After a hugely successful first novel, most writers really have problems with their sophomore effort. They often struggle to come up with an original idea that will continue their success, and the result is usually a bland and uninspiring second work. While great writers free themselves from the expectations of others and their later works are better than their first success, the second novel curse that entraps most writers.

Eliot Schrefer can go to the head of the class. His first novel, Glamorous Disasters was a bestseller and a critical success, and now, he has beaten the second novel curse with his hugely entertaining The New Kid. There is no better storyteller than Eliot when it comes to the complexities facing young people. He weaves a powerful story around their struggles.

In Glamorous Disasters, he wrote about the children of Manhattan's elite, who attend private schools in a world of wealth. The New Kid creates an entirely different storyline through siblings Humphrey and Grethen, who though far apart, become intertwined in a great drama. The very first lines in the book capture what lies ahead:

"By the age of fifteen, I've taught myself the essentials: how to walk cool, how to shave and hot to masturbate. The first involves spacing your feet wide and looking like you're about to fall sideways; the second , starting with your sideburns and proceeding with downward strokes; the third, the efficient application of saliva.

And yet despite these skills, I have a number of strikes against me:

-My name is Humphrey.
-I am overweight with a lame haircut.
-I am the new-kid."

While Schrefer skillfully develops rapid fire dialogue, cutting humor and interesting characters, his real strength is the power of his story. You quickly read along because you really do want to know the ending. This is the perfect book for this coming Columbus Day weekend with the warm sun of autumn coming through your living room windows as you curl up with a good read!

Publishers Weekly in its review captures the fun of The New Kid:

“Schrefer weds fluid prose to a trashy/sexy plot in his fun second novel…the combination of smart writing and a decadent world make for a genuine guilty pleasure.”