The Bad Decisions Playlist

by Michael Rubens

A stranger rolls into town, and everything changes…

…especially for Austin Methune, when the stranger turns out to be his father, presumed dead, and his father turns out to be Shane Tucker, a bigtime musician—just the role Austin wants for himself.

Austin has a long history of getting himself into trouble, with the assistance of weed, inertia, and indifference. And he’s in deep trouble now—the deepest ever. He’s talented, though. Maybe his famous father will help him turn his life around and realize his musical dream.

But maybe Austin has inherited more than talent from Shane, who also does drugs, screws up, and drops out.

Austin is a tour guide to his own bad decisions and their consequences as he is dragged, kicking and screaming, toward adulthood.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Music, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published August 2, 2016

About the author

Michael Rubens is the author of the novels The Sheriff of Yrnameer, Sons of the 613, The Bad Decisions Playlist, and Emily and the Spellstone (June 2017). He is a correspondent and producer for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, and has previously produced for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. His writing has also appeared in places like The New Yorker Daily Shouts, Salon, and McSweeney's. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, to help alleviate that area's critical shortage of writers and producers.

Michael is represented by John Silbersack at Trident Media Group.

PS It's pronounced "YUR-nuh-meer."

PPS I'm sure the book "Baking to Get Baked" is a fine publication and all, but while I share the same name as one of the authors, he and I are not (at least to my knowledge) the same person. Meaning, you can contact me for advice on how to make your weed brownies, but be aware that I don't even know how to make regular brownies so any counsel I provide should therefore be regarded with skepticism.

Reviews

[Amy (Lost in a Good Book) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not one hundred percent sure I would have read this book if it hadn't have been for a review I'd read that praised it. Having finished it, I'm a little sad to say I stand by that opinion, though my 2 stars is more of a 2.75 really.

I didn't like Austin at the beginning, I really didn't. I thought he was foolish, another weed smoking idiot who didn't take anything seriously and in doing so often ruined the experiences of others. He didn't care what happened or who he hurt and his apathy was just as frustrating as he inability to be sensible and sincere. I was probably supposed to find it endearing or some charming characteristic of being a teenage boy but it never got past being an eye rolling annoyance. It wasn't until the halfway point that my dislike turned to tolerance. I accepted Austin, I was disappointed in Austin and annoyed, but even I ended up with a little hope for Austin, albeit begrudgingly. All of which is growth in some way. I can't say I liked him any better at the end, but you could say he learned some lessons and saw some improvement and that's admirable.

This is certainly a coming of age story, learning who you are and what matters to you in the world. Each character has things to learn and grow, Austin probably more than others, but no one is without something. I liked that Rubens touches on how a bully is created, and understanding that bullies can be bullied themselves. Not to spoil anything I'll just say I also liked the friendships in this story. I like that it often isn't really a friendship and there are different kinds that work well together. It was unconventional and really interesting to read.

My favourite person was Josephine and I actually really liked Austin when he was with Josepine. She was strong and self assured, she knew who she was and had respect for herself which was fantastic. She also brings out the best in Austin and he seems quite nice when they are together. A lot of characters had aspects of them that I really liked. Rubens writes well developed characters, they are established and have their own complexities that make them feel real and allows you to have sympathies, opinions, and connections with them. I don't want to say this book was terrible, because it actually wasn't. I just didn't get too excited about it, I didn't mind the plot I thought it was clever and had interesting moments, but when I finished the book I wasn't that impressed, which I'm a bit sad about to be honest. But it's quite possible that it's just me.

This review was also published on my blog http://wp.me/p3x8rS-1oz

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Austin's antics had me laughing and fuming. Also crying a little bit.

He doesn't get everything in the end, but he is a better person, and I believe the author made the right (but tough) decisions. Because mostly? Yeah, Austin's decisions were bad. They cost.

Great book.

[Dr. T Loves Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this because it had a Humor tag. While it was engaging, I didn't think it was humorous. Instead, I found it sad and frustrating.

This is deep YA. Main character is in his teens, into casual drinking, smoking, and toking, has an extremely fraught relationship with his recovering addict and mentally unstable mother and her upright latest boyfriend. Book opens with MC explaining that he'll do anything to impress a girl, and his current "Anything" is using a canoe like a gondola (while high) to approach girls on a lake who are there with their jock boyfriends. He attempts to serenade the girls with a (stolen / "borrowed") mandolin, and get assaulted by one of said boyfriends, who literally beats MC over the head with the mandolin. In theory, sort of funny, but not actually funny when it happens.

