A. J. LapeCritiques

{my thoughts} – Where to begin with this book. Darcy is a rather interesting character. She is a whole lot of what most teenage girls and possibly younger would like to be. She is strong willed, she is smart, not the prettiest, but appears to be popular enough in her own. She has a bunch of friends most of them are are guys, she also has a job that as a teenager I would have loved, working in a book store.

She has a unique younger sister that has issues in a sense. She finds ways to get what she wants from her sister and her father and those are very creative. She also seems to admire her older sister and that is saying a lot.

Their father is an interesting person as well. He doesn’t seem to know what he is doing with two girls. He appears to be completely over his head and far to protective of them, although in the case of Darcy I can see why.

This whole book is centered around a dead victim that Darcy finds in the dumpster outside her school. It appears that he was a member of a gang and that it was a gang related killing. A friend of hers ends up getting arrested for the murder named Oscar small. Darcy gets it in her head that she has to solve this crime and figure out who did the murder and who was all involved and why.

If you’d like to know what is uncovered and how it all comes about you should really read the book. This book is marvelous. It is well written, it is funny, it is attention grabbing and it is wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am sure you will too!

{my thoughts} – Where to begin with this book. Darcy is a rather interesting character. She is a whole lot of what most teenage girls and possibly younger would like to be. She is strong willed, she is smart, not the prettiest, but appears to be popular enough in her own. She has a bunch of friends most of them are are guys, she also has a job that as a teenager I would have loved, working in a book store.

She has a unique younger sister that has issues in a sense. She finds ways to get what she wants from her sister and her father and those are very creative. She also seems to admire her older sister and that is saying a lot.

Their father is an interesting person as well. He doesn’t seem to know what he is doing with two girls. He appears to be completely over his head and far to protective of them, although in the case of Darcy I can see why.

This whole book is centered around a dead victim that Darcy finds in the dumpster outside her school. It appears that he was a member of a gang and that it was a gang related killing. A friend of hers ends up getting arrested for the murder named Oscar small. Darcy gets it in her head that she has to solve this crime and figure out who did the murder and who was all involved and why.

If you’d like to know what is uncovered and how it all comes about you should really read the book. This book is marvelous. It is well written, it is funny, it is attention grabbing and it is wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am sure you will too!

Grade A Stupid is book one in The Darcy Walker series. Fifteen year old Darcy Walker your typical teenager. Well, except for the fact that trouble seems to find her. She seems to run to danger instead of from it. Then let's not forget her extremely confusing relationship with her best friend Dylan. I'm not even sure she's aware of what's going on there. But when a dead body turns up in the dumpster across the street from school, Darcy stops at nothing to uncover the truth and prove her friend Oscar's innocence.

Even though this series is written for young adults in mind, it's a fun read that any age would find engrossing. AJ Lape has written a humorous series that kept me laughing throughout. Darcy is the type of character we can each identify with at some point during our teenage years. There's gorgeous love interests for Darcy, if she can untangle herself from the grasp of her equally handsome best friend Dylan. There's a great mystery that kept me guessing until very end, definitely a must read for everyone! Be sure to check back on my blog in the coming weeks for my review of the rest of the series.

Oh Darcy, Darcy, Darcy... I thought I knew what to expect with this book. I mean, it's Darcy Walker. She is always stumbling into something. After Defcon Darcy I thought A.J. had given me all she had. Yet again, she has proven me wrong.

Let me tell you about this series in general before this book. Typically, unlike most readers, I am able to separate myself from the book and its characters. I often see people discussing books and their characters as they are real. I know people don't actually think they are real. They are just hyper-invested in the books... and there is nothing wrong with that. I am just not usually that person. With Darcy's stories, that doesn't hold true. I get lost in her mishaps and adventures. There are times I, in fact, do forget she isn't real or at least isn't a character in a show. A.J. wraps me in her cocoon of words in these stories. I can't help but to keep coming back for more.

So Darcy... Yep, she has stumbled upon more dead bodies... practically in her backyard and lap. Who would have thought? (enter sarcasm there) Now she has dead bodies, drug dealers wanting her, and reporters hounding her. There is never a shortage of ongoings with Darcy's books, that you can count on.

I always find myself on repeat in each of these books. This is one of my favorite series because it is entertaining across all boards. I wouldn't have a problem having my children picking them up nor my own mother. We can all appreciate the humor and entertainment they provide.

Mysteries don't tend to be my thing. The kicker with this series is I don't really look at them as mysteries. They are mysteries, but not the typical private eye or detective stories. They leave me laughing and swooning from start to finish. Between the Darcy's mishaps and all of the teenage hormones, I can't help but to encourage this series over and over again.

