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Notes from the Blender
Declan loves death metal—particularly from Finland. And video games—violent ones. And internet porn—any kind, really. He goes to school with Neilly Foster and spends most of his classroom time wondering what it might be like to know her, to talk to her, maybe even to graze against her sweater in the hallway.
Neilly is an accomplished gymnast, naturally beautiful, and a constant presence at all the best parties (to which Declan is never invited). She's the queen of cool, the princess of poker face, and her rule is uncontested—or it was until today, when she's dumped by her boyfriend, betrayed by her former BFF Lulu, and then informed she's getting a new brother—of the freaky fellow classmate variety.
Declan's dad is marrying Neilly's mom. Soon. Which means they'll be moving in together.
256 pages
First published July 23, 2010
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June 25, 2015
"Notes from the [Family] Blender" is a book which grew only slowly on me because of one of the two main characters (yes, this book has switching points of view by two different authors): During the first chapters the guy, Declan, presents himself to us as the kind of teenage boy I always thought I could live without knowing: The sort that is forever playing violent xBox-games, listening to music which revels in sheer brutality, watching non-stop internet porn and talking the rest of the time about their own penis and its voluntary and involuntary activities. Ughh. The reader gets the chance to peek beyond this partly constructed persona a little farther into the story, when Neilly, the girl-part of this strangers-become-siblings-in-a-patchwork-family-equation, detected the hidden sweet traits of her "new bro" on the spot, smiled cheekily and unoffendedly about his guess-how-many-goth-chicks-I-have-nailed-bragging, threw in some counter-remarks and unabashedly went ahead to instruct him about how to get a girl without pointing out that she sees straight through his armour. I unexpectedly started to like Declan and cheer for him right along with Neilly. I began to understand the emotions he had piled up inside of his mind since his mother's car-crash-death which happened right in front of his eyes. And in the end I felt for him even in situations Neilly did not.
Neilly is a heroine I instantly liked. Same goes for her mother Carmen. The rest of the parental crowd (three more guys) and another new step-brother, the angelic Griffin, did not convince me so much. Also I think that the church aspect is a bit too preachy, a bit overdone. In case you wonder: No, this story does not point out the usual Christian doctrine. The church youth group both sets of parents urge their offspring to attend is one that worships Jesus, Buddha and Mother Earth in one person, has the congregation's motto "Love Makes A Family" inscripted above the entrance and offers commitment ceremonies to same-sex couples whom the state Neilly and Declan reside in refuses to unite in marriage. In addition the evils of drinking alcohol and taking drugs were shouted repeatedly at the reader along with the debatable message that it is super-easy and cool to stay away from illegal substances, because the interestingly wicked people abstain anyhow. All fine and alright with me, but I like it better when authors drive down the road determined to tell a great, believable story withought swaying into the sermon line and without stopping at picnic areas to to hand out flyers on "How to improve our intolerant and godless society".
Recommended to fans of multiple-point-of-view-contemporary YA who do not mind to be lectured a bit.
Neilly is a heroine I instantly liked. Same goes for her mother Carmen. The rest of the parental crowd (three more guys) and another new step-brother, the angelic Griffin, did not convince me so much. Also I think that the church aspect is a bit too preachy, a bit overdone. In case you wonder: No, this story does not point out the usual Christian doctrine. The church youth group both sets of parents urge their offspring to attend is one that worships Jesus, Buddha and Mother Earth in one person, has the congregation's motto "Love Makes A Family" inscripted above the entrance and offers commitment ceremonies to same-sex couples whom the state Neilly and Declan reside in refuses to unite in marriage. In addition the evils of drinking alcohol and taking drugs were shouted repeatedly at the reader along with the debatable message that it is super-easy and cool to stay away from illegal substances, because the interestingly wicked people abstain anyhow. All fine and alright with me, but I like it better when authors drive down the road determined to tell a great, believable story withought swaying into the sermon line and without stopping at picnic areas to to hand out flyers on "How to improve our intolerant and godless society".
Recommended to fans of multiple-point-of-view-contemporary YA who do not mind to be lectured a bit.
October 2, 2012
Eeek!
I just finished reading Notes from the Blender and I’m grinning so hard my cheeks hurt and I’m actually tearing up too. Damn, it was good.
Notes from the Blender we follow Declan and Neilly.
Declan is a teenage boy obsessed with metal music, he wears black all the time, he plays way too many video games and is a little bit of a pervert. In a completely hilarious way. He doesn’t have many friends, and that probably has more to do with his choices than with him being socially awkward, because I never felt he was. Other than making sex jokes all the time. Okay, so maybe, just maybe he was. A little.
Neilly is in the popular crowd. She has a popular boyfriend, a best friend, goes to lots of parties. She’s beautiful and you know, the usual. She is a little self-centered too, but we forgive her.
So how do this two completely different people get mixed up together? Easy, get his dad to knock her mom up and you’re set.
Yes. So now Dec’s dad is marring Neilly’s mom. And they are having a little “devil spawn.” Their lives get turned upside down. New house, new family, new people, new everything. Which means they are moving in together. And above it all Neilly just lost her best friend and her boyfriend all in the same day. And Dec can’t stop having not-so-sisterly-thoughts about Neilly, or feeling like his father is trying to replace his mother (who died in a car accident when he was nine) and/or him.
Notes from the Blender was hilarious. I don’t come across many books that make me laugh out loud like this, actually I think only one book made me actually laugh-laugh, if you know what I mean? And this one did too, not to that extent, but I found myself grinning most of the time. Dec is incredibly hilarious with his inappropriate comments and all.
But, surprising enough, it actually made me cry too. I know, what a mess! But I couldn’t help but feel for Dec so much! He was used to being just him and his dad and then all of a sudden he’s having a stepmother, and two stepsisters (with one yet to be born)? It was understandable he would miss his mother, and I hurt for him.
Notes from the Blender is told from both Dec and Neilly’s point of view, so you get to understand and feel for these two characters, and see how they grow and learn to accept each other and what life was throwing at them. I don’t know if I should classify this as a light read, given it made me cry, but it’s more on the humor side, I assure you. Dec just got to me a little more than it should have, probably.
I just finished reading Notes from the Blender and I’m grinning so hard my cheeks hurt and I’m actually tearing up too. Damn, it was good.
Notes from the Blender we follow Declan and Neilly.
Declan is a teenage boy obsessed with metal music, he wears black all the time, he plays way too many video games and is a little bit of a pervert. In a completely hilarious way. He doesn’t have many friends, and that probably has more to do with his choices than with him being socially awkward, because I never felt he was. Other than making sex jokes all the time. Okay, so maybe, just maybe he was. A little.
Neilly is in the popular crowd. She has a popular boyfriend, a best friend, goes to lots of parties. She’s beautiful and you know, the usual. She is a little self-centered too, but we forgive her.
So how do this two completely different people get mixed up together? Easy, get his dad to knock her mom up and you’re set.
Yes. So now Dec’s dad is marring Neilly’s mom. And they are having a little “devil spawn.” Their lives get turned upside down. New house, new family, new people, new everything. Which means they are moving in together. And above it all Neilly just lost her best friend and her boyfriend all in the same day. And Dec can’t stop having not-so-sisterly-thoughts about Neilly, or feeling like his father is trying to replace his mother (who died in a car accident when he was nine) and/or him.
