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Static
“It was strange - Wilt calling me when he’d died the week before. Maybe a lot of other people get called from the spirit world or whatever, but it was a first for me and so I didn’t pick up until the fifth or sixth ring.”
When Curtis Brooks gets a phone call from his older brother Wilt the week after his funeral, he’s sure his brother is reaching out from beyond the grave to find evidence that will lead to his murder’s arrest. But Wilt claims he wasn’t murdered; his calling is standard protocol for newly deceased at the Aftermart—a kind of inescapable, ever-expanding Walmart filled with obsolete technology and discontinued products.
Curtis embarks on a dangerous plan to find the killer, which soon has him scheming against a billionaire and fumbling towards love with his brother’s ex-girlfriend Suzy, all while struggling with typical high school drama and his single mom’s questionable choices.
Why does Wilt help Curtis win over Suzy, even as he organizes a rebellion at the Aftermart? Who wanted him dead? Curtis risks his life to answer these questions, in the process forging a bond with his brother unlike any they ever had.
When Curtis Brooks gets a phone call from his older brother Wilt the week after his funeral, he’s sure his brother is reaching out from beyond the grave to find evidence that will lead to his murder’s arrest. But Wilt claims he wasn’t murdered; his calling is standard protocol for newly deceased at the Aftermart—a kind of inescapable, ever-expanding Walmart filled with obsolete technology and discontinued products.
Curtis embarks on a dangerous plan to find the killer, which soon has him scheming against a billionaire and fumbling towards love with his brother’s ex-girlfriend Suzy, all while struggling with typical high school drama and his single mom’s questionable choices.
Why does Wilt help Curtis win over Suzy, even as he organizes a rebellion at the Aftermart? Who wanted him dead? Curtis risks his life to answer these questions, in the process forging a bond with his brother unlike any they ever had.
336 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 2016
4 people are currently reading
519 people want to read
About the author
Eric Laster
8 books32 followersA New Yorker by birth, Eric Laster lives in Los Angeles. After a successful stint as a ghostwriter, Eric re-launched under his own name with the middle-grade novel Welfy Q. Deederhoth: Meat Purveyor, World Savior. Whenever he’s not scribing, Eric records punk rock and presses it to vinyl.
"Original and unfailingly entertaining from first page to last, Static by Eric Laster is deftly crafted and highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as school and community library YA fiction collections."
— Midwest Book Review
"Unusual and unpredictable….The posthumous bond formed between the brothers is touching and the mystery a genuine surprise." — Kirkus Reviews
"Eric Laster has a way of writing that cuts straight to the heart....Each of the conflicts the characters encounter are so relatable it's hard to stop reading."
—Erin, project-nerd
Five stars from examiner.com!
"#Static is an engaging and creative story that will have young adults thinking about their own lives."
"Original and unfailingly entertaining from first page to last, Static by Eric Laster is deftly crafted and highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as school and community library YA fiction collections."
— Midwest Book Review
"Unusual and unpredictable….The posthumous bond formed between the brothers is touching and the mystery a genuine surprise." — Kirkus Reviews
"Eric Laster has a way of writing that cuts straight to the heart....Each of the conflicts the characters encounter are so relatable it's hard to stop reading."
—Erin, project-nerd
Five stars from examiner.com!
"#Static is an engaging and creative story that will have young adults thinking about their own lives."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
April 15, 2016
Shortly after his brother's death from a car accident Curtis Brooks begins to receive phone calls from his brother. Wilt has been trapped in a place called the Aftermart, a sort of inescapable giant Wal-Mart filled with discontinued products. He's been going through afterlife therapy and calls his younger still living brother trying to adjust to his afterlife.
Curtis is sure that Wilt is calling to give him clues to lead them to Wilt's murdered, only Wilt insists that it was only an accident. The detective in charge of the accident has ruled Wilt's death a homicide though so Curtis embarks on a dangerous journey to try to catch the killer using Wilt's calls as clues.
The whole idea behind Static sounded very intriguing when I read about it but unfortunately due to the execution of this story it ended up being one of those just no no no.... Not. For. Me. books. If done in a different manor I really think I would've been completely caught up in a story where a ghost helped solve his own murder but this just seemed so over the top silly that I could barely bring myself to keep reading.
First, the characters felt extremely one dimensional and boring as could be. Being told from Curtis's prospective I just felt like the kid really had no feelings whatsoever and maybe it's meant to be that way when there's talk of him being on medication and in therapy himself but I never could connect with him to like him at all.
Also, the situations and events just seemed so unbelievable I just kept shaking my head and reminding myself that it was all fiction. I'd have an easier time believing the phone calls happening though than some other events... such as Curtis's mother suddenly bringing in random replacement children that seemed to then become her household staff, yes that really happens.
Also, I'm not sure where the author came up with the teen-language used in here but I found it very annoying and distracting. It was almost like let's think of all the weird phrases kids have latched onto over the years and make this character use this weird dialogue/language all his own. What it comes across sounding more like though is an out of touch adult trying to be cool.
Overall, not really one I'd personally recommend picking up, probably more of a 1.5 star read for me with the extra half just for finishing.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Curtis is sure that Wilt is calling to give him clues to lead them to Wilt's murdered, only Wilt insists that it was only an accident. The detective in charge of the accident has ruled Wilt's death a homicide though so Curtis embarks on a dangerous journey to try to catch the killer using Wilt's calls as clues.
The whole idea behind Static sounded very intriguing when I read about it but unfortunately due to the execution of this story it ended up being one of those just no no no.... Not. For. Me. books. If done in a different manor I really think I would've been completely caught up in a story where a ghost helped solve his own murder but this just seemed so over the top silly that I could barely bring myself to keep reading.
First, the characters felt extremely one dimensional and boring as could be. Being told from Curtis's prospective I just felt like the kid really had no feelings whatsoever and maybe it's meant to be that way when there's talk of him being on medication and in therapy himself but I never could connect with him to like him at all.
Also, the situations and events just seemed so unbelievable I just kept shaking my head and reminding myself that it was all fiction. I'd have an easier time believing the phone calls happening though than some other events... such as Curtis's mother suddenly bringing in random replacement children that seemed to then become her household staff, yes that really happens.
Also, I'm not sure where the author came up with the teen-language used in here but I found it very annoying and distracting. It was almost like let's think of all the weird phrases kids have latched onto over the years and make this character use this weird dialogue/language all his own. What it comes across sounding more like though is an out of touch adult trying to be cool.
Overall, not really one I'd personally recommend picking up, probably more of a 1.5 star read for me with the extra half just for finishing.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
December 24, 2015
As a fan of this author, I was really looking forward to this book. As soon as it came, it was at the top of my to-read pile. When I started it, it was not what I expected (it didn't help that I did not even read the back cover before delving in), it is a paranormal mystery which has a really original take on help from beyond the grave. Curtis is trying to figure out why his brother died and he does so with a little help from him. He also has many coming of age moments, some which make this appropriate for high school age and up. Although it mostly seems about solving a mystery, there are also a lot of deep messages and questions throughout that really add to the depth of this book and make the reader think. Even though I am not a hug fan of mystery novels, I still found it enjoyable and unpredictable. I would recommend this as a coming of age, mystery.
February 1, 2016
A suspenseful murder mystery and touching coming of age story, STATIC is funny, quirky, and wonderful. It has a distinctive cast of characters, layers of subtext, and elements of magical realism. Laster's writing, rich in irony, had me laughing out loud. Love, rivalry, friendship, family, and death are just a few of the themes explored, and never with a heavy hand. This is a fun and delightful read.
May 11, 2016
I really enjoyed #Static. Getting phone calls from a dead relative may sound a little creepy, but the back and forth between the brothers is great, especially when they connect. The "gangster" talk by Dr. M. was amusing, and relatable as I remember counselors from high school trying to connect with their students and just sounding like idiots. It's a great story, kept my attention so that I hated to put it down and go back to reality. Thanks, Eric!!
