First I want to say that this is one of my most anticipated reads and I was stoked to get to read it early. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley! Squealed so loud when I got the approval email.

Okay so, I’ll keep this spoiler free. I was blown away by this book. Is it the best I’ve read? No. But it exceeded my expectations and here’s why: the supporting characters. Kirsten and Perry are the best friends everyone needs in their lives. I LOVED the storyline and the characters.

Minor complaint, the climax fell a little flat because it seemed to be resolved pretty quickly. And I saw the twist coming. I didn’t mind too much though as it didn’t take away from the rest of the story for me.

Ahhhh, young love and evil scientists.

This was a fun YA story about a kid who got powers after an accident that killed his parents, then fleeing to stay one step ahead of the evil corporation that was dead set on kidnapping and experimenting on him.

The main character was Dylan, an out HS junior without a lot of friends, who desperately wanted a boyfriend, then a mysterious cute guy, Jordan, showed up at Dylan's work and accidentally made his Dairy Queen Blizzard ice cream explode.

I really enjoyed seeing the two adorable boys got to know one another and felt really sad for how lonely and isolated that Jordan felt while trying to hide his abilities from everyone around him. When he was finally able to start opening up to Dylan, it made my heart soar, just an itty bit.

For fans of TJ Klune's "The Extraordinaries" YA series, this story did remind me a lot of those stories; however, this was just a couple of regular high school guys trying to stay safe and hidden from the asshole scientists, without any attempts to be "superheroes" and fighting random villains.

There were also a lot of pages devoted to Dylan's two cheerleading BFF's, and a bitchy, mean girl, but not enough for me to find them distracting and/or overly-annoying, which I fully expected to happen.

The story had plenty of action and intrigue, with some betrayal sprinkled in for good measure, but while the story did have a decent level of feels, they weren't quite what I'd call bone-deep.

There was a short separation toward the end, but that was blessedly not drawn out for too long.

My very favorite scene was the "flying through the trees, a la Tarzan and Jane", which made me laugh pretty hard. My twisted sense of humor just found that really funny.

If I had to list one major niggle, I'd have to say that I found it pretty annoying that the reader never found out any specific details behind how Jordan *got* the powers in the first place or *how* he passed the powers on to Dylan.

Like, no details AT ALL. Nothing. Not even vague theories or conjecture. And why did the same thing not happen to other people in their lives, too??? Color me confused. 😕

Overall, I'd rate the book at around 4.25 stars for the pure enjoyment of it and recommend it without hesitation to fans of the TJ Klune 's"The Extraordinaries" books.

I like to judge a book by its cover, and a feel-good cover needs a feel-good book. The Temperature of Me and You definitely has that feel-good factor, in the cover, the title, AND the writing. It has a sixteen-year-old protagonist who’s never had a boyfriend, witty banter, great supporting characters, and an original premise. Recommended for fans of T.J. Klune’s The Extraordinaries and Simon James Green.

I love stories based on strong friendships. I adore stories about first loves. I smile when a teen is overly dramatic. And I devour cute and funny moments, especially after reading some heavier-themed stories. The Temperature of Me and You has it all, and I didn’t even know that I needed a book like this right now, until I started reading it! So, I grinned when Dylan, Perry, and Kirsten were de-stressing with paint-by-number kits. I said ‘ouch’ when Dylan touched Jordan for the first time. I laughed out loud about Perry’s Love Connection. I chuckled when Dylan made references to Pokémon. I got butterflies in my belly when Dylan and Jordan suddenly kissed. And I wanted to know so much more about that literally hot boy!

At first, I thought the story would be too predictable, the writing too simple, the romance too insta. But then the action started, and I enjoyed myself tremendously, and I kept grinning and reading and even had a lump in my throat once or twice. I have to admit, the story could be a bit shorter, but who cares when it cheers you up? And that cover again … I can imagine teens hanging a poster of it above their bed so they can swoon over it. Having friends over, gaping at it together, gushing about how gorgeous it is. Doing … mmm, well …, I’m just saying this cover would be great merchandise … And it’s definitely a cover that will stand out in a bookstore!

Sixteen year-old Dylan dreams of the day he has a boyfriend, but for now he is so single it hurts. His normal life revolves around school, his two best friends, and The Dairy Queen. When a handsome boy shyly asks for ice cream after closing, Dylan is so awestruck with the stranger who wants it on a freezing cold day. He can't say no. He doesn't expect the dessert to splash everywhere and he definitely doesn't expect to run after the scared boy. When they accidentally touch, Dylan feels warm everywhere. Literally.

