FINDING MR. BRIGHTSIDE
Abram and Juliette know each other. They’ve lived down the street from each other their whole lives. But they don’t really know each other—at least, not until Juliette’s mom and Abram’s dad have a torrid affair that culminates in a deadly car crash. Sharing the same subdivision is uncomfortable, to say the least. They don’t speak.
Fast-forward to the neighborhood pharmacy, a few months later. Abram decides to say hello. Then he decides to invite her to Taco Bell. To her surprise as well as his, she agrees. And the real love story begins.
ABOUT JAY
Jay Clark is the author of Finding Mr. Brightside, which author Jerry Spinelli (Stargirl) calls “one of my favorite YA books ever,” and The Edumacation of Jay Baker, which Booklist praised in a starred review: “The magic lies in the telling.” When he isn’t writing, Jay enjoys thinking seriously about getting a golden retriever puppy but then having second thoughts about it, playing tennis as if something important is at stake, and complaining about his monthly Starbucks expenses when they’re fully within his control. He lives in Columbus, Ohio.
Jaime’s Thoughts
Finding Mr. Brightside by Jay Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Abram and Juliette have lived down the block from each other for their whole lives… but they don’t really know each other and even if they wanted to know each other, something makes it almost impossible.
See, Abram’s dad and Juliette’s mom died in a car accident which revealed a sordid truth… they were having an affair, and for both Abram and Juliette it’s a steep hill to climb to getting their lives back to normal.. .but maybe they’re willing to put in the effort together.
You guys… this book was so incredibly different than a lot of what I’ve been reading and it was so refreshing and wonderful.
The story itself was wonderfully told. Imagine having to live just down the street from the family that your parent chose to throw his or her family away for. A chance meeting at the local drug store and a random invite to Taco Bell start us on a journey of learning just who these two are.
While the actions of their parents ultimately didn’t affect just Abram and Juliette, the story focuses solely on them, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Neither of them are handling anything very well at this point. Abram depends on an anti-depressant and gave up the one sport his father pushed him to excel in and Juliette depends on Adderall and refuses to eat even when her body demands it of her.
Clark has created a story with two very distinctive voices and I loved getting to know Abram and Juliette both separately and together. I have to say though, that what I really loved most was the way these two complimented each other. They are so different personality-wise, yet they are exactly the thing the other needs. They push each other to get their lives back and not let what their parents did, define who they are and who they become. And the title of this book was so perfect, and I didn’t even realize it until the very end and I actually thought about what I had just read.
If you’re looking for something a little different than your typical contemporary… something with amazing characters and an interesting story, definitely make sure you grab Finding Mr. Brightside when it arrives!
Thank you to the publisher for and advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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