The past two days has been a back and forth between my and my sister, me texting her variations of "WTF?!?" several times as I read through this novel. Misha - the tortured bad boy who doesn't care about fitting in, only about being himself. Ryen - the closet geek and timid girl who hides behind a cruel facade and cares far too much about fitting in. My heart broke and jumped into my throat on several occasions as I glared, teared up, laughed, and even bared my teeth once or twice at my Kindle.
Misha and Ryen find solace and comfort in each other for 7 years whilst never meeting, only communicating via good old fashioned snail mail. The way they torture and torment each other throughout the book stole my breath away, her trying to show off for her friends while he's trying with everything in his power to find the girl he knows and loves beneath the mask.
It's heart breaking, thought provoking, gut wrenching, and raw. Two people who would probably never associate under normal circumstances coming together and sifting through the lies to finally figure out who they are.
Now I could go on for hours, but it would give the entire book away, and I really encourage you to read it. But please, I am begging you - be kind to one another. If someone is down, try to lift them back up. You don't need to be cruel to gain attention - you simply need to be you. Throughout this book, I kept thinking of a quote from a movie that I've always loved, so I'm going to leave you with it to mull over.
"Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out?"
- Ian Wallace, What a Girl WantsRating
Book Boyfriend: 9.25/10 (I am finding it incredibly hard not to give out 10s here - cut me some slack...)
Flow: 10 /10
Plot: 9/10
Overall: 10/10
*** Synopsis ***
"We were perfect together. Until we met."
Misha
I can’t help but smile at the words in her letter. She misses me.
In fifth grade, my teacher set us up with pen pals from a different school. Thinking I was a girl, with a name like Misha, the other teacher paired me up with her student, Ryen. My teacher, believing Ryen was a boy like me, agreed.
It didn’t take long for us to figure out the mistake. And in no time at all, we were arguing about everything. The best take-out pizza. Android vs. iPhone. Whether or not Eminem is the greatest rapper ever…
And that was the start. For the next seven years, it was us.
Her letters are always on black paper with silver writing. Sometimes there’s one a week or three in a day, but I need them. She’s the only one who keeps me on track, talks me down, and accepts everything I am.
We only had three rules. No social media, no phone numbers, no pictures. We had a good thing going. Why ruin it?
Until I run across a photo of a girl online. Name’s Ryen, loves Gallo’s pizza, and worships her iPhone. What are the chances?
F*ck it. I need to meet her.
I just don’t expect to hate what I find.
Ryen
He hasn’t written in three months. Something’s wrong. Did he die? Get arrested? Knowing Misha, neither would be a stretch.
Without him around, I’m going crazy. I need to know someone is listening. It’s my own fault. I should've gotten his number or picture or something.
He could be gone forever.
Or right under my nose, and I wouldn’t even know it.
Misha
I can’t help but smile at the words in her letter. She misses me.
In fifth grade, my teacher set us up with pen pals from a different school. Thinking I was a girl, with a name like Misha, the other teacher paired me up with her student, Ryen. My teacher, believing Ryen was a boy like me, agreed.
It didn’t take long for us to figure out the mistake. And in no time at all, we were arguing about everything. The best take-out pizza. Android vs. iPhone. Whether or not Eminem is the greatest rapper ever…
And that was the start. For the next seven years, it was us.
Her letters are always on black paper with silver writing. Sometimes there’s one a week or three in a day, but I need them. She’s the only one who keeps me on track, talks me down, and accepts everything I am.
We only had three rules. No social media, no phone numbers, no pictures. We had a good thing going. Why ruin it?
Until I run across a photo of a girl online. Name’s Ryen, loves Gallo’s pizza, and worships her iPhone. What are the chances?
F*ck it. I need to meet her.
I just don’t expect to hate what I find.
Ryen
He hasn’t written in three months. Something’s wrong. Did he die? Get arrested? Knowing Misha, neither would be a stretch.
Without him around, I’m going crazy. I need to know someone is listening. It’s my own fault. I should've gotten his number or picture or something.
He could be gone forever.
Or right under my nose, and I wouldn’t even know it.
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