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The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions)
Amy Spalding (Goodreads Author)
3.22 · Rating details · 1,014 ratings · 214 reviews
A ridiculously cute, formerly-famous new guy dropping into your life? It's practically every girl's dream.
But not Jules McCallister-Morgan's.
I realize that on paper I look like your standard type-A, neurotic, overachiever. And maybe I am. But I didn't get to be the editor of my school's long-revered newspaper by just showing up*. I have one main goal for my senior A ridiculously cute, formerly-famous new guy dropping into your life? It's practically every girl's dream.
I realize that on paper I look like your standard type-A, neurotic, overachiever. And maybe I am. But I didn't get to be the editor of my school's long-revered newspaper by just showing up*. I have one main goal for my senior year-early acceptance into my first choice Ivy League college-and I will not be deterred by best friends, moms who think I could stand to "live a little," or boys.
At least, that was the plan before I knew about Alex Powell**.
And before Alex Powell betrayed me***.
I know what you're thinking: Calm down, Jules. But you don't understand. This stuff matters. This is my life. And I'm not going down without a fight.
* Okay, I sort of did. But it's a sore subject.
** I mean, I guess everyone knows about Alex Powell? Two years ago, you couldn't go anywhere without hearing about viral video boy band sensation Chaos 4 All. Two years ago, Alex Powell was famous.
***Some people think I'm overreacting. But this. Means. War.
Filled with romance, rivalry, and passive-aggressive dog walking, Amy Spalding delivers a hilariously relatable high school story that's sure to have you falling for The New Guy. ...more
Published April 5th 2016 by Poppy
0316382787 (ISBN13: 9780316382786)
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Start your review of The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions)
Mar 28, 2016 Rachel Jing rated it it was ok
Okay ummm so. I just finished this book, and here are my thoughts.
WTFWTFWTFWTF.
I expected this to be a cute, romantic book with some twist or betrayal or drama, but I did NOT expect it to be 95% about this rivalry between two high school CLUBS. No offense, but I couldn't care less about The Crest and TALON. I ended up just skimming through most of the book, and only reading the parts between Alex and Jules (Julia???) which I will get to later.
I know this newspaper is really important to Jules, Okay ummm so. I just finished this book, and here are my thoughts.
I know this newspaper is really important to Jules, but like PLEASE. It is not a story about a newspaper, is it?? Because in that case the cover and the blurb were waayyy misleading. Some parts about war and revenge were just so boring that this was almost - ALMOST - a DNF.
The characters really didn't help. Their dialogues were so short ... It was like "hi!!" "Kbye!!!!" and that was the whole scene! Julia and Alex were making out after what, TWO CONVERSATIONS? Like watch out girl, you don't know where this ex-celebrity's thang has been. Ok.
Also. The characters had no depth. Jules has two moms and is really into school. Oh, and she walks dogs. That's about it. I'm serious. Alex is even worse. He's hot, he used to be famous, until something (I don't even remember) happened and now he's normal. He has absolutely ZERO personality and I honestly have no idea what drew Julia into him. Shallow much??
Well then. Besides the like, 3 uses of shit, and a brief mention of sex, I'd recommend this book for girls in middle school who enjoy simple characters, hot pop singers that U want 2 B ur Boi, and newspaper rivalries and revenge that is so immature that I take it back, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. ...more
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Feb 22, 2016 Elyse Walters rated it really liked it
Shelves: netgalley
Amy Spalding is pure guilty pleasure reading for me! I also support the type of books she writes for growing hormonal decent kids. I can't even pretend to read her Young Adult books as passing them on to my daughters - or to my friends who have teens---(but I have many times)...
I get the warm-fuzzies being transported into the teen world of the wholesomeness ---(not without problems), that Amy creates.
"The Reece Malcolm List" is still my favorite:
....a young girl's father has died at the Amy Spalding is pure guilty pleasure reading for me! I also support the type of books she writes for growing hormonal decent kids. I can't even pretend to read her Young Adult books as passing them on to my daughters - or to my friends who have teens---(but I have many times)...
....a young girl's father has died at the beginning of the book....and immediately the story moves forward.
Devon begins a new life in a bigger city- ( LA),
with a mother she has never met. ( a famous writer).
The story covers many issues...( mother/daughter dynamics including her mother's boyfriend, an entirely new economic
environment, new school, new friends, fitting in, and her passion for Musical theater)...
Its a refreshing bright- but not sappy- well written novel exploring relationships, ...
with underline themes about trust and abandonment. --- but there is no question the 'sparkle' is the Musical Theater. Amy Spalding was ahead of her day --this book came out before the hit TV show, "Gee".
In this book: "The New Guy ( and Other Senior Year Distractions)", Jules is a senior in High School. She loves school....highly driven A student, Preppie type.
Never been kissed... ( well -one time -a long time ago -which almost doesn't count).
THIS STORY is my 2nd favorite Amy Spalding book. ( I like them all though- I kid you not).
The 'star' is *Jules*. (Senior in H.S...parents & teachers love this type of girl ...I loved her myself)
Jules becomes uncomfortable with unexpected changes. -- that feeling of being off balanced with thyself. Up until her Senior year in High School, Jules was pretty clear of who she was - ( as identity)- Happy--yet also 'attached' to her goals, her routines, her busyness. An A student with her heart set on going to Brown in Rhode Island when she graduates. She has been able to glide through life fairly effortlessly with a functional home environment and no emotional major loss or tragedy. Her life is structured, fairly predictable, until she meets Alex, a boy she likes. However, Alex isn't the only person- place -or thing that is causing Jules to feel as though she doesn't have control over the outcome of her life any longer.
About half way through the book ... I began to wonder, "how much of the struggles Jules is facing ...( challenges and distractions with school concerns and Alex), ... are perhaps an avoidance of a deeper suppressed pain? Jules is a very bright girl ...( sure a first boy crush can throw you off your game-plan)... but the conflict she was upset about - distracted with - was over the School Newspaper, which she was editor of.
Another A student ( whom Jules saw as her rivalry and competition), came up with a more modern approach to deliver the students school news using the schools TV's in every classroom.
Yet... I was wondering if Jules teenage conflicts were the 'distraction' to something deeper not yet revealed...( especially given I'd only read 1/2 the story).
Jules has two mom's. They are fabulous parents. Her relationship with them is loving with respect and healthy boundaries. Both mom's are great parent role models. I noticed the way they listened to Jules and the questions they asked ...( when they did). They were both very strong women, and it's worthy to pay close attention to them whenever they are given a scene in the book...
However, I think the story could have added slightly deeper issues to explore.
I would have liked to see more written about the 'two-moms'.
A close friend of mine was married to a woman for 10 years. They have two kids together. I've watched their kids grow up. My friend is married to a man now...
and their complicated-sounding- lives works rather smoothly actually. They live in a community ( Long Beach), where there is actually a high percentage of 'two mom's ' in the area.
But Paul and I have local friends - two mom's - married 30+ years. They asked Paul to be the sperm dad years ago ...( oh boy.. we love them.. but our marriage was just not that enlighten...Paul is certainly not their children's father)...
I remember when deeper issues surface for their teen daughter about loss and grief of the father she didn't have.
It's a possible issue to explore that might have added to this story.
And/or... I kept feeling there 'was' more being kept from us about Alex...( maybe with his parents?)...that got fully explored.
However, the story didn't move in the 'slightly deeper' directions I thought it might...
( hey.. let's be fair: I'm reading this at age 63)...and I still enjoyed it!
I just love Amy -and her books! They can have flaws.. doesn't matter to me- I'm her fan..BIG TIME!!! My drinking bottle always gets a fresh new refill of love!!!
Thank You "Little Brown Books", Netgalley, and Amy Spalding
Feb 22, 2016 Taylor Knight rated it really liked it
Shelves: arcs
I had really high hopes for this book. I wanted it to be well written and fun and be an extremely fluffy contemporary that would get me out of my reading slump. And The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions) was exactly what I hoped it would be. It's so much fun to read and I loved it so much. I loved the concept and even though I got frustrated with Jules at times, I didn't find her to be extremely annoying. I thought this book was really funny. I laughed out loud a few times and the I had really high hopes for this book. I wanted it to be well written and fun and be an extremely fluffy contemporary that would get me out of my reading slump. And The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions) was exactly what I hoped it would be. It's so much fun to read and I loved it so much. I loved the concept and even though I got frustrated with Jules at times, I didn't find her to be extremely annoying. I thought this book was really funny. I laughed out loud a few times and the overall plot was really light and fun. ...more
Apr 16, 2016 Fafa's Book Corner rated it liked it · review of another edition
Review posted on Fafa's Book Corner !
Beware spoilers ahead!
I had heard about this book through Netgalley. It sounded interesting and I requested it. After some time had passed I completely forgot that I requested it. When I went into my Netgalley account I saw that I was denied for this book. That's when I remembered this book even existed. I decided to give it a go because I liked Jules. I am happy to say that I enjoyed it!
The book begins with Jules as she is given information on the new Review posted on Fafa's Book Corner !
The book begins with Jules as she is given information on the new student. Must to her shock and surprise the new student is famous pop star Alex Powell. Jules assumes she's imagining things until she shows the picture to her best friend Sadie. Sadie is just as surprised as Jules. After having a brief conversation with Sadie, Jules goes to meet Alex and give him a tour.
When Jules meets the student she realizes that it really is Alex Powell. Deciding to pretend not to know about his former music career, she introduces herself and begins the tour. While giving Alex a tour Jules finds out that Alex is quite nice. He didn't make fun of her when her skirt got caught in the door. In fact he seems to like her. Jules manages to get through the tour without too many hitches and the two of them go their separate ways.
By the time lunch arrives everyone's heard about Alex. Much to Jules surprise and her friends Alex ends up sitting with them at lunch. Sadie and Em (Jules friend's) are convinced that Alex likes Jules. Over the course of a few weeks Alex and Jules become close and Jules starts developing feelings towards Alex.
Of course this completely goes against all of Jules plans. She wanted to start dating boys when she was in college not in her senior year. Luckily some of her goals are achieved. Mr. Wheeler chooses her to be editor of the school newspaper. Something that Jules has always wanted. And while Alex wasn't apart of the plan she doesn't mind.
For weeks now there's been a flyer in all of the students lockers talking about TALON. Jules assumes that it must be a club but is still surprised that she hasn't heard about it. Then on a faithful Friday TALON is revealed. It's a news channel for the school. And the one who founded TALON is none other than Natalie, who Jules was competing for the editor of the newspaper. Much to Jules shock TALON is reporting what the newspaper team is supposed to put on the newspaper. And on top of that Alex has joined. Jules cuts off all ties with Alex and vows to restore the newspaper to it's former glory.
I was actually surprised that I liked The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions)! When I read the synopsis on Netgalley I thought it sounded odd. The synopsis didn't make sense to me. I didn't get why Jules disliked Alex and whatnot. Of course all that came together once I started reading. The book is written in first person in Jules point of view. The chapters are very short so it's pretty easy to fly through this book. I liked the writing style! It had the right about of emotion in the right places. There's a large focus on school and journalism which was nice! You don't really read about journalism in most YA books.
I really liked Jules character! It was nice to read about a girl who knew what she wants and has goals set. In a way she reminded me of Harper from Rebel Belle. Also she has two moms! And the relationship with them was awesome! Very rarely I have read in YA a female character close to her mothers. The truly were an awesome support system. The friendships were nice! I liked the newspaper friends and Sadie and Em! As was the determination that Jules had to save the newspaper. All in all Jules was a nice character who did most things with good intentions. I also liked Natalie's character. She was complex and smart.
