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Finding Mr. Brightside

Jay Clark

3.46 · Rating details · 1,044 ratings · 272 reviews

Abram and Juliette know each other. They've lived down the street from each other their whole lives. But they don't really know each other—at least, not until Juliette's mom and Abram's dad have a torrid affair that culminates in a deadly car crash. Sharing the same subdivision is uncomfortable, to say the least. They don't speak.

Fast-forward to the neighborhood pharmacy, ...more

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Hardcover, 224 pages

Published March 24th 2015 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

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· 1,044 ratings · 272 reviews

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Oct 25, 2014 Susana rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: no one

Recommended to Susana by: Myself, the Idiot

Shelves: arc, not-my-cup-of-tea, ya, 2015-reads, 2015-releases, disasters, netgalley, hell-no, go-away-and-never-come-back, new-adult

It's not me book, it's definitely you.

Review/rant to come closer to the publication date as required :/

Arc provided by Mcmillan's Children Publishing Group

Release Date: March 24th

Well....I'll be... darn :/
You see, I find myself in a bit of a predicament, mainly because everything I feel like saying about this story... would not be polite, which in some sort of cosmic response would be more than appropriate, because this isn't a polite book.

This is more like a f****d up one, where the character ...more

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Nov 05, 2016 Tink Magoo is bad at reviews rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, contains-idiots, sex-none

Hmmm...

Hmmm...

What to say. What to say. I just ... don't know what to say.

Did I like it? I don't really know.

I want to say the writing has potential because the author has a quirky and amusing writing style BUT, I think he should stick to only writing man-boy POVs. Abram was slightly clueless but endearing. Juliette however, was an unlikeable, selfish, judgemental raging bitch that thinks wearing a bikini/wanting to kiss someone makes you a whore. At the beginning and end she was tolerable, but ...more

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Nov 05, 2016 Ashley Daviau rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book was so darn cute, I just absolutely adored it! The characters were relatable and awkward and I fell in love with both of them from the very beginning. I really liked how their pasts were connected and that they fell in love despite it. And their love story was just the cutest, I was rooting for them from the start! Despite both being damaged and having issues, they managed to overcome it and let themselves have happiness together. I just loved everything about this book and how it deal ...more

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Jan 01, 2015 AJ rated it it was ok

Shelves: arc, young-adult

I really liked the premise of this book and went in with high hopes, but sadly it just didn’t work for me. I couldn’t connect with the writing, and it unfortunately killed any hope of my loving this story.

Abram and Juliette live down the street from each other and attend the same high school, although they haven’t had much to do with each other. They do, however, share a devastating connection – her mother and his father were having an affair which was discovered upon their tragic deaths in an I really liked the premise of this book and went in with high hopes, but sadly it just didn’t work for me. I couldn’t connect with the writing, and it unfortunately killed any hope of my loving this story.

Abram and Juliette live down the street from each other and attend the same high school, although they haven’t had much to do with each other. They do, however, share a devastating connection – her mother and his father were having an affair which was discovered upon their tragic deaths in an accident. Now, a year later, they are both still struggling to come to terms with the loss, and the devastation left behind.

The story is told in the alternating POV of Abram and Juliette, and I really appreciated their different voices. Abram is still grieving but has pulled himself together somewhat and is starting to recover his happy, carefree self, whereas Juliette is lost, broken and cynical. And both have the added pressure of a widowed parent – Abram’s functioning well, Juliette’s completely reclusive.

Abram and Juliette’s story starts when they meet in a pharmacy, collecting the prescriptions that help them cope with their lives. An unlikely and unconventional friendship develops as they start to spend time together, slowly helping each other to move on and find ‘normal’ again.

This is a really short book, and you are dropped right into the story, with the background unfolding as Abram and Juliette grow closer and both start to deal with their losses and the circumstances of their parents’ deaths, falling in love along the way.

So yeah, great premise, right? It could have been awesome, but I was not a fan of the writing style. I don’t like overly wordy or flowery writing and to me, this writing almost felt pretentious – like the author was trying too hard to be deep and poetic, and I found myself rolling my eyes a lot.

I force my eyes to swallow the hot tears welling up inside them – they don’t take nearly as good cold.

