Don't Ever Change
by M. Beth Bloom
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: July 7th 2015
Rate: 3/5 stars

Synopsis:

Eva has always wanted to write a modern classic—one that actually appeals to her generation. The only problem is that she has realized she can't "write what she knows" because she hasn't yet begun to live. So before heading off to college, Eva is determined to get a life worth writing about.

Soon Eva's life encounters a few unexpected plot twists. She becomes a counselor at a nearby summer camp—a job she is completely unqualified for. She starts growing apart from her best friends before they've even left for school. And most surprising of all, she begins to fall for the last guy she would have ever imagined. But no matter the roadblocks, or writer's blocks, it is all up to Eva to figure out how she wants this chapter in her story to end.

Perfect for fans of E. Lockhart, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell,Don't Ever Change is a witty, snarky, and thought-provoking coming-of-age young adult novel about a teen who sets out to write better fiction and, ultimately, discovers the truth about herself.

Title: Hexed

Author: Michelle Krys

Hardcover: 384 pages
Format: ARC

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publication Date: June 10, 2014 

Rating: 2/5

Witchcraft is one of the many paranormal elements that I've always been curious about, especially because it is a folklore that is rarely explored in popular culture aside from the famous Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I was very glad to pick up Hexed because i haven't read as much witch books compared to any other obscure paranormal book ranging from unicorns, zombies, vampires, werewolves etc. 

Generally, Hexed follows the normal paranormal/supernatural genre formula: girl is normal then one day when she comes of age she becomes supernatural and becomes exposed to a whole new world. While we see her learn to use such supernatural ability, good and bad forces collide and she has to save the world because of a prophecy or because of any other responsibility that was thrust upon her by external factors. Along the way, she meets a hot guy who is also paranormal, may be a bad guy, or add some other twist here. He ends up to be actually good and they save the world and wait for their next adventure in book 2!

Hexed sure was an interesting read and I was never bored reading it, but I felt like it is a bit too laughable even in parts that are supposedly serious.

I really wanted to like this book. I really did.

Instead, I'll just slam my face to the wall.

Following the formula for writing a supernatural book is okay, but Hexed adds NOTHING to what we already have in witch lit. The plot is not at all unique and the characters aren't even extraordinary. What I can say though is that they are realistic. Realistic if most teenagers today are complete assholes and whiney douchelords who only care about their problems. I tried really hard to like Indie, but I guess she's just not likeable. At first, I liked the fact that she is a popular girl who is concerned about her clothes and looks and that she's not a loner emo girl who's trying to find her place in this world like most other protagonists. However, her development as a character is slow if nonexistent. So she finally breaks up with her asshole boyfriend and ends her 9 year friendship with what's her name. Her mom dies. It was nice to see her cutting off all the toxic people out of her life and doing something for herself, but throughout the book that is ALL she does - doing things for her own benefit. Everything she does is for her own personal gain, and even befriending Paige is a selfish act on her part and I hated how everything that happens she makes it all about her and what she wants. In the end, she doesn't become any smarter or a better person.

Bishop is also one of the worst love interests ever because he is a sexist pig who keeps objectifying Indie and making disgusting misogynistic statements. I was disgusted with his naked Betty Boop tattoo and all his sexual innuendo and it's not because I'm a prude, but because I really can't stand jerks who "get the girl" in the end when he doesn't deserve anything at all. The part when they are stuck in the sewers and he practically drools over Indies half naked body and he gives her clothes which Indie describes as "short and skanky" and is actually amused with himself is just the most disgusting thing ever. He also starts out as this stalkerish kid who follows Indie around, and all the backhanded comments he gives her, like remarking about cheerleaders have a brain after all, laughing at how Indie butt shaked during the game,  are just annoying and makes him irredeemable as a love interest.

I also found the world building incredibly lacking. I was very interested about the magic part and the battle between the witches and sorcerers. But they didn't even address what they are fighting about in the first place- all we know is that there was a war and that there are these cartoon villains out to get the witches. What baffled me even more about the book is how little the magic there actually is. I really wanted to see more of her training as a witch but there is next to zero magic involved in it (there's more kissing between her and Bishop) and the magic they possess is actually laughable and not just believable. I mean magic is not realistic at one bit but there must be laws, like how could you conjure creatures out of nothing? I just couldn't seem to understand the folklore of their magic.

Hexed could've easily been one of the best paranormal books I've read in a while, but the treatment of the story is not at all executed properly. 