Notes from the Blender was hilarious. I don’t come across many books that make me laugh out loud like this, actually I think only one book made me actually laugh-laugh, if you know what I mean? And this one did too, not to that extent, but I found myself grinning most of the time. Dec is incredibly hilarious with his inappropriate comments and all.
"A bond that he will always treasure. I was being raised by a human greeting card."
But, surprising enough, it actually made me cry too. I know, what a mess! But I couldn’t help but feel for Dec so much! He was used to being just him and his dad and then all of a sudden he’s having a stepmother, and two stepsisters (with one yet to be born)? It was understandable he would miss his mother, and I hurt for him.
Notes from the Blender is told from both Dec and Neilly’s point of view, so you get to understand and feel for these two characters, and see how they grow and learn to accept each other and what life was throwing at them. I don’t know if I should classify this as a light read, given it made me cry, but it’s more on the humor side, I assure you. Dec just got to me a little more than it should have, probably.
"I had a terrible epiphany at that moment. I had thought that I didn't understand girls because I never got near them, but here I was, sitting in Neilly Foster's kitchen eating ice cream with her, and I had no fucking idea what made her mind work. So it wasn't proximity that was the problem. It was that they were fundamentally unknowable."
August 8, 2011
He de decir, primero que nada, que el libro no me gustó. L
La novela cambia constantemente de narración, pasando entre Declan y Neilly.
Desde el primer capítulo, las autoras nos narran un poco de la vida de ambos. Declan, perdió a su madre desde pequeño, y ha estado viviendo con su padre y él solos. Declan escucha música fuerte, con letras de asesinos y violaciones, etc. Le gusta la pornografía, pasar horas con sus videos juegos, pero sin embargo, los fines de semana debe ayudar a su Tía en la iglesia. ¿Gran contradicción, verdad? Su padre estaba preocupado por toda la violencia que Declan tiene en su vida, así que lo obligó a pasar sus fines de semana así.
Luego tenemos a Neilly. La vida de ella tampoco es perfecta. Su padres se divorciaron hace tiempo, ¿La razón? Su padre es gay, ¡Sí! ¡Gay! Y lo peor fue enterarse que el mejor amigo de su papá, al cual ella llamaba tío, era su pareja. Cuando la escuela se enteró, ella fingió no importarle los chismes, las bromas y palabras a sus espaldas, se endureció. Después de un tiempo, la paz llegaba a su vida, tenía una buena amiga, un novio popular y que la quería, su papá se casaría pronto, y la relación con su mamá era cercana, hasta que un día… ¡Todo se va por la borda! Su novio termina con ella, en el baño la más chismosa de la escuela le dice que su mejor amiga se besó con su novio el fin de semana que ella viajo con su papá, ¡Delante de todos! Y para colmo, al llegar a su casa (Más temprano de lo normal) descubre a un hombre calvo, medio desnudo, en su casa, ¡Su mamá no estaba trabajando horas extras, como decía! El por día de su vida, más la noticia de que ellos se casarían, ya que su mamá estaba embarazada.
¿Se preguntaran porque no me gustó?
Porque los personajes no estaban definidos, es decir, Declan llora en varios capítulos, se unen encaprichados contra sus padres, Neilly es dulce y después una perra, creyendo que todo el mundo está en su contra y despreciando a la gente.
Hubo escenas divertidas, que me hicieron reír, pero que me parecieron irónicas en mal aspecto. Es decir, ¿Tu papá te dice que se casara porque embarazo a una mujer y te ríes? Me pareció una acción sobreactuada.
Además, la iglesia me pareció mal puesta en la historia, las autoras querían que tuviera un papel importante en las vidas de los protagonistas, pero consideré que exageraron con eso. Es decir, el chico va a la iglesia, no deja de tener erecciones al pensar en vivir con Neilly, y escucha música violenta, ¡Poco creíble! Y el romance no me fue creíble.
Otra cosa que no me gustó, fue sin duda la narración, bastante plana a mi gusto.
Pero bueno, quizás a alguien más le encanté el libro, pero a mí no.
La novela cambia constantemente de narración, pasando entre Declan y Neilly.
Desde el primer capítulo, las autoras nos narran un poco de la vida de ambos. Declan, perdió a su madre desde pequeño, y ha estado viviendo con su padre y él solos. Declan escucha música fuerte, con letras de asesinos y violaciones, etc. Le gusta la pornografía, pasar horas con sus videos juegos, pero sin embargo, los fines de semana debe ayudar a su Tía en la iglesia. ¿Gran contradicción, verdad? Su padre estaba preocupado por toda la violencia que Declan tiene en su vida, así que lo obligó a pasar sus fines de semana así.
Luego tenemos a Neilly. La vida de ella tampoco es perfecta. Su padres se divorciaron hace tiempo, ¿La razón? Su padre es gay, ¡Sí! ¡Gay! Y lo peor fue enterarse que el mejor amigo de su papá, al cual ella llamaba tío, era su pareja. Cuando la escuela se enteró, ella fingió no importarle los chismes, las bromas y palabras a sus espaldas, se endureció. Después de un tiempo, la paz llegaba a su vida, tenía una buena amiga, un novio popular y que la quería, su papá se casaría pronto, y la relación con su mamá era cercana, hasta que un día… ¡Todo se va por la borda! Su novio termina con ella, en el baño la más chismosa de la escuela le dice que su mejor amiga se besó con su novio el fin de semana que ella viajo con su papá, ¡Delante de todos! Y para colmo, al llegar a su casa (Más temprano de lo normal) descubre a un hombre calvo, medio desnudo, en su casa, ¡Su mamá no estaba trabajando horas extras, como decía! El por día de su vida, más la noticia de que ellos se casarían, ya que su mamá estaba embarazada.
¿Se preguntaran porque no me gustó?
Porque los personajes no estaban definidos, es decir, Declan llora en varios capítulos, se unen encaprichados contra sus padres, Neilly es dulce y después una perra, creyendo que todo el mundo está en su contra y despreciando a la gente.
Hubo escenas divertidas, que me hicieron reír, pero que me parecieron irónicas en mal aspecto. Es decir, ¿Tu papá te dice que se casara porque embarazo a una mujer y te ríes? Me pareció una acción sobreactuada.
Además, la iglesia me pareció mal puesta en la historia, las autoras querían que tuviera un papel importante en las vidas de los protagonistas, pero consideré que exageraron con eso. Es decir, el chico va a la iglesia, no deja de tener erecciones al pensar en vivir con Neilly, y escucha música violenta, ¡Poco creíble! Y el romance no me fue creíble.
Otra cosa que no me gustó, fue sin duda la narración, bastante plana a mi gusto.
Pero bueno, quizás a alguien más le encanté el libro, pero a mí no.
August 31, 2011
I seem to be on a contemporary YA kick. Maybe because it’s summertime. Or maybe I’ve gotten sick of fantasy (not likely)? Whatever the case, I’ve been lucky and enjoyed some top-notch reading in the genre this year, including Sean Griswold’s Head, Epic Fail, and today’s pick, Notes from the Blender.
Two things drew me to this book: the contrast presented on in the cover art, and the summary. Okay, so mostly it was the summary. But a cute cover that ‘matches’ the tone of the book never hurts, either, and this one certainly captures the quirky/fun/hilarious vibe of the novel. Beside both of those things, Princess Bookie’s review caught my eye last week. Sometimes that is all it takes.
