I Hate Everyone But You by Gaby Dunn and Allison Raskin // Trashy.

I Hate Everyone But You, by Gaby Dunn and Allison Raskin
Publication: September 5, 2017, by Wednesday Books
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, LGBT
Pages: 344
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

So begins a series of texts and emails sent between two best friends, Ava and Gen, as they head off to their first semesters of college on opposite sides of the country. From first loves to weird roommates, heartbreak, self-discovery, coming out and mental health, the two of them document every wild and awkward moment to each other. But as each changes and grows into her new life, will their friendship be able to survive the distance?

My Thoughts:

DNF @ 150(?) pages

I hate to say this, but this book was awful, and probably the worst book I've read this year. I Hate Everyone But You lowered my expectations for contemporary YA stories. Will we keep receiving and reading books that are written in this awkward format, solely because the whole world is under a social media craze? This book was written ONLY in the format of emails and text messages, which I found lacking. Because of this weird, boring format, the story lacked any sort of purpose, and any sort of a plot. In total, the most I can say is that there was no point to this story. I do not see why we had to read about two characters who did not have any depth in them, and who were just trashy. Gen and Ava are the definition of trashy characters. I did not enjoy the whole college partying sorority setting where the authors literally focused on drugs, sex and alcohol. COME ON. There's more to friendships and college than just that. 

What was this book's purpose? To highlight the friendship between two damaged characters? I guess so. I'm also aware that the story eventually focuses on some LGBT aspects, but I did not read far enough to sense that. And I can imagine how lacking that would be — it's probably just an extra addition to catch the attention of some readers. Ugh.

I Hate Everyone But You was a complete disappointment. And I don't even feel bad about giving this a one-star rating. It was boring, dumb, and the format just made me yawn. Skip this one for a better contemporary read. There are many.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What was the worst book of 2018 so far for you?

An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes by Randy Ribay // Gaming and Road Trips Galore

An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes, by Randy Ribay
Publication: October 16, 2015, by Merit Press
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, LGBTQ
Pages: 240
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Rating: 

As their senior year approaches, four diverse friends joined by their weekly Dungeons and Dragons game struggle to figure out real life. Archie's trying to cope with the lingering effects of his parents' divorce, Mari's considering an opportunity to contact her biological mother, Dante's working up the courage to come out to his friends, and Sam's clinging to a failing relationship. The four eventually embark on a cross-country road trip in an attempt to solve--or to avoid--their problems.

Told in the narrative style of Akira Kurosawa's RASHOMAN, AN INFINITE NUMBER OF PARALLEL UNIVERSES is at turns geeky, funny, and lyrical as it tells a story about that time in life when friends need each other to become more than just people that hang out.

My Thoughts:

An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes is a lovely contemporary novel that embraces people that are currently being discriminated in the world today. It certainly embraces nerd culture, and how people can become social and talkative by finding something in the world that makes them want to speak, just as I have found blogging/reviewing as my voice being heard. Randy Ribay has written such an intriguing, fun, but realistic story with a gang of characters who each have their distinct personality that makes them, them. This is one of the better road trip novels I have read, definitely comparing to John Green's Paper Towns, except in this case, each of the characters who are tagging along on the trip are finding themselves, not just the protagonist. In fact, there really isn't one protagonist, every person—Archie, Mari, Dante and Sam—is a protagonist. Ribay focuses this novel on each character and how they develop into new people.

I received this one to review ages ago. I loved the cover from the first time I spotted it, and I just couldn't wait to pick it up and learn more about what Dungeons and Dragons is all really about, and why an ex-friend of mine really wanted to learn how to play it. Sci-fi related things like that are not really my type of activities to do, but I certainly enjoyed being tagged along as a reader and embrace the nerdiness coming out from each character in this case. I loved how there was a climax where each character found that inner peace; that was extremely important for me to find because I somehow knew that this would be the kind of book to showcase that exactly. 

This was about a heartbreak going on in a group of friends, but it secretly is actually about the development of each character after something goes wrong in each of their lives. Archie's father is gay, and he divorces his mother, which gets him depressed and feels like everything he has ever known is swept away from him. Mari's mother has cancer, and things get crazier when her mother gives her information about her real mother, since Mari was adopted. Dante has a personal struggle—he's gay and he doesn't know what to do because his strictly religious family does not approve. Sam's girlfriend breaks up with him after she moves across the country to Seattle. All together, they head on a road trip through all over the place to get to Seattle.

