It was really a 3.5 read for me. The dialogue was really the heart of the book, and it kept me smiling to myself over and over. The characters were engrossing as well. My problem was the "real life horror" felt like just regular teenage drama. The bullying that Oliver encountered when going to high school for the first time was like a toddler throwing a pitch in a professional baseball gmae. It just fell flat and was over pretty quick without another real instance of true teenage bullying. Benway's portrayal of teenage angst is spot on, don't get me wrong, but Oliver should be processing some serious trauma with the whole my-dad-kidnapped-me-and-I-thought-my-mother-didn't-love-me-for-ten-years scenario. To be suddenly back and able to be in a semi-serious, normal relationship almost right away? I can't see any teenager being able to function like that after what he's "been through." So yeah, it was all a little too pretty for me. I did enjoy the premise, however.