Notes from the Blender is a funny, crazy, angsty, REAL book. It’s the kind of thing I read now as an adult and appreciate, but wish with all my heart I’d picked up in high school, when I was so busy judging everyone and everything. It’s heartfelt and sweet, and it made me laugh out loud multiple times. It’s the kind of book that I’d read aloud to my roommate in bits just so I could see her eyebrows fly up. It’s special.
The book is narrated in two voices – Neilly and Declan take turns telling their story. Both of these kids are going through rough spots, and they’re dealing with adjustment to a blended family at the same time. Just like real life, there are poor decisions, combustible situations, and a lot of odd and hilarious moments.
There are several strong side characters in addition to Declan and Neilly, and one that I identified with was Declan’s Aunt Sarah, who is a Unitarian minister. Her part in the plot is small, but she’s still a fun, loving woman dedicated to helping others heal. She’s the sort of character you want to meet in real life. Not perfect, but kind and dedicated (the person you'd be if you put more effort into it, maybe). Notes made me reflect on multiple paths of personal development when it wasn’t making me snort with laughter. And that combo is a very good thing.
Recommended for: older teens, guys AND girls, readers who have experienced blended families (and who hasn’t these days?), those looking for a strong dose of humor in their contemporary YA lit, and anyone who has caught themselves wondering what an authentic male teen voice sounds like (horny and all).
Two things drew me to this book: the contrast presented on in the cover art, and the summary. Okay, so mostly it was the summary. But a cute cover that ‘matches’ the tone of the book never hurts, either, and this one certainly captures the quirky/fun/hilarious vibe of the novel. Beside both of those things, Princess Bookie’s review caught my eye last week. Sometimes that is all it takes.
Notes from the Blender is a funny, crazy, angsty, REAL book. It’s the kind of thing I read now as an adult and appreciate, but wish with all my heart I’d picked up in high school, when I was so busy judging everyone and everything. It’s heartfelt and sweet, and it made me laugh out loud multiple times. It’s the kind of book that I’d read aloud to my roommate in bits just so I could see her eyebrows fly up. It’s special.
The book is narrated in two voices – Neilly and Declan take turns telling their story. Both of these kids are going through rough spots, and they’re dealing with adjustment to a blended family at the same time. Just like real life, there are poor decisions, combustible situations, and a lot of odd and hilarious moments.
There are several strong side characters in addition to Declan and Neilly, and one that I identified with was Declan’s Aunt Sarah, who is a Unitarian minister. Her part in the plot is small, but she’s still a fun, loving woman dedicated to helping others heal. She’s the sort of character you want to meet in real life. Not perfect, but kind and dedicated (the person you'd be if you put more effort into it, maybe). Notes made me reflect on multiple paths of personal development when it wasn’t making me snort with laughter. And that combo is a very good thing.
Recommended for: older teens, guys AND girls, readers who have experienced blended families (and who hasn’t these days?), those looking for a strong dose of humor in their contemporary YA lit, and anyone who has caught themselves wondering what an authentic male teen voice sounds like (horny and all).
June 19, 2012
Grades 9-10+. Declan is a goth-wannabee who listens to angry music and plays violent video games to deal with the loss of his mother some six years ago. Neilly is cold but popular, dealing with ridicule at school after her parents divorce when her father falls for another man. Their two worlds suddenly collide when their parents fall in love, announce they are getting married-- and are having a baby. Told from two perspectives, this book seems very real. The language, the desires, the emotions are all on display. What makes this book truly exceptional is how available and supportive the adults in their lives are-- and how vulnerable everyone (adult and teen) feel. This book will make you laugh as Declan tries not to think of his new stepsister "that way" and it will make you cry as emotions bubble up as characters try to move beyond the pain in their lives. Truly five stars.
June 25, 2015
Light, fun and sweet YA read where the teen H and h become step siblings suddenly - and DON'T end up falling in love. The book was good for my soul and kind of reaffirmed my faith that the world wasn't going crazy, lol, after witnessing the recent glut of step-romances out there!
H/h end up close friends and exactly what they need right then in life; plus h gets her HEA with an awesome guy, so not to worry.
4 stars!
H/h end up close friends and exactly what they need right then in life; plus h gets her HEA with an awesome guy, so not to worry.
4 stars!
December 27, 2012
Declan.
Oh, Declan. You're such a little perv, and all I want to do to you is hug you.
January 26, 2018
I just finished reading this book and I do not regret it. Declan and Neilly have gone through A LOT. I especially loved the ending. I couldn’t help but smile so big when their parents got married and when Carmen delivered her baby. I recommend this book to everyone but mostly young adults.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2011
Okay, Notes From The Blender. Here's everything I think you should know if you plan on reading this:
#1: Declan is a boy, however weird people may believe him to be. This book doesn't sugar coat it. He listens to strange music, he plays ultra violent video games, he is a little obsessed with the popular girl at school and cute girls in general, and he likes porn, which the majority of boys do, even if they deny it.
You can learn most of this from the inside of the front cover. But what you don't learn is that Declan's honesty about his feelings and sexuality is endearing and really grows on you. When he makes a bad decision you want to scream at him to stop, but obviously he wouldn't hear you. He's like a super real, kinda weird, but all together awesome indie dude but he probably wouldn't want to be called indie, he'd love if you called him a hot death metal bad-ass.
#2: Neilly is known as the most popular girl at school. On the surface she seems like the overdone superficial type. You know, those girls you see in movies and read about in books, that walk with a clique following her and her hair blowing in the wind, until a extra hunky jock wraps his arms around her. That's what she seems like.
But she actually does have a lot going on in her life. Not only does she get dumped and betrayed by her boyfriend and her best friend she realizes that being popular doesn't mean you have friends.
What do these too have in common? Besides Declan's long lasting lust for her, it would seem there's nothing. Until they find out they are going to be step siblings. Which I bet you can tell starts a whole pile of bs.
I liked this book. This is funny, and cynical and at times really mean. I can't help like it. I think of it as a powerhouse duo similar to David Levithan and Rachel Cohn. Trust me, that's a huge compliment. Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin work very well together and I look forward to more of their work, together and separately.
The story didn't ramble on, which I really do not like in a book. It was sweet, kind of sad at times, very funny and overall, to the point. I loved the church youth group parts and the author's take on gay relationships. It's definitely a book I enjoyed reading and I would recommend it.
#1: Declan is a boy, however weird people may believe him to be. This book doesn't sugar coat it. He listens to strange music, he plays ultra violent video games, he is a little obsessed with the popular girl at school and cute girls in general, and he likes porn, which the majority of boys do, even if they deny it.
You can learn most of this from the inside of the front cover. But what you don't learn is that Declan's honesty about his feelings and sexuality is endearing and really grows on you. When he makes a bad decision you want to scream at him to stop, but obviously he wouldn't hear you. He's like a super real, kinda weird, but all together awesome indie dude but he probably wouldn't want to be called indie, he'd love if you called him a hot death metal bad-ass.
#2: Neilly is known as the most popular girl at school. On the surface she seems like the overdone superficial type. You know, those girls you see in movies and read about in books, that walk with a clique following her and her hair blowing in the wind, until a extra hunky jock wraps his arms around her. That's what she seems like.
But she actually does have a lot going on in her life. Not only does she get dumped and betrayed by her boyfriend and her best friend she realizes that being popular doesn't mean you have friends.
What do these too have in common? Besides Declan's long lasting lust for her, it would seem there's nothing. Until they find out they are going to be step siblings. Which I bet you can tell starts a whole pile of bs.
