The Wrong Kind of Weird Is Just the Right Book!
It has been a long time since high school, at least, for me. Reading, The Wrong Kind of Weird, by James Ramos, I was transported back, able to relive the emotions, milestones, everything that happened in those last year's before being forced to go out into the world, alone, as an adult. Those years of teenage angst and self searching, hopefully, by the end, learning about oneself. All the things I forgot about from so long ago, along with experiencing things through the eyes of a teenager today, how things are for them, now.
Though Nintendo has been replaced by the Nintendo Game Cube and the only sci-fi known to us was Star Wars and Star Trek (and, you were still considered a nerd for liking it) most of the high school experience remains as it was twenty years ago, for me. Readers don’t want to miss reliving the experience or, as a young adult, being able to learn about what another person’s experience is like, in this coming of age story about love, self, and the right kind of weirdness in both.
Things have been different for Cameron Carson in high school this year after his summer and the day Karla Ortega became his co-worker at the coffee shop he works at. First, they become friends and then, began "hooking-up" (which had not included sex, yet). While the relationship was never meant to last, when school begins, the pair find themselves continuing their affair and continuing to keep it a secret from everyone in their lives. Why? Because, anything the two have in common, far outweighs how much they don't.
Karla is the student council president, cheerleader, theater enthusiast, all around queen of the school. Most importantly, she is a member of the Caravan, a group made up of the upper echelon students, all the popular kids. But, as Cameron is able to watch her, within the group, he realizes things about the structure he has never noticed before which brings to mind many questions he had never thought to ponder. Cameron, on the other hand, is a member of a club known as GANU (Geeks & Nerds United). As their relationship evolves, Karla begins to push things further, Cameron taking a step back to assess the situation, isn’t sure what to do, to give her what she wants. After all, isn’t what Karla wants what he wants too?
Cameron is surprised when Karla's ex, Lucas, wants to be friends saying he wants to "turn over a new leaf." When Cameron goes to hang out with his "new friend" he begins to spend more time with Mackenzie, a girl he thought ever really liked him. However that just turns out to be the way Mackenzie is. A girl that says anything on her mind no matter what it is, doesn't seem to hide anything about herself and isn't embarrassed about it. Mackenzie is just Mackenzie. And Cameron likes that. Things aren’t helped by the fact that Mackenzie is Lucas’s sister. After all, Cameron is dating his ex, so if he falls for Mackenzie, he betrays Lucas twice over.
Regardless of what Cameron is beginning to feel about Mackenzie, his clandestine operation with Karla is still under way as they go back and forth contemplating taking a big step in their life together unlike anything they have done before. Cameron begins to believe if he can get to know some of the Caravan crowd they will like him. And, if this were to happen Karla and Cameron could tell the world they are a couple and then life wouldn’t feel wrong, as it does now. But, what is the real reason things feel so wrong for Karla and Cameron? Is it just because they are hiding their relationship from everyone? Or, could there be something more?
While Karla and Cameron are smart, that is really where their similarities end. Cameron likes his anime, manga and sci-fi. And, while Karla has collections of Star Trek that envy what Cameron has, she believes that people can like something without being obsessed with it, as to make it their entire world. On the other hand, Mackenzie and Cameron share almost all the same interests, would spend the entire day doing the same activities, even if that meant watching episodes of Dragon Ball Z (which they did on their first "hang out").
The title, The Wrong Kind of Weird, I think, hints to a lot of issues in the book. Cameron himself, I don't think, is the wrong kind of weird. Mackenzie, is not the wrong kind of weird either. And, Karla isn't weird herself. Cameron has always seen himself as weird, but the right kind of weird, and, I think, he sees himself that way because he thinks that the world sees him this way. But, he is okay with that kind of weirdness. The wrong kind of weird, I think, is where Cameron finds himself, the person he is becoming, when he is in a relationship with Karla. That is where things go wonky, and the wrong kind of weird.
James Ramos has written a book all types of readers of all ages won't want to miss. If you're not in high school right now, and you want to go back, want to see what things are like for children today (especially if you have kids or even if you're just curious) this is a great book to read, a page turner you won't put down until it's finished. Even if you read the book and then give it to your kids, it's insightful and gives you hope that kids are actually a little more grounded than you think. That, in the end of these situations, they can make the right decision, if they have the right knowledge and guidance. This book is one of those things that can help teenagers come to make the right decisions in life as Cameron did, for himself. To find out what they were, however, you must read the book!