December 31, 2015
I borrowed the advanced copy from a friend for an honest review.
At first, I found myself over analyzing the characters. After a few chapters I realized that I had become so absorbed in the story I didn't even realize that I'd made it half way through the book. Now that I've finished it, I can say that I truly love this book. This is a book that I would happy to have in my personal collection and would loan out to others for their enjoyment. The plot was engaging, the setting was interesting, and the characters were created just how I like them. I really enjoyed Curtis. As a person and as a character whose life I was following. He is smart, but doesn't show it often. I like the transformation of who he is at the beginning to who he is at the end. He matures a lot and accepts life for what it is. The other characters were interesting because of what they did, while Curtis was interesting for what he thought.
Overall, there wasn't much that I have to criticize about this book. I think once readers accept the Aftermart and don't worry about their beliefs of the afterlife, it's very easy to pick up on. There may be people that can't get past it and may put the book down because of it. I hope they don't though. I like that Wilt had a role in his own dilemma with the Aftermart. I think that's what made it easiest for me to move past as a world changing idea. I have 3 nit picky things that I felt could be different, but overall didn't affect my opinion of the book too much. I thought it was weird that Curtis shorted all the names of his teachers down to the first letter of their last name. Maybe if Mr. Murray forced it on Curtis it would make sense, but it feels weird when he does it to the other teachers at the beginning of the book. The second thing is I felt like the "gangsta" talk that Mr. Murray does at the beginning was a little too much. I could see were it was going, it was just a bit over the top. Finally, and you may not agree, I feel weird about the title of the book. It's a great title, but I don't really feel like it connects to the story. I can kind of see the connection with it being a phone and everything, but I don't see what static has to do with taking a call from your dead brother in the Aftermart. The could hear each other pretty well the whole time. Maybe I'm taking it too literally, and if so please explain it to me. I don't think it will affect it on a marketing level though.
Anyways, all in all, a great read! I look forward to seeing what else Eric Laster puts out!
At first, I found myself over analyzing the characters. After a few chapters I realized that I had become so absorbed in the story I didn't even realize that I'd made it half way through the book. Now that I've finished it, I can say that I truly love this book. This is a book that I would happy to have in my personal collection and would loan out to others for their enjoyment. The plot was engaging, the setting was interesting, and the characters were created just how I like them. I really enjoyed Curtis. As a person and as a character whose life I was following. He is smart, but doesn't show it often. I like the transformation of who he is at the beginning to who he is at the end. He matures a lot and accepts life for what it is. The other characters were interesting because of what they did, while Curtis was interesting for what he thought.
Overall, there wasn't much that I have to criticize about this book. I think once readers accept the Aftermart and don't worry about their beliefs of the afterlife, it's very easy to pick up on. There may be people that can't get past it and may put the book down because of it. I hope they don't though. I like that Wilt had a role in his own dilemma with the Aftermart. I think that's what made it easiest for me to move past as a world changing idea. I have 3 nit picky things that I felt could be different, but overall didn't affect my opinion of the book too much. I thought it was weird that Curtis shorted all the names of his teachers down to the first letter of their last name. Maybe if Mr. Murray forced it on Curtis it would make sense, but it feels weird when he does it to the other teachers at the beginning of the book. The second thing is I felt like the "gangsta" talk that Mr. Murray does at the beginning was a little too much. I could see were it was going, it was just a bit over the top. Finally, and you may not agree, I feel weird about the title of the book. It's a great title, but I don't really feel like it connects to the story. I can kind of see the connection with it being a phone and everything, but I don't see what static has to do with taking a call from your dead brother in the Aftermart. The could hear each other pretty well the whole time. Maybe I'm taking it too literally, and if so please explain it to me. I don't think it will affect it on a marketing level though.
Anyways, all in all, a great read! I look forward to seeing what else Eric Laster puts out!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2016
***I received a free copy for an honest review***
Note: This review contains NO spoilers
Hmmm... This was definitely an interesting read. #Static definitely reads as a mystery, paranormal, and coming-of-age novel...all wrapped in one story. I mean...REALLY! How would anyone react when receiving a phone call from a dead loved one!?! Eric Laster's character development and world building took me into Curtis's life as he maneuvered through his life at home, at school, and the investigation into his brother's death. There are just no words...haha!
The book read as if I was in Curtis's head! As he learned more about his brother, he learned more about himself as well. Even the writing read as if it was Curtis speaking and thinking...the mind of a teenage boy with his hormones running amok! Wow! Seeing how he sees adults through his eyes...definitely projects the perspective of possibly many other teenagers dealing with family and/or personal issues.
As Curtis learned more about what Wilt was secretly doing, the more determined he became to find out what "really" happened to Wilt. I will not reveal too much, but, at some point, some scenes were definitely cringe-worthy...even as seen through the eyes of a teenage boy. It's also interesting to "see" the other side...at the Aftermart. We learned a bit from Wilt what "life" is like after death at the Aftermart.
However, the story did have a slow pace at times. There were moments though that I absolutely couldn't stop turning the pages, but I had to put it down due to the cruel nature of the scene(s). Haha...I am not going to divulge that, it will just ruin it...LOL!
All in all, Eric Laster created a compelling story that teenagers and adults will enjoy, even relate to. #Static is a fascinating story that takes readers on an insightful journey of a teenage boy dealing with grief and growing up. And, yes, there is a lot of insight out of this coming-of-age story with a mystery and paranormal twist to it.
Note: This review contains NO spoilers
Hmmm... This was definitely an interesting read. #Static definitely reads as a mystery, paranormal, and coming-of-age novel...all wrapped in one story. I mean...REALLY! How would anyone react when receiving a phone call from a dead loved one!?! Eric Laster's character development and world building took me into Curtis's life as he maneuvered through his life at home, at school, and the investigation into his brother's death. There are just no words...haha!
The book read as if I was in Curtis's head! As he learned more about his brother, he learned more about himself as well. Even the writing read as if it was Curtis speaking and thinking...the mind of a teenage boy with his hormones running amok! Wow! Seeing how he sees adults through his eyes...definitely projects the perspective of possibly many other teenagers dealing with family and/or personal issues.
As Curtis learned more about what Wilt was secretly doing, the more determined he became to find out what "really" happened to Wilt. I will not reveal too much, but, at some point, some scenes were definitely cringe-worthy...even as seen through the eyes of a teenage boy. It's also interesting to "see" the other side...at the Aftermart. We learned a bit from Wilt what "life" is like after death at the Aftermart.
However, the story did have a slow pace at times. There were moments though that I absolutely couldn't stop turning the pages, but I had to put it down due to the cruel nature of the scene(s). Haha...I am not going to divulge that, it will just ruin it...LOL!
All in all, Eric Laster created a compelling story that teenagers and adults will enjoy, even relate to. #Static is a fascinating story that takes readers on an insightful journey of a teenage boy dealing with grief and growing up. And, yes, there is a lot of insight out of this coming-of-age story with a mystery and paranormal twist to it.
July 18, 2016
Shortly after Curtis Brooks’ brother, Wilt died in a car accident, he starts receiving phone calls from Wilt. It seems the afterlife is the person being stuck in a Wal-Mart like store called the Aftermart that is stocked full of discontinues products. Part of Wilt’s afterlife therapy is to call Curtis where he tries to tell Curtis that his death was an accident and to try to help him move on. But when a detective says that Wilt’s death was a homicide Curtis goes on the hunt for Wilt’s killer.
This was an interesting story. I liked how the afterlife is described and I really enjoyed this part of the story along with Curtis’ search for Wilt’s killer. I thought the mystery of the killer was well done. There are some coming of age moments that added to the story but there were some that detracted for me. And then there are some branches to this story that make no sense, pseudo-children, really??
Overall, this is a great story that was easy to get into. It’s one that I recommend to those that like a quick mystery surrounded by grief, adolescence, and moving on after the loss of someone you really cared for.
