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If You're Reading This, It's Too Late By Pseudonymous Bosch ( Little, Brown Young Readers )
Release Date: 2008-10-01
Average Customer Rating:
List Price: $16.99
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Product Description
Beware!
Dangerous secrets lie between the pages of this book.
OK, I warned you. But if you think I'll give anything away, or tell you that this is the sequel to my first literary endeavor, The Name of This Book is Secret, you're wrong.
I'm not going to remind you of how we last left our heroes, Cass and Max-Ernest, as they awaited intiation into the mysterious Terces Society, or the ongoing fight against the evil Dr. L and Ms. Mauvais. I certainly won't be telling you about how the kids stumble upon the Museum of Magic, where they finally meet the amazing Pietro!
Oh, blast! I've done it again. Well, at least I didn't tell you about the missing Sound Prism, the nefarious Lord Pharaoh, or the mysterious creature born in a bottle over 500 years ago, the key to the biggest secret of all.
I really can't help myself, now can I? Let's face it---if you're reading this, it's too late.
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 Fell Short in Comparison to the First
I feel like maybe P. Bosch should have just left it with one book, a longer one, sure, which would answer everything, but one book. He/she seems to already be reaching for subject matter, when I'm sure we would have been gratified with just one. Now it seems like it'll be a series of pointless little individual mysteries, each telling us one fact at a time, drawing it out and leaving it more thin and boring each time.
This isn't to say I disliked the book. The bigger revelations (Cass's paternity) and seeing Pietro for the first time, those moments were amazing. The continued conversational tone was great as well.
But then, you get the new character, Yo-Yoji, who to me seems to stick out like a sore thumb. Why spend a whole book explaining the special relationship between Cass and Max Ernest only to have a third character ruin the two-ness of them? He seems to have no chemistry with either character, and is a male Mary Sue.
So we've got a new riddle, trying to figure out what the Secret is, and a still uncaptured Dr. L and Ms. Mauvais on the loose. Sequel material, but like I said, I'm scared about the potential sequels. The excitement of the first book was all the awesome reveals in a row, and it never got boring, while in this one, I'm sad to say there were parts that I felt were dull and should be skipped.
I did enjoy the last...erm...first chapter though! Bringing Amber and the Skeltons deeper into the story was a good move, I'd say. It's nice to see an evil enemy be the same age as the protagonists, for once. (as well as being someone they didn't exactly like to begin with =P)
I'd like more info on P. Bosch though. I hadn't actually thought of the P.B. thing until the interview, now that's interesting stuff, there!
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The narrator's playful tone and off-beat characters make this sequel fun to read.
IF YOU'RE READING THIS, IT'S TOO LATE is not an ordinary tale, and Cass and Max-Ernest are no ordinary preteens. Cass lives with her mom, and her "adopted" grandfathers Wayne and Larry are nearby. She is a brave girl and a survivalist whose custom-made backpack contains supplies for any disaster, natural or man-made. Yet no matter how brave she is, she can't shake the feeling of impending doom after waking up from one of her dreams.
As members of the secret Terces Society, she and her friend Max-Ernest have taken an oath to fight the evil forces of the Midnight Sun. Max-Ernest, who is driven by logic, likes to tell dumb jokes and practice magic tricks. He is a child of divorce and, to keep peace in the family, carries two backpacks to school, one from each parent.
School. Now there's a scary subject. And lunch time is no picnic, either. Unlike Amber and the popular crowd, Cass and Max-Ernest sit on the outermost fringe of the cafeteria at the "Nuts Table." The very logical Max-Ernest believes it should be called the "No Nuts Table" because it's for children like him who are allergic to nuts. But Cass knows the truth. The other students think the kids at the Nuts Table are, well, nuts.
At school, and in Cass's life, there are lots of changes this year. For one, the new science teacher, Mr. Needleman, seems to have it in for Cass. And the new guitar-playing student, Yo-Yoji, takes a special interest in Cass and Max's activities. Then there's the field trip, a missing sound prism, a stolen sock monster, being grounded, a band concert and a talent show. Oh, and circus performers and a Homunculus. A what? You'll have to read the book to find out.
But wait, there's more. Cass discovers a very important secret about herself. Others are revealed in the Appendix, but avoid the temptation. Don't look until you've finished reading Chapter 1, which is actually the last chapter of the book.
IF YOU'RE READING THIS, IT'S TOO LATE continues the story of Cass and Max-Ernest that began in THE NAME OF THIS BOOK IS SECRET. While I found the adventure in this installment less thrilling, and the frequent asides --- especially about Romi and Montana --- distracting, I thought the characters, most notably Cass, were more engaging and well developed. Overall, the narrator's playful tone and off-beat characters make this sequel fun to read.
--- Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt
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 Courtesy of Teens Read Too ( jwardrip1 )
This is a fun book with an interesting narrative. Cass and Max-Ernest are young adults who have recently been involved with a secret society, the details of which are located in the previous book in the series. Although you do miss out on some details of the protagonists, you could read this book without having read the previous installment, THE NAME OF THIS BOOK IS SECRET.
When you read IF YOU'RE READING THIS, IT'S TOO LATE, it is as though you are being told a story by the campfire.
The characters are well-developed, easy to relate to, and have a good sense of humor. Because of the short chapters and common footnotes, I see this as a great book for a reluctant reader. It is easy to pick up where you left off and it takes you down many paths at once, keeping you interested. The footnotes typically add a humorous aspect to an interesting mystery, allowing the reader to venture in a new direction before continuing on with the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It had a strong storyline with characters that took risks and maintained and created friendships.
Reviewed by: LaLeesha Haynes
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I'm a sucker for the snarky creature ( dyanne13 )
that hurtles across the chapters in this book. I don't want to give too much away, but he's called a homunculus. I loved the first book in this series, and I am glad the second one is just as good, just as witty, just as intelligent. Pseudonymous Bosch is even better at plotting the mystery, and adding complexity to the relationship between the young heroes, Cass and Max Ernest. They are joined by the intriguing Yo-Yoji, who looks like a Japanese anime character, even though he's American. He inadvertently complicates their friendship. Add that to the villainy of the villains....
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