Well, That Was Awkward - by Rachel Vail (Paperback)

About the Book

Set in the tumultuous world of eighth grade, this delightful take on "Cyrano de Bergerac" by the author of "Unfriended" is laugh-out-loud funny, but also perceptive and touching.

Book Synopsis

Gracie has never felt like this before. One day, she suddenly can't breathe, can't walk, can't anything--and the reason is standing right there in front of her, all tall and weirdly good-looking: A.J.

But it turns out A.J. likes not Gracie but Gracie's beautiful best friend, Sienna. Obviously Gracie is happy for Sienna. Super happy! She helps Sienna compose the best texts, responding to A.J.'s surprisingly funny and appealing texts, just as if she were Sienna. Because Gracie is fine. Always! She's had lots of practice being the sidekick, second-best.

It's all good. Well, almost all. She's trying.

Funny and tender, Well, That Was Awkward goes deep into the heart of middle school, and finds that even with all the heartbreak, there can be explosions of hope and moments of perfect happiness.

Review Quotes

★ "Through her protagonist's rollicking commentary, Vail captures the anguish and hilarity at the heart of middle school." --The Horn Book, starred review

★ "Vail may be disguised as an adult, but somewhere inside she is hiding a sensitive, confused, hormonal, loving, and intelligent adolescent. Using Cyrano de Bergerac as a model, Vail has created a fast-paced comedy characterizing a teen girl's growing pains on the journey toward womanhood. Bring a tissue (or a pack), and enjoy." --VOYA, starred review

★ "As per her usual blend of energy, wit, and genuine emotion, Vail has created a story that is at once delightfully gossipy, playfully ironic, and deeply moving." --BCCB, starred review

"Heartwarming, funny, and tender . . . Call it cute, call it clever--Vail fluently captures the spirit of today's American middle-schoolers." --Booklist

"Hilarious and heartfelt." --Kirkus Reviews

"This tween romance proves that some stories stand the test of time." --School Library Journal

"Vail skillfully details the politics of middle school, mean girls, first dates, and best friends in this sensitive and funny coming-of-age story." --Publishers Weekly

Praise for Rachel Vail's Unfriended

"Another winner by Rachel Vail. At times laugh-out-loud funny, and other times heartbreaking., Unfriended is the kind of book I wish there were more of: emotionally complex, beautifully written, and impossble to put down. I never wanted it to end." --Meg Cabot

"Rachel Vail should be required reading for all middle-schoolers. Deft and funny, this tale of the doom and drama of friendships played out in a digital universe is pitch-perfect and sheer fun." --Judy Blundell, author of What I Saw and How I Lied

"Rachel Vail's ingenious, humorous, and compassionate storytelling brings her six narrators so fully alive that by the end of her book you cannot imagine ever 'unfriending' any of them." --Mary Pope Osborne, author of the Magic Treehouse books

"With keen insight, Vail reveals the internal struggles with uncertainty and self-doubt that can plague young teens regardless of popularity status. . . With a resolution that is both realistic and hopeful, Vail captures the complexity of middle school social challenges, insightfully addressing the issues of friendships and integrity." --Publishers Weekly

"Vail has a great ear for dialogue, and her characters. . . are well differentiated and realistic." --VOYA

"Vail has always had her finger solidly on the pulse of middle-school social dynamics, with an uncanny ear for young teen dialogue and a real empathy for the wide and awkward range of social and physical development that characterize this age . . . Vail's considerable fan base alone would justify multiple-copy purchase plans, but the hot-button topic of cyberbullying will further increase requests." --Booklist

"A realistic portrayal of middle school life . . . A solid choice that will ignite meaningful discussion." --School Library Journal

"Vail captures the complexity of middle school social challenges, insightfully addressing the issues of friendships and integrity." --Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Rachel Vail is the award-winning author of more than 30 books for young people. As a theater lover, Rachel sees and reads as many plays as she can. Well, That Was Awkward was in part inspired by her love of the play Cyrano - another tale of secrets, wit, self-confidence, self-loathing, friendship, identity-hiding, and romance that blossoms between all the wrong people. Or does it?

Rachel lives in New York City with her husband, their two sons, and (like Gracie) a tortoise named Lightning.

You can visit her online at www.RachelVail.com or on Twitter: @rachelvailbooks