The Book High

2.5 stars

Very disappointing. I'm such a huge fan of Ethan Day's books, they're usually exactly the comic relief I need between heavier, more serious books. I hadn't known this one was coming, so when I heard about it, I excitedly went and immediately bought it.

Only to discover that this felt more like a first draft of an Ethan Day book. I couldn't help wondering all the way through if this had even been edited. There were spelling and grammar errors, yes, but also missing words and unfinished sentences. But it wasn't just that--it was like all of the elements of a good, funny Ethan Day book were there, just not finished.

For example, the tenants in La Terraza had the potential to create one of the hilarious scenes (like the brunch with the mother and her friends in Second Time Lucky) but it just never quite got there.

Interestingly, this book also had elements of a potential mystery, but that also didn't seem to ever materialize. The "villains" were too one-dimensionally, mustache-twirlingly obvious to make for a successful mystery.

I can't help but wish that this one would be picked up by a different publisher, both copy and content edited, and republished. Very sad to see so much potential here and not have it realized as it has been in his other books.