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Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced audiobook copy.
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I’m a sucker for some cute romance and The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss did have that. It also had some cringey things. 👀
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The premise is friends-to-lovers with a little bit of... catfishing thrown in. 😂 Our main character, Evie, is oblivious to the affections of her BFF Caleb. But Caleb doesn’t really realize he’s in love with his BFF until someone else starts capturing her attention. Of course, right?
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Evie also has severe anxiety and panic attacks for which she sees a therapist. She’s been doing really well and using her coping mechanisms, but some of the language and reactions around her anxiety and her mental health weren’t really handled well with the other characters.
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It did end up being a cute book as a whole. I would just take some of it with a grain of salt.
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TW/CW: anxiety, panic attacks, drugging, catfishing
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2 stars. I started off liking the concept of this book SO much. So rare is there a man  head - over - heels in love with a clueless girl. However the more I read the more I could not stand Evie. She is the epitome of someone that things all things girly or feminine are worthless and pointless. While I agree that everyone is entitled to express themselves however they wish, it is not okay to judge someone's worth from it. 

This is clearly seen in her interactions with Margo. They share a physics teacher that has clearly shown his distaste of women of POC in his class and Margo is frequently ridiculed in his class. Evie says nothing and in private even says she prefers that because she has no interest in what Margo says. Why would Evie be so judgemental of her peer? Margo got into the same school as her, there's no case to say she isn't smart and capable.

Later we find out that Margo and Caleb dated for 2 days and that she holds it against him since margo likes "watching unboxing videos and talking about bubble tea". Two perfectly normal things. Like how is that even something you can judge someone off of? Is Evie really upset by these things or is it that Margo is breaking the mold of the "mainstream nerd" and rather enjoying mainstream and feminine things?

It's 2021 we don't need frivolous girl on girl hate to push the narrative. 

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC.

When I read the synopsis I thought it was a super cute idea. It started out pretty cringy as we listen to Caleb's internal thoughts about Evie. He's pining for her yes but I also got somewhat of an "ownership" vibe because of how long he's known her. He also had a lot of cheesy romantic lines in his internal thoughts that weren't believable to me but I'm not a teenage boy so what do I know? lol

It got better the further on in the book I was reading and I was happy with how the plot was resolved. My favorite parts were from Evie's POV and seeing her relationship with her female best friend. I was rooting for her and was proud of her at the end! It was ok and would be good if you like light reads but, it's not something I'll be shouting praises of from the rooftops.

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss is Amy Noelle Parks, beautifully written, debut YA romance. I was so charmed by this book from the very first line! Parks gives us well thought out characters in Caleb and Evie with strong backstories that she draws on regularly to help us understand their bond. I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a sweet, angsty, tortured love story.

Let me start by saying Caleb Covic keeps a mental list of all his “almost-kisses” with Evie Beckham – how can you not love him from that knowledge alone?? These are all the times he was so close to kissing her but he didn’t because he was afraid of what would happen if he did. Evie is a brilliant young woman who is not interested in dating at all when we first meet her…. but not for long! 

This novel was told in dual first person POV seamlessly weaving together Evie and Caleb’s story and building up so much of that good kind of angst for the reader that you cannot put the book down. 

Amy Noelle Parks gave herself a big job when she wrote Evie’s anxiety but she did it so beautifully and with such care. Anxiety can be difficulty to see and understand because we can’t see it or touch it but Parks brought it to the surface for the reader while honoring it for those of us that suffer from it. THANK YOU!

I also want to gush over the STEM love in this book. Being smart or into Math or coding didn’t mean that the characters weren’t also normal teenagers who had first loves and played sports, which is exactly what I love to see. STEM wasn’t some niche for the friendless outcasts. I’m definitely gifting this book to my teenaged nieces and nephews!

Thank you NetGalley & Amy Noelle Parks for my free copy of this book!

