A predictable but enjoyable and funny story about the quest for high school popularity with the novelty of it being told from a gay character's perspective. Rudetsky does a good job of depicting how tough it is for a kid to be openly gay in high school, even one where most people are accepting. ( )

It's nice that we're finally at the point where a queer character can just have a relationship. However, not my favorite approach to the topic. ( )

It gives the reader insight on what it is like to be a gay male high school student. Humorous. ( )

I am always on a lookout for a funny, gay fiction. I came across Seth's books and I was intrigued by the often high ratings his books received. So, I grabbed this and Broadway.

It was an amazing read - joyful, funny, ridiculous-but-acceptable ride. It was amazing how plots turned and flowed well. The ending felt like a Disney movie, where everything was turned out well and to an extent, explained. It was done nicely that I did not mind much.

Just that I kept thinking of Trevor, the plumb kid in the Academy Award winning short film - 'Trevor'. Just that Trevor was an innocent gay kid, but Justin was wicked. Wickedly funny. ( )

My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan is a fun, frothy, frolic that reminded me of some of my favorite “chick-lit” books. Justin finds himself in embarrassing/funny/awkward situations ala Becky Bloomwood and Bridget Jones. You can see that our hero is making bad decisions that will only lead to trouble, but it’s so much fun to see how he’s going to get out of it.

I’ve been a fan of Rudetsky (better known for his Broadway resume) for years. He hosts a couple of my favorite Broadway talk shows on Sirius/XM’s Broadway Channel, writes regular features for Playbill and has been in several Broadway and Off-Broadway productions himself. With that in mind, I knew that Broadway musicals were going to feature in his debut novel and, as a fan, I relished the references, although they might not be for everyone.

This is the first YA romance I’ve read that features a homosexual hero. I loved that it wasn’t preachy or deep. It just was. Justin is funny, sassy and awkward all at the same time and his BFF, Spencer, is a perfect foil to all of his half-baked plans.

In the end My Awesome/Awful Popularity Plan wasn’t so much about the differences between people with different sexual preferences, it was a testament to how similar their situations actually are. First crushes and first love are strange territory for any teenager and Rudetsky has shown just how funny it can be too. ( )