Reviews - The Avery Shaw Experiment

274 reviews for:

The Avery Shaw Experiment

Kelly Oram

3.84 AVERAGE

nitzanschwarz's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny lighthearted

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

2020 re-read
*sigh*
How is it possible to STILL be in love with a book you've read three times to the point of having to stay awake until 2 am to finish it? I mean, I KNOW everything that's going to happen, and yet... here we are!

So the first thing I'd like to mention is how much I love the fact Grayson Kennedy is utterly smitten with Avery and he doesn't hide it or fight with his own feelings in regards to her because it doesn't really 'fit' his image. Often in these like 'cool guy' and 'geek' pairings you see the boy kind of fight his own feelings and try to deny them because "how can he possibly fall for the nerd??" but that's something that doesn't exist here. He falls for Avery, and that's that for him.

Then, I love how there are no 'mean girls' here. Another trope of this type of pairing is the popular girls who demean and sneer at the main character, thinking she is not good enough for the guy or it should be them and generally acting like assholes and opposing the main characters. Again, this doesn't exist here. Everyone swooned over Grayson's love for Avery. They take her under their wings. They are kind and thoughtful and make her feel welcome and included. There is no incredulously over their relationship, only this kind of general happiness that Grayson has found someone to tame him.

Another thing I love is that there is no pressure in this relationship. Grayson Kennedy falls hard and fast for Avery Shaw, and his reputation proceeds him, but ultimately... he is not pushy. Sure, he can pull a douche move here and there, but he respects Avery's feelings and boundaries so much. He tells her they are going to go on a date and he's going to kiss her, but when she decides she needs to go home, he doesn't stop her and pressures her. He asks to kiss her. He takes notice of her boundaries and he follows them, but he also cares about expanding them, so he helps her push those boundaries, but never too far.

I just. I love this couple, y'all. So, so much!

Original Review

One of the, possibly THE cutest/sweetest stories ever! *Squee*

Ladies and Gentlemen, Kelly Oram has done it again. Not that I had any doubt. I mean, this author got a hold on me with her book Being Jamie Baker, and by now I would read anything she ever writes. And this book... I mean... I can't even... *melts from the adorableness*
Fair warning: there will be a lot of melting and swooning in this review. I've pretty much gone gaga over it.

Truly, I don't know how Oram does it. I enjoyed every second of this story. It was all so funny, adorable, emotional, and swoon worthy. I laughed out loud, my heart broke for the characters at times, and I wanted to pinch everyone's cheeks!

The best thing about this book (aside from the humor, the cuteness the sweetness... which will all be discussed in detail...) is the characters.

Prologue #2(Yeah, you read that right. If Avery gets one of these nifty prologue thingies to explain herself, then so do I. She's not the only one with a story to tell here!) --Grayson

This is the first dual POV book Oram has ever done, and she did it wonderfully. Each character had a unique, defined, and distinctive voice, so you can't really mistake them, but the two voice blend and weave together seamlessly - just as the two characters do!

Grayson... ~swoon~ he is such a sweet, caring guy! You'd never know he was a total womanizer before Avery, because there wasn't a moment where he wasn't doing his damn best for her, and he was so considerate, only wishing for her to be happy... ~content sigh~ he was also so good for her - seeing all the best in her and bringing it out for the world to see. I am totally in love with the guy!

“Avery chewed her bottom lip. I was going to have to talk to her about that habit because every time she did it, it got harder and harder for me not to kiss her. One of these days I was not going to be held responsible for whatever actions I was driven to.” --Grayson

Avery is really just the cutest girl ever. She is sweet, shy, smart, and funny, and even though she cries a lot - she is dealing with a broken heart, after all - she is active and tries to change, get over everything, and make the best out of the bad. She is not like all those heroines who sit, cry, feel sorry for themselves and wait for everyone else to solve their problems. I simply love her, and watching her grow and bloom throughout the story was nothing short of delightful.

