Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal

Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal

By: Chris Colfer

17-year-old Carson Phillips has it all: an absent father, an alcoholic, pill-popping mother, and scorn for his fellow peers that comes from being at the bottom of the bottom in a high school where having motivation instantly makes you a pariah. When Carson learns that working on the school newspaper (that he single-handedly writes despite having at least five people working on it) and his many journalism classes just aren't going to cut it, he devises a plan to make his application to Northwestern University stand out from all the others: starting a literary paper. Problem? Most of the students at his school more than likely have never heard the word 'literary', especially when combined with paper. But besides that, the students at his school would rather eat paper than write for one. So he decides to do what he does best: blackmailing the entire student body to get what he wants. From the mind of award-winning actor on Glee, and now New York Times bestselling author Chris Colfer, comes this tale. 

Violence: None, really.

Language: Well...he's a 17-year-old boy, what do you expect. A STRONG PG-13, if not bordering a little bit on R, but don't let that deter you (but be warned, the language does get a little strong. Don't let your 7-year-old sister read this just because she likes Glee)

Sexual Content: Again, don't let your little sister read this just because she likes Glee. Though nothing is explicitly stated, there is this one scene where Carson stumbles into the bathroom to find two boys stumbling out of a stall, one boy pulling up his pants. I think you know where this is going.

Rating: 3.5 out of 4 OMG's

I'll admit, I bought this book just because I was a fan of Glee and hey, Chris freaking Colfer wrote it, but I'll admit, I was shocked at how good it was. I had to bite down on my tongue multiple times to stop myself from laughing out loud during class while reading it. It's that funny. Also, it's a movie! So it has to be good (though that logic doesn't work for all book franchises *cough* Twilight *cough*. But it's definitely worth picking up, especially if you want a quick read that will have you laughing for days when you think about something hilarious that was in the book. There are a few slow parts, but for the most part it's really quick, witty, and sarcastic.

*Excerpt*

     "You were on ADD medication as a kid and you turned out somewhat decent."

     "No, I wasn't." I knew she had to be mistaken; I have absolutely no memory of ever taking anything growing up, even vitamins.

     "I hid it in your food."

     I almost choked, hearing this confession. She was kidding, right?

     "I thought I was just really calm and mature for my age," I said.

     "Nope, you were drugged," Mom said nonchalantly. "When your father and I began our divorce you started asking so many questions we found it easier to rookie you than to answer you."

     I almost choked again even thought I didn't have any food in my mouth. I t must have been true; Mom forgot how to joke after Dad left.

     All those years of judging my peers for playing tag on the playground, for digging up worms and eating them, for coloring outside the lines in coloring books--it was all medically induced  mot because i was superior to them.

     "Well, it isn't dinner unless some form of my childhood foundation is shattered,"I said.