I had three problems with this book. When Alex is first introduced I did like him. He was sweet and his interactions with Jules was funny. Once he joined TALON I started to lose interest in him. Then when he started coming in again I started to like him again. But then he and Jules had a secret relationship, which I did not get. I understood why Jules wanted to keep them a secret but I was surprised that Alex went along with it. Their interactions lacked substance. I never felt anything when I read about them.
This is a revenge story. There are some sabotages pulled on both ends. While I usually don't enjoy revenge stories I was looking forward to seeing what each group came up with. Honestly I found most of it to be lame. Towards the end of the book it started to get interesting.
The book did end on a good note and Jules apologized to Natalie. Then the two of decide to collaborate on a project. While I liked the ending I didn't like the miscommunication. Had the characters started communicating with each other the conclusion would've come much faster.
Note most of the book is spent on taking down TALON. So Jules ends up forgetting to get back to her friends and starts to talk to them less. Then when she secretly started dating Alex she also forgets to spend time with her friends. And was unsympathetic towards their problems. She was so caught up in a boyfriend and balancing school that she forgot to balance her friends. Now this didn't bother me because Jules wasn't trying to do it on purpose and she was new to dating as well as coming up with revenge strategies. I'm mentioning this because I know it bothered other readers. So maybe now that you know it might not bother you.
Overall this was a good book! I will definitely keep a lookout for this author. I recommend it to fans of contemporary books, and fans of the author. ...more
Apr 03, 2016 Summer rated it did not like it
Shelves: own-physical, contemporary-realistic-fiction, arcs-and-review-copies, reviewed, unsolicited-review-copies
1 Star, Completed June 6, 2016
I really want to be able to say that if I read this three-ish years ago when I was a senior in high school that the story would be relatable and appeal to me more. But, alas, I still wouldn't think I'd enjoy it.
In The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions), Jules McCallister-Morgan is a senior at Eagle Vista Academy. She's an honors student, organization freak, and may even be slightly neurotic. Her idea of an ideal senior year is earning her position as 1 Star, Completed June 6, 2016
In The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions), Jules McCallister-Morgan is a senior at Eagle Vista Academy. She's an honors student, organization freak, and may even be slightly neurotic. Her idea of an ideal senior year is earning her position as editor of The Crest, her school's newspaper, getting into Brown University, and proving to herself that she was worth the money her moms invested in in order to have her. What she doesn't expect to find is that she'll become editor by default because her opponent has already moved on to better things and backed out of the competition; Alex Powell, ex-boy band member of the one hit wonder group, Chaos 4 All, is the new guy at school; and she may be interested in having a boyfriend more than she initially thought. Least of all, she didn't anticipate becoming commander of one of the sides of a high school war.
"…I think that someone who cares passionately is a good role model."
He sighs. "There's a line between caring passionately and maybe going a little too far. Can you think hard about what side of the line you're on?"
I like to think that I was a good student in high school, but I certainly wouldn't call myself an overachiever by any means. However, I was acquainted with so many in my group of friends that the personality isn't something I'm entirely unfamiliar with. And I recognize enough to know that there's a difference between being confident versus egotistical. Unfortunately, I found Jules to be more conceited than inspiring.
Jules' character is purposely written in a way where readers aren't supposed to like her. She's controlling, sometimes selfish, and many times inconsiderate-somewhat reminiscent of Jane Austen's Emma in Emma . However, I disliked that even to the very end Jules remained to be considerably bratty. She repents for her mistakes and understands how she wrongs her friends, which is something to praise, but her personality was just so consistently irritating to me. Because of her OCD-like nature, she frets and overreacts very easily and often. And so there was an unhealthy amount of unnecessary conflicts and melodrama that I wasn't interested in reading.
"He's him and you're you?" She asks. "Oh my god, Jules. Jules! Yes, he used to be famous, but you're amazing."
Okay, so it's fantastic that Jules has such a supportive clique and that they're there for her to help boost her self-esteem (though it's apparent that she really doesn't need it usually), but I was constantly so irked that these pep talk sessions were too frequently found throughout the entire novel. Everyone (her best friend, her moms, her teacher, her on and off boyfriend, and even her TALON "rival") continuously complimented her for being so "amazing" even when she sometimes presented such undeserving behavior, in my opinion.
"Can I say it?" I interrupt. I have always wanted a moment like this, and it's here! Maybe TALON has actually given me a gift. I get to be the underdog, and everyone knows that the underdog is the one to root for. I've been gearing up my whole life to be the underdog.
Thatcher grins at me. "Go for it. You've earned it."
"This means war."
Well, first, I can't imagine that people live in order to become the underdog… (Like, girl, your priorities… are really out of order.) But I found it so disappointing and strangely bathetic that this was really a story about a feud between two school clubs. I'm not sure what I was expecting but certainly not this. This plot isn't one that's strong enough to hold for a novel let alone one that is over 300 pages. For that reason, there's a lot of repetition (in regards to plot), not much happens, and the pace is rather slow (it seriously took me months to pioneer my way through).
And putting aside my dismay for the anticlimactic storyline, I wasn't impressed with the execution of the route it chose to go either. The fight between the two clubs weren't even. TALON would hurt the Newspaper team in various ways but Jules' side would make personal attacks on the individuals of TALON, which was not okay. The Crest's revenge tactics just didn't seem fair to me (and that only added more reason for me to dislike Jules; she was so blind to the fact she was hurting people-some that she was close to-so inconsiderately).
Being someone that strongly dislikes not finishing a book, I couldn't bear to not finish The New Guy but I probably should have called it quits early on. I found myself shaking my head chanting "I just can't" more than I would have liked, and I hardly looked forward to picking this up after I had started it. The writing probably isn't the problem because I know a lot of people that love Amy Spalding's other novel, Kissing Ted Callaghan (and Other Guys) , which I do own and plan to read someday. Simply, it was Jules and her narration that was so off-putting to me. And though there is a plot it isn't a very strong one that can keep readers interested for long.
In short, I think this is just one of those titles where expectations fell through. Regrettably, the only positive thing I can share about this story is that it features a protagonist that has two moms, which may be uncommon in YA lit but still isn't enough for me to deem special.
Special thanks to NOVL and Poppy for sending me this review copy of The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions). In no way did this affect my reading experience or honest review.
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Sep 16, 2014 Kelly added it
Shelves: ya-fiction, read-in-2015
Love, love, love this romcom about a high-achieving senior girl who finds herself falling for the former boy band member Alex when he transfers to her school. It's funny, fun, and it's full of heart. Jules's problems aren't the kind that will shatter the world, but they make HER world tough. That's what I love about Spalding's books -- they're stories about girls who have challenges in their everyday lives and find ways to work with those challenges, rather than against them. The newspaper Love, love, love this romcom about a high-achieving senior girl who finds herself falling for the former boy band member Alex when he transfers to her school. It's funny, fun, and it's full of heart. Jules's problems aren't the kind that will shatter the world, but they make HER world tough. That's what I love about Spalding's books -- they're stories about girls who have challenges in their everyday lives and find ways to work with those challenges, rather than against them. The newspaper editor angle and rivalry with the new media here was particularly enjoyable for me as a former newspaper editor turned online publication editor. Jules is also the daughter of two moms, is open and frank about wanting to be sexually active and takes proactive steps to make this possible, and she's imperfect, despite her desire to be perfect.
Also, the passive aggressive dog walking was hilarious.
This is what you read when you need a smile and what you hand to teens who want feel-good books. Totally fine for even the young YA readers.
Feb 18, 2016 Paige rated it it was ok
If you follow me on Twitter (which you totally should; there's fun gifs and you get to hear about the dumb shenanigans I get myself into) then you know I was struggling with whether or not I should give up on this book. I ultimately decided to do so after reaching the 60% mark. I'm not writing the book off completely, since I think there were some really awesome components in it, but it ended up coming down to me getting annoyed with the main character mixed with some "I don't really care about If you follow me on Twitter (which you totally should; there's fun gifs and you get to hear about the dumb shenanigans I get myself into) then you know I was struggling with whether or not I should give up on this book. I ultimately decided to do so after reaching the 60% mark. I'm not writing the book off completely, since I think there were some really awesome components in it, but it ended up coming down to me getting annoyed with the main character mixed with some "I don't really care about this story anymore."
So, pros! I started off really liking the unique voice that this contemporary had. Jules definitely does not care what others think of her and I liked her inner dialogue…until it became annoying. There was a specific turning point in the novel when I couldn't relate to her anymore and I started to find myself flicking past pages wondering when she was going to stop talking. Alex also got on my nerves. He seemed sort of sleazy from the beginning. No, I didn't make it to the end so maybe he does redeem himself, but the point I got to made me really dislike him.
Gay parents! Yes! Jules' mom's were so rad. I probably stuck it out as long as I did because I loved them and their dialogue. Can we get a book focused all around their romance? I'd read that in a heartbeat.
I also got a bit sick of Jules' friends and the way she treated them. Jules is so caught up in her own life that she can't even take the time to respond to emails/texts and her friends let her get away with it! Maybe I'm just not an overly forgiving person, but it continued to happen enough in the book that I seriously questioned why her best friend, who's name I can't remember beyond "the loud one who acts as the foil to the quiet one" would put up with that crap.
Maybe I'm just getting too old for contemporaries? I really hope not. Maybe it's my own fault too for siding with the "bad" characters too. I mean Jules is pretty set in her ways, which I'm all for sticking to your guns, but she did it in such a way that shut down everyone else's ideas, and I wasn't too thrilled with that.
At the end of the day I am giving this two stars though. I think (and hope) some people will find it enjoyable, but it just wasn't for me. As someone pointed out to me on Twitter, life is too short to waste time reading books you don't like. On to the next!
(As it's becoming a common theme with my DNF's, I do really like this cover. There's just something about it that is great! Maybe it's the soft pastels)
What do you think? Have you read this one yet? Are you going to pick it up when it gets released next week? Let me know! ...more
Jan 16, 2016 Dahlia added it · review of another edition
Shelves: 2016-releases
This was delightfully adorable and laugh-out-loud funny on a whole lot of occasions. I can already tell Jules is the kind of character people are gonna get really frustrated with (and at times I did too) because A) she's 99% of the reason when stuff in her own life goes south and B) the entire premise of the book is her caring a lot about something in a way I don't think everyone will relate to, but A) is reality; I've definitely been there, and I'm in the camp that totally gets B) and would've This was delightfully adorable and laugh-out-loud funny on a whole lot of occasions. I can already tell Jules is the kind of character people are gonna get really frustrated with (and at times I did too) because A) she's 99% of the reason when stuff in her own life goes south and B) the entire premise of the book is her caring a lot about something in a way I don't think everyone will relate to, but A) is reality; I've definitely been there, and I'm in the camp that totally gets B) and would've felt exactly the same way (especially having been a magazine journalism major), so I found it extra interesting. This is a terrible review of vagueness but anyway the point is it's a funny book and I liked it a lot and I adored the sweet romance, and Amy Spalding continues to write my favorite parents in YA - this time two moms, which, YAY! ...more
