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Well, That Was Awkward
by
Gracie has never felt like this before. One day, she suddenly can't breathe, can't walk, can't anything and the reason is standing right there in front of her, all tall and weirdly good-looking: A.J.
It turns out A.J. likes not Gracie but Gracie's beautiful best friend, Sienna. Obviously Gracie is happy for Sienna. Super happy! She helps Sienna compose the best texts, res ...more
It turns out A.J. likes not Gracie but Gracie's beautiful best friend, Sienna. Obviously Gracie is happy for Sienna. Super happy! She helps Sienna compose the best texts, res ...more
Hardcover, 314 pages
Published
February 28th 2017
by Viking Books for Young Readers
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Showing 1-30
Loved this book. Rachel Vail's characters, adults and children alike, never fail to come alive on the page. And the tiny little age-appropriate romance made me so happy!
Well, That Was Awesome!
Hello, new favourite book :)
Well, That Was Awkward is one brilliantly funny, very clever, unputdownable, grin-worthy absolute blast of a book. Oh my gosh, I loved it so.
Well, That Was Awkward is a charming loose retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac ~ always a fun premise to remake for teens of today ~ who are texting and emoji-ing all over the place. It's a real feel-good story with delicious puns, quick witted humour, a tortoise (and a rabbit), a suddenly cute boy, best frien ...more
Hello, new favourite book :)
Well, That Was Awkward is one brilliantly funny, very clever, unputdownable, grin-worthy absolute blast of a book. Oh my gosh, I loved it so.
Well, That Was Awkward is a charming loose retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac ~ always a fun premise to remake for teens of today ~ who are texting and emoji-ing all over the place. It's a real feel-good story with delicious puns, quick witted humour, a tortoise (and a rabbit), a suddenly cute boy, best frien ...more
THE BEST. I laughed, I cried, I want a sequel. Ruby Oliver fans will love this.
What a delightful reading experience this was! The voice is pitch-perfect, as are the ever-shifting loyalties and relationships of the characters. Vail is skilled at mining the adolescent experience in a cringe-worthy, aw-honey kind of way, but never, ever talks down to her audience. The NYC setting, cast of characters and relationships made me think of Goodbye Stranger, but with a heavier dose of comedy. Like Stead, Vail showcases city kids who aren't the children of upper crust Manhattan socie
...more
Omg omg omg omg that was the cutest book I have ever read in such a long time. It was so freaking cute. I'm actually speechless. I want more. I wish the book didn't end as quickly as it did. I wish there was a second book!!!! I usually don't read middle school books because I'm so much older but I really enjoyed this one because it reminded me of the awkwardness and weirdness of middle school. It reminded me of all the problems in middle school and all the drama. It was so realistic, like all th
...more
I think that a possible theme could be to support others even if it means that you won't get what you want. This book shows how hard middle school can be, and how much drama takes place. Also, even though Sienna and Gracie are good friends, Sienna gets the guy that Gracie likes but Gracie still helps Sienna out. Even though Gracie is going through a lot, she tries to act like she isn't.
Well, that was adorable. Funny, so relatable, and heartwarming. I can't wait to give this to some of my middle schoolers. I want to see more of these characters!
Rachel Vail writes some good characters! This could have been a cute, Cyrano de Bergerac type middle grade romance, and it would have still been good! But Vail added a layer of depth: Gracie and her parents are still dealing with the unexpected death of a child, years before Gracie was born. This adds interesting interactions between Gracie and her parents, as well as Gracie and her peers. The story arc was somewhat predictable, but that didn’t make this any less of a sweet, enjoyable read.
AW <3
EMMETT I LOVE YOU
EMMETT I LOVE YOU
Mar 03, 2018
Trisha
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
animals,
contemporary,
diversity-in-ya,
family,
friendship,
geeky,
grief-loss,
humour,
review,
secrets
Great story of friendship, family and first love.
