Meh. I finished it so I could give an honest review, but that is really the only reason. I enjoyed the first 2 chapters. I was intrigued by the premise. But this was just too too neat and tidy and it was seriously impossible to keep up the willing suspension of disbelief in order to buy the story as it meandered to its super tidy conclusion. Bummer.

I am thinking I will DNF this at just about half way through. YA Contemporary is a very hit or miss genre for me. This one was a miss. Again, it's not my favorite genre, so obviously, someone who reads this type of book regularly will enjoy it. I found it really cheesy. None of the characters were very likable, least of all the main character KT. I found almost every scene unbelievable, to be honest. And also, I just have issue with the premise of looking for a sperm donor as a parent. If they were adoptive siblings looking for bio parents, I may have been more invested. But I feel like nothing about sperm donators feels very paternal to me. I feel like, a one night stand pregnancy, or abandoning a mother mid pregnancy... something like that... would make more sense as someone to look for. But not a sperm donor. I don't know, just my thought on the subject/plot in general.

Look at that blurb and tell me you don't want to read this book!
I had such high expectations!
I was expecting a soul searching, poignant, light but gut wrenching story instead what I got was a childish annoying , unnecessary teen drama filled book. maybe i'm just getting to old but the storyline was unrealistic, predictable, cheesy and too convenient.
806 was a fast paced book and to be honest, I did appreciate the 'idea' of bringing to the readers the concept of people having 'parents' in the most unconventional way.

Note: Reading this book through a pdf format for review was an experience I never want to experience again. It annoyed me to the point where I felt like pulling the hairs out of my head...I mean come on!You can't read a book in a pdf format!

When I read the first look I was intrigued by the premise but sadly the rest of the book fell flat for me. The characters seemed silly and the plot was alright. Mostly I just couldn't get behind the reasoning or the follow through. Add Kat's mom who seemed to just be there to push her over the edge and not be a substantial enough character to feel real.
Some may enjoy the music references as well as the personalities of the individual characters. I found myself having to look a lot of things up which slowed me down. If I could have just read straight through I may have enjoyed it more.
Overall I can see why a certain audience would really love this book, the meaning, and the resolution. Hopefully those people find this and are able to enjoy it.

This was a really fun and amazing book. I loved the writing style and I was glad that it was a fast, light read.
I will start with the one thing that I did not like and that was Kate, one of the main characters. I found her very annoying and self-centered in the beginning because she was criticizing everybody, from her mother to her half-brothers. But the writer helped her develop and in the end she turned out to be a rather nice girl and protective sister.
Now, this book was full of things that I just loved. The dynamics between the three brothers was so great and seeing their relationship growing was so sweet and beautiful, making the story even more enjoyable. The way the author gave each one of them hidden traits that you were not suspecting them to have gave a nice touch to the all "finding more about eachother" concept.
Another nice aspect of the book was the journey itself, and how every time they were close to finding their father, a twist would appear and they would have to search deeper and in unsuspected places. Their adventures throughout the book gave the book the funny note i was expecting it to have, which made it a very enjoyable book that always made me laugh.

All of this being said, I happily recommend this book to whoever is looking for a fun, enjoyable book, but that would give you all the feels and teach you a beautiful lesson about finding yourself and learning about what family really is.

**I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

I feel so lost. Where do I start?? I feel like I’m losing my sense of direction just like the way this book did. I’m sorry, It just didn’t work well with me. Now I’m really confused if my standards are way too high for a contemporary novel or the story wasn’t just good enough. I just couldn’t connect with the story, the characters, nor the plot. Is there something wrong with me???

If my review doesn’t make sense, that’s because I could barely make sense of what I read and I believe it’s sort of a domino effect thing.

Narrated in first person by KT or (Katie), 806 by Cynthia Weil is a story of self-discovery tied with adventure. KT, Jesse, and Gabe are three teenagers you would never ever EVER expect to be half-siblings. A jock, a musician, and a nerd does not go well in a mixing bowl. The only similarity? Their biological father: Donor 806. Brimming with curiosity and insufferable circumstances, the three sets out to find this person that connects them together despite their opposing personalities.