Jun 28, 2018 Gray Cox rated it did not like it
Shelves: wheres-the-petty-crown
Lol, why did I bother??
Mar 28, 2016 The Candid Cover (Olivia & Lori) rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: netgalley, young-adult, 2016-releases, arc, kindle
The New Guy is one of the most original and creative books I've read so far this year. It is all about a school newspaper, rivalry, and a character who used to be in a popular boy band. To top it all off, the main character has two moms, which is definitely uncommon in YA. This whole book is just a massive rollercoaster!
The New Guy is such an interesting and unique book! It tells the story of a school newspaper. There are so many things that I loved about this, especially since YA books don't The New Guy is one of the most original and creative books I've read so far this year. It is all about a school newspaper, rivalry, and a character who used to be in a popular boy band. To top it all off, the main character has two moms, which is definitely uncommon in YA. This whole book is just a massive rollercoaster!
The New Guy is such an interesting and unique book! It tells the story of a school newspaper. There are so many things that I loved about this, especially since YA books don't typically focus entirely on a school newspaper. But not only does this book touch on newspapers, one of the main characters is also an ex- boyband member. This is an interesting twist because it shows what happens to one hit wonders after their success.Everything about this book is just so original!
If you're like me and are a fan of revenge books, The New Guy is definitely a book you should pick up. There is a massive rivalry between the school newspaper and the new and high tech news show, TALON. The two groups do everything they can to destroy the other and it's very entertaining to read about. Sabotage and embarrassing footage are definitely present in this novel.
Another element of The New Guy that also blew my mind is the fact that the main character has two moms. A lot of the time in books, parents don't even exist, especially not a family with two moms. What I really enjoyed about this is how realistically these characters are portrayed. The questions that the main character is asked about them are questions that could definitely be asked. I really appreciated this diversity when I was reading the book.
The New Guy is a very original revenge story that is enlightening to read. The fact that the main character has two moms made me appreciate the book even more. This is the perfect book to unwind with for spring! ...more
Feb 29, 2016 Sherwood Smith added it
Shelves: romance
Copy courtesy of NetGalley
A teen romance told in a sprightly, engagingly snarky narrative voice from the point of view of a totally focused alpha girl. I liked the way Spalding made Jules believable as an only child over-achiever, utterly focused on grade point average, SATs, and getting into her target college in spite of formidable odds. A girl whose extra curricular activities include dog walking at a rescue shelter because she loves walking dogs, but has until now not included boys.
When she Copy courtesy of NetGalley
When she meets Alex in the first few pages, showing the new boy around the school, I laughed out loud as she catches herself talking like a school pamphlet and struggling for the first time with feelings of attraction that hitherto she hasn't had time for.
I liked Alex, though at times he seemed a bit too good to be true, but he was a nice balance for Jules, whose focus has kept her from seeing how she steamrollers people into following her lead because this is the way a future leader is supposed to act. Unfortunately, her occasional insights into how much she's hurting her friends, and the difference between winning people over as a leader and using your power to get obedience, don't register until way late.
Jules' secondary focus is the school newspaper, with its long and venerable history. As a senior, she wants more than anything to become editor . . . which drives the secondary plot. Here's where I had trouble with the read. Jules' singleminded focus went on for a very long time, then the painful climax you could see coming is spring-boarded off a totally unbelievable plot point (view spoiler)[ no private school in California would ever condone a teacher leaving a student in charge of a class for a day, much less a week (hide spoiler)], after which the resolution comes rather fast.
I still would recommend the book to teen readers, as it has a lot going for it. I loved the way Jules' parents were worked into the story as a normal thing (while Jules was aware of how non-normal they could be to some), the dog-walking was a delight, and so were Jules' friends. Ideally there could have been a better arc of self-discovery to make the payoff feel more earned, but maybe young readers won't notice that with all the other things the story had going for it. ...more
Sep 17, 2014 Juhina marked it as hell-no · review of another edition
nope, definitely not interest anymore. 100% no.
Mar 21, 2016 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it it was amazing
Shelves: march-2016, around-the-world-arc-tours
I have to say that this book had me on the floor laughing. Lord I remember high school and I hated it so much. There were so many expectations placed on you and your parents wanted one thing and you wanted another. So much chaos coming in every direction as you approach your senior year but for Jules she has her goals and she is determined to meet them.
Jules has her life mapped out. So for her senior year she wants to be the editor of her school newspaper and get an early acceptance in to the I have to say that this book had me on the floor laughing. Lord I remember high school and I hated it so much. There were so many expectations placed on you and your parents wanted one thing and you wanted another. So much chaos coming in every direction as you approach your senior year but for Jules she has her goals and she is determined to meet them.
Jules has her life mapped out. So for her senior year she wants to be the editor of her school newspaper and get an early acceptance in to the college of her dreams. Sounds doable until she gets a hitch in her plans in the form of a boy but just not any boy. Alex Powell is the band boy who made it big and then fell off and is now in her life. She likes him but she has her goals.
But as her and Alex get closer they discover they have so much in common. But as Jules uncovers things about Alex the happiness she feels soon goes away. She starts to hate him and when the truth comes out all hell breaks lose. This is one story you have to read. I laughed so hard at the situation and how Jules handled herself. ...more
Aug 08, 2017 Madi ~☆TheBookNerdDiaries☆~ rated it liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: read-but-deleted-for-space, paperback, kindle
Don't let how fast I finished the last 50% fool you. I feel like a 3 is too high but a 2 is too low.
RTC when I get better.
Sep 18, 2014 Lizzie rated it really liked it
Shelves: young-adult, new-and-exciting, own, my-friend-wrote-this, 2016
I love YA books, but I do have to admit, sadly, that "kissing" is not my best genre as a reader these days. Although saying so simultaneously brings to mind both " the golden gates of childhood had forever closed behind them ," and Fred Savage:
" Is this a kissing book? "
Yes, kind of! This is a kissing book, and it's funny and there's good characters, and a culture war to boot. Perfect fun.
Jules, the most dedicated editor of a high school paper one has ever seen outside of Paris Geller, gets I love YA books, but I do have to admit, sadly, that "kissing" is not my best genre as a reader these days. Although saying so simultaneously brings to mind both " the golden gates of childhood had forever closed behind them ," and Fred Savage:
Jules, the most dedicated editor of a high school paper one has ever seen outside of Paris Geller, gets blindsided in senior year by an upstart video news project of which she does not approve. Worse, her boyfriend starts working with them, a punishable offense, and pretty soon the news teams are at war.
I liked this because not only is it a cute beat-down of new media/old media's real-world rivalry, but a prank war also brings back whiffs of Frankie Landau-Banks, which is a thing 100% of us want at all times from all books. I presume. If that's hyperbole, let's not speak for a little while. Particularly, I liked here that it gets escalated by both sides, that both Jules and Alex needle each other in their competition for scoops. Jules might be acting ridiculously quite often, and blowing things out of proportion from the get-go, but soon enough it's much more than a misunderstanding driving them apart. It is war.
However, a helpful lesson learnable from multiple Amy Spalding books: do not date somebody without telling your best friend! Your best friend will be sad. Here, at least, Jules insists on a "secret relationship" due to the war! but, although she's our narrator, we see everyone telling her: Jules! No one takes this "war" as seriously as you do. Rein it in, Jules. But Jules doesn't. She keeps going until it blows up big time.
But that's where Jules's vulnerability lies, and if you care about her character you'll care about her wacked sense of judgment where her responsibilities are concerned. We get a bit of backstory that assists us in piecing this girl together; her parents (two moms) went to lots of what she assumes was trouble in order to have and raise her, something Jules feels guilt about. She over-commits to perfection. In particular, there is a good slice of senior year college application angst, which is my #1 favorite.
Side note: this author's books always have the very best parents in YA. Both the adult and teen characters are always great. It's a nice touch, for this old fart who's too lame for lots of kissing books. <3 ...more
Feb 28, 2016 Jordan (The Heart of a Book Blogger) rated it really liked it
This review and more can be found at The Heart of a Book Blogger.
Do you ever just get in those moods where you just need a cute, silly, and fun story to read? That's the kind of mood I was in when I read The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions) and it was the perfect answer for me. The New Guy is a light, fun, and charming read, and it fits perfectly into the romcom genre.
Jules is the overachieving high school student. She's focused on starting her senior year off right by becoming This review and more can be found at The Heart of a Book Blogger.
Jules is the overachieving high school student. She's focused on starting her senior year off right by becoming editor of the school's newspaper and applying to her dream Ivy League school. However, her plan goes off course when she's just given the editor position since half the newspaper staff quit to work for TALON, the school's new tv announcement program. To go along with that, the new guy at school is interested in her and she has no idea about what to do with that.
I really enjoyed the rivalry between the newspaper staff and tv crew. I thought it was a fun addition to the story. Even though the rest of the school doesn't really care, the newspaper is important to Jules and she isn't going to let go of it without a fight. I loved how determined she was when it came to her passions, something which I can relate to. Did she make some mistakes? Yes. Did she learn from them? Yes, and that's the great thing. So she made a mistake (okay, multiple mistakes), but everyone makes mistakes. What matters is if she grows from the mistakes and decides to try to do better the next time, which she does.
Even though this story seems focused on romance from the synopsis, it's not. The New Guy is a coming of age story. While the parts with Alex were cute, they were not the focus. To be honest, I do kind of wish there had been more interaction between Alex and Jules. Their quick relationship was instant-love-y, but it wasn't unbearable. They definitely had the cute, adorkable romance going on for them.
Overall, I was surprised by how fun The New Guy was and how much I enjoyed the humor and cute silliness. I recommend this to some who loves romcoms, and I look forward to reading Amy Spalding's other novel, Kissing Ted Callahan (and Other Guys).
*This ARC was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.*
Mar 14, 2016 Tina ( As Told By Tina ) rated it liked it
Shelves: 2016-reads, reviews-for-authors-publishers
Disclosure: I received a copy from the author/publisher, in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my review in any shape or form.
The New Guy and other senior year distractions was definitely different. The primary focus was print and visual media. I totally loved the idea that this was not the classic cliché of a cheerleader. We're seeing how important print and visual media is in our every day life and I really liked that about the book.
The main characters in this book are Disclosure: I received a copy from the author/publisher, in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my review in any shape or form.
The main characters in this book are Jules and Alex Powell. Jules has the ultimate goal of going to Brown. She's worked extremely hard, she spends most of her free time studying or volunteering and adding activities that will look great with her application. She's been waiting for her senior year because this is the year she is hoping to become editor of the school newspaper. This is very important to Jules. It's really what defines the story.