I listened to this while also having the ebook in front of me and while I enjoyed the narrators, the sound was distorted. This though is no fault of the book and more fault of the NetGalley app on which I listened to it. From what I gathered, the narrators did an excellent job at capturing the characters and I mostly liked the reading. I also really liked the dual narration change in POVs. I would have liked it more if it had sounded better though, even though I know it's not the narrator's fault.

Story-wise, I really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed the characters and really liked the author's writing. 

I have a review up for the book in which I gave it 4/5 stars since I also did receive a digital ARC of the written novel. Unfortunately, the audiobook just wasn't working right for me.

TW: anxiety, panic attacks

5 couldn't put it down out of 5! Sweet, adorable & unforgettable for sure.

Evie, my ray of sunshine, I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!! YOU ARE THE BEST GIRL IN THIS PLANET!!!!! No, really, she became one of my comfort character just a few chapters in. She likes math (we love women in stem <3) HOW ON EARTH CAN SHE BE BAD??? Evie is an introvert and has social anxiety, so reading from her POV as a fellow introvert myself was pretty relaxing. Reading her being more comfortable with herself and society is so inspiring. Ah, I love when women...

Caleb, my bimbo golden retriever boy.... How I supposed to find boyfriend in real life after you?

As for narrators.. well, I did like Evie's voice... But Caleb one... I dunno I just think his voice is not that deep.

All in all, there's nothing bad or boring. So, give it a try everyone! I'm sure you'll be surprised!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

TW: social anxiety, mention of panic attacks, toxic/unhealthy relationship, emotional cheating

I would like to preface this review by saying I did go into this completely blind other than the fact I adored the cover and I am a sucker for a friend's to lover romance! That being said I am a huge advocate for character development and healthy relationships and I felt that this wasn't really shown in the best way. I did not like Caleb right off the bat, mostly I thought he came off a bit obsessive and used unhealthy tactics to admit his feelings towards Evie. I will leave my main concerns at the bottom of this review to ensure no one is spoiled! Overall, I enjoyed the writing style and regardless of some of the cringy/ awkward moments there were a lot of cute ones too. I particularly liked the dynamic between Caleb and Beth a lot and that the characters did grow throughout the story. It did feel a bit dragged out at the end but overall I would give it a 2.5/3 stars.


SPOILERS!!!!!

[ - ] things I did not enjoy:
- there was a moment mentioned that Caleb tried to kiss Evie during a panic attack??? That is a major no.

- Caleb's almost list made me hella uncomfortable (gave me major Joe from You vibes)

- Was not rooting for Caleb at all and wished Evie had time to process things without him around.

- Evie just forgave Caleb for lying and impersonating someone else to get close to her.... there wasn't even a moment of debate.

- The emotional cheating was pretty brushed over in my opinion and I know Evie and Leo weren't endgame but it still felt wrong.

- For someone so in love (Caleb) he made judgemental comments in regards to Evie: ex. her profile.

[ + ] things I did enjoy:

- the writing style

- the mental health representation and attention to detail

- the character development (even if it wasn't much)

- the science! 

- the storyline structure

I received an advanced copy of this audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is a very entertaining audiobook. I enjoyed everything about it. The friendships and the relationships were exquisite. The narrators did a fantastic job reading this book.  The author did a great job writing this book.  The pace of the story is great. I highly recommend listening to this audiobook to anyone and everyone. It will be in stores on January 5, for $24.99 (USD).