"She feels the centrifugal force pulling her into space. Her body rises from the ground, just barely at first, but then higher and higher. The grass she holds rips out of the ground, soil crumbling from the nests of tiny roots. She opens her hands. The grass clumps fall. Loose green blades flutter downward" (71).

As you can tell for that quote, this is such a poetic novel. Randy Ribay writes with such passion towards the topic, and I was so entertained because I loved the amount of diverse topics featured. We see discrimination, as Dante feels that people are looking at him differently because he is African American, and gay, at the same time. Then, Mari undergoes the struggle of her adoptive mother and how she doesn't know what to do with the current status of her life. Archie's father is gay, as mentioned before, and he struggles, too, knowing that his dad never really loved his mother in a real way. 

I loved Archie and Mari's relationship. There wasn't instant-love at all, and I loved how they relied on each other for personal help. Aw. THAT'S THE ROMANCE I'M LOOKING FOR. I find that we frequently are caught in romances that are too fake or too lovey-dovey, but Archie and Mari had this instant connection that I just saw as a real relationship. They didn't make out, they didn't go crazy at each other, it was just slow and beautiful, exactly in the way a bookworm like me (who does love slow-paced romance) would want something like this to become.

Road trip novels make me want to grab a map and run away. Not in a literal sense, but I just have this serious case of wanderlust that makes me want to go and find new cities, meet new people and have the time of my life. I loved reading about the different cities that the crew stopped in, especially Chicago (I love Chicago!) and the adventures they had there. You know, they took risks, made a change in their lives from the usual Dungeons and Dragons thing. 

I read this book because I wanted a similar situation to what it actually turned out to be. It was light but complex at the same time, where I was able to not make any predictions for the ending because it could turn out any way. Randy Ribay seems to have put so much effort reading into modern teenagers today and how they act, because this is the realest thing I have read for a long time. Many authors struggle to portray or write about characters who are teenagers because some of us are so different compared to teenagers of the past that it is just ruined. The book is, I mean. In this case, the characters were relatable and I couldn't stop feeling sorry for them and all of the pain that they had to suffer, internally especially. 

An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes takes contemporary fiction, mixes it with real-life issues that many teenagers today struggle with constantly, mixes it with relatable characters and situations, and creates a great plot that I was so captivated to that I couldn't stop reading. It is a strong story that will make you want to turn your engine on and ride away, to who knows where? Most of all, it teaches us to not forget how to love.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What is the most relatable book you have read recently? What is your recent most favourite fictional couple?

The Boy I Love by Nina de Gramont // Not What I Expected At All!

The Boy I Love, by Nina de Gramont
Publication: September 2, 2014, by Atheneum BFYR
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, LGBTQ
Pages: 288
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Rating: 

Sixteen-year-old Wren has been content to stay in her best friend Ally’s shadow. It doesn’t bother her that Ally gets the cutest guys, the cutest clothes, and even a modeling gig—Wren is happy hanging with the horses on her family’s farm and avoiding the jealousy of other girls. But when Tim, the most intriguing guy in school, starts hanging out with Ally and Wren, jealousy is unavoidable, but not the kind Wren expects. Because even though Ally is way into him and Wren hasn’t flirted, not one little bit, it becomes increasingly clear that Tim prefers Wren’s company above anyone else’s.
Tim’s unexpected devotion comes at the exact time Wren’s home life is about to be turned upside down. But at least there is Tim...always a gentleman and ever dependable. But as his own seemingly perfect world comes spiraling down around him and he tells Wren his biggest secret, Wren must decide what she’ll really do for love.

My Thoughts:

Here is a fact about my reading habits that I just love: I love reading books that are good, and that are underrated. Nina de Gramont's The Boy I Love perhaps could make you expect this to be the cheesiest, most predictable book that you will ever read in the history of books. The cover is extremely cheesy, if I do say so myself. Forget about all of those negative thoughts pushing you away from reading this. Forget about the HATERS, you know? But honestly? I don't even see too many haters hating on this satisfying, utterly enjoyable story, because there is this one FREAKING PLOT TWIST that turns the table around and has you addicted for the rest of the book because you know that what you expected to happen will not happen at all. But of course, there is that single voice in your head telling you, "Who knows?" as you read. Nina de Gramont is now an instant-buy for me. I already own two other books by her, and I will hunt for everything. *hears thunder in the distance showcasing my seriousness*

The Boy I Love has this table-turning title and cover. We see a beautiful cover model sitting by a campfire, looking like an Abercrombie model. Most girls want to poke his chest, I bet. I wouldn't blame them. This guy is supposed to be the male protagonist of this story, named Tim. Wren, our female protagonist, basically falls head over heels for him in a way when she meets him in her new school, that she transfers to alongside her best friend, Ally, who also has her own personal demons. Ally wants to become a model, but her parents do not let her follow her dreams. We haven't seen that story before, right? *giggles* Ally has a huge crush on Tim, who prefers to spend time with Wren.