Bienvenue sur Darcyville, où les choses semblent toujours aller de travers!

Don't have a clue to what I just said? Let me start again.....

Welcome to Darcyville, where things always seem to go awry! Why do I say that? Well, that is simple. Because they do. Darcy is one of those characters who always seems to make a fool of herself in the most inopportune times. You will see what I mean!

"But that was Darcyville. Stuff happened in Darcyville, and you were left to either accept it or annihilate the SOBs that caused it."

The characters in this story are just perfect! Darcy with her determination to make the wrongs that she feels she started, right. Her friends..... They are the perfect combination of daring, caring and sarcastic bunch of high schoolers.

One can never tell what is up and what is down. This book is a combination of teenagers being teenagers and part sleuth. Part sleuth? Well, you have to read the book to find out that part.

"EXPERTS SAY THEY may have identified a gene for the daredevil. I think I was first in line when God was passing out that type of idiocy."

I laughed so much throughout this book. It is pure genius! The combination of seriousness, teen angst, sarcasm, heroism and comedy.... I couldn't get enough of this story! This is the type of book that will appeal to both adults and teenagers! And to boot.... the use of "cuss" words is perfect! I would totally allow my teenagers read this without having to worry about its contents!

"Stupid's my favorite word. It could be a noun, an adjective, or an adverb dependent upon the way you phrased it in a sentence."

One can say that Darcy lives in Darcyville which falls in the center of Stupidville? Maybe. Maybe not. My bet is on not. Darcy is far from stupid. I have my suspicions on the weird encounter at the end of the book. I can't wait for more of Darcyville to find out if I am right!

"There are punks, and then there are donkeys. For those in life that pack the double whammy-- where the punk in you makes a donkey out of your ass-- I refer to them as ponkeys. You, my friend, are one of the biggest ponkeys I've ever run across."
Darcy, Darcy, Darcy. Yet again she has taken us on an adventure we weren't sure she would survive. After the ending in No Brainer, one would think that she would have tamed her dragon a bit. Nope. More drama. More enemies. And... a little bit of lovin' with her and her bff? Maybe? Just a little? Come on DARCY!
We get more laughs and anticipation in this book... I mean, what else would you expect? More friendships formed. Darcy's clan grows and grows. Why wouldn't it? She is a magnet, not just for bad boys, but for any individual that seems to ever grace her presence!
I absolutely LOVED, LOVED this book! Some answers I had from the previous two books were answered-ish. I just wonder if Darcy's adventures are over... I sure hope not!

AJ Lape has brought many laughs and giggles with the first three books in this series. She did the same in this book, however she throw a cookie at me in this one. She drenched me in hot coffee and burned me with some series tears too! I was not expected the tears. The sadness and pity I felt for Darcy in this book is extremely heavy.

This book isn't like the other books. Sure, there are dead bodies falling out of walls. Sure there is Darcy's brothers coming to her aid. And yes, Dylan. What I didn't expect was not only the depths of the back-story of Darcy's mother, but I didn't expect things to go to where they went.

The second half of this book ripped my heart out. I sobbed like a baby, true story. I had to force myself to read it because it was so heavy. I was afraid of where AJ was going to take Darcy. I wanted to read it with my eyes closed... But that wasn't possible. I cringed a lot. I prayed a lot that no harm came to Darcy. To say this book shocked me is an understatement!

This book isn't all serious. We have Bean and some twerking. We have cheating girlfriends. Darcy attracts more male suiters. Darcy questions her relationship with Dylan to the point she drives him even more crazy. There is the "usual" plus more seriousness than we have yet to have.

Oh, I can't forget... Dodge Charger man... We finally get our answers. Yes, you read that right!!!

If you haven't started this series, you really should. The best part of this series, aside from the laughs, is that it is marketable for ALL ages. This is something your twelve year old can read and enjoy; it is something any adult can read and enjoy. You don't come across many books or series that are perfect for all age groups!

