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Stupid Fast (Stupid Fast #1)

by Geoff Herbach (Goodreads Author)

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 1,044 ratings · 278 reviews

I, Felton Reinstein, am Stupid Fast. Seriously. The upper classmen used to call me Squirrel Nut, because I was little and jumpy. Then, during sophomore year, I got tall and huge and so fast the gym teachers in their tight shorts fell all over themselves. During summer, three things happened all at once. First, the pee-smelling jocks in my grade got me to work out for footb...more

Paperback, 311 pages

Published June 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire

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Class of 2k11

17th out of 49 books — 147 voters

2011 Debut Authors (Young Adult and Middle Grade Lit.)

168th out of 306 books — 2,031 voters

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Mar 29, 2011 Sarah (YA Love) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-debut-author-challenge, young-adult-lit, read-in-2011, contemporary-ya, realistic-fiction, favorites, siblings

If you know anything about me, I’m a YA-loving teacher who’s always on the look-out for great guy books. I am so stinking happy that I read Stupid Fast because it is destined to be a winner with my boys! I’ve already had some success with Stupid Fast because before I even had a chance to read it, one of my freshmen boys asked to read my ARC. I had to say yes because he’s one of my reluctant readers. He isn’t reluctant anymore! He tore through this book and was so proud when he gave it back to me...more If you know anything about me, I’m a YA-loving teacher who’s always on the look-out for great guy books. I am so stinking happy that I read Stupid Fast because it is destined to be a winner with my boys! I’ve already had some success with Stupid Fast because before I even had a chance to read it, one of my freshmen boys asked to read my ARC. I had to say yes because he’s one of my reluctant readers. He isn’t reluctant anymore! He tore through this book and was so proud when he gave it back to me; he finished the book and wanted to read another. As a teacher or librarian, does it get any better than that?!

I’m not surprised my student enjoyed Stupid Fast as much as he did. It’s hilarious! Felton wants to be a comedian, but he doesn’t think he’s funny enough. Um, he’s wrong. I can’t tell you how often I was cracking up over his comments. It was about impossible to not laugh out loud during SSR. I would have snorted if I tried any harder to keep it in and that would have just been embarrassing. Felton is wonderfully awkward which fuels his humor. For instance, Felton has to take over his friend’s paper route and one of his stops is at a nursing home where he has the unfortunate experience of seeing old ladies in their underwear. “Oftentimes, the old ladies were wearing old lady robes or morning dresses or whatever, and the clothing wasn’t tied right or it had slid down wrong, and I got to see their Old Lady Underwear with an Old Lady in it, which made me very sad. What also made me sad was the very fact that nursing homes even exist because they’re hot, stinky prisons for innocent old ladies who have lived too long (like that’s a crime).“ He’s just so honest in his observations that you can’t help but giggle. And I love that while reading, it felt like Felton was talking to me. So wonderful.

Teen guys will be drawn to Stupid Fast because it involves sports. Quite a few of the sports-related novels I’ve read are a little more on the serious side and really revolve around the sport. Much of Geoff’s debut focuses on Felton’s experience with football, but his book goes deeper than that. While Felton is discovering himself as an athlete and friend, he’s also uncovering secrets about his family. This part of the story is really touching. He can’t understand why his mom has suddenly become depressed and he doesn’t know what to do about his weird and annoying little brother. Even though I felt bad for Andrew, Felton’s brother, I found myself laughing at their banter and insults towards one another. Felton is left in a position where he’s the “adult” because his mom has become an absent parent. What teenager is going to handle that well? This is where the honesty of this story really shines. We get to watch Felton mature and try to find a way to correct this situation, while navigating through his new role as jock and boyfriend.

