To make what could have been a very long review of gushing, and quoting, and more gushing short: I loved this book. I loved the way the characters talk, their sense of humor, and the way they interact with each other. I love that the way a character first appears does not define that person for the rest of the book. I love them for their mistakes, terrible jokes, their faults and flaws, and the fact that no matter how badly they screw up they kept trying. I love the fact that Howie's mother is so funny, and clever, and not some sort of sexless mother ideal. I like that the female characters as well as the male are fully realized people. I like that the secondary characters are just as interesting as the primary ones. I like the development of the plot. It felt natural, and unforced, and that even though many of the problems of the plot were only in the character's minds it didn't make them any less real, or valid. The writing style is engaging, and fun. It made me laugh, and it made me invested in the characters and their world. In summation I just flat out loved it.