I liked this book. This is funny, and cynical and at times really mean. I can't help like it. I think of it as a powerhouse duo similar to David Levithan and Rachel Cohn. Trust me, that's a huge compliment. Trish Cook and Brendan Halpin work very well together and I look forward to more of their work, together and separately.
The story didn't ramble on, which I really do not like in a book. It was sweet, kind of sad at times, very funny and overall, to the point. I loved the church youth group parts and the author's take on gay relationships. It's definitely a book I enjoyed reading and I would recommend it.
February 11, 2012
Declan is your average teenage boy, into death metal, violent video games and internet porn. He lives with his father. Both father and son seem unable to get over the loss of Declan’s mother. So imagine Declan’s surprise when he finds out that his dad suddenly getting married to the mother of the hottest girl in his class!
Neilly is perfect, and popular. Her only bump in the road is that her boyfriend just broke up with her and her best friend appears to be involved. Oh yeah and her dad is about to get married to another guy. Not that she has a problem with that but her boyfriend or former boyfriend seems too. Now to make matters worse she finds out her mom is also getting married and her new brother is going to be that weird death metal guy from school; Declan.
Some of the character interactions are a little unrealistic, and the liberal Christian church rhetoric about acceptance and forgiveness might turn off some. However in a world of teenage angst I found this book to be a refreshing, well written and humorous read.
Neilly is perfect, and popular. Her only bump in the road is that her boyfriend just broke up with her and her best friend appears to be involved. Oh yeah and her dad is about to get married to another guy. Not that she has a problem with that but her boyfriend or former boyfriend seems too. Now to make matters worse she finds out her mom is also getting married and her new brother is going to be that weird death metal guy from school; Declan.
Some of the character interactions are a little unrealistic, and the liberal Christian church rhetoric about acceptance and forgiveness might turn off some. However in a world of teenage angst I found this book to be a refreshing, well written and humorous read.
September 27, 2010
Declan and Neilly live in two very different worlds. Declan is a loner who loves him some Finnish death metal, violent video games, porn and the untouchable Neilly Foster. Neilly is the beautiful popular girl who in one day loses her boyfriend, best friend, and finds out her mom is getting married, to Declan's Dad. This is the hilarious story of what it means to be a family, what it means to be a friend, and how through all the chaos its possible to find the ones who truly care for you.
I liked a lot of things about this book, its hilariousness, its characters, and its honesty. I loved that the story was told from both Declan's and Neilly's point of views. I also love that it tackles some pretty serious topics in what it means to be a modern family and a teenager on the fringe. My only complaint is things wrapped up just a little to nicely. Overall loved it!
I recieved this arc for free through a giveaway from the publisher.
I liked a lot of things about this book, its hilariousness, its characters, and its honesty. I loved that the story was told from both Declan's and Neilly's point of views. I also love that it tackles some pretty serious topics in what it means to be a modern family and a teenager on the fringe. My only complaint is things wrapped up just a little to nicely. Overall loved it!
I recieved this arc for free through a giveaway from the publisher.
November 29, 2013
I first saw this book in the library. Yeah, that's right, a library. I've only ever bought a handful of books and I don't own one of those fan- dangled reading machines.
Anyways, I was drawn to this book. Something about the cover; with it's hardcore black boots and cute flats. And the title. I love it. "Notes from the blender". *Sigh*
Beginning of the book, I thought: Wow, Declan is a real creep. But as I progressed, I started to love his raunchy humor and his taste in music. Metal ( preferably from Finland) isn't for everyone. :)
This is a great book. I seriously loved it. The humor was there, the heartbreak was present and, the ending was masterful. A wonderful ending to a wonderful book!
Five Stars!
Anyways, I was drawn to this book. Something about the cover; with it's hardcore black boots and cute flats. And the title. I love it. "Notes from the blender". *Sigh*
Beginning of the book, I thought: Wow, Declan is a real creep. But as I progressed, I started to love his raunchy humor and his taste in music. Metal ( preferably from Finland) isn't for everyone. :)
This is a great book. I seriously loved it. The humor was there, the heartbreak was present and, the ending was masterful. A wonderful ending to a wonderful book!
Five Stars!
April 16, 2014
I loved this book! Reading the back, I wasn't sure if it would be a sad creepy love story but it turned out amazing. I found the internal monologs for both Dec and Neilly so spot on to the teen voice. I laughed, I cried, I loved it...which I don't say too often.
November 5, 2012
This book didn’t go as I thought it would be. It’s a good thing too. If it did, it wouldn’t be as special. Hence it is way better than my expectation.
One of the reason I love reading young adult books is that, sometimes underneath all the innocence lays a very heavy truth/messages. This book is somewhat like that though not as serious. There’s definitely heavy stuff going on but it’s over laced by humor that if you don’t look carefully you’ll miss it. Amongst it are topics like letting go, acceptance, prejudice, racism, and sexuality.
But what made this book really special, I think, are the voices. One in particular steals the show for me. We have an honest to god real, and I mean super believable, 16 years old voice for our male protagonist. Readers familiar with paranormal genre for the trending young adult crowd can probably list out the typical male expectation from those books. Here’s my list:
1. Otherworldly handsome
2. Has either one or more of the following image:
a) A bad boy
b) A mysterious brooding hero
c) A tormented tragic Prince
3. Super Sexy
4. Extremely Rich
5. Reads poetry, or love ballad
6. Profess undying love through said poetry, or if not, be absolutely barbaric by shouting “MINE”
7. An urge to protect his lady love, and
8. An urge to get it on between the sheets with said lady love
If you ask any random healthy 16 years old guy who doesn’t read twilight, they’ll probably cross out all except for no.8. And they will probably change the word ‘lady’ to ‘ladies’. Face it girls, teenage boys’ life are driven by their hormones and in another word, they are horny beings. It is also why us girls read paranormal romance, because we need our own fantasy.
This story is told from two point of view, using first person narrative. On one side we have Declan, or Dec for short, who is nothing like the list above (No no.8 because he doesn’t have any lady love, yet). And as any normal teenage boy, he plays x-box games, watches porn, fantasize and listen to death metal. Well ok, the last one might not be so normal. His dad thought that it was because of his mother’s death that he goes on to become this ‘Emo’ metal kid. But I believe that’s not all the reason.
On the other side we have Neilly – the hottest girl in school, the most popular and also happens to be starring in one of Dec’ fantasies. So when both parents dropped the bomb saying they are going to be a family, what would the fate of the Death Metal Kid vs. the Popular Girl be?
*Spoiler*
So at first glance this is the story of Declan – a healthy teenage Death Metal Kid – who fantasizes on the most popular girl in school, Neilly, who will also be his new stepsister. Think ROMANCE? Well think again. The blurb made it sound like a romance book, but if you read again it actually never states that it is. And quarter into the book after finding out both kids personality, you figured out it-just-won’t-work. In fact by halfway their relationship is so comfortable with each other that you start wishing you have that sibling relationship both Dec and Neilly seems to have.
There are a lot of truths that this book have. Like for example:
Majority of teenagers don’t fall in love
Well not the undying kind anyway. We have crushes, but not love. There’s a big difference there. I’ve been in Neilly’s shoes before too, of having two crushes at once. And yeah call me fickle minded but that’s the teenage mind for you. So there’s no reason to fault her and say, “God she’s such a whore, I can’t believe she can’t decide between two guys”. That line is only reserved for paranormal romance books, where there can only be one guy and one girl in the equation.
