Monday, August 29, 2011

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Shut Out
Kody Keplinger
Publisher: Poppy
Release Date: September 5, 2011           
Series or Standalone:  Standalone
ISBN: 9780316175562
Format: ARC
Pages: 288
Source: BEA
Websites:

Rating: 4.5 Stars



Shut Out was a cute, enjoyable read. I picked it up late last night and finished it in hours. It’s a book that’s great for teenager girls and made me just feel very happy.

This is Kody Keplinger’s second book, and I have to say, I enjoyed it a lot more than her first one. Kody Keplinger has a real talent for capturing the spirit and voice of teens. Her characters feel like real teenagers and face real problems that many people confront in high school. One thing I really liked about Shut Out and that I liked about the DUFF was that Kody Keplinger does not shy away from the topic of sex. Sex is not a taboo in her books. Instead, especially in this book which is about a sex strike, she in some ways offers a forum for the girls in the book to discuss the topic of sex which seems to be an out of bound subject for girls to discuss. I really loved how she handled the topic of sex and the conversations the girls had about it and each of the girls different feelings, fears and concerns with sex and the gender roles assigned to it.

I really loved the characters in this book. Lissa was a great character. I really liked that she had flaws, including OCD tendencies such as counting. She wasn’t perfect, but she was very strong. Lissa wanted to do the right thing, she wanted to end a stupid feud and came up with a very clever way to do it. I loved that she was someone who actually went out and did something and stuck to it until the end, no matter what was thrown in her way. Chloe, Lissa’s best friend, was also another great character. While Chloe is known as a slut or whore at school, she was a good friend to Lissa, always there supporting her no matter what. And then there is Cash. Cash the soccer player. Cash was like the perfect boy. He was devoted to his family and friends, and was a sweet guy. I loved his character and the interactions between Lissa and Cash. I do have to say I HATED Lissa’s boyfriend Randy, which is the point, but still, he is a huge tool and I could tell that from the beginning.

The romance in this book was so perfect. I loved the relationship between Cash and Lissa. It felt natural and I loved seeing how it would play out, especially since Lissa has her boyfriend Randy. I felt that Kody Keplinger handled the romance perfectly. There were obstacles, banter, heartache and some great kissing scenes. I loved seeing Lissa’s relationship arcs and her heartache, pain and joy.

Shut Out was a clever and very enjoyable read. This book just really clicked with me. I felt it dealt with a serious such as sex, in a not super serious way and it had a great story that kept me wanting to read more. And then there was some great romance and romantic tension which I am always a fan of.  I cannot wait to see what Kody Keplinger writes next because she has a huge talent for writing great novels about teens and I’m sure her next book will be even better.

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