The idea of the story was interesting. It caught my attention. While I had second thoughts about choosing this book, I requested it anyway and added it to my tbr pile. I was in for an adventure and some road trip. I was excited! But I felt like a deflated balloon after a few pages in.

In one paragraph, I’m going to state everything that I felt and the troubles I had with this book.

It wasn’t an enjoyable ride. I could barely see where the story was going. The story felt raw and lacks depth. It was difficult to connect with the characters: they felt shallow and I couldn’t find the threads to which I could connect with them. KT was an annoying character. I love mean characters but she’s a total exemption. You’ll know it when you read it. The plot was cliche. I was not prepared to get bummed.

Overall, I think the idea that the synopsis provided for this book is interesting. It’s just that there’s several things that I found lacking in the story like character development, and a flowy story, and maybe a bit of an explanation for some situations.

This book is quite interesting. I don't know if the author herself has some sort of magical writing powers because WOW is it written BEYOND well. This is an author who put a whole lot of love into her writing, and it shows.
This book just works. It truly does. The setting and the plot just weaves itself together so well. You can feel as if you are connected to the characters.
All in all - definitely worth the read!

Tanglewood Publishing and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of 806. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Katherine Lambert's mom Kim cannot hold on to any man, but the realization of that fact was enough to send KT on a quest to find her bio dad. Registering on a donor site to be contacted by any siblings or her biological dad, KT meets up with her nerdy half brother Gabe and her swim team cool half brother Jesse. Just when she thinks all is for naught, Donor 806 contacts the three of them and requests a meeting. From the minute the door opens, they all know a mistake was made. Will KT, Gabe, and Jesse ever find where they belong? Will they come to certain realizations about themselves and each other during their road trip?

806 is the coming of age story of three teenagers, trying to figure out where they belong. Lighthearted and humorous at times, the plot moves along at a fast pace. Although the book is written in KT's perspective, as a letter to the donor site, both Gabe's and Jesse's perspectives are given equal weight. The plot is totally unrealistic at times, but it was completely entertaining. The ending was a bit of a cop-out, though it did fit in with the feel good vibe of the rest of the book. 806 was a good read and I would recommend it to others who like YA realistic fiction.

806 was a light, heart warming novel! This was a really quick coming of age story, about 3 teens searching to find their biological father. Their antics seemed extremely unrealistic, especially the manner in which the father eventually appeared, but they made for an enjoyable "ride". I do recommend this story, which is most suited to middle and high school readers.

Thanks to Net Galley and publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

In 806: A Novel, three artificially inseminated kids go on a road trip in a quest to find their biological father - the donor identified as the number 806 in the title. I love come of age stories and this is exactly that - you can see how KT, Gabe, and Jesse bond as they figure out who their father are, and, in the process, discover who they themselves are as well. Of course, as a YA novel some really absurd coincidences happen to the point that you sometimes get annoyed on how easy they managed to get out of some really tricky situations, but other than that, this was a nice story, entertaining, and full of surprises. It is also a quick read, mostly due to the great writing style. The whole book is written as an email to a forum that helps to reunite kids with donors.

It has it's lengths at the beginning, but you just have to continue reading. It's worth it!

This was just a fun book.

806 reads like a comedy movie. Something like 'Are We There Yet?' or 'RV. But with a character that really, honestly reminded me of Russell Brand. Which, let's be honest, I didn't hate that.

There is a lot of cliche in this book. From the road-trip, to the wildly unbelievable events that occur along the way, to the super quirky characters, and the bonding between three people who would ever otherwise get to know each other like they do.

It's sweet and endearing and chockers full of quirky characters. I laughed aloud a fair bit, sometimes because of the cliches or just the insaneness of the story.

Despite that it all, it was heartfelt. I did not have mega feels for any of the characters. It's just not that type of book. But overall it left you feeling a little warm and fuzzy.

I love the idea of exploring a concept such as wanting to meet a biological parent. While this is something I have no personal experience in, I felt this was handled in a 'perfect' way. It wasn't realistic, it's more the dream of what someone would wish to happen. I found this disappointing. I was hoping the issue would be addressed in a more serious and complex way. Apart from being a basis for the story, it wasn't discussed in any real depth.