Alex Powell is the need kid in school who was once in a boy band. He's also caught Jules eye and is ruining her focus (but in a good way). I think Alex was my favorite character in the whole story. He's not present a whole lot but the few times we hear from him, I personally really enjoyed and wished we could've had the story told through his perspective as well.
I really enjoyed the writing, it was cute and fluffy and a bit over the top. It was a fast read that I ironically did not finish in a short amount of time. It took me a little over a month to finish this and I'm not sure why. I kept putting it down then coming back to it. Then putting it down. I blame reading slumps. If I hadn't been in a reading slump, I could have finished this in a day.
What really made this novel for me was the fact that it focused on the newspaper and broadcasting. I've never read books where this was the primary focus in high school because let's face it every high school contemporary novel we read is about cheerleaders and football players. It was nice to have the "nerds" be center stage. I also really loved the idea that Jules parents were lesbian. I thought that brought a unique perspective to the story.
Overall, I thought Jules was a bit dramatic for my taste but I did understand her action. I enjoyed the writing and look forward to reading more from Amy Spalding.
Feb 20, 2016 Jess (the cozy reader) rated it really liked it
Big thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC copy for review.
When I got approved for this book on NetGalley, I was incredibly happy. This seemed like the perfect light hearted YA novel I needed to get me out of my recent reading slump. It certainly did the trick, but I was also pleasantly surprised by how charming and funny it was.
"I missed how much you blush," Alex says.
"That's the worst thing about me!"
"Nah." He grins some more. "Doughnuts?"
"Your Big thanks to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC copy for review.
"Your obsessed with doughnuts," I say. ~ Alex and Julia
Our main narrator, Jules is smart, ambitious, and a high achiever when it comes to school. I liked that she was dedicated and went after what she wanted when it came to her goals. Jules also volunteers at dog rescue facility, which I think is just awesome, especially being an animal lover myself. I was also glad to see she had a great relationship with her mom and Darcy because you don't see that a lot in books to often, as well as the diversity. I can't forget her good friend, Sadie, who was Jules' own personal cheerleader of sorts.
Then we have Alex, the new student at school. He also happens to be a former member of a boy band. I thought he was very down to earth and incredibly sweet, especially when it came to his relationship with Jules. Now the romance between Jules and Alex both adorably awkward and cute. I enjoyed seeing Alex's straight forwardness with his feelings for Jules and not to mention his persistence, where as Jules was more reluctant at first. It was sweet to see them walking the dogs together at the Dog Rescue Facility. There was some drama that ensued with Jules's misjudgment and mistakes were made, but lessons are learned and there is forgiveness and understanding between the characters. Everything does work out in end. ...more
Mar 30, 2016 Maren rated it liked it
Shelves: review-copy
2.5 stars round to 3
I won an ARC of this book from The Novl.
I was so excited when I won a copy of this book from The Novl's Boy Band March Madness Contest. The book sounded like a really cute, fun read. However it turned out not to be the book for me. Within the first few chapters, the main character annoyed me so much that I wanted to just stop. But I decided to continue on because I thought surely there must be a point where she learns from her behavior. She just seemed like she had a giant 2.5 stars round to 3
I was so excited when I won a copy of this book from The Novl's Boy Band March Madness Contest. The book sounded like a really cute, fun read. However it turned out not to be the book for me. Within the first few chapters, the main character annoyed me so much that I wanted to just stop. But I decided to continue on because I thought surely there must be a point where she learns from her behavior. She just seemed like she had a giant stick up her butt and everything in her life needed to be absolutely perfect. And the high school drama was just so over the top. When she starts hanging out with Alex, she started to loosen up a bit and I started enjoying the story more. Overall I just did not enjoy this story as much as I would have liked. There was nothing special about this book. ...more
Apr 06, 2015 Michelle Wrona rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: contemporary, too-good, something-special, chick-lit, kept-me-up-late-at-night, book-by-author-i-read, cute, yum, funny, physical-arcs
This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
A year ago, I was fortunate to receive a review copy of the beautiful, memorable debut novel by Amy Spalding: Kissing Ted Callahan. I was mesmerized by the plot, and how music spoke to the author and the characters of the story, bringing all musical lovers together into a story that had a bittersweet, but fluffy ending. A year later, I discovered that Spalding is going to release another bittersweet, funky story of This review can also be found on A Thousand Lives Lived, check it out for more!
A year ago, I was fortunate to receive a review copy of the beautiful, memorable debut novel by Amy Spalding: Kissing Ted Callahan. I was mesmerized by the plot, and how music spoke to the author and the characters of the story, bringing all musical lovers together into a story that had a bittersweet, but fluffy ending. A year later, I discovered that Spalding is going to release another bittersweet, funky story of her own that I knew I'll enjoy just the same as the one with Ted Callahan, or even more, possibly. My fingers smacked my phone screen when I requested it for review, and voila: THIS WAS THE PERFECT PLANE READ THAT A GIRL COULD ASK FOR. Being able to perfectly relate to a main character is difficult, difficult for many authors to conquer because at the same time, they don't want their characters to seem boring and bland. (Not that readers are boring and bland! I hope you all know what I secretly, inwardly am trying to say).
The New Guy was focused on so many concepts and themes. This was not just about Jules' romance with a pop-star-turned-ordinary-teenager. Amy Spalding played with modern, diverse issues that YA fiction needs more of. Jules has two moms, which plays an interesting role into how she seeks help with her relationship problems with Alex. She also has big dreams (as I do) to get into Brown University and be able to conquer the world. She becomes the editor-in-chief for her school newspaper, which turns into a battle once a weekly podcast on the school's televisions begins by her mortal enemy, Natalie. Just when things could not get worse, there is a romance to worry about, impressing her teachers for good letters of recommendation, and friendship-related issues that she needs to keep in mind in order to save her friendship with her best friend. Sounds like every teenager, right? Just kidding, everyone is different! I do kind of see myself in this chick. Overachievers rule!
There were little to no issues with this book. I fell in love with the story from its first page, which I had begun the night before an airplane trip back home from my relaxing vacation. I had a night flight, and finished it in one sitting. Everyone on the plane was sleeping, while my row was the only one with the light on. (Okay. That's a little over-exaggeration). I know that a book is good when I'm that addicted to it. Jules especially captivated me with her sweet, innocent but wicked voice. Wicked as in amusing, of course. She and Alex made a perfect power couple, and I love how Amy Spalding always incorporates music culture into her stories. I can tell that she is a HUGE fan of boybands. That's adorable! Spalding adds that extra quirk into contemporary fiction that many authors do not have; the lyrics to the songs that she makes up are hilariously catchy!
Alex was such a hottie. Although his and Jules' relationship seemed rushed and very instant-ty, I am a big fan of Julex, or Ales, or whatever ship name you decide to pair the two with. They instantly clicked, bonding over dog walking and the cute things in life. That's a kind of man I need. Another fictional boyfriend to add to the list? I do think so.
In a rush, here are fifty reasons why (I wish), eight reasons why The New Guy would be perfect for you:
•This could help persuade you and cure your senioritis. Not that I know what that feels like.
•Jules has the quirkiest attitude ever. A reader cannot help but adore her personality and life mottos!
•It is a chick-lit, but encounters so many more YA issues that need to be explained. A hint of LGBTQ, a hint of gorgeous friendships, a hint of music... this is absolutely stunning.
•It gives you a perspective of what it's like to be an overachiever and have dreams... without procrastination. Jules' life shows that you could make time for everything at any time. It's crazy.
•Alex and Jules' relationship is so, so sweet. They go on and off within the story, for reasons that make sense. They are a strong, power couple.
•The humour! I had so many laugh-out-loud moments with this story, which doesn't happen often.
•The pacing. I read this in a jiffy and I cannot help but yearn for it again. Who knows? Maybe once my TBR pile weakens (NEVER. BEA IS COMING) I'll give it a go again! It's too good.
•I say it's good. You know, you should all trust me some more.
I think that I have more than enough convinced you to buy this. IT'S RELEASE DAY, GET YOUR BUTTS MOVING. *giggles*
Feb 21, 2016 Jazmen rated it it was ok · review of another edition
This book is so...it's so, *sigh*. This book. I had high hopes for this one. After hearing copious amounts of praise for Spalding's previous book, Kissing Ted Callahan (And Other Guys)--I thought this would be a cute story about the last year of high school, and the new guy and whatever other silly, crazy things might occur.
And it was that but it was so darn cheesy and annoying.
Let's start off with the beginning. No, let's start off with what the story is about.
Alex is a former band boy This book is so...it's so, *sigh*. This book. I had high hopes for this one. After hearing copious amounts of praise for Spalding's previous book, Kissing Ted Callahan (And Other Guys)--I thought this would be a cute story about the last year of high school, and the new guy and whatever other silly, crazy things might occur.
Alex is a former band boy member. He has great hair and an amazing smile. Everyone adores him. I mean, what's there not to like about him? He instantly fits in, he gets along with everyone and he's not even stuck up even though he used to be famous. He's great, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Then there's Jules, who's full name I will not include, because it's too long, and so is this sentence. Anyway--Jules is primed in J. Crew's latest wear, she's apart of every committee there is. She works hard, she volunteers to walk dogs. She's the product of two moms. She has her life mapped out. She's damn near perfect.
So when Alex shows interest her, no matter how perfect she may seem--she doesn't get it. Why her? What is it about her?
Although that lingers in the back of her mind she can't help but fall (during the amazingly long stint of a week and a half) for Alex and him for her. I didn't know if I should have been impressed that by 25 % into the book the characters had reached a semi climax or annoyed that they did.
I really hate to say insta-love when there's really the presence of insta-like. But I think what authors fail to realize is that the slow burn gives the reader something to look forward to--in the case that romance is involved. I mean on the one hand I get why it happened the way it did--but quite frankly it annoys me. It's like now what?
Oh, right I got an idiotic rivalry. That's what.
What essentially winds up coming between Alex and Jules has got to be the biggest miscommunication ever. It goes downhill quickly and for what I felt was not only a stupid reason--but a disappointing one as well.
The whole thing is just silly and childish and eye roll inducing. I literally felt like punching a hole through the screen of my tablet--because this book was getting on my nerves something terrible with it's juvenile arguments, lame romance and lackluster characters.
I'm not dissing the writing because there's nothing wrong with it but I didn't care about anything that happened in this book--like at all. The characters, the so-called drama, none of it.
And if I have to see the word grin in a book in the next oh, 25 years, it would be too soon.
Oh, two stars for this one.
*sigh* ...more
Mar 13, 2016 Alyssa rated it it was ok
The thing with THE NEW GUY is that it sounds hilarious, and while I can't deny it had its funny moments, most of them were just too cheesy or unbelievable, making me cringe instead of laugh. I actually felt secondhand embarrassment for the dialogue and characters' actions.
The actual plot of the novel revolves around the main character, Jules, and her former-star-sometimes-boyfriend, Alex, and how they sort of end up on opposite sides of a newspaper vs. new media war. Unfortunately this aspect The thing with THE NEW GUY is that it sounds hilarious, and while I can't deny it had its funny moments, most of them were just too cheesy or unbelievable, making me cringe instead of laugh. I actually felt secondhand embarrassment for the dialogue and characters' actions.