Convincing himself that he was just tired or confused, Dylan is curious to learn more about the enigmatic smoke show. He learns that his name is Jordan and that he is new to town. Jordan and Dylan quickly become friends when Dylan discovers his secret. He is abnormally warm and tends to ignite things with the sheer strength of his body. Dylan begins feeling ill after spending time with him and his symptoms mirror Jordan's. Now he can only trust Jordan, which means he must distance himself from the people he cares about. His life suddenly changes to fearing for his safety, running away from danger, and exploring first loves.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for allowing me to read The Temperature of Me and You in exchange for my honest review! 3.5 stars! 🌟 The synopsis recommends this book for ages 12+, but I think this book is perfect for any readers 14 and up! I loved the inclusivity and the originality of the plot! Dylan and Jordan were so refreshing to read about! Queer science fiction, teen angst, and a hint of suspense? Count me in! Also can we talk about the cover? So stunning.

tropes: friends to lovers, science fiction, young adult

3.5 stars to this YA Sci-Fi narrated by 16-year-old Dylan who is looking forward to his first romance when we meet him. Things heat up when he meets the mysterious Jordan. The LGBTQIAP+ cast is appreciated, and it was fun following Dylan and Jordan.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved the premise of it. But I had several questions along the way that was never answered. I almost didn’t finish it but needed to know what happened in the end. I liked the characters though and would have loved more interaction/relationship between the two guys. The ending was okay.

I received this ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I am smitten with queer super hero love stories. Dylan and Jackson or Dyson as I like to ship them, were the best couple. I really enjoyed their story. I would have loved to had more character development between the two. The plot was fast paced. It kept my interest. There are so many questions I'm left with at the end of the book. A lot of why's and how's. The secondary characters were awesome too. I especially found myself liking Savanna in the third act. I totally didn't can't the subtle foreshadowing but loved that twist. I definitely want to see another book with these characters. There are so many possibilities.

really not what I was expecting, and not in a good way, struggled too much to keep reading
not sure if it was just me but the story seemed all over the place

First of all I want to say thank you to Netgalley and Disney Publishing for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Let me just start off by saying I didn’t even finish this. I read like half and just couldn’t. I’m still gonna mark it as read tho bc I had to suffer. I was really excited for this book and I was so disappointed with it. The plot was boring and Dylan and Jordan’s relationship was going like way too fast. I loved the beginning but it kept getting worse, especially like Jordan omfg he’s so corny. His secret was anticlimactic and honestly after being halfway thru I didn’t know shit about him. I couldn’t force myself to finish this, it was so bad. 2/5 stars.

As a kid who grew up watching shows like Alex Mack, Dexter’s Lab, and Power Puff Girls, this book gave me the best nostalgic vibes of the classic mysterious compound giving a protagonist special abilities.

An infectious sci-fi about high school loner, Dylan, after he meets Jordan, a boy who’s hot, figuratively AND literally. Like, the human torch level of hot 🔥. After the two hang out, Dylan starts to realize he’s taken on some of the super human powers Jordan got from a freak accident that killed his parents. Dylan must now start to weigh the trials and tribulations of his newly found powers that leave him spontaneously floating and erupting in flames while also trying to find love, be a good friend, and avoid getting grounded.

I found myself reading this whenever I had a spare 10 mins just to see what happened next. It’s so consuming, well built characters, and really strong dialogue.

I don’t want to spoil the ending but I hope this is the start of a series of some very fun adventures of Dylan & Jordan, and their crew of friends.

Love the representation! Also the teen angst was cute. The cover is what drew me in! It was very vibrant.

Realistic dialogue. Easy reading and enjoyable. A lot of dialogue too, which is expected when reading a book aimed for and written about teens.

I wanted to like this book, and I tried so hard to love it. In the end, it fell flat for me. Yes, it felt pretty juvenile, but its written for a young audience, and I didn't have a problem with that. What I didn't enjoy was how inauthentic the characters and their actions felt. It's a pet peeve of mine when dialog and actions don't feel like things that real people would say or do, especially in realistic-ish fiction. The dialog felt stiff and all of the characters said things that didn't feel like stuff that real people would say, which always bothers me.

