Review: Going Geek by Charlotte Huang

Going Geek by Charlotte Huang

Published: September 13th 2016 by Delacorte Press

Number of Pages: 304 Pages (Hardcover)

Series: No

   A girl forced out of her comfort zone finds that being true to herself is the best way to live her life, in this second novel from the author of For the Record.

   It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Skylar Hoffman’s senior year at her preppy East Coast boarding school should have been perfect:

   amazing boyfriend

   the coolest friends

   the most desirable dorm

   But it’s far from it. To her dismay, Skylar’s not going to rule senior year because she’s stuck in Abbot House, a tiny dorm known for, well, nothing. Living with a group of strangers everyone thinks is lame is bad enough. Worse is that Skylar wasn’t exactly truthful about how she spent summer break in Los Angeles—and her little white lie is causing her once rock-solid romance to crumble fast. And when it turns out that Skylar’s best friend is the one responsible for having her booted from Lincoln? It’s an all-out war.

   Stepping out of her comfort zone never felt so scary—or necessary. But everything is different now. Including, maybe, Skylar herself . . . (goodreads.com)

* Thank you to Random House and Delacorte for sending me an ARC 

in exchange for my honest opinion *

   I absolutely loved For the Record last year, so when I heard about Charlotte's next book, I knew I had to read it. Thankfully, I was one of the very lucky people who got ARCs of it, even though shipping took 2 months for unknown reasons.

   Going Geek is set at a boarding school and is all about Skylar who, upon arriving, finds out that she won't be sharing a dorm building with her popular friends but that she's been transferred into the least popular dorm of all. On top of that Skylar's family is struggling financially and she gets booted out of everything she used to be part of. On top of that she looses her friendship with her popular best friend and the relationship with her boyfriend, solely because everyone finds out that she lied about what she did over the summer, alas that in reality she spent it working.

   Across the novel we follow her as she tries to figure out her new life and also the fact that maybe the traditional and typical high school way of thinking of the "cool" and "popular" people isn't the only one.

   It took me a while to warm up to Skylar since she isn't necessarily your typical likable narrator, but once I did, I got really pulled into the story and started to root for her. Her arc is really interesting and different, especially since, for once, we don't read about the typical wallflower grey mouse type girl, but someone who used to belong to the popular crowd, who has strong opinions and doesn't fear to speak her mind, even though it doesn't always work in her favor.

   Another thing I really liked about Going Geek was the diverse cast of characters and the fact that even the secondary ones seemed fleshed out and fun, not just like shadows that were needed to push the plot along. I really liked the girls Skylar shared her dorm with!

   Just like in For the Record, Charlotte's writing was amazing. The descriptions interesting and fun, her characters full of layers and dimensions, quirks and weirdness that made them unique and realistic. But, even though I really enjoyed Going Geek, I still have to admit I preferred For the Record, maybe even only because it was about music and it was the first book I ever read from Charlotte. Still, Going Geek was a fun read I can definitely recommend!

I give Going Geek by Charlotte Huang 4 stars.

3 Year Blogversary Celebration feat. Charlotte Huang (Going Geek)

   Today I have the amazing Charlotte Huang here for you guys. As you know I've loved, loved, loved For the Record last year and couldn't wait to get my hands on her next novel, Going Geek. Luckily I've actually managed to get my hands on an ARC, thanks Delacorte Press, and have slowly been making my way through it, even though I'm currently stuck in a major reading slump. Either way Charlotte is an amazing writer and I'd totally read anything she'll write in the future. You can, if you want, totally check out the interview I did with her right here along with my review for For the Record right here.

   When planning this entire thing I knew I had to ask her if she'd want to participate and, luckily, she said yes so let's check out her As to my Qs below:

   1) What does YA mean to you?

   I love YA literature because it gives us a chance to explore and revisit (if you're an adult!) one of the most pivotal and tumultuous times in our lives. As both a writer and reader, I get so much enjoyment out of going along for the ride as teen protagonists struggle with many things for the first time. Even in genres, like fantasy, there's always an element of the main character making monumental choices that define what type of person he or she wants to be.

   2) Since this is a blogversary, is there anything you'd like to say to the blogging community and are there any blogs you like/follow?

   I think the blogging community has done so much for books and the YA community in particular. So many of you are tireless supporters of our work and I can't tell you how many times a Tweet or note with some sort of encouragement has come from a blogger at just the right time!

   3) Could you tell us something about yourself and your books?

   My second YA novel, GOING GEEK, comes out September 13! It's set in a boarding school and is meant to be a fun story about friendships, romance, and figuring out your place in the world. But at its heart it's a book about second chances and seeing beyond what's immediately in front of you.

   I went to a school much like the one in GOING GEEK and while my life was nothing like the main character, Skylar's, the experience definitely inspired some of the emotion behind the story--mostly that feeling of trying to find your place and discover your talents. I hope it resonates with readers!

   Thank you so, so much to Charlotte for coming and answering my questions. What do you guys think of them? Also, have you read any of her books? If not you totally should give them a chance because they are amazing!

