Customer Reviews

Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is wonderful. I read it in two days. I literally could not put it down. It's strong for the most part, with some parts feeling weaker than others:

**SPOILERS**
The first part of this book is so strong that I was jealous. It's so perfectly written. Everything is so subtle. The dialogue is ridiculously strong and this is where the book is actually laugh out loud funny. When Albert and Mia meet is it written beautifully. It made me ache at how realistic it was and how much it made me laugh. This is really the only part of the book that is really, really funny.

The middle of the book is kind of weak. There are a few chuckles here and there, but then it kind of goes in circles with all of the events happening. This is a bad thing, but also kind of a good thing. It seems that in high school, that's how things really happen. Especially when someone has a disease or is on the verge of death. Things seem to blur together and sometimes you can barely make out what day it is and you do crazy things and forget what you're doing sometimes. This is where the dialogue is also weak, which is really the only problem I have with this book. I think David Yoo intended to do things this way though. He totally redeems the story after he and Mia break up. The story seems to get stronger. He makes it a blur in a way, but on purpose. It's very subtle.

The ending is perfect. After Ryan tells Albert that he and Mia had sex, I think he is furious. But when they go back to where the frogs are, he sees things differently. They went through things together, so NOW they're something. It's a beautiful ending, and I totally did not see it coming. The last couple of paragraphs gave me a lump in my throat.

Overall, this book is highly recommended. It says 'young adult' as the target audience. I kind of disagree. The book is about young adults, but there is quite a bit of swearing and talk of sexual things every now and then. I was not offended in the slightest, but basically what I am getting at is that this book is relatable from 16 years on up. It hits incredibly close to home. If your heart has ever been broken, you need to read this book.

Funny truthful book about an anti-social, Asian stereotypical kid in High School. Being Asian as well, I can relate to a lot of what is said in the book. Great read.

From [....].

Title: Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before
Author: David Yoo
Grade: A-
Ideal Audience: Boys & Girls, 14+

Summary: Al lives his life swimming in a sea of unpopularity. The only thing that separates him from the other rejects is that Al voluntary lives this way: it's easier to have only sixth graders as friends than to try to navigate the social structure at his high school.

However, when Al somehow manages to secure Mia (the most beautiful and popular girl at the school) as his girlfriend, he is unwillingly thrust into Mia's circle, full of universally beloved people. But all Al cares about is the fact that he is with the girl he loves.

Then, Al's bliss is intruded upon: Ryan, Mia's ex, develops cancer. Ryan requests that Mia take care of him, and suddenly the two are attached at the hip. It becomes clear to Al that Ryan is trying to get back Mia while using his cancer as an excuse, but no one will hear a word spoken against Ryan.

Can Al fix this one? Or will his lack of social skills prohibit any progress of tipping off Mia to Ryan's plan?

My thoughts: I literally laughed out loud in several parts while reading this book. I did not merely chuckle. I cracked up. It is, hands down, one of the five funniest books I have ever read. Yoo uses a clever mix of humor, sarcasm, wit, and irony to entertain the reader throughout the entire novel.

Although the book occasionally dragged, the majority of the time I was eager to keep reading. You should put this near the top of your to read pile, especially if you're looking for a laugh!

This is the first novel I have read by David Yoo and what a wonderful discovery! It was really refreshing to read a story of male teenage angst written by a male author. His treatment of Asian stereotypes is witty and rings of truth (as a former teacher, I saw my share of Alberts) and his portrayal of the high school loner is insightful.

I am usually squeamish watching and even reading about someone else's embarrassing moment, but this wasn't an issue with this book (though there were plenty of embarrassing moments to be had) because Yoo gives Albert a sense of humor about his situation as well as an astonishing ironic awareness. I was routing for Albert from his most embarrassing moments, to his weird moments, and yes, even in his stalkerish moments. Along his journey Albert emerges from the protective cocoon he's built for himself only to find that participating in his own life can be hard, but well worth it... and so is the book.

This book was funny, clever, and a beautiful story about self discovery and teenaged romance. I highly recommend it, and in the mean time I might just go back and check out his first novel, Girls for Breakfast.

[...]

I couldn't agree more with the reviewer who said that there was moments she laughed so hard while she was reading it on the train that someone thought she was crying! This book has many truly laugh out loud moments. The narrator's self-deprecating ironic humor had me engaged throughout the book. And by the end I felt so satisfied, I was like, "This is how it feels to finish reading an awesome book." Major props to Dave Yoo for his 2nd YA novel. I wasn't a big fan of his first book, but this one: he hit a home run!

Gold Star Award Winner!

If Albert Kim has learned one thing in his tragic adolescence, it's that God (probably a sadistic teenage alien) does not want him to succeed at Bern High.

By the end of sophomore year, Al is so tired of humiliation that he's chosen to just forget girls and high school society in general, and enjoy the Zen-like detachment that comes from being an intentional loser.