Honestly? It is by far one of the biggest disappointments this year and it just read to me like bad fanfiction.

Hi guys! It's me Andrea, Beryl's friend and I am here to write a guest post in the form of a book review. For those of you who are old readers of this blog, you may remember me as the one who helped Beryl a long time ago to do a DIY bow and bracelet. :) You can read that here.

Title: Shooting Stars

Author: Jennifer Buhl

Format: ARC

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Publication Date: April 1, 2014

Hardcover: 352 pages

Rating: 3.5/5

Jennifer Buhl is one of the few female paparazzi (or paparazza, as she likes to call it) in LA. She slowly becomes the best in the industry and proves that even though females are uncommon in the paparazzi line of work, they can still reach the top. This memoir is a tale of Jennifer's journey to the top. She shows how she has gone through so many challenges yet succeeds in the end. She gets in trouble with the LAPD and becomes the enemy of a famous celebrity yet still manages to succeed.

I admit that it took me a very long time to read this book. It wasn't particularly long but it still took me about a month to read it. Shooting Stars is the kind of book that you shouldn't read slowly. You shouldn't read it portion by portion. I think that the best way to read this book is to sit down and read it continuously. At first, I wasn't able to appreciate the honesty of this book. I thought of it as a bit boring and kinda pointless too but when school ended and I decided to finish this book once and for all, I realized that it is a nice book.

Shooting Stars was a very honest book. I learned a lot about how the paparazzi work and how they are important to celebrities. Lots of people think that paparazzi are just a bunch of people who find out where celebrities are and take pictures of them. I also thought that the paparazzi liked taking shots of celebrities who have done something terrible or scandalous. After I finished reading this book I realized that it was not like that at all. Shooting Stars was very enlightening and I certainly haven't read a book like this before. I loved the little facts that she had about the paparazzi and the paparazzi dictionary at the end. She made sure that all of her readers would understand what she's talking about in her books.

Jennifer wrote this book simply and straight to the point. She placed the right amount of humor into it and wrote it in a way that would make you appreciate the paparazzi. She didn't try to make herself look good to her readers but she still managed to make me like her. Her story was believable and I loved the information that she gave about the celebrities, though she might wanna make sure that Kate Bosworth doesn't read this.

I loved how Jennifer can be a badass when she needs to be and doesn't let herself be bullied. She was able to prove that she can be as good, and even better, than the male paparazzi. She was able to show that she is a capable woman and that her gender does not hinder her from becoming a great paparazzi. Being female even helps her become better. She's not afraid to fight back and is very strong too. She is still humble even when she has reached the top and knows that she can still make mistakes. She works hard to get what she wants and if she has her eye on something, she doesn't give up. She wasn't shown as a perfect person which shows you just how honest Jennifer tried to be in her memoir.

The reason why I didn't give this book 5 stars is because her friends weren't really talked about much. Of course it's Jennifer's memoir so it has to be about her and being a paparazzi but her friends just seemed a bit neglected throughout the whole book. Some of them even appeared to only be talked about because she needed to talk about them to further the plot. I also didn't approve of the fact that she didn't tell Bo about his son. I felt like he definitely deserved to know. Even though Jennifer had her reasons and knew that Bo might not make a good father, she still should have told him. The child is still half made by Bo and therefore Bo deserves to know that he has a child. If Jennifer is reading this, I strongly suggest that you tell Bo though that is your decision and if you don't wanna tell him then that's fine. Other than those two reasons, Shooting Stars was a great book. Those two reasons can easily be overlooked if you concentrate on the good points of the book.

All in all, this book was a great and fun read. I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more of Buhl's works. I would like to thank the author for providing me with  an ARC of her book. I really appreciated it and am honored to have been given the opportunity to review the book. I think that this book would be perfect for those who want an honest portrayal of the paparazzi world. Those who want to know more about celebrities and their relationship with the paparazzi, this book would be perfect for you.

What do you think about Shooting Stars? Leave a comment!

Title: Ask Again Later
Author: Liz Czukas
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publishing Date: March 11, 2014
Format: ARC
Rating: 1.5/5 stars

Ask Again Later is about a girl named Heart LaCoeur who has vowed to never date, as she does not want to turn out like her mother (who got pregnant at 18 and left her kids). Prom is coming up and Heart has already made plans with her No Prom-A Drama friends when two boys, Ryan, the theater geek and Troy, the jock who is her brother's best friend, ask her out to prom. Now Heart is torn between the two, and to solve her dilemma, flips a coin. Then the novel unfolds showing both scenarios, told in alternating chapters. 

