The Fragile Ordinary by Samantha Young is a young adult contemporary romance about Comet Caldwell from Edinburgh, Scotland. She's an introvert who writes poetry, loves books, has a complicated "relationship" with her parents, and has a killer sense of out there fashion.

When Tobias King turns up at Comet's school. her life changes quickly. They're thrown together for a school project in English, quickly become friends, and then develop a romantic relationship. Of course, every relationship has to be tested, and their's is no exception.

While I love a good YA romance book, I loved following Comet's personal character development more than anything. She goes from being an extreme introvert who hates any attention and is insecure in all the relationships in her life, to confronting those self-imposed barriers she's put up, and growing stronger because of it.

I have a feeling this book will be on my mind for a while and will definitely be a reread in the future.

I really enjoyed the authors storytelling; it was a really good book. I think this story was a true portrayal of what teenagers go through. The main characters home life was so heartbreaking. I really liked how resilient Comet was throughout the book. Overall, the book was engaging and a page turner for me.

Such a sweet,lovely,emotional and romantic story.I loved every minute of it.The Fragile Ordinary has an interesting plot,well developed characters and a cute romance.

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I'm in love with Tobias and Comet, they have an amazing chemistry.They were perfect for each other.Love their friendship and how the romance developed with slow burn that make me aching.Comet is the most unique heroine I ever met, I loved being in her mind.Loved her personality, she just felt real!

I said this before and I'll say it again I need more YA books from Samantha Young, she is so talented in whatever genre she writes!If you are looking for a great story this is definitely what you need to read!

The Fragile Ordinary by Samantha Young (June 26)
Overview: Comet's life in a small suburb of Edinburgh, Portobello, has been mostly consumed by books. They keep her from being lonely and leave her informed about the world she's missing by skipping going to parties with her friends Vikki and Steph. That's until Tobias King, a new American boy, shows up on campus to turn Comet's life upside down. Finally finding someone who pays her notice, Comet starts to come into her own though she always battles the fear of becoming dependent on another person like her parents who all but abandoned her as their "unhappy accident." Comet is an inventive dresser, a poet, and a wonderful friend; she just needs the right people to continue building her toward her dreams. Overall: 4.5

Characters: 5 I loved Comet. She's probably in my top favorite characters of all time. I identified with Comet and her story on such a deep level. She's independent, smart, focused, and quiet with a loud exterior. It also makes me happy that there's another YA character who feels totally content with a pile of books and a quiet night.
I enjoyed getting to see the interactions among the different characters. Tobias is kind and compassionate, and actually intelligent, but he's dependent on those around him to dictate which version of himself he portrays. This means that he shows a whole range of different characters as he splits his time between questionable Stevie and Comet.
Then there's Comet's just as complex and sometimes flighty friends, Vikki and Steph. Though Vikki tries to stay somewhat constant, Young really lets themselves ebb and flow in an interesting way.
Her parental relationship is also a great asset to the story. Though they start as possibly cliche, absent YA parents, but Young lets them develop into so much more. Even if they don't become a super defining force in Comet's life, there's an exploration of the situation I haven't seen before. And Comet does have some important adult influences in her life including her neighbor and teacher which is great to see.

Plot: 5 I had a great time with the storyline and Comet's evolution. Even if I could guess the next twist or turn, I had so much fun getting and being there that it didn't matter so much to me. I loved how strongly Comet held to her goal, and how fiercely she fought with herself and others to defend her mission. She wants to go to UVA to study poetry. As Comet and I share the same goal reversed (I'd love to move to the UK to study writing), seeing her take steps toward her goal felt quite familiar.

Writing: 4.5 I have great admiration for Young's ability to boil down all of these amazing elements into something that really could be summed up into a few concise sentences. It's rare that I find a book that's both pleasing to the naked eye and under the microscope, and that really speaks to Young's ability as an author to hold all her her subplots together, letting nothing stray too far.

*I do have one little side note, and that's: a lot of YA characters want to be writers. Comet is one of the few who earns that wish. Her poetry that is shared at the start of every chapter is phenomenal.

The Fragile Ordinary is a young adult contemporary romance story. It is a coming of age story for a misunderstood high school girl.

I found this to be a thought provoking and enjoyable read. I thought it was an accurate portrayal of what high school students go through today. There are many trials and tribulations that face our teens today and some are easy to navigate but some are extremely hard. But with any good support system in place you can get through them. That’s the message I got out of this story.

The Fragile Ordinary is a standalone novel told solely from Comet’s POV. I will say I wished we would’ve gotten some of Tobias’s POV. I would’ve liked to know what he was thinking at certain points in the story. But this truly was Comet’s journey to take. This story was set in Portobello Beach, which is a suburb of Edinburgh Scotland. I have personally never been to Scotland, but I felt I have a better understanding of Scotland after reading this story. I felt like I was there. I thought the flow and pace of this story was great. The storyline moved along without being too rushed. But she also didn’t drag things out.