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss by Amy Noelle Parks
Narrated by: Nick Mondelli; Elizabeth Cottle
Publication Date: January 5, 2021
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Description from NetGalley...
“Seventeen-year-old Evie Beckham has always been too occupied with her love of math and frequent battles with anxiety to want to date. Besides, she’s always found the idea of kissing to be kind of weird. But by senior year, thanks to therapy and her friends, she’s feeling braver than before. Maybe even brave enough to enter the national math and physics competition or flirt back with the new boy. Meanwhile, 

Evie’s best friend, Caleb Covic, has always been a little in love with her. So he’s horrified when he is forced to witness Evie’s meet-cute with the new guy. Desperate, Caleb uses an online forum to capture Evie’s interest—and it goes a little too well. Now Evie wonders how she went from avoiding romance to having to choose between two—or is it three?—boys.”
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Thank you to @NetGalley @dreamscape_media for the ALC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
Adorable! This is a debut YA novel from Amy Noelle Parks, and it was a really good story and so fun to listen to the narrators.  I thought Parks did a great job in addressing Evie’s mental illness and mental health issues. The way Evie confronted, and not, her challenges were raw and realistic. She was a math genius, who felt vulnerable and anxious in social settings; but she was so relatable that we walked alongside her as she fought her battles. There was insight to the gender-issues in STEM, and I was just rooting for her all the way. This book could be an inspiring and encouraging read for all the young people (and adults too). This was a story about love, friendship, standing-up for your beliefs and believing in yourself. It was such a nerdy, sweet romcom, and every second was so adorable.

This is your classic cheesy YA romance! It tells the story of a close knit pair of childhood friends and their journey together through their school for geniuses and to falling in love. Great for fans of the childhood friends to lovers trope. It’s a fun and entertaining read that keeps the reader interested. The math and physics references were way over my head and it got a little confusing at times, but overall I really enjoyed it. It also deals with the topic of social anxiety, and it is portrayed very well. I enjoyed that aspect and the way the author treated it. 3/5⭐️ #thequantumweirdnessofthealmostkiss #ya #romance #math #physics #netgalley #audiobook  #booklover #book #bookworm #reading #bookbloger #bookish #booknerd #bookaddict #bibliophile #bookreviewer #booksofinstagram #bookaholic #read #readersofinstagram #booklove #bookshelf #instabooks #bookblogger #igreads #bookcommunity #booklovers #bookreview #reader #bookstagram #dreamscapemedia

This book was so adorable. I enjoyed Evie's quirky personality and Caleb's quick wit. I found Caleb's support of Evie very endearing and was not surprised they'd fall for each other. 

Evie struggles with anxiety and it doesn't help that her mother is almost just as anxious about Evie's anxiety which puts a huge strain on their relationship. I could feel the tension between the two of them and felt that it was very representative of how a parent can also be consumed by the ailments of their children because they just want to take away any pain or anxiety their children may face. Evie has come a long way since her last anxiety attack and when she gets to participate in a science competition that will help her get a scholarship and possibly help her face her anxiety she's going to need all the support she can get. 

Caleb's energy and awareness of Evie's anxieties helps to center her but over time it's also fueled his feelings for her. When a past attempt to show Evie how he really feels backfires he's not sure how to go about making another move. 

I enjoyed the banter between Evie and Caleb. Their connection is definitely strong and it was fun to see how each of them navigate their feelings throughout the book. I also really loved the setting and how science was used as a language in a way. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a fun YA Contemporary romance read! 

The narrators did a great job and are familiar to those who listen to many YA Contemporary audiobooks.

***2.5*** Trying to read this book has been a world wind of emotions. I was so looking forward to this book. Honestly, judging by the synopsis and cover this should be everything I love but it just wasn’t and I am so sad. I usually love a friends to lovers romance but I just wasn’t a fan of Celeb and Evie’s “romance”. 

Somethings I didn’t quite like:

Celeb made his intentions known to Evie  and she declined his advances (which she was perfectly in her right to do) however, I found it off putting that she didn’t want to pursue a relationship with him but was okay doing other relationship type things such as holding hands and letting him kiss her on the forehead. repeatedly. These things scream intimacy and honestly felt kind of insensitive to Celeb especially since she knows he wants more from her. Now the book states that Evie doesn’t really understand other peoples emotions and can’t recognize this in facial expressions (which also annoyed me because why set up the idea that Evie is autistic but never actually mention it on page considering you are so forward with her mental health struggles) but she understood Celeb’s intentions enough not to speak to him for awhile after he told her he wants to kiss her.

