Review: From What I Remember by Stacy Kramer & Valerie Thomas

Goodreads Summary: KYLIE: Mexico? What a nightmare! I should be putting the finishing touches on my valedictorian speech. Graduation is TODAY! Wait! Is this a wedding band on my finger 
MAX: It started with Kylie's laptop and a truck full of stolen electronics and it ended in Ensenada. It was hot, the way she broke us out like some chick in an action movie. But now we're stranded here, with less than twenty-four hours before graduation. 
WILL: Saving Kylie Flores from herself is kind of a full-time occupation. Luckily, I, Will Bixby, was born for the job. And when I found out she was stuck in Mexico with dreamy Max Langston, sure, I agreed to bring their passports across the border - but there's no reason to rush back home right away. This party is just getting started. 
LILY: This cannot be happening. It's like some cruel joke. Or a bad dream. I close my eyes and when I reopen them, they're still there. Max and Kylie Flores, freak of the century. In bed together. If Kylie thinks I'm giving him up without a fight, she's dead wrong.

Rating: 4 out of 5

**Spoilers**

My Summary: The book starts off with your heroin Kylie; the outcast, valedictorian, aspiring screenwriter and total stickler for the rules. Her trusty sidekick is the quirky and lovable Will, who also gets caught in the whirlwind of events. On the last day of school, of course the annoying teacher assigns one last paper due the next day and luck would have it that Kylie gets stuck with the hot and obnoxious jock-type, Max. Then, problems ensue when Kylie and Max try to complete the assignment  Crazy carjacking and kidnapping scene later and you find the pair, Kylie and Max, in beautiful coastal Mexico. In Mexico, the two become fast friends and in the midst of the partying (maybe a little two hard) relationships developed and more shenanigans unfold, not to mention the awkward encounter with Lilly, Max's girlfriend. The gang then faces the problem of getting back to California in time for graduation.

Review:   In one word: entertaining. Thoroughly, wholeheartedly entertaining. Realistic? No! I had a really hard time rating this book because it was so borderline 3.5-4.  It's not that it was bad; it just wasn't great. Once you got past the unrealistic plot it's really quite a fun book! I liked the characters for the most part, but none of them were that memorable.  I also thought the whole kidnapping scene was too weird; I wish the author found some other way to get the teens to mexico that was more realistic. I also didn't like the random chapters with Kylie's little brother; they were particularly bothersome when I was trying to get into the story and it felt like they kept interrupting the plot. I admit that I may have skipped over some of them because I just didn't feel like reading them. On a positive note, this book was really fun. Despite being unrealistic, the over the top story line was enjoyable and found myself imagining myself in their crazy situation. I also am a huge fan of books that switch points of view, which is partially what kept me hooked (minus the aforementioned brother's chapters). And of course I liked that Max fell for Kylie, I'm a huge supporter of the nerd and jock couple, as a nerd myself haha!

Overall: It was good, but definitely not great. If you enjoyed any of the Hangover movies, this book is slightly reminiscent of them. This is one of those books to read when your bored buts it is not a urgent must read. 

Happy Reading!