The ending as well was just deflating and completely beyond the realm of what would have happened had this been a real story. While I was entertained by the story, the ending left the entire book in a puddle of spoofy cliches.

Overall, it was a fun and entertaining read. But there was nothing special beyond that. Just don't go into it expecting an in-depth contemporary following an important issue.

This book is the equivalent of one of those teen movies where madcap adventures lead to life lessons learned. If that’s your jam, you’ll probably like this book.

In this case, the plot revolves around three teenagers from St. Louis who find out they share a sperm donor and set off on a road trip down Route 66 to find him. Let the hijinks ensue! The book is filled with improbable events and isn’t at all realistic. (For example, to meet their father, the kids sneak into a celebrity golf tournament for color blindness research. Because that’s a thing, sure.) At first, I kind of rolled my eyes at times, but once I decided to just go with the flow of the story, it amused me. Readers who aren’t willing to do that will probably find it annoying, though.

The narrator of the story, KT, might not be to every reader’s taste, either. She’s got a smart mouth and isn’t afraid to use it, and she’s pretty mean to everyone at the beginning of the book. Of course, it’s a defense mechanism that comes from believing her father rejected her (she didn’t know about the sperm donor) and also from watching her mother go through a string of bad relationships. It takes a while, but KT does eventually mellow and learn to be kinder to other people—part of the whole “life lessons learned” thing.

Overall, I thought this was a fun read, especially once I started to picture it as one of those teen movies in my mind. I could totally see this on the big screen.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

I received an ARC of this book and all opinions are my own. I loved this book so much. What a wonderful story about finding yourself by finding what, or who, you think you need.

KT (Katie) never knew her dad. She’s not very close to her mom. She’s a very angsty teenager and after her mom gets on her nerves once again, she somehow talks her mom into telling her more about her father. KT has always thought that her father abandoned her mom when she was pregnant.
When KT’s mom hands her a slip with a man’s name on it, KT meets the man and learns the actual truth. KT’s father is actually an anonymous sperm donor. KT’s dad didn’t leave. This changes the picture KT has of her father, she’s always seen him as someone who left the family. And she’s got some major issues with her mom and with friends as a result of feeling abandoned.

So, she’s not super pleased to realize this was all a lie.

Full disclosure, KT majorly got on my nerves at the beginning of this book. She was really rude to her mom and not very nice to her friends/classmates/bandmates. She was bordering on rude to pretty much everyone.
If you’re reading this, and this is bugging you, stick with it. No spoilers here but KT’s overall vibe majorly improves throughout the course of the book.

Back to the storyline, KT connects with her two biological half brothers and they set off to find the donor.

The brothers are great characters. Artistic KT connects with geeky Gabe and athletic Jesse. They know each other online in passing from school.

The three set off on a really epic road trip where they all redefine what family means to them.

I enjoyed it. It was a light, quick read with entertaining stories and characters.
I read an early excerpt of this book on BookishFirst and finished reading it through an early edition e book from NetGalley. Thanks to both sites for introducing me to a book I might have overlooked otherwise.

