The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss

Book 283 for the year! 4/5 stars for this nerdy ya contemporary! Great coming of age story. Perfect for fans of Geekerella. So beautifully nerdy! If you enjoy math/physics and a cute story then please give this one a go! Not my favorite cover. Loved the dual narration!

*I received this book in exchange for honest review from Netgalley* Book releases January 5th 🎉

Sometimes all we need is a good fluffy romantic comedy book to get us through the day and The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss is exactly that. This belongs to the childhood friends to lovers trope that hits every single time. I adore this book. I can not stress that enough.

This book is told in dual pov: Caleb and Evie. Caleb for the most part of his point of view can be seen pining for Evie. Which I am a huge fan of. Something about boys pining for their love interest just gives me the rush. Evie on the other hand is such a cute, lovable protagonist who one can not help but like. There were actually moments within this book that made me squeal in annoyance because of the well "almost-ness" in some parts. I can't tell much or else I might spoil the whole thing.

Both characters are achingly real in all honesty. Reading their insecurities, vulnerabilities, and flaws made me want to protect them from whatever it is they are facing. But for the majority of the story, they're just being quirky and undeniably funny.

I highly recommend this to anyone who's looking for and into feel-good romance because this one is just that. The main protagonists are the sweetest and they will make you feel things.

This book is a YA romance between two best friends. Caleb always wanted to be more than just friends and one day, an almost kiss happens but Evie quickly turns him down, saying no. After that, Caleb tries to do some damage control but he hasn't forgotten what he wants and he still hopes to get there someday. When Evie has her first boyfriend, Caleb ends up chatting with her under a false name to get closer to her.

Overall, for me, this was an okay story and I like that the book included mental health rep but unfortunately, I was never convinced by the romance. I found the way Caleb lied about not wanting anything more from Evie uncomfortable and weird sometimes and I also didn't love the plot about the anonymous chat.

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

The fact that this audiobook was read in both a female and male voice really made the emotions pop for me. I loved all the characters and their roles in the whole story.

Caleb was the sweetest most thoughtful boy ever. The way he could understand and read Evie was pure. Although it seemed like Evie was out of reach for so long - he stuck around to be there even if it was on the sidelines.

Evie needed to give herself more credit. she is dealing with serious anxiety. although she has gone through a lot emotionally and physically she picks herself up and gets out there - she is my shero

Becks is also one of my favorite characters - she's like a guardian angel whom everyone relies on for guidance. I love the fact that they incorporated a religious vs science aspect to the story,. In conclusion - Love! and I hope Becks is the main women in the next one

I really enjoyed this book because it so cute and nerdy. The narration was great and really added to the story. The story perfectly describes anxiety and insecurities that almost anybody would feel.

This was the cutest book!! Evie is attending a private school. Everyone there is smart in different sciences. Evie has anxiety. She is working on it, but she doesn't understand social cues as well.
Who will she end up with? Her best friend for years or a great guy at school? What will happen when she stands up for herself and realizes that her therapy and being herself has helped her enough?
The narrator's were wonderful and you felt like you were watching a movie or you were just in the mix of things.

I loved the voices of this audiobook and I’m so picky! I thought the story was so cute gave me such a Big Bang Theory and Atypical vibe.

Story: 4.5 ⭐️
Steam: 1 🔥 (YA Romance)
Audiobook: 5 🎧

This book was so so so cute!! I adored it honestly. I love nerdy romances and this one certainly delivered!

This friends to lovers romance was perfect for those who love protective, lovable, reliable, classic golden retriever heroes 🤣 our heroine is brilliant, soft spoken, and a bit oblivious in social situations. I loved the peek into what it’s like to be a woman in STEM and seeing a girl kick butt at math!

We also got to see our heroine overcome her anxiety and learn to trust herself which was amazing.

Audiobook Performance: Fantastic. Both narrators did an amazing job and both sounded like how I would imagine the characters. Perfect!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an audiobook to review in exchange for an honest review.

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss by Amy Noelle Parks, 368 pages. Amulet Books, 2021. $14.
Language: PG13 (14 swears, 1 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Caleb and Evie have been friends forever -- and Caleb has been in love with her for most of that time. Meanwhile, Evie has only been in love with math. Until now.
From the first page, I fell in love with Caleb and Evie and their story. I love their cute nerdiness, their endless supply of adorableness, and their witty lines; but the thing that captivated me the most is how tangible their personalities are. Caleb and Evie feel like my friends because I feel like I know them well enough to recognize them if we could somehow pass each other on the street. Their story is humorous and heartbreaking and enjoyable from start to end. I’m already planning when I can reread it. Note: I listened to the audiobook, and it is read by two voice actors as they read alternating chapters from Caleb and Evie’s points of view. They did an amazing job, and I know they are at least half the reason I love this book. The mature content rating is for innuendo.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

I was super excited to be approved for an ARC of The Quantum Weirdness. Love triangle, friends-to-lovers, and a boarding school? Sign me up.