Now onto Celeb he comes off as kind of an a*shole  in this book because he is a jerk to Evie’s love interest Leo even though he is a nice guy. Celeb is so much of a jerk that he decides to infiltrate Evie and Leo’s relationship and break them up and he does this by catfishing Evie on the internet. This whole plan honestly came off as conniving not cute. 

Somethings I liked:

I really did love conversations in this book about mental health, friends and family, concern/help. Evie’s mother is so concerned for her daughter and tries to “help” so much with her anxiety that it has become quite the opposite to the point that she herself becomes a “trigger” for Evie. 

I also loved the inclusion of all the math and physics that was weaved into the narrative. The audiobook was also narrated wonderfully.

Overall, this book was a little disappointing but I also can understand that I am not the target audience. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost- Kiss by Amy Noelle Parks is a cute YA book, but just not for me. I felt the beginnings was a bit rushed and then it just seemed slow, and then it ended. I definitely liked that the characters had some substance to them. I’m sure many will enjoy this book. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

Thank you to Dreamscape Audio and Amulet Books for alc & arc of the book.

The Quantam Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss was a really cute YA book.  I loved that the heroine Evie, is unapologetically one of the smartest kids at her tech high school.  She has two best friends, Caleb and Bex, and I loved the supportive relationship she had with these two.  The story is a romance with a heavy emphasis on friendship.  The book also does a good job addressing bullying and the deeply harmful effect it can have on a person's confidence.

I listened the the audiobook for this one and the narration was spot on.  Elizabeth Cottle and Nick Mondell both do a great job bringing their characters to life.  The book rotates between Evie and Caleb with the narrators switching off.

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss is a book about math. social anxiety, weird parents., high school, physics, romantic entanglements. old friends, new crushes, attachment, growth and independence.

* What I love *

The more we talk about therapy and the decisions around taking medication, the better we’ll all be.

I love how the therapist made sure Evie knew that her treatment and mental health were in her own hands, not that of her parents.

As a kid who coped with anxiety, these are the stories I wish I ‘d had around when I was a young adult.

Smart female characters and the prejudice (both subtle and not so subtle) that they encounter is real and I’m glad it was addressed in the book.

I enjoyed seeing Evie’s growth and how she does still have ways to continue building on what she’s learned over the past year.

* What I didn’t love *

The relationship between Caleb and Evie was very intense. To my way of thinking, it delved into obsessiveness, enabling, substitution for lack of parents meeting needs. and co-dependence.

I was happy to see a bit of independence toward the end of the book, but I will admit that if a niece, nephew or cousin had a similar relationship with someone, I would be concerned. I know, I know, these are fictional characters in a book, but I don’t know about you — when I’m reading a book, it’s like the characters solidify and I start to be concerned for them and their struggles. That’s one of the greatest things about characters and writing, I think. 

* Overall *

I appreciate it greatly when main characters are different from what I typically see or read. I feel like visibility is increasing more and more, especially with YA books.

It’s great to see characters who battle crippling anxiety and still have to figure out how to go to work, school, deal with relationships. etc. That feels authentic.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the chance to listen to this audiobook. I enjoyed the dual narrators. It was well done and added to the enjoyment of the audiobook.

What a way to start off a year of reviews! This was such a joy to read and my first audio arc from Netgalley. It was a really great audiobook, especially because we got to hear the perspectives of our two main characters, Evie and Caleb.

Caleb has been in love with his best friend, Evie, for years—they've even had 17 almost-kisses over the years. Evie struggles with anxiety after a childhood of bullying, and her one saving grace is her closeness with Caleb—he is her constant. He doesn't know what to do or how to feel when she starts to date the new kid in town. Evie's whole world revolves around math and physics, she doesn't have time for boys when there's a massive science competition that could set her up for college—that is until Leo commented on her physics equations. 