It’s been a while since I read a coming of age story, and 806 seemed really different and unique, so I wanted to give it a try. It’s the story of three siblings (well, half-siblings if you want to get technical) heading out on a quest together to find their father. It sounded nice and light and cheerful, something I could desperately use right now (between reading one too many thrillers and the constant winter weather fluctuations, something happy sounds perfect right about now).
Our three main characters, KT (real name Katie, but insists on it being pronounced Kay-tee), Jesse, and Gabe. KT is pretty much a walking teenage girl stereotype; she’s in a rock band, dyes her hair, is a vegetarian, and a total brat. She’s also the main perspective for this story. The three children have nothing in common, except for the fact that they all have the same father. They all have the same sperm donor, number 806, as their father. Together they’re hoping to find him.
I wish I could say I ended up enjoying this book, especially because I really wanted a change in what I was reading, and this seemed like such a perfect choice. Unfortunately I didn’t, and it was actually a struggle to finish this one.
I will say that while I was annoyed with the book at parts (more on that later), I did really enjoy the lighter tone for the writing style. The problem is it really shouldn’t have been as light and fluffy as it was. It was jarring to have these kids trying to figure out who they are by hunting for their father – something that’s incredibly difficult to deal with, and yet the tone is pretty jovial. So while it was a bit odd, it did carry me through a good chunk of the book that way, so I guess I appreciate it.
Part of the problem was I really didn’t like KT. While she may be a teenager that does not excuse the way she treats everyone around her. She stomps all over her mother, saying nasty things that she knows will hurt her, all to get her way. She hated her step siblings on sight, because they weren’t ‘cool enough’ for her. And to make matters worse, she’s a pushy vegetarian that makes all others look bad. A toxic combination, to say the least.
I also have some real concerns about some of the subject matter in this book. All throughout the novel KT is being…well to be frank she’s being stalked. There’s a guy that has a massive crush on her, and even though she’s been more than clear about her lack of interest in him, he continues to pursue her and ask her out. He even goes so far as to hitchhike across the country to follow her. I can’t say this firmly enough: this is not healthy. Everyone reacts like it’s no big deal, and actually judge KT for telling him no. Again, this is not okay. In the end (spoiler warning) KT even ends up with the stalker. Let me say it again, this is not healthy or okay. I feel like the book went out of its way to normalize what is so very clearly an unhealthy and dangerous relationship.
My other concern has to do with the trouble of finding the children’s father. The whole thing is told in a fantastical sort of way, with unrealistic twists and turns throughout. It’s not being at all sensitive to the fact that there are real people in the world who have “do not contact” sperm donors for parents, and it doesn’t magically work out for them like it does here. This is also where the jovial tone really doesn’t help the plot. How am I to believe that any of these kids are actually struggling about who they are, when none of them actually seem to care? (Discounting the occasional temper tantrum here and there).
On the whole this book was a huge flop for me. Maybe if I hadn’t gone into it hoping to love it…but no I still think I would have hated KT and the really unhealthy subtext to this story. It’s such a shame too, because if this actually had been a happy story to match the writing style I might have loved it.

I was so excited for this book when I read the summary. I love the idea of a bunch of misfit siblings banding together to find their sperm donor father on a cross-country roadtrip. I'm a huge sucker for roadtrip stories, one of my favourite subgenres (if I can call it that) of YA, so from the description, this book had everything I was looking for.

Unfortunately, it had none of the execution. Full disclosure: I made it halfway through the book before I had to put it down, when I realised I had lost track of what was happening and I didn't care for any of the characters. 

The story got off to a sudden and bumpy start, with a painfully obnoxious and downright awful main character. Katie, or KT as she snaps at her mother, as though there's any real difference in pronunciation (certainly not enough to warrant her attitude) learns that the man she thought was her father is impotent. Her real father is a sperm donor, number 806 from the local sperm bank. 

From very early on, I was wary of Katie (sorry, KT) as a protagonist, as she had a vile attitude and seemed too erratic to be believable, and it's a wonder she had any friends left to be mean to. I stuck it out, though, in anticipation of a plot that could potentially redeem - and change! - her character.

It isn't long before KT manages to track down two siblings she didn't know before - who happen to be two boys in her year at high school. I have a problem with this as it seems irresponsible of the parents not to let their children know that they're the product of a sperm donor who, apparently, was a serial donor in the area. The potential for accidental incest is too high for comfort.

KT's reaction to finding out who her siblings are is one of the most irritating scenes, I found. She snaps from being excited about having siblings, and hoping for a sister despite being a selfish creature, to being disgusted when she finds out her brothers are "the jock" and "the nerd." If I didn't know better, I could easily have been convinced that I was reading a first attempt at a novel by a thirteen-year-old on Wattpad. There was no justification behind KT's attitude, other than that, basically, the jock is too stupid to be her brother, and the nerd is too ... nerdy.

Right.

The pacing was all off, which really jarred me. When the three of them receive a reply from 806 on the website, they immediately go on a drive to meet him (very early on in the story) and end up having dinner with an African-American man. I had to track back several pages when it felt like I was reading some kind of weird dream sequence, especially when none of them seemed to realise that this guy clearly didn't father these white teenagers. 