I received Static for free from Media Masters Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
This was an interesting story. I liked how the afterlife is described and I really enjoyed this part of the story along with Curtis’ search for Wilt’s killer. I thought the mystery of the killer was well done. There are some coming of age moments that added to the story but there were some that detracted for me. And then there are some branches to this story that make no sense, pseudo-children, really??
Overall, this is a great story that was easy to get into. It’s one that I recommend to those that like a quick mystery surrounded by grief, adolescence, and moving on after the loss of someone you really cared for.
I received Static for free from Media Masters Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
June 9, 2016
When Curtis starts receiving phone calls from his dead brother Wilt, he's sure there must be more to his death than he was initially told. Curtis begins an adventure to find out what really happened, whilst trying to navigate the world of girls, work, illegal dog fighting and family drama.
I wasn't a fan of this book. That's not to say it was a bad book, it just didn't entertain me in any way. I wasn't connected to any of the characters, Curtis especially, which is disappointing as he was our protagonist/hero and I just didn't feel like I cared what happened to any of the characters in the story. Due to that, I found myself rushing to finish the book so it was done, rather than because I was interested in how the story played out.
I would recommend reading other reviews of this book before deciding against reading it, as it does have positive points and I can see other people liking this book but unfortunately, it wasn't for me.
I wasn't a fan of this book. That's not to say it was a bad book, it just didn't entertain me in any way. I wasn't connected to any of the characters, Curtis especially, which is disappointing as he was our protagonist/hero and I just didn't feel like I cared what happened to any of the characters in the story. Due to that, I found myself rushing to finish the book so it was done, rather than because I was interested in how the story played out.
I would recommend reading other reviews of this book before deciding against reading it, as it does have positive points and I can see other people liking this book but unfortunately, it wasn't for me.
December 18, 2015
I read an advanced reading copy for the author and enjoyed do so. I'm going read it again to be thorough in my review, but for now, I can say that I liked the story's flow. I appreciated the fact that you had the teenage boys being distracted by typical adolescent things like inconsistent hormones and "ugh, whatever" attitudes toward adults. It made them more believable.
I am left wondering what purpose the pseudo siblings serve besides adding superficial angst to Curtis's life. It felt like they were thrown in as an additional "well, let's see what else we can do to screw up this kid's life."
(As it's the small hours of the morning, I will finish this review later.)
I am left wondering what purpose the pseudo siblings serve besides adding superficial angst to Curtis's life. It felt like they were thrown in as an additional "well, let's see what else we can do to screw up this kid's life."
(As it's the small hours of the morning, I will finish this review later.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2016
Thanks to Netgalley I received a review copy of this book.
This book started out very interesting, and I thought I was going to absolutely love it. Sadly, it went downhill very quickly. I thought it was completely far fetched and barely made sense.
I thought the writing style was extremely wordy, and the story just dragged for me. I couldn't relate to the main character in any aspect. I felt like he was slightly or extremely devoid of emotions. Maybe, he was just emotionally unattached. Either way I wasn't feeling him at all.
This book was just not for me, which is perfectly fine and it is probably being loved by others reading right now, I hope it is.
This book started out very interesting, and I thought I was going to absolutely love it. Sadly, it went downhill very quickly. I thought it was completely far fetched and barely made sense.
I thought the writing style was extremely wordy, and the story just dragged for me. I couldn't relate to the main character in any aspect. I felt like he was slightly or extremely devoid of emotions. Maybe, he was just emotionally unattached. Either way I wasn't feeling him at all.
This book was just not for me, which is perfectly fine and it is probably being loved by others reading right now, I hope it is.
April 5, 2016
I enjoyed this book quite a lot. There were parts that surprisingly made me giggle, but most of the time, I was so consumed by the plot, I couldn't put it down. It took me quite some time to process what I read and sit down and write these thoughts down.
Paranormal mysteries that make me obsess like this one did are incredibly rare. I genuinely didn't notice that I had stayed up till three am to finish this book, swiping page by page as if there's no tomorrow.
Mr. Laster's writing is stellar, fresh, filled with irony, and I'm honestly looking forward to his future works.
Paranormal mysteries that make me obsess like this one did are incredibly rare. I genuinely didn't notice that I had stayed up till three am to finish this book, swiping page by page as if there's no tomorrow.
Mr. Laster's writing is stellar, fresh, filled with irony, and I'm honestly looking forward to his future works.
Want to read
June 9, 2016I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well thought out and you were hooked into the story by the 2nd or 3rd chapter. The writing flowed in a way that helped you suspend the normal world for one where it seemed normal for a boy to be receiving calls from his recently deceased brother while he tries to solve the mystery surrounding his death.
This wasn't my regular type of book to read, but it just shows that you need to branch out every now and then and try other types of books.
This wasn't my regular type of book to read, but it just shows that you need to branch out every now and then and try other types of books.
March 14, 2016
I was given an ARC for honest review. i have to say it is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Parts of it made me laugh and others made me tear up. The way Eric showed his characters evolve through grief really struck a cord with me. Also, it made me happy to know that I am not the only person who uses the term, "Doucheface."
May 4, 2016
love the book. I couldn't put it down. I identify with the mother's neediness and bat-shit, which rather scares me, and I think Curtis and Walt are the best-written teenage boys I've read since Holden Caulfield.
All of the characters are written with depth and are incredibly likable, even the shrink, who reminds me of David Brent in The Office.
All of the characters are written with depth and are incredibly likable, even the shrink, who reminds me of David Brent in The Office.
July 27, 2016
Interesting idea for a story but poorly executed. The way the main character speaks felt more like how an adult thinks teenagers speak and not what is rooted in reality. It was irritating at best and patronizing at worst.
December 17, 2015
Review to follow soon...
July 6, 2016
Good! It was quick, only a few hours of time to read, but I only found one typo and it was well written
October 5, 2017
Rant review time. I don't swear so bear with me when I say "hecking" like 800 times. This was literally the worst book that I have ever read. Let's talk characters:
-The mother: her entire character profile is her constant complaining, addiction to nicotine, and blaming every single problem on her divorce.
-The father: cliche alcoholic, in a polygamous relationship, has no ties to the family but inexplicably cares about the family at convenient times for the plot
-Wilt: (also what the heck with these names Wilt? Curtis?) seemed like a real jerk before he died, is sometimes randomly nice, starts a low key rebellion in the Aftermart.
-Curtis: Has a bunch of mental illnesses (anger issues) that only contribute to the plot a therapist who enters a love triangle subplot with Curtis's MOTHER, immediately wants to date his dead brother's girlfriend, is painfully awkward yet lands every girl, annoying as heck, gets a boner every 2 minutes (i'm not kidding)
-Suzy: Popular yet wears clothes that are relevant to no time period, defined by her blondness and super hotness, tries to be shown as deep with her love of poetry but also rap, is a low key cheater but it's fine (I guess), constantly smokes
-Rick: This boi is a straight up cliche that walked out of a some Disney channel or CW show, Captain of the lacrosse team, calls everybody a dweeb, dates Suzy, has more anger issues than Curtis who has actual diagnosable anger issues, beats people up, is hecking dumb as heck, somehow involved in the dog fighting thing like every other hecking fool in this imaginary high school (Curtis, Wilt, Suzy, Meredith)
Plot/storyline:
- Curtis ( or anybody in this hecking story) literally doesn't even question how/why his brother is calling him from the dead
- the mom adopts THREE foreign foster children to get money and then treats them like slaves (doesn't give a seat at the table, makes them clean) and this is not addressed until the end of the book and is never really resolved
- There is a hecking LOVE TRIANGLE subplot between the mother, the detective, and the school counselor/ therapist
-The Aftermart is a hecking WALMART for dead things. A WALMART. enough said.
- There is low key thrash dystopia vibe with the aftermart rebellion where they use pots and pans and baseball bats (how are those dead things?) but can't hit people because they are just spirits (then how do they hold the weapons? HUH?)
- A dog fighting ring. What?