If you listen to Metal, doesn’t mean you’re Mental
What’s wrong in listening to metal for the sake of it? Even I myself went and choose to listen to heavy rock only because I thought it looked cool. And well I got hooked. In the case of Declan, he’s such a sweetie that sometimes it’s unfair to think he has problems just because he listens to Metal. I mean yes his mother died, but it was also years ago, doesn’t mean he wants to die or anything listening to metal. In away I think the book wanted to point out the stereotypes. And man, Declan is so cute crying on all those butchered animal videos and turning vegan.
We are selfish being, and sees only what we want to see
Well this is common. It’s not anything new. Neilly in the book can be portrayed as being shallow because she only wants to think she’s right. Shown in the book where she met up with Roger’s son. She has an opinion that he’s an asshole even before meeting him in person. Lesson learnt: Don’t judge people before knowing them for real.
To each his own, pain
Reading this you probably will have an opinion that Neilly is spoilt and her problems is not as big as Declan. Even though it’s true, doesn’t mean she doesn’t suffer less. Don’t belittle someone just because her problem is not as major as yours. Don’t ask for pity just because you think you’re the only one suffering.
Life loves to throw you a curve ball
I agree with Declan with this, I don’t get his dad. If you obviously still not 100% over your dead wife, why the hell date, accidentally create a baby and re-marry? Is that your way to get over your wife? I think it’s Declan’s dad that needs a therapy instead of Declan. But then again what do I know of being widower? If there’s nothing you can do, that’s life I guess. C’est La Vie.
What I like:
-Everything about Declan.
-The humor.
-Declan’s mother’s name and the tattoo that he’ll have.
-The new house.
-The Halloween party.
What I don’t like:
I don’t mind the back and forth switching of point of view (As proven by Shiver). But I don’t like it when after a switch; the timeline goes back in time again. The timeline is supposed to move forward, because if not it gets messed up in my head. As so happens to the first quarter of the book. But don’t worry, passed those few chapters and everything is smooth sailing.
I really would like to know where title came from.
There are too many topics in the book. I mean this book has two gay dads, a lesbian couple, a discriminated black girl, a vegan death metal band, an asshole ex-boyfriend, a death to overcome and a new family. It’s like saying, oh it’s not enough to just have this, let’s add this, that, and those.
My verdict:
I love this book because of Declan’s voice. Even though I expected a romance story, I wasn’t disappointed when it wasn’t. I mean if this ended up a romance book, I don’t think it will be as special as it is. I can see where it will go, yeah two opposite attract, they will try to overcome their parents and then try to have a happy ending. It might not be that much different from Pushing the Limits, and it might not be so real. And after knowing Declan, I just can’t imagine Neilly and Declan together as a couple. But the relationship they have as siblings, that is special.
This is a really nice book if you want some laughter from the voice of a 16 years old teen. It’s a really fun light read.
One of the reason I love reading young adult books is that, sometimes underneath all the innocence lays a very heavy truth/messages. This book is somewhat like that though not as serious. There’s definitely heavy stuff going on but it’s over laced by humor that if you don’t look carefully you’ll miss it. Amongst it are topics like letting go, acceptance, prejudice, racism, and sexuality.
But what made this book really special, I think, are the voices. One in particular steals the show for me. We have an honest to god real, and I mean super believable, 16 years old voice for our male protagonist. Readers familiar with paranormal genre for the trending young adult crowd can probably list out the typical male expectation from those books. Here’s my list:
1. Otherworldly handsome
2. Has either one or more of the following image:
a) A bad boy
b) A mysterious brooding hero
c) A tormented tragic Prince
3. Super Sexy
4. Extremely Rich
5. Reads poetry, or love ballad
6. Profess undying love through said poetry, or if not, be absolutely barbaric by shouting “MINE”
7. An urge to protect his lady love, and
8. An urge to get it on between the sheets with said lady love
If you ask any random healthy 16 years old guy who doesn’t read twilight, they’ll probably cross out all except for no.8. And they will probably change the word ‘lady’ to ‘ladies’. Face it girls, teenage boys’ life are driven by their hormones and in another word, they are horny beings. It is also why us girls read paranormal romance, because we need our own fantasy.
This story is told from two point of view, using first person narrative. On one side we have Declan, or Dec for short, who is nothing like the list above (No no.8 because he doesn’t have any lady love, yet). And as any normal teenage boy, he plays x-box games, watches porn, fantasize and listen to death metal. Well ok, the last one might not be so normal. His dad thought that it was because of his mother’s death that he goes on to become this ‘Emo’ metal kid. But I believe that’s not all the reason.
On the other side we have Neilly – the hottest girl in school, the most popular and also happens to be starring in one of Dec’ fantasies. So when both parents dropped the bomb saying they are going to be a family, what would the fate of the Death Metal Kid vs. the Popular Girl be?
*Spoiler*
So at first glance this is the story of Declan – a healthy teenage Death Metal Kid – who fantasizes on the most popular girl in school, Neilly, who will also be his new stepsister. Think ROMANCE? Well think again. The blurb made it sound like a romance book, but if you read again it actually never states that it is. And quarter into the book after finding out both kids personality, you figured out it-just-won’t-work. In fact by halfway their relationship is so comfortable with each other that you start wishing you have that sibling relationship both Dec and Neilly seems to have.
There are a lot of truths that this book have. Like for example:
Majority of teenagers don’t fall in love
Well not the undying kind anyway. We have crushes, but not love. There’s a big difference there. I’ve been in Neilly’s shoes before too, of having two crushes at once. And yeah call me fickle minded but that’s the teenage mind for you. So there’s no reason to fault her and say, “God she’s such a whore, I can’t believe she can’t decide between two guys”. That line is only reserved for paranormal romance books, where there can only be one guy and one girl in the equation.
If you listen to Metal, doesn’t mean you’re Mental
What’s wrong in listening to metal for the sake of it? Even I myself went and choose to listen to heavy rock only because I thought it looked cool. And well I got hooked. In the case of Declan, he’s such a sweetie that sometimes it’s unfair to think he has problems just because he listens to Metal. I mean yes his mother died, but it was also years ago, doesn’t mean he wants to die or anything listening to metal. In away I think the book wanted to point out the stereotypes. And man, Declan is so cute crying on all those butchered animal videos and turning vegan.
We are selfish being, and sees only what we want to see
Well this is common. It’s not anything new. Neilly in the book can be portrayed as being shallow because she only wants to think she’s right. Shown in the book where she met up with Roger’s son. She has an opinion that he’s an asshole even before meeting him in person. Lesson learnt: Don’t judge people before knowing them for real.
To each his own, pain
Reading this you probably will have an opinion that Neilly is spoilt and her problems is not as big as Declan. Even though it’s true, doesn’t mean she doesn’t suffer less. Don’t belittle someone just because her problem is not as major as yours. Don’t ask for pity just because you think you’re the only one suffering.
Life loves to throw you a curve ball
I agree with Declan with this, I don’t get his dad. If you obviously still not 100% over your dead wife, why the hell date, accidentally create a baby and re-marry? Is that your way to get over your wife? I think it’s Declan’s dad that needs a therapy instead of Declan. But then again what do I know of being widower? If there’s nothing you can do, that’s life I guess. C’est La Vie.
What I like:
-Everything about Declan.
-The humor.
-Declan’s mother’s name and the tattoo that he’ll have.
-The new house.
-The Halloween party.