Happy Reading!
Though Nintendo has been replaced by the Nintendo Game Cube and the only sci-fi known to us was Star Wars and Star Trek (and, you were still considered a nerd for liking it) most of the high school experience remains as it was twenty years ago, for me. Readers don’t want to miss reliving the experience or, as a young adult, being able to learn about what another person’s experience is like, in this coming of age story about love, self, and the right kind of weirdness in both.
Things have been different for Cameron Carson in high school this year after his summer and the day Karla Ortega became his co-worker at the coffee shop he works at. First, they become friends and then, began "hooking-up" (which had not included sex, yet). While the relationship was never meant to last, when school begins, the pair find themselves continuing their affair and continuing to keep it a secret from everyone in their lives. Why? Because, anything the two have in common, far outweighs how much they don't.
Karla is the student council president, cheerleader, theater enthusiast, all around queen of the school. Most importantly, she is a member of the Caravan, a group made up of the upper echelon students, all the popular kids. But, as Cameron is able to watch her, within the group, he realizes things about the structure he has never noticed before which brings to mind many questions he had never thought to ponder. Cameron, on the other hand, is a member of a club known as GANU (Geeks & Nerds United). As their relationship evolves, Karla begins to push things further, Cameron taking a step back to assess the situation, isn’t sure what to do, to give her what she wants. After all, isn’t what Karla wants what he wants too?
Cameron is surprised when Karla's ex, Lucas, wants to be friends saying he wants to "turn over a new leaf." When Cameron goes to hang out with his "new friend" he begins to spend more time with Mackenzie, a girl he thought ever really liked him. However that just turns out to be the way Mackenzie is. A girl that says anything on her mind no matter what it is, doesn't seem to hide anything about herself and isn't embarrassed about it. Mackenzie is just Mackenzie. And Cameron likes that. Things aren’t helped by the fact that Mackenzie is Lucas’s sister. After all, Cameron is dating his ex, so if he falls for Mackenzie, he betrays Lucas twice over.
Regardless of what Cameron is beginning to feel about Mackenzie, his clandestine operation with Karla is still under way as they go back and forth contemplating taking a big step in their life together unlike anything they have done before. Cameron begins to believe if he can get to know some of the Caravan crowd they will like him. And, if this were to happen Karla and Cameron could tell the world they are a couple and then life wouldn’t feel wrong, as it does now. But, what is the real reason things feel so wrong for Karla and Cameron? Is it just because they are hiding their relationship from everyone? Or, could there be something more?
While Karla and Cameron are smart, that is really where their similarities end. Cameron likes his anime, manga and sci-fi. And, while Karla has collections of Star Trek that envy what Cameron has, she believes that people can like something without being obsessed with it, as to make it their entire world. On the other hand, Mackenzie and Cameron share almost all the same interests, would spend the entire day doing the same activities, even if that meant watching episodes of Dragon Ball Z (which they did on their first "hang out").
The title, The Wrong Kind of Weird, I think, hints to a lot of issues in the book. Cameron himself, I don't think, is the wrong kind of weird. Mackenzie, is not the wrong kind of weird either. And, Karla isn't weird herself. Cameron has always seen himself as weird, but the right kind of weird, and, I think, he sees himself that way because he thinks that the world sees him this way. But, he is okay with that kind of weirdness. The wrong kind of weird, I think, is where Cameron finds himself, the person he is becoming, when he is in a relationship with Karla. That is where things go wonky, and the wrong kind of weird.
James Ramos has written a book all types of readers of all ages won't want to miss. If you're not in high school right now, and you want to go back, want to see what things are like for children today (especially if you have kids or even if you're just curious) this is a great book to read, a page turner you won't put down until it's finished. Even if you read the book and then give it to your kids, it's insightful and gives you hope that kids are actually a little more grounded than you think. That, in the end of these situations, they can make the right decision, if they have the right knowledge and guidance. This book is one of those things that can help teenagers come to make the right decisions in life as Cameron did, for himself. To find out what they were, however, you must read the book!
Happy Reading!