- a random throwback scene about playing a game called bloody knuckles that has no effect on the plot (many throwback scenes have this nothing burger effect)
-the ending is stupid
- the busting of a dog fighting ring type of maffia thing has no repercussions
Writing Style:
- wordy, so hecking wordy
- uses the word "beasties" instead of dogs and uses it no less than 7 times per page
- uses the word "parental" instead of mom or dad
- uses a different word for talking that I can't remember but was really annoying at the time
- describes a bellybutton in detail as a worm. a WORM
- describes the swaying of a girl's butt as she walks up the stairs in detail and equates it to a clock that rings each one of Curtis's experiences
That's all I can think of off the top of my head. If I could give 0 stars, I would.
-The mother: her entire character profile is her constant complaining, addiction to nicotine, and blaming every single problem on her divorce.
-The father: cliche alcoholic, in a polygamous relationship, has no ties to the family but inexplicably cares about the family at convenient times for the plot
-Wilt: (also what the heck with these names Wilt? Curtis?) seemed like a real jerk before he died, is sometimes randomly nice, starts a low key rebellion in the Aftermart.
-Curtis: Has a bunch of mental illnesses (anger issues) that only contribute to the plot a therapist who enters a love triangle subplot with Curtis's MOTHER, immediately wants to date his dead brother's girlfriend, is painfully awkward yet lands every girl, annoying as heck, gets a boner every 2 minutes (i'm not kidding)
-Suzy: Popular yet wears clothes that are relevant to no time period, defined by her blondness and super hotness, tries to be shown as deep with her love of poetry but also rap, is a low key cheater but it's fine (I guess), constantly smokes
-Rick: This boi is a straight up cliche that walked out of a some Disney channel or CW show, Captain of the lacrosse team, calls everybody a dweeb, dates Suzy, has more anger issues than Curtis who has actual diagnosable anger issues, beats people up, is hecking dumb as heck, somehow involved in the dog fighting thing like every other hecking fool in this imaginary high school (Curtis, Wilt, Suzy, Meredith)
Plot/storyline:
- Curtis ( or anybody in this hecking story) literally doesn't even question how/why his brother is calling him from the dead
- the mom adopts THREE foreign foster children to get money and then treats them like slaves (doesn't give a seat at the table, makes them clean) and this is not addressed until the end of the book and is never really resolved
- There is a hecking LOVE TRIANGLE subplot between the mother, the detective, and the school counselor/ therapist
-The Aftermart is a hecking WALMART for dead things. A WALMART. enough said.
- There is low key thrash dystopia vibe with the aftermart rebellion where they use pots and pans and baseball bats (how are those dead things?) but can't hit people because they are just spirits (then how do they hold the weapons? HUH?)
- A dog fighting ring. What?
- a random throwback scene about playing a game called bloody knuckles that has no effect on the plot (many throwback scenes have this nothing burger effect)
-the ending is stupid
- the busting of a dog fighting ring type of maffia thing has no repercussions
Writing Style:
- wordy, so hecking wordy
- uses the word "beasties" instead of dogs and uses it no less than 7 times per page
- uses the word "parental" instead of mom or dad
- uses a different word for talking that I can't remember but was really annoying at the time
- describes a bellybutton in detail as a worm. a WORM
- describes the swaying of a girl's butt as she walks up the stairs in detail and equates it to a clock that rings each one of Curtis's experiences
That's all I can think of off the top of my head. If I could give 0 stars, I would.
May 5, 2017
The full review is available on The Basic Bookworm
#Static by Eric Laster is a young adult novel that contains mystery, fantasy and paranormal themes. I was drawn to this library book because of the blurb – I mean, a guy trying to solve the mystery of who killed his brother, while falling for his brother’s ex? Yeah, that’s interesting. Overall, I thought that the book was enjoyable, if a little dull.
A week after Wilt’s death, Curtis begins to receive calls from him and assumes that this is a sign that Wilt was murdered and he must find who was responsible; however, Wilt dismisses this until the detectives reveal that Wilt’s death was a homicide. Curtis is determined to solve this mystery and see that the murderer is held accountable, but things aren’t as simple as he thinks. Who hated Wilt enough to be driven to murder him? Could it be Suzy, Wilt’s ex-girlfriend who Curtis believes schemed against Wilt for money? Wilt’s former employer, a rich but dodgy man involved in a dogfighting ring? Or could it be someone completely different, someone not even Wilt could have suspected? During his phone calls with Curtis, Wilt says that he’s in an Aftermart – a shop where dead things go: old music players, ancient weapons, pet rocks, people – and he is already over how the place is run. Wilt plans a rebellion to change the way things are managed, but how will it end?
Creativity is something that I look for in every book, primarily because it makes the book standout against the rest in the same genre. With that being said, I thought that the idea behind the Aftermart was original and clever. It was easy to imagine, as opposed to trying to picture Heaven or some other abstract form of afterlife. I would love to be able to wander the aisles and see things that had gone out of style and are considered ancient. Wilt also talks about meeting the Romans, so it would be pretty awesome to meet some of the historical figures in the Aftermart. The amount of thought that had been put into this paid off because I believe that it demonstrated a fair amount of creativity.
My favourite part of the book was the conclusion, in particular chapters 51 and 52. I thought that it was a great conclusion – it provided answers and closure, was slightly emotional and just plain heart-warming. Not all authors are good at producing a decent conclusion, but I think that Laster went above and beyond.
#Static by Eric Laster is a young adult novel that contains mystery, fantasy and paranormal themes. I was drawn to this library book because of the blurb – I mean, a guy trying to solve the mystery of who killed his brother, while falling for his brother’s ex? Yeah, that’s interesting. Overall, I thought that the book was enjoyable, if a little dull.
A week after Wilt’s death, Curtis begins to receive calls from him and assumes that this is a sign that Wilt was murdered and he must find who was responsible; however, Wilt dismisses this until the detectives reveal that Wilt’s death was a homicide. Curtis is determined to solve this mystery and see that the murderer is held accountable, but things aren’t as simple as he thinks. Who hated Wilt enough to be driven to murder him? Could it be Suzy, Wilt’s ex-girlfriend who Curtis believes schemed against Wilt for money? Wilt’s former employer, a rich but dodgy man involved in a dogfighting ring? Or could it be someone completely different, someone not even Wilt could have suspected? During his phone calls with Curtis, Wilt says that he’s in an Aftermart – a shop where dead things go: old music players, ancient weapons, pet rocks, people – and he is already over how the place is run. Wilt plans a rebellion to change the way things are managed, but how will it end?
Creativity is something that I look for in every book, primarily because it makes the book standout against the rest in the same genre. With that being said, I thought that the idea behind the Aftermart was original and clever. It was easy to imagine, as opposed to trying to picture Heaven or some other abstract form of afterlife. I would love to be able to wander the aisles and see things that had gone out of style and are considered ancient. Wilt also talks about meeting the Romans, so it would be pretty awesome to meet some of the historical figures in the Aftermart. The amount of thought that had been put into this paid off because I believe that it demonstrated a fair amount of creativity.
My favourite part of the book was the conclusion, in particular chapters 51 and 52. I thought that it was a great conclusion – it provided answers and closure, was slightly emotional and just plain heart-warming. Not all authors are good at producing a decent conclusion, but I think that Laster went above and beyond.
June 13, 2016
Review also posted at: http://underthebookcover.blogspot.com...
3.5/5
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for review!
Static was a very different read for me. It starts off with Curtis getting a phone call from his dead brother, Wilt, and doesn't stop. Wilt is calling from a place called Aftermart, which he describes as a Walmart for the dead filled with old or discontinued products. He claims that him contacting Curt is part of his therapy, but as the phone calls continue, Wilt unknowingly gives Curt clues regarding his sudden death...or murder. Of course, no one believes Curt and believes that he's making the phone calls up as a way to deal with Wilt's death. But the more phone calls that come through, the more clues he gets, and the closer Curt gets to solving the death of Wilt. In the process, the boys get closer than they ever were when Wilt was alive.