That's much of the humor of this book. If you saw it in a cartoon, it would be funny. If you saw it in real life it would be sad (at best).

Still, this is a book that YA readers can learn from. He's impulsive and emotional and doesn't think about how his actions might impact others - and it shows in the outcomes of many of his decisions. And yet, he's not a bad person, per se; he just needs to be more aware and thoughtful.

And, to be fair the kid hasn't had a stable home life until recently, and the stability is a shock to him that he pushes back against. He's working at a disadvantage.

Fortunately, circumstance conspire to bring him into the orbit of a very smart and thoughtful young woman; and despite how badly he treats his mom's boyfriend, that guy shows an incredible amount of patience (even though MC doesn't see it).

This one has two suicide attempts, terrible parents, some older teen child abuse, and a bittersweet ending. It feels raw and real. It might be just what some YA readers need to examine their own lives, or to see how someone else might have burdens they didn't know about.

But a comedy? Hmm.

[Diane Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the first 6 chapters, I was afraid this would be a DNF. But then it got better! Characters who appeared to be beyond redemption proved otherwise. And for me, that was the main message of this book—it’s not too late to redeem yourself. And try not to judge without knowing the back story. Is everyone redeemable? Well...read the book and decide for yourself!

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

Austin Methune is the worst and he knows it. Not even self deprecatingly. He makes bad decision after bad decision and never seems to understand that there are consequences and for that I hated him and I thought I was going to hate the book but I didn't.

What I loved about the book was the writing is well done so kudos to Michael Rubens. There are some really great zingers in the book and I LOL'd a lot especially in the last few chapters. I loved Josephine too. She just was a really great character.

What I hated about this book was that Austin's mother told him his father was dead so he has believed that since he was 4 years old. She apparently told him this because his father really didn't want to be a father but also because he too was an addict. THIS IS NEVER OK. And due to events in the book I felt like the mother was very unsympathetic to Austin's behavior when he finds out his father is actually alive.

Anyway, that's all I'm going to say. It's an enjoyable read once you get past the first few chapters.

[Ava Hess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book.

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had been sitting on my shelf for about 8 years and I’ve finally read it. Very YA, not the sort of thing I would buy now but it was cute enough.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Austin's life gets turned upside-down when the father that he's always thought was dead is actually alive and is a well known musician. Austin is also a musician and has also made some bad decisions, but they seem to be getting worse as he struggles with this new knowledge and dealing with his mom's serious boyfriend.
Steer to high school due to language, smoking/drugs/alcohol, and situations. Writing is a bit predictable and pedantic.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Austin. He was a bit of an idiot at times, but what teen boy isn't? Underneath he has a good heart and is doing his best to come to grips with a dad he never knew he had turning up, a girlfriend and all the other worries a young man has. The adults here are not reliable and often not good role models, but I like that they haven't just been written off as hopeless. We, like Austin, can see their flaws, but also see that they're trying, doing the best they can, just like Austin is - and, like Austin, they have to live with the consequences of their actions. So, even though it took me two and a half months to read (I did read about half a dozen other books in between), I'm glad I finished it - and I did enjoy it.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won an ARC of this book via a giveaway, and I'm really glad that I did, because I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have found it on my own. It was such a fun read -- funny and quirky and interesting and realistic without getting all dark-and-edgeville. The tone and voice of the book are both so great -- it feels like you really get to know the main character. I definitely recommend checking it out when it comes out this fall!

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely cliche, but Austin, the main character, actually has to pay the price for his screwups and get his shit together in the end which is refreshing to see in an underdog story. His antics were a bit frustrating at times; why can't he just explain to his mother or friends what's going on? Why does he have such a difficult time making common sense decisions? A lot of fluff, but still an entertaining beach read.

[Amanda Clay · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Started well, kind of meandered off toward the end.