In this story we follow the journey of Comet and Tobias. Comet is a shy and social awkward teen who just wants to get through high school and then go to the University of Virginia to follow her passion for writing….mostly poetry. Growing up with parents who really don’t even see her, she struggles with conversation and feeling wanted. Tobias is a new student and walking on the wild side. He moved to Scotland with his mom. Tobias harbors a lot of anger towards his mom and dad, which makes him make some bad decisions. Comet is drawn to Tobias but is too shy to do anything about it. Over the course of the story Tobias and Comet strike up a kind of peculiar friendship….until Comet is put into a dangerous situation and Tobias comes to her aid. Things change from there on.

Samantha Young talks about many important issues for high schoolers today, but towards the end of the story she takes an even more emotional look into something, that truly hit me hard. She pulled on my heartstrings at the end of the book. I thought the growth that the characters went through during this book was fantastic!!!

I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Samantha Young’s books. You see a different side to her writing in this book. If you are a fan of young adult novels then I think you should give this one a try. I think this is a story that most high schoolers should read.

"There's something nostalgic and almost magical about reliving first crushes, first loves and high school friendships all over again." ~ Misty, White Hot Reads

I have to admit I am usually not a huge YA/Teen book fan but I think as my son gets closer and closer to this age I find myself seeking these out to remind myself of that time. It really takes something special in this genre to keep me engaged and this author did that with The Fragile Ordinary.

Young captured the essence of those formidable teenage years of finding oneself, learning how to navigate life, first crushes and loves and even learning the value of true friendships. Don't get me wrong, with the magic of those things in this book, Young also tackled some of the darker parts of what kids are living through and at times this book was heartbreaking.

First let's talk about the darker parts of this book. Bullying, drugs, parents indifference to their child, and fatal illnesses are all touched in this book. I loved that Young did not glorify the "bad boys" or even girls in this book but shone a true light on how drugs and bullying can affect not only the individuals but all those around them. These are things we seem to be taking lightly in this world today but TFO makes one realize that this is something we NEED to be dealing with on a much larger scale and with a heavier hand.

Relationships were another hot topic in this book. Relationships between the teens with their parents and of course with each other. All the different issues touched on something we go through everyday whether it be friendships going through rough patches, divorce, death of a loved one or just a parent not being present and how all of that can shape a person is those critical years we all go through. Although at some point I think my heart broke at every single relationship by the end I was content with how the author handled them all.

I think the best part of this book was seeing Comet blossom from a girl hiding in the shadows to someone who realized her worth and that although she felt invisible she was in fact not. That sometimes those who are quiet and keep to themselves can shine brighter than anyone. Seeing her blossom under the encouragement of Tobias, her best friend, her teacher and eventually her dad was hands down the reason this book worked so well. She faced each and every obstacle in her way and learned that keeping quiet and in the shadows was not the answer to get the things in life she wanted.

All in all this was a great book. I'm not convinced I would read it again but I do and will recommend it to not only my peers but those with teens. I think this book could be a good bridge to talking about all those issues no one wants to talk about but are so very necessary.

[Review will be posted on Reader Voracious Blog on June 24, 2018.]

"No matter what was happening in my life, in my room, I had over eight hundred worlds to disappear into, and over a thousand on my e-reader on my nightstand."

Meet Comet, a sixteen year old bookish daughter to indifferent and inattentive parents. She wants to make herself invisible, or perhaps give a reason for feeling invisible, and escapes her own reality into the world of books. Her home life broke my heart into pieces, and I can relate to her quite a bit.

The voice of the book (first person POV) is definitely that of a sixteen year old girl, and the first 20% or so of the book was painful for me to read: it felt awkward, forced, and uncomfortable. The choices and actions Comet made early on made me cringe, but I cannot fault her for her early actions as over the course of the book she grew up a lot. As an adult that reads YA on occasion, I understand that I am not the target audience and would never fault a book for catering to the YA reader. However, I did feel like I was being told about a lot of stuff, mostly being caught up on backstory as Comet recalled them for the reader, rather than being shown and it felt to me a bit like a mashing of experiences that didn't really gel. I find that first person narration works best with stories that are developing, and it felt like there was a whole lot of backstory dumped all at once for the first 20% or so of the book. I considered not continuing with the book because it didn't seem that the writing style was for me, but I am so glad that I stuck with it because interestingly, I found my experience reading the first third of the book in stark contrast to the latter two-thirds. It was almost as if it were written separately. This could have been because of the massive info dump at the beginning, but the story really pulled me in around 25% or so.

