Can I just give this a billion 🌟 ?? Okay let us start from the beginning. This book revolves around mainly two characters Frances and Aled, who are basically soulmates, and how they go about their lives with a podcast. This was not the typical story blurb you find in any YA book, and it really intrigued me and so I finally decided to pick this book up.
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Okay, First let's just talk about the relationship between Frances and her Mom? I mean, usually any YA book that deals with parent-child relationship falls under the cliched category of 'I don't have a good relation with my parent/ my parents are dead/ I hate my parents/ My parents act like I do not exist'. But omg the way this relationship was portrayed! YASSS give me more like this!. And now coming to the part where you basically find your soulmate and not fall in love romantically and just have shit ton of drama. It was so refreshing to read about friendship that has such deep connection, and the fact that these two characters Frances and Aled finds each other comfortable enough to let their guards down and just be themselves.. Teens, please take this as example and just be yourselves.
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Now coming to a little spoilery part. **** SPOILERS AHEAD **** Okay as much as I loved Aled, I felt like ripping his eyes out when he just presumes that Frances( The friend who trusted him, and just helped him through a difficult time ) betrayed him and just yells in front of everybody that she is just after him because of the podcast? Man I would have smacked that head and just told him to think straight. And my baby Frances was so strong and keeps trying to help him in any way possible. Have you ever had a Mom steal stuff from other people so that a bunch of teens can go and rescue another teen who is in a mental agony? YES. That is why I love her so much! The relationship between Daniel and Frances was really cute and I love how the trio behaved when together. It deals with a sensitive topic of one's identity, depression, abuse and it was done in such a way that you start feeling bad for the character as soon as something happens. I was sitting and shouting ' Please let my babies be happy! '. The ending when she finds herself in Aled's room, and he was not there, and with all the hate notes, I legit started crying.. And the moment he appears with his toothbrush, I was like thanking the Gods for that. The way the story was written, and how it affected the emotions that delivered through the words were really amazing, and I absolutely loved it. Plus the fact that they were such diverse characters wrt their characteristics and their sexuality was just the cherry on top!
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And Can we just talk about how much we all hate Aled's mother? I wanted to just go inside the book and just murder her! I have never hated any character with this kind of passion before, and it scared me a little!. The basic contrast between Aled's and Frances's life and in spite of that how they stay each other's pillar of strength is just so heartwarming to read about. I kind of hated Clarys at the beginning, but once you come to know about what she went through, you see her in a different light. Frances was hands down my favourite character in this book. And the fact that both sides of being an online celebrity was discussed, and how it affects a person and their daily life was too real.
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Overall, I love this book to bits, it's one of my all time favourite books of all time, and I will recommend this book to anyone and everyone. There are no specific audience. I recommend it to all of you. Read this book and you will know why I am gushing over this book so much. Even if you don't, I still made you read the book :p