The actual plot of the novel revolves around the main character, Jules, and her former-star-sometimes-boyfriend, Alex, and how they sort of end up on opposite sides of a newspaper vs. new media war. Unfortunately this aspect doesn't even come into play until about 30%, meaning that up until that point, the book focuses on the romance between the two characters.
Speaking of the romance, what was that romance. From the very first meeting, it's obvious that the characters are into each other. While I wouldn't quite call it insta-love, it was definitely random and had no basis. So that 30% was full of awkward moments and almost every single person around the main character saying that he's totally into her. Not to mention they were on and off again enough times to make your head spin, and broke up for really stupid reasons.
While I do enjoy contemporary novels, the one thing I don't miss is the drama and angst, especially in a high school setting. I would almost consider this a Middle Grade novel if not for a few random moments like when the character mentions that one particular day would be a good day to have sex. What? What?
Jules makes it easy to understand the reasoning behind her actions and her motives, but I felt totally disconnected from her. As a character, she lacks a background and story, although she has a unique voice that is easy to relate to. She is also one of those naive, inexperienced characters that can't understand why a guy would like her. Actually, no explanation was ever really given why a former star would like her. The side characters have even less depth, and very little backstory.
I would recommend this book to contemporary lovers that don't mind revisiting the dramatic antics of high school with a few jokes in between. ...more
Feb 28, 2016 Natalie (Never trust a duck) rated it liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: arc
Thank you Novl for the ARC in exchange for a review!!!!
Jules is the MC, and she's got her heart set on journalism, so naturally, she's obsessed with the fact of becoming editor-in-chief. And in comes Alex, the boy from a one-hit-wonder boy band that disbanded (I thought it was punny too) a few years back. Jules may have gaped a little bit upon first meeting him. I may have as well.
Alex was the major redeeming factor of this book. CAN SOMEONE SAY SWOONWORTHY? Because he was. Gosh, he's adorable. Thank you Novl for the ARC in exchange for a review!!!!
Alex was the major redeeming factor of this book. CAN SOMEONE SAY SWOONWORTHY? Because he was. Gosh, he's adorable. What he did to set Jules off was not the best move, but since he's so cute I'm gonna let it pass.
But Jules, let's talk about Jules. She's……definitely written as a high school character which is GREAT, but she's also characterized as somewhat insufferable. She's completely obsessed with the paper, and while I get that, I do, it made her seem like a bad friend at some points.
The plot was not the most intriguing thing, but for a novel like this, it was believable.
This book definitely lived up to a YA rom-com. It was funny, I admit, some of Jules inner dialogue had me cracking up because she was me in those instances. And like I said before, Alex and Jules got me swooning, which is a good sign from the start.
It was a good start as my first Amy Spalding book. I'll definitely look to see what else she comes out with!!
Happy Reading!!!
Mar 07, 2016 Melissa (YA Book Shelf) rated it really liked it
I'll be the first to admit that I've never been the biggest fan of boy bands - the last one that I really listened to was New Kids on the Block (before they became NKOTB), so the back story for Alex - the new guy that Jules finds so distracting - of a ex-member of a one-hit wonder boy band didn't wow me. But, in spite of this, The New Guy (And Other Senior Year Distractions) did grab my attention and caused me to spend the large part of one day and the morning of the next, glued to its pages and I'll be the first to admit that I've never been the biggest fan of boy bands - the last one that I really listened to was New Kids on the Block (before they became NKOTB), so the back story for Alex - the new guy that Jules finds so distracting - of a ex-member of a one-hit wonder boy band didn't wow me. But, in spite of this, The New Guy (And Other Senior Year Distractions) did grab my attention and caused me to spend the large part of one day and the morning of the next, glued to its pages and Amy Spalding's writing.
Anyone who has been über focused on school, a large number of extracurriculars, and their future...only to have their attention taken away by a guy and an old rival's new media venture will love this one.
Incidentally, I think there's a great comparison that can be made between Paris Geller and Rory Gilmore's rivalry if one of them had been the editor of the school newspaper and the other had been the editor/founder of a new media equivalent. ...more
May 09, 2016 Kevin Fanning rated it it was amazing
Shelves: fanfic-adjacent
UGH I loved this. The last chapter! I was screaming. This book is hilarious (I have ~20 pages dog-eared with the parts that got genuine LOLs), sweet, charming, and STRESSFUL (in the best possible way).
The main character's brain is fascinating and makes her not super reliable as a narrator, at least in terms of her self-awareness; I was in awe of Ames' ability to tell the story in and around the information we receive from Jules.
ALSO: if you are interested in fanfiction! This is a book about UGH I loved this. The last chapter! I was screaming. This book is hilarious (I have ~20 pages dog-eared with the parts that got genuine LOLs), sweet, charming, and STRESSFUL (in the best possible way).
ALSO: if you are interested in fanfiction! This is a book about falling in love with a former boy-band star, so if you're interested in kind of ~2nd wave fanfic stories, or stories that are not fanfic in and of themselves, but sort of born out of that frame, this is absolutely a book you should be reading.
NB "Kevin Fanning" is a character in this book fwiw, please don't kill me for still giving this 5 stars, Goodreads Mafia. ...more
Nov 05, 2016 E. Kottaras rated it it was amazing
Amy Spalding is one of my favorite writers, period. I loved her most recent book, THE NEW GUY - besides the fact that there's a former boy band love interest (I mean, how awesome), Jules is a fantastic narrator who must figure out how to navigate the unexpected complications of her senior year - a new (secret) boyfriend, a rival "news" organization that's seeking to undermine her beloved school newspaper, and the near loss of her best friend, who's tired of Jules's many distractions. Spalding Amy Spalding is one of my favorite writers, period. I loved her most recent book, THE NEW GUY - besides the fact that there's a former boy band love interest (I mean, how awesome), Jules is a fantastic narrator who must figure out how to navigate the unexpected complications of her senior year - a new (secret) boyfriend, a rival "news" organization that's seeking to undermine her beloved school newspaper, and the near loss of her best friend, who's tired of Jules's many distractions. Spalding writes characters that I feel like I *know* - they are real and relatable. Like all of Spalding's novels, I couldn't put this one down. She has the best voice - full of both humor and heart - and no matter what she writes, I will read it. ...more
Feb 17, 2016 Amy rated it liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: review-books, 3-5-stars, 2016
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars!
I'm just going to keep this review short and sweet. I thought this book was a super cute, fun read. It was very easy to get into and I finished it in one sitting. The New Guy reminded me a lot of what it was like to be in high school and young love. I thought the characters were fun and entertaining, even if they did frustrate me at times. This is the perfect YA romance. It's sweet, funny and just overall a good read. This is my first book by this author and I look Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars!
I'm just going to keep this review short and sweet. I thought this book was a super cute, fun read. It was very easy to get into and I finished it in one sitting. The New Guy reminded me a lot of what it was like to be in high school and young love. I thought the characters were fun and entertaining, even if they did frustrate me at times. This is the perfect YA romance. It's sweet, funny and just overall a good read. This is my first book by this author and I look forward to checking out more from her in the future
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review* ...more
Jul 14, 2019 Myndi rated it really liked it
This was a cute book, but there were so many important themes kind of hidden within. I love that we can get teens to read this type of book and hopefully learn something about others and themselves while doing so.
First idea in the book that really struck me, was how Jules did not find anything wrong, embarrassing, or weird about having two moms. In fact, it took well into the second chapter (I think) before I even realized her parents weren't male and female.
The next theme in the book that I This was a cute book, but there were so many important themes kind of hidden within. I love that we can get teens to read this type of book and hopefully learn something about others and themselves while doing so.
The next theme in the book that I enjoyed, was how important Jules found her schooling and preparing for the future. Not that every teen needs this inspiration, and not that it should be the be all end all, but I do think some teens would benefit from having someone like this as an example. She was a very driven character and I admired that.
That being said, there was also the lesson of not letting one idea or goal be your only focus and how as you grow you need to be well rounded with many varied interests. Including social ones. As a mother, I wouldn't want my kids to think that the only important thing in life is getting good grades or getting into a good school. I want them to focus on nurturing friendships, learning how to interact with people on a social level, and have multiple interests that could shape their lives.
All in all, it was a very good book and I look forward to reading more from this author, as this was my first by her. ...more
Jul 02, 2019 Samantha (WLABB) rated it really liked it
Shelves: contemporary, ya, audiobooks, romance, pre-2017
I thought this was a fun look at what happens, when a very driven young woman becomes a little sidetracked by. Jules had plans. She was going to be editor of the school paper and earn her way into Brown. She had no time for drama, but it found her, in the form direct competition for the newspaper and a wonderful new student named Alex.
Things I loved:
• Jules' family, her moms were awesome, and it was always nice being at home with them.
• The dog walking
• Alex, he was so sweet Rating: 3.5 Stars
• Alex, he was so sweet and endearing and genuine, and it really annoyed me what Jules KEPT doing to him.
• The romance, when we were in the Jules and Alex bubble
• All the newspaper and broadcast stuff was interesting, and I loved the characters' passion for it.
• The revenge plots were pretty funny, most of the time.
What I wished? I wish Alex and Jules' romance hadn't suffered due to all the drama, because I really adored those two together, but it was still a fun read, and I was happy with where everyone ended up.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS ...more
Aug 16, 2017 Alaina rated it it was ok
Shelves: august-challenge-2017, romance, books-i-own, contemporary, young-adult
I do love a good YA book every now and then but this book was just okay to me...more like meh. I thought the title was cute and interesting, so I automatically thought I'd like it; however, that was not the case. Now I'm not saying I hated the book but I also didn't love it either. After the first couple of chapter the main character, Jules, gets super annoying. I get it she's a Type A all honors stupid--yippee? But the book is basically two groups fighting the entire time.. kind of reminded me I do love a good YA book every now and then but this book was just okay to me...more like meh. I thought the title was cute and interesting, so I automatically thought I'd like it; however, that was not the case. Now I'm not saying I hated the book but I also didn't love it either. After the first couple of chapter the main character, Jules, gets super annoying. I get it she's a Type A all honors stupid--yippee? But the book is basically two groups fighting the entire time.. kind of reminded me of Shut Out by Kody Keplinger...but that was more like boys vs. girls (sports-wise) and in my opinion a better book. Maybe it's cause I didn't have enough sleep or coffee today but I will definitely give this book another chance and hopefully my review will change in a more positive note. ...more
Book Review: The New Guy 1 2 Jan 10, 2017 03:59PM
About Amy Spalding
Amy Spalding
Amy Spalding grew up in St. Louis, but now lives in the better weather of Los Angeles. She has a B.A. in Advertising & Marketing Communications from Webster University, and an M.A. in Media Studies from The New School. Amy studied longform improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.
By day, she manages the digital media team for an indie film advertising agency. By later day and night, Amy Amy Spalding grew up in St. Louis, but now lives in the better weather of Los Angeles. She has a B.A. in Advertising & Marketing Communications from Webster University, and an M.A. in Media Studies from The New School. Amy studied longform improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.
By day, she manages the digital media team for an indie film advertising agency. By later day and night, Amy writes, performs, and pets as many cats as she can. ...more
Books by Amy Spalding
Trivia About The New Guy
Quotes from The New Guy
"I'm more of a project than a person, really." — 0 likes


