Breakfast Served Anytime

by Combs Sarah

A coming-of-age debut evokes the bittersweet joys and pangs of finding independence in one unforgettable summer away at "geek camp."

When Gloria sets out to spend the summer before her senior year at a camp for gifted and talented students, she doesn’t know quite what to expect. Fresh from the heartache of losing her grandmother and missing her best friend, Gloria resolves to make the best of her new circumstances. But some things are proving to be more challenging than she expected. Like the series of mysterious clues left by a certain Professor X before he even shows up to teach his class, Secrets of the Written Word. Or the very sweet, but very conservative, roommate whose coal-industry family champions mountaintop removal. Not to mention the obnoxious Mason, who dresses like the Mad Hatter and immediately gets on Gloria’s nerves — but somehow won’t escape her thoughts. Beautifully told by debut author Sarah Combs, this honest and touching story of growing up is imbued with the serene atmosphere of Kentucky’s natural landscape.

• ISBN10: 0763667919
• ISBN13: 9780763667917
• Publish Date: 8 April 2014
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Candlewick Press,U.S.
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 272
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780763667917

Reviews

[Angie]

Geek Camp! That was all it took to make me want to read Breakfast Served Anytime. I also liked the idea of this mysterious professor. Sadly, I was just bored instead of entertained. Gloria heads off to this summer education program, is introduced to people different from her, then goes home. That's it. There's no plot, and no real character growth. She just goes away, does stuff, and comes home. It also didn't help that Gloria annoyed me.

I'm pretty sure the only things in the entire world that Gloria likes are words and butterflies. Although the butterflies are up for debate. Within the first third of Breakfast Served Anytime we learn that she hates flatirons (on principle, seriously! what?!), mirrors, social media, fortune cookies, whistling, flip-flops, dogs, and babies. I'm not a fan of fortune cookies or babies, and it's humming that grates my nerves rather than whistling, but come on! I'm pretty sure she points out something she hates in every single chapter. This girl is not happy about anything! I mean, none of her dislikes are over-the-top, but her negativity just frustrated me. And I generally don't like people who don't like dogs, but luckily she admitted that puppy Holyfield was cute. He was the best part, actually.

Nothing really comes of anything in Breakfast Served Anytime. Gloria is suddenly all interested in mountain top removal, and thinks it's horrible. Her roommate's family is like a coal tycoon or something, so Gloria gets confused on the issue. Then that's it. Gloria instantly hates "the Mad Hatter" aka Mason, they get to know each other because they're in the same weird class, and that's it. Gloria talks about missing her grandmother a lot, and other than hating everything is her only personality trait. Really, nothing happens!

I was also annoyed at this whole geek camp program. Apparently these kids attend this summer program and automatically get a scholarship to the University of Kentucky. But all of them are whining about wanting to leave the state and not taking the scholarship (except Sonya, who is the only smart one). So why the heck are they there?! Kids who actually want and or need the scholarship could be in their place! I totally get that UK isn't their dream or whatever, but stop complaining about being offered college for free!

In the end, Breakfast Served Anytime mostly annoyed and bored me. It's not awful and I did like parts of it, mostly puppy Holyfield. But that's really it. It just wasn't my thing.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Joséphine]

Initial thoughts: My first sentiment after closing this book was relief; relief that after more than two months I'm finally done reading. I did take a break in between because the book was due, then I had to wait until I got my hands on it again. The first third of the books was interesting enough—amusing even. I liked the Alice in Wonderland references. But by the half-way mark I got bored. I remained bored right through the end. Nothing much happens plot-wise. When that is the case, I expect exceedingly good character development or exquisite prose. Breakfast Served Anytime had neither.