Eva is a mathematical genius, but thats not her only talent. She has the ability to know someones deepest darkest secrets just with one touch. Whether it be their hand, or their hoodie that they wear all the time, she sees patterns that tell her everything.

Enter Zenn, new boy who has very dark images that worries Eva, but will that be enough to put her off him?

I absolutely loved the concept of this book. I think its a great way to mix a little bit of fantasy in, but still keeping it somewhat realistic. Eva as a character was very relatable to me, right down to the nerdiness. Zenn was also very likable, and although it was slightly love-at-first-sight-ish, I think it was very cute.

It wasn't that predictable, but it did end slightly abruptly. I think it could have flowed more, as it did feel slightly rushed.

All in all, very cute read, that I couldn't put down!

'I like the library.'
'Obviously.'
'I do. I like it better than I like most people. It's quiet. It has substance.'

Eva is a math whiz who has special powers (aside from the math stuff). She gets "fractals" when she touches other people or their belongings, which can tell her their deepest darkest secrets. She uses this talent of hers to identify people's weak areas in math (by holding their calculators!) while tutoring them. When a new cute guy at school (Zenn) approaches her for tutoring, she gets a fractal that practically knocks her out. Read the book to find out what happens thereafter :P
This turned out to be a fun, contemporary YA romance, without being overly dramatic.

3.5 stars...
I'm rounding up to four stars as I think there are a lot of people who would really enjoy this book.
It's not an amazing book in my opinion, there isn't anything here that hasn't been done before. Essentially girl has issues, boy has issues, girl meets boy, they fall for each other, maybe they can fix each others issues, random twist related to issues, boy and girl learn something about each other and themselves. See how it's pretty much every coming of age story ever?
But there are some super cute quadruplets in the story that are only three years old. :)

The uniqueness here is in the idea that our lead gal cannot touch anyone without being bombarded with their feelings. This leads into a whole series of odd events that drive the story forward.
I don't want to give anything away because the 'reveals' are interesting and I think knowing things in advance would ruin the book for most. But essentially there are a lot of stereotypes that are broken down (bare with the first couple chapters because they set-up why nothing she thinks is right in them later on). Overall Zenn Diagram is an excellent commentary on how everyone deserves a chance to be happy and no one person's pain, grief or hardship is bigger than another's.

I think this book would be interesting for many teens to read. They are likely to learn something from it about the nature of sacrifice and that no one person's 'horrible' events in their life trumps someone else's. I guess that's why I'm rounding up to 4 stars, the reality is that everyone has issues and no one person's issues are more dramatic, painful or bigger than others. I do really like this main point that Wendy Brant makes. I like it because I believe it's true. Your pain or grief is relevant to you in it's size, not in how large it appears to others. Hardship is not quantifiable, it is individual to each person and cannot be put on a mathematical scale and measured.

I would recommend this book for anyone who needs a reminder that it's not a game or contest to try and one-up one another in bad things that have happened to us. Alternatively it's not about one-upping good things either. It's just about living and being happy.
Any other issues aside, that may have to do with the writing or overall story, Brant portrays the message that everyone deserves to be happy very, very well.

A NetGalley e-book in exchange for an honest review.

“Why was the math book sad? It had to many problems”

Oh my. I am a sucker for puns and horrifically awkward moments. The start of the book sucked me right in.

I liked the witty banter and the pre-school level jokes cracked. I liked the direction that the author took with Eva’s “gift”. It did get a little repetitive in the explanation of how it worked though.

Then, plot twist. It is amazing how interconnected people’s lives are in reality and it was thought out well in this story. A modern Romeo and Juliet.

It had the potential of a 5 star read but the ending fell a little flat for me.

I really enjoyed this book and the messages it portrayed. I think it's a good book for young adults to read about since it has some important discussions in it. Definitely recommend it.

With a unique and interesting premise, I was so ready to love this book, but unfortunately the slut shaming and the rushed ending kept me from truly falling in love.

Eva Walker can't touch anyone or anything without getting an inside look at a person's emotional turmoil and she's been this way for as long as she can remember. Since she can't touch anyone, she remains withdrawn and has one friend and her love of math for company. Enter a boy named Zenn who needs math tutoring whose jacket almost makes Eva pass out from the emotional sucker punch, and of course she can't stay away.

About three pages into the book we get our first "I'm not like other girls" comment from Eva. Admittedly, Eva <i>isn't</i> like other girls; she's not like anyone. Her comments lean more toward slut shaming territory than pointing out how different she is with her unique ability though. When she talks about how her family is bribing her three year old siblings to use the toilet as a way of potty training, she says, "I just hope it doesn’t mean they’ll grow up to be slutty girls who give it away to any cute boys who buy them dinner" which was just completely unnecessary. When her best friend starts hanging out with a new guy, Eva is immediately on the defensive about it and believes her friend is abandoning her. She does come to realize she might not be in the right in that scenario, but the rushed ending leaves that thread a little tangled and she still has "I'm not like other girls" thoughts. They happen so frequently I just couldn't enjoy myself while I was reading.

