This one already occupies pretty rarified space. There are very few books that talk about eating disorders in boys. And the approach here is pretty unique. It's a bit humorous but has deep emotion at it's heart. This isn't always a comfortable read but it addresses some important topics and is deep enough to be worth the effort.

Brett is just a kid, but he has had to deal with a lot of adult-like problems in his young life. Between his adoptive mother becoming ill and having to move in with his best friend, Brett feels like he is losing control. The way he copes is to use food as comfort, but when Brett's secret life becomes public knowledge, how will he handle the stress?

I finished listening to the audio version of The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky a while back, but I have struggled with what rating to give it. Starting with the narrator, I wished he was a bit younger, or had a younger voice. It was hard to remember, at times, that Brett was just a school-aged kid.

The book deals with heavy subjects like grief, body image issues, and eating challenges. It also deals with illness and death, which are handled in a different way. Instead of being overt, Brett's pain masks the truth until the end of the novel. The author brings up teenage issues that are not often addressed, so I find it hard to review since I am not really a fan of the book itself. The plot is repetitive and I could not forge a connection with the characters.

Overall, The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky is a missed opportunity to give voice to teenage issues that are often overlooked. Readers in the target audience might feel differently and may connect with Brett.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Audio Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to review this book was entirely my own.

The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky by Josh Galarza is a quirky, offbeat novel blending absurdist humor with a surprisingly deep commentary on life’s bigger questions. The narrative is wild and unpredictable, offering plenty of laughs, though the eccentric style may not be for everyone. For readers who enjoy surreal storytelling with a satirical edge, it’s a fun, unconventional read.

I started listening with no idea of what to expect...the amazing title was what drew me in. The author's note at the beginning gave me pause - I generally avoid anything remotely adjacent to diet and weight, particularly when kids or teenagers are involved. But I decided that the author's intentions must be good based on the title, so I took a deep breath and kept going.

After the first few chapters, I had to pause and step away. I NEVER don't finish a book, but I felt like we were heading into some territory that wasn't for me. The title kept poking at me, though - there's no way someone could come up with a title that awesome for a sad, hurtful story. So I picked back up and kept going. And couldn't stop. I listened for hours, laughing, crying, thinking about how many people this book could save.

This book is for you if...

...you're a person who happens to be fat, not a fat who happens to be a person (in the immortal words of Mallory).
...your hot takes on diet and weight (your own or others') would make your average Mayflower Puritan roll their eyes and suggest you cool it with the judgment.
...fat people make you uncomfortable.
...you don't need a genealogy that looks like a racehorse pedigree chart to figure out who your family is.
...your villain origin story involves the movie Coco's suggestion that anyone whose family does not have a photograph of them is eternally damned.
...you're straight, but your level of closeness to your same-gender-presenting friends makes those around you think/assume you're not.
...you've ever given well-meaning advice that went horribly wrong for the person you advised.
...you've ever received well-meaning but terrible advice.
...your parent(s)' whole personality is formed from the toxic ooze of the diet culture they grew up with.
...you've ever needed to mix a little fantasy into your reality to get through the day.

I hope this one finds its audience - we need more books with this kind of non-toxic positivity.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Every once in a while there is a book I think all high school students should read. This Is One Of Those Books!!! Brett, a young boy coping with his mother's cancer, finds comfort in his comic book and food. He has an unhealthy relationship with food that he laughs off when anyone brings up. Initially, he eats all he can, even going to multiple drive-thrus in one night and eating all he buys. When his pain shifts, he shifts to throwing up his food. Art is a release for Breet. When his journal is found and posted online and his mother's condition worsens, he Brett's world unravels and he has to face realities and find a way to heal
VERDICT: Strong addition for teen libraries that deals with boys' mental health.

3.5/5 Stars

After his adoptive mother is diagnosed with cancer, 16 year old Brett feels like he is losing control. He seeks comfort through food and the comic book he is writing. When his private journal is leaked and spread online for the school to see, he delves deeper into his eating disorder. With the help of a new friend Mallory, he realizes that he may need help.