If you want to read something fantastically funny, pick up Stupid Fast. If you want to read something honest and refreshing, pick up Stupid Fast. I can’t recommend this debut novel enough. Geoff Herbach has really impressed me and I CAN’T WAIT to read more of his work! (less)

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Feb 27, 2012 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Felton just realized that he was stupid fast the year he was 15. Fast enough to get noticed during gym class by the track coach. Fast enough that he should have beaten two-time states winner Kennedy Johnson during the last track meet – except that he was on the sidelines puking instead. Fast enough to hear Coach Johnson talking about arranging for him to have his own recruiting page and hosting D-I (Division I) scouts to see him play a game he has never even gone to see on a fall Friday night.

He...more

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Sep 01, 2012 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stupid Fast
Geoff Herbach

Stupid Fast is funny, fast-paced, heartfelt, and real. This novel tells the story of Felton Reinstein, a fifteen-year-old growing up in rural Wisconsin.

However, this book isn't just about a underdog highschooler suddenly turned jock; it delves deeply into Felton's personal life.

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Jul 19, 2012 Mari rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, sports-fiction, bullies

An amazingly well crafted book. I fell in love with the characters, was pulled in by the plot, laughed out loud numerous times, and was in awe of how perfectly the author captured a teen boy's "fast" growth spurt. Wow.

I will say that there is a good bit of swearing in this one. I am neutral-ish on swearing. I don't do it much myself, and don't love to hear it out and about in public, but it doesn't make me uncomfortable either. I DO mind it in my reading when it feels forced or unecessary. Here,...more

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May 14, 2013 Annette rated it 3 of 5 stars

Stupid Fast is a cute, funny book about a teen boy who goes from picked on to popular because all of a sudden he can fun very fast.

As Felton goes through puberty, he grows very big and becomes very athletic without even trying. Once the track coach sees him running in PE, his life takes a very different turn. Once track is over, it's summer -- but the football team has Felton's summer all planned out, since he is going to be their star running back in the fall.

Felton also has to take over his be...more

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Mar 14, 2013 02JulianB rated it 5 of 5 stars

Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach

The book "Stupid Fast" by Geoff Herbach is an extra-ordinary book that is about a young boy around my age who was at first a very small kid until the week before sports started. All of a sudden Felton his a very large growth spurt and out of no-where had a deeper voice, really athletic, and also super fast. But Felton was always good at sports he just never told anybody that he was good, but with this extra height and abilities he was even better. This book is or was...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Liana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-ya-contemporary-challenge, read-in-2013

I was in a reading slump. I started like three books but didn't feel like finishing them at the moment. I needed something quick, snappy and engaging. So I decided to FINALLY read Stupid Fast after all the praise. I'm glad I did. The book is wonderful. Felton is a wonderful character. We really really get inside his head and he sounds like a real teen boy without all the scary parts. Felton doesn't only thinking about sex and girls, he worries about his families, he's making new friends and he's...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Going through a loved one’s death is very depressing; you have so many emotions that haunt you everywhere you go. Felton the main character of the book Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach has to go through these feelings. The book shows how a person can go through so much in life; so many negative things that could really screw up one’s mind and learn from it, thrive from it and become greater. Even in his environment of his own home he is in danger of the crazy surroundings that he must try to keep un...more Going through a loved one’s death is very depressing; you have so many emotions that haunt you everywhere you go. Felton the main character of the book Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach has to go through these feelings. The book shows how a person can go through so much in life; so many negative things that could really screw up one’s mind and learn from it, thrive from it and become greater. Even in his environment of his own home he is in danger of the crazy surroundings that he must try to keep under control while he’s going through his stage in high school of trying to become someone that people will know.

The book is about a boy named Felton who has never really played sports before in his life and he didn’t have many friends. His childhood was very rough, he watched his father hang himself as a little boy. Throughout the book as his family (his mother, Jerri, and a brother, Andrew) become crazy at the factor of his fathers death, Felton stays strong and becomes the man of the house that his father would have wanted.

To the point of the book “Stupid Fast,” is what Felton called himself. One summer Felton went from being a small kid and when he hit puberty he had a growth spurt giving him the talent of speed. He ran so fast, giving the book the quote – “The summer I went from a joke to a jock.” After realizing his quickness he decided to join track, began to become better and better and getting his name through the county.