Darcy, Darcy Darcy..... You had me laughing and wanting to slap you silly the whole way through this adventure in Florida. You just can't seem to find a normal way to pass your time, can you? Yes, it is very altruistic of you to make it your mission to find a missing boy, whom you have no connection with. In the meantime, you cause all kind of trouble for yourself.
Switching gears, what the heckity heck! We all know you love your BFF, please don't deny it. He is by your side through all of your shenanigans...which will probably leave him with a full head of grey hair before he turns 20!
Some may think you are stupid because of your ability to find the most dangerous trouble possible.. That may possibly be... Or she is training (unbeknownst to her) to be the world's best spy...
Who knows! All I can say is this book was a page turner! I couldn't put it down. I actually went through withdraws when I HAD to put it down! Seriously, I did!
The only thing is, I am STILL left scratching my head... WHO IS YELLOW CHARGER DUDE from Grade A Stupid!!!!!! I thought I was going to have my suspicions either confirmed or proven wrong... I better find out in the next book!! Oh, and that bonus chapter? OMG! I am not sure what to think. Knowing what we know about Grizzly, should we be grossed out or not with knowing his particular aversions when it comes to "women'???? AHHHH! The fall cannot come fast enough!

This book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Fifteen years ago, Darcy Walker's parents thought it was a good idea to give her a unique name: Darcy, meaning "dark walker." Whether that was a stroke of genius or stroke of stupid, they definitely nailed the irony. She lacks direction, her grades stink despite a high IQ, she's boringly average—although flirting admirers claim otherwise—and God help her, she's infatuated with a bad-boy. A bad-boy that her hottie best friend, Dylan, wishes would get acquainted with his fist. And, oh yeah, there's that tattoo that was a royally stupid idea. With her life spiraling out of control, everything changes when she skips class and finds a dead body...in fact, it gets worse. It jump-starts Darcy's inner-verb, and her brain hardwired for action gets caught up in a situation she can't let go. Set in the fictional Cincinnati town of Valley, Ohio, Darcy falls into a world of threats, violence, and gangland exploits, chasing down every clue to finger the murderer. When a fellow misfit is arrested for the crime, Darcy goes from zero-to-sixty trying to clear his name—constructing aliases, breaking the law, everything that makes perfect sense to her, but reeks of Grade A Stupid to everyone else. Trouble is...will she live to see sixteen?

As a fan of Nancy Drew, Velma, and other meddling girl detectives, I loved the idea of this book. The book itself, however, was a letdown. The length of the book and the sheer number of characters overwhelming. At the 40% mark, I had to acknowledge that I was getting lost and losing interest because I couldn’t remember who anyone was. At that point, I skipped to the end of the book. I’ve never done that before, and I feel like I cheated. One shouldn’t get the benefit of the ending if they are not willing to do the work to get there. Be that as it may, I skipped better than 50% of the book and was able to grasp the resolution without feeling like I missed anything pivotal. That is not a good thing. To me, that means there were a whole lot of pages of unnecessary filler. The climax of the book was very exciting and action-packed, but with some fairly implausible physical feats. The villain apparently had Flash-like acceleration; a nice touch in fantasy novels, of which this is not one. The characters ranged from obnoxious to obsessive to abusive. All of the guys are either gorgeous or icky, and poor Darcy is just so plain and boring that the all the boys want her(?!?).
Don’t get me wrong, this book wasn’t awful, but it was frustrating. I’m giving it 2.5 stars because I did feel compelled to read the ending rather than just leaving the book unfinished.

Bienvenue sur Darcyville, où les choses semblent toujours aller de travers!

Don't have a clue to what I just said? Let me start again.....

Welcome to Darcyville, where things always seem to go awry! Why do I say that? Well, that is simple. Because they do. Darcy is one of those characters who always seems to make a fool of herself in the most inopportune times. You will see what I mean!

"But that was Darcyville. Stuff happened in Darcyville, and you were left to either accept it or annihilate the SOBs that caused it."

The characters in this story are just perfect! Darcy with her determination to make the wrongs that she feels she started, right. Her friends..... They are the perfect combination of daring, caring and sarcastic bunch of high schoolers.

One can never tell what is up and what is down. This book is a combination of teenagers being teenagers and part sleuth. Part sleuth? Well, you have to read the book to find out that part.

"EXPERTS SAY THEY may have identified a gene for the daredevil. I think I was first in line when God was passing out that type of idiocy."

I laughed so much throughout this book. It is pure genius! The combination of seriousness, teen angst, sarcasm, heroism and comedy.... I couldn't get enough of this story! This is the type of book that will appeal to both adults and teenagers! And to boot.... the use of "cuss" words is perfect! I would totally allow my teenagers read this without having to worry about its contents!

"Stupid's my favorite word. It could be a noun, an adjective, or an adverb dependent upon the way you phrased it in a sentence."

One can say that Darcy lives in Darcyville which falls in the center of Stupidville? Maybe. Maybe not. My bet is on not. Darcy is far from stupid. I have my suspicions on the weird encounter at the end of the book. I can't wait for more of Darcyville to find out if I am right!