[Jojo Streb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Da ich mal wieder Lust auf eine kurzweilige und amüsante Jugendgeschichte hatte, habe ich genauestens mein Bücherregal inspiziert. Meine Wahl fiel dann letztendlich auf Michael Rubens‘ Werk, „Playlist meiner miesen Entscheidungen“. Ob es mit dem modernen, simplen und überzeugenden Cover, das mich zu dieser Entscheidung bewegt hat, mithalten kann, das erfahrt ihr in der folgenden Rezension.


Was mir sofort gut gefallen hat, war, dass der Autor sehr lebendig schreibt. So wirkte das Geschehen immer wie aus dem Leben gegriffen. Michael Rubens spannt eben seinen Figuren- und Bekanntenkreis auf, den der Leser in diesem Buch kennenlernen darf, und innerhalb dieser Grenzen spinnt er eine wunderbar feinsinnige und gut erzählte Geschichte. Dabei stört es auch gar nicht, dass es keinen großen Handlungsbogen gibt, nein, das unterstreicht gelungen den Aspekt, dass der Autor einfach das Leben des Protagonisten erzählt.

Dabei entwickelt sich die Geschichte rasch fort und man fühlt sich als Leser schön involviert. Die Handlung war dabei nicht vorhersehbar, sondern verbarg viele Überraschungen, die man nicht hatte kommen sehen, und wirkt auch dadurch so spontan und überraschend wie das echte Leben. Innerhalb der Grenzen, die sich der Autor selbst in seinem Werk setzt, funktioniert die Geschichte rund um Austin erstaunlich gut.

Die Figuren, die wir in „Playlist meiner miesen Entscheidungen“ kennenlernen, sind allesamt rundum sympathisch. Man kann sich gut mit ihnen identifizieren und es macht Spaß, sie durch die gut dreihundertfünfzig Seiten zu begleiten. Schade dabei ist nur, dass einige Personen, die eigentlich eine große und wichtige Rolle im Leben des Erzählenden spielen, nicht näher ausgeleuchtet werden und dadurch ziemlich eindimensional wirken. Hier hätte man die Hintergründe und charakteristischen Merkmale deutlich besser hervorbringen können. Auch ist die geistige Entwicklung, – der Fortschritt – den einige Figuren in diesem Buch durchmachen, etwas zu stark, dass es fast an Unglaubwürdigkeit grenzt. Man merkt, dass der Autor mit einer ordentlichen Portion Zucker nachgeholfen hat, um die Beziehungen untereinander zu versüßen.

Das Ende nach dieser, ich mag schon fast sagen, „Reise“ kam mir dann doch etwas zu schnell – und das meine ich im positiven Sinne. Ich musste mich doch glatt beim Schreiben dieser Bewertung vergewissern, ob vorliegendes Buch tatsächlich ganze dreihundertfünfzig Seiten zählt, weil mir das dann schon etwas viel vorgekommen ist. Angefühlt hat es sich für den Leser nämlich, als würde man nur so durch die Seiten fliegen. Die Geschichte ist also so kurzweilig und unterhaltsam, dass man dieses Werk innerhalb kürzester Zeit mit einem guten Gefühl im Herzen zur Seite legen kann.

Auch schön finde ich, dass der Autor an einigen Stellen das doch sehr bahnbrechende und rasante Tempo drosselt, um sich tiefsinnigen und berührenden Situationen zu widmen, die die einfühlsame und sentimentale Seite des Protagonisten zeigen, was ihn auf jeden Fall sehr glaub- und liebenswürdig erscheinen lässt.


„Playlist meiner miesen Entscheidungen“ ist ein rundum sehr gelungenes Jugendbuch, das ich jedem ans Herz legen kann, der Lust auf eine kurzweilige, unterhaltsame und lebendige Geschichte hat.

