Everything, Everything Kindle Edition

This review originally appeared on my young adult book blog, herestohappyendings.com.This is one of those books that pretty much everyone has read by now, and for quite a while after it was released it was everywhere - it was talked about on Twitter and Instagram, promoted in bookstores and online, and reviewed on pretty much every blog I follow. Which kind of made me not want to review it for a while. I wasn't sure if I was even going to review it, considering the wonderful amount of praise it received, but I decided to anyway, because I really loved it.Madeline is seventeen years old, and she never leaves her house. Everything that she comes in contact with must be cleaned and decontaminated, so that potential germs and bacteria are kept away from her. This means she cannot go to a traditional school, she cannot spend time with friends, and she cannot do typical things girls her age do (go to the mall, etc.). If she needs medical attention, her doctors come to her. She even has a nurse who spends time taking care of her during the day, since her vitals must be monitored on a regular basis to make sure that she's staying healthy. When Madeline was a baby, she had a strange, life-threatening reaction, which led medical professionals to believe that she has a very rare condition that causes her to be allergic to the outside world, and all of the different particles, germs, dust...pretty much everything you can find outside that hasn't gone through the tried and true decontamination procedures that she has grown up with. Madeline's mother tries her best to make her life as normal as possible, from spending all the time with her she could want, playing games with her, watching movies with her, etc., to buying her anything she asks for, such as all the brand new books she could ever want to read. Madeline's father and older brother had died when Madeline was a baby - right before her diagnosis, so it's been just the two of them for years.One day, a new family moves in next door, and Madeline gets curious. She peeks out the curtain and sees a boy her age, and the more she watches him and his family, the more curious she becomes. Eventually the two begin talking on instant messenger and through e-mail, getting to know each other, and falling in love. Madeline will go to any lengths to spend time with him - even talking her nurse into letting him come over for a few minutes here and there so they can spend time together, despite the fact that he hadn't gone through all the medical precautions required to enter their home. Madeline's love for him and her curiosity about the world she cannot truly be a part of leads her to begin questioning her diagnosis...and her mother's judgement...and even causes her to do some reckless things, just so that she can feel normal for a little while.This is one of those books that truly deserved the hype that it received. It did something completely different than what's been done before - touching upon a disease that I haven't encountered in YA until now. The characters are so well written, especially Olly - and their relationship was sweet. It wasn't insta-love, either...they started off kind of not knowing whether or not they were going to like each other, and that turned into flirting...which led to them being completely in love by the end of the book.Everything, Everything was completely breathtaking and gripping. I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next with Madeline, and between her and Olly. It had some light-hearted moments that were kind of funny, especially some of the interactions between her and Olly, but there were also some really deep parts that were hard to digest - especially the ending, which is something I would have never seen coming. It really surprised me, and I think that made the entire book that much more enjoyable.Nicola Yoon definitely has a way with words and knows how to craft a beautiful and well thought out story. I haven't read anything like this, but I know for a fact that she from now on will be on my list of must-read authors!The only complaint I have about this book is the fact that it was so good, it put me into a reading slump for like two weeks, because I couldn't imagine anything else at the time being as awesome as this book was! If you haven't read this one yet, I recommend that you get your hands on a copy and read it...and bring some tissues, because you'll need them!

Everything, Everything is one of those books I was just as nervous about reading as I was excited about doing so. The premise drew me in immediately, but I feared it had the potential to get one of “those books” that I love until it ruins my life. I had high hopes from the glowing reviews left by friends, but I was cautiously optimistic because there are also a fair number of negative reviews out there, too. Turns out I had no cause to actually be worried about any of these things. Everything, Everything was a joy to read, from start to finish. It was a wonderful breath of fresh air and I seriously loved everything about it.It was impossible to not feel sorry for Maddy in the beginning of the book. She was young and intelligent and vibrant. She had a great personality and was a good kid. It made me sad she was missing out on so much because of her illness. My heart ached for her because I wanted more for her. As the book went on however, I became enamored with her character growth as she began experiencing things “normal” teens do. Olly? I absolutely adored him. I loved his quirks. He was sweet and funny and struggling with his own issues at home. The pairing of these characters was perfect for me. Their home lives might’ve been quite different, but they were able to relate to each other because of them. Plus, they were just cute as hell together. There’s something so satisfying about young love. Maybe it’s the way the innocence and curiosity mesh together. They just left me grinning from ear to ear.I can’t say I’m really surprised by the mixed reviews for this book though. I can totally understand why it’s so polarizing. Despite my initials fears, as soon as I started reading, I knew I was in for a special experience. There was never a question about which side of the fence I’d fall on. The characters and their stories spoke to me. I loved the voice and the overall tone of the book. The message about life and love and pursuing both to the fullest gave me food for thought and just made me happy. It also made me emotional at times. One of the things I loved about this book was how it was told not only through narrative, but in IM conversations, emails, drawings and “life is short” spoiler book reviews. I couldn’t dream of putting this book down once I picked it up. (And I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it.) It was a quick, easy read that was funny and heartwarming and unique. This book is diverse, romantic and looks at sex in a realistic and positive way. This book definitely left a mark. I won’t forget the story or the characters for a long time and I can see me rereading this story over and over again for years to come.I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.