The novel is told in first-person POV from alternating perspectives of Evie and Caleb. The two are BFFs, but Caleb is 100% in love with Evie, and Evie… well, she’s not sure what she feels for Caleb, other than knowing she absolutely needs him in her life. She might have feelings for him, but she doesn’t want to risk her friendship with him. Instead, she turns to a new student who makes her heart flutter when he looks at her. That is much, much safer. Except now Caleb is really jealous. So, drama ensues.

I really enjoyed the back-and-forth perspectives of Evie and Caleb. Both characters are so different, but so very endearing. I related heavily to Evie’s anxiety, and really enjoyed her growth throughout the novel. Yes, she does depend on Caleb. A lot. But I think that’s okay. I still think the novel showed her growth regardless. I liked the positive outlook on therapy and how useful coping mechanisms can be. I myself started going to therapy this year, so it was nice to see positive rep for both therapy and anxiety. The book is also pro-female, with many strong female characters other than Evie, who all have to fight for their gender in a very male-dominated boarding school.

I liked Caleb a lot, too, despite the crappy thing he does later in the story. I think, were I Evie, I would have been a little more upset about what he did, but also, she’s kind of in love with him, so I can understand why she would have let it slide. I also hate that Caleb basically just “expected” Evie to fall in love with him because he’s there and he’s nice to her. I don’t really love that entitlement. I wish Caleb could have expressed his feelings for Evie a little less “that.” But overall, I liked Caleb. Honestly there’s no way anyone is that perfect but it’s nice to pretend.

As for the narrators, I loved them. I hate when audiobooks pick narrators who sound 100 years older than the main characters. It very much takes the realism out of the experience for me. But the narrators for Caleb and Evie were perfect. They sounded just like I expected them too, and did a great job reading.

If you love YA romance, especially friends to lovers, this is right up your alley. Yes, there’s some math and physics and stuff thrown in, but it’s not too much to bear. Think John Green’s An Abundance of Katherines-level of math. It’s very readable and will kill you with cuteness. Though I didn’t fall head over heels for the story like I was hoping to—I needed a little more something, I don’t know know what, just something—I still very much enjoyed it and think you will, too. The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss hits shelves January 5th, so be sure to pick up a copy to start 2021 with a swoony romance.

Pretty cute and easy to listen to.

To start off, I liked that in this story it was the guy pining over the girl. Caleb was in love with Evie and she was the one saying no to a relationship and dating another guy. So often it's the girl wanting the guy to notice her or see her as more than a friend so I appreciated the change. I didn't like that Caleb dated every other girl at school (almost literally.) It made him a player and wasn't fair to the other girls that he didn't really care about and of course it made Evie not want to date him. She thought she'd be just another notch in the belt and it would ruin their friendship.

Evie has anxiety and panic attacks, but is managing them well with therapy and medication. I liked seeing realistic mental health written, especially that it's not something that rules your life and there are ways to still accomplish all your goals. Caleb won me over with the sweet way he cares for Evie and understands her so completely.

The plot was okay, there were some slow parts while we were waiting for them to go to the competition. I thought the ending was cute and the narration for the audiobook was done well.

I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This was a fairly cute romance between two best friends stuck in a "will-they-won't-they" scenario, but the scenario lives inside the head of one of them for most of the book.

I appreciated the representation of anxiety and other people's roles in the life of our anxious heroin.

Though I finished this a few days ago and kind of forgot about it, so I'm unsure what I think about it.

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss is a smart and funny story about life-long best friends Evie and Caleb as they attend an elite boarding school for geniuses. In the book we see Evie figure out how to navigate various anxiety disorders while exploring romance for the first time. Caleb, meanwhile has been in love with Evie most of his life but worries about ruining their friendship if he were to pursue it. This was a very sweet book that I listened to in a single day. I was extremely hooked and charmed by this book.
As someone who deals with anxiety, I appreciated the care the author took not only to portray this side of anxiety but also the narrative choices themselves were very anxiety friendly. There were several points in the story where things could have gone way worse and each time I felt my anxiety beginning to rise at a particular possibility, the author swooped in and subverted my expectations in the best of ways. Like I would be sitting there going oh no this is about to go very bad but then it would tilt and go in a more pleasant direction and I was pleasantly surprised and delighted. That is certainly not easy to pull off but goodness was it appreciated.
On the whole though, this book had such a healthy perspective on dealing with anxiety and it was refreshing for once to have the story take place after the big break down and to show the main character in therapy and healing from it instead of chronicling the big break that necessitated therapy. I loved that. I love any fiction that normalizes talking about mental health and therapy so this got two big thumbs up and a hearty thank for that if nothing else. We need more books like this that show that you can heal and learn healthy ways of coping and deal with mental health in constructive ways.
I also think it was a smart decision to go with the alternating POVs. I liked getting to see both sides and how that would let us in on some of the shenanigans and miscommunications. It was a lot more enjoyable and interesting to see how Evie and Caleb respectively thought of each other and what was happening.
I enjoyed both narrators as well, they both were good fits for their characters and well-matched. There are some audiobooks with two narrators that I really struggle with because sometimes one narrator is a better performer than the other but, happily, that wasn’t the case here. It is always nice when I can just listen to the story without being distracted by narrators I don’t like.
I had a good time with this audiobook, and I was thrilled to have been granted this from the publisher on NetGalley. This was a solid 4.5/5 star read for me and a great audiobook as well!

