of a novel, but it's a good start.
The cover is what made me read it, frankly. Had to find out what that old devil was up to. Turns out: nothing good. Nothing horrifying, but he represented the evils adults can be up to. Evil that kids don't really have access to, and maybe wouldn't understand if they did.
The cover is what made me read it, frankly. Had to find out what that old devil was up to. Turns out: nothing good. Nothing horrifying, but he represented the evils adults can be up to. Evil that kids don't really have access to, and maybe wouldn't understand if they did.
Well, I like to give books a chance, but I quit after about twenty pages of this one.
Here's what I got out of the first twenty pages:
This kid is stalking (?) this girl during hockey tryouts. Her coppery red hair flashing in the breeze, or some other kind of cheesy description, started turning me off to the book. The back of the book said that he finds out his step-mom is having an affair, but because of the writing, it sounded like the kid had a crush on her and that creeped me out, so I stoppe...more
Here's what I got out of the first twenty pages:
This kid is stalking (?) this girl during hockey tryouts. Her coppery red hair flashing in the breeze, or some other kind of cheesy description, started turning me off to the book. The back of the book said that he finds out his step-mom is having an affair, but because of the writing, it sounded like the kid had a crush on her and that creeped me out, so I stoppe...more
this was a surprising little book. with lots of interesting characters and several interesting and surprising story lines. it wasnt cliched, i couldnt guess most of it and that is always a good thing. i found it interesting to note that this was written by a husband and wife team. im most likely going to seek out more of their books at the library now.
This book is more of a slice of life in the main character's life then the mystery the back cover describes. Mick finds out that his stepmother is cheating on his father. In addition he falls in love, spends time with the high schools former home coming queen and gets a job. The book was interesting and the main characters were very likable. There were some unexpected plot twists.
Jan 03, 2008
Brittney A
added it
Well this book is deffinatly intended for readers into romance/real life issues. It is basically about a teenage boy who has a dad and a step mom. He finds out that his step mom has been cheating on his father. He is stuck in a bad situation and does not know whether to tell his father, keep it to himself, or confront his step mother. On top of that he is have romance issues of his own.
This book is interestly written. It is written in two different points of veiw. The main character, mick. And t...more
This book is interestly written. It is written in two different points of veiw. The main character, mick. And t...more
This was a very odd book. McNeal attempted to make a children's book that revolved around adult themes such as adultery, violence, armed robbery, sexism, and racism. That by its self was not what gave this book such a low score, but it was the epilogue. It was added just to make the story have a happy ending for every character, creating many that would be nearly impossible in real life.
I read this several months ago. I don't remember anything about it, and even reading other reviews isn't bringing anything back. It couldn't have been horrible or I would have remembered that, but I certainly can't recommend it.
I was as excited as I was with this book because it had a character named Myra. :P The rest of it was alright, but not as good as Crooked.
Interesting mystery. Also inappropriate, but on a scale of 1-10, 10 being EXTREMELY DISGUSTING, I would give it a 1. Not that much. I like the happy ending though.
Meh. Picked this up from my niece. Definately better suited for the YA crowd, but fine to whip through on a cloudy day.
It's an Ok book. A bit slow but portrays realistic situations and characters. I find it a bit lacking of something. Still, a good read.
Great voices in this book written by a husband and wife team. It is for slightly more mature readers.
Keeping up with my kids reading. It's an ok book for teens. Not too viloent not too much info. Easy read.
Fairly realistic-like story of teenagers and their problems and inter-personal interactions.
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Laura McNeal is married to the author Tom McNeal, with whom she has written four young adult novels and one picture book. Her solo debut, Dark Water, was a finalist for the National Book Award in Young People's Literature in 2010.
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thats a really long review for a book you didnt read.
? i am going to check out those books you suggested.
Oct 25, 2012 04:08am