And parts of it were just confusing. Is it meant to be profound? Who knows? But it breaks up the flow of the book when the writing is overly wordy and I have to reread a paragraph over and over just to make sense of it. For example - (view spoiler)

It wasn’t all like this, and there were moments that were sweet and funny, or downright heartbreaking, but overall, I just couldn’t get into it. I’m sure there are readers that will love this book, but I thought it was just ok.

2 stars. ...more

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Feb 19, 2015 Bookaholic (reads every mortal thing) rated it did not like it

Shelves: why, plain-boring, ya-contemporary, 2015-read, dnf, arc

I don't remember being this bored by a book since Scorpio Races, and I bored myself to tears with that one. This, in many ways, is worse.

Damn, I really wanted to read this. I really, really did. But the way it was written, the way characters acted, is just deplorable.

Meet Juliette, who is probably the worst kind of heroine you may come across in YA literature.

She slut shames-

"Do you think that Asian over there is pretty?" I ask Abram, testing him, wondering if I'm really his type, or if I'm j

...more

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Sep 09, 2014 Danielle (Love at First Page) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, cover-love, e-arc, read-in-2014, genre-young-adult, own-kindle-book

3.5-4 stars

Not fair that anything would ever try to pass itself off as more important than us and this, but that's life, I guess - a bunch of crap competing for your attention when the best things are right in front of your face.

Finding Mr. Brightside was not at all what I was expecting. I mean, it had -1% angst. That's a negative sign there... seriously. You'd think a story about two teenagers addicted to medication and unhealthy self-coping mechanisms would be full of depression and ugly crying scenes, but that's not what Jay Clark was going for or what this book is about at all. Which is so incredibly refreshing. Instead, it's about falling in love at Taco Bell. It's about a weird boy and a weird girl who connect despite their two families' rocky history. It's also really, really funny, in a quirky, straightforward sort of way. If you read the first 10 pages of the book and enjoy that type of humor, I can almost guarantee Finding Mr. Brightside will be a book you devour.

The story itself is simple. Juliette and Abram have had ~feelings for each other for a while (unbeknownst to the other party), but they steered clear because his dad and her mom died in an accident while having an affair. But fate can't be stopped, and the two are soon joining forces, despite Juliette's reticence. She's intrigued, and he's beyond smitten, and this combination has such an adorable effect over the book. I don't know how else to explain it other than to say that they just click. They get one another, and they accept their quirks and faults. While Jay Clark presents very real issues, they never overtake the characters, and gradually Juliette and Abram learn to let their addictions go. In the end, it's their personalities that have left such a memorable impression on me.

Most of the book is spent with Juliette and Abram sharing the page, and that was a-okay by me. Their interactions are hilarious - Abram trying to read Juliette, usually getting it right; Juliette's negativity succumbing to Abram's charm that is completely his own. I loved being inside both of their heads. There are quite a few sweet, swoony moments, too. I was definitely rooting for them!

If you're looking for something offbeat and drama-free, I highly recommend Finding Mr. Brightside. I hope its humor will do you good, and that you'll be just as smitten with Juliette and Abram as I was. I'm crossing my fingers that Jay Clark has more books like this coming our way!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This review can also be found at Love at First Page. ...more

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Apr 09, 2015 Maja (The Nocturnal Library) rated it liked it

Shelves: are-you-kidding-me, contemporary-fiction, failed-to-impress, arc-2015, alternating-povs, young-adult, reviewed-in-2015, netgalley, romance, little-to-no-angst

I went into this book with no small amount of trepidation. The book description seems to imply that there’s a lot of angst in this story, and I’m in no mood for it at all. However, I’ve been following Jay Clark on social media for quite a while now and angst doesn’t seem to be his thing, so I decided to give this book a chance after all. I was right about the angst part, at least.

While it’s true that Finding Mr. Brightside is blissfully free of angst, it’s also devoid of any sweetness. It’s a pr ...more

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Nov 16, 2014 Stacee rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, read-in-2014

I almost don't have words for this book. It's a little sad, a little quirky, a lot funny, and I loved every bit of it.

Juliette and Abram have had a serious situation to deal with. The book starts a year after the event and opens with a midnight trip to CVS...and it just gets better from there.

Juliette is an interesting MC. She knows the way she's acting isn't right or "normal", but can't seem to do anything about it. Abram is the opposite. He's so laid back and open to do whatever Juliette w ...more

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Sep 10, 2014 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: feel-goods, arcs, 2015, contemporary, tough-subject, slump-buster

An ARC of this title was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.