Ask Again Later is a choose your own story type of book, a writing style which is not so original or clever but when executed well can turn out to be a fun and interesting read. 

Sadly, Ask Again Later is not that kind.

Remember when I posted the other day that Ask Again Later is one of my 2014 debut favorites? 

I take it back! I must have been half asleep when I wrote that because I really didn't like this book. 

I have since finished Ask Again Later and I don't feel good. Not at all. In fact this book will leave you offended and violated for all the worst reasons possible. And it can't go any further than that.

The name Heart LaCoeur basically means Heart heart, as LaCoeur is French for heart. It is obviously a very ridiculous name which even the main character herself complains about all throughout the book. This wouldn't be as problematic if the author had chosen the name simply at random; that would've been more forgivable. However, the name choice was obviously a conscious decision made by the author for no reason other than to establish Heart as one of those 'other girls'. Once again, the protagonist falls into the category of those girls who are considered unpopular, geeky, but apparently better than the rest of the social ecosystem - especially the popular kids consisting of the cheerleaders and jocks who seem to only care about their clothes and nail polish and drink and party for fun which are activities that are just SO SHALLOW for 'other girls' like Heart - just because they are 'different'. The name is also a plot device to create 'fluff' - an archetype/genre of overly cutesy gratuitous nonsense scenes that will make you automatically ship (or in my case, hold in puke) the couple involved in said scene. Chase, one of Heart's friends who's part of the No Prom-a Drama club thing, is the main love interest in this book (and this isn't even a spoiler because if this wasn't obvious to you at first then I don't know what's wrong with you) who calls Heart by other organ names like Pancreas, Lungs etc., in an attempt to be flirty and witty and cute and all - but sadly this isn't even funny, it's just cringe worthy. There is much to be said about the characters' names in this book, as Heart also opts to call Chase by the name Schroeder which doesn't even make sense to be honest. The banter between these two people involving their names is very annoying and cheesy and also shows how obvious that they like each other that there shouldn't have been any problem in the first place. 

The name isn't the only thing problematic about this book. The characters are even worse. Heart is an okay protagonist but there is absolutely nothing special about her. Her voice is not as distinct and she feels more like a mesh of different YA girl main characters taken from all sorts of books, with nothing that sets her apart from any of those people. She's got nothing on Mia from Princess Diaries or even Hazel from The Fault in Our Stars (both books that belong to the same genre). She doesn't even sound like a real person. Yet, Heart is the least of the problems regarding the characters of this book. Ryan is surprisingly gay (omg i am SO surprised) but is not a stereotype yet his presence in the book and his being gay was entirely superfluous except serving as some kind of PSA to the readers that you shouldn't assume that all gay people fit into stereotypes. There is so much mention of that between Ryan and Heart that it has become too preachy and condescending. Stereotypes exist for a reason and there is nothing wrong about being a stereotype until you become a caricature of that. In this case, Ryan becomes a caricature of a gay man who does not fit into a stereotype.

Troy spends the whole book pining for his ex-girlfriend Amy, in which it becomes obvious that he only asked out Heart to make his ex jealous. In the course of the book, he has only been sober for about 3 pages and spends the rest drunk and doing assholey things. Heart's brother Phil's friends are portrayed to be jocks and cheerleaders who discuss what Heart dismisses as the most trivial things - things that she is not used to talking about. They do not appear to be very smart, and you will start to question why they were dumbed down this much. Tara, Phil's girlfriend, exists as one of those "not like those other cheerleaders" kind of girls as she shows kindness to Heart, and is interested about other things other than nailpolish. Yet she drops the R-word and there does not seem to be any reason for such word to be uttered, unless the author wanted her to be relatable to other teenagers? Even so, it is still relatable even if she does not use such word, so in any case, that should've been just omitted. Tara stays with Phil even though it is plenty obvious that they have a very unhealthy relationship with one another, given the fact that Tara herself admits that Phil is an asshole most of the time - but she loves him and stays because he has a soft side and dreams of becoming a teacher? Really? A woman never exists to take care of her boyfriend, and there doesn't seem to be any redeeming qualities about Phil (but more on that later). Heart's friends are caricatures - caricatures of people who exist to be hipsters, losers, geeks, but there is nothing substantial about them and I don't see what is so great about them.

