12 Things to Do Before You Crash and Burn [Hardcover]

James Proimos (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 8, 2011

James “Hercules” Martino has until the end of the summer (a.k.a. two weeks) to accomplish the
twelve tasks given to him by his Uncle Anthony. The tasks will take him to the far reaches of Baltimore, lead him to a Beautiful and Unattainable Woman, and change the way he sees his past, present, and future.

Spare in words, but abundant in big ideas and laugh out loud humor, James Proimos has crafted a novel for any teenager who’s ever had a complicated relationship with a parent. In other words, everyone.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Hercules charms readers with humor and honesty…”--School Library Journal

 

“This fun, slim book has a very interesting premise: a boy who happens to be nicknamed Hercules and who has recently lost his father is assigned twelve tasks (labors) to complete when he goes to stay with his uncle over the summer.” --VOYA

 

“Proimos fully inhabits the mind and voice of his hero, whose almost mythic journey offers moments hilarious, heartbreaking, and triumphant.” --Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

 

"Told in short, near-poetic vignettes, the chapters of Proimos’ first teen novel are packed with plenty of small details and genuine moments of ridiculous humor." --Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

James Proimos is married to a Beautiful and Attainable Woman and they live on a small
horse farm outside of Baltimore. He has written several books for children, but this is his first
novel for young adults.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (November 8, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159643595X
• ISBN-13: 978-1596435957
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,256,839 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Great read April 9, 2013

By Justin

Format:Hardcover

This book was very short, and kept me entertained throughout. It is about a young boy Hercules whose father died and moved in with his uncle. He ends up going on an mission to accomplish 12 things his uncle had on a list. The book is adventurous and is quite comical. Hercules is a very likable character and has some awesome experiences throughout the book. It was fun to learn about Hercules and his past. The author does an excellent job taking you in to the mind of a young teenage boy living in the city of Baltimore. I would highly suggest this book and think it is especially appealing to younger males based on the humor and characters in the book. I am not the biggest reader and do not read very often but this book honestly was fun to read and had me laughing on several occasions. It had a bit of a strange ending but was still a great book. It only took me about an hour and a half to read and was worth every minute. Go and buy or rent or borrow this book and start reading it because James Proimos deserves it for the brilliance that was put into this book. SHORT AND SWEET BOOK EVERYONE!

4.0 out of 5 stars Just 12 things March 8, 2013

By Harry Potter is the best

Format:Hardcover

1. Incredibly short
2. Small Font
3. Cool idea
4. Hilarious
5. Quick Read
6. Entertaining
7. Interesting characters
8. Finished it in 45 minutes
9. Hobo
10. Winnie-the-Poo
11. Strange ending
12. Family bonding

Overall, the 12 Things to Do Before You Crash and Burn was a very quick read, and I give it four stars for the reason of it being quite entertaining and fascinating for such a small book.

Give it a try!

Definitely try it if you want a short read. :)

4.0 out of 5 stars 12 Things February 10, 2013

By Villani

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

It was funny but the ending wasn't quite complete over all I enjoyed it a light but amusing read :)