Book Review: Last Stop This Town by David H. Steinberg

Title: Last Stop This Town (Amazon)
Author: David H. Steinberg
Genre: Young Adult
Sensuality Rating: mild
Source: review copy from author
Published: March 2012 by Monkey Business Press

The debut novel from "American Pie" series screenwriter David H. Steinberg. It's the last weekend before high school graduation, and as they prepare to go their separate ways, four life-long friends spend a wild and raucous night in New York City that forces them to face their fear of growing up... and growing apart.

West Hartford, Connecticut. Growing up in the suburbs is a mind-numbingly boring experience for most teenagers, and high school seniors Dylan, Noah, Pike, and Walker are no exception. They spend their days testing how fast they can drive on the local residential streets, bribing homeless dudes to buy them beer, and attending crappy house parties. So when Dylan proposes that they spend their last weekend of high school in New York City attending an underground rave, the guys are ready to make some serious memories.

In New York, though, the guys have run-ins with a drug dealer with a penchant for fire extinguishers, a Chinese restaurant owner with a score to settle, an Albanian street gang, con men, hookers, performance artists, and a gaggle of hot, degenerate, rich girls. Over the course of one incredible night, their outrageous journey gives the guys a bonding experience they'll never forget, as they learn that part of growing up means they're going to have to face their futures on their own.

(Parental advisory: Contains strong language, drinking, drugs, and sexual situations, all involving teens.)

Reviewed by Knitz with Catz

Why I Read this Book: Brianna thought I would enjoy reading Last Stop This Town so I looked it up to see what it was about. I enjoyed the American Pie movies so that was a plus. Then I saw Samm Levine was quoted as liking it and I was sold. I absolutely loved the TV show Freaks and Geeks and tend to like almost everything that involves people from that show. So a thumbs up from Samm was a green light to me to read this book.

What I Liked: Last Stop This Town had a very cinematic feel to it; it was very easy to see the storyline. The story moved along fluidly and I wanted to stay with it to see how it played out. This book was easy to read and visualize. In the very beginning I had to write down the names of the main characters, with brief descriptions, but by the 10% mark I knew who they all were.

What I Didn’t Like: I didn't like how some coincidences happened. I find it hard to believe that in a city of millions, the boys would stumble upon some people from school - especially since the big party wasn't near their hometown. And at a big party, it would be next to impossible to find someone in the crowd or even get their attention. But I know it's a novel, not real life, so I allowed those moments to happen without it bothering me too much.

Memorable Moments: Here were a few highlights I enjoyed:

• Trying to get the bum to buy liquor for them
• Problem with the car being impounded
• The cell phone that was left behind at the restaurant that ended up missing (karma!)
• The scene involving the under-aged party girls a couple of guys meet up with

Overall Impression: Last Stop This Town was a good story - one I could easily imagine being turned into a movie. It could even work as a TV show, with the show starting when the guys start high school then work up to these adventures as a finale. I'm glad I read this book and look forward to reading more by this author. I would definitely recommend this book to American Pie fans. I think people of all ages – from high schoolers to their parents (and the older crowd) will enjoy this fun tale. I'm 54 and found it a pleasant way to spend a few hours!

Knitz with Catz’s Rating:
 

Be sure to check out David H. Steinberg’s guest post on adapting novels for film!