Well, that was unexpected. I am not sure why - I'm not averse to YA and I've heard great things about the author, but for some reason I just wasn't expecting much. Shows what I know. I am not sure about this, having done no research, but the book reads a bit like HP fan fiction. And I do love HP. It's well done though - alike, but not too close. And I was completely not expecting the relationship between Baz and Simon. Not even a little. But as soon as I realized it was coming, I was totally invested. I literally couldn't stop reading until that first kiss happened. And the next morning, I picked it back up SO excited to see where it went (and, in this case, the happy ending was exactly what I wanted). And in the current political climate of the US, as wrong as it is that people's sexuality has become a political issue, my hat is completely off to Rowell for using her platform, her reach and popularity, to bring any kind of non-heterosexual relationship to the forefront for teens. Reach people in any way that you can! But back to the book itself - great pacing, fun side characters (I love Penny), and a conclusion that is very satisfying. Also, shout out to Agatha - she is the person most of us are in real life, though we'd all rather be the hero (or antihero), and plays it better than most of us can. And I respect her for that. I'm sure she is no one's favorite, but did the best with what she had to find a life that made her happy and wasn't dictated by others. That's much harder to do than it seems - even though the story revolves around almost everyone but her, she teaches a great lesson and breaks some tough invisible barriers. All in all, this was both fun and was able to address some heavier themes. I enjoyed the hell out of it. And I'll definitely be reading more of Rowell.