Now on to the most problematic thing I've ever read, EVER, because this just left me offended and disgusted.

The perpetuation of rape culture.

Two characters are involved in this act, and sadly they are supposed to be the good guys.

Phil, Heart's brother, is the most assholey person I've ever encountered in YA, and there is nothing about him that shows any sign of being a brother to Heart. Phil is described as Heart as her stupid brother who annoys her, but is also the sweet guy who plays Jeopardy with her. Sounds like the typical big brother. Yet, the fact that Phil forces Heart to go out with his best friend knowing he is unstable from his break up shows how bad a big brother Phil is. Big brothers are supposed to be protective, caring, sometimes annoying, but still ultimately good, at least to their little sisters. But there is one scene where Phil's douchebagness becomes clearest of all. In one scene, a drunken Troy forcibly kisses Heart, to which her first reaction would be to go and tell her brother:

Heart: Phil, I can't do this anymore. Troy just kissed me. I want to go home.
Phil: He did? (laughs) That's awesome!
Heart: It was not awesome! In what world is that awesome?
Phil: In the world where it means he's getting over Amy.

What kind of brother cares more about his best friend's moving on process rather than oh, his little sister being sexually assaulted by said best friend?

Phil: You are completely overreacting. It was just a kiss.
Heart: But I didn't want him to do it.
Phil: Don't be such a baby.
Heart: I'm not being a baby! I'm saying I want to go home.
Phil: Stop freaking out. You're going to ruin prom.

BANGS HEAD.

Phil: Heart. It was a kiss. Deal.
Heart: Don't you even care what I want? I'm your sister.
Phil: Yeah, and Troy's my friend. He wouldn't hurt anyone. He probably thought you wanted it.

he probably thought you wanted it !!!!!

When has it ever been acceptable to kiss someone because "you thought the person wanted it"? Heart clearly did not want Troy to kiss her; she has expressed it plenty of times! This is sexual assault, and how Phil reacts is just so unreal. I expected there to be a fight, some punching, a black eye here or there, or even a few broken bones. That would've been way better than this.

There are plenty of other instances where we witness how much of an asshole Phil is, but all his offenses are quickly erased, after what? When Tara drags Phil to say sorry to Heart for being such an asshole, suddenly it is all okay. Tara excuses Phil's assholeness as him being drunk, and they bond over their love for Phil because apparently there is a good side to him and he wants to be a teacher. A god forsaken teacher. Because having an ambition and being good at trivia automatically makes you a good person. Wow. There is nothing wrong with having an offensive character, but there is something wrong with making that character so unnaturally mean and unrealistic, and for that character be given the Get Out of Jail free card by simply existing.

Lastly, we must discuss Schroeder and how he adds up to this problem (more on this below). He is one of Heart's really close guy friends and it is apparent that he likes her from page 1. He calls her by weird organ nicknames and likes teasing her, sure indications of his infatuation. Theoretically he is supposed to be the good guy who cares a lot about Heart and has her best interests. But actually, Schroeder is a Nice Guy. (See our discussion post about this here)

We only see him as a jealous prick all throughout the book who wallows in the corner cursing Ryan and Troy and even Heart because she 'abandoned him'. He is conflicting, jumping from being so charming and nice to Heart (when he dances with her) then all suddenly mad and cold to her by ignoring her (when he refuses to take any pictures with her). He gets mad when Heart gives Ryan a friendly kiss, mad when Heart goes to the party at what's-his-name's house who apparently bullied him in middle school and just generally mad because Heart ditched him - all of which are NONE of his business. Though it is obvious to everyone that Schroeder likes Heart, he never actually tells her, at least not until Heart confronts him about it. He is obviously a Nice Guy, the type of guy who calls girls heartless just because they don't show interest in them - in this case he doesn't even get rejected because he never even tells her he likes her and just assumes that she knows, and therefore Heart should not go out with anyone else instead of him because that would hurt his feelings and would make her a psycho bitch. yayyy!

When Heart convinces Schroeder that there is nothing between her and Ryan this is what he says:

Schroeder: You just better hope you're right, cause if you're not...
Heart: Then what?
Schroeder: I guess that would make you kind of heartless, wouldn't it?