After succeeding in track and accomplishing more than he could think of before, even while the hectic home life, he still kept his head up and some friends he had made suggested he join football. After meeting new people and working his heart out to become the strongest he can become the best player he could be. The other players stunned at his effort and talent. One player against him even said: “Jesus Christ, nobody can cover you, Rein Stone.” (110) this meaning that no one can catch up to him he was so fast.

Toward the end of the book Felton has made many friends, he is a great athlete and at sophomore year he is a D-1 player. Through all the hard work he has put in he can help the family and become a more complete person with a meaning to the world.

I thought this book was very good. It illustrated how when you’re feeling down there is always that hope for better. I learned from this book to always look for better in life, try your hardest and become that better person.
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Oct 13, 2012 Victoria Whipple rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sports, family, friends

I was hooked into Felton Reinstein's stream of consciousness narration from page one. We meet Felton in the middle of the night. He can't sleep; he has to tell his story. In just over 300 pages, he covers about 6 hours of thoughts--replaying events mostly from the last 6 weeks or so, but reaching back as far as 10 years. We meet Felton at a turning point in his young life. He's alone for the summer, his best friend visiting family far away. Then, his mother checks out on him and his little broth...more I was hooked into Felton Reinstein's stream of consciousness narration from page one. We meet Felton in the middle of the night. He can't sleep; he has to tell his story. In just over 300 pages, he covers about 6 hours of thoughts--replaying events mostly from the last 6 weeks or so, but reaching back as far as 10 years. We meet Felton at a turning point in his young life. He's alone for the summer, his best friend visiting family far away. Then, his mother checks out on him and his little brother. She is still in the house but facing serious mental health issues that leave her unable to care for her children. Felton, however, finds an out. He recently, and almost accidentally, discovers that he has a talent for running--stupid fast. Not only that, but he's in the midst of a huge growth spurt. Felton's voice is so realistic and so funny, he describes it "I ate way too much at Thanksgiving, about a thousand pounds, and I couldn't wake up in the morning, and I sprouted hair. A week later I had a thousand pounds of hair everywhere." Indeed, Felton spends much of the summer eating, sleeping and growing hair. He also spends it getting out and trying new things, meeting new friends, and watching his mother break down. His mother's breakdown, as well as many of his own issues, stem from his father's suicide 10 years earlier. Felton finds refuge lifting weights and running. And to a lesser degree with his new girlfriend, Aleah. Aleah is a world-class piano player, and she finds the same kind of release and peace in her playing that Felton finds running. Unfortunately, Felton's brother Andrew has his release, also piano, taken away with Mom's mental illness. Through Felton's eyes, the reader watches the breakdown of the family, and it is heartbreaking to see 13 year old Andrew flounder on his own while Felton does what he can for himself to stay sane. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Felton's voice and humor shine through. He is an authentic narrator, fully developed. All of the characters feel like people you know--maybe not to the exact degree, but they are all so authentic and universal (yet idiosyncratic) that they feel like friends and family you've known forever. And, there is sports action in this book. The football is put off mostly until the end, but the significance of sport in Felton's life is huge, if sudden. Everyone should have an activity that brings them to such as state of Zen as Felton's running and Aleah's piano playing. Herbach has skillfully captured the voice of a 15 year old boy going through a very tough time while just trying to be a boy. This book will make you laugh out loud, and may reduce you to tears. But throughout, it will keep you fully involved and hanging on the edge of your seat to see what happens next. This is a must read for boys and girls. Gr. 6+ (less)

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Oct 13, 2012 Margaret rated it 4 of 5 stars

As a former librarian, and a mother of two sons who were never enthusiastic readers, I am always on the look-out for young adult books written especially for boys. There are many well written sports books out there, but not every boy is an athlete. I still chose this one,judging from the cover that it would be about a serious football player and I was curious to see how it measured up. The first few chapters were discouraging. Felton, the main character, talks about being a stand-up comedian, bu...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Beverly rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 14-16 year olds