What I don’t like:
I don’t mind the back and forth switching of point of view (As proven by Shiver). But I don’t like it when after a switch; the timeline goes back in time again. The timeline is supposed to move forward, because if not it gets messed up in my head. As so happens to the first quarter of the book. But don’t worry, passed those few chapters and everything is smooth sailing.
I really would like to know where title came from.
There are too many topics in the book. I mean this book has two gay dads, a lesbian couple, a discriminated black girl, a vegan death metal band, an asshole ex-boyfriend, a death to overcome and a new family. It’s like saying, oh it’s not enough to just have this, let’s add this, that, and those.
My verdict:
I love this book because of Declan’s voice. Even though I expected a romance story, I wasn’t disappointed when it wasn’t. I mean if this ended up a romance book, I don’t think it will be as special as it is. I can see where it will go, yeah two opposite attract, they will try to overcome their parents and then try to have a happy ending. It might not be that much different from Pushing the Limits, and it might not be so real. And after knowing Declan, I just can’t imagine Neilly and Declan together as a couple. But the relationship they have as siblings, that is special.
This is a really nice book if you want some laughter from the voice of a 16 years old teen. It’s a really fun light read.
July 31, 2025
A simple book to pull me out of my reading slump!
March 30, 2011
Review posted on: http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/
Once again I found myself thinking while reading this novel how I wished I had read these type of books when I was in high school. I think that teens today can really relate to the two main characters in this one, I would've loved to have read and connect with both Declan and Neilly when I was sixteen. They are both characters filled with a turmoil of emotions and very confused which is how I felt many times when I was younger, and these two authors have done a great job in adding the humor that makes Notes from the Blender a lighthearted fun read.
I've been enjoying reading books written by a collaboration of a male and female author, it’s actually a lot of fun seeing the different voices in these characters and really being able to tell the difference between the two. Declan was very much like a teen guy, realistic, very awkward and hormonal, Neilly was the beautiful popular girl that falls in love for the wrong reasons with the wrong person and is a bit shallow, they are both complete opposites but they come together in this novel and end up helping each other grow and change throuought the story. While reading Notes from the Blender I found that I was liking Declan a lot more, he seemed more my type of character, very confused and definitely clueless about girls, it was extremely funny to read the situations he got himself into. Neilly seemed to me to be a little self-centered at the beginning and she did take a bit longer to grow on me, but by the end I understood that I would’ve probably felt like the world was against me back when I was a teenager after finding out all the unexpected surprises she gets at the begining of the novel, it would have been extremely overwhelming. I ended up loving both!
I really loved that we get to see a few good parents in this one, which we hardly ever see in YA fiction. The parents, even though not always understanding, they are supportive and involved in the lives of these teeganers, they were also pretty funny and brought a few smiles to my face while reading this novel. Notes from the Blender is a well written contemporary story with flawed, angry and confused characters that touches on heavy topics like divorce, grief, heartbreak, first love and the difficulty about dealing with bullies and teasing about homosexuality. It’s all mixed into the lives of these two characters but in a way that is not intense or uncomfortable, we see them grow and become a family together and find a great underlying message in a story that will appeal to both male and female teen readers.
Once again I found myself thinking while reading this novel how I wished I had read these type of books when I was in high school. I think that teens today can really relate to the two main characters in this one, I would've loved to have read and connect with both Declan and Neilly when I was sixteen. They are both characters filled with a turmoil of emotions and very confused which is how I felt many times when I was younger, and these two authors have done a great job in adding the humor that makes Notes from the Blender a lighthearted fun read.
I've been enjoying reading books written by a collaboration of a male and female author, it’s actually a lot of fun seeing the different voices in these characters and really being able to tell the difference between the two. Declan was very much like a teen guy, realistic, very awkward and hormonal, Neilly was the beautiful popular girl that falls in love for the wrong reasons with the wrong person and is a bit shallow, they are both complete opposites but they come together in this novel and end up helping each other grow and change throuought the story. While reading Notes from the Blender I found that I was liking Declan a lot more, he seemed more my type of character, very confused and definitely clueless about girls, it was extremely funny to read the situations he got himself into. Neilly seemed to me to be a little self-centered at the beginning and she did take a bit longer to grow on me, but by the end I understood that I would’ve probably felt like the world was against me back when I was a teenager after finding out all the unexpected surprises she gets at the begining of the novel, it would have been extremely overwhelming. I ended up loving both!
I really loved that we get to see a few good parents in this one, which we hardly ever see in YA fiction. The parents, even though not always understanding, they are supportive and involved in the lives of these teeganers, they were also pretty funny and brought a few smiles to my face while reading this novel. Notes from the Blender is a well written contemporary story with flawed, angry and confused characters that touches on heavy topics like divorce, grief, heartbreak, first love and the difficulty about dealing with bullies and teasing about homosexuality. It’s all mixed into the lives of these two characters but in a way that is not intense or uncomfortable, we see them grow and become a family together and find a great underlying message in a story that will appeal to both male and female teen readers.
December 18, 2011
I can be such a sap. Really, I'm a bit of the same kind of sap Declan in this novel is. He appears to be all black-clad death metal hard edges and really he's kind of a softie who deeply mourns the mother killed when he was nine by a drunk driver and yearns for a girl who gets him. Okay, not so much with the girl and the FRANK depictions of teen male tumescence and porn fantasies, but I, too, like my alterna-rock (love the Replacements references here!) and sneer a bit at the glass half-empty world around me. I'm not proud of the sneering, but at least I admit it. Does that count for something?
Anyway, enough about me. What is this: a diary? So, Declan, named for Elvis Costello--the real name, obviously--is horrified and powerfully aroused at the surprise development that his dad has not only been secretly dating but actually knocking up and proposing to the mom of his Victoria's Secret caliber fantasy girl, Neilly. How can he ever share a house with such an X-rated libido stimulant. Oh, wait, he will face the peril.
Actually, he finds that Neilly is a real person and a kind one going through more than the shock of a mom about to be a mom again with a total stranger to her, Declan's dad. She's also set to be the person of honor at her father's commitment ceremony with a guy. That she's over, but not so much thata her so-called boyfriend did a little dental work on her best friend Lulu while she was out of town. Now she is feeling angry and alone. The only she seems to be able to relate to is Declan. The only place she seems to want to be in the Unitarian youth group meetings run by Declan's aunt Sarah, coincidentally the same church where her dad's ceremony is set to take place.
Written by a male and female author in alternating chapters, the "blending" of the voices totally works. A great depiction of what it's like to be caught in the mash up of blending families and the spin cycle of teenaged life Wonderfully tolerant of love making families, all manner of families, the ultimate message is positive and life-affirming--that's where my secret sappiness comes in. The world may be vampire; life is a fatal disease, blah, blah, all true. But while the patient lives, survival hinges on the life support of connection and affection--for just as long as it can. This book gets that.
Anyway, enough about me. What is this: a diary? So, Declan, named for Elvis Costello--the real name, obviously--is horrified and powerfully aroused at the surprise development that his dad has not only been secretly dating but actually knocking up and proposing to the mom of his Victoria's Secret caliber fantasy girl, Neilly. How can he ever share a house with such an X-rated libido stimulant. Oh, wait, he will face the peril.
Actually, he finds that Neilly is a real person and a kind one going through more than the shock of a mom about to be a mom again with a total stranger to her, Declan's dad. She's also set to be the person of honor at her father's commitment ceremony with a guy. That she's over, but not so much thata her so-called boyfriend did a little dental work on her best friend Lulu while she was out of town. Now she is feeling angry and alone. The only she seems to be able to relate to is Declan. The only place she seems to want to be in the Unitarian youth group meetings run by Declan's aunt Sarah, coincidentally the same church where her dad's ceremony is set to take place.