Aside from those, their friends are the best - I adore Libby and her quirkiness, and Owen, Pam, and Chloe and how they adopted Avery into their midst. I even liked their moms, and Aiden (though the guy was a total idiot and I have no idea what Avery ever saw in him). The Nerd Herd was great as well, and it was pretty fantastic watching these two very different groups (popular vs. smarts) interact and clash together.

Libby's posture finally relaxed a little. "Good."
"Definitely a cat in a past life," Owen muttered next to me. "But, like, a big scary one that ate people." --Owen and Libby

As for their romance? Well, let's just say... ~melts~ it was just so cute and sweet. It was so easy to see them fall for one another, and I can't fault their choices. They both made each other better, which is something I always love to see in a couple. Also, they were really hot :)

In addition, just something technical - I absolutely love the cover! It gives away exactly the right vibe; that this is going to be a cute, sweet book; has something related to science in it, and of course, love, and has the most adorable couple in existence. I also love the typography, the notebook page that fits the story perfectly, and the whole "a Novel theory by Kelly Oram". Everything about this cover screams attention to details and someone who knew what he was doing and made sure everything fit that story. I give my stamp of approval!

“I’ve got news for you, Aves. When a guy says he wants to take you out in the name of science, he’s totally full of it. He really just wants to take you out.” “But you’ve taken me out like a million times for the experiment. You kissed me once in the name of science.” “Exactly.” -- Grayson and Avery

I finished this book in one sitting--and I started it at 10 p.m. Basically, I couldn't put it down! If that's not enough, I also couldn't take it out of my head after I finished, which resulted in:

a) a rather embarrassing amount of Facebook posts on the subject, one of them a really creepy one left on Oram's page because I'm stupid like that, some Twitter stalking and email exchanged with the author on how much I love this book. I'm glad she answered and didn't just call the police on me, frankly :)

b) me going to sleep at 4 a.m. or so because my mind wouldn't quiet down enough before that to let me sleep after reading this book.

So, note to self: do NOT start reading a good book at 10 p.m.
Another note to self: find out a way to know in advance when a book is good enough to make me unable to sleep after reading it.
Third note to self: ignore the first note to self, too busy lately to have any reading time before 10 p.m...

P.S: Kelly Oram, please put me out of my misery and print your books as well as e-publish them. Please.

emmalovestoread's review against another edition

3.0

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

jakque's review against another edition

4.0

lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

juultje's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

lilianr's review against another edition

4.0

Avery is al jaren verliefd op haar beste vriend Aiden. Wanneer ze hem dit eindelijk vertelt, blijkt Aiden een vriendin te hebben.
Avery stort in met een gebroken hart en besluit zichzelf te onderwerpen aan een wetenschappelijk experiment. Kan ze haar hart lijmen door de zeven fasen van rouw te doorlopen?

Het Avery Shaw experiment is zo’n YA welke ook voor volwassenen ontzettend leuk is. De schrijfstijl is vlot, de gebeurtenissen zijn best realistisch en het verhaal is super schattig. Avery steelt je hart en het is onbegrijpelijk dat Aiden dit nooit gezien heeft.
Door het wisselende perspectief lees je het verhaal vanuit twee personages en dit zorgt voor een goed beeld van de beweegredenen.

Dit boek heb ik met een mega glimlach gelezen. Tegen het einde dacht ik even dat mijn hart ook zou breken maar uiteindelijk was ik zeer tevreden over de afloop.
Hoewel de een van de fasen van rouw de depressie is, heeft Kelly Oram dit op een goede manier weergegeven, zonder dat het te zwaar wordt.
Nogmaals, ik heb genoten van dit verhaal en wanneer jij ook houdt van YA feelgood met een serieus randje en met veel humor, is dit zeker ook wat voor jou!

hanyentreletras's review against another edition

3.0

funny reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Lo releí esta semana para ver por qué mi primera vez le puse cinco estrellas y en favoritos, y ahora entiendo.

Como libro de esa época y con target de preadolescentes/adolescentes está bien, it's good.

Ahora, como libro para leer en mis veintes, mmm no está tan bien.

Supongo que es por lo rápido que sucede todo y el hecho que me gusta tener bastante base y contexto en un romance.

Estuvo lindo, tierno y divertido.