On the the story, Dylan works a boring job at Dairy Queen and thinks that going to the extent of his excitement in his small Pennsylvania town, until new guy Jordan, enters the picture in explosive fashion, quite literally. Dylan is captivated almost immediately, but Jordan is hiding a big secret from him. Their attraction to each other grows stronger until Dylan suddenly develops mysterious... symptoms.

Another massive pet peeve of mine is how Jordan and Dylan have their powers. I don't know why the books explanation drives me up a wall, but it absolutely does. I can accept that spider man has powers because he was bitten by a spider, so I don't know why the books explanation felt so painfully forced, but it did. If I really had to put words to it, I feel like they tried to give too much detail and make it too "possible" but that just made it feel ridiculous. It also bugged me that after just a week? Two weeks? Dylan is developing powers, but his aunt and uncle and other people in close contact with him haven't? And there's absolutely no explanation for how Dylan is getting powers when the author explained so thoroughly why Jordan has powers.

I feel like the ending was out of left field too, and wrapped up at break neck speed. While I think this is typical of YA, I felt it was particularly outstanding in this book and I found myself wanting more. The twist just wasn't it for me.

Despite all that, I didn't hate the book, I just didn't love it. I like the general idea and a lot of the stepping stones along the way, but some of the execution just felt flat to me. Perry and Kristen were my favorite characters by far, and even then I was constantly confusing them for each other.

this was a beautifully done first love story, I loved everything about this book. The characters felt like real people and that they were interesting. It was such a well done story and I look forward to reading more from Mr. Zepka.

High school changes you.
Coming out changes you.
First live changes you.


You just can’t predict how much.
For Dylan Highmark, predicting would have been impossible. When Jordan Ator walks into Dylan’s Dairy Queen, there was no way of knowing just how fast he’d fall. Sparks between them? Oh definitely. Figuratively and literally. Because you see, Jordan Isn’t like other boys Dylan’s met, and soon enough, Dylan finds himself infected with the same strange superpower, as he and his friends, and some enemies turned friends, have to figure out what is happening.

It’s not fair to find yourself dying when you’ve only just begun to live!

🔥Aw, that cover … It’s simply irresistible! One of the prettiest I’ve seen lately. I could swoon over it twenty-four hours a day … and those colors aren’t even my favorites …🔥

I like to judge a book by its cover, and a feel-good cover needs a feel-good book. The Temperature of Me and You definitely has that feel-good factor, in the cover, the title, AND the writing. It has a sixteen-year-old protagonist who’s never had a boyfriend, witty banter, great supporting characters, and an original premise. Recommended for fans of T.J. Klune’s The Extraordinaries and Simon James Green.

I love stories based on strong friendships. I adore stories about first loves. I smile when a teen is overly dramatic. And I devour cute and funny moments, especially after reading some heavier-themed stories. The Temperature of Me and You has it all, and I didn’t even know that I needed a book like this right now, until I started reading it! So, I grinned when Dylan, Perry, and Kirsten were de-stressing with paint-by-number kits. I said ‘ouch’ when Dylan touched Jordan for the first time. I laughed out loud about Perry’s Love Connection. I chuckled when Dylan made references to Pokémon. I got butterflies in my belly when Dylan and Jordan suddenly kissed. And I wanted to know so much more about that literally hot boy!

At first, I thought the story would be too predictable, the writing too simple, the romance too insta. But then the action started, and I enjoyed myself tremendously, and I kept grinning and reading and even had a lump in my throat once or twice. I have to admit, the story could be a bit shorter, but who cares when it cheers you up? And that cover again … I can imagine teens hanging a poster of it above their bed so they can swoon over it. Having friends over, gaping at it together, gushing about how gorgeous it is. Doing … mmm, well …, I’m just saying this cover would be great merchandise … And it’s definitely a cover that will stand out in a bookstore!

My reward: four hot 🔥🔥🔥🔥!

This was an interesting and cute read but the dialogue was slightly cringe at times. Overall I did like this book and I found the concept really intriguing and I would definitely recommend it.

honestly this was a v interesting concept. i do think tht the dialogue sometimes was corny and boring but overall this was entertaining

OH MY GOODNESS THIS IS AMAZING! There are so many things I loved about this book.
I have very few critiques, but here are my thoughts gathered:
Writing - I found that in the first 70-ish pages, the dialogue seemed a little choppy and unrealistic. I do think it smoothed out after that though. The writing is a very casual style, which I enjoy. It allows for more humor and realistic portrayal of teenagers. There are also mentions of texting and Snapchat that I think are very well done. There’s a good representation of teenage lingo.