Recommended to Beverly by: Best Books for Young Adults/ala.org

Shelves: good-reads-for-reluctant-readers, young-adult-books

Stupid Fast: The Year I Went from a Joke to a Jock is a great coming of age story, but at times a disturbing book to read. Protagonist, Felton Reinstein, aka Rein Stone, is very hard to like. His summer gets off to a rotten start. He is going through hormonal nuclear explosion having grown seven inches in eight months, his best friend is out of the country and out of touch for the summer, his mother is hostile towards him, and he is a very angry and depressed teen. Felton has some excellent reas...more

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Aug 24, 2012 bjneary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: funny, kindle, reading-olympics, realistic-fiction, romance, ya

Geoff Herbach's Felton Reinstein is one incredible character. His voice is funny, sweet, confused and just plain nice but life has not been easy for Felton and his family. At the age of five, Felton finds his father's body after he hung himself. Felton grows up insecure with some bad advice from his mother, doctors, and not having a father figure. The summer that his best friend unexpectedly leaves to take care of his grandmother; everything goes crazy- Felton's mom agrees that he will take over...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Isamlq rated it 3 of 5 stars

With a tendency to go off on tangents it was at first difficult to get a line on what Felton was trying to saying. I was constantly wondering where he was going with what he was saying; it turns out he was figuring things out as well. Still, he could get pretty funny. It’s not even him wanting to be a stand up comic, no… his is a humor that’s not intended because in simply saying what was, in being honest about one absurd situation and then another, his observations felt true, funny and even whe...more With a tendency to go off on tangents it was at first difficult to get a line on what Felton was trying to saying. I was constantly wondering where he was going with what he was saying; it turns out he was figuring things out as well. Still, he could get pretty funny. It’s not even him wanting to be a stand up comic, no… his is a humor that’s not intended because in simply saying what was, in being honest about one absurd situation and then another, his observations felt true, funny and even when they were sad at the same time.

More remarkable is him being funny with a mother and brother coming unhinged. Little brother goes pyro, but his mother’s all used up. Sad goings on, and in the midst of it, he and his brother butting heads still rang true. It’s one of the main things that kept me interested. Because with his family being the way it was, Felton grows up… albeit slowly, reluctantly, and not at all in sync with him being stupid fast, given his sudden physical change.

Overall though he gave me the impression that he didn’t know much not just about his history, but also about how to be with others. Simple boy, said one. And, indeed he was, but it’s not a bad thing either because in being that way, things felt more honest, too. Like his feelings on being disappointed in his mother and not wanting to deal with his brother, both those felt in the moment. But along with, there’s a reluctant look into why he feels, almost as if he were afraid of the truth. Anyway, a humor that comes out of him calling things as they are.

Then of course, his new found friends, I liked him with them because there’s a little flashback of Perks of a Being Wallflower, where the protagonist is taken in and is shown the way things are done… only in Stupid Fast, things are less dark and depressing. Here, he’s shown the possibility of so many things. I enjoyed him with them that because he is such a simple boy, his reactions could be cute only to make him come off as younger than his fifteen going on sixteen.

Let’s pare it down, shall we? On the one had there are relationships being formed; then on the other are relationships tearing themselves apart, in people losing it then him not dealing with the same. Theirs is a sad family, with a sadder history so that there’s this lump in my throat for him and his little brother. And the hero?
Felton is awkward, lacks experiences.
But, is honest about what he sees, and is funnier for it.
He grows up… just not as fast as he was physically.

This is so much more than a boy book or a boy book with sports... it’s him reluctantly growing up because what choice does one have when everyone else around him has gone unhinged?