LOVE TRIANGLE? I think we all predicted that when we started reading. There is this one secret that could change the way you look at the whole book and I could never spoil it here, or else the whole book is ruined. When this was revealed, I was ten times more addicted and intrigued to the novel than I originally was. Honestly? If this stayed a cutesy romance, I still would've enjoyed it because Nina de Gramont is just a good writer. She creates relatable characters who certainly do not live in a perfect world where relationships always work and they certainly are not able to always follow their dreams. This is absolute realism.

I love the setting of this story: North Carolina. I've travelled through the state when I head on road trips to Florida, and it honestly is one of my favourites to travel through. I love the summer-year-round atmosphere and the nature. It's been a while since I've read a book set in the Carolinas (I honestly don't remember the last one, or if there has been one in the past) and it just made me giddy. I love the summer feeling that this book inherited. You could read it any time of the year and instead of seeing snow outside of your window, you could imagine green grass, scorching temperatures, an alligator in your river (haha) and a bonfire. That's summer. This book could seriously be called, in other words, summer.

This headed in a direction that I never imagined was possible. I keep saying this, but Nina de Gramont took us to a different world. I loved how each of the characters had their own problems (not that I would wish anyone to have problems), including Wren's issues with her parents, Ally's dream issues and Tim's issues that I will of course, not reveal. That is what contemporary should always feature.

Wren was just a fabulous protagonist. She was fearless, real, selfless. Her friends and family came first, and when everyone kept coming to her with their problems, Wren kind of forgot about her own issues and eventually, all of that came splattering at her. That frequently occurs to people in the real world, and it touched me. TIM AND WREN EQUAL FRIENDSHIP GOALS. Tim is your perfect example of a good boy best friend. I wish I had one of those. 

Nina de Gramont experiments with a lot of examples of friendship. Ally and Tim both have to share Wren at different points of the book, and Nina showcased the difference between girl friendship and boy and girl friendship. They each had each other for different reasons, to hold different secrets, but in the end, friendship occurs for the same reason: for loyalty. Whoever said boys and girls cannot be friends are so wrong. This is a perfect example of how that actually works.

The Boy I Love by Nina de Gramont is a book that has been sitting in my bookshelf for quite some time now, and when I decided to read it on a road trip, it was the perfect book. It shouts summer, bonfires and mistakes. It screams out romance, but that wasn't a main idea of the story whatsoever. The most important thing? Friendship. Nina illustrates the theme of girls not having to love boys for romantic reasons, but that they could love them as friends. Aw. My heart is fluttering. PLEASE READ THIS, SECOND-GUESSERS.

What is a book that features boy and girl friendships? What is your favourite contemporary novel that does not feature romance?

Been Here All Along by Sandy Hall // Satisfying and Quick, Though Not As Good As Her Others

Been Here All Along, by Sandy Hall
Publication: August 30, 2016, by Swoon Reads
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, LGBTQ
Pages: 240
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: ½

Gideon always has a plan. His plans include running for class president, becoming head of the yearbook committee, and having his choice of colleges. They do NOT include falling head over heels for his best friend and next door neighbor, Kyle. It’s a distraction. It’s pointless, as Kyle is already dating the gorgeous and popular head cheerleader, Ruby. And Gideon doesn’t know what to do.
Kyle finally feels like he has a handle on life. He has a wonderful girlfriend, a best friend willing to debate the finer points of Lord of the Rings, and social acceptance as captain of the basketball team. Then, both Ruby and Gideon start acting really weird, just as his spot on the team is threatened, and Kyle can’t quite figure out what he did wrong…

My Thoughts:

This is extremely cute and fluffy, just like everything Sandy Hall has previously written. I admire Sandy SO MUCH for taking a risk with this new release (that will be out in a month!) by writing a LGBT romance. In her past two novels, we experience a straight boy-girl romance and I swooned. This time? I could say I completely began swooning again because Hall's writing is just adorable and satisfying. Once you begin reading her work, you feel obligated to finish it in the same sitting that you began it. I would pick this one to read during a time where you're just seeking a quick, nice story that will make you smile. If you don't end up smiling during the time you've been reading this, you're a very mean person. Seriously. Been Here All Along is a story that really has been there with you all along, because somewhere deep down, you have been seeking a story about two gay/bisexual best friends who unexpectedly fall in love.