I must admit, throughout the whole book, I truly believed that Curt was just imagining the phone calls as a way to cope with Wilt's death. It felt like the clues were possibly something that Curt could have discovered on his own, but that he was imagining Wilt giving him the clues because he wanted his death solved by Curt. I think that if there was a twist that Curt was crazy and just imagining the phone calls, and the people that also "spoke" to Wilt were just going along with Curt to try and help him move on, that the book would have been that much better.
The banter between Curt and Wilt was probably my favorite thing about the book. I liked that their relationship evolved throughout the book and that you got some backstory to their relationship when Wilt was alive. You really got to see (read?) how they went from hardly ever speaking when Wilt was living to now they speak pretty much every 50 minutes. Also, Wilt tries to help Curt with some things in his life like getting through his death, dealing with their crazy mother and absent father, and even getting with his ex-girlfriend, Suzy. They go back and forth at each other and call each other names as brothers usually do, but by the end you can really tell that they love each other and that losing Wilt was harder on Curt than he was willing to admit. Their relationship goes from non-existent, to best friends, and I was able to relate that to my own life, which is always good when a book can make me think about my personal life and relationships.
One of the oddest things about this book is the "pseudo-siblings" that show up periodically. After Wilt dies, the mother kind of loses her mind and starts bringing home random kids. She claims they're from some foreign country and that she adopted them, but Curt is quick to realize (not yet point out verbally to her, however) that adoption takes way too long for her to round up three kids. It was weird because the kids were basically servants. They cooked and cleaned during the day and slept at night, but they never really did anything else. It was never really explained why the mother was basically collecting kids, but my conclusion was that she was just trying to fill the hole that losing Wilt created for her. Still, it was the oddest thing I've read in a book lately.
Something that I did enjoy about the book was the parallel between what was happening with Curt and Wilt. While Curt was trying to solve Wilt's murder, Wilt was trying to incite a rebellion at Aftermart. I enjoyed how, as the story progressed and as Curt was making progress on solving the murder, Wilt was making progress on figuring out the inner workings of Aftermart and trying to get them to essentially "release" the people in Aftermart. They are both progressing in their tasks simultaneously, and when Curt reaches the end of his investigation, so does Wilt, and I just really appreciated the parallel between the two and how it connected them even more.
While I really enjoyed the book, I found the ending to be really lackluster. It was a "happy" enough ending but the final page just really left me wanting more. I think when I finished I had to go back and read it because it just felt so meh. The whole book was fun to read and I liked the concept of getting phone calls from the dead, but the last page left me quite unsatisfied. But it was literally only the last page, the rest of the book was great!
If you're looking for what I would call a contemporary mystery, then definitely pick up Static. It has a great plot, a very fun writing style, likable characters, and while the ending was meh for me, a pretty decent ending that others may enjoy more than I did.
3.5/5
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for review!
Static was a very different read for me. It starts off with Curtis getting a phone call from his dead brother, Wilt, and doesn't stop. Wilt is calling from a place called Aftermart, which he describes as a Walmart for the dead filled with old or discontinued products. He claims that him contacting Curt is part of his therapy, but as the phone calls continue, Wilt unknowingly gives Curt clues regarding his sudden death...or murder. Of course, no one believes Curt and believes that he's making the phone calls up as a way to deal with Wilt's death. But the more phone calls that come through, the more clues he gets, and the closer Curt gets to solving the death of Wilt. In the process, the boys get closer than they ever were when Wilt was alive.
I must admit, throughout the whole book, I truly believed that Curt was just imagining the phone calls as a way to cope with Wilt's death. It felt like the clues were possibly something that Curt could have discovered on his own, but that he was imagining Wilt giving him the clues because he wanted his death solved by Curt. I think that if there was a twist that Curt was crazy and just imagining the phone calls, and the people that also "spoke" to Wilt were just going along with Curt to try and help him move on, that the book would have been that much better.
The banter between Curt and Wilt was probably my favorite thing about the book. I liked that their relationship evolved throughout the book and that you got some backstory to their relationship when Wilt was alive. You really got to see (read?) how they went from hardly ever speaking when Wilt was living to now they speak pretty much every 50 minutes. Also, Wilt tries to help Curt with some things in his life like getting through his death, dealing with their crazy mother and absent father, and even getting with his ex-girlfriend, Suzy. They go back and forth at each other and call each other names as brothers usually do, but by the end you can really tell that they love each other and that losing Wilt was harder on Curt than he was willing to admit. Their relationship goes from non-existent, to best friends, and I was able to relate that to my own life, which is always good when a book can make me think about my personal life and relationships.
One of the oddest things about this book is the "pseudo-siblings" that show up periodically. After Wilt dies, the mother kind of loses her mind and starts bringing home random kids. She claims they're from some foreign country and that she adopted them, but Curt is quick to realize (not yet point out verbally to her, however) that adoption takes way too long for her to round up three kids. It was weird because the kids were basically servants. They cooked and cleaned during the day and slept at night, but they never really did anything else. It was never really explained why the mother was basically collecting kids, but my conclusion was that she was just trying to fill the hole that losing Wilt created for her. Still, it was the oddest thing I've read in a book lately.
Something that I did enjoy about the book was the parallel between what was happening with Curt and Wilt. While Curt was trying to solve Wilt's murder, Wilt was trying to incite a rebellion at Aftermart. I enjoyed how, as the story progressed and as Curt was making progress on solving the murder, Wilt was making progress on figuring out the inner workings of Aftermart and trying to get them to essentially "release" the people in Aftermart. They are both progressing in their tasks simultaneously, and when Curt reaches the end of his investigation, so does Wilt, and I just really appreciated the parallel between the two and how it connected them even more.
While I really enjoyed the book, I found the ending to be really lackluster. It was a "happy" enough ending but the final page just really left me wanting more. I think when I finished I had to go back and read it because it just felt so meh. The whole book was fun to read and I liked the concept of getting phone calls from the dead, but the last page left me quite unsatisfied. But it was literally only the last page, the rest of the book was great!
If you're looking for what I would call a contemporary mystery, then definitely pick up Static. It has a great plot, a very fun writing style, likable characters, and while the ending was meh for me, a pretty decent ending that others may enjoy more than I did.
August 11, 2017
Thanks so much to Net Galley for sending me an eARC of this book for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own!
This book was a riot, I really enjoyed it!
Basically, the story follows Curtis, who starts to get these weird phone calls from his dead brother, Wilt. Apparently he's in some sort of afterlife Walmart, Aftermart, where he has to see a therapist and as part of that therapy, talked to those he left behind. Upon getting these phone calls, Curtis decides that this is Wilt's way of telling him he was murdered, and that he should investigate.
I loved how, even though this book death with death and loss, there was still funny moments. Curtis refers to his mom as 'the parental' and the sort of adopted, not really adopted brothers and sister she brings home as 'pseudo-siblings.' There's lots of humour in this book, and not that annoying-okay-let's-get-this-over-with-it's-getting-old humour, good ol' fashioned, humour that I was actually laughing out loud to. I haven't read a book with this great a sense of humour in a long time.
Writing wise, this book actually reminded me a little of John Green's writing. To the point and witty, while still dealing with serious issues (i.e. death). However the story had that sort of magical realism that A.S. King is known for, with the talking on the phone to dead people.
I really liked Curtis, he was quite honest and blunt, but it was fun seeing him interacting with his two best friends. You really don't see a lot of all male POV in YA writing, and I found his voice refreshing and unique, compared to the typical female POVs. I also really loved his and Wilt's relationship, especially as it developed after Wilt's death. They weren't very close before he died, but through the phone calls, Wilt was able to pass on some of his "brotherly wisdom" to Curtis.
There were some things I didn't love about this book, and that was, unfortunately, a fairly major part of the book, which is why I am giving it perhaps a slightly lower rating than it could have received. And that was the whole dog fighting operation. This may be a bit of a spoiler, but it comes up fairly quickly in the story so I wouldn't really consider it one. Anyways, I just felt like it was an unnecessary element. Sure, Wilt needed to be going somewhere that night, but it could have been anything, anywhere. I think there was just a lot of details and build up for something that, in the end, had very little, if anything to do with Wilt's death.