The ending just comes out of nowhere - there's a small bit of resolution and a tiny epilogue, but it wasn't enough to fully satisfy me. The relationships don't have time to fully settle after the big emotional climax, so you're just left sitting there like, "oh." I just wanted more.

The redeeming quality of this book was mostly the family dynamic. I really liked the familial relationship - Eva's siblings were adorable and I liked the obvious respect for each other she had with her parents. Unfortunately this wasn't enough to save the book for me.

Zenn Diagram was such a charming and adorable love story! I was pleasantly surprised with how enjoyable this book was!

Eva, the main character, was a funny, smart, dedicated, and family-oriented person. At the beginning of the book, Eva was quite judgmental. She seemed to thrive on the fact that she "wasn't like other girls" and seemed to think she was better than every other girl because she didn't wear makeup. Eva also wasn't very accepting of the relationship her best friend got in, which was ridiculous considering there was no reason for Eva to not support her friend. Thankfully, Eva grew as a person, learned from her mistakes, and became less judgmental. I was so happy that Eva had a change of heart. That character development made her more likable. I ended up loving Eva!

The main male character, Zenn, was precious. From the first time he was introduced, I knew I was going to fall in love with him. Zenn was sweet, considerate, charming, thoughtful, hard-working, and responsible. Zenn is a dream man for me. I WANT MY OWN ZENN! I volunteer to be his wife forever.

This book had a slow start, and things started to feel a little repetitive. However, once the ball starting rolling, I was HOOKED! The plot got a lot more interesting and became extremely unique. There were twists and turns that I did not expect! I thought the author did a great job at keeping me guessing. Also, the romance in this book was so adorable. I thought the romance was well paced, believable, and extremely swoon worthy.

Zenn Diagram was a light, quick, and cute read! I would recommend this to anyone looking for a YA romantic contemporary that will put a smile on your face!

4 / 5 Fangs

I'll be honest contemporary is one of those genre's for me that I am either all in or not a fan; this one did not take long to make itself heard, and man if I am not all in.

This sweet and slightly dark contemporary covered topics I did not expect. It follows the story of Eva who whether she likes it or not can sense who a person is, and to an extent their past by touch. Unexpected right? She also lives with her parents, (her father is a pastor) and four younger quadruplet siblings, she's wicked smart and as such is a Math tutor. Where she meets Zenn, the new kid. And we follow their friendship through many revelations, first loves, and teenagers being teenagers.

There is a few things about this book that should be acknowledged minor spoilers ahead. As mentioned her father is a Pastor, and there are undertones of Christianity through out. I am not a religious person, however I did not feel that it was the main focus and really our main character isn't quite sure of what to believe either. We also find out that her parents are not her biological parents they are her aunt and her uncle. There is a line about maybe getting a trait (skepticism of god) "from my real father" no quotations around "real" like later in the book. I am not sure if this was fixed, but as an adoptive mother it was rather jolting especially since up until that point there is no inkling that they are not her biological parents. I want to be clear that she adores loves and appreciates her (adoptive) parents and my concerns about the terminology did eventually ebb but it needs to be noted. as well as the last and you may want to consider this a trigger warning but there is talk of drunk driving and a tragic outcome as a result, nothing graphic, but a trigger warning none the less.

Over all this was solid 4 star read. I definitely will, and do recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher for sending me an e copy to read and review.

Such a cute story about the two teenagers - Eva and Zenn. Eva strugglingly with her seeing fractals when she touch anyone around us and surprisingly, Zen is not giving her any fractals. There are somehow having connected to each other without knowing why and soon both of them will find out why.

Tbh, I'm having a but of struggle reading the first chapter thought that I won't enjoy it but guess what? I'm freaking wrong because I do enjoy this math geek (which I hope I have those kind of math geniuses in my blood) story and I really love it. Chapter after chapter it keeps getting better and more enjoying, make me want to know what, why, who and how.

Rating: 4.5 stars

MY REVIEW


Zenn Diagram follows the story of Eva Walker, who is the ultimate math nerd. Not only is she really great at all things math-related, but she also just flat out loves math. It’s her passion and she’s not afraid to admit it. Eva is a bit of a loner though, not because she’s a math nerd, but more so out of necessity. She has a condition where when she touches someone or touches something that belongs to them, she gets visions. The more troubled the person’s life is, the more dramatic and violent these visions are and the more unbearable they are for Eva. They can literally bring her to her knees and so for this reason, Eva tends to limit her contact with others. She has one close friend, Charlotte, who knows about Eva’s visions, and beyond that, the only real social interactions she has are with the students that she tutors in math. Eva is a whiz when it comes to tutoring, not just because she has mad math skills, but because she can actually get visions of what exactly a student’s math struggles are just by touching their calculators. This is probably the only way her “gift” comes in handy.

