Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

What do you do when you're 16 and your previously undiscovered musician boyfriend writes a hit song about how you dumped him and now you can't go to school, to work, let alone on a date without the paparazzi or drooling fans dogging your every step? And so begins Audrey as she explains her side of the story on how her ex-boyfriend Evan shot from obscurity to stardom by using their break-up as inspiration for his bands' hit song "Audrey, Wait!". Audrey has always lived and breathed for music - the louder the better - but now that musicians, magazines and even MTV want a piece of her, all Audrey wants is for people not to see her as a fluff-brain teen obsessed with fame.

What has to be the best part of this book hands-down are Robin Benway's descriptions of Audrey's interactions with her friends: her outspoken best friend Victoria, Victoria's chill boyfriend Jonah, and her so-lovable shy and quirky co-worker James. Like Audrey, all three are seriously obsessed with music but each one helps Audrey handle the media attention in importantly different ways. Teenage potty mouths aside, some of their exchanges were frickin' hilarious, making this one heck of a page-turner. For a good idea of the crazy way Audrey's mind works, take a look at this apology scene between her and James.

All I wanted to do was apologize to him and make it right, make it like it was before.

So of course I answered the door wearing a ring made of aluminum foil around my head.

"What is that?" James said after he had rushed inside and Pierce squealed out of our driveway. He tapped at my makeshift arts-and-crafts project with one finger. "Are you trying to attract aliens?"

"No, they've probably already heard of me. But this," I added as I gestured to my head, "is my halo."

"Your what?"

"My halo. You might have noticed that it was missing earlier today. But good news! I found it! And it was sitting right next to a big apology for you."

I could tell he was trying not to laugh, which was exactly what I wanted him to do.

"A big apology?" he asked. "Or a huge one?"

"Gigantic. Elephantine."

"Elephan -- what?"

"PSAT word. But don't interrupt me!" I sidled up to him and wrapped my arms around his waist, pressing my face against the cold denim of his jacket. "I'm sorry," I told him. "I was crazy. I was DramaGirl."

That girl totally cracks me up ("But good news! I found it!") -- and that, my friends, is what makes this book so fun. Hilarity and friends who are dang good at keeping Audrey sane yet who don't hesitate to call her on her crap. I dare you to try out the first chapter of Audrey, Wait! and see if you're not cracking up just like I was after only a few lines.

I am so not a hip music person by any stretch of the imagination, but I thought I'd take a page from Audrey and compile a playlist from the song quotes she uses to begin each chapter of her 'confessional.' Just make sure you turn it up real loud.

book source: The Epic Rat giveaway

Stumped by a subplot

Ready, Set, GO! for some massive ramblings on my part.

So I'm just about finished reading Audrey, Wait! (so very, very fun) when this one little random scene pops up between the title character and this way secondary character from her school, Tizzy, and I still can't quite wrap my brain around the significance of what happened. The most annoying part is that it wasn't even that important of an exchange. Although after repeated attempts at trying to tell myself just that, I still can't let it go. Did this girl Tizzy mean her gift to Audrey as an innocent joke or was she just being downright rude? And why, above all, do I care about this unimportant snippet?!

I Don't Know!!

Sad part is, this isn't the first time I've found myself in such an agonizing situation. More often than not, I find myself going back and forth on possible interpretations of a scene that has no real impact (whatsoever) on the overall plot of the book. What I really should be trying to puzzle out is why does it matter so much to me in the first place? The only conclusion I have come to is that I am crazy. Certifiably. But some people might see that as a cop-out.

So. Please. Someone tell me I'm not crazy and that you too find yourself in agonizing situations such as this. Or if you've read Audrey, Wait! and know what in the heck I'm rambling on and on about, please feel free to explain what you think happened in that one-sided gift exchange.