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A review by eesh25
The Avery Shaw Experiment by Kelly Oram
4.0
3.75 Stars
It's been quite a while since I've read a YA romance that involved a heterosexual couple. But when I read the synopsis of this book, it was so harmless and cute that I wanted to give it a try. Plus it was on Kindle Unlimited and worked for my reading challenge so instead of just adding it to my infinite reading list, I started reading it the next day.
The story follows Avery Shaw, who is in love with her best friend, or thinks she is. The two have been together ever since their moms became best friends while they were pregnant. They were even born on the same day. Avery has been waiting for Aiden to realize that he, too has feelings for her, for years. But instead comes something very different when Aiden tells Avery that he needs space. And Avery loses her best friend, the person she's been closest to for seventeen years, and is utterly heartbroken.
Enter Grayson. He's Aiden's older brother and when he sees how broken up Avery is because of his total ass of a brother, he steps in to help. One thing leads to another and the two end up doing a science project together, one which aims to prove that a broken heart can be mended by experiencing the seven stages of grief.
And yes, it's a cheesy concept. But that's why I wanted to read it. It's a funny, cute and fluffy story with teenager being slightly exaggerated versions of teenagers, a shy ever-blushing female protagonist and a bold, tad pushy but very supported, male protagonist who's also hilarious. It's told from the perspectives of both Avery and Grayson, goes through the seven stages of heartbreak without trying to make you cry, and has a very sweet friends-to-lovers romance. For the most part, this book is exactly what I wanted it to be.
A few little things though. The writing, while completely fine, is a little... Wattpad-y. The actions and reactions are exaggerated in a way you'd usually find in a Wattpad novel, albeit a very good one. For example, I searched the number of times someone gasped in the book. Thirty-seven! That's a lot of gasping!
Also, the book seemed to be playing ping-pong with it's awareness and sensitivity toward certain issues. One minute Grayson would want Avery to push through her anxiety as if it's supposed to be that easy. The next he would talk about how he knows that it isn't that easy and that she was diagnosed with social anxiety years ago. Also, I wish the author had toned it down with the nerds and jocks division. Like, someone would say the word 'velocity' and you'd hear another person, a jock, exclaim about how that was way too nerdy. Seriously, how the fuck do you get to be a highschool senior when velocity is too sophisticated for you?
But... most of it was for comedic purpose and the book doesn't doesn't actually encourage harmful stereotypes. Yes, it's still cheesy and you won't find anything new in it, but it can also be kinda refreshing. Like I said, ping-pong!
Overall, if you're in the mood for something short and sweet that will make you laugh and cheer you up, I'd definitely recommend giving this book a try. Just remember to not take it too seriously and just enjoy it for what it is. Also, the characters really are great. Avery, Grayson and their friends (not Aiden), they make for enjoyable company.
It's been quite a while since I've read a YA romance that involved a heterosexual couple. But when I read the synopsis of this book, it was so harmless and cute that I wanted to give it a try. Plus it was on Kindle Unlimited and worked for my reading challenge so instead of just adding it to my infinite reading list, I started reading it the next day.
The story follows Avery Shaw, who is in love with her best friend, or thinks she is. The two have been together ever since their moms became best friends while they were pregnant. They were even born on the same day. Avery has been waiting for Aiden to realize that he, too has feelings for her, for years. But instead comes something very different when Aiden tells Avery that he needs space. And Avery loses her best friend, the person she's been closest to for seventeen years, and is utterly heartbroken.
Enter Grayson. He's Aiden's older brother and when he sees how broken up Avery is because of his total ass of a brother, he steps in to help. One thing leads to another and the two end up doing a science project together, one which aims to prove that a broken heart can be mended by experiencing the seven stages of grief.
And yes, it's a cheesy concept. But that's why I wanted to read it. It's a funny, cute and fluffy story with teenager being slightly exaggerated versions of teenagers, a shy ever-blushing female protagonist and a bold, tad pushy but very supported, male protagonist who's also hilarious. It's told from the perspectives of both Avery and Grayson, goes through the seven stages of heartbreak without trying to make you cry, and has a very sweet friends-to-lovers romance. For the most part, this book is exactly what I wanted it to be.
A few little things though. The writing, while completely fine, is a little... Wattpad-y. The actions and reactions are exaggerated in a way you'd usually find in a Wattpad novel, albeit a very good one. For example, I searched the number of times someone gasped in the book. Thirty-seven! That's a lot of gasping!
Also, the book seemed to be playing ping-pong with it's awareness and sensitivity toward certain issues. One minute Grayson would want Avery to push through her anxiety as if it's supposed to be that easy. The next he would talk about how he knows that it isn't that easy and that she was diagnosed with social anxiety years ago. Also, I wish the author had toned it down with the nerds and jocks division. Like, someone would say the word 'velocity' and you'd hear another person, a jock, exclaim about how that was way too nerdy. Seriously, how the fuck do you get to be a highschool senior when velocity is too sophisticated for you?
But... most of it was for comedic purpose and the book doesn't doesn't actually encourage harmful stereotypes. Yes, it's still cheesy and you won't find anything new in it, but it can also be kinda refreshing. Like I said, ping-pong!
Overall, if you're in the mood for something short and sweet that will make you laugh and cheer you up, I'd definitely recommend giving this book a try. Just remember to not take it too seriously and just enjoy it for what it is. Also, the characters really are great. Avery, Grayson and their friends (not Aiden), they make for enjoyable company.