3.75/5
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Jul 06, 2012 Jason rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: lad-lit, young-adult

What a hilarious page-turner! I would want to be friends with Felton Reinstein. Seriously. His head may not be screwed on exactly straight, but who can blame him? He discovered his dad's dead body (suicide) in the garage when he was only five. Life with his hippie mother Jerri and his younger brother has consisted of isolation and secrets. He barely remembers his father, and his mother doesn't want to talk about him. Meanwhile, Felton only has two friends: Gus, who is living in Columbia for the...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Lauren Brittain rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-respect

Felton Reinstein has a Jew-fro. Or at least that’s what his mother calls it because his dad was a short, Jewish man, who liked to read poetry. But then why is Felton fifteen and already over six foot tall? Why is he the second fastest guy behind Ken Johnson in his school? And why, suddenly, are all of the jocks and sports coaches contacting him? Because he’s Stupid Fast, that’s why. But that still doesn’t explain why his mother has gone crazy, withdrawing from the world and neglecting him and hi...more Felton Reinstein has a Jew-fro. Or at least that’s what his mother calls it because his dad was a short, Jewish man, who liked to read poetry. But then why is Felton fifteen and already over six foot tall? Why is he the second fastest guy behind Ken Johnson in his school? And why, suddenly, are all of the jocks and sports coaches contacting him? Because he’s Stupid Fast, that’s why. But that still doesn’t explain why his mother has gone crazy, withdrawing from the world and neglecting him and his younger brother, Andrew. Finally, on top of a dysfunctional family and his newfound athletic prowess, he’s falling for the girl next door, Aleah Jennings when all he can really do is run.

I decided to read this book because once upon a time I saw Geoff Herbach make funny videos about how to improve your writing and he struck me as a cool guy. Mostly because in every video he looked like he had just woken up, but also because he said things that really made sense! So I read Stupid Fast. And I was blown away. Not because this is some kind of amazing book that makes you cry and want to live life better. But because Geoff Herbach writes like the human mind works. That is basically saying he writes like a child with ADD and ADHD who forgot to take his meds. But in a good way! The mind gets distracted. We are erratic. We are not focused on every single thing we ever do. And neither is Felton. He is a person. I greatly admire this author for jumping into his character entirely. The rest of the characters were great too, as well as the plot. I actually continued to read because I just really wanted to know why the heck Felton’s mother had gone insane. I admit though, it does take some getting used to, the way it’s written I mean. Do not give up! Because although this isn’t literary greatness or anything Stupid Fast is still a great read for anyone who likes sports. Also read it because this novel managed to convince me that football isn’t just a bunch of jocks running around being idiots. It is about passion. And passion is definitely something to admire. (less)

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Jun 11, 2012 Lisa K rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sports, dysfunctional_families, realistic

Wow. So much more than a sports book. Yet, like Tangerine and Pop, it's a book that shows a non-athlete the draw, the thrill, is to sports.

Felton used to be the awkward kid, the one whose dad killed himself. Starting in November of sophomore year, he grew and grew, and ate and ate, and slept a lot, too. Some of this seemed to make his mom mad; he yelled at his little brother, who's really OK. It all made him mad, and one day he took out the anger in the 600 yard dash. He ran stupid fast. Sudden...more

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Feb 21, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, teen-book-club, ya

Vibrant, funny, captivating. A one day read.

Felton's voice felt so real, so natural. The all-night narration idea is just right for the character and gave me such a sense of the energy coiled up in him.

I don't read much contemporary YA lit, so it was with trepidation that I picked this up. What I remember from the genre of my YA period(90s) is all Angst and Issues. And who wants to go there again? I was happily surprised to find a book that was about a person, not a cliche, and a person with tho...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Lorriezm rated it 3 of 5 stars

Stupid Fast is about a young boy that becomes a teen overnight, or so it seems to him. One night he goes to bed a scrawny loser and in the morning he wakes up a very hairy, and very popular football player. Felton Reinstein not only has to deal with his new and improved body, h is has to deal with his malfunctioning family. He is the one who found his father "hanging" in the garage. His mother burns all remembrances of his father and eventually has a breakdown. Oh there is his little brother, bu...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Livelyreader rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