I also felt like some of the details and things with Curtis's parents were unnecessary. We didn't really need that background info to have the story.
I will say, though, this book isn't a thriller. And maybe that's where my issues lie, I was expecting a murder mystery investigative, revenge plot, and that's just not what this book is. It is just a contemporary novel about a boy learning to come to grips with his brother's death, and maybe find out who killed him. It's not a psychological thriller where we see clues to the killer's motives at every corner. I think my obsession with those types of books made me want this book to be something more, something it just wasn't meant to be.
Overall, however, I did enjoy this book. It was hilarious and dealt with serious issues, while also teaching valuable lessons on life.
This book was a riot, I really enjoyed it!
Basically, the story follows Curtis, who starts to get these weird phone calls from his dead brother, Wilt. Apparently he's in some sort of afterlife Walmart, Aftermart, where he has to see a therapist and as part of that therapy, talked to those he left behind. Upon getting these phone calls, Curtis decides that this is Wilt's way of telling him he was murdered, and that he should investigate.
I loved how, even though this book death with death and loss, there was still funny moments. Curtis refers to his mom as 'the parental' and the sort of adopted, not really adopted brothers and sister she brings home as 'pseudo-siblings.' There's lots of humour in this book, and not that annoying-okay-let's-get-this-over-with-it's-getting-old humour, good ol' fashioned, humour that I was actually laughing out loud to. I haven't read a book with this great a sense of humour in a long time.
Writing wise, this book actually reminded me a little of John Green's writing. To the point and witty, while still dealing with serious issues (i.e. death). However the story had that sort of magical realism that A.S. King is known for, with the talking on the phone to dead people.
I really liked Curtis, he was quite honest and blunt, but it was fun seeing him interacting with his two best friends. You really don't see a lot of all male POV in YA writing, and I found his voice refreshing and unique, compared to the typical female POVs. I also really loved his and Wilt's relationship, especially as it developed after Wilt's death. They weren't very close before he died, but through the phone calls, Wilt was able to pass on some of his "brotherly wisdom" to Curtis.
There were some things I didn't love about this book, and that was, unfortunately, a fairly major part of the book, which is why I am giving it perhaps a slightly lower rating than it could have received. And that was the whole dog fighting operation. This may be a bit of a spoiler, but it comes up fairly quickly in the story so I wouldn't really consider it one. Anyways, I just felt like it was an unnecessary element. Sure, Wilt needed to be going somewhere that night, but it could have been anything, anywhere. I think there was just a lot of details and build up for something that, in the end, had very little, if anything to do with Wilt's death.
I also felt like some of the details and things with Curtis's parents were unnecessary. We didn't really need that background info to have the story.
I will say, though, this book isn't a thriller. And maybe that's where my issues lie, I was expecting a murder mystery investigative, revenge plot, and that's just not what this book is. It is just a contemporary novel about a boy learning to come to grips with his brother's death, and maybe find out who killed him. It's not a psychological thriller where we see clues to the killer's motives at every corner. I think my obsession with those types of books made me want this book to be something more, something it just wasn't meant to be.
Overall, however, I did enjoy this book. It was hilarious and dealt with serious issues, while also teaching valuable lessons on life.
February 22, 2020
See reviews first on my Blog
“It was their having lived reminded me how everything bad, good, and otherwise passes. The nonstop, impersonal shove of time – not the particulars of anybody’s life.”
When Curtis’s brother dies in a car crash, but the police think he was murdered. Yet they don’t have any suspects, or any idea why he would be a target. Making Curtis start his own investigation to find out what happened, and why his brother was even on that street at night anyway.
About a week after his brother’s death Curtis starts getting calls from Wilt who is in some gigantic Walmart type of place that is forever changing and expanding. Who is calling because his shrink Sean is recommending it, and because as much as he hates to admit it he misses Curtis.
At first no one believes him that he’s talking to Wilt until they talk to him to and then his mom starts getting even weirder then normal and his dad demands that the body be DNA tested because he can’t believe that Wilt is calling from beyond the grave. Then we have mom dating Curtis counselor at school Dr. M who is just trying way too hard to relate to the kids.
Wilt ends up helping Curtis in his investigation while he is also dealing with after death problems and exploring the Walmart like mart.
As Curtis learns more about his brother and what he was a part of and what might have gotten him killed, he starts learning things about himself as well. Curtis goes from being a young guy who constantly thinks about sex to a young guy who realizes that family means everything even if his is a little messed up. Btw did anyone else want to slap his dad across the face when he gave the reason for why he left? I mean really grow up. I still don’t understand though how his mom was getting the pseudo children or how she was even going to afford to house that many, when you consider she was struggling before she got them.
Overall I did like this book. Curtis was a realistic character. He dealt with death by avoiding it and then when he couldn’t do that he started investigating in order to find out what actually happened to Wilt. There were some questionable morals when it came to his brother’s girlfriend. Somehow I just didn’t like what they did together. I know Wilt said it was okay and everything, but still it just made me a little uneasy. This is a book for all ages though, and made some good points, when it comes to grief. I also loved the whole mystery/thriller side to this story. Multiple times throughout this book, I was worried for Curtis and his mom. Between the disgustingly creepy landlord (anytime he was on the page I couldn’t wait for him to leave.) and the stuff that Wilt had been involved in, there were so many outside threats that could hurt them that I didn’t want to put the book down until I finished it and knew they were safe.
If you can get past the boy talk of their junk all the time and how they constantly focus on sex, then you will find this book enjoyable. After a while I just started glazing over those parts, because let’s face it there were more crotch grabs by Curtis friends then there were real interaction between them.
No matter how old you are I think you should read this book if you want to see death from a male teenager perspective.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
“It was their having lived reminded me how everything bad, good, and otherwise passes. The nonstop, impersonal shove of time – not the particulars of anybody’s life.”
When Curtis’s brother dies in a car crash, but the police think he was murdered. Yet they don’t have any suspects, or any idea why he would be a target. Making Curtis start his own investigation to find out what happened, and why his brother was even on that street at night anyway.
About a week after his brother’s death Curtis starts getting calls from Wilt who is in some gigantic Walmart type of place that is forever changing and expanding. Who is calling because his shrink Sean is recommending it, and because as much as he hates to admit it he misses Curtis.
At first no one believes him that he’s talking to Wilt until they talk to him to and then his mom starts getting even weirder then normal and his dad demands that the body be DNA tested because he can’t believe that Wilt is calling from beyond the grave. Then we have mom dating Curtis counselor at school Dr. M who is just trying way too hard to relate to the kids.
Wilt ends up helping Curtis in his investigation while he is also dealing with after death problems and exploring the Walmart like mart.
As Curtis learns more about his brother and what he was a part of and what might have gotten him killed, he starts learning things about himself as well. Curtis goes from being a young guy who constantly thinks about sex to a young guy who realizes that family means everything even if his is a little messed up. Btw did anyone else want to slap his dad across the face when he gave the reason for why he left? I mean really grow up. I still don’t understand though how his mom was getting the pseudo children or how she was even going to afford to house that many, when you consider she was struggling before she got them.
Overall I did like this book. Curtis was a realistic character. He dealt with death by avoiding it and then when he couldn’t do that he started investigating in order to find out what actually happened to Wilt. There were some questionable morals when it came to his brother’s girlfriend. Somehow I just didn’t like what they did together. I know Wilt said it was okay and everything, but still it just made me a little uneasy. This is a book for all ages though, and made some good points, when it comes to grief. I also loved the whole mystery/thriller side to this story. Multiple times throughout this book, I was worried for Curtis and his mom. Between the disgustingly creepy landlord (anytime he was on the page I couldn’t wait for him to leave.) and the stuff that Wilt had been involved in, there were so many outside threats that could hurt them that I didn’t want to put the book down until I finished it and knew they were safe.
