October Book of the Month by Annabelle F. Year 11

Category: Monthly Book Reviews, News

What if it’s us? By Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

This is a book crafted by two of YA’s favourite authors (and I have to say, they work well together- I don’t have very good experience with book/author collaborations…), and when I was reading it I could not stop smiling – it is a very adorable book, with some of the cutest, sweetest (perhaps slightly stalkerish) characters ever. Exceedingly cute. Musical cute, which you might be able to guess from the title- it is very much a musical in the form of a novel.

It’s summer, New York.  And Arthur, who is interning at his mother’s law firm, is not feeling it, the New York we probably all dream of- far from home (Milton, Georgia), things are not as exciting as he hoped. Until he wanders into a post office for no real reason, apart from the fact that he believes in love at first sight. He follows the random stranger into this post office and learns that the nameless beauty is carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s belongings, and all is perfect, until a flash mob marriage proposal sweeps them apart, never to see each other again. Only we know that’s not true. And obviously there are going to be some bumps in the road, after all a relationship with someone you can’t even find and you only have the summer?

This book is outrageously happy. It’s a definite pick-me-up of a book, one whose happiness you will not be able to resist. It isn’t all up, but it is about 98% pure cheer- the book does delve into some important ideas surrounding identity and homophobia, for example. I really like how different the two characters are, and how they seem to complement each other more because of that. I like that their relationship isn’t all easy and that they do have to work for it to work. I love how Arthur is just open and warm to everyone he meets, and I love Ben and The Wicked Wizard War. I love how easy the characters were to not just relate with, but get along with- they weren’t complicated, but this isn’t supposed to be a complex book. They each had their own flaws and fears and joys and passions, they could hurt, and they could love. But it was just a really easy book to read, which I think we all need sometimes. It’s funny.  A tornado of a romance, with all the sparkly feel of a musical, definitely for fans of Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen. It’s available in the library (Senior Fic.)