Evie had incredible character development throughout the book. You could see her get a handle on anxiety, learn what it means to have a boyfriend and new friends, and not rely so heavily on her friendship with Caleb. Their relationship was wonderful. I loved that even when she was in a relationship, she didn't compromise her friendship with Caleb, much to Leo's chagrin.  Despite not liking Leo and Evie together, Caleb didn't dislike Leo, as much as he wished he did. 

The math and physics concepts went a little over my head and at times took me out of the story to try to understand what they were talking about, but this wasn't that big of a deal. I think the author represented anxiety and panic attacks really well and showing Evie's success and improvement through therapy was a really important plot point. 

I think this was such a really strong debut and I highly recommend.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

1.5/5 

There is nothing sadder than being let down by a book that, for all intents and purposes, you were really exited to read. The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss follows two best friends, Evie and Caleb, as they navigate academics, life, and their complicated feelings for one another. Caleb has always felt like he and Evie were meant to be more than friends, but kept his distance as to not ruin their friendship. When Evie expresses interest in another student, he takes that to mean she is ready to date, and decides to pursue her romantically on an online forum under a false identity.

Usually I like being taken aback by a story, one that surpasses all of my initial expectations to create something wholly different. The synopsis for this book is what caught my attention at first. I'm a sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope, so I thought this would be right up my alley. There are two aspects of this book that I think were done really well, the two narrators of the audiobook, and the research put into the physics competition that Evie competes in. It's clear that the author knew what they were talking about when it came to that aspect of the story. As for the narrators, they definitely did the best they could with the material they were given. I absolutely would have dnf'ed a long time ago if it weren't for the narrators, so that's a positive. The central focus on women in mathematics and science was also a small source of enjoyment.

On to the things about this book that made me seethe with anger, it boils down to the base of the plot. Caleb, who has made quite a few moves on his friend Evie over the years, can't bear the fact that she has found someone else that she's romantically interested in. He decides to catfish her on an online forum associated with the students in the physics competition. He uses his intimate knowledge of her and her interests to gain favor with her. Now I have no problem with the whole "we're talking to each other online and we don't know each others identity" plot. This has been used time and time again in many films and novels such as You've got Mail, and Tweet Cute by Emma Lorde. What I do have a problem with is the fact that Caleb expects her to fall in love with him, sees that she has found happiness outside of their relationship, and ultimately decides to lord over her life under a new identity. Outside of the online interactions, he exhibits truly toxic behavior in the form of his savior complex and the whole "I'm the only one who truly gets Evie" viewpoint. He uses this to invade her new relationship and get what he wants. This is not at all romantic and I am tired of seeing this narrative pushed on young readers. Examining these manipulative behaviors is important, but marketing this as a romance is......not it. The books glimpse into women in math and science was really interesting, and I would have loved to see more.

Trigger warnings: anxiety, panic attacks

Thank you to the author, publisher, and netgalley for the audio arc of this book. I really enjoied it a lot more than I first expect!! The characters are relatable even though they are very intelligent and sometimes talk about thing most people wouldn't know. In some books that throws me off and I get bored but this book did a very good job of keeping it brief and understandable. Love love loved it!!

Thanks to NetGalley for a arc copy for a honest review.    

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss was a  contemporary YA.  I loved Caleb I didn’t think he deserved Evie.  I did not like her no matter how I tried.  I like the premises of the story a 3 star read 

Happy Reading 
Lisa

I received an e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Trigger Warnings for Panic Attacks. 

I’m not a big reader of YA contemporary, but something about the description intrigued me. As a person who suffers from anxiety, I can sometimes get triggered when reading if panic attacks are involved, but it wasn’t the case here. I’m so happy to have the opportunity to read this because it was cute, sweet and everything I wanted it to be! I hope the author continues to write with these characters and the side characters. I can see myself returning to this as a comfort read, and plan on picking up a physical copy for my home library. I would recommend for fans of the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy especially, although it is different, it gives me similar vibes with wholesome and easy to love characters.