If you can get past the boy talk of their junk all the time and how they constantly focus on sex, then you will find this book enjoyable. After a while I just started glazing over those parts, because let’s face it there were more crotch grabs by Curtis friends then there were real interaction between them.
No matter how old you are I think you should read this book if you want to see death from a male teenager perspective.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
July 28, 2016
*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from Netgalley and Automatic Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of this book in any way.
As soon as I saw the description on Netgalley I was intrigued, because the theme of a dead person being able to call a loved one is one that I haven't read much about. I was also a bit confused by the genre, because surely a book that talks about receiving phone calls from the dead has a little bit of fantasy in it, right? Or horror, depends on how you look at it.
It was interesting to read an entire story from a boy's POV. I found it a bit strange at times, but I definitely found it an interesting and good change from what I normally read.
I thought Curtis was a fascinating character. He had moments when he frustrated me, but for the most part I rooted for him and hoped he'd succeed in what he was doing. The story reveals a lot of things about Curtis that made me question some of the things about the story. I feel like, in the end, he does the best he can with the cards he was dealt. His parents are far from perfect, his life in general sucks. The fact that his brother died is important, but I feel like the fact that he got these phone calls from Wilt helped him cope or at least ignore the fact that Wilt isn't physically there for him when he needs him the most.
Remember when I said that I was confused by the genre? Well, the story itself left me with a lot of doubts regarding these phone calls. I kept wondering, mostly because of some of the details that emerged about Curtis throughout the book, if those phone calls were real. Which in a way I thought was brilliant, because then, depending on what you want to believe, there's two ways in which you can see the book. Either Curtis was completely delusional, or he really was talking to his dead brother on the phone.
I felt like the pace was a little too slow for my taste, and the ending turned out to be completely not what I imagined. Not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I expected.
My only issue was with the parents in this book. I would've wanted at least one of the parents to be somewhat normal, or at least true, mature adults. Actually, now that I think about it, all of the adults in this book weren't exactly role models, or even adults per se.
Anyway, I thought the book was okay and if you're fans of YA mysteries, you should definitely check it out and let me know what you think.
As soon as I saw the description on Netgalley I was intrigued, because the theme of a dead person being able to call a loved one is one that I haven't read much about. I was also a bit confused by the genre, because surely a book that talks about receiving phone calls from the dead has a little bit of fantasy in it, right? Or horror, depends on how you look at it.
It was interesting to read an entire story from a boy's POV. I found it a bit strange at times, but I definitely found it an interesting and good change from what I normally read.
I thought Curtis was a fascinating character. He had moments when he frustrated me, but for the most part I rooted for him and hoped he'd succeed in what he was doing. The story reveals a lot of things about Curtis that made me question some of the things about the story. I feel like, in the end, he does the best he can with the cards he was dealt. His parents are far from perfect, his life in general sucks. The fact that his brother died is important, but I feel like the fact that he got these phone calls from Wilt helped him cope or at least ignore the fact that Wilt isn't physically there for him when he needs him the most.
Remember when I said that I was confused by the genre? Well, the story itself left me with a lot of doubts regarding these phone calls. I kept wondering, mostly because of some of the details that emerged about Curtis throughout the book, if those phone calls were real. Which in a way I thought was brilliant, because then, depending on what you want to believe, there's two ways in which you can see the book. Either Curtis was completely delusional, or he really was talking to his dead brother on the phone.
I felt like the pace was a little too slow for my taste, and the ending turned out to be completely not what I imagined. Not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I expected.
My only issue was with the parents in this book. I would've wanted at least one of the parents to be somewhat normal, or at least true, mature adults. Actually, now that I think about it, all of the adults in this book weren't exactly role models, or even adults per se.
Anyway, I thought the book was okay and if you're fans of YA mysteries, you should definitely check it out and let me know what you think.
July 13, 2016
When I first began reading this book, I was pleasantly surprised. The concept, though not necessarily unique, was presented from a slightly different perspective than the rest of its ilk, i.e., a high school Sophomore boy named Curtis. When Curtis' older brother, high school Senior Wilt, died from a car crash as a result of an unsuccessful argument with a light pole, Curtis, his single Mom, and his brother's hottie (ex-)girlfriend Suzy began the mourning process... each in their own way. Then, suddenly, a couple of days after the accident, Curtis receives a cell-phone call from Wilt, apparently originating from The Great Beyond. Seems Wilt is unable to move on to his Ultimate Resting Place until the mysteries surrounding his death are solved. Though the local police Detectives have initiated their own investigation, Curtis -- along with Suzy and a couple of none-too-bright buddies from school -- embark on their own investigative adventure. Meanwhile, his Mom's chosen coping mechanism appears to be the nonsensical addition to the family of three non-English-speaking teens (Namibian, Asian and [India] Indian) who do nothing except cook and clean. (How -- and why -- his Mom got them is a question that's never answered.) OK, at this point, I'm still hanging on... though my brainwaves are beginning to glaze over.
Unfortunately, it went completely downhill from there, at least for me. In total agreement with another reviewer, I found a couple of constantly recurring things that became increasingly annoying the longer I kept reading. First, by Curtis' 500th "boner", the annoyance meter plunged into the negative numbers. I remember thinking to myself that if American teen boys are really that stupid (and their female counterparts that slutty), our country is doomed. Can't say the Mom was much better; she appeared to be even less mature than the kids. The idiotic introduction of the foreign kids didn't seem to accomplish anything except perhaps serve as page filler when the author temporarily ran out of other ideas; if his intent was comedic, I believe he fell way short of the mark. Frankly, I'm not even sure the YA audience will find this book amusing, but if they do, we're in even more trouble than I thought.
My recommendation? Pass this one by and go take a short nap... time better spent.
*** This book was provided to me by the publisher and/or the author as an ARC in return for my honest review. ***
Additional Questions
Unfortunately, it went completely downhill from there, at least for me. In total agreement with another reviewer, I found a couple of constantly recurring things that became increasingly annoying the longer I kept reading. First, by Curtis' 500th "boner", the annoyance meter plunged into the negative numbers. I remember thinking to myself that if American teen boys are really that stupid (and their female counterparts that slutty), our country is doomed. Can't say the Mom was much better; she appeared to be even less mature than the kids. The idiotic introduction of the foreign kids didn't seem to accomplish anything except perhaps serve as page filler when the author temporarily ran out of other ideas; if his intent was comedic, I believe he fell way short of the mark. Frankly, I'm not even sure the YA audience will find this book amusing, but if they do, we're in even more trouble than I thought.
My recommendation? Pass this one by and go take a short nap... time better spent.
*** This book was provided to me by the publisher and/or the author as an ARC in return for my honest review. ***
Additional Questions
August 7, 2016
This heartfelt novel deals with a lot of serious and dark themes in a way that is poignant while retaining the darkish sense of humor of the protagonist. Curtis's main problem in the story is, on the surface, dealing with his brother's calls from a strange sort of after life that seem to be leading Curtis to find out how his brother passed away. It looks like murder at the hands of some seriously dangerous people involved in some dark and seedy activities.
The book engages readers by looking into some of the darker parts of human nature as Curtis encounters these individuals. It also explores topics that many young adults will relate to as he struggles with his parent's divorce when he was young, taking medications for conditions that are never quite explained to him - but that help with his hyperactivity and aggression. He also has to deal with his own choices. Will he compromise what he believes to be right or will he let the darkness and heaviness of it all draw him into the same bad choices of those around him?
Curtis's interactions with Wilt in his afterlife experience are interesting, but to me they weren't the driving force of the book. Though, in the context of the book, they actually did take place, they served the same purpose that hallucinations or dreams would have served. They helped him deal with his grief, solve problems, and provided and element of mystery and even humor to the dark life that Curtis is left to deal with.
Young Adult Notes: contains graphic mentions of sexual content, mild language, mild violence and graphic animal violence
Source: I received a copy of this title from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.
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April 24, 2017This book had such great potential. Unfortunately the plot wasn’t executed well at all. From the very first chapter it was clear that this story wasn’t going to be like any others. I took that to mean something good.
