Kissing Ted Callahan (and Other Guys)
by Amy Spalding
- Title: Kissing Ted Callahan (and Other Guys)
- Author: Amy Spalding
- Publisher: Poppy
- Publication date: April, 2015
- Hardcover: 320 Pages
- How I got this book: I received this book as a galley from Poppy
- Why I got this book: Sometimes I’m just looking for a fun read, and this book seemed like it would fit the bill pretty well.
Book Synopsis
After catching their bandmates in a compromising position, sixteen-year-old Los Angelenos Riley and Reid become painfully aware of the romance missing from their own lives. And so a pact is formed: they’ll both try to make something happen with their respective crushes and document the experiences in a shared notebook.
While Reid struggles with the moral dilemma of adopting a dog to win over someone’s heart, Riley tries to make progress with Ted Callahan, who she’s been obsessed with forever-His floppy hair! His undeniable intelligence! But suddenly cute guys are popping up everywhere. How did she never notice them before?! With their love lives going from 0 to 60 in the blink of an eye, Riley and Reid realize the results of their pact may be more than they bargained for.
Review
This was a pretty fun read. Â But I want to emphasize that it was just that: fun. Â There really wasn’t much substance here. Â But it’s all about what you’re looking for out of a book. Â I would recommend this as a short, uncomplicated read for a day at the beach. Â It’s easy to put down and pick back up without forgetting where you left off in the story.
Overall, I thought that the plot was pretty well developed. Â We have a teenage girl, Riley, who’s new to this whole, love thing. Â Or sex, since that’s what she seems more interested in. Â After walking in on her best friend and her bandmate going at it, she decides it’s finally time to get more experience. Â This book is a log of her new experiences with several different guys. Â I have to say that Riley is a pretty good protagonist. Â She makes mistakes, she’s awkward, she can act pretty cringey at times. Â But she is a teenager. Â And that’s how a teenager might act when confronted with sparring emotions.
There was one part of the book that I thought was a let down. Â This was the “log” between Riley and her best friend Reid at the beginning of each chapter, each a few pages long. Â At first it was quirky and fun to read, but it just got more monotonous and boring as the book forged on. Â It didn’t advance the plot so much as just take up space. Â After getting about halfway through the book I just started skipping these few pages every chapter.
Overall, fun, quick read. Â It’s definitely not for everybody, though.