| Title | : | Crunch Time |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 068986938X |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780689869389 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 336 |
| Publication | : | First published December 20, 2005 |
Then it's revealed that someone has cheated on the SATs, and all eyes point to the study group. Everyone knows that Leo can't stand to lose. That Max is convinced he's a loser. That Jane couldn't care less about the whole thing. And that if Daisy doesn't clinch the right score, forget it -- she can't afford to go to college.
Crunch Time Reviews
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Four students band together to form an SAT study group. The beautiful, outspoken Daisy needs to do well on her SATs in order to get scholarships, but she thinks the whole system is geared toward rich bastards. Leo IS the rich, popular bastard with apathetic parents, but Leo himself is serious about getting into Yale. Max, Daisy's best friend, thinks he's a loser and won't do well enough anyway to please his dad. And Jane, the daughter of a famous actress, can hardly believe that she finally has three people over her house almost every week.
In between studying and doing practice tests, however, sparks fly and drama occurs. Almost against their will, Leo and Daisy fall in love--while a lovestruck Max watches forlornly from the side as Daisy falls in love with what appears to be yet another jerk. Jane's got some mental thing going on, thinking that her stepfather is a skeevy guy who likes to check her out.
Then the word is out: someone has cheated on the SATs. Everyone is a suspect, especially Daisy and Leo. Will the four friends' relationships survive the suspicion and accusations? And who really cheated on the SATs?
CRUNCH TIME is unique because of its rapid change of narration between the four characters, but otherwise I found the plot often too bogged down. The characters aren't that lovable either at times. -
This is one of those stories where you get pretty much what you expect.
At the start were introduced to the main characters and see that nearly all have a reason to self-justify cheating in the SATs. We then have the build up to the test and see the shifting relationships. Following this we have the fall-out of cheating and what comes next.
The character were quite stock types. Nobody really changed or developed in a meaningful way. There was the potential to really explore the concept of pressure or ethics behind the issue but this didn’t come close.
It was, to use a word that probably wouldn’t feature on the paper, bog-standard. -
This was actually kind of a crazy read. I changed my mind so many times on who I thiught the cheater was, that by the time we actually found out, I was kind of surprised. . And then everything just kind of fell apart. The friendships and relationships all changed and it was kind of this intense shit show that I was not expecting to happen. This was enjoyable enough, but it had its fair share of slow koments
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It started out well. It really did.
Then as I went further along into the story, my enjoyment sagged to feeling nothing but frustration and dissatisfaction when I finally came to the end.
It starts out like this.
Four kids decided to form an unlikely group to study together for the SATs. Each one of them different in their thoughts and lives. Daisy. Jane. Leo. Max.
The whole book is narrated throughout by each of them.
Daisy: The blunt, tough girl. Passing the SATs is her only way of getting to college.
Jane: Daughter of a well-known actress. She tends to isolate herself from most after she finds out a friend was using her just because of her famous mother. She strives to belong to this group.
Max: Nerdy, homely. He is in love with his best friend, Daisy. Unrequited of course.
Leo: The smartass bad boy.
The problem with this novel is the utter characterization. Particularly of Leo and Daisy.
Leo is the typical jock guy, the bad boy all the girls want. Now I was fairly easy on him when he first came into the scene.
"He'll change," I thought flippantly, "He'll grow up and develop into a good person by the end of this novel."
Here's the thing: HE. NEVER. DOES.
Daisy herself starts out cool. Until, in a spur of a moment, ditches Max and Jane one evening, to go out on a date with Leo. Bitchy, no?
Jane and Max end up seeming too good to me for the likes of Daisy and Leo and really do seem to get the short end of the stick throughout the whole book.
Expect good character development and good plotting? You won't in this book! -
Tell me why I read books with settings similar to things I'm going through or thinking about at the time.
When I read this, I was thinking about taking the ACTs and SATs. In high school, teachers try to get you to take each at least once, if not twice, before going to college. Now I believe more colleges are removing it from being a requirement or making it optional for you to submit it. I am not the best test taker so I was nervous about what my scores would look like and how that would affect my application process. Randomly, I found this book and thought it would be a great idea to read it. I just want to make it known that this was a mistake because I was incredibly nervous about taking the test after reading this.... and ended up not getting the best score.
CRUNCH TIME is about a group of teenagers who randomly meet and eventually decide to do a study group before taking their SATs. As time passes, they start to study less and build more relationships with each other. They start questioning the tests like why it has become competitive amongst students, whether it is actually helpful, and things like that.
