Title: The Truth About Me and You
Series: Standalone
Author: Amanda Grace (a.k.a. Mandy Hubbard)
Date of Publication: 8th of September 2013
Publisher: Flux
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Pages: 264 pages
Source: E-galley from Netgalley
Smart girls aren't supposed to do stupid things.
Madelyn Hawkins is super smart. At sixteen, she's so gifted that she can attend college through a special program at her high school. On her first day, she meets Bennett. He's cute, funny, and kind. He understands Madelyn and what she's endured - and missed out on - in order to excel academically and please her parents. Now, for the first time in her life, she's falling in love.
There's only one problem. Bennett is Madelyn's college professor, and he thinks she's eighteen - because she hasn't told him the truth.
The story of their forbidden romance is told in letters that Madelyn wrote to Bennett - both a heart-searing ode to their ill-fated love and an apology.
To begin with, I was really judgmental about books so when I saw the cover back when I was browsing through the shelves of Netgalley, I opened a new tab to start reading the synopsis they have.
All I thought of was “Well, I'll give this a shot and cross my fingers to get this one.” Soon afterwards, I received an email sent on my behalf that I can now view the galley from the site.
As soon as the downloading ran, I couldn't help myself how the interiors are designed because technically, designs do attract most readers, right? And right there in that moment, I just sort of fell in love with the book.
Most would probably not find this to their likes, but I did. I loved and treasured every bits of it. It's just like a whole moving reality of lives in fiction yet you'll soon realize that this might be reality [for the others].
This book contains Madelyn's letters to Bennett after their shenanigan was caught. As much as I wanted to reveal more and tell you how the story goes, I wouldn't want to spoil your very expectations. I want you excited and just want you to fall for this too. Badly. But that's just hard to do. If you love epics then this might probably do.
Enough with the blurb.
I made some notes while reading this e-galley on BlueFire like how I could just swoon over Bennett and savor every piece of him and major editings (i. e. grammars, spellings, comma splice, etc) [since this was an uncorrected e-proof] like:
“I think it should be “the way it is somehow permeating me.” Not “the way it somehow permeating me.”
I was happy, though, despite the major dramas I see on TV and on the books I read, I arrived at a conclusion that trust and honesty weighs heavier than love alone. I never arrived with any more conclusion but that.
While reading I was stoked. Psyched even. But then, as I near the ending and accidentally read the ending without further noticing it, turns out I was finding out there was no happy ending for them. Just the plain ole simple truth. And I wasn't paying attention with the title. And as much as I wanted them to end up together, they just can't. I wouldn't mind the ten-year gap they have even if its disgusting. All that mattered to me was that how they feel. How the author let her readers feel.
My mind was going about crazy stuff on how I would blurb about the book because I can't fish words but a mixture of guilt and heartbreak. I wanted to say it was perfectly imperfect but then they were just imperfect. It was just like being Maddie not having Bennett. Like everything else I want to say is at the back of my tongue.
I just want to warn you guys to not get excited about the part of December 17th. Because I was, and I was sort of happy but then it started raining on my parade.
It is honestly true that truth hurts but lies can kill.
Though not her debut, Amanda Grace left me in awe as she fished some truth about love unconquered and the mixture of guilt and heartbreaks put all together in this wonderful novel.
the judgmental stars: 4 Friggin Stars!!
Yours,
