What If It's Us

What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera (448 pages)
Overview: Ben and Arthur meet at the post office during a flashmob. Well, Arthur followed Ben into the post office because he thought he was and, and, just as they started talking, in true form with Arthur's New York fantasy, a flash mob erupted. When the boys and split up, Arthur loses his chance at connecting with Ben, but when he can't stop thinking about him, he explores ways to reconnect even in a city of a million empty faces like New York. Even if they can find each other, with Arthur going back to Georgia at the end of the summer, will it even be worth it? Overall: 4/5

Characters: 4.5 I'm not sure what to say about the characters. I liked them enough, but I didn't feel any real attachment to any of them. I liked the cast of friends, but they all lacked a certain weight that would give them a stronger sense of reality. My favorite relationship in the book was the friendship between Dylan and Ben. It was honest and goofy and just a really great guy friendship. Other characters, like Hudson and Harriette, felt forced.

Plot: 4 Overall, the story was cute, but, oddly both the whole point and not the point at all. The story seemed to mozy down every side street instead of fast tracking us to the point. There was a lot that could have been done to make the story more concise and interesting throughout, but that's true of almost every other book brushing close to five hundred pages.

Writing: 5 This is why the book is a showstopper. It is so authentically Becky and Adam in their respective chapters. I was nervous about it because while I loved Simon, Leah on the Offbeat was so underwhelming I haven't finished it yet. Luckily, this was more Simon like hugs. Adam delivers his signature sound that feels so authentic. While there are no tears, they've left their mark. The most amazing thing, though, was how well they could mimic each other's voices in their own chapters. Most books with multiple authors end up feeling disjointed, but Adam and Becky became one.

Other Books By Becky and Adam:

Meeting Adam, Becky, and David: Here

They Both Die at the End: Review Here

History Is All You Left Me: Review Here

Simon vs The Homo Sapiens' Agenda: Review Here

Upside of Unrequited: Review Here

Links of Interest:

Taylor Swift and the Reputation Tour: Essay Here

Saints and Misfits: Review Here

Art Boss: Review Here

Into YA: Eric Smith: Interview Here