Finding Mr. Brightside was equal parts charming and quirky, hopeful and cute. The premise for this story definitely caught my interest, turning a tragedy -- not to mention scandal -- like that into a story of young love, but I appreciate that it didn't focus just on the romantic aspect. Because to me, the focus is more about these two coping with the accident An ARC of this title was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.

Finding Mr. Brightside was equal parts charming and quirky, hopeful and cute. The premise for this story definitely caught my interest, turning a tragedy -- not to mention scandal -- like that into a story of young love, but I appreciate that it didn't focus just on the romantic aspect. Because to me, the focus is more about these two coping with the accident that tore both of their families apart and how they help each other move beyond it.

I felt like Abram and Juliette had already been on the path to each other before they ever spoke in that CVS. Them falling in love was secondary; they needed each other's guidance more. Abram and Juliette tended to both live inside their heads a lot, either over thinking or creating false scenarios in their heads. I tend to do this myself -- both of those -- and so I kind of favor characters who do the same. It helps me to connect to them if I can understand how they think and what's going through their heads. Watching as Juliette helped Abram find alternate ways of dealing with his grief and vice versa, seeing how they each knew just when to back off and how it ultimately helped them, was gratifying.

And yes, seeing them get over their coping mechanisms and find solace in one another left me with a different kind of satisfaction. Though sharing in the same grief, each character had their own distinct voice in this story. Abram is a little happy-go-lucky while Juliette is snarky and sarcastic, and yet they just mesh so well, even when it's kind of awkward in the beginning. There was never the bitter sting of rejection or a lack of communication to keep them from coming together. Actually, I think my favorite aspect was just how open the lines of communication were between these two.

Under the circumstances, I expected a ton of angst and blame and anger, but instead, Finding Mr. Brightside is an optimistic tale full of growth and hope, and it was an all-around pleasure to read. I'll definitely be looking forward to more from this author.

GIF it to me straight:

...more

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Jan 27, 2015 ♥♡¢σσкιє♥♡ (Krystle) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: cute-like-a-bunny, ya, romance, na, loved-it, r4r, ya-romance, humor

You can read this review and more on my blog:

I received a free copy of this book from Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I swear I was going to give this book fours stars. From the moment I started reading, I just knew this was going to be a four star (or four roses if you are reading this review on my blog) book. I still felt like this was a four star read 80% into the book, but then a funny thing happened. I realized there wasn’t anything ...more

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Dec 05, 2014 Tee loves Kyle Jacobson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: around-the-world-arc-tours, 2015-arc, november-2014

Finding Mr. Brightside is one of those books that you look at and say okay this is going to the top of my to be read list and put it down. Then you pick it up days later to only say to yourself idiot you should have read this right away.

I have read a lot but this story stole my heart for a few reasons. First I have to say that I loved Juliette's character and Abram's character. The background of the story and the current situation that Juliette and Abram find themselves in felt so real while I w ...more

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Mar 24, 2016 Monica rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars, stand-alones, 2016-reads

4 stars? Maybe 3.75 stars? Good contemporary, had its moments, but it felt very rushed and needed some more development both character and plot wise (not surprising considering its only 218 pages).

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Mar 07, 2015 Christy LoveOfBooks rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2015, e-book, arc-galley

Okay, this was better than I expected. I thought Finding Mr. Brightside was going to be all super sappy and dramatic, but not so. This is actually a lot of fun. Yes, there are serious subject matters, but it’s not all done in a Debbie Downer way.

Juliette and Abram both lost a parent. At the same time. Her mom and his dad were having an affair, and then died in a car accident on their way home from a getaway. Can you imagine getting that call? Juliette and Abram live down the street from each ...more

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Sep 09, 2014 Lauren rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: pub-macmillan, 2015

Finding Mr. Brightside is both amusing and tragic, but also extremely hopeful. It is a rather quiet and insular story that doesn't apologize about focusing directly on Abram and Juliette. Besides their parents, I can only recall 5 other named characters. This is very much a book about two people who begin to heal through their connection - because of the way they're able to understand each other's pasts, and also because of the way they naturally compliment and contrast each other. The minimalis Finding Mr. Brightside is both amusing and tragic, but also extremely hopeful. It is a rather quiet and insular story that doesn't apologize about focusing directly on Abram and Juliette. Besides their parents, I can only recall 5 other named characters. This is very much a book about two people who begin to heal through their connection - because of the way they're able to understand each other's pasts, and also because of the way they naturally compliment and contrast each other. The minimalist method the author chose to tell Abram and Juliette's story, made the entire experience feel more intimate and approachable. Wonder of wonders, this is also low on drama.