Actual Rating: 4.5

My expectations were low for this book, as I don’t typically enjoy main characters that prefer scientific explanations for everything that has ever happened. This book was so much better than any of those other books, though. There was a romance that I enjoyed and I found the characters very endearing. I loved the friendship between Evie and Caleb and every character’s personalities. There were many times this book had me laughing and grinning.

Since I listened to the audiobook, I thought I should mention that I enjoyed the voices of the narrators. The acting in this audiobook was great and I didn’t cringe when the male narrator tried doing a female voice.

I never wanted this adorable book to end and I hope there will be other books for the other characters!

This is a very fun YA romance. It was entertaining and engaging, but stayed clean enough that I’d happily recommend it to any young readers. Strong female characters in STEM is an important added bonus.

This book is definitely a cute YA romance. With friends to love, some jealousy and an awesome girl power math whiz. I recommend for anyone who enjoys YA romance. I had the privilege of listening to an early audiobook, since this is in both POV of Evelyn and Caleb. There are two narrators. They both do a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life

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 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.

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.

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.

TW: Anxiety and Munchausen's By Proxy

Childhood friends Evie and Caleb know each other better than anyone in the world. Evie is a brilliant math prodigy, and Caleb is an intelligent coder and their friendship has been stable for years. That all ends when Evie gets interested in boys for the first time, and it's not Caleb she wants to kiss. Evie, who has anxiety, has never been interested in boys and tends to keep to her small circle of friends. Caleb always assumes that when she does want more, she will choose him because he has loved her for years.

Before you stop reading, Caleb is not a jerk about it and he is supportive of his friend. While some of his behaviors are borderline toxic, he is not a toxic character. He continues being her friend and does not try to interfere with Evie’s new relationship, much. He does toe the line at times, but it is mostly for his development as a character. He learns more about himself and what makes relationships successful through trial and error. Evie’s growth through the book is also very self centered. She learns to trust herself and makes strides in managing her mental health.

The book takes place in a high school for gifted STEM students and mixes lighthearted YA romance, with deep discussions of math and physics. It reminded me of a less toxic Big Bang Theory. If you are a nerd and you like science fiction, you will probably enjoy this. If you just want romance and find deep dives and discussion of philosophy tedious, then you may not enjoy this because the discussion of theory and the mechanics of code, math, and physics principles are prevalent in this book. Personally, I love reading intelligent discussions within a story, but I know a lot of people don’t.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I listened to the audiobook and found the narration to be enjoyable. Nick Mondell and Elizabeth Cottle created a story that I could sink into and made this world that is so different, yet familiar, feel like a place I could enjoy.

**Potential Spoilers in next paragraph**

There were some aspects of the book that felt disjointed. Like side stories that didn’t feel complete; a dramatic decision by the mom that felt more serious than the tone of the book would suggest, Bex’s journey, and Caleb’s decision to create Milo. There were a lot of elements and storylines, and character development in this story and I was here for all of it, it just didn’t come together into something that blew me away.

Note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Was unable to finish reading because the narration grated on me so much. Sadly, I had to DNF, even though I very much would’ve liked to continue.

Totally adorable! OK first of all you guys that title! Not going to lie that’s why I requested this book I just could not resist that title... so good! Lucky for me the story was just as cute as the title. Evie and Caleb have been BFFs since kindergarten. they now are even at the same prestigious boarding school that emphasizes STEM. Caleb has a huge crush on Evie but has never confessed this to her thinking she was not ready for a relationship. So when Evie starts dating Leo Caleb does not know what to think. to further complicate things the three of them are headed off to a prestigious STEM competition that could possibly change their futures.

This book put a big smile on my face and a pitter patter in my heart. Loved that it was the boy pining for the girl this time, it always seems to be the other way around. Evie was such a great character. An introvert who struggled with social anxiety and panic attacks, a math/physics genius always needing to prove that she was as smart if not smarter than the boys, a good loyal friend with a heart of gold. Caleb has been Evie‘s rock forever. He stood up for her in kindergarten and still stands up for her today, even though she doesn’t need it as much as she used to. I really liked the fact that we saw pieces of Caleb and Evie‘s pass it really gave a clearer picture of these characters adorable friendship. The audiobook was narrated by Nick Mondel and Elizabeth Cottle. they both did a wonderful job voicing the lovely characters in the story. Such a sweet satisfying story with the perfect ending.

This book in emojis 👩🏼‍🎓 🎒 👓 🚌 ☕️ 👨🏻‍🎓

*** Big thank you to Dreamscape Media for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

I received an audiobook arc from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
First of all this book was cute and adorable and I think it will a lot of people will relate to the characters.
The audiobook was excellent, loved the duel narrations!
Nick Mondelli and Elizabeth Cottle are excellent!