My beginning of this thread on Hamburg is somehow harbor-centered - my apologies!
#2 "Landungsbruecken and Elbtunnel" - the brown cupola tops the elevator shafts of the old Elbtunnel - thank you, Nordlicht, for the corrections!
#13 View point harbor city. Most of the harbor space has been a free trade zone for a long time - with restricted access. With the harbor activities moving to the container terminals this space has become the new harbor city - warehouses have become condos, all kinds of realty developments have been started - with the "Elbphilharmonie" as kind of a culmination. The view point gives an overview over the area.
C&C always welcome! Thanks for viewing!
it w/b nice if you added the linked pics as well? (MHO?).
amazed actually we didn't have a Hamburg thread yet!
(left many footprints in H. we have lived there -in Hamburg Harburg to be more precize- several times for months in a row, um Klasse zu machen/because (one of) our ship(s) was in dry dock. -we have sailed under German flag-).
the trip from Hamburg to sea (and vise versa) is longgg and boring, but the river banks are high, look great and there are some amazing houses too.
One of my favorite spots always has been the "Schiffsbegruessungsanlage" in Wedel where each incoming and leaving ship on the Elbe river is honored with a little piece of music, a greeting or a farewell. I hope someone here has some photos!
Due to your request here are the night shots of the warehouse district (+ one) and at the end two "abstracts".
Very nice shots, Waldo you have indeed shown some of the most important places in Hamburg.
The long sandstone building with the green cupolas is called "Landungsbruecken" (Landing bridges). Through the arches, you reach the piers. The old Elbtunnel is the square building on the right with the copper brown cupola roof. The other end of the tunnel is on the other side of the river, about there where you see the small building with the red roof on the left side of the picture. The green and brown roofs (also seen on the Michel on pic #1) are very common in Hamburg, as many roofs are made of copper.
(left many footprints in H. we have lived there -in Hamburg Harburg to be more precise- several times for months in a row, um Klasse zu machen/because (one of) our ship(s) was in dry dock. -we have sailed under German flag-).
Interesting to hear you know Harburg. Most visitors of Hamburg don't know that place and might even hear from a tour guide that south of the Elbe there's "nothing"
So I guess some of my images will show places that you know.
The building on the right is a former silo which was converted to an apartment building.
Please click on the pictures to see them in full size on flickr.
They are all geotagged, so you can easily find out where they've been taken.
Hope you like them and would be glad to hear your C&C.
It's nice to have some local expertise - thank you! I have used the Elbtunnel quite often when in Hamburg - but I confused the cupolas nevertheless.
I very much like the Elbbruecken shot during the blue hour - a very fine image!
Thanks for the compliment. My favourites among your pictures are the ones with special perspectives, esp. #7, #11, #29 and #30.
TY!!! how very considerative!! really, really appreciated! and your pics are a feast for the eyes as well!!!
so lange her... we came ashore in 1985. (still, didn't expect it to stir up so much. :-S).
of course I remember the big bridges. (and recall driving -as passenger- over that huge bridge, Harald's #11, on a chilly easter morning). but didn't get to see everything every time.
you never sail along the Elbe 'alone'. but in the company of a pilot.
when approaching Hamburg or H. Harburg, also had to change into working clothes and stand by for the fore & the aft (i.e. tying/untying the ship). and meanwhile lock all of our quarters, because the gangway would be out and the ship would be crowded before we returned from the foredeck. ((i.e. didn't HAVE to, but used to. besides, I was obv. the only 'deck hand'/non-officer on all of these ships, able to count shackles. meaning- when you le(t)go anchor/drop an anchor, you need to stop it at the right moment, otherwise it will be 'lose anchor'. something one shouldn't do too often. ;-)). when heading to sea, all we had to do, of course, at a certain point, was to throw out the pilot ladder and throw the pilot off. but usually didn't bother).
vividly remember the very high river banks + its houses, an uncommon lovely sight!
very familiar with the railway station and esp. Hamburg Hauptbahnhof. (we often went to Hamburg after work or in the weekends. and to the Imbiss in between ;-)).
once we came And left by train. ;-) we were to become captain (i.e. my husband was) of a newly acquired ship. and fled!!! never ever, except for the average Griechen Frachter -back then-, we had seen a piece of scrap like that. not a piece of the hull seemed to be in its original place. the cabins were extremely luxurious, antique! and massive (very promising to be dancing on a rough sea. ;-) with nothing near to hold on to).
owner came on board, and asked how I felt about his 'schones neues Schiff' (he had not seen yet!). and almost fainted every next minute, a blast! "ach du lieber Gott!"/OMG! "was soll DAS denn?!!!!???" "NEINNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!" we were ROFL, best slapstick ever. desp. in need of oxygen after an half an hour of watching the man jumping up and down, falling down, almost loosing consciousness and so on. (seriously! ;-)).
spent a couple more days there, in the -pleasant- company of -previous owner- Michael + friend, comforting ourselves with huge plates of spaghetti at the Hexen-Klause (know it?).
that these long rivers can be a bore, doesn't mean there was nothing adverturous on the Elbe (other than submarines all of a sudden surfacing). we were preparing for some faraway destination, when the owner decided to spent the night in 'the owner's cabin'. we were loading cargo, but still had to de-ballast, still had ballast (water) in the tanks. meaning our ship was 'over the mark' at the waterline. (fines, should you sail like that, are outragious!).
when we were ready to sail, the owner left. almost at open sea, der Meister/engineer appeared on the bridge. "Trinkwasser ist alle", he said. "we are out of drinking water!".
we couldn't wrap our brains around that, because we had bunkered the day before. the tanks were full. and drinking water? not just for drinking, we also needed it to cool the main engine with. (no 'water maker' to miraculously turn sea water into fresh water on board). no way we could sail on like that.
it turned out that the owner (Herr Rainer L. Stussig from the Lüneburger Heide, CHEAPSKATE as middle name -apart from the fact that that he still owes us heaps of wages/loads of money (but patient ;-)) and not just us - ) had noticed that the ship was 'over its mark'. and fearing a huge fine/without consulting a soul, had opened every tap he could find on board in the middle of the night, when we were all sound asleep.
end of story? he had to pay for 2 tug boats ($$$$$$$$$$$$) to tow us all the way back to bunker water.
Wow, 1985, that's quite a while ago, but it seems that my photos brought up a lot of memories of your experiences. Thanks for sharing your stories.
And about the "Hexenklause", I think I've heard from it before, but just googled it and read that it burnt down in 2002.
Another part of the harbour is in Wilhemsburg, which is an island in the Elbe, dividing the Elbe into Norderelbe and Süderelbe.
As always, you can click on the pics to see them in full size on Flickr and also get additional info, including geotags.
Very nice contributions so far! I recently visited Hamburg for a couple of days, so here are some pictures taken at the Binnenalster (Sony A6000 with Sigma Art E 30 mm or E 60 mm).
Hochbahn U3 @ Landesbrücken with new Opera House in background.
#11 The Dar-es-Saalam square with the International Maritime Museum in the background.
#15 Skulptures in front of the central library. This building, located close to the central station, used to be the central post office and had direct railroad connection.
#16 Old and new. The Markthalle (market hall) is a concert hall but the name gives away the former use of it. Der Spiegel (in the backround) is a news magazine.
#18 So much love everywhere, on every fence or railing on nice places around the city you find these colorful love locks. Here on the Rathausschleuse, a water gate for the channel between ALster lake and Elbe river, near the city hall.
Thanks for looking an reading, C&C are of course welcome!


