ARC Book Tour & Book Review: Five Flavors Of Dumb

Author: Antony John
Title: Five Flavors Of Dumb
Publisher: Dial
Publish Date: Nov 11, 2010
Rating: 5 stars
Book Blurb: The Challenge: Piper has one month to get the rock band Dumb a paying gig.


The Deal: If she does it, Piper will become the band's manager and get her share of the profits.
The Catch: How can Piper possibly manage one egomaniacal pretty boy, one talentless piece of eye candy, one crush, one silent rocker, and one angry girl? And how can she do it when she's deaf?


Piper can't hear Dumb's music, but with growing self-confidence, a budding romance, and a new understanding of the decision her family made to buy a cochlear implant for her deaf baby sister, she discovers her own inner rock star and what it truly means to be a flavor of Dumb.

Review: It is really hard to pinpoit exactly why Five Flavors Of Dumb is so good, without sounding overly gushy.  This book felt like a YA book written by Nick Hornby. Anyone that is a fan of his writing, who reads this will understand.

Even though the storyline was so unrealistic, the characters in the story were what made it such a great read. Piper was a character that many girls and women could indentify with. She struggles with self confidence and wants to be part of the "In Crowd."  She finds the means to her end with Dumb, but she gets so much more than she bargained for when she becomes their manager.

Through her gig as manager of Dumb she really becomes friends with the band, and each member has their own quirks (flavors). Tash is an angry punk girl. Kallie is girl next door gorgeous but with secrets. Will and Josh are brothers that are different as night and day. Then there's Ed, brought in as a drummer through Piper.

The only one you can't like is Josh, and that's because you really aren't supposed to. He's a jerk, in the lightest terms possible.

Piper also discovers music through managing the band, something she really didn't seem to care about, which makes a little sense, since she's deaf.  It is definitely an awakening for her and the more she understands it and becomes better at the job, the more she changes, but not enough that becomes unrecognizable from the Piper we meet at the beginning of the story.

The other thing that really makes this book a winner, is her relationship with her family. They are dysfunctional and loving. It is great to see a family where there's no "evil" mom or dad or step-parent. They've made mistakes and they are trying to get by.
The best part is that it works out for everyone in the end. Well, almost everyone.  This has to be one of my favorite YA books so far this year.