After the SATs are taken, the scores are in and the school discovers somebody or some people have cheated. All eyes and pointer fingers immediately turn to the study group. Each student has their own motives as to why they would cheat but did they really? -
I liked the idea and was expecting the book to have a lot of questions about ethics...but the book was very disappinting. Just more teenage drama crap which in this case does not get solved and is mentioned through out the book. What is the lesson? I see the ethics but like a religion there are hardly any answers in this book only questions. I liked how the book was written in 5 different parts like the SAT itself. I liked how the author write the book in different characters' point of views and was amazed how distinguished each of their thoughts were and just speechless that it was written by the same author.
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I started to read this book because my 11 year old son was reading it. And I'm nosy. In the first two chapters they talk about stealing alcohol from the family liquor cabinet, and losing their virginity. So I am really glad I read it. It is written in a simple style so young children can enjoy it - and it is written from four different characters points of view - which is interesting. But I think it is probably for a little older age kids.
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I really did not like this book at all. The dialogue confused me and there wasn't enough description on the main characters which are Daisy, Leo, Jane, and Max. "Crunch Time" is about all four students taking the SAT and finding out who cheated on the test. I wouldn't really recommend this book to anyone because it's not a great book.
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I did not like this book. It was rather slow, confusing, and hard to follow. It was about four high school students taking their SAT's and how challenging SAT's could be. After the test it was a mystery to see who cheated. I thought the plot was uninteresting and flat. I would not recommend this book to anyone who likes action in their books.
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i have a vague memory of loving this in middle school and i was pleased to find out that it still holds up... really tight, solid writing and VERY compelling characters. i could definitely read a LOT more about these characters + i genuinely liked all four of them...
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Its ok...good...awesome!
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Who is the cheater? Crunch Time, by Mariah Fredericks takes place in Manhattan. It all begins when 4 students of a private high school ditch the SAT prep test. They go to Jane’s house, an Oscar Winner actress daughter. They start bonding about how ridiculous it is that a single test defines who you are and decides your future. But, because they can’t do anything about it, just deal with it, they decide to make a study group. The book has a 1st person narrator, in 4 voices. Leo, Daisy, Max, and Jane tell little parts of each chapter. Like that the reader can get to know the 4 characters, as well as their secrets.The story plot moves around the personal problems of each of them. Leo can’t stand losing, he considers his father a failure and wants to be nothing like him. He puts himself under a lot of pressure and doesn’t stand her stepmom. Daisy is always worried about the financial issues of college as her family’s economic situation isn’t the best. It is necessary she scores high enough on the SAT for a scholarship or else. She also has these weird socialist ideas for someone in a private high school in Manhattan. Max, poor Max, all the pressure his father puts him under. He just wants to go far away from home. And how pathetic is his crush on Daisy since they are best friends. Daisy would never see him as more than a friend right? That is pretty much answered when Daisy starts dating Leo. It is important to mention that Max doesn’t stands Leo. Then there is Jane. No one cares about Jane. Just about her famous mother. And what a creep is her stepdad; people say he watches her... naked.
Finally, it is the day of the SAT, everyone is nervous. And then, the scores arrive. You got in? And you didn’t? Oh, that is so bad. But what happens when there is a cheater? All fingers point the study group members, after all, they all have a reason to cheat. Mariah Fredericks creates mystery, suspense, and romance alongside so many unexpected plot twists between laughs. Crunch Time is different from most books. The reader can relate to all the 4 main characters. With a book based on bitter feelings, her story is addictive and so entertaining. A truly great book because of the plot, the characters, the feelings, and most importantly the mystery. -
A very interesting premise. The idea that someone has cheated on their SATs test and then it is looking at a specific group of friends. I have not really seen a book on this subject.
I have never had to write the SATs, so I can't really comment on the authenticity of the portrayal of the SATs, but I will say that it is on par with what I know from the movies and other tv shows.
I had 2 problems with this novel.
The first one, which is the biggest, is that I felt like the characters were very 2D. I did like that we got the novel from everyone's perspective, I thought that was a really cool thing to do. But, I just felt like there was nothing really dynamic about them. They seemed to me to be very simple. I felt as though their issues were described on a very surface level and nothing went deeper than that.
The second problem, which isn't really a problem, I just don't know how I feel, is about the way that the synopsis is. I understand that they tell you about the cheating scandal because it is one of the big draws to the novel. I'm just not sure if I like that it only happened with only about 1/4 of the book left.
I didn't find this book terrible, but I also didn't find it amazing. A very interesting and unique premise, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the characters. -
Several themes I did not care for but overall, these four people struggle with the upcoming SAT testing and form a group. Also, the cheater is definitely going to shock you once you know who it is. >.<
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I couldn’t say I didn’t like the book. However, there were some parts which should have been expanded.
Also, since I live in Lithuania whole thing with SAT isn’t very relatable to me.