[Andy Westphal · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want a good book about a kid who gets in a lot of trouble and has fun along the way, then this is the book for you. Austin is a troubled kid who lives with his mom and her boyfriend. Austin’s mom told him his father died when Austin was four, when Shane (Austin’s dad), shows up out of nowhere without being seen for the last 12 years. Austin’s mom freaks out on Shane, hits him with a coffee mug. Michael Rubens is the author of “Bad Decisions Playlist,” and a few other fiction books. His book “Sons of the 613” was selected by Kirkus Review, for best book of the year. The genre of “Bad Decisions Playlist” is fiction, but it could also be realistic fiction. The intended audience for this book are high school students, it has too many curse words, and pot references, for younger kids. The title of this book fits very well because Austin makes enough bad decisions to make a playlist. In my opinion, the title fits the book very well, and it honestly grabbed my attention as soon as I saw it. Bad Decisions Playlist has a great intro, the intro tells a little bit about Austin, what he does, and it tells a little bit about his dad. After I saw the cover and read the intro, I wanted to read it immediately, and you will too. Bad Decisions Playlist is arranged in chapters, the chapters aren’t very long at all, each chapter averages about 10-15 pages. The chapters are perfect for people that only want to read 10 or 15 pages, so that way you don’t have to stop in the middle of the chapter. The cover of the book is kind of an eye catcher, it’s yellow and black and shows Austin playing guitar with the title of the book in an animated cartoon bubble above his head. There are only quotes before every chapter, no pictures at all in the book. I personally like not having pictures in books, because we are in high school and don’t really need pictures to help with the story. The main characters are Austin, Austin’s mom, Rick, (Austin’s moms' boyfriend), Josephine, and Shane. Austin can’t hide the fact that he sees his dad, because his mom hates his dad, Shane. Michael Rubens writes a lot of fiction books, they sound like some great books, but I’ve only read one of his books. He writes in great detail about Austin when he gets in trouble. He describes the setting and the characters involved at the time, he greatly describes the time when Austin gets a mandolin smashed over his head. The author is trying to get the point across about relationships and loyalty throughout the book. A lot of relationships were made in this book and the author shows how easy it is to be left behind, and untrustworthy. The main idea of this book is to not make bad, or dumb decisions because it can lead to a multitude of problems. But a major thing that advances the story, is when Austin breaks a rule and has to pay for it. Austin meets a girl and he falls in love with her, she hates Austin at first, then they become friends. Austin meets his dad and starts to like him until he leaves out of the blue one day. One thing I didn’t agree with is Austin’s mom wouldn’t let Austin see him, but it helped make the story better. This book was published by Clarion books on August 2nd, 2016. It is $12.59 on Amazon. ISBN: 9780544096677.

[Legato Casely · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have very mixed feelings about this book. It was good story telling with beautiful imagery to start. I'm always wary about books involving music, because it's particularly difficult to write in singing and how music sounds. However, Rubens did a fantastic job conveying the tone of music into words. He used figurative language to get the feeling across, which really resonated with me.

The characters were also fleshed out nicely, however I wish the reader was given a bit more closure to some of them. What happened to Shane? Did Todd and Austin remain friends? What about Josephine's father and his affair? Going with that, some of the characters were super cliche, which I didn't really enjoy. I'm so sick of the abusive family trope being an excuse for a character's terrible behavior. And that's what we got with Todd. The abusive father didn't fit his character and would've been better suited for a minor character like Devon or Allison. Speaking of which, Allison's character surprised me. I really wanted her to be more well rounded because she was written as the pretty girl who gets all the boys and can have sex with them just because she's pretty. I wished she was given more substance than just Austin's downfall.

There were two big cliches that really made me cringe:
1) "I let go of a breath I didn't know I'd been holding," (Rubens 92). The death sentence. I don't think I've ever been in a situation where I've forgotten to breath... just saying.
2) "Josephine got into Yale," (Rubens 293). This might be a personal pet peeve, but I can't stand it when normal kids end up going to some super prestigious college. Yale has a 6.3% rate and Josephine did absolutely nothing in this book to prove she could get into that school. I don't think in my high school's entire academic history has one student gotten accepted to Yale.

This book was a simple read that kept me entertained, but it did have its flaws. Allison and Todd were terrible characters in my opinion and I found myself eye rolling when they came onto the page, but it was fun to read anyways. I'd give it a 3.5/5 stars!

