Lily Rosemont has a lot going on this year. Between applying for college scholarships, being a primary caregiver for her 9 year old brother, and navigating the new world of her parents' divorce, the last thing she needs is another person to take care of. Yet, it is high school heart throb Noah, her next door neighbor, who turns out to be exactly what Lily needs to be able to make the most of her senior year. Ironically, up until his traumatic brain injury on the football field, Noah is also the person who made Lily's life miserable.

Can she look beyond his past cruelties and accept this new, kind, genuinely apologetic version of her past tormentor? And, if she does, how will the rest of the school treat her and this new relationship?

I would recommend this book to the bullies- and the bullied- in my high school. Oram paints a painstakingly heart wrenching - but exaggerated, portrayal of just how cruel high school peers can be to one another. While some of the extreme behaviors the "popular" teens exhibit (pouring lunch trays full of food on others, etc.) can be seen as hyperbole of what really goes on, it is a bit over-the-top.

**I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

I really enjoyed reading the book, and especially loved how the characters grew throughout the book. Would definitely recommend this to every rom-com reader out there.

This was a really quick, sweet read for me.

I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed the TBI storyline. Oram did a nice job demonstrating the cognitive difficulties, personality changes, and residual effects of a TBI. And with Noah and Lily, a TBI was what brought them together, bridging the gap from enemies to something more.

I didn’t like the catty high school hierarchy, but hey, I guess that’s high school.

Overall decent read.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


An emotionally gripping read.

An emotional and realistic story about adolescence, bullying and disability at a young age, “The Starburst Effect”, by Kelly Oram, is a very enjoyable read while addressing serious issues.
I loved the way the author portrayed Noah’s issues because of the Traumatic Brain Injury. The problems, challenges and hurdles he and the ones around him face are huge.
Kelly Oram did an amazing job, too, in the exploration of the painful feelings of insecurity, inadequacy, peer rejection and isolation that so often accompany teen years. The portrayal of such feelings really becomes top-notch within the context of bullying and cruelty between peers
While I was reading and really enjoying the story I felt the author had done a thorough research of these subjects, so that that they were shown naturally in the narrative.
The romance between Noah and Lily is sweet and cute. There are fun parts, some related to the hero’s aphasia, that don’t lessen him in any way.
I liked both leads, but Noah only after the accident. The vulnerability, earnestness and the wearing his heart in his sleeve are compelling.
His cruelty and mean streak before the injury are unbearable. The motivation was unclear and the possible explanation wasn’t enough for me. To be honest, I think he should have groveled more. It’s ironic that the hero only becomes likeable after the TBI.
Lily is a great character; I liked her maturity, intelligence and compassion.
The supporting characters are eclectic and also interesting. Mason is such a strong, compelling boy; he really deserves his story.

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

"Changes in personality are common with traumatic brain injuries. Memory issues, cognition problems, emotional outbursts, mood swings, fatigue, headaches...the list of possibilities is endless."

Man, I definitely closed the ebook thinking "what the eff did I just read?" which is not a thought that I typically have with YA romances. Let's talk about it.

I'm relatively new to Kelly Oram. I've read her novel Serial Hottie, which I actually quite liked, and her novella Sixteen Kisses, which was honestly kind of trash. So, a pretty mixed bag with my relationship with the author so far. Unfortunately, I think The Starburst Effect only served to further my confusion.

The summary does a good job synthesizing what it's about, so I won't bother re-hashing that. The TL;DR is that Noah bullied Lily before suffering a traumatic brain injury and now he's really nice and wants to be her boyfriend. That's a pretty epic simplification but it gets the job done.

From a technical standpoint, this book definitely needed a few more rounds of editing. On top of several grammar and spelling issues, there are basic continuity problems. For example, in one chapter Lily comments that she's never been inside Noah's house before when she was literally in it like, one chapter previously.

Now to the content -

The plot of this book is all over the place. Granted, it's a romance and is pretty character-driven, so I wasn't expecting a really developed plot. But like, even the book they're meant to be working on together is just a plot device. We're given no context for where Noah got this idea or why he decided to ask the school to help him pursue it. We're not shown any of the writing processes, besides having a few interviews be alluded to, and it really only comes up in the context of their relationship and its various dramas.

Lily, our MC, has a strong case of "not like other girls" syndrome. Like, there wouldn't be a book without that premise, it is pivotal to the text. I could put up with this, but it immediately knocked some of my enjoyment off that Oram relied so heavily on this trope.

Noah, our main man, is by far the most interesting character and I would've enjoyed getting to see a bit of his POV honestly. He's recovering from traumatic brain injury and will suffer from brain damage for the rest of his life. However, while I am hardly an expert, the way Noah behaves after his accident felt unrealistic to me. With the exception of a few moments where he was less than perfect, Noah is basically an epic sweetheart who sees the blessing in his injury, has a great attitude, and only really experiences some of the less trying symptoms of his condition (EG aphasia, which was honestly written in a cute way). Again, I'm no expert, but I've heard anecdotally that the mood swings suffered by people with this condition can be pretty rough, and a cursory Google supports this. Now, am I saying Oram didn't do her research? Absolutely not; I'm sure she did. But I think this is a YA Romance and we're supposed to love Noah, so some of the more trying parts of his condition were maybe, smoothed over? Please note - I could be way off base about this so if anyone has a TBI survivor in their life (or is one themselves) please feel free to correct me in the comments.

<b>Most importantly</b>, I did not feel the romantic chemistry between Lily and Noah. I thought they made wonderful, supportive friends, but I just didn't feel the tension that comes from romantic and sexual chemistry. This is 10000% personal opinion and didn't factor into my overall rating but definitely impacted my enjoyment of the book.

Okay, I've been pretty critical so far. What works in The Starburst Effect?

I wouldn't have expected this from what I've read of Oram previously, but this book has some interesting philosophical questions. Noah suffers something horrible but comes out of it a better person. Does this mean his injury was a good thing? What's it like for Noah to essentially wake up being a totally different person than he was before his coma? I appreciated that Oram didn't try to answer all these questions, but instead let the text raise the ideas for the reader to mull over.

While I didn't enjoy reading about it, the drama between Zoey and Lily rang pretty true to standard-high-school-girl-beef.

The best part of this book was the family dynamics between Lily, her brother, and their recently divorced parents. I really enjoyed Mason, her brother, who was by far the most legit character in the text.

In summary, a unique book for its sub-genre, but missed the mark for me by quite a bit.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

This was such a wholesome, emotional read. I picked this up for the disability rep, as I was intrigued by how the author would be able to balance something so sensitive along with the other obstacles stated in the synopsis. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed how most of this book played out.

Both Lily and Noah are fantastic main characters. The story is told from Lily's POV but you get a real sense of Noah through his actions and how she views him. Lily, having been bullied on/off throughout high school ends up completely outcasted in her senior year due to a nickname Noah gave her before his accident. The damage is long-lasting and for most of this book, Lily is navigating how to survive senior year, look after her young brother after her parent's divorce, and working alongside Noah, who is completely different - not just because of his new disabilities - after the brain injury he sustains at the start of the book.

Although there are some moments in this book where it's very typical teenager dramatics, I appreciated the author's attention to the minefield life can be when you're struggling. Really horrible things happen to both Lily and Noah, and whilst this could break them completely, it was rewarding to watch them push back and find their place in high school society and everyday life. I liked that they didn't feel the need to mask their feelings, and the bullies that hurt them both aren't able to get away with diminishing them the further this book progresses. I also loved the romance between Lily and Noah so much. It was completely adorable, and I would have loved to see how it played out after high school for them too. The author's approach to the way the world viewed this inter-abled relationship was executed with care and respect. I really liked it.

The rebuilding of relationships between some characters was well done, and for others, I had hoped they wouldn't get any redemption. I was disappointed about this the most with Lily and her best friend at the end after how she dropped her for her own desires to fit in when Lily wasn't, and the way Lily's parents reacted to several moments in this book to then resolve the tension on her shoulders after burdening her for so long made them look more appreciative than they truly felt throughout the rest of it. Because the way this world wrapped up so positively, especially with the last angsty obstacle dragging out, is a bit of a shame, as I was looking for more connection between the main characters than everything working out for everyone. Granted, this is a small gripe with an otherwise wonderful read.

Can a a condescending jerk of a bully really be redeemed?

I read this book in one day because I just had to know how it ends.

Lilly is a high school senior who is bullied constantly by her neighbor and his friends as if that wasn't hard enough her parents are always fighting which affects her and her little brother Mason.
Noah is the bully neighbor, when he takes a life threatening hit during a football game everything he and Lilly thought they knew will change.

From the very first few pages I knew that this book was going to crush me.
The way Lilly always wants to protect her baby brother reminded me of myself and how that is how I am.
The development of Lilly and Noah's relationship after his TBI had me in tears.
The way Lilly is compassionate towards him shows a maturity in her that sometimes is portrayed as a weakness but really it's just a strength.

Would definitely recommend this to everyone needing a feel good read.

Thank to NetGalley for this ARC.

When I saw Kelly Oram was releasing a new book, I jumped at the chance to read it. She's one of the handful of YA authors that I still enjoy reading. Her writing is engaging, and I love the stories she creates. I enjoyed The Starburst Effect, but I wasn't quite prepared for the rollercoaster of emotions it took me on.

This book didn't start off in the easiest of ways. Lily's parents were in the midst of divorcing, and she was being bullied by her neighbor and other classmates. Nothing was going well for her even when it seemed things might be looking up. Lily tried to cope the best she could. She was strong for her younger brother, but she also shrank inside herself. Lily was depressed. Her best friend Zoey was the only one who seemed to notice, and she did her best to support Lily. Then, Noah is injured, and everything changes for him and Lily. He's no longer the star football player and king of the school, and Lily is the only person who is willing to stand by him and help him through his new reality. 

I'm going to be honest. This story was MESSY. There is so much to break down and sift through when it comes to my feelings on it. Lily was a good person. She wasn't without her faults, but maybe too good at some points. Lily was way more forgiving than I think I could have been at seventeen, especially when it came to Noah. She showed maturity beyond her years. Sometimes I thought she was too forgiving and too helpful. Sometimes I thought her friends had some valid points. But, when it came down to it, I loved how accepting Lily was and how she knew what she wanted and what was possible for her. 

Here's some more honesty for you... I hated Noah from the start. I wasn't even sure I wanted him to be able to redeem himself. He was so cruel and unkind to Lily. He led the pack, and I didn't even want to know why he chose to bully Lily. I hated that it took a severe injury and social status change for him to change. I did find the subject of his traumatic brain injury and the starburst effect interesting. I would never wish an injury like this on someone, but he did come out a better person. By the end, Noah had won me over. 

Lily and Noah were very sweet together. I was surprised that she could forgive him enough to fall for him. I wasn't sure I was going to like them as more than just friends. I might have actually preferred this story without the romance (Weird comment for me, I know.) just because of how horrible he was at first. That probably would have taken away from the great ending, though. I really loved how Lily's and Noah's paths turned out separately and together.

There is a lot of bullying in this book. Some of it is name calling. Some of it is intimidation. Some of it is physical. It was all hard to read. I hated all of the mean characters. I felt so bad for Lily, and I could understand her reactions to it. Her best friend Zoey tried to stick by her side and help, but it wasn't easy. I liked Zoey's attempts, but there came a point where I could only be mad at her even when I understood her actions. 

Another character that made me mad was Lily's mother. There's one specific moment where she expects Lily to contact her own father to watch her younger brother. That was something the mother should have done. She also expected way too much from Lily without trying to have the dad help out. It was frustrating for both Lily and me. Oh, and since I mentioned her dad -- he should have done better as well. The only parents in this book that I loved were Noah's. Susan and her husband were amazing for Noah and for Lily and her younger brother Mason. Mason deserves a shout out, too. He was a great little brother.  

I feel like this review has been all over the place. It's been hard to put all of my feelings together. This book made me angry, frustrated, sad, hopeful, and happy. I rarely cry when reading books, but this one brought tears to my eyes. I felt so much for Lily and wanted what was best for her. Heck, I even felt sympathy and pride for Noah by the end. While I would categorize it as a tough and emotional read, I couldn't put it down and enjoyed where the book took me.

