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Nov 26, 2019olive_owl_154 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
All in all, I enjoyed the theme of this book and the writing style. McCall Hoyle has a very picturesque style to her writing, which helps the reader relate with the characters in the book. The life of a hurt and apprehensive teenage girl who battles epilepsy is drawn out in vivid pictures. We as the readers feel what Emilie feels, see what she sees, and fear what she fears. To relate with and go through the motions alongside a character is, what I feel, essential to a good book. Emilie, sheltered to the world because of homeschooling and rarely leaving the house at all for fear of seizing, finds herself in a whole new world as she starts public high school. She first accuses the people around her for their seemingly fake personas due to all the stereotypes she has picked up from movies and books. When in reality, it's Emilie who is the fake, lying about her epilepsy to the people who try to befriend her. She, however, realizes her mistake and after self reflection, puts aside the habit of lying to her friends, and responds with trust instead. As a coming of age story, I enjoyed walking with Emilie and seeing her grow. I did, however, have one lil' problem with this book: the oh-so-perfect Chatham York. To all the girls out there, this guy is too good to be true. He seems to have no flaws...and that annoyed me just a bit. The only "demons" we really see Chatham struggle with is his irritable, hard-to-please dad and his failing grades in literature(which of course is all fixed up after Emilie becomes his tutor). Even after finding out Emilie lied to him, sure there's some hesitation, but in the end he welcomes her back with open arms and a kiss on the lips. I do appreciate the fact that Mr. Most Popular and Most Goodlooking didn't fall for her for her looks(That's not how guys are wired. They're attracted to pretty things and I have no doubt that Hoyle made Emilie out to be pretty...but when she hid in her hoodie and behind her hair the first time they met...not really throwing herself out there). Chatham fell for Emilie because they shared the same interests, and he saw that she was smart...and really pretty once she came out from behind her hair lol! As much as I found myself swooning over this guy and as much as this coming of age story has to end with the girl getting the pretty boi, I still found a problem with it. In the end, I'll give this book an 8 out 10.