I thought I was really going to love this, the first chapter kicks off with a bang, but it slowly dissipated for me. This was a difficult read at times, that handles some deep topics and doesn't shy away from them. I did really love that this was a story about a boy with an eating disorder, as I think that is a very under represented population in literature. I liked that this was ultimately a story of learning to love yourself. I think the narrator of the audiobook did a great job in portraying the raw emotions that Brett was feeling through out the story. I wasn't the biggest fan of the superhero portions of the book, but I understand the reason behind those parts. I did really like the friendship between Mallory and Brett, and I like how she gave him the tough love he needed.

I think that this book will help many, many people upon reading.

What a fantastic book—and the audio is spot on. A multiracial, gifted boy, weighed down by life and grief, on a self-destructive rush toward that which will kill him. Told with wit, the voice immediately grabs and never asks for pity. I was rooting for Brett and his Kid Condor and friends all the way. So honest and raw. Bravo! I’ve never read a book like this. More!

I tandem read this as an audiobook and ebook to get the full effect! As for the audiobook, I really enjoyed the narrator; I felt that he sounded youthful enough to convey the narrator authentically while maintaining an easy-to-listen-to pace and style.

As far as the story, wow. I won't lie, when I saw the title I was definitely expecting something quirky and light-hearted. This was NOT that, and I am very glad about it. As someone who has been through it, I think there should be more YA books covering these topics. I'm especially glad to see representation for boys dealing with disordered eating, as they are often overlooked. This story punches you in the chest, it leaves you empathizing for the young protagonist, and hoping that he can overcome the VAST amount that the universe had doled out to him.

I left off the last star mainly because I felt that parts of the story were rushed. Particularly, I felt that he very quickly came to the conclusion about his disorder very quickly instead of slowly realizing that things were not right. Criticism aside, this was a wonderful story, especially considering that it was a debut novel! I'll highly recommend it to teenagers that I know can handle this type of content.

This did a good job showing the complex emotions felt in our early years as well as bringing light to eating disorders.

The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky by Josh Galarza is a young adult novel about a teen boy struggling with an eating disorder (binge eating) and alcoholism following the death of his biological mother and later his adoptive mom. Yes, the topics are heavy, but the story is told in such a way that the reader can't help but love the main character, Brett, and root for him to overcome his struggles. This book also has some good diversity, which is always an added bonus for this reader.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a review copy of this audiobook.

This book was powerful. It covers topics of eating disorders, body image, grief, anxiety, bullying, and cancer. I would recommend it to specific people with the appropriate caveats. The story was more heartbreaking than humorous, but I think it is realistic. I teach middle schoolers and I think the content is better suited and targeted towards high schoolers.

Don’t go into this one expecting a lighthearted YA book. This packs a deep emotional punch.

But do yourself a favor and read it (or listen, as the audio provided by Robb Moreira is stellar). It’s fantastic.

Teenager Brett Harrison is not ok. His adoptive mother is dying of cancer so he’s living with his best friend, Reed, and Reed’s father. He hints at the trauma in his past, which he combats with a little something he calls “drunk drive thru” - getting wasted on vodka, calling an Uber, and hitting up every fast food joint in town, eating to kill his feelings.

It’s not a great plan, but he hasn’t got another.

Despite Reed being like a brother and weekly sessions with the school counselor, Brett feels real shame and embarrassment - not just about food but also his untidy feelings. He doesn’t have the tools to help himself and he doesn’t know how to ask for them.

His other outlets are a comic book he writes and illustrates, stargazing from the trampoline in his mom’s backyard, and begrudgingly, a journal he keeps for the school counselor.

But one day his journal is leaked on social media by the least likely suspect, and Brett ends up on the receiving end of too much attention. Is he a pariah or poster boy?

Enter Mallory, or as some of the kids in their high school call her, one thousand calorie Mallory. Wise like Mr. Miyagi, she can help Brett, but only when he’s ready.

It’s not an easy read but there is so much of value here: frank discussions of feelings, bulimia (especially in boys), body dysmorphia, mental health, loss of a parent, the perils of social media…it’s a lot but it’s handled with grace, a sense of humor, and, when warranted, a heavy hand.

Important book. It feels weird to say this about a story deeply entrenched in so much pain, but I enjoyed it. I was rooting for Brett the whole way through and felt happy with the ending he got. His friends and found family are written with love and honesty. Male mental health, male friendships, honesty about being overweight? These are things that should be do honestly portrayed accessible and this book does that in spades.

