NOTE → This is a quick set of reviews on books I read some time ago, in attempts to catch up on reviews. I do not have a star rating for these reviews, but I do try to express how I felt about the book. This is a feature I am bringing back and will be regularly used to share my thoughts on books.
My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine WargaSynopsis: Sixteen-year-old physics nerd Aysel is obsessed with plotting her own death. With a mother who can barely look at her without wincing, classmates who whisper behind her back, and a father whose violent crime rocked her small town, Aysel is ready to turn her potential energy into nothingness.
There’s only one problem: she’s not sure she has the courage to do it alone. But once she discovers a website with a section called Suicide Partners, Aysel’s convinced she’s found her solution: a teen boy with the username FrozenRobot (aka Roman) who’s haunted by a family tragedy is looking for a partner.
Even though Aysel and Roman have nothing in common, they slowly start to fill in each other’s broken lives. But as their suicide pact becomes more concrete, Aysel begins to question whether she really wants to go through with it. Ultimately, she must choose between wanting to die or trying to convince Roman to live so they can discover the potential of their energy together. Except that Roman may not be so easy to convince.
Quick Thoughts: This was supposed to be a powerful read, but it felt very predictable with flat characters. I got why Aysel and Roman wanted to commit suicide but felt no real connection to them. The conclusion should have felt more suspenseful and possibly dramatic, but I felt was wrapped up too easily and I was disappointed in how much feeling this book lacked.
Apple and Rain by Sarah CrossanSynopsis: When Apple's mother returns after eleven years away, Apple feels whole again. But just like the stormy Christmas Eve when she left, her mother's homecoming is bittersweet. It's only when Apple meets someone more lost than she is that she begins to see things as they really are.
A story about sad endings.
A story about happy beginnings.
A story to make you realise who is special.
Quick Thoughts: This was such a sweet story about family, and growing up. Its filed under YA but I felt that it could work as middle grade, as well. I didn't expect to find myself connecting with Apple as much as I did, but she was such a relatable and realistic character who only wanted to be with her mother and didn't really understand her grandmother until later. Rain was also a sweet little character that I felt so bad for. Overall, I really loved this story and the message it brings to readers.
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