The biggest let down was the characters. They were boring and had no depth. For people who are going through the loss of a loved one, no one seems to feel anything. Curtis didn’t seemed surprised or shocked at all that his brother, who died by the way, is calling from some weird afterlife Wal-Mart store. His interaction with Suzy was quite unbearable at times. It got to the point that every time he mentioned her or saw her, he got a boner. It was extremely unrealistic and her character just seemed like an after thought. His mother believe it or not was even worse. Her idea of grieving was to adopt 3 kids (2 from Africa and 1 from Asia) and treat them like servants. In what world, even fictional, does that make any sense?!
Aside from the characters, the plot that I originally picked the book for got lost behind everything else. There was some kind of rebellion in the Aftermart while at the same time Curtis was dealing with dogs fighting. I forgot that Curtis was supposed to be looking for his brothers murderer. It’s very sad that such a good plot line went to waste.
Another problem I had with this book was the writing style. I feel like the author was trying to use teen slang but FAILED HARD! After a while, one gets tired of the word “dog beasties”. That is not a word I would use for vicious dogs who fight for the enjoyment of humans. Overall, this book was just not for me and I would not recommend it to anyone.
The biggest let down was the characters. They were boring and had no depth. For people who are going through the loss of a loved one, no one seems to feel anything. Curtis didn’t seemed surprised or shocked at all that his brother, who died by the way, is calling from some weird afterlife Wal-Mart store. His interaction with Suzy was quite unbearable at times. It got to the point that every time he mentioned her or saw her, he got a boner. It was extremely unrealistic and her character just seemed like an after thought. His mother believe it or not was even worse. Her idea of grieving was to adopt 3 kids (2 from Africa and 1 from Asia) and treat them like servants. In what world, even fictional, does that make any sense?!
Aside from the characters, the plot that I originally picked the book for got lost behind everything else. There was some kind of rebellion in the Aftermart while at the same time Curtis was dealing with dogs fighting. I forgot that Curtis was supposed to be looking for his brothers murderer. It’s very sad that such a good plot line went to waste.
Another problem I had with this book was the writing style. I feel like the author was trying to use teen slang but FAILED HARD! After a while, one gets tired of the word “dog beasties”. That is not a word I would use for vicious dogs who fight for the enjoyment of humans. Overall, this book was just not for me and I would not recommend it to anyone.
September 8, 2016
Thank you NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read this book.
Static is about this boy named Cutis Brooks, who'd been dealing with his brother's recent death, until one day when he gets a call from him.
This book wasn't bad, but it wasn't the greatest either. I think I'm pretty neutral about it.
I liked the writing for the most part. It had quite a few quotable moments, and I enjoyed them a lot whenever they came.
The only part I couldn't get over was how horny Curtis Brooks always got whenever he was around his dead brother's girlfriend. I probably sound immature and close minded for thinking this, but I don't know. It wasn't so bad when it was first mentioned, but then it became a repeated thing.
Also when he made fun of Dr. M for trying to be street. I think it was him in the first place who called parents "parentals". And then all of a sudden it was the ONLY word used to describe the parents. I don't know. Maybe I'm being a little picky, but I didn't enjoy that a lot.
I enjoyed how funny the story got sometimes. The way he described Dr. M for the first time, I actually died, laughing.
Overall, I'm pretty okay with the book. Will I read this book again, probably not. But who knows, maybe one day I'll be in the mood to read this story again
Static is about this boy named Cutis Brooks, who'd been dealing with his brother's recent death, until one day when he gets a call from him.
This book wasn't bad, but it wasn't the greatest either. I think I'm pretty neutral about it.
I liked the writing for the most part. It had quite a few quotable moments, and I enjoyed them a lot whenever they came.
The only part I couldn't get over was how horny Curtis Brooks always got whenever he was around his dead brother's girlfriend. I probably sound immature and close minded for thinking this, but I don't know. It wasn't so bad when it was first mentioned, but then it became a repeated thing.
Also when he made fun of Dr. M for trying to be street. I think it was him in the first place who called parents "parentals". And then all of a sudden it was the ONLY word used to describe the parents. I don't know. Maybe I'm being a little picky, but I didn't enjoy that a lot.
I enjoyed how funny the story got sometimes. The way he described Dr. M for the first time, I actually died, laughing.
Overall, I'm pretty okay with the book. Will I read this book again, probably not. But who knows, maybe one day I'll be in the mood to read this story again
April 29, 2016
I think this book was just not really for me. It was a clever idea, the phone calls from the dead brother, but it didn't play out for me. It was nice that Curtis and Wilt had a chance to form a relationship in death that was missing in life. The phone calls just messed up their mom and didn't do great things for their dad either. It is hard to move on from losing your loved one when they keep calling and not letting you let go. The phone calls were for the dead to transition into another existence, but it didn't allow the living to transition as well. The whole Suzy thing was annoying. Plus the murder, dog fighting, criminal story line just didn't do it for me. I love murder mysteries, but I guess I just couldn't get into this one. None of the characters did much for me and I really didn't need to know about every time Curtis got turned on. Maybe if I was a boy this book would have done more for me. Overall, I just never got into this story and couldn't really care about who killed Wilt and why. It just wasn't for me.
April 17, 2016
You can read my full review on my blog here: http://pitchblacksky.net/book-review-...
After reading the description on NetGalley, I really had high hopes for #Static. I mean who wouldn't be intrigued when you read that a dead brother calls and helps solve his murder? I was instantly excited to read it and find out what happened. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
The concept though had such good potential: brother dies and calls from the afterlife to help solve his murder. Now that's interesting! If I could go back and rewrite this, I'd take out all the other little odd story lines that have absolutely no point, for example: the servant "pseudo-siblings." I wish it would have been a little less forced on the slang side and a little more suspenseful. Through most #Static, unfortunately, I had zero interest in finding out what happened next - which is probably why it took me a ridiculously long time to read it.
After reading the description on NetGalley, I really had high hopes for #Static. I mean who wouldn't be intrigued when you read that a dead brother calls and helps solve his murder? I was instantly excited to read it and find out what happened. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
The concept though had such good potential: brother dies and calls from the afterlife to help solve his murder. Now that's interesting! If I could go back and rewrite this, I'd take out all the other little odd story lines that have absolutely no point, for example: the servant "pseudo-siblings." I wish it would have been a little less forced on the slang side and a little more suspenseful. Through most #Static, unfortunately, I had zero interest in finding out what happened next - which is probably why it took me a ridiculously long time to read it.
September 15, 2025
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Curtis Brooks lost his brother, Wilt, in a road accident about one week ago. What he wasn't expecting was starting receiving phone calls from Wilt. Curtis tries to figure out the reason what that is happening. Meanwhile, he uses the conversations he has with Wilt to uncover some clues about Wilt's murderer. Even though, Wilt insists that he wasn't murdered. As there the clues are uncover, Curtis discovers some aspects of Wilt's recent past.
The plot was well thought and built, but the way the author wrote it didn't feel right. It's development was okay, but I think that the story was somehow monotonous and without "major" events. Also, the characters seemed too simple.
In spite of having read the whole book, I lost my interest as I kept reading it. The ending was kinda unexpected and was the event that surprised me the most in the whole book.
Curtis Brooks lost his brother, Wilt, in a road accident about one week ago. What he wasn't expecting was starting receiving phone calls from Wilt. Curtis tries to figure out the reason what that is happening. Meanwhile, he uses the conversations he has with Wilt to uncover some clues about Wilt's murderer. Even though, Wilt insists that he wasn't murdered. As there the clues are uncover, Curtis discovers some aspects of Wilt's recent past.
The plot was well thought and built, but the way the author wrote it didn't feel right. It's development was okay, but I think that the story was somehow monotonous and without "major" events. Also, the characters seemed too simple.
In spite of having read the whole book, I lost my interest as I kept reading it. The ending was kinda unexpected and was the event that surprised me the most in the whole book.
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