Way to call a girl heartless. When a guy likes a girl and the girl doesn't like him back, then the girl is automatically heartless. Wow. As if girls are not entitled to their own feelings. It's like you owe it to them to like them and there's automatically something evil and wrong with you if you don't because they are just. So. Nice!11 omg

What makes Schroeder/Chase irredeemable as not just a love interest but as a character however, is not his Nice Guy-ness but because he is also in fact like Phil, someone who encourages rape culture. Let's go back to the scene after Heart gets kissed by Troy.

When she talks to her brother and ends up not being comforted at all, this is the way Schroeder cheers her up:

Schroeder: Do you know what it takes for a guy to actually try to kiss a girl?Heart: Believe me, that was totally effortless on his part. No thought involved.Schroeder: You don’t know that.Heart: I was there.Schroeder: I’m just saying, it’s not that easy. You’re really putting yourself out there as the guy.Heart: Do you go around kissing a lot of girls you’re not sure want to be kissed? I think that’s called first-degree sexual assault.Schroeder: Believe me, it’s hard to tell with some girls.

This moment just made my jaw drop, not even in a good way. When the girl you like comes to you after being sexually assaulted by a pig, what must you do? To Schroeder, the right thing apparently is to defend the sexual assaulter's actions in order to indirectly defend himself and communicate his own feelings to Heart, thereby trying to guilt trip her and appearing as a selfish and exploiting asshole.

At this point, it made the most sense for Heart to be rid of all these boys who did nothing but make her night miserable, but since this book promises to be full of romance and 'fluff', there is no plausible way to end this book than have Heart finally get together with the 'right' man.

Again, there is nothing wrong with having problematic characters. But there is something wrong with glorifying and rewarding these characters.

In the end, we are unsure which of the two scenarios actually happened, but it does not bother me, as things mostly end up the same no matter what. Prom is over, everyone's happy, people who are supposed to be together finally get together, and lalalala things are A-okay!

Ask Again Later was one of my most anticipated YA books of 2014, but sadly the only thing that seems to be great about it is its marketing. The writing is flimsy and lacks coherence, the style is meh, the story itself is predictable. Overall, it was a light and 'cute' read, but was jampacked with offensive and disgusting characters and situations, that at the very most I can only describe the book as 'tolerable'.

---

If you'd like to read our Soupy Sundays discussion on Nice Guys, go here. We'll probably write a discussion post on rape culture soon.

Whew! If you've actually taken the time to read that LONG review, then wow. I'd love to know your thoughts. Let's discuss below! :)

Title: Skin and Bones

Publication Date: March 1, 2014 Publisher: Albert Whitman Teen
Format: ARC
Rating: 3/5

Jack is an anorexic who checks into an recovery facility. He becomes friends with Lard (his name isn't actually Lard), his roommate, who is a compulsive eater and soon nicknames himself "Bones". He goes through a lot of challenges, befriends other patients in the facility, and finds himself falling in love.

First of  all, I would like to congratulate the author for writing a book wherein the main character is a male anorexic. Most books about anorexia have a female character as the protagonist which makes this book special. This book definitely opened my eyes to the fact that there are actually a lot of male anorexics out there. It also successfully showed how complex anorexia actually is. Bones and Alice, who are both anorexic in this book, have a couple of habits, that have something to do with their anorexia, that is quite disturbing. It also shows you how far Bones and Alice would go to lose weight. Skin and Bones also makes you realize that nobody can help you of you don't help yourself. Though the book is tackling a serious issues like anorexia and compulsive eating, the dialogue remains light and humorous.

Title: Side Effects May Vary
Author: Julie Murphy
Publisher: HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray
Publishing Date: March 18, 2014
Kindle: 336 pages
Format: ARC
Rating: 4/5 stars

A lot of cancer books have been popping in YA contemporary over the years, wherein we read about the main protagonist having cancer and then going through a couple of life changing events in his/her life. More so, each of these books also focus on the themes of hope, death, and the loss of life - all of which are intertwined. 

There have been a couple of cancer books that I've read, some I found very moving and others I found too overkill - overly dramatic and lacking of originality. You could say Side Effects May Vary belongs to the 1st pile. 

Given the abundance of cancer books in the industry, Side Effects May Vary is what you consider something "different" - a breath of fresh air you may say. Side Effects May Vary deviates from the normal cancer book formula : the main character has cancer, finds love, comes to terms with problems in her family, and/or goes through different experiences which make the character significantly a better person. Alas, main character still must die as that is the whole point of cancer books, that you let go of the people you love, but the protagonist would have died as a better person who has changed other people's lives in the process.