Written by a male and female author in alternating chapters, the "blending" of the voices totally works. A great depiction of what it's like to be caught in the mash up of blending families and the spin cycle of teenaged life Wonderfully tolerant of love making families, all manner of families, the ultimate message is positive and life-affirming--that's where my secret sappiness comes in. The world may be vampire; life is a fatal disease, blah, blah, all true. But while the patient lives, survival hinges on the life support of connection and affection--for just as long as it can. This book gets that.
December 12, 2011
I absolutely loved this book. This may be because I recognized my own family and experiences with Unitarian Church in it, and there are so few books that so prominently feature this little known liberal religion. Anyone with a very liberal upbringing will enjoy little details such as the father's misguided attempt to frankly discuss sex with his son ("Do you want to know anything else? Like how it feels? I had the same terrified reaction as the protagonist when my own mother tried that line on me at 13). The only other books I've ever read that feature the Unitarian youth experience are the Alice books by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. But in this case, the church featured much more prominently as a center of healing for two teens undergoing complicated upheavals within their newly blended families. The two future step-siblings unexpectedly find themselves seeking comfort within the same church, after finding out that their parents are remarrying one another. Declan is a lover of heavy-metal and violent video games, with an overactive adolescent sex drive, whose father has sent him off to spend weekends with his aunt and her partner at their church. He works as the sexton (because he's "bringing a ton of sex"). Neilly had rejected religion after her father left her mother for a man, because she refused to believe in a God that wouldn't love and accept her father. When she wanders into the Unitarian Church, she is perplexed by the combination of a painting of Jesus, the Buddha, and a gay pride flag (giving creedence to the old joke that UU is the "salad bar of religions"). At any rate, the youth group acts as a place of healing for both teens (as well as the center of their romantic lives- but in typical Unitarian fashion, Declan's aunt's partner Sarah notes that "spirituality and sexuality can coexist. It's kind of silly to pretend that our spiritual selves don't live in bodies with hungers and urges." To which Declan politely requests that his aunt not use the word "urges" around him ever again.")
August 31, 2010
Declan's mom died in a car crash when he was nine. He blames himself and is Angry because of her death. He copes with Death Metal, violent video games and online porn. He is pale, skinny and wears band t-shirts. Neilly is pretty and popular. Told in alternating first person we know in excruciating detail exactly how much Declan crushes on Neilly.
Each weekend Declan stays with his Aunt Sarah, a Unitarian Minister and her partner. This adds a feminine element to his life and a bit of cash because he maintains the church in a role called the sexton, a name Dec finds endlessly amusing. Dec is a bit notorious around school, his looks invite the nickname Columbine.
Each weekend Neilly stays with her dad and his partner. She is also on the radar, her dad left her mom for his boyfriend. She is dating an uberjock which boosts her cred.
The fun starts when Neilly has a crisis and rushes home midday to find her mother and a man she has never seen in the kitchen - they surprise, no, shock her with news of an upcoming marriage. Devastated, Neilly runs from the house and when she sees the Unitarian church she and her dad attend she slips in to cry. Declan is there, he has just heard from his dad that Dad has fallen in love and is going to get married. Dec is shocked and appalled his new 'sister' is Neilly.
This is the story of their unlikely friendship, and how they grow and change. Both have pretty big issues that they process as they learn to chip at the walls they have erected to protect themselves. Declan's unvarnished comments give insight into the sexual sieve that boys view the world through (yuk) Neilly is one of the few people who could get through to him. Neilly parents and Dec's Dad are interesting and decent people. The situations that these kids (especially Dec) find themselves in are amusingly farce like. Kind of a romp with deeper themes.
November 25, 2012
I picked this book up because in one way, it's pretty similar to my WiP (newly blended family with a girl and guy about the same age). However, it is about a million times more hilarious than I will ever be. I loved both metalhead/part-time Unitarian sexton Declan and "nerves of steely Neilly", but Declan was the one who made me laugh out loud. His voice is so goofy and gross and sincere all at the same time, which I think is how I remember my close guy friends from high school. Neilly also totally won my heart, though--Declan's life is sadder (his mom died when he was young) but Neilly's is undeniably more complicated. (The day she finds out her boyfriend kissed her best friend at a party, she books it for home only to find her mom scantily clad with a guy she doesn't know--who, it turns out, is going to be her new stepdad and the father of her new baby half-sibling. Oh, and her mom has been free to date this guy because her dad left her mom for another guy! And their wedding is coming up, but Neilly's dad's fiance's son has been totally MIA and weird about the whole thing, and the happy couple obviously wants their kids to hit it off.)
The whole story is the kind of implausible that makes it totally believable--down to the vegan metal band--and kind of irresistible. I strongly recommend this book for anyone who likes wacky plots with surprising amounts of heart, and definitely for anyone who likes their teen guy voices strong, funny, and frequently raunchy. It's a well-balanced story and is ultimately very sweet under all the dirty jokes.
The whole story is the kind of implausible that makes it totally believable--down to the vegan metal band--and kind of irresistible. I strongly recommend this book for anyone who likes wacky plots with surprising amounts of heart, and definitely for anyone who likes their teen guy voices strong, funny, and frequently raunchy. It's a well-balanced story and is ultimately very sweet under all the dirty jokes.
June 22, 2011
This book is a lot of fun and I hope readers find it. It has old-school punk rock and Scandinavian black-metal; laugh out loud moments and Hallmark-card emotionality. Real issues and absurd situations. Neilly and Dec are great characters. Vegan-ism is presented as ultimate rejection of social norms. It has pre-marital sex and its unintended consequences, a gay wedding and lesbian clergy. All in all, good times.
To be clear: there are ample references to teen sexual desire, self-love, expletives, and gay people. Readers should be fully informed going in. This captures the maelstrom that can come with a blended family. Halpin has done an honest job rendering a teenaged boy: his Declan isn't a common type, but he's real and believable in ugly and wonderful ways. I thought Neilly wasn't quite as well drawn, but she has her own depth and shows real growth.
Religion plays a central role to the plot. Those not familiar with Unitarian Universalism may find the church bits to be far-out, as compared to any variety of Christianity, but Cook and Halpin have done the research and captured it well.
As fun YA goes, this is a great read. Guys or girls will like it. Kids with queer parents will like it. Metal Heads will really like it.
To be clear: there are ample references to teen sexual desire, self-love, expletives, and gay people. Readers should be fully informed going in. This captures the maelstrom that can come with a blended family. Halpin has done an honest job rendering a teenaged boy: his Declan isn't a common type, but he's real and believable in ugly and wonderful ways. I thought Neilly wasn't quite as well drawn, but she has her own depth and shows real growth.
Religion plays a central role to the plot. Those not familiar with Unitarian Universalism may find the church bits to be far-out, as compared to any variety of Christianity, but Cook and Halpin have done the research and captured it well.
As fun YA goes, this is a great read. Guys or girls will like it. Kids with queer parents will like it. Metal Heads will really like it.
