David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite! discussion

David and I are starting a buddy read for this one on Thursday May 29th! Everyone is welcome to join!

There are no set chapters per day, we just read at our own paces and start each post with how far along you are, i.e., Chapter #, %, using spoilers where needed. Have fun!

I lent out my copy of this book so I probably won't be able to join, but I love it and I'm excited to see what you all think!

Aww OK Kritika! But definitely feel free to chime in with any comments you have as we go! Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

Thanks for setting it up Jenny! I might read a chapter or two tonight after I finish my current read :)

Can't wait to see thoughts on the ending!

Awesome, thanks Heidi! I'm really excited about this one :)

Hhhmmmm.... I'm on a book buying ban because of UtopYA (like Jenny) and am on hold at my elibrary for any kind of copy of this book. If I find myself at B&N this weekend, and depending on the prices, there is a chance I could join in. ;-D

I will be starting it later tonight, can't wait! I've been wanting to read this one a really long time! Karen, you know you're going to join us ;)

Okay I'm at 27%, just finished Part 1. (view spoiler)[Wow, that was intense! I'm loving this book already, totally hooked. That first chapter was hilarious! I thought for sure Ed had killed the drunk. Be interesting to see what happens next! (hide spoiler)]

Yeah, I totally fell for that too, but I was glad when I was wrong. Shows a lot about his character. I'm flying through this one, absolutely LOVE it. It's up there with Bruiser for my favorite reads of the year. I'm at 76%, page 270, already into part 4. (view spoiler)[I like how this book really mixes literary fiction with some really beautiful lines and quotes, with something that's very raw and real. During the part when he hangs the Christmas lights at that family's house, I was tearing up. The only problem was I was at the gym LOL! Trying to stay pumped up and lift weights, but I was almost crying haha :) (hide spoiler)]

Here's what I meant to post in this thread earlier: LOL! Sounds good, we'd love to hear what you think second time around. The first chapter was absurdly funny! I'm up to the 8 of diamonds chapter (page 53, approximately 15% in). (view spoiler)[ I'm pretty much hooked at this point. I really want to know where these cards came from and why. Although the MC seems rough around the edges, his kindness toward that old woman that called him Jimmy showed how big his heart is. Good guy. Really good guy. It's going to be a big ask for him to help the lady getting abused by that big drunk ogre though. Hope he's up for it! (hide spoiler)]

WOW, I have some catching up to do! I really wanted to stay up late and keep reading, because this book is just that good, but I was afraid I'd be up until 4 am or something crazy! I was at a good stopping point, so I decided to save the read for today :)

How are you guys liking The Doorman??

HAHAHA! The Doorman is AWESOME! So freaking funny with (view spoiler)[ the coffee-drinking and the stench and how he only barks at Marv (hide spoiler)]

I finished last night, by the way, I literally couldn't put this book down yesterday. Sat in a coffee shop and read 100+ pages in the mall while Adele was buying a bday gift for our friend; read 50 pages at the gym; read the final 100 pages from 11:30pm to 1:00am before bed. This one is up there with Bruiser as my two favorite reads of the year.

(view spoiler)[And the ending was BRILLIANT. Thank goodness for a happy ending with Audrey. I was ready to slap some sense into that stupid girl. I was totally shocked by Marv's story too, but I even liked him at the end, although I didn't think I would. I'm still not sure I totally get the premise and how it all happened, but I don't think it's that important--only that it DID happen. (hide spoiler)]

Wasn't that ending crazy David! Yay for the Doorman!

David wrote: "I finished last night, by the way, I literally couldn't put this book down yesterday. Sat in a coffee shop and read 100+ pages in the mall while Adele was buying a bday gift for our friend; read 50..."

Wow! I apparently really need to read this one then, since I loved Bruiser as well.

Heidi *Listen. I'll just keep talking anyway. * wrote: "Wasn't that ending crazy David! Yay for the Doorman!"

The whole thing was pretty much perfection from start to finish. The Doorman is definitely up there with Manchee as best book dogs ever.

Karen wrote: "David wrote: "I finished last night, by the way, I literally couldn't put this book down yesterday. Sat in a coffee shop and read 100+ pages in the mall while Adele was buying a bday gift for our f..."

Oh em gee, Karen, you've got to read this book. I think you'll love it :)

Listen to this one if you can Karen!!

I agree, you must read it, I'm in love with this book so far!

Okay, right now I'm up to 47% (page 166) and I just had to jump on here to talk about (view spoiler)[ The beer party in the church! That was just AWESOME!!! And I LOL so hard when Marv and Ed spray painted that ad! Its going to be one HELL of a party! HAHAHA!!! (hide spoiler)]

David, have you read ? That was Heidi's Around the World read last year, and this book makes me think of it, totally different story, but same kind of humor. I think you'd really love it!