[Suzanne Dix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Austin Methune is your classic sixteen-year old screw-up. Failing math, smoking weed and generally making every bad decision possible, Austin is about to have the summer of his life. Through one comedic misadventure after another Austin comes to meet his father for the first time, falls in love with brainy Josephine and forms a band and a friendship with his longtime tormentor, Todd. Austin, who was told at an early age by his mother that his father had died, suddenly meets the man only to find out that he is Shane Tyler, the famous musician. Shane appears perfect, a parent who doesn’t nag or stress over math grades. A parent who encourages his son’s love for music and who seems truly happy to have Austin finally in his life. The veneer falls away fairly quickly as Austin learns that his father is a heroin-addict and completely unreliable. Mix in a few intense weeks of teen-angsty love, followed by a devastating break-up (of his own making), with Josephine and Austin is an emotional train wreck. The upbeat feel of the book takes a dramatic turn when Austin, feeling depressed and suicidal, “borrows” his soon-to-be-stepfather’s car and drives all night to New York City to try to put on a show that his father has bailed on. Never one to make the best decisions, the consequences of this one seem to finally have a sobering effect on him. Two unlikely friends will come save him from himself and with good humor and humility, Austin begins to finally pull himself together. The narration is excellent and Austin’s self-deprecating voice is perfect. A funny though emotionally charged addition to any collection that is looking to expand its offering to boys.

Recommended grades 9 and up.

*I received a copy of this audiobook for review from School Library Journal.

[grieshaber.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, Austin, you are a hilarious disaster and I love you. You’re gonna be okay. Austin’s lived his whole life without a dad and has been raised by his hard-working, loving, funny, sometimes messed up mom. Mom would never tell Austin anything about his dad except that he was an asshole. Judging by Austin’s talent for writing and playing music (he doesn’t quite have the performing thing down, yet), his dad must have had some musical talent (uh, you could say that). Mom is now in a serious relationship with Lawyer Rick. Rick and Mom are teaming up to try to get Austin in shape. Since he’s failing classes and owes Rick money for a destroyed antique mandolin, his mom arranges for a tutor and Rick arranges for Austin to get a job. Those two acts plus Austin’s dad’s sudden appearance makes for an interesting summer and a change in the direction of Austin’s life. Hysterically narrated in first person, Austin’s story is filled with a bully who becomes a friend, a tutor who might become a girlfriend, an estranged dad who becomes an inspiration (at first), a future stepdad who is more than meets the eye, and a main character who undergoes some dynamic changes and discovers himself. Michael Rubens witty writing and Austin’s flawed adorableness had me flying through these pages. Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson is still a popular book in my library. Teen guys who like that book will like this one, too. I will also put it in the hands of teens who enjoy books by Andrew Smith and Allen Zadoff.

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Der Anfang des Buches ist sehr gut zu lesen, da es direkt spannend beginnt, man aber trotzdem erstmal ein paar Informationen zu den Charakteren erhält. Es wird auf seine Familie eingegangen und auf seinen Vater, der nach Jahren wieder zurückkommt, obwohl Austin zuvor geglaubt hat, er sei tot. Man kann sich dabei sehr gut in ihn hineinversetzen, während er den Kontakt zu seinem Vater sucht, aber trotzdem wütend und enttäuscht ist, dass er sich davor nicht um ihn gekümmert hat. Außerdem ließt man über seine Freunde, seine Probleme in der Schule und dem Nachhilfeunterricht, bei dem sich Austin zum ersten mal richtig verliebt und zwar in Josephine. Obwohl diese am Anfang keinerlei Gefühle für ihn zu haben scheint.
Als ich etwa bis zur Hälfte gelesen hatte, fand ich das Buch zwar schon ganz gut aber es hat mir manchmal an Abwechslung und diesem 'etwas' gefehlt, was die Geschichte letztendlich besonders macht. Im letzten drittel jedoch hat mich dieses Buch emotional sehr gepackt und mir außerdem das Herz gebrochen. Und zwar mit der Geschichte zwischen Austin und Alison und Josephine (will jetzt nichts spoilern). Ich habe sehr viel mitgefiebert und mich wirklich gut in alle Personen hineinversetzen können. Also genau das, was ich an manchen Büchern so liebe. Das Ende ist auch sehr gut gelungen, da der Autor nicht zwanghaft versucht hat etwas zu erreichen, was in Büchern zwar schön klingt, aber im echten Leben eher unrealistisch ist. Deshalb würde ich jedem, der ein Buch lesen möchte, was sich zwar schnell lesen lässt, aber emotional doch bewegend ist.