   The next post will be up July 21st and feature the next amazing author. 

   Thank you so much for reading!

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Cover Reveal: Going Geek by Charlotte Huang (Blogmas Day #17)

   Welcome to blogmas day 17!
   Today I'm bringing you the gorgeous cover for Going Geek by Charlotte Huang. As you all know I loved For the Record a lot, even got it super early because I was just that unable to wait, so when I saw that there was a way to sign up to be part of the cover reveal for Going Geek, well, I had to do it. I cannot wait to read this book, hopefully I can get an ARC somehow.
   So, without further ado, here is the cover and even a US giveaway!

Going Geek by Charlotte Huang
Expected Publication: Fall 2016 by Delacorte/Random House
Series: No

   In GOING GEEK, a girl is forced to stand up for who she really is - if she even knows - when her friends dump her and she is forced to hang out with the fringe crowd at school. (goodreads.com)

About the Author

   Charlotte Huang is a graduate of Smith College and received an MBA from Columbia Business School, which is clearly something every aspiring writer should do. When not glued to her computer, she cheers her two sons on at sporting events and sometimes manages to stay up late enough to check out bands with her music agent husband. Charlotte lives in Los Angeles and is the author of For the Record (Delacorte, 2015)

charlottehuangbooks.com // Twitter: @charlottexhuang // Insta: @charlottexhuang

Snapchat: @charlottexhuang // FB: Charlotte Huang // Tumblr: charlottexhuang

Giveaway!

   1 Winner will get the very first ARC of GOING GEEK (US Only. Prize will ship when item becomes available)

  Open | Must be 13+ To Enter Sweeps/Giveaway accounts are not eligible to participate.. See Terms & Conditions for more info

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ask the Author: Charlotte Huang (For the Record)

   Hey guys!
   This week for Ask The Author I'm bringing you the amazing Charlotte Huang, author of For the Record which is supposed to hit the shelves November 10th. I've read For the Record back in March and immediately knew I wanted to ask her a couple of questions about it. You should definitely mark the release date of For the Record in your calendars because it's a fabulous book worth reading and owning.
   Here is For the Record and my interview with Charlotte:

For the Record by Charlotte Huang
Published: November 10th 2015 by Delacorte Press
Number of Pages: 320 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: No
My Review!

   Chelsea thought she knew what being a rock star was like . . . until she became one. After losing a TV talent show, she slid back into small-town anonymity. But one phone call changed everything.
   Now she’s the lead singer of the band Melbourne, performing in sold-out clubs every night and living on a bus with three gorgeous and talented guys. The bummer is that the band barely tolerates her. And when teen hearthrob Lucas Rivers take an interest in her, Chelsea is suddenly famous, bringing Melbourne to the next level—not that they’re happy about that. Her feelings for Beckett, Melbourne’s bassist, are making life even more complicated.
   Chelsea only has the summer tour to make the band—and their fans—love her. If she doesn’t, she’ll be back in Michigan for senior year, dying a slow death. The paparazzi, the haters, the grueling schedule . . . Chelsea believed she could handle it. But what if she can’t? (goodreads.com)

Interview with Charlotte Huang

   1 – Describe For the Record in a haiku (or twitter pitch)

   Being a rockstar
   Isn’t all glamorous fun
   Just ask Chelsea Ford

   2 – What lead to the idea of For the Record? Was it the fact that most of us dream of being the singer of some awesome rock band or something completely different than that?
   Yes, it was definitely inspired by that universal dream! But I also wanted to show the reality of sacrifice, hard work, grueling schedules, and just overall stress that comes with that level of success. Because my husband’s an agent, I’ve spent a lot of time at concerts, being around bands, listening to the planning, strategizing and anguish that goes on. So my goal in writing this book was to give an authentic, and hopefully entertaining glimpse into the world of a successful touring rock band.

   3 – Was there a scene in the book you specifically remember writing because it stuck out to you, either in a positive or negative way?
   Probably the scene where the band sees their DJ friend’s set in Detroit. That scene actually came during the editing process and I wrote it after I saw Zedd perform at Coachella. Originally, I’d written the scene in a diner but my editor pointed out that I had too many eating scenes so I had to brainstorm other settings. The EDM show atmosphere appealed to me because I feel like that type of music shifts everyone’s perspective a little bit and allows people to let their guard down.

   4 – While writing about the life on tour and the music business itself, how helpful was having a music agent husband? Did it help you give For the Record that very real touch?

   Haha, see #2. But it’s not just my husband—a lot of our friends work in the music business. Many of the details in For the Record come from years of listening to funny stories and talking about work drama.

   5 – Of all the possible names for a rock band, why did you decide on Melbourne?
   I’d written a scene where the original band members talk about a spring break trip they took to Melbourne which is when they formed the band. It got edited out somewhere along the way but I stuck with the name.

   6 - How long did it take you from first idea until publishing deal? And how many queries did it take until you found 'the one'?
   I started writing this book in the summer of 2013 and my agent sold it in February 2014. But that’s fairly misleading because this story has been percolating in my brain for years.
   Do you mean queries to agents? My guess is I sent out about 25 before entering a pitch contest and connecting with my wonderful agent. That was with a different book though.

