Book Review: More Happy Than Not

This review marks the fourth and final in a series of posts on books I'm looking forward to in 2015.

The Stats: More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera, released June 16, 2015 from Soho Teen

The Synopsis: Aaron Soto considers himself generally happy right now. Sure, it's been a really difficult year--his father's death, his own attempted suicide--but now he's got a great girlfriend, he's getting along really well with his friends, and he's just met this new kid in his Bronx neighborhood, Thomas, who seems like he's going to be a great friend. So, yes, Aaron is happy. That is, until his happiness starts to come apart at the seams. Is he really happy? Is the past six months of his life the same six months that he remembers? And what are these feelings he's starting to feel, and how can they possibly fit into the machismo culture he's grown up in?

The Review: Holy smokes, does this book pack a serious punch. Punches, plural, is more like it--there's the matter-of-fact setting and characterizations that make up all of Aaron's world. There's the theme of self-discovery that escalates to jaw-dropping, plot-shocking proportions. And there's truth in every single moment of it, which maybe packs the most emotional and profound punch of all. Readers will find themselves considering the book's sci-fi-lite memory-altering procedure so they can experience it all anew.

Why I can't wait: I NEED TO TALK TO TEEN READERS ABOUT THIS BOOK. I'm really glad that Soho Teen has so obviously embraced Silvera and his storytelling--it's the best possible tie-in to the current #WeNeedDiverseBooks project, real stories about real people. But to me personally, it's a book with a setting, a voice, a premise, and a plot twist that I never saw coming. As soon as I started reading, I knew More Happy Than Not is exactly what's needed in YA right now.

Review copy provided by the publisher.