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

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss was all kinds of cute and predictable. In it, you will meet two best friends that eventually start to become a bit more (romantically). After meeting Caleb and Evie, well - in the beginning it was a bit awkward. I honestly wasn't sure what was going on or what was going to happen between them. It was just a really awkward friend-zone thing going on.

Caleb and Evie both had some pros and cons. Eventually they started to get on the same page about one another but it took a long time for that to happen. Plus, while they were dating different people and then the whole weirdness about them liking each other as friends or more than was just meh to me. I just think if they liked each other then they should've said it instead of waiting till the very last second of this book.

In the end, it was a cute book that was easy to follow along with.

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.

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.

I enjoyed this young adult book. The plot is a lovely modern twist on a classic. The narration was great as well.

⭐⭐⭐💫

This book was totally adorable. I devoured the audiobook in one day! I think the childhood best friend to lovers is quickly being a favorite YA romance troupe for me. I loved that this book tackles issues such as mental health, family relationships and dynamics.

Per the title, this book embraces all the beauty that math and science has to offer, but rest assure, you can definitely enjoy this book even if you have limited knowledge of quantum physics and mathematic (speaking from experience 🤣).

While there is one incident I'm not a huge fan of, I still loved the characters and was invested in them from beginning to end. There were scenes that had me laughing out loud. I'd definitely suggest this for anyone who loves YA romance or just wants a quick escape from real life!

So many thanks to @dreamscape_media and @netgalley for providing me with the audio of this precious book in exchange for my honest review.

I received an audiobook of this title through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5 stars

First I want to start off with the overall audiobook before diving into the book itself. This book has two different narrators, one for each pov which is given every other chapter. I thought that both narrators did a great job with their sections. Both were well spoken and clear and easy to understand, even when listening at a faster speed. I listened to the majority of this book at 2x speed as I found 1x to be way too slow for my liking and longer pauses between paragraphs or changes. But that is the nice thing about listening to audiobooks is that you can change the speed you are listening.

As for the story itself, I did overall really like it. I had a few issues but overall they were pretty minor (at least in feature in the story). For the most part I liked all of the characters and I really thought that the anxiety rep was realistic (at least in comparison to my own experiences with anxiety and panic attacks). I can not speak for the therapy rep in this though from a psychology major standpoint I also feel like that was handled pretty well. And it also dealt with other real life issues such as changing college plans and majors, social anxiety, growing apart from others, growing closer, and overbearing parents.

A warning as this section is going to contain at least one spoiler,

The part that I had the biggest issue with was the main characters mother drugging her with anxiety medications after she told her that she did not need them. I really feel like this was not needed and could have been left out from the story. And I think that it was kind of swept under the rug after it happened. It was completely unacceptable. I am glad that she brought up to her mom that she needs to seek some therapy herself but drugging your daughter (or anyone really) is such a huge thing and I think it would be a lot harder to be calm about it.

Overall though it was a good story I just don't see it as one that I will think about after this even though it was enjoyable and I did think the anxiety rep was pretty decent.

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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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Thank you to DreamScape Media and Netgalley for the ALC of this book.

I have mixed feelings about this book, because the characters were very lovable and I ultimately ended up rooting for them and enjoying the romance, but I also think this story had some problematic aspects that need to be addressed.

I felt like a lot of the things Caleb did were problematic at best, toxic at worst.

Evie is such an awesome smart girl character, but to me, her traits didn't read as simply chronic anxiety. Obviously she has that, but a lot of her behaviors read as someone on the autism spectrum. This was never addressed in the book. I look forward to when this book has more reviews so I can see what Autistic people think about this aspect.

I also felt the beginning of the book was setting Evie up to be asexual spectrum but that took a turn.

I did ultimately enjoy this read even despite the problems I've listed. It was a fun book, I loved the premise, I enjoyed the writing, and the audiobook narrators did a great job!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Mental illness

Moderate: Sexism and Bullying

The Quantum Weirdness of The Almost Kiss by Amy Noelle Parks is a sweet YA romantic comedy full of longing, math, science, and friendship, and a heartfelt exploration of the push and pull between a life-long platonic friendship and a romantic relationship and being caught in that confusing, deep space in between. Told in dual POV, the audiobook is wonderfully narrated by Nick Mondell as Caleb and Elizabeth Cottle as Evie.

Evie is a mathematical genius who struggles with anxiety and might also be a bit on the autism spectrum. She and Caleb are next-door neighbors who have been close friends since they were small. They are students at a math and science academy. While Caleb languishes in unrequited love for his life-long best friend Evie, she somehow remains oblivious to his feelings and possibly her own desperate to preserve their friendship at all costs as he is her rock. Caleb has been fine with this believing that when Evie comes around to being interested in dating, she will choose him. However, when Evie suddenly becomes interested in a transfer student who shares her mathematical gifts, he feels his hope that Evie will someday choose him slipping away. In desperation, Caleb tries to get Evie’s attention by connecting with her on an online forum. Evie’s simple life of focusing solely on math becomes even more complicated when she finds herself torn between three boys.