WOW! This is an incredible book! To start with, I love the title and the cover-- the football player in front of the bank of lockers is very appealing to guy readers, a demographic I am always happy to find a new title for. This is not just a football book though... this is a book about growing up physically and emotionally. Fifteen year old Felton has just gone through an amazing growth spurt. Seemly overnight Felton is over 6 feet tall and has become, as he puts it, "stupid fast". These physic...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Suzanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: peach-consideration

(4+)
Child of a local professor notorious for his suicide when he was five and a mother known for her eccentricity, Felton Reinstein garnered the nickname Squirrel Nut through years of being teased for his own oddities. Sudden growth and crazy donkey speed change everything for Felton when summer takes his best friend in isolation away from him, leaving him as substitute for a paper route that introduces him to beautiful Aleah, a piano virtuouso who doesn't find him repulsive, and the new guy at...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Travon Nichols rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach is a intense, funny, and a little bit emotional novel about a fifteen-year old named Felton Reinstein who is a nobody, a geeky loser. All the honkie jocks call him a squirrel nut.But Felton has some more problems too. For one thing, his dad hung himself in the garage when Felton was five years old. Also, he has an annoying little brother to deal with. Despite it all, Jerri, his hippie mom, his little bro Andrew and his best friend Gus have always made their town bear...more

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Sep 08, 2011 Kerry Cerra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Wow, so I just finished reading Stupid Fast by Geoff Herbach. His debut novel is intense, hilarious and just a little bit emotional. Don't freak by that word emotional for a boy YA. Really, it's so well done and authentic. And, the voice of Felton, the MC, is total perfection. I seriously have not read a book with a voice so distinct since I read You by Charles Benoit.
Felton Reinstein 's always been the awkward dork-with-a-Jewfro. The kid who's dad committed suicide when he was five. The kid w...more

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Sep 08, 2011 Bridgid Gallagher rated it 5 of 5 stars

Someone highlighted this book on their blog, which is why I read it, but now I can't find the blog post. (Le sigh.) The reason why this is a sad thing? I LOVED this book, and I want to thank the person who recommended it. I wouldn't have picked this one up on my own, so the glowing review was key.

(Hurrah for book reviews!)

Back to the book.

STUPID FAST is stupid awesome.

I could end my review right here (go read it already!), because that sums up exactly how I feel. For those of you who need a litt...more

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Jul 11, 2011 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic, sports

4.5 stars
Felton is a squirrel nut....well, that's what all the honkie jocks call him anyway. He's a nobody, a geeky loser. That is, until a few months ago when he started growing - growing hair, an appetite, and growing big. And he's fast! Where did this growth spurt and speed come from? Definitely not from his father (the kind, small, poet type who Felton found hanging in the garage when he was five).
But his new speed, height, and strength haven't gone unnoticed. Now the high school coaches ar...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Terri rated it 5 of 5 stars

I met Geoff Herbach at the American Association of School Librarian's Conference this past October. We have several copies of "Stupid Fast" in our library that are continuously checked out. The cover sells the book, but what I found inside its pages goes above and beyond even a great book cover. We are currently busy planning our summer reading program, a more scaled back version of the program. We are considering doing books by several Minnesota Young Adult writers and limiting the number of st...more I met Geoff Herbach at the American Association of School Librarian's Conference this past October. We have several copies of "Stupid Fast" in our library that are continuously checked out. The cover sells the book, but what I found inside its pages goes above and beyond even a great book cover. We are currently busy planning our summer reading program, a more scaled back version of the program. We are considering doing books by several Minnesota Young Adult writers and limiting the number of students who participate - time and money are consistently an issue. "Stupid Fast" is one of the books we are considering. This is the reason that I finally read the book, which I picked up and had singed by Geoff Herbach at the conference this fall. Wow! RHRR, here we come!

The first criteria for a good book, in my mind, is a book that makes the reader feel something. "Stupid Fast" made me laugh out loud (to my embarrassment, at the gym while on the treadmill), and cry uncontrollable tears at the same time.