Abram and Juliette are not friends, although they have a great deal in common. They live on the same street, are in the same grade at school, and each has a parent who died in a car accident last year. Of course that last part isn't really a coincidence, as Juliette's mom and Abram's dad were in the same vehicle due to the affair they were having. Unsurprisingly, neither Abram or Juliette is coping that well. They've also been avoiding each other, though they realize they can't do that forever - more to Juliette's dismay than Abram's. One night when they are both at CVS filling their respective anxiety/depression/etc. medications, Abram ask Juliette to go to Taco Bell with him, and she agrees, which surprises both of them.

This is truly one of the best dual perspective novels I've read. I thought the story was better for allowing us in both of their heads, and I truly enjoyed being inside of both of their heads. Abram and Juliette have distinct voices and strong characterization. Even though this book is brief and takes place over the relatively short period of time of several weeks - to a few months - and focuses mostly on their interactions with each other, I felt like I got to know both of them very well. Who they were individually, as well as why they connected so well as a couple. They are very different but are also exactly what each other needs. This book isn't focused on creating huge swoony moments. But as I watched Juliette and Abram wake up and rediscover themselves, and as I saw more and more clearly how well they work as a couple, I was swooning for them, big time.

I do think my own expectations worked against me a bit near the end of this story. I always expect contemporaries to have the same basic plot, with a big break and lots of drama at the 75% mark. This book didn't do that, but I spent unnecessary time worrying that it would, which pulled me out of the story. I wish I'd let go of my fears and just enjoyed the whole journey. Don't make the mistake I did!

I hope you enjoy Abram and Juliette's story as much as I did.

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Standalone ...more

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Feb 03, 2015 The Bibliophagist rated it did not like it

Shelves: read-in-2015, annoying-characters, arc, never-again, young-adult, multiple-povs, physically-own, instalove-yuck

I did not like this book at all. Here’s why:

Juliette was an awful character. There were multiple quotes within the text where she was being a total slut shamer (and just an annoying asshole in general) For example:

“I don’t have a condom,” Abram says.
“I’m on the pill.”
He seems surprised.
“For psychotic hormone regulation, not because I’m a whore.”

Wtf?!? So anyone sexually active on the pill is automatically a whore?!?

This book also changed points of view way too often. I’m talking about every few ...more

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Oct 13, 2014 Tiffany rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, young-adult

You had me at "Taco Bell"...I REALLY enjoyed this book. Thought it had heart and dealt with some difficult things in a great way. It was serious when it needed to be and lighthearted when things started to get depressing. I LOVE the back and forth narrative and I usually hate when books are written like that, mainly because most authors tend to write the characters way too similar. I didn't find that to be the case at all. Abram's voice was his voice as was Juliette's. There were times when I fe ...more

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Jun 19, 2015 Lissa rated it did not like it

Shelves: could-have-been-so-much-better, excuse-me-while-i-rage, self-absorbed-like-whoa, holy-dysfunction-batman, ebook, unhealthy-relationships, young-adult, fucked-up-main-character, fiction, intense-dislike-perhaps-hate

I’m always a fan of supporting local authors, and I really thought that this story sounded interesting. Boy meets girl… after boy’s father and girl’s mother, who were having an affair, die in a car crash (boy’s father was driving). Now, a year later, the pair run into one another at a drug store when the girl (Juliette) is filling her Adderall prescription and the boy (Abram) is going to pick up his Paxil prescription. Well, I have to say that that isn’t something I read every day, so I gave it ...more

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Feb 03, 2015 Michelle rated it really liked it

Shelves: review-on-blog, own

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**

Finding Mr. Brightside is the sweetest story about two quirky teenagers that have (completely different) problems of their own, each stemming from a singular incident that affected them both. Abram and Juliette are neighbors and they each had their own little average nuclear family, until Juliette's mom and Abram's dad decided to have an affair together. And then they both died in a car crash while they were away tog **You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**

Finding Mr. Brightside is the sweetest story about two quirky teenagers that have (completely different) problems of their own, each stemming from a singular incident that affected them both. Abram and Juliette are neighbors and they each had their own little average nuclear family, until Juliette's mom and Abram's dad decided to have an affair together. And then they both died in a car crash while they were away together. So it is kind of a gossip worthy and messed up situation.

Finding Mr. Brightside is told in alternating points of views between Abram and Juliette and these two kids could not be more different. Juliette is as type A as they come, popping more than her already too high dosage of adderall just to keep up with everything self imposed thing she wants to do. The funny thing about Juliette is that she had all the makings of someone that would be queen bee in high school, but she was almost as much of a loner as Abram was. I liked that neither of them really fit into any one stereotype completely. It made them seem more like real teenagers and less like characters in a book. I can see Finding Mr. Brightside as a movie. Maybe one of those indie movies. (or big budget movies, with funky camera work, made to look like its' an indie movie.) Everything played out while I was reading like I was watching it on a big screen. The whole book felt very conversational, not forced and effortlessly funny. I thought Jay Clark did a phenomenal job of capturing the voice of teenagers.

Juliette cracked me up. She knew her neurosis and she knew that some aspects of herself were messed up, and she poked fun of them in her chapters. I loved that her specialty text message was a mixed message. I couldn't stop laughing at that. This book seemed so relate-able to me, which was great because I'm not really anything like either Juliette or Abram. I have noticed more than a few DNF 1 and 2 star reviews of finding Mr. Brightside and I can only imagine that a vast majority of these readers didn't give Juliette and Abram enough of a chance. The beauty was in riding their journey out with them. They made each other better. They were there for one another- supporting, listening; telling the other one when they were wrong and just looking out for them. It was a beautiful relationship, even in its' moments of messed up glory. Yes, Juliette and Abram had problems. Yes Juilette should not have abused her adderall like she did, but I hate to break to everyone- she is not the only teenager on ADHD medication. I have seen her story time and time again in real life, and I loved the way Jay Clark portrayed it in Finding Mr. Brightside. He didn't glorify it, or sugarcoat it. You got to see the good, the bad, and the ugly about those little pills.

And now for my favorite part of Finding Mr. Brightside- Abram. Oh my sweet, sweet Abram. He is my Mr. Brightside as well as Juliette's. How can you not love Abram. He is also just so positive, and so nice. He is a good guy, you can tell that from the very first moment you meet him. And he is never anything but a ray of sunshine. He saved Juliette. I totally and completely believe that. Finding Mr. Brightside has an open ending, but it looks like it will be a standalone. And I am ok with that. I thought the story was beautiful and funny and all around wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed Finding Mr. Brightside.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs ...more

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Oct 10, 2014 Jaime Arkin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, netgalley, swoony-boys, stand-alone-books, contemporary, macmillan, read-in-2014, 2014-real-book-challenge

Abram and Juliette have lived down the block from each other for their whole lives… but they don’t really know each other and even if they wanted to know each other, something makes it almost impossible.

See, Abram’s dad and Juliette’s mom died in a car accident which revealed a sordid truth… they were having an affair, and for both Abram and Juliette it’s a steep hill to climb to getting their lives back to normal.. .but maybe they’re willing to put in the effort together.

You guys… this book wa Abram and Juliette have lived down the block from each other for their whole lives… but they don’t really know each other and even if they wanted to know each other, something makes it almost impossible.

See, Abram’s dad and Juliette’s mom died in a car accident which revealed a sordid truth… they were having an affair, and for both Abram and Juliette it’s a steep hill to climb to getting their lives back to normal.. .but maybe they’re willing to put in the effort together.

You guys… this book was so incredibly different than a lot of what I’ve been reading and it was so refreshing and wonderful.

The story itself was wonderfully told. Imagine having to live just down the street from the family that your parent chose to throw his or her family away for. A chance meeting at the local drug store and a random invite to Taco Bell start us on a journey of learning just who these two are.

While the actions of their parents ultimately didn’t affect just Abram and Juliette, the story focuses solely on them, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Neither of them are handling anything very well at this point. Abram depends on an anti-depressant and gave up the one sport his father pushed him to excel in and Juliette depends on Adderall and refuses to eat even when her body demands it of her.

Clark has created a story with two very distinctive voices and I loved getting to know Abram and Juliette both separately and together. I have to say though, that what I really loved most was the way these two complimented each other. They are so different personality-wise, yet they are exactly the thing the other needs. They push each other to get their lives back and not let what their parents did, define who they are and who they become. And the title of this book was so perfect, and I didn’t even realize it until the very end and I actually thought about what I had just read.