While this is a character-driven story , I found myself frustrated with most of them a large amount of the time. Many of the characters are harboring a painful past that causes them to act out, but most of it seemed to be for the purpose of Comet's development. I really only liked Comet and Tobias as characters, but their relationship for me didn't quite sit right either. It was like insta-love and not at the same time, and that is just a trope I am not overly fond of in fiction. Don't get me wrong: I adored Tobias. I just didn't quite buy the development of their relationship or feelings.

I really enjoyed that snippets of Comet's poetry began each of the chapters in the book, it was a nice touch that really drove home the importance of poetry to Comet, her creative outlet, and a bit into her innermost thoughts. I enjoyed watching Comet come into herself through the course of the book and opening up to those around her.

Despite the book taking a bit of time to find its voice, the pacing is good and I did not ever find myself bored with what I was reading. I did find it odd that only a couple characters spoke with the Scottish 'accent' in the book when this is set in Scotland; it seemed an odd choice to me given that everyone but Tobias (who is American) would speak roughly the same way. There was a lack of worldbuilding that unfortunately for me seems to be common in contemporaries, and with this novel much more care is given to the characters and their development. I like character driven novels with descriptions of the city/world they inhabit.

This is a painful coming of age story where Comet begins to find her voice beyond the anonymity of posting her poetry online; in trusting herself; in standing up for herself. In creating your own surrogate family and realizing that life is short. Being a teenager is difficult and I think the overall story depicts the struggles of growing apart from friends as interests and people change. I think that teen readers will likely enjoy this novel about finding the beauty and joy in life's ordinary.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Harlequin Teen, for providing me an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book gave me all the feels and made me very close to crying multiple times. Young just knows how to write characters that will make you wrapped around their pinky finger. I connected so much with Comet and understood what all she was going through.

Samantha Young has wrote another great book. The Fragile Ordinary is amazing and I couldn't put it down. GREAT BOOK and a MUST READ

First things first: I loved Comet Caldwell.

I challenge you not to love Comet Caldwell. She is all of us. Bookish and awkward. An introvert through and through and she won me over - again and again - with her slightly oddball, completely charming (if a bit nerdy) personality. Based on Comet alone, this book would get five stars. I adored her.

That said, I struggled with some other aspects of the story. The pacing was off for me and I felt like the story was sometimes bogged down in detail and moved slowly. For whatever reason, I also didn't feel connected to her relationship with Tobias - at least not consistently. There were moments where I ached for them, and moments where I felt like they were the sweetest thing ever. But when it came to the more emotional punches and the final source of conflict - I felt disconnected and more annoyed than emotional.

It's almost as if, as a love story - this didn't work for me very well. But as a coming-of-age story, it was fantastic. The growth and evolution of Comet over the course of the book was rewarding to read and only made me love her more. In all, it wasn't a perfect reading experience for me, but it was worth it for Comet alone.

The Fragile Ordinary

I Picked Up This Book Because: I like the author.

The Characters:

Comet Caldwell: loner and bookworm
Tobias King: new guy, delinquent reformed to his previous good guy statis
Comet’s friends Vicki and Steph.

The Story:

Comet would rather be lost in a fictional world than out in the world with real people until Tobias King transfers to her school. The troubled American teenager is running with a rough and fast crowd while living with his cousin. After being assigned to work together on a class project Tobias and Comet get to know each other and even become friends. Their relationship further blossoms into the romantic variety. Both have issues in their home life that must be forced and overcome but they find they can do these things as they lean on each other.

Of course it’s not all sunshine and roses but they find a way to persevere. I liked Comet almost right away, Tobias too once we got to know him a bit. They both came from situations that made them have to grow up quick. That can do a number on anyone and I think they handled it the best they could.

The Random Thoughts:



The Score Card:

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4 Stars

Wonderful story about a young girl and struggles she goes through as she tries to understand herself and the people around her! This book has so many deeply felt emotions and complex characters. It was refreshing and relatable and very well done! I loved it! Comet was an amazing and intriguing young woman.

The Fragile Ordinary is an exceptional young adult novel. The pages artfully and acutely capture the lives of teens in Scotland in current day. Topics of drug use, bereavement, young love, insecurity, and trust fill the pages blending into a touching story about two young teens finding their way with each other and with the world that surrounds them in high school.

I absolutely loved this book. This was one of the better YA books I've read in a while. Actually, it was one of the better books in general that I've read in a while.

All of the character's in this book were very dynamic. Their backgrounds were explained and were very thought out. The storyline flowed well and everything happened very naturally.

Comet was such a fantastic character. She was an angsty teen, but it wasn't overly done. She had some really good reasons for being as angsty as she was. To be honest, I thought she handled her parents better than a lot of people would have. I loved watching her growth throughout this book. The Comet she was in the beginning of the book was an almost 180 from the Comet she was at the end of the book. She was much more confident and much more outgoing. She was willing to try new experiences and I loved that. She was definitely a great role model for younger girls who may read this story.

