Review: Tell Me Three Things

Title:  Tell Me Three Things
Series:  None
Author:  Julie Buxbaum
Genre:  Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date:  April 5, 2016
Source:  Gifted

Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?
It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son.
In a leap of faith—or an act of complete desperation—Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved?
Julie Buxbaum mixes comedy and tragedy, love and loss, pain and elation, in her debut YA novel filled with characters who will come to feel like friends.

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I've been reading a lot of YA contemporary lately and I've been so pleased with how amazing they've all been!  I'm telling you, authors are really stepping up to the plate.  This book was one that was kinda a spur of the moment pick up.  I was in a bit of a slump and wanting something light and easy to read (after the emotional turmoil Empire of Storms caused) and this was so perfect.  The characters were all so funny and so relatable.  Seriously guys, this book had me making heart eyes at it the whole time I was reading. 

My absolutely favorite part of this book was the main character, Jessie.  Like I said before, the situations she experienced and the problems she was dealing with were just so relatable.  I saw myself so easily in this character.  Even though she was dealing with heavier issues such as the death of a parent and moving across country and starting at a new school, and learning how to navigate a new home, I still found myself nodding and thinking "yeah, that makes sense" or "I can see myself doing that".  It's been a long time since I felt so closely connected with a character.  Also, a long time since I as so emotionally moved by a book.  The death of her mother hit Jessie so hard and the after shocks affected her whole world.  Just thinking about that and watching Jessie deal with it made me cry more than a few times while reading.  It was really beautiful.  

The mystery surrounding the emails Jessie was getting and who S/N was, well . . . it was pretty obvious from the start who it was.  The moment they were introduced in the book I knew who was behind it.  Still, I really enjoyed seeing Jessie guess and experiment with who it was, not to mention watching her and S/N interact while she was still in the dark about the whole thing.  It was so nice to see her and S/N form a strong and supportive relationship online.  Even without that side of them interacting in person, they were able to create a healthy friendship.  I loved it!

I really enjoyed this book.  The characters were all so great, the struggles that Jessie faced were relatable and emotional.  And despite all this, I found myself laughing out loud at some parts, swooning at others, and smiling through the tears.  I really appreciated the simplicity and beauty of this book and I'm excited to see what else this author comes out with! 

“Just because you're strong doesn't mean you shouldn't ask for help sometimes. Remember that.” 

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