Starred Review Andrews follows up his heartstrings-tugging best-seller turned movie, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2012), with an uproariously funny addition to the teen road-trip canon. Wes and his best friend Corey are attending jazz camp, and t's be blunt ey aren't exactly standout musicians. But when they meet the mysterious Ash, who is driven by the beat of her own internal drummer, and have an epic jam session, they do what any teenager at a band camp wishes they could do: take off on a road trip for an unofficial tour. The three of them venture to various seedy venues in the South, cycling through all the highs and lows of a more established band: hookups, heartbreaks, unanticipated nudity, and drug-induced crazy times. Are some of the circumstances of the story preposterous? Quite possibly. But readers will be sucked into this story, a raunchy bromance in the vein of Superbad, which celebrates friendship and adventure. Andrews' knack for quippy, smart, and never-too-clever dialogue is a perfect match for this voice-driven book. Intertextual asides, whether lists of potential band names, fake Wikipedia entries, or screenplay-like flashbacks, only enhance this very of-the-moment novel. Effortlessly readable, deeply enjoyable, and, given the years since Andrews' fantastic debut, well worth the wait. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Andrews' debut made a big splash, and with a full schedule of promotions on the dockets, it's likely this one will be just as much of a hit.

At a jazz camp of "mostly dudes," bass player Wes and his drummer best friend Corey meet Ash, who has her own unique musical style and refuses to play with the condescending guys. Frustrated, she leaves--and Wes and Corey go with her. What follows is both a classic road-trip novel and an inventive teen adventure that subtly addresses race, family, and socioeconomics.

Gr 10 Up-The author demonstrates his unique voice in his follow-up to the popular Me and Earl and the Dying Girl . Like that debut, this work features a similar trio: a narrator, his somewhat clueless friend, and a girl who changes them both. Wes and Corey are "jazz-nerd chaff" at Bill Garabedian's Jazz Giants of Tomorrow Intensive Summer Workshop. They don't know that, of course, until they discover that this highly selective camp accepted more drummers and bassists to support other, better musicians. They're not hopeful about the next two weeks until they meet Ash, a guitarist in their ensemble who seems uninterested in playing jazz. Inevitably, the three misfits form a band and escape from camp to launch their world tour. As with most road trips, tensions rise, rivalries form, and jealousy blossoms. Ash is clearly the alpha in the group, making Wes a passive narrator. This works occasionally for the story, especially in the more surreal encounters; however, it also creates a meandering feeling that may wear out some readers. Although not every journey needs a purpose, the characters are not hugely different after what would be a life-altering event for most people. Wes learns to appreciate music rather than simply hating on it; he's a better listener. It's a subtle shift, but perhaps that's Andrews's point. VERDICT Teens who are music nerds or fans of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl will appreciate this novel's sharp wit and playful style. Joy Piedmont, LREI, New York

Wes and Corey did not expect to make it into Bill Garabedian's prestigious jazz camp.áThey only tried out because their jazz teacher made them.áBut accepted they are, and they are the worst musicians in the group, stuck at camp with a bunch of dudes who try very hard to be "jazzy." Things look up for the two friends when they have a jam session with Ash, who also does not fit the mold of jazz camp.áAsh wants to escape from camp, create a new band (with Wes and Corey), and go on tour until camp ends.áShe comes from a rich family and has unlimited resources to fund this excursion.áAnd so begins their road trip, looking for gigs anywhere they can find them. What could possibly go wrong?Filled with adolescent boy angst and their preoccupation with male genitalia, rock and roll, and girls, this book is an adventure full of laughs. Andrews, author of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Abrams, 2012/VOYA February 2012), has another winner with his use of absurdity to draw readers in for a great ride filled with music, name-dropping, endless cash, and an epic road trip.áThink of The Haters as John Green's Looking for Alaska (Penguin, 2005/VOYA April 2005) meets Libba Bray's Going Bovine (Random House, 2009/VOYA October 2009) kind of adventure.áThis is recommended for upper-middle to high school realistic fiction collections and will appeal to music buffs and readers who love to laugh.Dianna Geers.