Young Adult Graphic Novel
Four disparate high school seniors come together to compete in their school's battle of the bands. Sharing a love for playing rock and roll, the members name the band "The Stereotypical Freaks" because they feel stereotyped by their classmates - smart kid, geek, star athlete and quiet weirdo… when in fact they know they are much more than those labels that have been placed on them.
When one member reveals life altering news, winning the competition takes on more of a meaning to each member. Scared and angry, upset and yet still with a lot of resolve they set out to win one for the good guys… will they?
Source: Received the book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Did not receive any payment for review.
My Review
I am pleasantly surprised by this book. I didn't know what to expect when I was asked to review the book. I like graphic novels but haven't read many of them. This book is very true to life. You have the normal teenage issues with crushes, stereotypes and broken friendships. The story follows Tom and his band. It's not so much of a band in the beginning, just him and his friend Dan playing tunes in his basement. Dan suggests that they find people to play in the band and compete in a battle of the bands competition.
I liked that the characters really sounded like teenagers. That's really important when marketing your books to younger readers, it makes them seem more relatable. The characters show such a tremendous amount of growth in the story. I wasn't expecting the outcome of the story and it was a little heartbreaking. I will admit that I did shed a tear or two. I'd also like to point out that the illustrations were awesome! They really give you a better feel of the story. I would recommend this to any young adult!
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