Overall, this wasn’t a bad book for a long bus ride in Mexico! -
Found this at a library book sale. Thought this would be a good time to read it, as I’m studying for a major licensing exam...forgot how stressed people get over the SAT—it didn’t relieve stress! But it was kind of like the Breakfast Club... I liked it!
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I remember reading this in 8th grade. It took me 3 times to finally finish it. I moderately enjoyed the book once I actually got through it.
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Held mt interest but was slightly predictable, 2.75-3 for me.
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All you need to know about the SATs is in this book. Just kidding. Or am I?
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I read this in one sitting, really quickly, so maybe I just didn't have time to get connected to the characters. Maybe that's way the book feels kinda forgettable. Crunch Time was good, I enjoyed it, but it was kinda slow and a little boring. It feels like a lot of stuff could have been cut out and the book still would make sense and feel the same. I did really like ending.
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Larissa Aunet
9-30-08
8-3
Post to Goodreads
If you have a good grade average all through high school, you take a SATs quiz in the last semester of high school to determine what colleges will most likely accept you as a student. The tests are taken very seriously and no one would ever imagine cheating on the quiz except for in a joke. All except one person who wants to impress their mom, to show her mom that she can be better than what she thinks. This girl is Jane, a girl trying to lead a normal life even though her mom is an international actress.
In high school, let alone middle school, there are roughly 100 different cliques. All of the cliques include at least one person who has the smarts to get into a major college. In the book “Crunch Time”, by Mariah Federicks, the main characters are four of the high school students that are going through the SATs tests. There’s Jane, the superstar cheater. You would think that maybe someone who is famous would appreciate getting attention. Jane is the complete opposite. She hates that whenever she goes out even to go grocery shopping, people always scream at her, “HEY! Aren��t you Julie Cortell’s daughter!”. She likes to go to school where most people don’t really notice her as a superstar, just a normal girl.
Then there’s Max, the major nerd of high school. But at the same time, he can tough it out and become the high school jock. He has the chance to go to some of the biggest colleges where they teach only the smartest students. Just like any other boy in high school, he has a crush on a high school girl. Her name is Daisy.
Daisy is the average high school girl that you would find at any school. The kind of girl that tries to impress every high school boy, that’s how you describe Daisy. Even though she has made bad choices of boyfriends in the past, she makes good choices on the SATs quiz. And she’s pretty sure she’s making the right choice by going out with Leo.
Leo. You would describe Leo as the high school jock that has gone out with everyone in the school. He’s the dream guy of the school. This includes the best football player, the best guy that knows what to say and when to say it.
This book is full of adventure, romance, and drama that most teens deal with these days. I would recommend this book to anyone over the age of eleven. -
http://scholarberry.blogspot.com/
"Max grins. 'We should have numbers on our butts.' He turns to Daisy. 'Hi, I'm a two thousand. Nice to meet you.'
In a haughty accent she says, 'Sorry, I only date twenty-one hundreds and above....'"
To be honest, I've never cared for any standardized tests. Not the MCA, not the ACT, so obviously not the SAT. (Yes, I have not even taken the ACT, and I will pass them, it's just that I never get the whole reason why people freak about it.)
When I moved to US on August 2007, it was a bit weird (to me anyway). They (the school) insisted on me using Number 2 pencils, and I had to use the wooden pencils (I only use mechanical ones or pens back in Indonesia). So when I saw this cover, it grabbed my attention at once.
Daisy and Max are best friends--Daisy is poor and well (let's face it) her grades are just average. She plays basketball good, though. Max, on the other hand, is smart though geeky.
They both came for the SAT prep class, and found Leo Thayer and Jane Cotterell from the same school.
Leo Thayer is one of the BP--Beautiful People--and he knows it. Worse, he always hits on freshmen girls and well, break their hearts. In short, of course, a jerk. Jane Cotterell is the daughter of Julia Cotterell, the movie star. Right, Jane is also the rich kid with the popular mom without any friends. The SAT Prep guy didn't show up, so Daisy (not caring about the test at all), walks out. Inviting anyone who'd come with.
Then the four of them started their own SAT prep group in Jane's house.
But then they figured out that someone cheated. Someone cheated the SAT.
Was it Daisy, the poor girl who needed the scholarship?
Leo, who wants the perfect score?
Max, who needs his father off his back?
Or Jane, so she doesn't ruin her mom's reputation?
What I love about the book: The characters--Mariah Fredericks showed us all 4 characters' minds, and each of them was great. It was funny--hilarious, actually--and smart. :D
What I dislike about the book: I didn't dislike anything! (I wonder why I haven't found any book that I have anything to point out that I dislike...?) This is one of my favorites!!!
http://scholarberry.blogspot.com/