text:
Chetostoma stackelbergi es una especie de insecto del género Chetostoma de la familia Tephritidae del orden Diptera.

Historia
Fue descrita científicamente por primera vez en el año 1955 por Rohdendorf.

Referencias

Enlaces externos

stackelbergi

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
ACCEPTED

#### According to
The Catalogue of Life, 3rd January 2011

#### Published in
Kew Bull. 46(1): 92 (1991)

#### Original name
Lophodermium ramulosum Spooner, 1991

### Remarks
null

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Display song's metadata in page title (browser tab)? I would label my coding skills as intermediate thus what I am asking may or may not be simple or obvious (I wouldn't know the difference). Also I sincerely thank any and everyone who gives this even an ounce of attention.
My objective is to grab raw song metadata from another server (in which I am a client of) via the jsonp and ajax method. Once I successfully obtain the metadata (Artist, Title & album), I then would like to display it in my website's page title (please see pics below).
The reason I would like to do this is because from what I could gather via an extensive and worn out research, it seems that most Bluetooth Audio devices are reading the metadata from the page title (browser tab):
Google Music playing in browser
BT Audio player
What I would love to do seems like it should be simple to do, yet I cannot figure away to display "Artist, Title and Album" in my browser like Spotify, Youtube or Google Music does.
My code below is able to pull the raw data, convert it using jsonp and I can successfully push only ONE element from the raw data (IE 'title') by placing it as an ID element. However, how can I push all three (Artist, Title & Album) to the page title?