DNF :( I don't know, I didn't really quite connect with the way the story was written, and it wasn't engaging for me. I think it would be suitable for a younger audience maybe 13+. It had clean wattpad vibes to it.

A new all time favorite book. I cannot stress how much I adore this book and it’s characters.

After suffering from a traumatic brain injury Lily’s antagonistic neighbor, Noah, has completely changed. Lily’s struggle to forgive along with high school and family problems make this a story to never forget.

My favorite things about the book:
- Noah and his constant battle against his disability and what that means for him and his future.
- Lily is such a realistic character when it comes to her struggle with college and her family.
- Noah and lily were just amazing together.
- This whole story has me in shambles.

My least favorite things about the book:
- I only have one complaint, everything felt rushed at the end.

The Starburst Effect by Kelly Oram ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book is such a unique and realistic description of high school. It was very emotional and relatable. Most people simply be mean and rude just because they can. They just don't understand how it affects the one they're targeting.
The accident was a real eye-opener to Noah who bullied Lily for no apparent reason. He got permanent brain damage which left him with several mental disabilities. His friends abandoned him and he was in the same level of social circle as the 'Trash' he had nicknamed Lily.
I loved Lily, Mason, and Susan the most. I was a bit reluctant about Zoe, but I was right about her anyway. Lily was such a patient and understanding character, it was really heartfelt. Her struggles and experiences were so inspiring.
Noah eventually won my heart like he won Lily's. The author did an extraordinary job expressing Noah's frays dealing with his problems. I am really impressed by the ending of the story and the character developments in the previously disliked characters of mine like Lily's mom, dad, Zoe and Austin.
Overall, it's a wonderful book and I'd really loveto read more of Kelly's novels.

I am decidedly a Kelly Oram fanatic, and would happily read her shopping list if she deigned to publish it, but don't let that diminish what I am about to type.

This may be one of her best books ever. I am not huge on the redemption of jerks trope, but somehow she had me sobbing for both MCs towards the end of the book.

This story is up there with Cinder and Ella for creating characters so heartbreaking and real, while showing how awful and wonderful humans can be to each other.

Also, bonus for all the Easter eggs to her other books.

Definitely recommended, but bring tissues.

Thank you Netgalley and Xpresso Tours for allowing me to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I feel a major book hangover coming on and it's all thanks to The Starburst Effect. My soul and feelings hurt. My heart is bleeding and my husband is giving me weird looks.

I LOVE THIS BOOK.

I knew this was going to tear me into pieces and, kind of, put me back together again. The story is believable, realistic, and I'm obsessed with the building blocks of Lily and Noah's relationship.

Mason is one of the most realistic little brothers in YA at the moment and I adore his friendship with Noah, it's precious. Oram handles writing divorce correctly because I felt every frustrated moment Lily had with her mother and father. I could definitely relate to her situation.

Bow down to Oram for literally making me do a complete 180 on Noah's development. Honestly I knew I was going to end up loving him anyway but if you can make me love a past bully, hats off to you.

I did NOT want to put this book down at all. I love the pacing and Kelly Oram's writing style, it's fantastic. My wrists hurt from holding my kindle the entire time because I didn't want to stop reading. The ending is bittersweet and I love it and you all need to read this book. ASAP. Go pre-order it like I'm going to be doing so I can read it again on release day.

If you're looking for something similar check out John Green, of course, and I highly recommend checking out Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher, which gave me the same feelings and a horrible book-hangover I couldn't shake for weeks!

5 stars

Manually posted on Goodreads, Netgalley is having issues with the ISBN.

Omg I'm obsessed with this story; I couldn't put it down for a single second. Noah is definitely the biggest jerk ever, and Lily gets bullied so much from him, , I didn't think Noah could redeem himself after everything he put Lily through but that's the charm of bully romances, because as the plot progresses the author makes us fall in love with him, and I couldn't get enough of the two of them together, I loved the way the author narrates the evolution of their relationship and how they help each other.

A bully romance about friendship, forgiveness and second chances. Highly recommended