"There are punks, and then there are donkeys. For those in life that pack the double whammy-- where the punk in you makes a donkey out of your ass-- I refer to them as ponkeys. You, my friend, are one of the biggest ponkeys I've ever run across."
Darcy, Darcy, Darcy. Yet again she has taken us on an adventure we weren't sure she would survive. After the ending in No Brainer, one would think that she would have tamed her dragon a bit. Nope. More drama. More enemies. And... a little bit of lovin' with her and her bff? Maybe? Just a little? Come on DARCY!
We get more laughs and anticipation in this book... I mean, what else would you expect? More friendships formed. Darcy's clan grows and grows. Why wouldn't it? She is a magnet, not just for bad boys, but for any individual that seems to ever grace her presence!
I absolutely LOVED, LOVED this book! Some answers I had from the previous two books were answered-ish. I just wonder if Darcy's adventures are over... I sure hope not!

AJ Lape has brought many laughs and giggles with the first three books in this series. She did the same in this book, however she throw a cookie at me in this one. She drenched me in hot coffee and burned me with some series tears too! I was not expected the tears. The sadness and pity I felt for Darcy in this book is extremely heavy.

This book isn't like the other books. Sure, there are dead bodies falling out of walls. Sure there is Darcy's brothers coming to her aid. And yes, Dylan. What I didn't expect was not only the depths of the back-story of Darcy's mother, but I didn't expect things to go to where they went.

The second half of this book ripped my heart out. I sobbed like a baby, true story. I had to force myself to read it because it was so heavy. I was afraid of where AJ was going to take Darcy. I wanted to read it with my eyes closed... But that wasn't possible. I cringed a lot. I prayed a lot that no harm came to Darcy. To say this book shocked me is an understatement!

This book isn't all serious. We have Bean and some twerking. We have cheating girlfriends. Darcy attracts more male suiters. Darcy questions her relationship with Dylan to the point she drives him even more crazy. There is the "usual" plus more seriousness than we have yet to have.

Oh, I can't forget... Dodge Charger man... We finally get our answers. Yes, you read that right!!!

If you haven't started this series, you really should. The best part of this series, aside from the laughs, is that it is marketable for ALL ages. This is something your twelve year old can read and enjoy; it is something any adult can read and enjoy. You don't come across many books or series that are perfect for all age groups!

Darcy, Darcy Darcy..... You had me laughing and wanting to slap you silly the whole way through this adventure in Florida. You just can't seem to find a normal way to pass your time, can you? Yes, it is very altruistic of you to make it your mission to find a missing boy, whom you have no connection with. In the meantime, you cause all kind of trouble for yourself.
Switching gears, what the heckity heck! We all know you love your BFF, please don't deny it. He is by your side through all of your shenanigans...which will probably leave him with a full head of grey hair before he turns 20!
Some may think you are stupid because of your ability to find the most dangerous trouble possible.. That may possibly be... Or she is training (unbeknownst to her) to be the world's best spy...
Who knows! All I can say is this book was a page turner! I couldn't put it down. I actually went through withdraws when I HAD to put it down! Seriously, I did!
The only thing is, I am STILL left scratching my head... WHO IS YELLOW CHARGER DUDE from Grade A Stupid!!!!!! I thought I was going to have my suspicions either confirmed or proven wrong... I better find out in the next book!! Oh, and that bonus chapter? OMG! I am not sure what to think. Knowing what we know about Grizzly, should we be grossed out or not with knowing his particular aversions when it comes to "women'???? AHHHH! The fall cannot come fast enough!

Darcy Walker (she considers her name a verb that she needs to live up to) is a high school sophomore who finds a body and becomes determined to find out who killed the guy. What results is a wild result in Darcyville where she investigates possibilities. She also has to deal with the girls lusting after her best friend, a boy named Dylan who was super-hot and very possessive probably because Darcy is doing some of her own hunk-gazing.

I couldn't stop reading this it was fun with something happening all the time. You probably aren't going to want to read this if you're hoping for a fine piece of literature with language to match because this is about high school students and I think Ms. Lape does a great job channeling their language and attitudes. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Darcy Walker (she considers her name a verb that she needs to live up to) is a high school sophomore who finds a body and becomes determined to find out who killed the guy. What results is a wild result in Darcyville where she investigates possibilities. She also has to deal with the girls lusting after her best friend, a boy named Dylan who was super-hot and very possessive probably because Darcy is doing some of her own hunk-gazing.

