I read The DUFF before reading Shut Out, so I wasn't surprised when I read it...couldn't put it down, and absolutely fell in love with it! 
 Kody Keplinger has a way of writing characters that are so realistic that you genuinely feel like you've met them and personally know them, after reading about them. Her dialogue is fresh, completely realistic, and when I read it I'm constantly left thinking things like: "I'm pretty sure I've actually HAD that conversation with my friends before." She has a way of weaving a story which seems like it would be simple, but when it's all put together it creates one powerhouse of a story. If you haven't read a book by Kody Keplinger yet, you're completely missing out! 
 I'm a reader who loves her characters. If I don't like the characters, I generally don't like the books. In Shut Out, I never had that problem at all. Lissa, the main character, was insecure, yet she was full of sass. She had a douche (excuse my use of the word douche...it just happens to be one of my favourite words to use when complaining about guys...it can also be substituted for jerk if you prefer) of a boyfriend, and I was seriously so proud of Lissa for how she handled the different situations that Randy put her through. So freaking proud...I may have even actually said "You go girl!" while reading. :P 
 Now onto the yummy and awesome-tastic Cash, who was so awesome I just added a -tastic when describing him. He was smart, about most things anyways, and just all around amazing. The chemistry between Cash and Lissa was so amazing, and I found myself gushing over every single moment that they were together. I loved that Cash was more than just a jock too. He's a soccer player...which seems like it shouldn't be a big deal, but in Lissa's school, it is. Instead of there being rivalries with other schools, they have a rivalry within the school. The soccer and football teams endlessly torment each other, and it even leads to violence. It's even gotten to the point where the players don't even remember why their whole rivalry started. 
 Now onto the whole idea of the book itself. It's loosely based off of the Greek play "Lysistrata" by Aristophanes where the women of Athens are getting so fed up with the violence going on around them during a civil war that they decide to go a sex strike, which is led by Lysistrata. Now, I haven't read this play, but after reading Shut Out, I definitely want to. Lissa hadn't actually read Lysistrata, it's Cash who initially introducing the play to her (I know! He's smart too...seriously awesome-tastic I tell you!). She starts the whole hook-up strike because she's fed up with her boyfriend, Randy, placing more importance on the rivalry than he does on their relationship. She's also fed up with the violence after a soccer player gets injured after one of the football teams "harmless" pranks. Lissa manages to get a bunch of the girls on her side, and she leads them, just like Lysistrata did, and she helps keep them from caving in to their boyfriends. Then the boys start fighting back. 
 I absolutely loved Shut Out, if that wasn't already obvious. I loved the idea, the way it was written, and the characters. This story was hilarious, and I encourage everyone to read it! I really don't think you'll be disappointed! 
 If you want to get yourself a copy of Shut Out, it comes out on September 5th. :)