Greetings Bookworms!
I am so far behind on reviews that I actually read a second novel by the same author and decided to group the two together. Because why not? It’s not like I have rules here or anything. It also just shows you how lovely Nicola Yoon is, since I jumped into a second novel of hers quickly after finishing the first. Of course, I read both of these like 6 months ago. Luckily I left myself some notes so my memory has been jogged sufficiently!
Everything, Everything
– I have to admit that every time I see this title, the Violent Femmes’ “Kiss Off” starts playing in my head, because snippets of songs have become so deeply embedded in my brain they may never escape. Not that I mind, really, because they’re usually delightful songs. But the book! So, it’s about a girl who has the “bubble boy” disease where she has no immune system and has to live in isolation. She doesn’t live in an actual bubble, but she’s confined to her home and has contact with only a few select humans. Then, you know, a boy moves in next door and forbidden love takes on a whole new twist. It’s excellent and heart wrenching and everything I wanted in a love story. But the ending… I have issues with it, for reasons I cannot discuss because spoilers. The issues weren’t enough to ruin the book for me, though, so it still gets a “y’all need to go read this” from me. (I have not seen the movie version yet, but I looooove Amandla Stenberg so I’d bet it’s a solid adaptation. She’s perfect for the part!)
The Sun Is Also a Star
– One of my big pet peeves in YA fiction is when the two main characters fall in love instantly. You know, glances across a room, fireworks, they simply MUST be together forever? I don’t know quite HOW she managed it, but Yoon made a book about a pair of teenagers falling in love in a single day seem completely plausible and not at all shallow and lusty. Not that there isn’t lust involved, but it was much deeper than that. It simultaneously tackles complex issues regarding race and immigration, and it’s deftly handled. I’m happy to report that I didn’t have issues with this book’s ending in the slightest. In fact, I think she totally nailed it. This book hit me right in the proverbial feels, and I’ll admit to shedding a few tears.
There we have it. A whole post about books! Look at me, doing what I set out to do 5 years ago. High five, Katie.
*If you make a purchase through a link on this site, I will receive a small commission. I’ll probably spend it on cute stuff for my kid, which really just benefits you too as you’ll be able to see pictures of him in/with said cute stuff. Win-win.*
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Megan M.
I’ve heard lots of good things about both of these books. So many good books, so little time.
wordsfor
Ain’t that the truth? I will never be able to read all the things I’d like to. Le sigh.
Michelle
I still haven’t read her second novel but I loved her first one. I agree that the ending is a bit…convenient, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying every minute.
Nerija S.
The one example I’ve seen of love-at-first-sight that I thought was well done was in Seven Tears at High Tide, by C. B. Lee, and that’s because “love” is defined as something deeper and more simple than OMGfireworkskissmenow. I’ll admit, the first draft of my own YA story is turning out pretty love-at-first-sighty, and I’m not yet sure it’s in a good way, or if I’m just falling into an easy trope. Definitely something to keep an eye on.
A.M.B.
I loved Everything, Everything until I realized what the twist was. Ugh. I’ve heard great things about Yoon’s second book, but I can’t bring myself to read it.
Jenny @ Reading the End
Ha, yeah, I suspected the twist in Everything, Everything as soon as I heard about it, and I’ve since read a couple of takes that made me think it’s also a pretty crappy way for the author to have written it. But I hear a ton of good things about The Sun Is Also a Star AGH SO MANY SYLLABLES THESE TITLES so I’ll still probably read that one.