The second criteria is characters whom the reader can invest in. Admittedly, I had trouble the first twenty pages or so getting into the rhythm of the first person narration. But I was soon invested in the fast-growing, hormone controlled, hairy, confused, fast, anxious mind and body of Felton Reinstein. Fifteen year old Felton is funny, sometimes not very likable, painfully honest, and trying to figure out who he is. He is emotionally complex and interesting. I really cared about him, though he at times frustrated me. It really gave me insight into the psyche of a teenage boy. And I loved the presence of many good adults in this book - who showed up even as Felton's mother had nothing left to give him. As a sidelight, I appreciated the multi-cultural cast of characters as well.

A compelling, fast-moving plot is another criteria of a good young adult read. In "Stupid Fast" Felton Reinstein faces the summer between his sophomore and junior year without his best friend (who is sent to South America to be with his sick grandmother). He is eating everything in sight, growing and gaining weight so fast that he quickly grows out of his clothes. When, in a physical fitness test, he suddenly blows all of his classmates out of the water, several coaches realize his potential athletic prowess and convince him to come out for both track and football. This changes his relationships with those around him and boosts his confidence. As his social life improves, his home life begins to fall apart when his mother succumbs to mental illness, and the truth of his father's life and eventual suicide come out. I read almost the entire book in one sitting, with time off to drive home from the gym and make some chocolate chip cookies! Once the reader relaxes into the rhythm of the narration, the book moves at a fast clip. All of the complex aspects of this story come together nicely in the end.

A good young adult read will also give the reader a lot to chew on. The thematic content here is literally food for thought: the consequences of being quick to make judgments about others, mental health, brotherhood, friendship, suicide, finding your place in the world, feeling like you are good at something, and the way in which teens are often forced to act like adults in difficult situations are all explored. I kept thinking "Do something!" when Felton seemed to be so unaware of what was going on around him. Then I would think,"He's just a kid. He doesn't own this. This is not his doing." Later, his mother realizes this and tells him the same thing. There is so much here that teens will identify with.

And a really quality Young Adult read often appeals equally to both boys and girls. I think this is true of "Stupid Fast," though the cover will draw mostly boys in (and I am always on the hunt for great books for boys). It will take selling for girls, but there is a lot here that will appeal to a wide variety of readers. There is some mild language here, but it is always used in situations of extreme frustration and almost apologetocally. It is actually kind of endearing.

I am really excited at the prospect of working with Geoff Herbach and "Stupid Fast" over the summer and in the fall. Congratulations on a fine first effort!

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Nov 17, 2011 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, young-adult

Fifteen-year old Felton Reinstein can’t stop eating or growing. In just a few months, he’s gone from a small, scrawny boy to a tall, fast jock and he found a really cool girlfriend. That’s all well and good, but Felton has his share of problems too. For one thing, his dad hung himself in the garage when Felton was five years old. Also, he has an annoying little brother and his mom is suddenly depressed and won’t get out of bed.

Stupid Fast is a funny and emotional coming of age story, reminiscent...more

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Apr 28, 2011 Adam Alexander rated it 5 of 5 stars

Stupid Fast
Geoff Herbach
Realistic Fiction
ISBN: 1402256302
Paperback, 320 pages

A refreshing mystery about the battles that a young male goes through while trying to find his true self. Felton Reinstein finds himself having an uncontrollable appetite while his body goes through drastic changes. Felton learns that he can run. . . FAST! His gym teacher, which just happens to be the Varsity Football Coach, instantly notices Felton's amazing speed and recruits him hard. Before football Felton was just

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Feb 07, 2012 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: love-in-a-book

FNL Character Rating: Luke Cafferty/Landry Clarke*!!!!

(* I tend to be biased against Landry because he looks a lot like one of my ex-boyfriends, BUT his nerd-to-football player persona works for this rating. And I didn't even necessarily like the main character of the book, so that works too. And I ADORE Luke, and his cute, sensitive persona works for this rating too.)