   7 – How do you feel about the fact that in a couple of months, thousands upon thousands of people will be able to read your book?
   I feel excited! Also nervous. But mostly excited.

   8 – Did you listen to specific bands or albums while writing For the Record or do you rather prefer writing silence?
   For the most part, I actually prefer to write in silence. Sometimes when I try to write to music, I get really frazzled and can’t figure out what’s bothering me until I realize that I have to turn the music off. That said, when writing this book, I listened to Panic! At the Disco’s Too Rare to Live, Too Weird to Die! album on repeat, for hours at a time. I have no idea why this was an exception. If I had to guess I’d say that in addition to being a great album, the mood fits perfectly with what I was trying to write. I was never tempted to skip any track. That’s not a common occurrence.

   9 – What was the first band you ever saw live and what’s your favorite band?
   The first band I ever saw live was Echo and the Bunnymen in Boston. Sadly, I don’t remember anything about the show. And I really don’t have a favorite band! I like so many. People ask what I like to see outside of my husband’s work and most recently I’ve gone to The Foo Fighters, The Pixies and My Morning Jacket.

   10 – Music genre: Grunge or Punk?
   Do I have to choose? If so, grunge was probably a more legitimate part of my experience growing up. I feel like I witnessed the beginning and end of that era.

   11 – If you were forced to participate in The Hunger Games, as female from District 12, what would be your strategy? Fight or flight?
   From District 12, definitely fight. I don’t think I’d know any other way.

About the Author

   Charlotte Huang is a graduate of Smith College and received an MBA from Columbia Business School, which is clearly something every aspiring writer should do. When not glued to her computer, she cheers her two sons on at sporting events and sometimes manages to stay up late enough to check out bands with her music agent husband. Charlotte lives in Los Angeles and is the author of For the Record (Delacorte, 2015)

Review: For the Record by Charlotte Huang

For the Record by Charlotte Huang
Expected publication: November 10th 2015 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Number of Pages: X
Series: No

   Chelsea thought she knew what being a rock star was like . . . until she became one. After losing a TV talent show, she slid back into small-town anonymity. But one phone call changed everything.
   Now she’s the lead singer of the band Melbourne, performing in sold-out clubs every night and living on a bus with three gorgeous and talented guys. The bummer is that the band barely tolerates her. And when teen hearthrob Lucas Rivers take an interest in her, Chelsea is suddenly famous, bringing Melbourne to the next level—not that they’re happy about that. Her feelings for Beckett, Melbourne’s bassist, are making life even more complicated.
   Chelsea only has the summer tour to make the band—and their fans—love her. If she doesn’t, she’ll be back in Michigan for senior year, dying a slow death. The paparazzi, the haters, the grueling schedule . . . Chelsea believed she could handle it. But what if she can’t?

* I recieved an eARC of For the Record from Random House in exchance for a honest review *

   I have so much love for this book and I am beyond happy I got the chance to read it five months prior to its publication. This book just truly has it all: a rock band composed on fun and different characters, a cute Hollywood movie star, the love for music and an outstandingly fun main character, Chelsea, who spreads her wings as lead singer of Melbourne.
   Charlotte Huang did an amazing job at capturing the different emotions that go through Chelsea as she experiences her first concerts and everything that belongs to being the new kid in town, or rather the new girl in the band. And I love the fact that she didn't just do that in the first twenty pages and then forgot about it, but rather that it took her the entirety of the book to develop confidence in what she does and finding her place in this entirely new world she finds herself in.

   Chelsea is a great main character and story narrator. Her thoughts and descriptions of her emotions are very clear and seem real, like they would belong to someone who went through all that she went through. She is fun and she has a personality. She isn't just a bleak character who just seems to exist and do whatever the author wants her to do, but rather like a layered character with flaws and traits which make her the person she is. All her decisions fit her personality and way of thinking.
   The other guys in the band, Pam, Malcom and Beckett are a lot of fun and they are all unique and different. Pam is more of a grumpy cat, Malcom like one who likes groupies and Beckett the guy you'd like to hang out with and talk about music for hours. I enjoyed them as characters a lot and it was really hard to say goodbye to them once the book was over.

   Another thing that makes this book great and stands out is the degree of insight we get to see into the life of a rock band, of the life on tour and how it feels to be the one on stage and not in the crowd. It perfectly captured the dynamics of the band and how crazy life can get when you are in the spotlight, when you are the one with thousands of fans who watch every step you take and gossip knows your secrets before you know them.

   All in all I think this book was amazing, fun and felt incredibly real, which is always a big plus. For the Record is exciting, fun and filled with endearing characters which will make saying goodbye to the book surprisingly hard.
   I think this book is definitely something for those who always dreamed of being a rock star themselves or wondered how life on tour must feel like. I recommend it to, basically, everybody because it's great and something like a fan girls dream come true.

I give For the Record by Charlotte Huang 5 out of 5 rock stars.