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.


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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!

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.

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

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

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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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2 stars. I started off liking the concept of this book SO much. So rare is there a man head - over - heels in love with a clueless girl. However the more I read the more I could not stand Evie. She is the epitome of someone that things all things girly or feminine are worthless and pointless. While I agree that everyone is entitled to express themselves however they wish, it is not okay to judge someone's worth from it.

This is clearly seen in her interactions with Margo. They share a physics teacher that has clearly shown his distaste of women of POC in his class and Margo is frequently ridiculed in his class. Evie says nothing and in private even says she prefers that because she has no interest in what Margo says. Why would Evie be so judgemental of her peer? Margo got into the same school as her, there's no case to say she isn't smart and capable.

Later we find out that Margo and Caleb dated for 2 days and that she holds it against him since margo likes "watching unboxing videos and talking about bubble tea". Two perfectly normal things. Like how is that even something you can judge someone off of? Is Evie really upset by these things or is it that Margo is breaking the mold of the "mainstream nerd" and rather enjoying mainstream and feminine things?

It's 2021 we don't need frivolous girl on girl hate to push the narrative.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC.

When I read the synopsis I thought it was a super cute idea. It started out pretty cringy as we listen to Caleb's internal thoughts about Evie. He's pining for her yes but I also got somewhat of an "ownership" vibe because of how long he's known her. He also had a lot of cheesy romantic lines in his internal thoughts that weren't believable to me but I'm not a teenage boy so what do I know? lol

It got better the further on in the book I was reading and I was happy with how the plot was resolved. My favorite parts were from Evie's POV and seeing her relationship with her female best friend. I was rooting for her and was proud of her at the end! It was ok and would be good if you like light reads but, it's not something I'll be shouting praises of from the rooftops.