Recently, I spent yet again, way too much time moseying up and down the aisles at Barnes & Noble, and ended up purchasing 5 new books to add to my collection. I think I was antsy to grow my collection and to have a variety to choose from. Out of the 5 books I purchased, "Everything, Everything" by, Nicola Yoon, was the first I reached for.
I'll (try to) quickly give you a taste of the plot; Madeline, a teenage girl lives indoors, 24/7. She never leaves her house due to her illness, SCID. A rare disease that basically makes her allergic to EVERYTHING, and the triggers are unknown. To keep her safe and healthy, Madeline lives a scheduled life at home; school is done over the computer, her mom and nurse, Carla, take constant care of her, nights are spent playing games or watching movies; everyday generally repeating. Maddy has come to terms with how her life is and wouldn't change it, until a new family moves right next door, and the teenage son, Olly, catches Maddy's eye. Olly has a sister, but is a very minor character. His dad is basically an abusive alcoholic, and his sweet innocent mom tolerates him. You can tell that Olly is a family man since he is always standing up to his dad to protect his mother. (If you want the actual summary from the book all paste it below)
When I first picked up this book, I was intrigued by the cover. Simply white, with splashes of color and random chaos. I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but I can't help it. The title seemed quite vague, but intriguing and I had to know the plot. I will admit that I am a sucker for bad-boy stories (or just love stories in general), so when I read, "He's tall, lean and wearing all black-black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely." I was sold; Mainly because his physique/wardrobe had 'bad boy' written all over him... I knew instantly that I would fall in love with this character and wanted to know how Maddy & Olly's relationship would pan out. Let me break it to you now, Olly isn't a "bad boy", in fact I'd say he's the opposite.
I can say that this book had me laughing-out-loud at parts where I could imagine myself in; more specifically, conversations held between the two. Maddy is smart and witty and strong. Olly is observant, collected, and mature. He thinks about Maddy's well-being and doesn't play around when it comes to her safety/health. Throughout the book, you watch Maddy grow into the teenager she should be; crazed hormones, feelings for a boy, wanting to see the world in it's entirety. You watch as she experiences her first crush, her first love and risks she's willing to take to live a normal life. This book is powerful and so well-written, it's not what you'd expect. Once you start, you won't be able to put it down. In fact, by the time I reached the end I had tears in my eyes wanting to read more. Were they good tears? Bad tears? I wish I could say more about this book, but I'm afraid I'll spoil it... therefore, I HIGHLY recommend this book.
Rating: 4.7/5 - I only wish there was a sequel or a bit more to it since the climax didn't happen until almost the end of the book.
**The pictures included are not mine, therefore, i do not own the right to them. They are simply a visual reference to give you a feel for the book.
**The pictures included are not mine, therefore, i do not own the right to them. They are simply a visual reference to give you a feel for the book.