    <!DOCTYPE html>
<html
    lang=en
    dir="ltr"
    class="mobile-web-player"
>

<head>
       <meta charset="UTF-8">
       <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1">

<script type="text/javascript" src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.4/jquery.min.js"></script>

<script type="text/javascript">
         function update(metadataObj) {
            if (metadataObj && metadataObj.m_Item2) {

               var title = document.getElementById('title');
               title.innerHTML = metadataObj.m_Item2.Title;

               var artist = document.getElementById('artist');
               artist.innerHTML = 'by ' +   metadataObj.m_Item2.Artist;

               var album = document.getElementById('album');
               album.innerHTML = metadataObj.m_Item2.Album + ' ';

            }
         }
</script>

      <script type="text/javascript">
            var stationID = 'X123';
            var apiToken = 'X12345';
            // refresh MetaData every 5 seconds
         function fetchMetadata(stationID, apiToken) {
            $.ajax({
               type: 'get',
               cache: false,
               url: "https://listen.samcloud.com/webapi/station/X123/history/npe?token=X12345&callback=update&format=json",
               //async: true,
               datatype: 'jsonp',
            });
         }
         fetchMetadata(stationID, apiToken);
         window.setInterval(function() {
            fetchMetadata(stationID, apiToken);
         }, 5000);
      </script>

<!-- I can successfully send the song's title to my page title via <title id> method -->
<title id="title">My Radio Station</title>

</head>

<body>
</body>

</html>

A: In your update() function you can call document.title to set the new tab title instead of setting the <title> tag. For example:
function update(metadataObj) {
  if (metadataObj && metadataObj.m_Item2) {

     var title = document.getElementById('title');
     var artist = document.getElementById('artist');
     var album = document.getElementById('album');
     // If you are using es6
     document.title = `Playing ${title} from ${artist} - ${album}`;
     // If not using es6
     // document.title = 'Playing '+ title + ' from '+ artist +' - album';
  }
}

A: You could change your update function to the following to write Artist, Title, and Album to the web pages title.
function update(metadataObj) {
  if (metadataObj && metadataObj.m_Item2) {
    var title = document.getElementById('title');
     title.innerHTML = metadataObj.m_Item2.Title + ' ' + metadataObj.m_Item2.Album + ' ' + metadataObj.m_Item2.Artist;
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In order to understand what a discussion essay is, it is necessary to rephrase this linguistic term. When telling in simple words, it means that this is a text where the author`s reasoning reduces to an answer the query posed in the title and started with the Why-question.
To compose a literate paper writing in a given style, careful theoretical and practical preparation is necessary. To obtain high results, it is important for the author to use the maximum number of existing literary techniques.
The purpose of a discussion essay is to convince the audience of the truthfulness of his thoughts or his point of view. Through the text in which the arguments are used, the writer can change or strengthen the opinion of his readers on the given question set on the topic heading.
The indicated goal shows that the foundation of a discussion essay is to choose one special idea that will be accessible to the understanding of the target audience. Later on, when composing a context, this settlement is to subsequently formulated and substantiated from different points of view.
This type of composition consists of three main parts as if any other essay is.
An opening part contains a one or several theses, which are presented in a form of statements, requiring the collection of an amount of evidence. As a rule, the main idea is placed in the title or in the initial paragraph.
The main part or text body of the composition is built on arguments that color the context with evidence, arguments or examples.
The final section includes the inference in which the author repeats the thought indicated at the beginning of the text since it has already been proved through content.
This item is relevant if the topic is not specified and the title should be determined independently. Since this basic thesis is subsequently to be proved, the question or a statement put at the head of the forthcoming composition should be clear and fully formulated.
For this type of composition, it is not enough for the author to tell the reader his own vision of the problematic. The thesis is to be supplemented by evidence that has already taken place in a reality. Persuade the audience through the visual examples. The mention of historical facts, dates or events, which can be checked at any time in any of the relevant authoritative sources, which can serve as reference books, encyclopedias, scientific works is a successful method.
In addition, the unquestionable arguments are statistical information, as well as news.
When describing literary works, it is important to refer to the initial source, to use citations and excerpts from the text, which are the most vivid confirmation of the thought indicated by the author.
The arguments that are chosen correctly almost always answer the Why-question. For an essay, it is sufficient to use two or three proofs of your point of view. Schematically, you can determine the size of this section as 2/3 of the total essay volume.
The conclusions are a repetition of the title thesis, which acquired a new form in the process of reasoned evidence. At the final paragraph the leitmotif of the composition is supplemented by the extended generalizing arguments, the quality of which is raised by the usage of thoughts, recommendations, forecasts, ideas, rules, advice, etc.
To maximize the involvement of the audience in the discussion process after defining the main task, it is recommended to include in the structure an entry with a volume of no more than two or four sentences. This method helps the reader to find it easier to understand the main message of the author and assess the relevance of the submitted idea.
Typical problems are not only errors in spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, grammar or stylistics. The degree of the composition effectiveness depends on the author`s care and awareness in the main principles of writing. It is necessary to follow a number of simple rules in order to ensure that the quality does not decrease.
1. Understand the goals of the chosen composition style.
2. Do not replace the one genre of a written statement with another.
3. Stick to the chosen topic.
4. Watch for compliance of the arguments with the established main issue.
5. Follow the logic when dividing the text by paragraphs.
6. Draw the main thesis thoroughly and consistently with subsequent conclusions.
In order to ensure that each of these points were observed in accuracy, the important item is the choice of the topic. Only that question, in which the author understands well can be fully disclosed to convince the reader of his unquestionable arguments.
1. A woman becomes more interesting with age.
2. It is better to be an only child or to grow up surrounded by a large family?
3. Do people need a nickname?
4. How much important is a school uniform?
5. The first love is the measure of interpersonal relationships in the future.
6. Food and water should be free for every person.
7. The World Wide Web is to be limited to kids.
8. People should have a right to choose when to retire.
9. Sports stars are the product of TV and Internet promotion experts.
10 It is important to have a choice of college disciplines.
11. The UK education system is one of the best in the world.
12. The main languages are English, French and Chinese in the 21st century.
13. Fewer young people are interested in academic grading.
14. The ratings do not reflect the real situation in the educational system.
15. The modern educational system is more loyal than in the 19th century.
16. The healthy weight attainment is often harmful to any human being.
17. Physical education is important for men and women.
18. The Olympic sport ruined the lives of thousands of sportsmen.
19. There is no tight interrelation between weight and physical activity.
20. Diets are a great part of a world advertising sector.


For its part, the Christian Islamic Commission for the support of Jerusalem and holy sites today condemned the attack on the cemetery of the monastery, desecration of the sanctity of graves and religious symbols inside the cemetery, and breaking the tombstones and the number of 27 crucifix concrete.
PNN notes that the monastery was subjected to previous years of numerous attacks by settlers and attempts to burn and a line of racist slogans in Hebrew on the walls. Where the monastery was subjected to a similar attack on September 27, 1981, and the monastery was desecrated in March 2014 when anti-Christian slogans were written on its walls and another attack on 9/1/2016, breaking dozens of crosses in the cemetery.


text:
Tigers' Jacob Turner Draws Heavy Interest At Winter Meetings
By Ryan Weiss Jan 2, 2011, 4:21pm EST
Share All sharing options for: Tigers' Jacob Turner Draws Heavy Interest At Winter Meetings
In their efforts to swing another big deal at this year's baseball Winter Meetings, one thing became undeniably clear: everyone really likes Jacob Turner.
Tigers' manager Jim Leyland said that every team the club talked to asked about the 19-year-old righty when they approached them in trade talks.
"Every time we discussed possible trades at the Winter Meetings, every team that talked to us wanted Jacob Turner," Leyland said in an interview with WDFN Detroit. "So I think that speaks in volumes. Not only are our scout's really impressed with him, but it's obvious everyone in baseball thinks this guy is a No. 1 on a pennant-winning team."
Despite the impression Turner has made on MLB clubs, he's not expected to make it to the big leagues just yet. Detroit is pretty much set on its starting rotation for 2011, with Phil Coke on track to nail down a spot along with Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello and possibly Armando Galarraga. However, Leyland wouldn't rule out the possibility that Turner could crack the roster at some point next year.
"He's a guy we're hoping can come along fast," Leyland said. "I would say it would be a real, real longshot that he would break with the club out of spring training, although there are some people that think at some point during the season, a possibility. It's still probably a bit of a longshot, but a possibility."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl