I'm With Stupid by Geoff Herbach

Title: I'm With Stupid

Author: Geoff Herbach

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: May 1, 2013

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Felton Reinstein has never been good with stress. Which is why he's seriously freaking out. Revealing his college choice on national TV? It's a heart attack waiting to happen. Deciding on a major for the next four years of his life? Ridiculous. He barely even knows who he is outside of football. And so…he embarks on The Epic Quest to be Meaningful.

Which leads to:

1. Mentoring a freshman called Pig Boy.

2. The state of Wisconsin hating him.

3. His track coach suspending him.

4. The funniest viral video the world has ever seen.

5. A whole new appreciation for his family, his friends, and what's really important in life. 

Here's the thing about Geoff Herbach's books: they don't get nearly enough attention. So far I have loved everything I have read by this author, and I'm With Stupid was no different. I loved seeing Felton's story come to an end, but I will admit, by the end of it all, it was bittersweet.

Now in his last year of high school, Felton Reinstein has a lot on his plate. Recruiters from all over the country are getting in touch with him by any means necessary. That's enough to drive anyone crazy. But for someone who doesn't do well with stress, the college recruitment process is enough to give Felton a heart attack. And if that wasn't enough, everything else in Felton's life seems to be on the verge of falling apart. Except that maybe things aren't so bad. Because this nerd-turned-jock's friends and family have his back. Even if Felton hasn't realized it just yet. 

Like I've already said, I sometimes feel like Geoff Herbach's books don't get nearly enough attention. Having read all three Felton Reinstein books, I can say that they are truly fantastic books. While I was reading the last book, I'm With Stupid, I couldn't help but think about how authentic the story sounded. And that's what is so amazing about this story. It just felt real, and even though I had very little in common with a lot of the characters, I could still find myself relating to what they were going through. And therein lies what is so great about Felton Reinstein's story. But beyond the authentic feel of the story, Geoff Herbach's story are also filled with humor. I just know that there will inevitably be moments while reading that i will be trying to wipe a stupid smile off my face. And while this was still true with I'm With Stupid, there were also some more serious moments in this book. I loved reading those deeper parts of the story because that they showed there was a lot more to this story than just a nerd-to-jock transformation.

Speaking of the nerd-to-jock transformation, I have come to love Felton Reinstein. What I've come to realize over the course of these three books is that despite the transformation that happened in the first book, Felton is still that same nerd he was before the growth spurt that made him a fantastic athlete. Everything he went through in I'm With Stupid showed me that Felton still has those same insecurities he always had, and if anything they are only amplified by the fact that everyone is that much more aware of who he is and everything he does. But the best part about Felton is his voice. His way of telling the story almost feels conversational and that's what allows the reader to connect with him. It's like having someone telling you about their day. And again, Geoff Herbach just nails that aspect of the book. The way he writes Felton makes him sound like someone I could have known at my own high school. And that just adds to how spot on this book is. 

If you haven't already picked up one of Geoff Herbach's books, then you are missing out. I have loved Felton's story from the very beginning and I couldn't have asks for a better conclusion than the one I got in I'm With Stupid. But I will admit I was sad to say goodbye to these characters. Because as you'll realize, they almost start to feel like they are part of your life.