Something lovely that Sandy Hall does time after time is write without an instant romance. I really thank her for that. I find that these days, books that are imprinted and are stamped with the genres "contemporary" and "romance" seem to almost always have instalove. I honestly rather have a love triangle than instalove. Just like with Signs Point to Yes, we have a relationship between two people who have known each other for the longest time, since childhood. That's something believable. As usual, Sandy Hall's writing is completely believable, and I couldn't stop reading and creating a film in my head, clear images of what each character—Ruby, Gideon, Kyle and Ezra—looks like and how their personalities actually come to life. 

This, as mentioned before, is about a pair of characters, Gideon and Kyle, who have known each other since they were five. Gideon is legitimately your perfect character (somehow even too perfect, which I'll get to later), who cares so much about schoolwork and organization. Kyle has his own schoolwork issues of his own (which was a true highlight of this story), and he is dating the most popular girl in his senior class, Ruby. He reveals to her that he is bisexual, and soon after that, Gideon realizes that he is developing feelings for his best friend. 

I felt so bad for this pair of characters, friends. SO MUCH SADNESS. Hall really explores the LGBT world well and explores the struggles of people realizing their true feelings. I really loved how this was a gay romance, instead of our average straight thing. I occasionally read LGBT romances, and this is seriously a great one, minus Gideon's character, who I really disliked.

Gideon and I would not be great friends. He has the personality of people who annoy me in reality: the uttermost craziest perfectionists. I am an overachiever, I am a true perfectionist, I love school... but I do not take my adoration of work to the extent that Gideon did in the book. He keeps complimenting himself and thinks that he's perfect, minus the whole gay thing. His family was too perfect, unlike Ruby's family, who is having issues with money, or Kyle's family, having to deal with Kyle's learning disabilities. Every family had something to debate with, minus his. And his personality is so annoying and ugh. His character didn't go well with my likings. Kyle, on the other hand, was adorable and I loved how Hall explored his personal demons. She took it to a real, eyesight level where we were able to see the initial, middle and ending steps of him discovering what is going on with him. Yay. 

I really don't have much more to say about this book other than the fact that it's really short and enjoyable. Sandy Hall writes about a high school experience for the first time, and she did it pretty well, minus occasional cheesiness. We have our popular group, our nerds, the cheerleaders and football players. Of course, there is also a huge dilemma on the subject of drama, which gets a little out of hand. I am in high school, and I would like to admit that the experience really isn't like what the book is about. I've read many books similar to this (with similar drama, I mean) and it isn't anything special or different, to be honest. I truly do wish it turned out to be a longer, more broad (and explored) story, because it HAD THE POTENTIAL TO BE 500 PAGES. It just... stopped and ended up with a predictable ending, nothing major.

Been Here All Along explores a friend-to-couple romance, that throws away the cheesy, predictable instalove romance that don't really end up swoon-worthy in the end. I hated Gideon, but loved Kyle and the rest of the side characters who made this quick, enjoyable story up. Most of all, Hall, as always, explores some themes that many authors never choose to touch on—like learning disabilities, perfectionism and LGBT romances with your best friend. This is so, so real and I could just picture Kyle and Gideon in their New Jersey town right now, speaking Elvish and watching Lord of the Rings.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What is your favourite LGBT romance? What do you think of fluffy romances with best friends?

You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour and David Levithan // A Nice LGBT Story

You Know Me Well, by Nina LaCour and David Levithan
Publication: June 7, 2016, by St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, LGBTQ
Pages: 248
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Rating: ½

Mark and Kate have sat next to each other for an entire year, but have never spoken. For whatever reason, their paths outside of class have never crossed.
That is, until Kate spots Mark miles away from home, out in the city for a wild, unexpected night. Kate is lost, having just run away from a chance to finally meet the girl she has been in love with from afar. Mark, meanwhile, is in love with his best friend Ryan, who may or may not feel the same way.
When Kate and Mark meet up, little do they know how important they will become to each other—and how, in a very short time, they will know each other better than any of the people who are supposed to know them more.
Told in alternating points of view by Nina LaCour and David Levithan, You Know Me Well is a story about navigating the joys and heartaches of first love, one truth at a time.

