"The Wrong Kind of Weird" by James Ramos rings true in a way few book about high-school aged characters are able to accomplish. The author has successfully combined his own relative youth with the writing style of a seasoned veteran in the literary field to yield an incredibly well-written and realistic story.

The four main characters are high school students, and they act, speak, and dress like actual teenagers. The situations they find themselves in are typical of real high schools and high school social events. I found the whole dynamic refreshing.

Cam is the main character and heart of the story. The reader will follow along as he navigates his friend group and a romantic relationship, as well as his interactions with a (former?) bully and the "popular kids". I can't say this enough....these characters seem very REAL. Some conversations remind me of ones I've overheard (or even participated in) with actual kids this age.

The story itself was interesting, and I kept reading to find out what Cam would do next to try to get his personal life straightened out. The book kept my attention throughout, and I look forward to whatever Mr. Ramos decides to write next! ( )

"The Wrong Kind of Weird" is about Cameron, who's a nerdy guy, Karla, who's the most popular girl in school, and Mackenzie, who doesn't quite fit in with anyone. Cameron and Karla are in a secret relationship. Cameron and Mackenzie have a hate-at-first sight relationship, despite having similar interests. It's a love triangle.

The story opens with a character saying, "It's a simple, undeniable truth... if you watch dubbed anime instead of subbed anime, you are garbage." So. I pretty much knew what I was getting into here on that front. There was a lot of cringe, but it was a good kind of cringe? Like I was that cringe teenager once. I only wish there was less referencing media for the sake of referencing. Anime, mostly, but the author doesn't spare popular films and books. I feel like I would've been more interested if they mentioned a single title I hadn't already watched/read/heard of. Also not sure why we needed an entire paragraph dedicated to describing the plot of Dragon Ball.

Aside from that, I was hoping the story would be more about deconstructing the idea of a school hierarchy, and I thought it would be a lot more queer than it was. As is, it's a story about a guy deciding between two girls--the popular one who's in a different world than him, and the one he starts to get along with because they love the same things. It just didn't progress in a very interesting way, and I felt like Cameron and Mackenzie's bond was kind of shallow.

I'm sure the target audience will have a different perspective on this one. ( )

The Wrong Kind of Weird is a coming-of-age story that follows Cameron, a nerdy high school senior who is struggling to mold himself into something he isn't because of a girl. Cameron has been having a secret physical relationship with the queen bee student council president Karla ever since they worked together as baristas over the summer. Cameron is a member of Geeks and Nerds United (GANU) along with his small group of anima and manga loving friends. Cameron and Karla occupy different high school social strata and, as such, can't be seen together. As Cameron tries to infiltrate the popular crowd, along comes confident nerdy Mackenzie, the sister of Karla's bullying ex. Just as Cameron is making decisions about who he wants to be with and how he wants to be treated, everything melts down due to an exposure on social media. Cameron is relatable and likeable, as are his GANU friends. There is an Austenesque quality to this book, because the reader knows, far before Cameron does, who and what is right for him. The Wrong Kind of Weird is entertaining, witty and fun, exploring the themes of self-acceptance, friendship, and the dangers of stereotypes. I appreciate the diverse and LBGTQ+ representation among the characters. Not a reflection on the quality of the book but it is incongruous that Karla is portrayed as blonde and white on the cover, yet the character definitely isn't. Thank you to BookishFirst for a copy to review. ( )

Sweet, charming, awkward teen drama

The teenage point of view voice of Cameron felt authentic throughout this coming of age/getting to know oneself contemporary novel. Even though I'm not into anime or video gaming, I still felt engaged in the heartwarming male and male/female friendships based on the love of gaming and cosplay too.

The romance was sweet and slow burn, very much like the referenced Pride and Prejudice novel and school theater performance. I laughed at the awkward moments and felt all the emotions--from anger and embarrassment to delight and satisfaction at finally figuring out what it meant to be a true friend as well as staying true to yourself.

I found myself pacing when tensions ran high and all seemed lost. The plot deals with bullying and social media exposures that cause relationship damage. These issues and others were handled well and seamlessly intertwined with the plot. ( )

The Wrong Kind of Weird is a wild and funny introduction for many readers to the
YA World of Anime, Cosplay, and Manga! Fans will enjoy the updates.

Cameron Carson introduces G.A.N.O. and his two best friends while working as a barista at the totally cool named Pair O'Moose Coffee Shop. He there "hooks up"
(not the standard interpretation) with popular fellow senior, Karla, and embarks on a
year of deceit and lies to everyone.

His never-ending obsession with Karla slows the plot to boring.
The story picks up again with his surprise trip to see Mackenzie's artwork.

The inevitable build-up to his discovery and downfall felt contrived and his redemption from choosing more lies in his life does not have a clear path.

While he wastes his time with"I'm Sorries" to his friends, would-have-been Girlfriend, MacKenzie, and Family, his friends are moving ahead in many promising directions.

A "...train wreck of a conversation..." is a wonderfully memorable line! ( )