Oh, and Heidi, I LOVE the Doorman, I fell in love with that dog immediately!

Oh geez, you guys are killing me. Hehehe!

Alright, if I finish my other two reads tonight, I'll break down and get the audio at the least. ;-) I have 3 credits on Audible so I'm technically not spending any "new" money on books. See that justification I did! ;)

I have authors to see in a week so I know I'm buying books at ComiCon, plus I have a feeling I'll be going hog wild at UtopYA. I'm really trying to cool my book buying binges so I can go nuts later this month!

But when my 3 book gurus recommend that I need to read , I need to listen!! Knowing there's a dog I'll love clinched it!!

That's one of the reasons I loved , Oberon!

Oberon and the Doorman are similar Karen! You must join my in my voice crush of the narrator for this book. He is an actor and this is the only book he has ever narrated.

Loved your spoiler too Jenny!

David I would be more than happy to mail you Last Days of Summer now that it has returned to me :) It is one of my favorites and I think everyone liked it. I am fairly certain you would too!

p.s. Don't you love how the author can go from something like this to the Book Thief? Very talented. I keep checking for new books by him but alas nothing yet.

This writer is AMAZINGLY talented! Too very deep books, but both still enjoyable to read. That's really hard to pull off!

I'm up to 74% now. I didn't finish reading last night, because the kiddos wanted to play Monopoly. So the whole fam had a major Monopoly game going, which lasted 4 hours and we're still playing! I haven't played Monopoly in ages!

Then I stayed up until 2am reading to that point, before I started falling asleep! (view spoiler)[ This book is just so good, and I am just amazed with Ed. He's so smart, and much more capable than he thinks! (hide spoiler)]

Jenny wrote: "David, have you read ? That was Heidi's Around the World read last year, and this book makes me think of it, totally different story, but same kind of humor. ..."

No I haven't but sounds really good!

Heidi *Listen. I'll just keep talking anyway. * wrote: "Loved your spoiler too Jenny!

David I would be more than happy to mail you Last Days of Summer now that it has returned to me :) It is one of my favorites and I think everyone liked it. I am fa..."

Wow, that's SO NICE of you! Let me see if I can find it at my library first though so I can save you the shipping :) But thank you so much for such a kind offer!

Heidi *Listen. I'll just keep talking anyway. * wrote: "p.s. Don't you love how the author can go from something like this to the Book Thief? Very talented. I keep checking for new books by him but alas nothing yet."

Yeah, I LOVE that. I love authors that can surprise me, like how Bruiser and Unwind are SO DIFFERENT for Neal Shusterman. He's exceptional.

I just finished this book. And I had goosebumps at the end. WOW!!! I loved this book and I agree David (view spoiler)[ about Audrey, how stupid can a girl be??? Marv's story completely shocked me, I had no idea that was going to happen! I was seriously crying after the fact and then he went over to Ed's just to give him a big hug! (hide spoiler)]

Let me know David. I love to share!

Agreed Jenny!

Jenny wrote: "I just finished this book. And I had goosebumps at the end. WOW!!! I loved this book and I agree David [spoilers removed]"

YES!

Heidi *Listen. I'll just keep talking anyway. * wrote: "Let me know David. I love to share!"

Thank youuu!!

I'm in about 35% so far. I had commute time tonight so got a chance to listen to this for almost 1 1/2 hours!! That's a lot at one time for me! Love The Doorman and his coffee! (view spoiler)[And so glad he didn't kill the drunk. He just got his 2nd card with words on it. (hide spoiler)]

And yup Heidi! Got to love those Aussie narrators!! ;)

Yay! Another voice crush established!

Awesome!! Hahaha, the coffee! What a crack up!

It would never occur to me to give a dog coffee.

Jenny wrote: "It would never occur to me to give a dog coffee."

That is probably a wise decision.

I'm at around 60% (I think). (view spoiler)[He just figured out the clues of the library books.

How does he know exactly what each person needs, like the mom that got her very own ice cream, or the gal that needed to run barefoot? So simple yet so profound!

Or the harder ones, like beating up the brother?

He's not only making changes in all of their lives, but he's changing the lives of his own friends too! Like having them help with the beer party. (hide spoiler)]

Very cool book!!!

And he's also changing his own life in the process. :)

Oh dur. Yup. I mentioned everyone but Ed!

I wonder if Molly would drink coffee? ;-)

Ed is REALLY smart. It's like he was chosen because he has a knack for understanding the inner needs that people have. Love that aspect of the book.

HAHA about Molly! You gonna try? Might give her diarrhea :(

Yeah, I would not recommend it lol!

86% done wow just wow this is such a good book!!!!