Then he meets Mia Stone, and all the repressed hormones come flooding back. Mia, his co-worker at the Bern Inn, is adorable, popular, and, most intimidating, the ex- long-term girlfriend of Ivy-bound, muscle-bearing king of BHS and world class jerk, Ryan Stackhouse.

But - chalk it up to the magic of Al's inner beauty - by the end of a summer vacuuming hotel rooms and goofing off together, he and Mia are officially "something."

Albert barely has time to ponder this miracle before the bomb drops: Ryan has been diagnosed with cancer, and he needs Mia's support, i.e. constant companionship. True, he's lost weight and he's getting radiation, but that doesn't make him any less of a jerk. And to Albert, it couldn't be more apparent that Ryan is using his cancer to steal Mia back.

With the whole town rallying behind Ryan like he's a fallen hero, and Mia emotionally confused and worried for Ryan, Al's bid for love is not a popular campaign. In fact, it's exactly like driving the wrong way on a five-lane highway.

STOP ME IF YOU'VE HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE was a funny, sad, and wonderful story all at the same time. Yoo really knows how to capture the reader and keep them hooked until the last page.

Albert felt like a real teenage boy and his emotions were captured so well. The love between him and Mia grew gradually and I loved that. They didn't fall in love when they first met; their friendship grew into love. I really liked how Albert grew as a character and had a truly unique voice.

Overall, I highly recommend STOP ME IF YOU'VE HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE. It's just such an engaging novel!

Reviewed by: Bookluver_Carol

This is an amazing book. When I read it on the subway I was laughing so hard the guy next to me thought I was crying and put a hand on my shoulder to ask me if I was ok. It's really that good. The plot is wickedly funny, yet there were so many moments that gave me a real lump in my throat. The romance is totally poignant and the high school scenes are so true they often hurt to read. If high school sucked for you (or even if it didn't) READ THIS BOOK! Then read GIRLS FOR BREAKFAST. I have to say, this is one of my favorite novels of 2008, and one of the sweetest teen love stories I have ever read.

Albert Kim, a self described "intentional loser", is sick of high school drama. He'd rather be an outcast than have to deal with having a social life, especially after all the injustices that have been dumped on him during his high school years. But these sentiments seem to be nearly forgotten when Albert meets Mia, who is confident and popular. Before Albert knows it, he and Mia are together.

And then...Mia's ex, Ryan, is diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly he desperately needs Mia to be at his side, a fact of which Albert is certain is payback and an attempt to get her back. Unable to say anything against Ryan, everyone's heroic champion, and desperate for Mia's company--the only person he feels truly alive with--Albert finds himself locked between a rock and a hard place.

Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before is a humorous, ironic, and completely entertaining read that really hits the mark. Albert is an engaging and thought provoking character whose unique voice is hard to resist and his outlook on life is one that many teens will be able to relate to. The pacing of the story is ideal: it moves at just the right speed to keep the reader's attention, but not so fast that it feels as if the story is rushed, and the plot is credible. Readers will find themselves easily empathizing with Albert as Ryan gets showered with attention and Mia finds herself hopelessly confused, and Albert grows a little wiser along the way. Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before genuinely and candidly captures the heartaches, thrills, and lows of being in love and growing up.

***SPOILERS***

This review is addressed to the author, David Yoo.

Coming after his debut novel, Girls for Breakfast, David Yoo tells the tale of another Korean American boy in Stop me if You've Heard this one before.

This time, there is less emphasis on how being Korean American shaped the main character than there was in GfB. Regardless, the main character, Albert Kim is just as interesting and thought provoking as Nick Park.

Whereas GfB seemed to be more of a fictional memoir, Stop Me, does not start in early childhood and goes right into high school. The story is that Albert, a mostly introverted self described "intentional loser" has an epiphany after falling in love with a popular girl from high school. He feels like he is truly living when he is with her but her ex has cancer and is using it to try and get back the girl. Anyways I don't need to explain the story, it's a review.

So basically David, I love your writing but I have a few complaints (the reasons I didn't give this a 5). First of all... Tuberculosis? Really? You're really going to give the main character TB and use it as a cheap point against Mia and then never bring it up again? Listen, stories don't have to be realistic all the time but they should at least be believable. I felt like the story really flowed until that part, just seemed impossible.

Another thing that bothered me was how you described affectionate interactions. You use really cliche things like "He put his hand on her shoulder" and stuff. I mean, no one does that. Sure it's a book but you sell a realistic character really well in Albert, and then to have him do stuff like that seems out of place. Especially for someone with little emotional background.

Finally, the very end. Right after Al finds out what The House and Mia had done. Mia chases Al out and then it seems like within a matter of a page he is not angry at her anymore. I mean I know Al feels truly alive with her but that seemed like a cop out ending.

Okay, believe it or not I actually really like your writing. No offense meant on any of this. I couldn't write a novel man, I just figured since you're kind of small time you will probably read this review.

Overall: A great read. (I love how well the name Ryan Chase Stackhouse fits the character, nice one)