Sweet junior high story about friends, friendship, pre-dating, bullying, belonging, family, and loss. Vail is quite the wordsmith, and she is adept at teen-talk, including texting between characters. Think of this as at the early end of Jennifer E. Smith books--same audience, just months before. Now I need to read Unfriended!
A portrayal of romantic life that’s appropriate for upper elementary readers narrated by a voicey, nerdy main character who is a little too quick-witted to be realistic.
Gracie likes AJ.
AJ likes Gracie’s best friend, Sienna.
Shy Sienna isn’t sure how to respond, so Gracie writes Sienna’s texts to AJ.
I appreciated that this book had a premise that was appropriate, realistic, and appealing to both elementary and middle school students -- first crushes, first kisses, puppy love, and a lot of awkward ...more
Gracie likes AJ.
AJ likes Gracie’s best friend, Sienna.
Shy Sienna isn’t sure how to respond, so Gracie writes Sienna’s texts to AJ.
I appreciated that this book had a premise that was appropriate, realistic, and appealing to both elementary and middle school students -- first crushes, first kisses, puppy love, and a lot of awkward ...more
Well, that was not what I expected. At first I thought that this was going to be about one thing, and then it turned into something else. As a mother, this book really got to me...I mean...wow...I almost cried. I don't want to say too much, but please know that this book is not all about teens and their first relationships. It is really a cute story about growing up, good friends, falling in love, and heartbreak. I love that the book is younger teen appropriate without all of the cussing and sex
...more
I do so enjoy a smart love story. This ranks right up there with my faves. It's lighter than Eleanor & Park, but just as swoony. It's as sweet and funny as Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, but unlike with Simon, there's really no surprise as to who Gracie is meant to fall in love with. And that's okay. Gracie's clever, somewhat manic internal monologue is endearing and pulled me through the story even though I knew pretty much all along what the payoff would be.
This is a feel-good story w ...more
This is a feel-good story w ...more
I love this book for middle school and up. Lighthearted but deals with some tougher topics in Gracie's life. I enjoyed reading it!
Dec 28, 2017
Jen Bojkov
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
quirky,
realistic-fiction,
lone-star,
female-mc,
funny,
gentle-reads,
humor,
reluctant-reader,
young-adult
Yet another really good read from the 2018-2019 Lone Star list. This is #6 or 7 for me to read and so far, I have not been disappointed. I would call this one like John Green or Sarah Dessen for middle grade readers. It was sweet, funny, angsty, and ultimately hopeful. I really liked it.
I thought this book was very well written. It showed the real humor and struggles of the middle school experience. There were a lot of relatable moments and it showed its ok to feel. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves realistic fiction.
This was a pitch-perfect Middle School/MG read. Characters with depth and interests outside of the plot, a sweet romance, romantic entanglements without tons of physical stuff - lovely. Hard to do!
Gracie likes AJ. At least she thinks she does. The problem is that Riley also likes AJ. Meanwhile, AJ likes Gracie's best friend, Sienna. It's all a big awkward mess. Gracie, AJ, Sienna, and Emmet have always been best friends, but one day things change. AJ and Sienna start dating. Now with the whole support of the "Loud Crowd" behind them. Gracie has to figure out her feelings fast, or things will end in disaster. Does she like AJ and tries to hide her feelings from Sienna? Or does she like Emm
...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Jul 12, 2017
Rummanah (Books in the Spotlight)
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
childrens,
4-5-stars,
diversity,
favorites,
family,
friendship,
grief,
humor,
realistic-fiction,
retelling
4.5 stars!
