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Paperback
Publisher: Kensington
ISBN13: 9780758227089
Condition: NEW
Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Being Charles James Stewart, Jr. AKA Charlie the Second means never "fitting in." Tall, gangly and big-eared, he could be the poster boy for teenage geeks. An embarrassment to his parents (he's not to crazy about them, either), Charlie is a virtual untouchable at his school, where humiliation is practically an extra curricular activity. Charlie has tried to fit in, but all of his efforts fall on a glorious, monumental scale. He plays soccer--mainly to escape his home life--but isn't accepted by his teammates who basically ignore him on the field. He still confuses the accelerator with the brake pedal and has failed his driving exam six times. He can't work on his college application essay without writing a searing tell-all. But what's freaking Charlie out the most is that while his hormones are raging and his peers are pairing off, he remains alone with his fantasies. But all of this is about to change when a new guy at school begins to liven things up on the soccer team--and in Charlie's life. For the first time in his seventeen years, Charlie will learn how it feels to be a star, at least off the field. But Charlie discovers that even cool guys have problems as he embarks on an unforgettable, risk-filled journey from which there is no turning back....
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| Hilarious and well-written |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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You need to read this book if you like to laugh and you enjoy coming-of-age stories.
The protagonist, Charlie, is a big nerd. He's snarky, and defensive, and scared, and angry. But one of the things that's a breath of fresh air about this novel is how Ferguson avoids the cliches of how we expect to see gay teens treated by their peers. In Charlie's world, he certainly gets his share of grief, but he also finds his share of acceptance. And all sorts of shades in-between. He is openly gay without any of the hand-wringing about what will happen when he comes out; he's out when the book begins. I enjoyed reading a book where I could skip past what I already know, about how hard it is to be gay.
He's also an athlete, a terrific soccer goalie, and his love interest is also a leader on the team. And the dynamic set up by these two team leaders who happen to be gay and are clearly a couple is fascinating.
There is sex, sex, sex in this book. Mostly masturbation, actually. I liked the reality of that and how Ferguson handled sexuality with a nice mix of humor and awkwardness. It felt real. And the scene in which the main character has sex for the first time in a motel with a mirror on the ceiling has to be read to be believed.
I laughed out loud tons of times reading this book, and just as often found myself cringing and saying things like "Oh no" out loud. Which is embarrassing on the subway.
Buy this book if you like gay coming-of-age stories. You'll be glad you did!
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| For any of us out there just struggling to be normal... |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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this book really, really, made me crack up late into the night. and the author does such good job at warming to the reader with its realism. DEFINITELY worth reading, even buying! I would wish there was more.
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| great, un-sanitized coming of age tale |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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The Screwed-Up Life of Charlie the Second by Drew Ferguson is one of the funnier, un-sanitized coming of age novels I've read in a while. The story is told through the journals of Charlie the Second, named after his attorney father (whom he hilariously refers to as "First" throughout the story).
Charlie, a geeky, kind of average high school kid who happens to be gay, writes very honestly about things that many of us experienced growing up but didn't necessarily talk about. His near obsession with masturbation and all the various fantasies he construes are a little graphic .. and a lot of funny! Convinced he'll never get laid, everything in Charlie's world changes when a new kid comes to school and joins the soccer team.
We get to follow Charlie as he discovers his first love, his first sexual experiences, his first heartbreak, and all the other things that can go wrong in his screwed-up life.
By the end of the story, Charlie has gone through hell and back (hey, high school is beast of a jungle for most people), but his realizations about what kind of person he will be are quite impressive. If you're looking for a fairly realistic portrayal of teen angst paired with lots of laughs, check out Charlie's screwed-up life.
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| Amazing Novel |
| Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 |
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Charlie Stewart the Second isn't the most popular guy in his High School. He's a geek with a dad, whom he calls First, that is always pushing him to do better. Not to worry though, Charlie is also pretty sarcastic and plays soccer. It's actually that sport that begins to change his life, when a new kid joins the team. When the two start a relationship, Charlie is thrown into a world of discovery, passion...and death?
The Screwed -Up Life of Charlie the Second is told entirely through Charlie's journal entries which provided a much more personal account of his life and thoughts, which I definitely enjoyed. Charlie is an average teenage boy who is simply trying to write his own story, without being the kid on the sidelines all the time. The story is not sugar-coated, and is very realistic to teenage life. I would definitely recommend this novel, but for older teens and up. The book contains mature moments, without being explicit.
Want More? www.shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com
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| BUY THIS BOOK NOW... |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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The Screwed Up Life of Charlie the Second really took me back to being gay and in high school. I couldn't put this down. I laughed out loud, and I cried when it was all over with. I really wish this book didn't have to end. It is thoroughly entertaining and the pages really seem to fly by. There are very explicit parts where much detail is gone into in sexual situations. It may be a big vulgar for some, but if you keep an open mind, the author does a great job of painting vivid scenes for your imagination. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of Drew Ferguson's writing.
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