The visions Eva has have plagued her pretty much all her life and although doctors have no idea what has caused them, Eva is a girl with a plan. She plans to go to college, study neuroscience, and find the cure herself! When we meet Eva, she is actively making plans to apply to elite colleges such as MIT and Northwestern and to apply for as many scholarships as she can to make her dream a reality.

Enter Zenn Bennett. Zenn is a new student who walks into Eva’s life when he needs help with math. During one of their tutoring sessions, Zenn accidentally leaves his jacket behind and Eva, without thinking, grabs it up to take it to him. The fractal that hits her is so dark, violent, and upsetting that she literally collapses on the floor. In spite of this, however, she stills feels herself drawn to Zenn. He’s cute, funny, appreciates her math nerd humor, and she feels a connection to him that she hasn’t felt with anyone else before. Is there anyway this can work out for Eva?



LIKES
Eva. I am all about main characters who are a bit nerdy, so I adored Eva. I mean, seriously, how cool is it to have a girl that’s into STEM as the protagonist? I also loved that she wore her nerdiness loud and proud and was just downright hilarious at times. I would have totally wanted to be friends with Eva if I went to her school and the vibe I got from Eva was that if she didn’t have this issue about getting physically close to people, then she probably would have had tons of friends and been actively involved in many social circles.

I think the author did a wonderful job of making Eva a relatable and sympathetic character. I understood the hurt, resentment, and even jealousy Eva felt when her only friend Charlotte suddenly becomes interested in dating and the two of them start drifting apart because Eva can’t really follow suit and date as well. It’s very easy to relate to her plight because these visions really are keeping her from living her life the way she wants to. How can she have friends, boyfriends, etc., if she has to cower away from all physical contact in order to keep the visions (or fractals as she refers to them) at bay?

Zenn. I loved Zenn as much as I loved Eva. He’s a gifted artist and he’s also sweet, funny, and super cute. He also has this tremendous sense of responsibility that’s very appealing and that makes him a character that is easy to sympathize with. Early on we learn that he is working three jobs while trying to go to school because his father is out of the picture and his mother is a mess. He would actually love to go away to art school after he graduates but it just doesn’t seem in the realm of possibility based on his current circumstances.

I fell in love with Zenn the moment that he showed that he totally “got” Eva’s math nerd humor. He totally appreciates her nerdiness and the two of them just instantly click. Theirs is a relationship that you can’t help but root for, whether Eva and Zenn just become really close friends or if they can actually get past those darn fractals and date each other. Their chemistry is just so sweet and after seeing what both of their lives have been like up to this point, it’s like “Please just let them be happy together!!!”

The Fractals (or Visions). While Zenn Diagram would have been a great contemporary read even without Eva’s issue, I loved the little almost sci-fi twist that these visions throw into the mix. The fractals themselves fascinated me. They’re not exactly psychic visions, but more along the lines of colored patterns that she sees when she touches a person or something that belongs to them. The more personal the item, the more intense the visions. They’re traumatic for Eva because while she can’t necessarily sense actual events that have happened to a person, she senses all of the emotions from the events. So if someone has been abused or otherwise had something horrible happen to them, it’s all laid bare for Eva just by touching something that belongs to them. Not only is it overwhelming when it initially happens, but Eva also finds it heartbreaking because she automatically wants to “fix” whatever it is that has happened to the person, but knows she’s can’t. Eva says that the only people she can really bear to touch are children because they’re still so innocent and their fractals are therefore peaceful and soothing.



DISLIKES
The only moment where I felt a little let down was where I guessed what was going to happen regarding a certain scholarship that is mentioned throughout the novel. I don’t want to give too much away, but as soon as I read about it and then saw who had applied for it, I totally guessed how it was going to play out. I still love the direction the story took but just wished it hadn’t been quite so easy to guess.



FINAL THOUGHTS
If you think you would enjoy a contemporary YA read with a sci-fi twist and if you love nerdy main characters, I’d definitely say to give Zenn Diagram a try. Zenn Diagram is one of those books that I probably wouldn’t have picked up if not for the recommendations of some of my fellow bloggers. I’m so glad I listened to those recommendations though because I really loved it.



RATING: 4 STARS


Thanks so much to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This in no way affects my opinion.

Personally, I never liked math. But Eva convinced me there might be something to it--if only I even owned a calculator for her to touch. This book was definitely interesting. There are a few things that are a little predictable, but ultimately I loved this book and would buy a copy as a gift for my sister any day.

Unable to actually open the file. So am currently unable to read. My apologies.