Although I only read half of the book, and I can't comment on overall growth, there was no character development in the pages that I read, as the three leapt from unlikely adventure to unlikely adventure packed with the most unrealistic teen angst and drama I've come across recently - and I've been reading an awful lot of YA. The story read like it was written by someone who has never been or known a teenage girl, so far out of touch with how teens act and speak.

I'd love to see this concept rewritten someday, or perhaps it's out there already, as I love the idea. There's a lot of potential for emotional exploration and development with this plot, but there was no sign of that here.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 1 Star (though I'd rate it negative stars if possible)

CW: offensive comment relating to homophobia, stalker behavior

I think I have found my least favorite book since The To-Do List by J.C. Miller, which I reviewed last year. Not since then have I found a book that so made me want to heave my phone through a window, and that includes the books I've already DNF'd this year.

I could almost respect this book if it were a satire of other books of similar genres, but I don't think it is. It takes itself far too seriously for how badly I found it to be written. The characters start out badly and get worse the more of them are introduced. The pacing is all over the place. The plot was flimsy at best. There were so many head shaking moments I felt like I was getting a headache.

The best I could say about this book is that the author clearly loved putting in as many musical references as possible. KT was always picking up a guitar, even if she didn't play it at the moment, or talking about the title of a song. I didn't know at the time I picked this book up, but the author is apparently a famous songwriter, so that'd account for those details.

Now I'll go into detail on the problems I had with 806:



The Characters



Kim, KT's mom: is a throwaway parent that is disrespected at every turn. She makes some questionable romantic choices, but never any that seem to put her and her daughter in danger, simply ones that don't lead to commitment or seem good enough according to her or KT's standards. That alone doesn't make her a bad person, though it certainly seems so to KT. What does make Kim less than a desirable character/mother is that she is so flimsy. There's no depth to her as a person other than this love obsessed person who chooses one wrong guy after another.

Kim's biggest mistake, and the one that infuriated me the most, is her handling of the KT-and-her-"dad" situation. All KT's life her mom has told her that Max, KT's "dad", walked out before she was born and when at 17 KT demands to see him, Kim gives her a Yellow Pages advert for his place of work. Off KT goes to confront him only to find out that a( he never left and b) he's not her dad in any sense of the word, she's actually the product of a sperm donor/potential inheritance scam. Why the F*** would you send your daughter off to someone she's never met, who she thinks is her FATHER, knowing full well he's going to blow the biggest secret of her life? That was a terrible character decision and terrible development.

KT: herself had a really grating personality. She was a caricature of a brat, someone who assumed they knew better than everyone around them, especially their mother. While granted she did not have the best example both due to the writer's fault and the character's personality, I'm not willing to place all the blame on KT's mother. KT had no respect for either her mother or anyone else. She even turns on her friend and band mate, Sasha, when she thinks Sasha got a tattoo, then plays off her vile reaction like it's a joke that she had a say in what Sasha does with her body. The only person who might have deserved the level of bratty behavior that oozed out of KT was Dylan, the third part of the band who was little more than a harasser and a whole other problem in the book.

She has no filter regarding other people, whether it be their sexualities or their dietary practices. KT is vegetarian and makes comments about being ready to be rid of Jesse and Gabe, her biological siblings, after they order meat products at their first meeting at a Fuddruckers. She barely knows them beyond passing high school stereotypes because they apparently attend the same school, but sees that as a fit idea to have towards others.

Then there's a moment when Jesse tells the group that his moms are splitting and he has to choose which he'll stay with. Instead of being compassionate and offering sympathies, KT's first response? "Did one of them go straight?" What the hell, KT? What the hell, Author?

Her prejudice against her bio sibs based on their apparent carnivore tendencies and her careless homophobic comment made me dislike her all the more.

