It is a beautiful story, but a difficult one to read about two people with issues that cause people to treat them as less than and how they find each other, learning how to trust and form a relationship. There are many issues of bullying and some scenes of abusive behavior that are graphic enough that I would be leary of recommending it to younger high school students. ( )

Heartbreaking. I loved it! ( )

This is a story of two people with differences that make them outcasts in the real world but when they find each other suddenly they realize they don't have to be alone.

Normally, I'd be put off by a 19 year old showing interest in a 17 year old but I'm going to go in defense of this one. Alvie and Stanley are in the same stages of life. She's not some high schooler worried about applying to college in her junior year, in fact, she's already got her GED. And Stanley isn't some worldly experienced guy, he might be in college but he's never had a girlfriend. They both want to prove to themselves that they're capable of sharing a human connection with someone else regardless of their circumstances.

The question is: is this really a YA contemporary novel? Because to me, it felt more like that weird New Adult genre where the main characters aren't old enough to make this adult fiction but it's not exactly teen angst with a mix of high school drama.

The book cover was very misleading, at least to me. It looked like one of those tumblr minimalist aesthetics so I thought it was going to be a cheesy romance. I've just got to say, thankfully, that the sex didn't come across as some smutty fanfic so that was a surprise. The budding relationship was so real and nicely paced that I liked where it went.

I really liked how Alvie was not broken because of her autism but rather her childhood trauma. I think that was something really important to highlight especially because of the adults with authority that tried to make that the main source of her problems. And Stanley becoming aware of his body and accepting it was just as satisfying.

I'm a prude so I would never admit to anyone that I read and enjoyed this but if it wasn't I wasn't I would totally recommend this *hint hint nudge nudge* ( )

Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Good
Recommended: for young adults in 12th grade and beyond
Level: Upper High School; New Adult

Alvie is 17, has Asperger's Syndrome, and is hoping that having a job and her own apartment will prove that she is ready for emancipation. When Alvie sees Stanley in the park, she is intrigued by him, and begins corresponding with him online. Stanley has a condition which makes his bones break easily, osteogenesis imperfecta, but he is equally intrigued by Alvie, and soon they meet in person. Alvie's Asperger's Syndrome is only one aspect of who she is. Years of abuse and neglect in the foster system--as well as what happened when her mother died--have given her PTSD, which she has to learn to deal with. Stanley is also suffering from PTSD, which is a bond that both ties them together and threatens to tear them apart. Both have a lot to learn about who they are and what it means to be in a relationship, but ultimately they learn that they are stronger together.

There was a lot to like about this book. Alvie and Stanley were both portrayed in a realistic and honest way, and both characters were lovable for different reasons. At times, they made horrible choices, but part of the author's message, I think, is that bad choices are necessary for growth and self-discovery. While I can't really recommend it for students in my middle/high school due to some frank sexual experiences, I would recommend it to young adults in 12th grade and beyond. ( )

Full review coming soon ( )