Sophie Reads YA: Nicola Yoon

2023 Beat the Backlist challenge

ARC Review: The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

10:00

The Sun Is Also a Star
Series: None
Author: Nicola Yoon
Published November 3rd 2016 by Corgi Childrens

Goodreads Synopsis
A story of a girl, a boy, and the universe

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.

Natasha and Daniel are just two teenagers, navigating life in the big city. But underneath their external persona, Natasha has less than 24 hours until she and her family will be deported to Jamaica, and Daniel is struggling with the pressure his family is placing on him. Meeting in the street, again and again, it's as if fate has a hand in their relationship. Will 24 hours be enough to change their lives, and the lives of everyone they meet along the way?

After reading Everything, Everything, I was really looking forward to Nicola's newest book, and overjoyed when I was approved for the eARC. Life got in the way however, and I never actually got around to reading The Sun Is Also a Star until recently. I liked the book, but it was strange, and didn't grip my attention quite like Nicola's debut did. Daniel and Natasha were interesting characters, but the little asides and secondary plot lines started to get on my nerves, and I switched off. I wanted the best for the pair, and Irene's story did keep me hooked, but I honestly found myself skimming the final third or so of the book. I am glad I had got around to reading it, but found myself wishing that maybe I had just done it at the time, because it left me wanting more.

Dates Read:
March 9-12 2023

Rating
3 Stars

4 Stars

ARC Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

10:00

Everything, Everything
Series: None
Author: Nicola Yoon
Published September 3rd 2015 by Corgi Childrens

Goodreads Synopsis
Madeline Whittier is allergic to the outside world. So allergic, in fact, that she has never left the house in all of her seventeen years. But when Olly moves in next door, and wants to talk to Maddie, tiny holes start to appear in the protective bubble her mother has built around her. Olly writes his IM address on a piece of paper, shows it at her window, and suddenly, a door opens. But does Maddie dare to step outside her comfort zone?

Everything, Everything is about the thrill and heartbreak that happens when we break out of our shell to do crazy, sometimes death-defying things for love.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

This book is one that I have seen just about everywhere in the book blogging world. Everyone and their dog seems to have read it, and thoroughly enjoyed it; I was no exception.Everything, Everything tells the story of Madeline, a 17 year old, allergic to the outside world. Since she was about 6 months old, she has been confined inside her specially modified house, which regulates airflow and other contaminates. Any visitors have to undergo a vigorous decontamination process, and these only include her mother, her nurse, Carla, and a couple of tutors. Other than that, she does everything online: her shopping, her school, etc. When new neighbours move in next door, she begins messaging the son, Olly, and begins to want more from her life, even though the consequences could be extreme.

Considering I had just read another hyped book that didn't live up to expectations, I was a bit worried to start this. However, it was just as amazing as I thought it would be. Madeline was a wonderful protagonist, one I really started to care for. I wanted her to have freedom just as much as she did. Seeing her question her life as she'd known it, and wish for more, was exactly what I wanted it to be. When she finally ventured out of her protective bubble, I was on the edge of my seat hoping nothing bad would happen, but knowing at the back of my mind that something must go wrong.

Madeline's relationship with Olly was beautiful. They started off by miming to each other through the window, then IMing and emailing, until they finally met in person. Olly was someone who wasn't without his own problems, but he thought more of Maddy's care and safety than his own. The very moment that Maddy runs outside to see if Olly was ok, was one that seemed like it was made of a romantic movie - it was that beautiful. Though Maddy hadn't really considered leaving the house before Olly arrived, not everything was about him. It was just that knowing Olly made her consider what was outside, and whether or not she was willing to risk her life just to enjoy life.

The plot twist was something I was not expecting, at all. Just paragraphs before it was actually announced did I consider it a possibility, and I'm still in shock over it. I can understand the motivation for doing something so extreme, but a little part of me still hates Madeline's mother for what she did. I'm glad it all came out in the end, though, and I hope Madeline can fully come to terms with what this means for the future.

The writing throughout the whole book was really enjoyable. It was the kind that allows the reader to read quickly, but still retain all of the important information. The inter spaced little asides from Madeline made me feel as if I knew her much better, like she was my best friend.

One thing I would've liked that was missing, would've been for the author to have explained Madeline's condition a bit more. I feel as though I still don't really understand the condition, and because of that, something was lacking from the story. Also, why was everything in the house white: white clothes, white food, white walls? Madeline obviously wasn't allergic to colours, as she bought brightly coloured t shirts later on, used laptops, phones, TVs, etc., and made architectural models for her school work. This just seemed a bit weird to me.

Overall, Everything, Everything was a beautiful written and executed book. It definitely lived up to the hype, and I'm extremely grateful to have been able to read it. This is one book that I think is perfect for all ages, and for all types of readers. I would definitely recommend it, though it was not without its shortcomings.

Dates Read:
August 3, 2015

Rating
4 Stars