My Thoughts:

You Know Me Well is a book that really actually does know me well: I love books like this, that have a bit of unique substance in it that we can never really find in real YA. Honestly? I enjoyed it so much because an amazing author contributed to the story, and added in his own perspective (most definitely Mark's perspective, which I enjoyed reading more than Kate's), David Levithan. This is a book that I unfortunately was not able to pick up at BEA this year, but was sent it straight to my house a few weeks later from the publisher. This is a two-perspective novel written with the concept of pride and LGBTQ happiness. Our two protagonists, Kate and Mark, both explore their opportunities in the lovely setting of San Francisco (I WANT TO GO THERE NOW) and the Bay Area. And the best thing? They are not in love with each other. Kate is lesbian while Mark is gay, and they both become unexpected friends when in a club one night. 

This was written spectacularly. As always, two amazing YA authors collaborating turns out fantastic. This was poetic, lyrical, and had that interesting use of language that captivated me from the first page. I had a few issues with the plot, momentarily becoming boring at times, but the writing is important for me when I'm reading these kinds of inspirational stories. This seriously is an inspirational story. Although you may not be LGBTQ, it is a story that will make you have pride and look at things from a different perspective. We see two characters striving to get a good ending in the end, wanting to be getting the person that they initially wanted and wished for, and it just turned out pretty great.

We are first introduced to Mark, who is in love with his best friend, Ryan. They both aren't an official couple, but they have had their bright moments when things got better than Mark would ever expect. One night, during Pride Month, they head out to a club, and things get out of control when Mark parties so hard that he stands on top of the bar and goes crazy. He then meets his Calculus seating partner, Kate, and they instantly become friends, both battling their relationship issues together.

"I am looking into Ryan's eyes and I know I am going to take that public kiss, that kiss that would have changed everything, and I am going to fold it up until it id too small to ever be found again" (143).

I really enjoyed reading both sides of the story. I preferred Mark's, as mentioned before, because I normally always prefer to read a guy's side of the story, because men think things and do things differently than us gals do/think. Mark was hilarious, contained every characteristic that David Levithan's characters usually have. I just wanted THE SHIPS TO HAPPEN, TO SAIL. Ryark needed to occur. And then Kate was pretty great too, though I couldn't relate to her artistic personality. Kate is set to go to UCLA for art (very ambitious, am I wrong?) and she's obsessed with her best friend's cousin (I'm pretty sure it was that, it was so complicated to be honest), Violet, who is also lesbian. FOR ONCE WE HAVE A STORY WHERE THE GIRL/BOY DOESN'T TRY TO MAKE THEIR TRUE LOVE GAY. That happens quite often in many books I have read, and it honestly either turns out one way or the other, but Levithan and LaCour just made this so natural.

The whole book was natural. There was nothing absurd or weirdly explained about it. It's teenagers being teenagers, friendship blooming. There is so much buzz revolving around this newly-released story, perfect for Pride Month (which just happened!) and it's definitely worth it. I would say that this is one of the better LGBTQ books out there, because we readers immediately understand, and it doesn't fully have to do with everything gay and rainbow. But it stands with a perfect message that I need everyone to pick up and figure out for themselves. I loved the friendship between Kate and Mark—even though they were boy and girl, not in love with each other, their connection was inevitable, was precious. It's rare for us to explore adventurous friendships these days in novels, but I feel like we just did.

Something that could be debatable is the setting of the book: the timing specifically. This is very fast-paced, and although it's not so relatable in terms of actual reality, I enjoyed the novel anyway. THIS WAS THE PERFECT SUMMER READ. I just want to travel to San Fran and explore and hang out with the cutest friend group ever.

"We grow up and we lose ourselves. Sometimes when my favorite songs are on I have to stop what I'm doing and lie down on my carpet and just listen. I feel every word they're singing. Every note. And to think that in twenty years, or ten years, or five even, I might hear those same songs and just, like, bob my head or something is horrible" (130).

You Know Me Well is a coming-of-age novel that is simply about growing up and friendship, and most importantly: about taking risks. Lately, I've been feeling adventurous, wanting to experience things that my normal self wouldn't want to, and this story by two fabulous authors was really out of the blue for me. With a great setting, interesting (though sometimes un-relatable) characters and beautiful writing, this is the book for this summer and beyond.