October 21, 2011
Declan (Dec) is a typical teenage boy – full of hormones and lust – whose mother died when he was 9. Although it’s been 6 years, he still misses her. When his dad informs him that he’s going to remarry (the mother of Neilly – Dec’s smokin’ hot classmate), Dec is understandably upset. It comes as a shock to Neilly as well. She walks in on the happy couple (surprise, surprise!) after having the worst day of her life (her boyfriend broke up with her after cheating on her with her best friend). The teens run into each other unexpectedly at Dec’s Aunt’s rather untraditional church and spill their guts. Thus begins a new and wonderful friendship/step-siblings relationship for them both. Neilly helps Dec understand the female perspective and Dec introduces her to vegan metal music and violent videogames (his strategies for coping with his anger and emotions). Filled with quirky characters and dialogue, this short, realistic novel will have readers alternately tearing up and laughing out loud. Quotable, funny, and spot on. Highly recommended. Adult themes and some colorful language may be more appropriate for high school teens.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2012
Declan, a sophomore, and Neilly, a juinor, are blindsided when they find out his Dad and her mom have been secretly dating and are not expecting a child. As if that wasn't enough, Declan, who's been on a death-metal-my-soul-is-black binge since his mom died, has to deal with the fact that not only is his new step-sister the girl he's been lusting after, but that he's also going to have to move out the only house he's ever know, the one with all of his mom's memories. Neilly is also dealing with her own problems. She just broke up with her boyfriend because he kissed her best friend and her dad is marrying another man. Will this family ever learn to blend? Written by two authors and told from both Declan and Neilly's point of view, this book is funny, sad and sometimes makes you want to hit something. The only thing that was a bit far fetched was the fact that the parents had been dating for so long and never told the kids then expected the kids to be ok with everything right away. This is a great teen read for both guys and girls, those dealing with blended families and teens coping with death.
July 29, 2011
A cute tale of the unique form families take in the 21st century, this story fights the image of the cookie-cutter American dream. Sixteen-year-old Declan lives with his widower father, blaming himself for the untimely death of his mother and immersing himself in the world of death metal. Sixteen-year-old Neilly lives with her divoriced mother, and worries about who to take to her father's commitment ceremony now that her boyfriend has dumped her for her best friend. These two very different teenagers suddenly find themselves forced together when they discover their parents will be tying the knot and having a baby!
This is a comical tale of acceptance, change, and the many forms love takes. Overall a fun book that beautifully captures the teen voice and illustrates an amazing bond between parent and child (whether blood related or not). This is one I'll definitely be recommending.
This is a comical tale of acceptance, change, and the many forms love takes. Overall a fun book that beautifully captures the teen voice and illustrates an amazing bond between parent and child (whether blood related or not). This is one I'll definitely be recommending.
August 20, 2011
Oh boy. I really disliked this book. I thought that Notes From the Blender was going to be a quirky, entertaining and modern twist on a blended family story. From the blurb in the jacket, I thought that Declan was going to have some massive crush on Neilly only to find out that she didn't even know he existed. Not quite. Apparently, Neilly is merely the star in his teen-fueled fantasies.
I found the attempt at humor to be crude and a bit disturbing. The characters were boring and I couldn't really care less about them or what happened to them. Although I appreciate stories with alternating points of view, this one got a bit annoying with the constant repeating of story lines.
After picking this up and starting to read it, I quickly began to regret it. However, I felt obligated to see it through.
I'm not quite sure who I would recommend this book to. I'm pretty sure that this one is destined to get lost in the stacks.
I found the attempt at humor to be crude and a bit disturbing. The characters were boring and I couldn't really care less about them or what happened to them. Although I appreciate stories with alternating points of view, this one got a bit annoying with the constant repeating of story lines.
After picking this up and starting to read it, I quickly began to regret it. However, I felt obligated to see it through.
I'm not quite sure who I would recommend this book to. I'm pretty sure that this one is destined to get lost in the stacks.
July 6, 2011
Two teenagers try to deal when their respective parents marry. Dec's mother was killed in a car accident when he was nine. He's never gotten over his anger about this which he channels into internet porn, heavy metal and violent video games. He sure as heck isn't pleased when his Dad tells him he's remarrying and his fiance is pregnant. The only plus side is that his new stepsister is smokin' hot and they seem to be bonding through their anguish. For her part, Neilly, isn't too thrilled about this wedding/family blend either and when she loses her boyfriend to her best friend things just hit rock bottom. The only real bright spot is her father's commitment ceremony though even that is tainted by her dad's fiance's unaccepting son. As dark as all this sounds, I really enjoyed this funny, realistic look at trying to blend families, forgiving and growing. For mature readers.
July 6, 2011
A Brady Bunch storyline for the 21st century, Halpin and Cook's Notes from the Blender captures the heartache and hope associated with creating one family from two. Declan, a social outcast and self-proclaimed death metal fan, and Neilly, one of the popular girls for whom Declan pines, find themselves unlikely allies when they both find out that his father and her mother are not only dating but engaged and expecting a new baby. Their road to a nuclear family is not without bumps, and as they sort out their roles in this new family structure, their budding friendship blossoms. A mixture of tenderness and (sometimes crude) humor, this book offers a positive perspective on a trying time for many teens.
May 24, 2017
Loved this book! It's YA, and delves into life and all its messiness from the point of view of teenagers. You know, those years you thank God you survived and never want to repeat!
Contrary to what it may sound like (teenagers=angst), the story was NOT angst-ridden moping and emotional torture. In fact, it was the opposite, and was quite humorous in a sarcastic, dry-wit kind of way, while still dealing with very real problems and heavy emotions.
The story is told in both Declan and Neilly's POV, which was fun and insightful for a well rounded story. Parental situations worked out a bit too perfectly, but I was in the mood to appreciate this aspect, and enjoyed the lightness.
I laughed through much of this book, and definitely recommend for a light, entertaining read.
Contrary to what it may sound like (teenagers=angst), the story was NOT angst-ridden moping and emotional torture. In fact, it was the opposite, and was quite humorous in a sarcastic, dry-wit kind of way, while still dealing with very real problems and heavy emotions.
The story is told in both Declan and Neilly's POV, which was fun and insightful for a well rounded story. Parental situations worked out a bit too perfectly, but I was in the mood to appreciate this aspect, and enjoyed the lightness.
I laughed through much of this book, and definitely recommend for a light, entertaining read.
November 3, 2011
Funny, sweet, some discussion of sex (masturbation, and catching parents in the act). I like that the characters in this book actually care about their parents while still having difficulties with them. I like that the hot girls are smart, and the metal head kids are sensitive (one even has a vegan activists band) and mostly everyone is critical of drinking. These are not stereotypical one dimensional teens, nor are the adults. Bonus points for 2 adult gay couples, making Unitarian youth group sound fun and truly supportive, and showing that blended families of all types although difficult afford both the adults and teens some benefits. There is a NOT evil step-mom her woohoo!
October 13, 2011
Wonderful, funny, touching....why don't either of my local libraries (Saline and Ann Arbor) have this on their YA shelves? It's easily the best thing I've read lately - the two voices (the two different authors) are just great.
There is a lot of thinking about sex (as you might expect from a 15 y.o. boy), if not actual sex in the book. There are also some great portrayals of homosexuality, divorce, texting, family therapy, and the loss of a parent. I stayed up late finishing it and cried at one part. But mostly I just loved the characters.
There is a lot of thinking about sex (as you might expect from a 15 y.o. boy), if not actual sex in the book. There are also some great portrayals of homosexuality, divorce, texting, family therapy, and the loss of a parent. I stayed up late finishing it and cried at one part. But mostly I just loved the characters.
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