Reading Rants! Out of the Ordinary Teen Booklists!

Sam may not be in a band, but what he knows about heavy metal could fill an encyclopedia. Sam lives for Slayer concerts, hanging with his best friends, and getting drunk on Saturday night. That’s why no one is more surprised than he is when he falls for preppy, straight arrow Melissa, who not only has never heard of any of Sam’s favorite bands, but after a disastrous experience in a mosh pit, wants him to give up metal, his best friends, AND drinking. While Sam may be willing to sacrifice his friends and stay dry for a few weekends, giving up his metal is out of the question. Can this relationship be saved? Does Sam even want to? Newbie author Christopher Krovatin was born in 1985, which makes this Gen-X reviewer feel a little old. But Krovatin’s spot on dialogue and no-holds-barred look at the inner life of an enthusiastic metal head gave me a real appreciation for a type of music I bypassed altogether as a teen. A little raunchy and a lot honest, this short, funny novel will leave you wondering how far you would go for love.