*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What is the latest LGBTQ book you have read? Which author's writing do you prefer more: David Levithan or Nina LaCour?

Underneath Everything by Marcy Beller Paul // Rich and Powerful

Underneath Everything, by Marcy Beller Paul
Publication: October 27, 2015, by Balzer and Bray
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: 

Mattie shouldn’t be at the bonfire. She should be finding new maps for her collection, hanging out with Kris, and steering clear of almost everyone else, especially Jolene. After all, Mattie and Kris dropped off the social scene the summer after sophomore year for a reason.
But now Mattie is a senior, and she’s sick of missing things. So here she is.

And there’s Jolene: Beautiful. Captivating. Just like the stories she wove. Mattie would know; she used to star in them. She and Jolene were best friends. Mattie has the scar on her palm to prove it, and Jolene has everything else, including Hudson.
But when Mattie runs into Hudson and gets a glimpse of what could have been, she decides to take it all back: the boyfriend, the friends, the life she was supposed to live. Problem is, Mattie can’t figure out where Jolene ends and she begins.
Because there’s something Mattie hasn’t told anyone—she walked away from Jolene over a year ago, but she never really left.

Poignant and provocative, Marcy Beller Paul’s debut novel tells the story of an intoxicating—and toxic—relationship that blurs the boundary between reality and fantasy, love and loyalty, friendship and obsession.

My Thoughts:

Underneath Everything began with a boom and surely ended with one, too. I kept this book at school, only reading it during my amazing English class when we were required to every morning, but when the weekend arose, I decided I could not wait until Monday to read it again and just finished it in one more sitting. This novel was fabulous, the story was memorable, and I just cannot get enough of everything that the author included in this story to make it intriguing and surprising. Make sure you do take note of the suspense and plot twists that will shove at your face. This one is a wild ride that you cannot figure out until you're basically, like Mattie, underneath everything, essentially.

Like the summary that first caught my eye noted, this one is about an intoxicating/toxic relationship. You cannot pick or point at one of the two. There are points that surround themselves to both ideas. From the start of the novel, readers are torn between a bunch of characters who we do not really expect to make a big comeback in the story. We have Mattie, who is our torn protagonist, definitely going through a bunch of problems and overcoming her demons in the story. Jolene is the rebellious, carefree secondary character who the story really is about, in a way. Mattie cannot discuss her feelings with herself, everything is inward. Readers could not even discuss this because we did not know at all, whether this was the real thing or not.

"There was a story: she said the first line, I said the next. The ending changed, but the beginning was always the same. It was our lullabye." (10)

That quote above made so much sense when Marcy Beller Paul revealed the truth to us in the end. It seemed like she did not even know what would come out of this, and I imagine this great author planning as she wrote. And seriously? Sometimes books should be written like that to stir confusion in readers, but obviously in that good, normal way that will not cause us to rate this one star. There is a difference between quality, in this case. Everything you read in the first few chapters will jump back at you. In a way, this book was written so psychologically that I could admit that I have never dealt with anything similar. Contemporaries lately have broken my heart so many times. I love it. I am seriously addicted to these kinds of books.

Readers could easily feel connected to the characters. Marcy Beller Paul writes from the perfect perspective of a teenager; we are selfish, careless and we never know what we want. Mattie is innocent, but her character really develops towards the end. That is my perfect definition of a teenager—we come of age, we realize what we want and we mature. She switches between her obsessions, being with Hudson, taking new stands in their relationship and figuring out what her friendship with Jolene would eventually turn into. 

Mattie and Hudson were not meant to be. I did not see anything with them other than lust and desire. It is interesting to see later on what their relationship really was for Mattie, what she thought of Hudson and why she made that mistake. This is not your average contemporary story, as you can tell. It certainly was quite more than that, and all of the puzzle pieces fit together afterwards to create a rich and powerful story that only this author can conquer wonderfully.

"Being high makes me superaware of where I end and everything else begins—what separates things. Drawn lines. Soft skin. It's like being inside one of my maps. Everything is contained in its rightful place. Safe." (30)

Underneath Everything contains all of the juicy stuff: secrets, toxic relationships, friendship, mystery and betrayal. Sara Shepard would certainly approve of the plot of this novel and if you are a PLL lover, this is perfect, but much more darker in that sexy way. It is definitely unique and satisfies my tingly jittery feels. 

What are the best dark-friendship novels? What do you think of a friendship in a book that goes in the most unexpected direction? *talks about LGBT*