Characters - Speaking of realistic portrayal of teenagers, Dylan is the best. He’s super awkward and sassy, and he’s simply just a realistic teen. He works at a Dairy Queen and hates it, even though he only works once a week (same). He’s only attracted to boys that have supernatural qualities (same). His best friends Perry and Kirsten are AMAZING! Jordan is a dreamboat. and SAVANNA! MY LOVELY SAVANNA. The characters were so amazing and well developed. I loved them all.

Breaking Stereotypes - Zepka really breaks a lot of YA book stereotypes in The Temperature of Me and You. We see Kirsten, the girl who’s a genius and good at everything, who is also a cheerleader. I like the breaking of the cheerleader stereotype. There’s also Savanna, who is actually my favorite character in this book, but I can’t say much about her without spoilers. She starts off as the classic popular mean girl, but we get to know more about her and I LOVE HER!

The romance - OH MY GOD THE ROMANCE. Amazing. At first, I thought it was happening too fast, but then things slowed down and we got to see such great development between Dylan and Jordan. They are such an amazing couple and I was rooting for them the whole time.

Overall - This book has so many good messages in it. It handles serious topics while also maintaining a fun atmosphere. There were definitely a few scenes where I got a little teary-eyed. I smiled and outright laughed multiple times. There are so few queer sci-fi books and I'm proud to say this is one of them. I absolutely love it and cannot wait to read more by Brian Zepka. Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

<i>Thank you to netgalley and Disney Publishing for the ARC of this book. </i>

Dylan wants a boyfriend, but the prospects for that high school romance are not looking so great. Then at the end of his shift at Dairy Queen, things literally heat up when he meets mysterious new kid Jordan. That first meeting didn't go so well, and Jordan disappears. With encouragement from his best friends Kirsten and Perry, Dylan finds Jordan, and what he finds next... is fire.

I loved the premise of this book, and while the "powers" were within the "accident results in powers" trope we see often, it was different in a lot of ways . Watching them manifest, and the impact stress and anxiety had in making that happen was a really interesting way to talk about mental illness, and I appreciated that.

Relationships:
There's no doubt the relationship between Dylan and Jordan was cute, but I didn't really feel the romantic chemistry in the way I was hoping. It wasn't angsty. It wasn't OMG AWWWWWW. It was just aww that's cute/nice/sweet.

There was really nice depiction of high school relationships/friendships, and the drama level was at a medium at most. Everyone wants the friends who would do anything for you and encourage you to do crazy things while managing to be protective of you. Dylan has those.

Overall, I just wasn't very emotionally invested in any of the characters.

Final Thoughts: Without much emotional investment in the characters, I did go through this pretty quickly. The writing at times felt like we were talking about high schoolers from a middle school vantage point rather than high schoolers from a high school vantage point, so that definitely threw me off. Even in the most exciting of times there wasn't an adrenaline rush. This didn't feel like a page turner. All that said, I'm definitely willing to give this another chance, possibly on audio. I really do want to like this book. I'll be interested to see who is chosen to do the audio narration. While a story should be good on its own, a great narrator sometimes helps to bring another perspective. I'll definitely update my rating if it changes as a result of another go around.

Additional Info:
Length: Given the current depth in both characters and plot, I think this novel could have been shorter by a good 50 pages (Currently ~420 pages).

Target Demographic: While this book's target demographic states ages 12-18, the writing does feel well suited for the younger end of that range. 14-16 is probably the sweet spot for the reader of this book.

Cover Art: Love, Love, Love

Steaminess Level: Sweet/Cute. There's nothing sexually explicit. The heat between Dylan and Jordan manifests in actual sparks... and fire... and smoke... and, well... you'll see.

Language: No swearing that I recall. I didn't like that near the beginning of the story Dylan referred to the Catholic school girls at St. Helena's as Helena's Hos because the girls are wild since they hang out with nuns all day. It's unnecessary, awkward, and out of place given the overall the tone of the novel.

Representation: LGBTQIA+, racial/ethnic diversity is not really discussed.