Brooding YA Hero – Carrie Ann DiRisio (ARC Review)

Goodreads synopsis:

Have you ever wished you could receive a little guidance from your favorite book boyfriend? Ever dreamed of being the Chosen One in a YA novel? Want to know all the secrets of surviving the dreaded plot twist?

Or maybe you’re just really confused about what “opal-tinted, luminous cerulean orbs” actually are?

Well, popular Twitter personality @broodingYAhero is here to help as he tackles the final frontier in his media dominance: writing a book. Join Broody McHottiepants as he attempts to pen Brooding YA Hero: Becoming a Main Character (Almost) as Awesome as Me, a “self-help” guide (with activities–you always need activities) that lovingly pokes fun at the YA tropes that we roll our eyes at, but secretly love.

As his nefarious ex, Blondie DeMeani, attempts to thwart him at every turn, Broody overcomes to detail, among other topics, how to choose your genre, how to keep your love interest engaged (while maintaining lead character status), his secret formula for guaranteed love triangle success, and how to make sure you secure that sequel, all while keeping his hair perfectly coiffed and never breaking a sweat.

“Young adult fiction is potential captured and frozen – a bright bolt of lightning caught on the page for everyone to read. It is both universal and incredibly personal, changeable and yet constant.”

If you’ve ever visited the Brooding YA Hero twitter bio, you’re already familiar with the snark, irony, and self-aware sense of humor that comes with the writing. This book does not disappoint at all in that sense – it’s cute, humorous, and fun from start to finish. It’s written like a self-help book, narrated by none other than Broody, the trope-filled YA main character.

“I come from a foreign country that’s probably made up, or might as well have been, for all the accuracy of the Author’s portrayal.”

Carrie Ann DiRisio uses Broody’s character as a vehicle to deliver fantastic social commentary on the world of YA writing and the cliches and offenses that its authors so commonly present, and I found myself nodding along, laughing, and saying “yes!” under my breath at least once per chapter.

In between Broody’s notes and advice, there are third-person narratives of his gradual character development and frustrations, as well as the occasional snippet from Blondie – his absolutely fantastic ex-girlfriend who’s sick and tired of being cast as the villain just because she has great hair and wears heels.

Is this book earth-shattering? No. Does it have an incredibly rich storyline filled with in-depth characters? No. Is it a hilariously fun read that any YA fan should pick up, if for nothing other than the fact that we all need to laugh at ourselves sometimes? ABSOLUTELY.

(Note: If you aren’t fluent in sarcasm, you should probably avoid this one like the plague.)

Thank you to Edelweiss and Skypony Press for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

releases oct 3, 2017
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