With lovely, visceral description, well-developed characters, and a charming story the novel captures the emotions, butterflies, ups, and downs of first loves and crushes. The narrators do an awesome job of vividly bringing the characters and story to life and portraying with genuine emotion those moments of realization and feelings of attraction to your best friend catching you by surprise or how overwhelming it can be to keep those intense feelings under wraps. Having the narration in dual POV with both Caleb’s and Evie’s POVs elevates your emotional investment in the story. Both narrator’s voices were good matches for the characters and made me care about the characters. Your heart hurts for Caleb, knowing that he just might be the right person for Evie if she ever lets go of the limited idea of what she believes their relationship needs to be. At the same time, you accept that exploring her feelings for Leo is something that she needs to explore right now.

The Quantum Weirdness of The Almost Kiss is an entertaining, humorous, angsty, and refreshingly emotional and honest exploration of the transition from best friends to boyfriend/girlfriend, that also deals with issues of anxiety, social awkwardness, self-esteem, mental illness, and Christianity, all within the setting of a science and math academy/boarding school.

First of all, thank you so much to netgalley for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited to read this book as it was one of my most anticipated releases of this year probably due to the fact that I'm such a sucker for the friends to lovers trope. I will basically read anything that has it. There is just something so special about watching best friends fall in love with one another.

This story follows a girl named Evie who is attending this mathematics boarding school with her best friend Caleb. She has never had a boyfriend and has always thought the idea of kissing to be weird, until a new boy shows up to school which makes her question these things. Then there is Caleb, who after witnessing Evie's meet cute with this new boy, gets extremely jealous because he's secretly been in love with Evie and has almost kissed her fifteen times!

I really enjoyed this story. It was so cute and fluffy. The relationship was super adorable. Caleb was just really sweet on Evie and seeing how in love he was with her was just really cute. I loved seeing their platonic relationship and watching Evie's feelings shift into something more.

I really loved Becks character as I find the two of us were very similar. I've never read about a character who wasn't allowed to date until they were eighteen as I grew up the exact same way. I also found her relatable in the sense that we grew up very similarly. I really loved the friendship Becks had with Caleb but I didn't like it as much with Evie as I just found Evie could be a little disrespectful to Becks beliefs at times.

Evie has anxiety and as someone who also experiences anxiety, I liked that we got to see Evie at a point in her life where it wasn't completely overtaking her life. I liked the more positive look of seeing her having learned how to cope with her anxiety and her being happy.

I know it is in the plot but I think I would've liked this book more if Leo wasn't in it. I generally just didn't enjoy him as a character or his relationship with Evie. I was just kind of waiting for them to break up. It felt like the only reason he was there was so Evie and Caleb couldn't get together that quickly.

Overall, if you're looking for a fun friends to lovers contemporary story, I'd recommend it. I had such a fun time with this book!

I hate leaving reviews like this. This book just was not for me. It wasn't bad it just was to slow for me. The big sub plot with the online romance was not flushed at all. The conversations the two people had were not enough for our heroine to have feelings. Thank you to netgalley.

The audio was good. The duel narratives helped me get through the story. The voices matched everyone very well.

Thanks NetGalley for the preview!

This book was cute, sweet, funny and more! I found myself not being able to turn the audio off! I loved Evie and her quirks as well as her amazing intellect. Caleb was a wonderful friend and I really enjoyed the friends to lovers plot. Yes I had an issue with the catfishing aspect and believe Evie let him off easy with that one. I liked how much detail was added to the story and the 2 narrators gave great points of view. I loved the richness of all of the characters and would read a follow-up on Becks! I absolutely swooned when Caleb and Evie finally kissed and was very happy they got their happy ending!

Spoilers, I think!

I really enjoyed this book. It is a sweet romance that covers a lot of important issues. I thought the narrators were fantastic and really brought each personality to life.

My love for this book was cemented by how they handled the big reveal of Caleb being Milo. I was glad that didn't turn into a whole thing between them and gave us exactly what we wanted and knew would happen anyway.

Overall if you like young adult romance with depth, this is a great book for you. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this one!

OMG this could possibly be the best book that I have ever read. Most definitely the best book of the year. Caleb and Evie are simply sweet. I found myself not wanting to put this book down. Amy Noelle Parks writing is out of this world. With the combination of Nick Mondelli and Elizabeth Cottle make the characters come a live. I was so mad when the story came to an end and its easy to say there was not enough but in a good way. I can’t wait for comes next from Amy Noelle Parks has to store.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dramescape media for an advance copy of the audiobook. Paper book available now. Audiobook available Jan 2021.


#DreamscapeMedia #NetGalley #reviewbooks #bookreviews #bookbloggers #booklover #bookworm #bookstagram #bookstagramer #bookstagrammer #bookaddict #bookaholic #booknerdigan #readmore #readersofinstagram #readingisfundamental #readingcommunity #bibliophile #bookcommunity #reviewerofbooks #lovethisbook #recommendedreading #youngadultbooks #yabooks

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost-Kiss by Amy Noelle Parks is a fun, nerdy YA rom-com made for fans of Jenny Han, Rainbow Rowell, and the like.

