Lindsay's Review: fml by Shaun David Hutchinson

fml by Shaun David Hutchinson
Series: None, but a book called wtf is on it's way
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance
Rating: ★★★★
Pages: 304
Published by Simon Pulse on June 25, 2013
Date Finished: August 15, 2013
Goodreads • Amazon • Barnes & Noble

There’s more than one way to get the girl in this fun and fast-paced novel about one epic party and a kiss that could change everything.Tonight’s the night: Simon’s big chance to finally get with Cassie. Cassie, who he’s loved for ages. Cassie, who is newly boyfriend-free. Cassie, who just happens to be throwing the biggest party of the year. Simon’s plan is simple: He’ll go to the party, she’ll fall in love with him, they’ll make out like crazy, and the night will be a complete success.
But things don’t ever go as planned…especially when it comes to Cassie.
In two alternating plotlines, Simon goes after the girl of his dreams and stumbles toward his destiny. It’s one night, one party, and a thousand ways for things to go wrong…but a million ways for them to go right.

I am conflicted. Oh, how I am so conflicted about how I feel about this book. On one hand, I think it was amazing and unique. But on the other I want to crush the book in my hands and question what the heck did I just read.

When I started this book, I mistakenly thought that it was alternating point of views between the guy, Simon, who's trying to get the girl, and the girl, Cassie, who is throwing the best party of the summer while her parents aren't home. However, quickly I began to realize that it isn't two perspectives. It's two realties. Let's just let that sink into your brain for a moment.

As I came to realize that, I said the books title over and over and over again. Shit was about to get more confusing than Lord of the Rings and I was questioning what the hell I had just gotten myself into. But it wasn't as bad as I thought. Sure, the author could have specified a bit more how it worked out, because it did take me a few chapters in to realize that one reality was titled Living The Dream and the other was Reality Bites. Though the idea was unique, and the story was hilarious, so Hutchinson was easily forgiven once I got the hang of things.

But that didn't stop me from complaining. Oh, the main character, Simon, how I wanted to smack him. I would have taken another star or two off for his stupidity, but it didn't go around the book unnoticed. His friends noticed, which I was glad for, and basically everyone else. Even Cassie noticed how stupidly he was in love with her, but Simon was an idiot for most of the book going after her anyways.

Don't get me wrong - though there were things like that I disliked, it was a generally good book. The humor was laugh out loud funny, from Ben, Simon's friend pointing out how once he farted so hard he crapped in his pants to inappropriate teenage thoughts that made me giggle. To the scenarios that Simon got himself put in both in the reality where he goes for Cassie, and the reality where he doesn't but somehow ends up going for her anyway.

"Then I changed my mind, because fuck it: I'm seventeen, lonely and horny. If I bailed on the party, not only would Coop and Ben never forgive me, but I'd have nothing else to do tonight that didn't involve a bottle of lotion and a crusty sock of Catholic shame."
- Second paragraph of the first page

On a side note, I give props to the author for making an openly gay couple who happens to be Simon's best friends. On top of that, they weren't discriminated against or outcasts, but fairly popular. Though a character or two called them names, everyone else was okay with them being gay. I've never read a book with this before, and I'm really happy that an author addressed the issue of being gay and showed readers that they don't have to put up with people who look down on it.

I won't get into Cassie's character - because what I'll say about her might not only spoil the book, but won't be nice. But instead I'll tell you why I love Stella so much. She has a blind dog named Falcor, she's a girl who doesn't care what anyone thinks, and then there's this line:
"The Nash family motto is: Never give up." Stella frowned. "It's actually: Never give up cake. But that doesn't exactly apply here."

I won't tell you the ending, but though I'm slightly confused whether the Living the Dream or Reality Bites one was real, both plotlines ended with Simon going for a certain girl and though he only kissed her in one, both of them ended with me having a smile on my face.

Though I'm slightly disappointed that I paid for this book with my short amount of cash, I'm glad I read it. It is a good read, but probably one of those books I'll have on my shelf but never read again. If you can find it in your library or want to fess up the money, go for it. You'll laugh, maybe blush a little from the crudeness, and in the end might be quoting inappropriate lines from this book to your parents.

I know I will be. 

'We're all imperfect people looking for perfect moments to share with other imperfect people.'