Taco’s mom always said, “Today is the best day of your life, and tomorrow will be even better.” That was hard to believe the day she died of cancer and when Taco’s dad had to move up north for work, but he sure did believe it when Maggie Corrigan agreed to go with him to junior prom. Taco loves Maggie – even more than the tacos that earned him his nickname. And she loves him right back.
Except all that love? It gets Maggie pregnant. Everyone else may be freaking out, but Taco can’t wait to have a real family again. He just has to figure out what it means to be a dad and how to pass calculus. And then there’s getting Maggie’s parents to like him. Because it would be so much easier for them to be together if he didn’t have to climb the side of the Corrigans’ house to see her…
I read this book as part of a buddy read with Kat @Life and Other Disasters and Sara @Freadom Library, which was a fun experience 🙂 . You can check out Kat’s review here.
I will admit that when I requested this book, I thought it was a regular contemporary young adult romance, and well… I’m so happy it was not! I never felt so emotionally drained as the moment that I finished reading this book. I sobbed! Yes, I cry easily on books, that is very true, but I don’t SOB that often. This book had me sobbing ugly by the end, as in, I was crying so damn much that I couldn’t really see the letters…
I liked the book from the start, because Taco was an unbelievable narrator. The story was told in such a funny way, that until about 45% of the book, I was laughing out loud like a crazy person. I loved Taco right away!
I don’t even know how to best describe Taco as a character, because he was the most unique protagonist that I ever read. He’s such a good, fun and optimistic person, even if he sometimes is a bit delusional. But I understood why he was delusional like that, which made me appreciate his take on life all the much more. I wouldn’t be able to see life like he did, if I had gone through what he did. So, kudos Taco, you truly are a gem!
The pregnancy situation is just a drop on the ocean mess that Taco’s life, but even though it was a bit crazy, I loved how he faced the situation: life dealt him lemons, he tried to make lemonade. He loved Maggie, loved the peanut size baby, he wanted to be the best person/dad/boyfriend/student/everything he could be, and he gave it his best. And he did it all alone.
What really got to me was how no one was there for a person who tried to be there for everybody. Things as simple as one of his friends bringing him meatball subs, had me tearing up, and it will do the same to you, once you realize that Taco doesn’t have food at home. Still, with nothing to eat, being an awesome student, doing extracurricular activities, volunteer work, taking care of himself and his house (and his pregnant girlfriend), he still manages to work so he can give money to his very ungrateful “lady pal”… I wanted to kick Maggie’s ass…
This book kind of destroyed me, people. It was all about growing up and how sometimes doing what’s best, is not the same as doing what makes you happy.
I loved Taco, and I wish there were more of him in this world. I was glad that someone stepped up to help him, because no 17 yo kid should have to take as much as he did. I would urge you to read this book! It’s so good! It made me see some things in a totally different light…
3. An author who totally should write more books
5. Totally should’ve ended differently
6. Totally should’ve had a movie franchise
7. Totally should’ve had a TV show
8. Totally should’ve had only one point of view
9. Totally should have a cover change
10. Totally should’ve kept the original covers
11. Totally should’ve stopped at book one
12. Totally should have not pre-judged
My Tiny Obsessions 