Evie and Caleb are friends who enter a high-profile physics competition. Evie is a genius who is also looking to explore relationships before she goes to college. What Evie discovers is that there's more than just friendship between Caleb and herself, if she can figure out how to navigate the weirdness.

It's a great audiobook as it navigates the alternating viewpoints of Evie and Caleb.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Considering that this book is about the "almost kiss," there is a surprising amount of smooching going on in here. Evie is a high school girl dealing with a traumatizing childhood and a few mental quirks including anxiety. Caleb is a responsible supportive friend who has looked out for her since kindergarten and is also madly in love with Evie. Why make things simple when you could make things complicated? Through a series of twists and turns, Evie discovers how she really feels about romance, and Caleb remains an all-around nice guy.
I enjoyed this book's frequent forays into mathematics. I could tell that Parks isn't one of those authors who thinks that math and English should never go together, and although this book doesn't show off mastery of either, there's enough love for knowledge in general that it's encouraging to read. There's also a real understanding of how people think and what it's like to have a mental illness. Although the scenario is definitely a bit contrived, the feelings are real, and it really made me smile as I got toward the ending. Nick Mondell and Elizabeth Cottle do a brilliant job adding inflection and clarity to the audiobook.
I'm not typically into romance novels, and this one occasionally made me a bit uncomfortable with its overall cuteness and suggestive tones, so I'm struggling to not give it a lower rating. If you're into young adult romantic fiction, you'll find it generally clean and fun. I hope you'll enjoy it as much, if not more, than I did.

Evie and Caleb have been best friends wince they were young. Caleb has been in love with Evie for just about as long, but intelligent mathematician Evie has no idea.

This book is described as a romance and yes there are lots of romantic traits about the book (which initially drew me to the book). What made me really enjoy listening to the audiobook was the character development of Evie!

I loved listening to Evie grow and mature throughout this book. We learn early on that due to her intelligence Evie has dealt with bullying, pressure, discrimination (due to being a girl good at math), as well as social anxiety (made worse by everything else). Therefore hearing about how she has been taking necessary steps (medications at one point, seeing a therapist, and so much more) to be able to handle any situation is amazing! Lots of people deal with mental health problems but no one talks about it, I love that it is talked about in this book!

For me the romance was cute and it happened but following Evie’s journey is what really made me enjoy the book even more!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I just couldn't get into it. DNF after chapter 3 I think. Started out with a huge info dump that lost my attention. Maybe I would've gotten further if it weren't audio but I doubt it.

This is the story of Evie, a naive and anxious math genius who struggles with interpersonal relationships and social cues. Her best friend Caleb, also smart as well as athletic and funny and kind, is unequivocally in love with Evie. Evie has never shown an interest in dating, but Caleb assumed that when she did it would be him. That’s why it’s especially heartbreaking to watch her develop her first ever crush on the new boy at school. I can’t believe I haven’t heard more about this book. It’s so stinkin’ wholesome and cute. Full-on grinning ear-to-ear sweet. I love Evie and Caleb SO MUCH. They’re compulsively likable. I’m a sucker for childhood best friend turned lovers. This story gives a lot of backstory and depth to their relationship that makes it so believable and easy to root for. The book deals beautifully with Evie’s anxiety and growth through life experience and counseling. This book is an anthem for STEM loving kids and strong, intelligent females. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you like YA, if you like romance, if you like rom-coms, if you like math, science, or coding, pick up this book! Even if you don't like one of those topics, read this book! I love a nerdy romance, and this one delivered. But it was also so much more.

What is this book about? It's about friendship, smart kids, new love, living with anxiety (love that part), becoming brave, and understanding a little bit more about life and yourself as you grow up.

I don't read a lot of YA, but this book stole my heart! The dual narration of Nick Mondelli and Elizabeth Cottle really made the audiobook for me.

Evie, Caleb, Leo and Bex are all such fantastic characters. They're all seniors at a boarding school that focuses on STEM and although they're some of the brightest, they still have a lot to learn and discover. Caleb was my favorite. He keeps track of "almost kisses," which is the most adorable and heartbreaking thing.

There is so much in this book that I loved. The hilarious game Caleb and Evie play in the library, the friendship between Evie and Bex, Caleb's mom (who has some funny one liners at the end), the serious and light hearted moments, and the math and physics theories that were woven into the story. Also making space for women in mathematics and religion, which is something Evie and Bex both fight for, in quiet and loud ways.

There are some serious topics (tw: anxiety, panic attacks) in this book, but they're bookended by the wit of very smart teenagers, whose humor I adored. All of the characters were confident in their areas of expertise, but they each needed a little push to break out of their comfort zones.

My favorite quote:

"Of course I came to Newton because of you. I draw breath because of you."

You won't regret picking this one up!

I really liked this YA romance. A great story with a friends to dating trop which was done in a way that was totally appropriate for a younger audience which I appreciated. I loved how there was such a fantastic spotlight on young women in STEM & how she dealt with the struggles that came with being the shining star that Evie was.
This book I felt touched on a lot of topics that teenagers deal with today. First loves, social insecurities, friendships, becoming strong independent adults, and learning how to deal with parents who at times are over protective. The audio was also good I did enjoy the narrators and it was easy to listen to although I did have to slow it down to a 1.75 speed as my normal 2 speed was a bit too rushed. Overall it was a good YA read.

