Audrey, Wait! (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "THE DAY I BROKE UP with my boyfriend Evan was the day he wrote the song..." (more)
Key Phrases: emo glasses, arm huggies, Sharon Eggleston, Scooper Dooper, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 9 Up—When 16-year-old Audrey decides to dump her band-singer boyfriend, she has no idea that he will go on to write a chart-topping song about their breakup. Music lovers will appreciate Audrey's passion for her favorite bands and the song lyrics and music references that fill this novel. Other readers—particularly teen girls—will enjoy her reaction to sudden notoriety, as Audrey fends off paparazzi, unexpectedly finds herself in gossip magazines, and attempts to have a normal life despite it all. Her touching romance with an ice-cream-shop coworker hits some snags because of the situation, but Audrey perseveres. There are some good observations here about our society's obsession with famous people, but mostly this is a light read about a high school junior in an unusual situation. While Audrey sometimes comes off as overly passive as she tries to ignore the events around her, and the ending is predictable, the story will keep teens reading. Audrey's parents, her best friend, and her new love interest are all strong characters. An enjoyable first novel that's sure to be a hit.—Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public Library
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From Booklist

Within a few weeks after their breakup, Audrey’s boyfriend, Evan, writes and performs a rock song about their split that catches the attention of a music executive and catapults Evan and his band to stardom. Because she is the song’s subject, Audrey suddenly becomes a celebrity, too, and over the course of a school year, she finds herself dodging paparazzi, rock stars in search of a muse, and star-crazed classmates. Set in Southern California, Benway’s memorable debut is a highly entertaining fantasy of teen fame, narrated in Audrey’s sardonic voice and perfect timed comedic lines that channel contemporary YA culture: “It makes my parents crazy how I can do all of this at once, talk on the phone and email and IM. I’m just like, how can you not?” Readers will be captivated by the well-drawn supporting characters, particularly Audrey’s loving, bantering parents and vibrant best friend, and fans of David Levithan and Rachel Cohn’s Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2006) will find a similarly raw, honest celebration of music, friendship, romance, and teen resilience. Grades 8-11. --Gillian Engberg

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Razorbill (April 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159514191X
• ISBN-13: 978-1595141910
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #586,719 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Audrey Rocks!, April 10, 2008

By	Anidori-Isilee (The Asylum) - See all my reviews

Audrey's tired of dealing with her boyfriend's egocentric attitude. So she breaks up with him. Should be the end of it, but it's not. Because Evan writes a song about the break-up and records it with his band, and "Audrey, Wait!" skyrockets up the charts. As the song grows more popular, so does Audrey. All Audrey wants is to be normal (and maybe go on a date with super cute James), but when the paparazzi are stalking you and people you've never met are following your every move on the internet (and hating you), being normal isn't easy.

I really loved this book. It's just as much as fun as the cover. Even though the premise is extremely unlikely, Benway handles it in an extremly believable way, with three-dimensional characters. But the best thing about this book is Audrey, who has become one of my favorite narrating characters. She is a completely realistic teen whose sarcastic wit will keep you laughing and turning the pages, wanting to know what'll happen next in her turned-upside-down world. Complete fun and highly entertaining, "Audrey, Wait!" should definitely be a popular read for the spring and summer.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Compulsive Reader's Reviews, April 10, 2008

By	The Compulsive Reader (Big Rapids, MI, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

When Audrey made the decision to dump Evan, she never imagined that millions of people would soon know about it. But then Audrey, Wait!, the song Evan wrote about the break-up, is suddenly leaping up the charts, and making Evan's band wildly popular virtually overnight, Audrey has more attention than she can handle. Mobbed by reporters, fans, and fake friends, she can barely attend school, much less move on with her love life and start dating again. All anyone knows is what the paparazzi report. Now it's time for Audrey to take matters into her own hands.

Audrey's story is laugh out loud funny and chocked full of her crazy, fun filled escapades. Audrey herself has a sardonically appealing wit about her that makes her an instant hit, and is honest, confident, and yet still quite human. Her thoughts and vivid wording are what make that connection between the protagonist and reader. Though the book is lengthy, the plot moves at a brisk pace, and each chapter is preceded by sing lyrics from a wide variety of artists throughout the ages. This is a hilarious, wise, and immensely inviting read that anyone would be willing to rock out to.

Visit http://thecompulsivereader.blogspot.com/ for more reviews and contests!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a MUST-READ!!, April 23, 2008

By	TeenLitGirl "Casey" (California) - See all my reviews

I just finished reading AUDREY, WAIT!, and I can honestly say that it was one of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long time, with one of the most loveable characters. The main character, Audrey, dumps her boyfriend at the start of the novel -- and almost immediately is thrust into the world of fame when the ex writes a hit song about her.

This book is so much fun for a lot of reasons -- number one, Audrey is hilarious. She's spunky and fun and cool. Number two, even though Audrey's situation is abnormal, Audrey's just your average girl, and is really easy to relate to. I quickly became attached to her character, and I literally read this book in one sitting. This is also a fun novel for music lovers.

I would highly recommend AUDREY, WAIT! to anyone looking for a fun, funny read that's also well-written and has emotional depth.