[Andrea Guan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for The Bad Decision Playlist

Omggg. I finished this book 2 days ago, I still have the same feeling of “kilig” towards it. I don’t know why some rated it 3 stars-below, well of course everyone has a different cup of tea, but I just can’t believe some didn’t enjoy it as much as I do. So far, this is my favorite among the books I’ve finished reading this month. It wassss so goooood. It upsets me, it made me laugh, cry, smile. That feeling when you read a line or a scene from a book and it’s so wholesome (funny, nakakakilig, irritating, embarrassing, shocking, painful) and you just have to pause for a moment and scream in silent, grin, face palm, or eyes closed, let out all the emotions, before you continue… That’s the feeling this book give u!!!! WAHHHH.
I hate this book (ohh pls it’s not what I really meant, lemme use this coz I have poor vocabulary), I mean hate how it ended and how it made me feel this roller coaster of emotions, and it’s so overwhelming…
As much as I say I hate it (well I love-hate the book sooo.) it’s the only book (EVERRR) I would love to reread again and again and again and again. Mind youuu, I haven’t consider ever to reread books, because I DON’T FEEL LIKE IT, BUT THIS BOOK MADE AN EXEMPTION WAAAHHH. It’s my first time to feel the urge of rereading (coz I’m a type of reader that don’t reread my favorite books, not until after this book)

[Hannah von queerBUCH · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ich würde es echt gerne mögen. Wenn der Protagonist aber ab Seite 1 durchgehend der größte, verantwortungsloseste, beschränkteste, rücksichtsloseste und dümmste Idiot ist, macht das auch der superwitzige, lockere Schreibstil nicht mehr wett.
Der Titel trifft den Inhalt ziemlich gut. Bei jeder Entscheidung, die Austin trifft, wollte ich mir einfach nur die Hände vor's Gesicht schlagen und davonlaufen. Wenn man es denn Entscheidungen nennen kann; eigentlich folgt er nur seinen ADHS-gesteuerten Impulsen. So auch der Schreibstil. Wenn ich auf jeder Seite mehrere Einwürfe wie KRAWUMM, WUUUUSCH! oder BADAMM lesen muss, fühle ich mich doch eher, als würde ich einen Comic lesen, aber um die Zeichnungen betrogen werden.
Vielleicht ist das aber auch eine neue Art, an genau diese hyperaktive Jugend durch einen Roman heranzutreten und ich hab's einfach nicht kapiert, oder hab mich schon zu weit von dieser Generation entfernt.
Eins muss man Michael Rubens aber lassen. Witzig ist er. Deshalb 2 Sterne.

[Julia (Pages for Thoughts) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Austin's character was very isolated and I could not connect with him. He was a little too far away for my reach. He was a horrible friend and as much as he knew it, he did not want to change. He did not realize that there are consequences for your actions, and he wanted to grow up too fast. I also did not enjoy the amount of romance. I felt that some of the scenes were a little too detailed, and steered away the focus. The inspiration piece of the story is the difference of dreams and reality. Sometimes, you have to put aside your dream and do the essential stuff to get there in the first place. Austin wanted to jump ahead. Shane was everything that Austin wanted to be, at least, all that Austin saw. He was so caught up in hope that he did not see the heartbreaking truth in who he was and why he really cared about Austin. The book teaches about focusing on reality and not getting carried away by hopes and dreams. Read more of my review at http://pagesforthoughts.blogspot.com/...

[Cornmaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love YA novels from the point of view of a boy, this time an at sea, girl crazy boy whose life is one bad behavior decision after another. The product of a now D list rock star and an alcoholic mother who is trying, yes really trying to survive and make her life better.

Austin Methune doesn't know his father, has to deal with jock bullies, and pretty much avoids formal learning as much as he can. But oh, can he sing and play guitar, which is what he wants to do in the future despite everyone telling him it's a ridiculous dream. Todd Malloy is his arch nemesis, and he has a secret to his bully attitude, which Austin comes to expose, leading toward much understanding between the two.

And it's decisions about Alison the cheerleader and real girl Josephine that dominate his emotions. I felt it was a lovely, snarky coming-of-age story where lessons are learned but dreams are not dashed to the ground as a result.