Dylan: one of the most irritating characters of the book. He was a harasser for the sake of being a harasser and served no purpose to the narrative. Every moment he spoke was a painful one from a reader's perspective, particularly when he became a stalker. He shows up outside her bedroom to sing her a song her wrote, he tries to follow her to Arizona, all of this after repeated rebuffs. And does the author get anyone to recognize this, much less KT? NO! KT thinks it's sweet and ends up dating this creep at the end, after he stalks her across the country with Jesse's help, no less! No, honey, that's some danger right there. 

Gabe/Jesse: Honestly, there wasn't much to get from either of these characters. They had some basic characteristics. Gabe like magic tricks and had allergies. Jesse was a jock that was good at swimming. That was about it. They had nothing built upon this foundation and I couldn't really get any sense of personality from them.



The Plot



It rushes and takes no time to develop anything, which is an enormous pet peeve of mine. There were so many coincidences and easy outs that I was surprised that the donor dad didn't end up calling them and telling them his address.

The plot was flimsy at best and utterly unbelievable at worst. There were "developments", such as donor numbers being mixed up (806 is actually 908), that sounded absurd. The cross country trip, which could have been pretty interesting, was based on even flimsier evidence than the donor numbers. From St. Lois to Sedona to L.A, the hijinks were ridiculous and felt like plot points pulled out of a hat of tricks rather than a well thought out journey.

I get that KT, Jesse, and Gabe are teenagers, but when you call the contact info your bio dad left to follow up a lead who you thought went to Harvard and find out that a) the office sounds like a pet hoarder's home and there's Jerry Springer playing in the background and b) it wasn't Harvard but "Horvard University", home of the mail order degrees in the "Artistry of Auras" and "Working With Your Animal Allies", are you really going to steal a car and go to Arizona? That seemed really, really stupid.





Conclusion: I really can't understand why this book went to print. It felt very poorly done. While the concept had promise, I believe it would have benefited from a lot of heavy editing, both for time and for characterization. There's no enjoyment in this book, nothing to keep a reader engaged. It would be a waste to print physical copies in its current state, I'm sorry to say.

I was immedaitely draw to this story because I love sibling-centric stories.. They're some of my all time favorites and I find the relationships to be so compelling and real. I also love the roadtrip element in the story - it adds a pace and youthful element that's just fun. Unfortunately, I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing, I found it to be simplistic and very "tell, not show." I also didn't connect to the characters as much as I expected, for this being so heavily focused on family. As a character-driven reader, this made the overall experience a little lackluster.

KT is a musician who longs to find her biological father, donor 806. When she searches for her father online, she finds out that she has two half brothers who couldn't be any more different. Jesse is a swimmer with a large female fanbase, and Gabe is an amateur magician who is allergic to everything. But, the three of them have a mission, to find donor 806. They decide to go on a road trip that leads them across the United States into the most unlikely of places from Vegas casinos to being chased by the police. Will they ever find their father?
806 is a light hearted fast-paced read with very little conflict or character depth. The entire novel reminded me of a made for t.v. tween movie where the all the characters crack lame jokes and puns no one would actually use in real life. KT, the narrator is a teenager full of teenage angst and rebelliousness with a fondness for black hair, and throwing blenders. But, deep down she is just a regular teenage girl who wants a father, and has commitment issues preventing her from realizing that the boy stalking her across the country might actually be "the one." Though, honestly, I just found him creepy how he popped up everywhere. Gabe is a typical nerd with a lack of dating history, and with a long list of allergies. But, Gabe's resourceful magic tricks come in handy. Jesse is the jock of the trio who is slightly vain but perceptive with an inferiority complex. The other adult characters are stereotypes of adults: the unlucky-in-love mom, the jealous girlfriend, and so on.
I liked the road trip setting, though I wish there could have been more pages devoted to the actual journey rather than the destination. It would have been nice to have more conversation between the newly found siblings. I probably would have found them less like cardboard cut outs if I had a chance to see them bond as a family rather than just call themselves members of "the Lucky Sperm Club." The entire story is fast-paced and hardly settles on one scene before taking off into a completely new direction, basically a novel where "this happens, then this happens, then this happens," and so on.
Overall, 806 was a mostly enjoyable novel made for a younger teenage audience. I would recommend this novel to preteens who are switching over into young adult novels.