I couldn't stop reading this it was fun with something happening all the time. You probably aren't going to want to read this if you're hoping for a fine piece of literature with language to match because this is about high school students and I think Ms. Lape does a great job channeling their language and attitudes. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Darcy Walker (she considers her name a verb that she needs to live up to) is a high school sophomore who finds a body and becomes determined to find out who killed the guy. What results is a wild result in Darcyville where she investigates possibilities. She also has to deal with the girls lusting after her best friend, a boy named Dylan who was super-hot and very possessive probably because Darcy is doing some of her own hunk-gazing.

I couldn't stop reading this it was fun with something happening all the time. You probably aren't going to want to read this if you're hoping for a fine piece of literature with language to match because this is about high school students and I think Ms. Lape does a great job channeling their language and attitudes. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Wow, these books are a non-stop teen adrenaline. Darcy tops her previous story. The only reason I gave this a four star rating is because I want to know about Darcy's past.

Wow, these books are a non-stop teen adrenaline. Darcy tops her previous story. The only reason I gave this a four star rating is because I want to know about Darcy's past.

Wow, these books are a non-stop teen adrenaline. Darcy tops her previous story. The only reason I gave this a four star rating is because I want to know about Darcy's past.

Reading "100 Proof Stud" is like having a fear of heights and getting in the roller-coaster car anyway. It's a white-knuckle, half terrifying/half thrilling ride. Once your hair settles back onto your head and you realize you are at a full stop, still breathing and heart still beating, a hint of a smile appears on your lips. You might need help to a nearby bench until your knees work properly again, but eventually you will say "Let's do it again."

Frankly, "100 Proof Stud" is probably not the kind of book I would normally have chosen to read. I'm *ahem* middle-aged and don't have much patience for the antics and attitudes of some young adults. But they say 'with age comes wisdom' and I've learned that I'm not always right in my first impressions. Go figure. "Stud" is definitely quirky. But if I would have passed it by because of that, it would have been my loss. I will be reading all of Darcy's other adventures at some point.

Darcy Walker, the 16-year old main character, also serves as narrator. Reading about her antics and adventures is sometimes like reading a whole other language - but let's face it, she's a teenager. If we are not experiencing those days for ourselves at the moment, we probably remember them. A young adult of that age is not necessarily the most logical animal in the zoo. Who else would buy a book on the migratory patterns of the cuckoo to get the free hot dog that comes with it?

In the space of a few months, Darcy is injured in two separate vehicle 'incidents'. They have to be called that because in the first one, the car in which she was riding was intentionally struck. In the second occurrence she absent-mindedly steps out in front of a car. Of course, the first time she may have been a target, and the driver of the (other) vehicle was intentionally trying to harm her. In the second, the driver of the vehicle was a handsome young man, and she worries at least as much about her awkwardness as her injuries.

Darcy is just plain crazy ... the good kind. She gets in over her head at least a couple of times a day. Some of those over-the-heads are harder to come back from than others. But she's also the kind of crazy that hides her boss's keys so he'll have to sleep in the store and not try to drive home drunk. The world needs more of that kind of crazy, so I guess we need more Darcy. Luckily, I don't think we have long to wait.

4 STARS

100 Proof Stud is full of giggles, hot boys, hot girls and drama of high school. There is also some crime happening around the school area. Darcy plans to solve she can use the money for Christmas.

Darcy is in high school. Her best friend is Dylan Taylor. She hangs around with a lot of guys that she has adopted into her gang with their permission or not. She works in a book store. She gets into messes because she is curious and finds dead bodies.

Dylan Taylor is a rich school jock who is also smart. He and Darcy have been best friends for years. Now his feelings are changing. He is a good guy but has a temper especially if someone is hurting Darcy.

Darcy was asked by coach to figure out who spray painted his car. She agrees for a reward. She also finds some fake Ids and falls into looking for the students who are thought to be behind it. The leader is even thought to kill a couple of guys who have found out who he is. Darcy gets her friends into helping her.

Their is good suspense of who is behind the different crimes. Also with different people who want to see her safe.
There is plenty of soap drama with relationships around her with adults and high school students. Dylan wants to start dating Darcy but she is afraid it will damage what they have. Plus she thinks he deserves better than her.

Darcy has a fake identity called Jester. So her family won't find out what she is doing. a reporter has had his identity stolen and was calling her Aunt about it.

The story was a little long for me had to read it over a couple of days. Do like Darcy and her friends.
I have the first two books to read about Darcy and her friends and will look forward to reading them too.
I was given this ebook to read and in return agreed to give honest review of 100 Proof Stud.