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Austin Methune loves music and wants to be a big star. It turns out that his father whom was presumed dead, already is a big star and Austin is a lot like him. He does drugs, gets into trouble and drops out of school. The book is supposed to be funny but is told in a frenetic pace using mostly dialog and rarely has any feeling or even plot. It's keeps running until it finally ends. Austin's mom says "Give me the goddam phone!" and when he refuses, she tells him not to talk to her like that. I get to read when Austin pees and a friend who says "I cut your balls off!" Ha ha. Austin supposedly likes a girl named Josephine but doesn't show it, of course he supposedly really does. The dialog, the lack of character development and the feeling that it is just a story running on hot air, doesn't bode well. YA literature doesn't need a lack of feeling, nor should it just exist because it has a low readability score and maybe a reluctant reader might pick it up. Readers really get why people read when something worthwhile is being told.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know this is just a YA book and I'm judging it way too harshly but Austin's behavior & what he got away with was so wildly beyond a shadow of realistic it made me irate. Also, as someone from a Minneapolis suburb, the author has CLEARLY never set foot in the state considering that not only did he refer to the school as the University of Minnesota and not just "the U," like literally every single person in the Twin Cities does, but there was not one single reference to the Edina hockey players being colloquially known as Cake Eaters or that all the rest of the suburbs think Edina is short for Every Day I Need Attention. There's no weeds around Lake of the Isles that the two characters could have been kissing in because it's all bike path!! Like all the setting errors were so dumb it just made me angry?? I was going to give it three stars and then I sat here and reread this review and had to think about how poorly written this book was AGAIN, and had to bump it down to two..

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Austin can't get it together no matter how hard he tries. His judgment is as hazy as the smoke from the weed he regularly inhales. Austin dreams of being a musician but his stage fright sabotages every single one of his live performances. His dad died when he was little. This left his eighteen year-old mom to raise him on her own. One day, Austin opens the front door to find famous rock musician Shane Tyler standing on his porch. The lies Austin's mom told about his dad's death unravel when Shane reveals he is Austin's dad. Austin soon learns he may have inherited more than his dad's musical talent. Shane's judgment skills aren't any better than Austin's are. Austin is a loveable goofball whose poor choices make for a fun read. In spite of the lighthearted subject matter, there are deeper life lessons embedded within this novel.

[Stacey Conrad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book way more than I thought I would. Austin is a mess. One of his teacher's calls him a "smartard." As a teacher--I knew exactly what she meant. He keeps sabotaging himself. He's musically talented, but won't perform in front of people. When his father shows up-surprise he's a musician, but has never been there for Austin, and doesn't know him. What ensues is a chaotic time of bonding, playing music, getting the girl, disappointment, and reality checks. This was funny, heartbreaking and hopeful. I can think of several kids I'll hand this book to when school starts in August.

[claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started okay, but then went downhill, especially from the second half of the book. A lot of the things could've been cut off since they in no way contribute to the character arcs. Speaking of which—no one, except for Todd, had character development and the only reason Todd got one was because it pushed the plot forward.

The book does have its moments, but overall I wasn't really impressed. I had no expectations a priori, but the first few chapters did make me think I'd like this more than I did.

[Peter Lim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The books title maybe deceiving, but overall it was a great book to read. In this book there is a boy named Austin who is a 16 years old who smokes, drives, and like this talk to girls. Austin feels that his Mom shouldn't be dating this lawyer named Rick since he is like the perfect guy. One day during the dinner time there was a knock at the door, so Austin went to go get it he suddenly realized it was the great musician Shane and then came Austins' mom he hitting that man because it was Austins real father. Like always a son wants to go hang out with his real father that his mom lied about being dead, so they would just do gigs and make songs, Austin finds love. That's why this book is very interesting to read.

[Nora Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Austin is a flawed character who does flawed things. None of it is malicious, none of it is completely unforgivable, and all of it is something I could totally see someone his age, facing similar problems, doing. I love that there was a huge amount of growth shown both by the main character and a few of the supporting characters, and I love that nothing is completely wrapped up in a tidy little bow. There is no HEA, but there is hope for more growth and change. Really, a great story.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwarming and gut-wrenching. A relatable read that hits home in ways I didn't expect. Disappointment is an inevitable part of life - whether we're the ones disappointing others or being let down ourselves. What resonated with me most was the raw honesty and vulnerability of the characters. The ending was something I didn't see coming. If you're looking for a story that explores the messy, beautiful imperfections of human connection, 'Bad Decisions' is a must-read.