Well, That Was Awkwardof a diverse group of middle schoolers embarking on their journey to high school. Gracie Grant, a tall eighth grader who has a prominent nose and hails from New York City, takes the lead as our Cyrano figure. She is bubbly, plucky, and optimistic. Gracie's best friend, Sienna Reyes, needs help texting the boy who likes her, the handsome AJ Rojanasopondist. Though nursing a broken heart, Gracie puts aside her feelings and is completely there for her best friend. T ...more
Well, That Was Awkwardof a diverse group of middle schoolers embarking on their journey to high school. Gracie Grant, a tall eighth grader who has a prominent nose and hails from New York City, takes the lead as our Cyrano figure. She is bubbly, plucky, and optimistic. Gracie's best friend, Sienna Reyes, needs help texting the boy who likes her, the handsome AJ Rojanasopondist. Though nursing a broken heart, Gracie puts aside her feelings and is completely there for her best friend. T ...more
My roommate walked in one night and said she was surprised I was up so late when I had class the next morning. I just groaned and said that this book was about middle schoolers and wasn't supposed to be so interesting! But this book was surprisingly captivating! I picked it up at the library to read while I waited for the book I actually wanted to come in. And it was just so adorable! It was sweet and funny and yes, even relatable! It made me glad to be past the awkward middle school years, and
...more
It can be hard to find books that really fit kids in middle school (MG books often seem too young for them and some YA choices are too mature), but this is a great book for 11-14 year olds and up. It's witty and fun. I appreciate that it deals with a common real life experience of early romance during these grades (a sudden crush and the behind-the-scenes negotiations that often ensue) but also has a poignant family story line that was really touching. Nicely done!
This charming update on the Cyrano DE Bergerac tale follows four friends as they navigate all the social awkwardness, uncertainty and butterfly-inducing thrill that accompanies first like. Gracie starts crushing on popular AJ, only to find out he likes her best friend Sienna. Sienna isn't sure how she feels, so when AJ starts texting, Sienna asks Gracie to take over. Over late night text messages Gracie and AJ develop an easy-going banter that is suspiciously lacking in person. Who is really tex
...more
Ohmyword, I loved this book. LOVED. I read multiple sections to my husband after he caught me repeatedly laughing out loud, and I made a date with my 11-year old to read it together this summer when we do a little pre-middle school road trip. Because Gracie is the kind of friend you want your kid to find.
Charming novel about first crushes, filled with humor, wisdom. and compassion. I laughed out loud several times, and teared up too. In the same vein as Criss Cross, but in modern NYC. One the best takeaways for me? When Emmett replies "show your work" to Gracie's patently untrue, "I'm fine. I'm always fine." Isn't that a lovely way to challenge a friend?
If you like realistic fiction with a little bit of romance, this book is for you. I love Rachel Vail's books, and this one was amazing. All I wanted to do was keep reading it. You become very connected to the characters, and its really fun seeing what happens next. I defiantly recommend this book to everyone! Even if it is not your favorite genre.
This was a really cute retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac. While Rachel Vail didn't nail the voice of a middle schooler, it was still close enough to be enjoyable and there were a couple of really moving scenes.
Oh my goodness, I laughed, I cried, I read it aloud to co-workers, I even texted lines to friends because they made me laugh out loud. I will most definitely be recommending this to many of my students and reading Unfriended now - this is the current book to beat for the year!
I’m not sure if I love the story as much as I love the main character, but whatever, Gracie is amazing enough for 5 stars no matter what.
Witty. Introspective. Meaningful.
I seriously enjoyed reading this. The end.
Witty. Introspective. Meaningful.
I seriously enjoyed reading this. The end.
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Birth
I was born on July 25, 1966, in NEW YORK CITY, and grew up in New Rochelle, NY, with my mother, my father, and my younger brother Jon. (And down the street from my future husband, though of course I didn't know that until much later.)
Interests
Some details, I do know-I was very into reading and theater, so I read every book I could get my hands on (especially realistic fiction, either contempo ...more
I was born on July 25, 1966, in NEW YORK CITY, and grew up in New Rochelle, NY, with my mother, my father, and my younger brother Jon. (And down the street from my future husband, though of course I didn't know that until much later.)
Interests
Some details, I do know-I was very into reading and theater, so I read every book I could get my hands on (especially realistic fiction, either contempo ...more
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