At first I didn't like this book because he kept going on about his growing body hair, how stupid fast he was becoming, and his crazy mother and brother. Then very subtly the tone shifted to reveal what a train wreck his home-life was becoming at the same time his social life and a budding romance were the only good things in his life. It almost seemed like the book was trying to explore too many issues at once - a parent's suicide, bullying, friendship gone bad, depression - but they were all part of the personality of Felton Reinstein and his growing anxiety about the many changes in his adolescent life. He learned things about his deceased father and his mother when he finally reached out for help, realizing that he could not deal with grownup problems on his own. I can see this book appealing to a variety of different teen boys, not just jocks. ( )

I really liked this YA novel. He always tries to do the right thing, even though life throws him a curve or two. Good story. I didn't realize it was the first in a series. Now I will have to dig through my shelves to find the other two books. ( )

Okay first off, before anything else, a shout out to whoever wrote the synopsis for this book! THANK YOU for giving us just enough to be drawn in, and not spoiling anything big. I'm kind of frustrated with the way that book jackets pretty much tell you the plot lately. On to the review!

In my quest for more books from the male perspective, I stumbled upon Stupid Fast. I was really drawn in by the description, and so I signed up for the tour so I could read devour it. You know what? Best decision I ever made! Geoff Herbach should know that his book is fantastic! It's hilarious, it's a realistic portrayal of a teenage boy, it's heartwarming, it's emotional, oh and did I mention it's also hilarious?

Felton has one of the most original voices of any character that I've read this year. His character is funny, silly, sweet, adorable, and all kinds of awkward. Of course the most endearing thing about him is that this is all because he's struggling to grow up. See, Felton is pretty much the parent to his younger brother Andrew, since his mother is a fairly absent parent. The two of them bicker, much like all siblings do, but you can see the love that is there too. My favorite part about Felton though was his unabashed (and hilarious) view of the world around him. The way he phrases things had me laughing out loud! I'm glad I read this book at home, and not on the bus!

Stupid Fast is such a multi-faceted book too. On the surface are Felton's physical changes, that allow him to be brought into the world of football. His status as a "nobody" disappears, and all of the sudden he is faced with a much different set of social rules. However it's not only his social life that changes when this happens. Bring on the emotional parts of the book. As things start to get better in one aspect of his life, it becomes a struggle in the others. Watching Felton deal with his dysfunctional home life, with the dark secrets that are buried under his family, was really touching. I liked the fact that Geoff wasn't afraid to show that Felton isn't just a one dimensional guy. He, like all the rest of us, has to figure out what is most important in his life.

I fully admit that I devoured this book in one complete sitting. The mixture of serious emotions, life changing discoveries, and all out humor, made Stupid Fast a book that I simply couldn't set down. My eyes were glued to the page people. Honest to goodness. I fell in love with Felton and his story, and I'm sure that you will too! I'd love to say more, but I'll leave it up to you to discover this fantastic character and story. Trust me, you need a copy.
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Narrated by Fred Berman. Felton has always been a bit of a geek in high school, but suddenly he starts growing and fast. During a transformative summer, he is recruited for the football team and falls in love with Aleah, a gifted pianist. But he seems to miss that his mother has fallen into a deep depression that's impacting the family. Berman is hugely expressive and entertaining, humorously and viscerally capturing Felton’s insecurities and self-effacingly bitter humor. There are times he sounds like Regis Philbin, which is pretty funny. ( )

Maybe it has to do with turning 50, but I’ve been reading a lot of books about high school:

Hairstyles of the Damned, Joe Meno
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky
Stupid Fast, Geoff Herbach
You, Charles Benoit (currently reading)

All very different books. Very different styles. There’s tension in Meno’s Hairstyles of the Damned and Benoit’s You. Chbosky’s Wallflower spoke the most to me personally. And Herbach’s Stupid Fast was fast and loose, a goofy, rambling prose that sounded very much like a teenager’s thoughts.

Felton Reinstein is undergoing a transformation – physical and emotional growing pains. Over the summer, the 15 year old is going through a tremendous growth spurt, hitting puberty like a freight train, and feeling like a freak. He’s also discovered that he’s Stupid Fast: a natural-born runner, he’s now been recruited for his high school football team.

Herbach excels at capturing the tumbling thoughts, the insecurities and puzzlements about changes in life. Felton doesn’t understand what’s happening to his body, nor does he understand why everyone on his football team is excited that he’s joined. They see amazing potential; he feels like he’s five steps behind everyone else.

The story starts off slow and rambling, in that it takes a while before Felton begins to engage with life. Meanwhile, his mother and his younger brother are having their own nervous breakdowns. Felton wants to connect with them but being fifteen he doesn’t know how.

The story kicks into gear with the introduction of Aleah, the new girl in town. She’s an exceptional pianist and a quirky individual. There’s instant attraction between them, but Felton doesn’t understand why (after all, he’s a freak).

Felton’s burgeoning maturity comes off naturally. This is a kid who is trying to understand himself and his place in the world. He’s learning that life has obstacles and challenges, and that’s okay.

There are two more books in the series: Nothing Special and I’m with Stupid. Both are on my reading list.
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