Publisher's Weekly Review
In Colfer's YA novel, four teenagers, diehard fans of the sci-fi TV show Wiz Kids, embark on a road trip and get the surprise of their life when the star of the show, Cash Carter, accepts their invitation to join them. They are disconcerted when Cash turns out to be more troubled, reckless, and cynical than the heroic character he plays on TV, but his blunt truth-telling brings up secrets the four have been keeping from each other, and his devil-may-care attitude encourages them to loosen up, have more fun, and take more risks. Author Colfer narrates with a lighthearted, engaging tone that brings out the humor and evokes sympathy in the more poignant moments. He deftly differentiates the characters' voices. It's a fun listen that will appeal to teens as well as anyone who is involved with online fandom communities. Ages 15-up. A Little, Brown hardcover. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
A young, white television star breaks away from Hollywood to go on a cross-country road trip with four of his biggest fans.Cash Carter, with his good looks and celebrity status as the lead on the wildly successful television show Wiz Kids, seems to have it all. The only problem is that he is miserable. Tired of feeling that he has no control over his life, he answers a fan letter inviting him to accompany four friends on their pre-college road trip from Illinois to California. While Colfer has some good insights into the realities of dealing with fame, this latest novel is a paint-by-numbers coming-of-age story with cringeworthy dialogue and a cast of stock characters whose racial and sexual diversity feels forced and provides little three-dimensionality. Every character-stereotype box is checked, from the mixed-race closeted preacher's son to the Japanese-American girl whose father barely understands English and is intent on pushing her into Stanford. The author clearly understands the downside of becoming a young TV sensation but struggles to translate that experience to Cash's character in a way that generates empathy. The supporting characters have their own struggles but are off on their road trip before those can resonate with readers. The novel's best scene is when Cash helps the closeted character accept himself. A standard novel about being true to who you are. (Fiction. 15-17) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Topher, Joey, Sam, and Mo discovered they shared a passion for the Wiz Kids television show when they were in fifth grade. They are not alone: Wizzers across the globe obsess over the show and its stars, particularly handsome Cash Carter. Now the four friends have graduated from high school, and Topher has carefully planned a 2,000-mile road trip. Whimsically, Topher invites Cash Carter, who astonishingly says yes. It quickly becomes obvious, however, that Cash is on a downward spiral, popping pills and drinking until he very publicly passes out on a dance floor. But he's able to connect with each of his new friends so intimately that they tell him their deepest secrets. An accomplished screenwriter, Colfer keeps the action moving while infusing plenty of emotional resonance. He has a flair for combining poignancy and hilarity so that readers find themselves laughing even as their hearts break a little bit. An excellent choice for readers looking for LGBTQ themes, as well as for fans of road-trip novels.--Colson, Diane Copyright 2010 Booklist
