Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon 

Official Blurb:  

My disease is as rare as it is famous. It’s a form of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, but basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in fifteen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives. New next door neighbors. I look out the window, and I see him. 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. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. I want to learn everything about him, and I do. I learn that he is funny and fierce. I learn that his eyes are Atlantic Ocean-blue and that his vice is stealing silverware. I learn that when I talk to him, my whole world opens up, and I feel myself starting to change—starting to want things. To want out of my bubble. To want everything, everything the world has to offer.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

My Review: 

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Sometimes the stars just line up and you find a book that you really like.  That's what happened here.  I was in the library and just browsing the Young Adult section and stumbled across Everything Everything.   With all of the spell-it-out reading challenges that I do, I always need an "E" and an "N" and a "Y", but I also needed a book that was made into a movie or tv show.  Check, check, check and check!! 

I really really like this book and now I need to look to see where the movie is available because while I know it won't be the same as the book (the movies never are!) I want to see how they are portrayed on the big screen. 

Maddy has spent her eighteen years of life isolated in her germ-free house.  Her father and brother died when she was a baby so she's really only interacted in real life with her mom and her nurse Carla.  All she's known is that if she leaves her house, she could die.    All that she's learned about the outside world has come from books. 

So when she sees a new family moving into the house next door, with a teenaged boy and his sister, she's intrigued and wants to know more than just what she sees outside of her window. So begins an unconventional friendship as their only way of communicating is through waves from window to window. It's not enough for Maddy and Carla comes up with a plan that will allow Olly into the house - but with a few rules. He gets decontaminated and stays on the opposite side of the room and there can be absolutely NO touching at all. Suddenly the friendship shifts - now they can communicate through IMs and emails until Mom realizes what is happening, and fearing that Maddy will want to make changes that could endanger her health, she tries to put a stop to their friendship. 

I won't go on any further because I don't want to spoil the story for you, but all Maddy wants is to live her life to the fullest knowing that taking the biggest risk is either going to be the end of it all or bring the greatest reward of all. 

  

Sideliners by Dana Claire

 

I recently had the opportunity to read and review an ARC coy of Sideliners by Dana Claire. 

Official Blurb: 

Two types of folks live in Pottsville, Texas. Those who have two jobs and those who have two houses. But no matter their address, Friday night football brings every soul in town together under the same stadium lights. Problem is, the have-nots always watch from the sidelines. Until now …

Four years ago, Reed Maddox made a deathbed promise to his mother before the cancer claimed her life: Take care of their family. To make good on his vow, Reed has agreed to a pact forcing him to abandon his dream of playing football—his one guaranteed ticket out of the trailer park. But when he throws a reckless pass from the sidelines, everything he’s tried to protect is threatened including his guarded heart.

To regain her title as cheer captain and unofficial crown as princess of Pottsville, knock-out Savannah Kensington is about to brush elbows with Reed Maddox and his hooligan friends. But Little Miss Perfect’s world has been upside down longer than anyone who’s seen her winning smile would realize. Still scarred by the death of her baby sister, she hides her feelings under the pretense of popularity. When the opportunity to reclaim her senior year involves a secret deal to help Reed, Savannah accepts.

When their two pacts collide, revealing Reed’s football talent and upending everything Savannah knows about her personal kingdom, Pottsville High implodes. The have-nots are invading, the painted white lines are blurring, and Savannah and Reed are locked together in the middle of a battle between circumstance and privilege. Can their new alliance unite the stands or will the ingrained hatred of a town divided tear apart their chance at happily ever after?

Publication Date 3/27/2023  341 pages 

My Review 💗💗💗💗💗

I absolutely devoured Sideliners and can not wait to read more from Dana Claire!  

Reed Maddox may live on the Willie side of town, but he's got a heart of gold and when you are in his circle, you won't ever doubt it, because he will ALWAYS have your back! The most important person in his life is his litter sister, aka Squirt, and there is nothing that he won't do for her including making a deal that puts her needs above all else. And when there's a chance that something puts her needs at jeopardy, the deal changes and Reed puts his heart and soul into making the new deal work for her needs.

5 stars without a doubt! I can't even tell you all that I love about it, because I want you to read it for yourself and fall in love with Reed (and Squirt) for yourself.   Run, do not walk, to get yourself a copy of this book.