This earnest coming of age story does a wonderful job weaving difficult conversations surrounding grief and eating disorders into a humorous look at high school life, young friendships, and the idea of belonging.

This was sweet. It's a voice we rarely get to hear in YA and I really appreciated it. The story feels authentic, the character growth felt natural, and issues were dealt with in realistic ways. I think this book will mean a lot to the right teen and I'm glad to see it's out there.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for sending me an advanced audiobook of The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in The Sky in exchange for review.

3.75 stars

Something that I deeply appreciated in this book is the representation. Queer, POC, anxiety and ED.
TW: graphic ED descriptions.

We follow our mixed nationality male lead who due to grief and loss and adolescence is suffering binge eating disorder and eventually bulimia. It gets incredibly heavy and detailed but I still think it’s important due to majority of all ED media focusing around women, to show that anyone can suffer this illness.

I had literally no idea what this book was about when requesting, the title drew me in 100%. I thought perhaps it would be a fun children’s book or something else incredibly silly. Only to be hit in the feels with a dark life tale. To be fair, it doesn’t stay dark. Things balance out in the end.

I do wish that the women portrayed in this book were done a bit differently, though I suppose that’s just by the views of our MMC however it wasn’t until getting to know another character he had the realization like “oh she’s a just a person too maybe we should be nice to her” though I do understand his own personal issues did interfere with this a little.

The trials of the friendships and fallouts of this book felt incredibly realistic.

Overall while covering super deep and rough topics I do feel the tone mainly remained upbeat. I didn’t have any issues finishing this book quickly, the pacing felt like I was watching a movie.

Thanks again for letting me listen!

This YA Contemporary fiction was exactly what I needed as an educator. Josh Galarza explores a teen’s struggle with alcohol and binge eating as his adoptive mother is dying. This book brings a focus on eating disorders, debunking common myths about it in order to show teens that they, like the main character, Brett, are not alone in their journey.

I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Brett has not had an easy life, and he’s only in high school. His mom passed away from cancer, but he is still holding on to her memory. Like many teens, he is struggling with friendships and romantic interests. On top of it all, Brett has been putting on weight. He doesn’t like the way he looks and people are talking. When he comes to the realization that he has an eating disorder, his life starts crashing around him. How will he get better while trying to navigate one of the toughest times in his life.

Wow! Thank goodness there was a trigger warning for food issues, because it hit hard. I had a hard time as an adult hearing the character struggle, which is a testament to the realness the character had. The narrator was perfect, making me believe he was Brett. The book will appeal to children in high school, particularly the mental struggles the characters share and the cussing. As an adult, I don't believe the language elevated the story that much. Overall, I was impressed with all of the issues discussed and how they were addressed.

Things I liked about this book: It addressed difficult topics, such as eating disorders and handling grief. The characters were inclusive in ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality. There were some great characters in this story who were showcased well. I loved the overarching theme of acceptance and being true to yourself. Also, everyone needs a Mallory in their life!

Things I didn’t care for in this book: The way girls were portrayed as sex objects by the two main male characters, especially early on. The comic book scenes accentuated that as well, taking away from my appreciation of the comic book and what it stood for. There was also more swearing than what was necessary. In order to reach a broader audience, those things should be toned down.

The narrator of this audiobook was fantastic! Five stars for his delivery of this story! He put emphasis on accents in the right places and he changed the pace of reading to portray the character emotions. He did a great job of making me feel the emotions when Brett was feeling passionate about something - like his comic book.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an audiobook advanced copy of #TheGreatCoolRanchDoritointheSky by #JoshGarza in exchange for honest feedback. -3 stars for the book, -5 stars for the narrator

A great coming of age story! Great representation. The main character was believable and you rooted for him to get better. The side characters were great and supportive

This was a very emotionally heavy story about a boy and his crippling grief over multi childhood traumas. It’s a story of loss and learning to love one’s self regardless of perfection. It’s a story rooted in love and friendship told through humor and imagination. I think this should be required reading for junior high/high school children. I really do. This was a 4.4 read for me. I highly recommend it!