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Kian and Jc: Don't Try This at Home!: The Wild and Candid Young Adult Story of YouTube Stars' Rise to Fame

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From personalities and entertainers Kian Lawley and Jc Caylen comes a completely wild and entirely true account of their rise to internet Kian and Don’t Try This at Home! More than 7 million YouTube subscribers, 5 million Twitter followers, and 5 million Instagram followers cannot wait for this sometimes hilarious, sometimes awkward, and always crazy collection of stories, interviews, and exclusive photos. Fans of their YouTube channel, KianAndJc, can expect an intimate look at the comedians’ wild ride to fame and insight into their future plans, along with big laughs. This candid record of Kian and Jc’s success documents a whirlwind experience full of highs, lows, and, of course, awesome pranks. Kian and Don’t Try This at Home! combines the raucous tone that made the duo YouTube sensations with the sincerity and honesty Kian and Jc fans have been waiting for.

224 pages, Paperback

First published June 28, 2016

43 people are currently reading
614 people want to read

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Kian Lawley

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5 stars
346 (57%)
4 stars
124 (20%)
3 stars
87 (14%)
2 stars
33 (5%)
1 star
14 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
Profile Image for chelsea.
175 reviews28 followers
June 25, 2022
this book is the definition of a fever dream
Profile Image for Sierra.
3 reviews
November 30, 2016
In my opinion, this book by Kian Lawley and JC Caylen was amazing. This book told all about their childhoods, how they started Youtube, how they met, and so much more. One reason I loved this book was the fact that I got to read about both of their childhoods because they were very different. I also enjoyed reading about all the experiences they had on the path to becoming the Youtubers they are today. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend.
Profile Image for Alex (Pucksandpaperbacks).
485 reviews143 followers
December 28, 2021
Loved this as a KNJ fan since O2L. This gave me so much nostalgia and if you're a fan of Kian and Jc, I believe you'll enjoy this. Though, there are a lot of facts and stories you may already know, it's like KNJ but in a book!

Read in my Reading YouTuber's Books video: https://youtu.be/fgGUp45pG1E
41 reviews
February 16, 2017
Kian and Jc: Don't Try This at Home by Kian Lawley and Jc Caylen is a good book. This book is about two famous youtubers and how they got famous. They both have there own section talking about their childhood and how they met. They just talk about how they were in a group called O2L, and how they broke up. I like this book because I really like both of them and it is really intresting to learn about them. I reccomend this book to people who like Kian and Jc.
Profile Image for Maddie.
1,210 reviews174 followers
September 17, 2017
Meh, probably would have made more sense if I actually watched these guys' YT channels :p Only read this for a challenge. I love the way both guys It would have been super scary though when Kind of want to look at their channels now.
Profile Image for Kat Ice.
749 reviews11 followers
May 28, 2018
I can agree that no this is not the best writing but you have to see where its coming from. I love them and watch legit all of their youtube videos so I loved this book. It was cool to see a little more about their past and how they felt when everything was happening. I could read it and hear their voices in my head! If your reading this because you love their videos you will love it but if your a new comer to them, maybe pass it.
Profile Image for Emily Fournier.
37 reviews1 follower
March 5, 2023
Having been a fan of Kian and JC for the last 4 years now, it was nice getting to read about their journey in the early days. These guys and their hilarious, out-going personalities have gotten me through some of my toughest times the last couple years and I'm very grateful for them and the content they share with the whole wide world. I hope to meet these goofballs someday :)
Profile Image for Taylor Newton.
22 reviews
May 30, 2025
Had the audiobook from an offer years ago, just never listened. I can see why people enjoy this, it's fun and easy to listen too, and as a fan of them both it definitely fit them well. That being said, it was very simple and lighthearted, didn't go too deep, I suppose back when it came out in 2016 it would've made a lot more sense (as they're 30 with children now).
Profile Image for Cess.
279 reviews2 followers
October 24, 2022
* 3.5 stars *