Read my full review on my blog: https://booksteahealthyme.home.blog/2021/01/05/audiobook-review-the-quantum-weirdness-of-the-almost-kiss/

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to netgalley for letting me review this book (audiobook) in exchange for an honest review!

Caleb and Evie have been best friends since they were little and know each other inside and out. They go to special school for gifted students who specialize in math and coding. It is a boarding school type of place and they live on campus in southern Illinois. Evie might not be ready to date anybody but Caleb is and he secretly is in love with her. Enter one of my favorite tropes: friends to lovers.

Evie is entering a big contest of sorts and dealing with anxiety she is afraid of the public speaking portion. She got accepted the prior year but could not even make it on stage to present her project. Caleb decides to join her on the project to help ease her anxiety and give her the chance she deserves. Caleb falls more in love with her throughout the story and Evie learns he is also the one for her.

Each character learns alot about themselves and each other in a fun contemporary full of self discovery and true love. You won’t want to miss this one!

The narrator was great for the audiobook and I recommend the audiobook if given the option.

Anxiety plays a major role throughout this story so if that is a trigger for you then please keep that in mind. I have personally never read a YA novel that takes on anxiety is such a major way and I appreciated the representation. It is always great to have characters with real struggles that you can connect with on multiple levels.

Another trigger warning would be the part where Evie’s mother gives her a xanex without her permission. This was very distubring to see a mother drugging her child without their consent.

I highly recommend this cute romance contemporary and hope you enjoy this calculating 😉 story as much as I did!

This was such a sweet book! I loved the STEM rep for girls, especially since the author backed it up. So often you see books where the author just says "This character is a math/science genius, just trust me" with no follow-up which is annoying. Mental health rep came in strong in this book, too. I'm also trash for long-term bffs pining for each other. I also really enjoy YA that is truly YA -- things teens can actually relate to. I enjoy the little details, like Evie worrying that none of her friends will go to her same college, they felt real.

My only wish was that there was more diversity in the book. Especially in regards to race, religion & sexuality. Also a nitpicky thing: the chapter transitions often seemed abrupt. But that could have been due to the audiobook format.

Omgness, this book was syrupy sweet in the absolute best way. The relationship between Caleb and Evie was so precious and pure, I was smiling constantly to myself while listening. The progression of their relationship was neither rushed nor slow (story-wise) and you could just feel the friendship and the love between them as strongly as if you were seeing it in front of you. Both narrators did a fantastic job. I'm no mathematician by any means so I can't speak to accuracy in that regard, but if any of that bothers you, I recommend you listen to the author's note at the end to better understand what the author was going for and why she made the choices she made with the math. The portrayal of anxiety and the stigma and misconceptions around mental illness I thought was very well done. This was all around just an incredibly enjoyable story and I would without re-read it (which is rare for me) and recommend it to friends. I truly adored every minute.

Thank you NetGalley, Amy Noelle Parks, and Amulet Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Caleb is in love with his best friend Evie. But between working through her anxiety and studying math at an elite high school, Evie has never seen the point in dating...until a new guy at her school makes her think she might be ready to start navigating the world of boys. Thinking Evie will never see him as more than a friend, Caleb creates an alternate online persona to capture her heart, which actually goes better than expected. Now Evie is torn between two different guys, or so she thinks.

I’m such a sucker for a friends-to-lovers plot, and this one did not disappoint. As someone who never really connected with math, I appreciated how much the author’s love for this subjects showed through the story and I found myself really interested in the topics the characters discussed around math, physics, and coding, and also the conversations about anxiety. Plus Caleb and Evie are SO CUTE.

If you love a good romance like I do, I recommend checking this one out!

Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for a free review!

This book/audiobook was adorable and cute. My favorite trope is friends to lovers and this one marked all the boxes. I would recommend this to my friends and teens. Once my daughter is a little older, I think she'd enjoy it too

I have to admit, both the cover and the title of this book attracted me and made me want to read it. This book was soooo cute!!!! The childhood friends to lovers is so adorable and I’m so glad this book had some very smart, intelligent characters. I loved that they had such a strong friendship and it blossomed into love so naturally and beautifully. I just think that Leo and Evie were in a relationship for more of the story than I would have liked. I would have loved to see more of Evie and Caleb dating. Another issue I had was that Caleb kind of cat fishing Evie? I think it could have been done better if Caleb didn’t know who Evie was and figured it out later.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Evie and Caleb have been friends for most of their lives. They are in their final year of high school at Newton Academy. Evie has never dated. Ever. Her love is for math. She's a pretty bright student with her little quirks. She doesn't have the best relationship with her mom and has some anxiety issues. In fact, anxiety even managed to ruin her opportunity to attend frontier last year, which is a national math and physics competition. Caleb has always only wanted what is best for Evie and is always there for her no matter what. He convinces her to try and land a spot again in frontier, this year, with the comfort of him by her side. To much avail, she decides to go for it. Enter Leo. He is one of Caleb's friends and seems to be interested in Evie. Caleb doesn't believe Evie will give him the time of day. She doesn't think of boys like that. Or does she? Suddenly, she is starting a relationship with Leo and with the help of Leo as well as all the therapy she's been in, she suddenly starts acting and feeling in ways she never has before. Caleb is suddenly driven with jealousy. Why Leo? There's only one thing to do. Caleb masks himself as someone Evie doesn't know and starts to talk to her over the anonymous frontier communication page. Well that just complicated things. Now Evie is realizing her feelings for not just 2 guys, but now 3. How will Evie choose which one is the right one for her? Will she be able to get through frontier this year and come out on top?
This book was a pretty cute book ! I read this one via audio book. I enjoyed reading it. It was a pretty quick and easy read. The storyline was pretty cute! Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Amy Noelle Parks for the opportunity to read this book. I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion. I rate this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐.