Tobias was fantastic. He was such a great person and I loved that he actually made good choices. It was nice to see a character make the right choice and to have that validated later on. I think it sends a great message to younger readers about how life choices have rewards and consequences. I liked how the author showed him gradually overcoming and accepting things that had happened to him.

The chemistry between Tobias and Comet was off the charts. They were so great for each other and the progression of their relationship was very natural. It was just the right amount of slow burn to be satisfying. I also liked that they were purposefully trying not to be co-dependent while also acknowledging that it was okay to need each other and to rely on each other.

There are some triggers in this book so be warned. Drug use, overdose, rape implications, but it was not a huge part of the book and I can only think of one situation where drug use was shown. Nothing else is ever shown and not rape occurs. Also, any sex that occurred was mentioned after the fact and not in detail. I definitely think this is suitable for 14+.

Overall, I absolutely recommend this book. Like I said before, this is one of the better books I've read in a while so pick it up ASAP. You won't regret it.

4.5 Stars!

This was a bit of an emotional read for me. I just really felt for Comet, she was such a good kid with so much love in her heart. And all she wanted was for someone to give her a bit of that love in return. I loved her uniqueness, her personality, and her genuine concern for her friends.

Inside this book was a great story. I always like a book that takes place in a foreign county, I love the different dialogue from the characters. Especially Stevie in this book! His Scottish accent was great! And the overall plot was good, the characters were like able and Samantha’s writing was wonderful, as usual.

I would definitely recommend this book to any YA lover!

Best thing about this book? Its set in Scotland!!! But it didn't make that super obvious in the beginning, which is even better! The dialogue that comes from the real Scots can be a bit of a challenge, but it is worth it because I have to really pay attention. And I adore the descriptions of the scenes/setting...so beautifully-wrought! The characters are mostly well-done, though I think Comet's parents are too shallow-ly described to really understand their total self absorption.

If I had one complaint, it would be that everyone seems to think a book obsession is just bad. Not only can I not, as a Librarian, be okay with that, but I, as a person, resent the implication that you cannot have your life revolve around books and still have a life. Just sayin'.......................

Thank you @netgalley @authorsamanthayoung and @harlequinnteen for my #advancereadcopy of #TheFragileOrdinary.
Comet Caldwell would rather stay home with a book than go to a high school party. Why would she want to go to a place where people look right through her? Sadly, parties aren’t the only place she feels invisible. At home her parents indifference cuts deep and at school if people do notice her it’s only as shy, nerdy Comet. That all changes when the hot American, Tobias King enrolls at her school. Comet starts to experience things she didn’t even know were missing from her life. While not all of her new experiences are good, Comet is finally living life outside the pages of her beloved books.
I absolutely loved this book. There were so many things I loved about Comet and I really enjoyed watching her come into herself. There were times when I wish I could have stood on a table in the cafeteria and cheered for her 🙌🏼 . Her poems that we got to read added some great depth to her character. I was on the verge of thinking that once you got to know him Tobias was perfect. Also, can we get a round of applause for Vicki? At some points I wanted her to stop pushing Comet but she was an amazing friend. The story and characters were very well developed.

@authorsamanthayoung was that a reference to Warriors of Ankh when Tobias sits next to Comet in English?
If you love Samantha Young as much as I do or you are thinking of reading her for the first time, check out The Fragile Ordinary which will be released on June 26,2018.
I feel a On Dublin Street and Warriors of Ankh re-read coming soon. I started reading you’re books at a very difficult time in my life and I continue to fall in love you your wonder stories and characters. 4 1/2 Stars

As someone who uses books to escape reality, I totally get Comet. Sometimes the fantasy is easier to deal with. Despite her home life, she managed to flourish and become a remarkable human being. Extraordinary, considering all that happened.
I don’t think I have ever been disappointed by a Samantha Young book.

I loved reading this book and discovering Comet's story. The characters were all well written and the relationship were well developed. I enjoyed watching Comet realize that it was ok to be herself and to let others accept and appreciate the person she was. Such a wonderful book! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion. Will be grabbing a copy for my classroom!

Such a good book.
Comet was the perfect character to watch blossom from a shy young lady to a positive and outspoken woman.
While I don't understand how anyone could parent the way her parents parented, I did like how it made for great scenes. Parents that aren't around much in stories allow for the characters to do things most parents wouldn't allow to happen, such as boys staying the night!
And then there was Tobias. Poor Tobias. He started out a bad boy hanging around the wrong crowd. Then he befriends Comet. They made the most perfect friends and eventually couple. Tobias' cousin throws in some drama and makes the middle of the story drama packed.
Comet's friends are there to help her through some tough parts.
At the end we are shown two amazing teenagers who were put through a lifetime of challenges but succeed in endurance and love.