Kian & Jc are some of my favorite youtubers! They are definitely a comfort channel for me. I enjoyed their book and the insight it gave us to how they've gotten to where they are now. I do wish I would have read this when it came out lol.
6 reviews
August 25, 2017
I have watched these YouTubers since they started and it was amazing to see what they did as kids, old pictures, and funny things that happened to them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Grace Othman.
55 reviews6 followers
October 28, 2017
I loved that. It let me know the real Kian and Jc behind the camera. The pictures just told the story and it was a very quick read. The book was just ... Wow....
Profile Image for Anna Kristensen.
24 reviews1 follower
May 16, 2020
Very chill and easy to read book. If you love Kian and Jc it's a must read!
Profile Image for likexdaisies.
139 reviews1 follower
May 9, 2021
idk it’s exactly what you’d expect it to be
Profile Image for Daria.
4 reviews
June 25, 2021
Great stories of two of my fav childhood youtubers. Easy to read when English is your 2nd language.
Profile Image for Vanessa.
7 reviews
May 13, 2023
Been a fan of KNJ since I was 14 years old, I’m 21 now! I love this book I could read it all over again every day. My source of happiness!!
Profile Image for Kayleeann Jones.
22 reviews3 followers
July 18, 2023
Found this book from back in my YouTube era. Crazy that I have followed them for 11 years now, since they started, and I still look forward to their videos every single week. knj 4 ev.
Profile Image for Valerie.
59 reviews
January 1, 2024
Here’s the thing, I kinda already knew what to expect with this book. It seems like every book that a YouTuber writes. I feel like I would’ve liked it more if I actually watched their videos but I mean. It’s fine.
1 review
September 26, 2016
I think if your really love youtube and lot of this two awesome guys I think this book is good for you. Their lives and goals and experiments are so amazing there thinking of their fans are so sweet and what they do to make people laugh and smile and make them happy are so cute!
2 reviews
January 2, 2017
I love this book!!!!!!!

Ok, to start this off, it may be a long paragraph...or two so get ready and prepared for this.
As you all know Kian Lawley and Jc Caylen are YouTubers, right? So... I already knew that they are pretty talented st what they do and are frickin hilarious!!!
1 review
February 14, 2017
I love this book. It explains their journey in such an outstanding way. I've read it twice and I've connected with some of the things that have happened in their life's. I would recommend this for anyone who loves youtube or just wants to read a good, detailed, autobiography of two crazy goons.!
2 reviews
September 28, 2016
If you like books that tell stories of celebrities before they were famous and books that make you laugh out loud, you should definitely check out the autobiography “Don’t Try This At Home!” By Kian Lawley and Jc Caylen. This autobiography is about 2 teenage boys who made a name for themselves by creating YouTube videos through various channels with various people and eventually finding the right combination. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, due to me being quite a fan of them. It’s a really fun read, some parts had me laughing so hard I was in tears. It also lets you in on their personal thoughts, especially when meeting fans/being on tour, all that sort of stuff. They mention being in a really bad venue on tour in 2014, but them having the biggest smiles on their faces because Boston was the only crowd that screamed for a straight 2 minutes. Kian and Jc also mention stories of their past, such as childhood stories, what they were like in highschool and how they started YouTube. However, a lot of background story is just surface stuff and I wish they would've gone a little deeper. Overall, “Don't Try This At Home” by Kian Lawley and Jc Caylen is a really fun and adorable memoir.
Profile Image for Limeminearia.
403 reviews5 followers
January 1, 2017
From School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up-Although light on substance, even compared to other browsable pop culture titles, this volume on the two YouTube stars will, without a doubt, appeal to their admirers, who sent waves of "ily" (I love you) responses to each tweet promoting the book. Fans will appreciate this quick read for its details about the guys (their childhoods, rise to semi-fame, and lives on tour). The design resembles that of a notebook/yearbook, but the alignment and page breaks are often off and detract from the already slim information present. For the uninitiated, this book will do nothing to clarify why Lawley and Caylen have fans in the first place, much less well over two million followers. Online, their chemistry as friends and their personal charisma are easier to see, albeit through a haze of self-referential bro culture. In print, a sense of entitlement is what mostly comes through, particularly via photos of the pair wearing Afro wigs and short basketball uniforms for laughs. VERDICT Consider only for collections where this YouTube duo is popular.-Miriam DesHarnais, Towson University, MD
Profile Image for Mercedes.
184 reviews
March 31, 2017
Awwe!! I love Kian and Jc and I haven't been with them since the start but I have been with them since the middle of O2L and I was subscribed to KianandJc before they even had videos up. I was never really a big fan of Kian, but more of Jc. I would watch every one of his o2l videos and his main channel videos.

It was pretty cool to be able to see a lot more bts pictures and learn a lot more about their whole lives in a fun way. There were parts when you could tell they were being serious but still in a fun way. The very last sentence made me tear up a little bit just because of how long I've been watching these two. "We won't ever stop doing what we're doing."

I'm so proud of what these two have accomplished and I learned a lot more about them and have even more of a love for them. Now it feels like I've been with them through it all.
Profile Image for Kayla Cipully .
19 reviews17 followers
July 3, 2016
I love Jc and Kian they are amazing!!!!! I have watched their videos since the end of March and I have fallen in love with them!!!! Ever since I started watching I'm like oh hope they come out with a book and then about a week later they did! I did not want to finish this book, it was that good. Amazing. I've read Connor Franta and Ricky Dillons book and they didn't really give an inside view about O2L and how it started and how it ended. This book really gave me an inside view of this. I really enjoyed it. I learned so much more about Kian and Jc and I laughed a lot it was funny.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews

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