Side Effects May Vary does not follow this formula at all. It tells the story of Alice, a girl who gets diagnosed with cancer, and then recruits her childhood friend Harvey (who is actually in love with her) to help her do a 'bucket list' filled with some cool things but also some very awful things of what she must do before the cancer eats her body. Harvey reluctantly agrees to help her and they set forth to finish Alice's last hurrah. But what happens when Alice suddenly goes into remission? How does she deal with the consequences of her actions?

I've seen some people pegging this as the next The Fault in Our Stars, but let me just say that the similarity between these two books is the fact that the main characters both have cancer - and the similarities end there. Nevertheless, I liked Side Effects May Vary on its own. What I found amazing about it is how this is actually Julie Murphy's debut, yet it is so fantastically written, from the characters, the plot, the pacing, the development. It was obvious from the very start that Julie Murphy is the kind of author who knows and is comfortable with what she's doing - she has a clear voice and writing style. Side Effects May Vary is the kind of book that is so emotionally gripping and honest, that you started to become part of it. I I found myself becoming so engrossed with the characters, the world and the story that it was no wonder I spent late into the night finishing it. I liked its premise of how Alice's life only began on the year she thought she was going to die, and how she was the only person who could make the decision to actually start living and do something with her life. I liked how the story showed the consequences of one's actions, that you simply can't escape things from your life and that you have to face them headfirst.

What I really loved most about this book though is how relatable the characters are. My usual complaint with a lot of books I've read lately is that I just couldn't seem to understand what was going on in the character's head. Sadly, character is usually what brings the downfall of what could've been a 5 star read to just a 3 star one. I consider character as one of the most important things about a book, even more than the plot, at least for me. And so, Side Effects May Vary was able to give me the three-dimensional characters I have been looking for, not just the protagonists but even the secondary characters. Alice who is quite a despicable and selfish person was written so brilliantly as not just a character or a plot point, but she actually felt like a real person. It was interesting for me to read about a very unlikeable character doing very detestable things, but I found myself understanding her, the way I came to understand myself. I understood her motives for the things she did, and I was able to empathize with what she felt. I am sure that we have all been betrayed by a friend or boyfriend, unsure how to deal with feelings of love, and even have gone through hell because of school and family. Alice's problems are no stranger to our everyday concerns, which is what makes her character so fully developed.

I liked Harvey the most because he is one of those characters that I think should be part of the list of Glorious YA Characters (along with Peeta Mellark). He does not fall to the category of guys with the nice guy syndrome (which I actually really really hate), but he has much more to offer than that. He is kind, sweet and gentle, but he is also very strong and empowering. He loves Alice unconditionally but be doesn't allow himself to be pushed around, especially when Alice tells him to leave her alone. Even so, his love and care for Alice radiates during his time away from her because it is quite evident that he still looks out for Alice even so and loved her still obviously. The secondary characters were also well written, they didn't just have names but they also had personalities and character backgrounds written into them, such as Alice's parents, Harvey's mom, Luke and even Celeste.

Characters aside, the writing was also beautiful, perfectly and subtly capturing the mood of the story - emotional but not overly dramatic, light and happy at some parts but not overly cheerful, sweet but not overly cheesy. There were some nice quotes throughout the book, most of which I highlighted on my kindle. The style of the story I also found very apt, as it is told in a non linear manner - Now (after Alice goes into remission) and Then (when Alice first got diagnosed). It also alternates with Alice and Harvey's POV, which I liked because it gave us two different perspectives of the same story. We don't usually get the thoughts of a friend who witnesses the protagonist have cancer, but I like how Julie Murphy decided to do it here. Harvey's voice was fresh and distinct and it gave us insights on what it was like to watch your best friend and the love of your life suffer with cancer. It showed how deeply he cared for her. The POVs weren't confusing and they both had different voices. The Now and Then provided a great contrast between the setting of the story and the mood which I found a great writing technique. I don't think the story would've been as effective if it was told in only Alice's POV linearly or if it was done in 3rd person. This was a great creative decision from the author and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

I liked everything about this story (especially the ending, NO SPOILERS HERE!). The only reason why it isn't a 5 star is because it just didn't cling to me the way other YA Contemporaries did (i.e. Eleanor and Park). I acknowledge that this book is beautiful but it didn't impact me as much as others did. Meaning, I read the book, cried a little, put it down and that was it. However, I do recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of contemporary and I will be looking out for more of Julie Murphy's works.

Have you read Side Effects May Vary? What did you think of it? :)