An interesting book, I enjoyed it mostly because of the concept of touching somebody to find out their emotions. I will definitely be recommending this book to YA readers!

I recieved this book from Netgalley to read for an honest review. This book was somewhere between a 4.5 through a 5 star for me. Maybe even a 4.8.

I really liked the plot of the book. I'm not a math student by any means, but the plot was unique enough to immediately suck me in. A math nerd and an art student was a cute plotline! But wait, there's more. The math student can't touch people and she wants to find out why she has fractals or whatever they're called. I try to not give too much of the story line away, but the story line between these two characters made it a super cute read. It had me at the math jokes in the beginning of the book. The book also gets more intense later on, but again, I don't want to give away anything. I'd recommend this book to high schoolers and above, not to the middle schooler level. I also liked the other characters of the book as well.

There are two slight problems I had with this book though that made it not be quite a five star read for me. (They are only slight spoilers.) When the girl's best friend got a boyfriend, I didn't like the attitude the girl had. At one point of the book, she thought something like, "Oh, look at that! My best friend actually remembered to text me even though she has a new boyfriend and got all popular all of a sudden." I really didn't like that attitude at all because it teaches girls that it's ok to not be happy for their best friends when they do finally have that somebody special in their life. If they were really your best friend you should be happy for them and not try to push them away and act like that. I get that it's fiction and not everybody will see it like that though.

The other slight problem I had with this book was when the girl sacrified something important towards her future for a guy...it ended up being all right in the end, but when she first made the sacrifice I did want to smack her a little bit for doing that. (Again, don't want to give away many spoilers.)

I still really liked the book in the end though and thought it was a really cute read. It's definitely for people who like to read contemporary YA book. The author's style reminded me of Sarah Dessen's books, and I like her books as well. It was very close to a five star read for me.

While I did not exactly love doing math as a student, I like looking at equations, graphs and diagrams, and enjoy trying to solve mysteries. When I saw that the cover implied those + wordplay, well, then = yes to the power of 100.

Onto the characters, they are easy to like and relate to. I found the cast pretty special and diverse, and I picked up on the author’s best interest to bend some stereotypes such as on geniuses, artists, athletes, pastors, Christian families, big families, adoptive parents, troubled parents and the perfect all-American teen couple, among others.

Eva and Zenn’s voices stand out, and I appreciate how they are represented as funny, sarcastic, insightful, spiteful, hopeful and reckless all at the same time—multidimensional just like real people. I may not have squealed over them that much, but looking back, their romance is just right, perfectly paced to stay attuned with the rest that was going on in the story.

Speaking of the book as a whole, I enjoyed how engaging it is enough to make me have read it to the end in one sitting. It explores a lot of universal issues that both YA and adults can mull over and make sense of.

However, some parts were predictable and there were a few things here and there that made me flinch a little, although they are nothing unbearable. There also remained a few issues that went unresolved, and I felt like the author could have extended the story to address these instead of relying on an epilogue to sew everything together.

All in all, 'Zenn' Diagram by Wendy Brant promises math, paranormal and romance, but this book covers more than just diagrams, special abilities and swoons—it also brings you lessons in art, science, spirituality and life.

DNF

Mini review:

I received this E-ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I had heard about this book through some friends' reviews. I decided to request it. Unfortunately I didn't like it.

I could not stand the MC. Her voice was annoying and she was so proud of herself. I have heard that she improves but I didn't care enough to see that.

I don't know whether I would recommend it. It's up to you.

Can we just agree that the Mathematical references in this book were just the bomb?

I got this from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, and my take is that it's a cute love story between Eva and Zenn, because when Math and Art collide you're bound to solve some mysteries.

What a cute, new YA romance with a little magical twist! Let me also say that I almost didn't read this because I am NOT a math person at ALL, but don't let that discourage you from reading this book! Its still great!!

Eva is a senior in high school living with her aunt and uncle (whom she calls Mom and Dad, because she was orphaned as an infant) and the 4 E's (her quad cousin/siblings). Gearing up to go to college, Eva is completing her applications and searching for scholarships and logging tutoring hours to put on her list of extracurriculars. But Eva is also special--one touch of a person or object and she can see its "fractal," telling her the person's emotions in one giant rush.

I really liked that this book had great characters--a fun best girlfriend, Charlotte, who we see stray to the world of popularity and then come back to the math savvy Eva. Zenn, who is a new kid in school, is full of secrets and surprises, who actually is a hard worker and who is an all-around great character. Both Eva's and Zenn's family (what we saw and found out about of them) were well-built. And Eva herself was an interesting and unique character!

This is a great great YA novel. To be a math geek is ok, to have (adoptive) parents who care, and close friends. A touch of the supernatural, a lot about relationships and forgiveness. It's the book this week I couldn't put down.