This was just what I needed! This first love and friends-to-more story was super adorable! It's told from both Evie's perspective and Calab's, which elevated the story. It's always fun hearing both sides and knowing the thoughts behind the actions. Yes, it was a bit predictable, but aren't most romance books? I'm not putting the plot in my review, you can see that up there ^

There's a lot of things I loved about this story:
Evie's anxiety and panic attacks and how open she was about it, and the therapy she receives for it. Let's break that stigma! She's also clearly the brightest student at her advanced tech high school and excels and mathematics (I get lost at fractions). She talked about wanting to try and appear as a boy at one point due to the fact that women in STEM are still overlooked, and I love how quickly she was talked out of that and uplifted and supported. I loved the strong female friendships, the strong females in general, the feminist boys who appreciate the strong girls. One of Evie's best friends is a vegetarian because of the amount of green house gasses livestock create. As a vegetarian myself, I was applauding this being put out there.

As I mentioned, I'm not good at math...at all. I thought I'd get lost and not like this book due to all the numbers. Instead, Parks showed how numbers can be FUN. It made me understand WHY some people really like math and numbers. There were a few times I wish I understood what they were talking about, but not so much that I felt it detracted from the story. Her writing was beautiful. I also appreciate her author's note and feel it's worth reading/listening to.

I listened to the audiobook for this and I felt the narrators did a fantastic job of portraying their characters feelings and thoughts. I think this might even be one where I feel the audio is better?

Overall, a cute, witty, intelligent YA with well rounded characters..

Thank you Dreamscape Audio, Abrams Books, and NetGalley for the ALC and the opportunity to express my honest thoughts.

I love audiobooks with different narrators, especially a romance with chapters from the POV of the two love interests, and I really enjoyed this one narrated by Nick Mondelli and Elizabeth Cottle. They had a good grip on their characters, though Mondelli's voice for the female characters lacked definition, for me.

For the story, it was a cute but predictable YA romance. I did really love the focus on females in STEM majors, and Evie's love of math was really interesting to learn about. I liked that this book goes into the struggles that women have to deal with to be accepted in such academic fields, and it made me admire Evie even more.

As for Caleb, I struggled to like him, mostly because he's LYING to Evie about still liking her romantically. This really annoys me. But I liked how he always supported Evie and stood by her, even when she was seeing other people. It was also refreshing to read a male YA lead fall first and obsess about a girl.

Overall, this was a fun, quick YA romance with likable characters.

3.5/5

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost Kiss
4.5/5 ⭐️ to The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost Kiss by Amy Noelle Parks

Thank you so much to Dreamscape Media, Amulet Books, & NetGalley for access to the audio egalley to review!

This was another absolutely adorable YA Contemporary romance with a dual narrative perspective (my fave) which I highly recommend! I connected so well to Evie & Caleb, and quickly became invested in their relationship. They both attend a very prestigious academic school, and as best friends they end up working together on a research project submission which could set them up very well academically. But Caleb has loved Evie for a long time, and is super nervous to let her know how he actually feels, and Evie doesn’t want to lose the only person who really understands her & her anxiety if they mess up their relationship. I thought the development & backstory of their relationship was so well done! There was some pining, miscommunication, and it was just so good! Also of note was I thought that their growth as individuals throughout the story was great and worked for the plot, just was not super complex or groundbreaking. There is rep for anxiety, as Evie is learning to adapt her anxiety as she transitions closer to adulthood. I thought it was portrayed with care and respect, but please read own voices reviews for this representation. Finally I wanted to say that I loved this school setting with its cast of students! We meet friends & classmates of Evie and Caleb, which I so enjoyed, and the friends in particular provide great commentary & advice for our MCs and added so well to the overall story! Also loved how it celebrated women in STEM fields of study, and provided a critique that these fields have been dominated by white men.

Check this out! I really enjoyed it, the main relationship, the celebration of STEM fields, and the representation of anxiety. Will definitely keep my eye out for future books from this author!

This book almost feels like what Pretty In Pink may have been if Andie would've wound up with Ducky. It's cute and predictable in all the best ways, and while it has a few plot flaws to its detriment (catfishing), it's an overall easy and lighthearted read/listen.