On to the actual review:

So, I'm at this point in my life where puberty is far enough in my past that I find teenagers bewildering...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 16, 2013 Austin Thumann is currently reading it

1-9-13 i just started this book. its petty decent. he hits puberty and becomes really fast then screws up in the qualifiers for state in track then he thinks his life is over and his best buddy leaves beacuse his grandma is sick so he takes his paper route over and gets caught creeping on this girl he eventually likes

1-16-13 I am really enjoying this book so far. its going pretty quick. felton is growing up and now is dealing with all the problems of high school his mom and him always fight beca...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Michael L rated it 4 of 5 stars

“Puberty on steroids” is what his peers wonderingly gush when they see the amazing transformations that Felton Reinstein, the main character of Geoff Herbach’s 2011 novel Stupid Fast, has gone through. Soon, he can smoke everyone at running and though he’s never really been into sports, he finds himself doing track and football for his high school, and actually excelling at them. Back at home, he has to deal with his brother Andrew and his eccentric, single mother, who insists on her sons callin...more “Puberty on steroids” is what his peers wonderingly gush when they see the amazing transformations that Felton Reinstein, the main character of Geoff Herbach’s 2011 novel Stupid Fast, has gone through. Soon, he can smoke everyone at running and though he’s never really been into sports, he finds himself doing track and football for his high school, and actually excelling at them. Back at home, he has to deal with his brother Andrew and his eccentric, single mother, who insists on her sons calling her Jeri, and their quirks.

At first glance, the story seems like your typical story about a kid and his obstacles inside and outside of school. Based in the sleepy town of Bluffton, it opens out with Felton’s issues with friends and puberty, and moves on to his football preparation and his rise into the jock circle. But this ascent is inversely mirrored by his mom’s slow descent into a sort of delirious madness. Felton and Andrew do some snooping around to find out what’s wrong with their mother, and finally deduce that the memory of their deceased father and Felton himself are behind Jeri’s hysteria. Slowly, the lies about the family’s past Jeri has carefully weaved to “protect” her two sons begin to unravel as the Reinstein brothers begin to investigate. Felton soon finds himself fighting to maintain a stable social life as he, along with Andrew delve into the mystery of who their father really was.

The first-person nature of the novel, in my opinion, is far more compelling than a third-person perspective that I usually see. It’s written so that Felton is writing to his journal; this gives us insight into his feelings and thoughts as he tackles his past and other football players (as Felton would say, “ZING”). The humor used in the story also keeps the novel interesting, even though it can be rather corny at times.

However, it is the elusiveness of their father’s past that drives the main story along. Although the story is dull at first, with seemingly pointless, random bits of information scattered throughout the chapters, Herbach does a stunning job of connecting them with Felton’s father and his past. The novel’s mood change from sunny to somber is not sudden, rather a gentle glide into the second part of the book, which contributes to smooth reading. That’s not to say there aren’t any bumps along the way. At times, the story grinds to a halt with pointless parts that don’t contribute to the main story. And at other parts, whether intended or not (Felton is known to be somewhat dorky), the sentence structure is frustratingly choppy.

Overall though, Geoff Herbach’s Stupid Fast shines. Even though it looks as if the story will revolve all around sports, you don’t have to be a sports fanatic to understand what is going on in the story. In fact, the reason why I picked it up was because I wanted to read something that looked interesting but was different from what I usually read, and it did not disappoint. The humor, emotion, and plot of the novel make it both believable and interesting. Though at some points dull and confusing, the novel is very well written and well deserving of 5 stars out of 6. I would definitely recommend reading Stupid Fast.
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About Geoff Herbach

I am the author of the YA title, Stupid Fast (June 2011 from Sourcebooks Fire). I also wrote The Miracle Letters of T. Rimberg, a Novel from Three Rivers Press. When I'm not writing books, I'm writing for Radio Happy Hour or developing ridiculous musical bits.

When I'm not writing, I'm teaching writing at Minnesota State, Mankato, which means I write a lot of comments about writing on student writi...more

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