If you’re looking for something a little different than your typical contemporary… something with amazing characters and an interesting story, definitely make sure you grab Finding Mr. Brightside when it arrives!

Thank you to the publisher for and advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
...more

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Oct 14, 2014 Margaux rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-s, young-adult, contemporary, romance

Advanced copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Abram and Juliette have a history, even though they've never spoken. One year ago Juliette’s mother and Abram’s father died in a car accident together while carrying out their extramarital affairs. Now things are awkward. Abram and Juliette go to school together and they've just encountered each other at the CVS pharmacy while filling their respective prescriptions for antidepressants and Adderall.

Somehow, th ...more

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Nov 01, 2014 Sarah rated it it was ok · review of another edition

This book had some problematic elements that niggled at me throughout, particularly with the use of "retarded," as a slur. I know that's how people talk, but it didn't add anything to the character--I already knew she was a difficult person and didn't need that to illustrate it further (I'm assuming it was intentional and not just lazy language.) There are a few other instances of that sort of thing as well that just bothered me because they served no purpose. I also had an issue with the confla ...more

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Dec 16, 2014 Abbie rated it liked it

Shelves: abuse-and-psychological-issues, contemporary, ebooks, young-adult

First off, that cover is insanely adorable. I picked this book up solely because of it. Yes, I am shallow that way.

So some of the dialogue in this book was offensive and I definitely didn't find it as sweet as pie but still, something about it appealed to me. The biting wit maybe? Or the fact that the writing was total manly and lacked the giggle and sigh trademark of chicklit. ...more

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Jan 08, 2015 Amanda rated it did not like it

Digital ARC provided by Netgalley.

It had an interesting premise, but repeated use of both the word "retarded" and frequent references to a romantic rival as either "that Asian" or "the slutty Asian" killed it for me. ...more

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Nov 08, 2014 Christina (Confessions of a Book Addict) rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, for-review, ya-realistic-fiction, didn-t-finish

This one is a DNF for me. I read the first 50 pages and I realized it wasn't really my kind of read. These two teenagers seem too quirky and too damaged for me. ...more

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Apr 25, 2015 Sarah rated it liked it

This review was originally posted on One Curvy Blogger

3.5 stars

Did you ever want to read a heartwarming young adult romance with very little plot, a small cast, and a lot of character development? If so, Finding Mr. Brightside is the book for you.

I purchased this book in the spring when it first came out. It was my first book by Jay Clark, but I mostly purchased it because it has a really cute cover. Yeah, it was one of those spontaneous buys where I didn’t really buy it for the content, but for the artwork. I love cutesy covers like this and I just can’t seem to stop myself from picking them up!

I didn’t *love* Finding Mr. Brightside. I’m not saying it’s a terrible book, but it’s not exactly memorable. There wasn’t much of a plot line and there was a serious lack of complete sentences, but it was cute. It’s one of those fluffy young adult romances I would pick up after finishing a really intense story. I expected this book to produce a tear or two, but nary was a Kleenex used.

Finding Mr. Brightside is told in dual-first person narrative told in the present tense from both Juliette (the girl whose mom had the affair) and Abram’s (the boy whose father killed her mom and himself) perspective. I’m not the biggest fan of present tense narratives, especially when they are paired with dual POV. It always makes things seem…busier…than they should be. I have no idea why it does, it just does. Am I the only one weird about present tense? I hope not.

The book is light on world building, but as it is a character driven book, I didn’t have much of a problem with it. I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed the book nearly as much as I did if both Juliette and Abram didn’t undergo massive amounts of character development, even if it seemed a bit rushed.

There he is, in the candy section: Abram. Deep breath. I’ll do my best to make the next scene more take-charge than outtake, but no promises, being that his father killed my mother a year ago.

Neither Juliette nor Abram were in a healthy place before that fated night at the drugstore – when they were both picking up prescriptions for drugs they both clearly didn’t need. Juliette coped with her mother’s affair and sudden death by abusing prescription stimulants and running away from her problems (literally, she ran all night). Abram copes by abusing antidepressants and ignoring stacks of mail from colleges. Together they start to change one another as they both shed the guilt of loving flawed parents. They make an awkwardly cute couple, and I enjoyed their dynamic, even if it was one of the least romantic romances I have ever read. ...more

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Dec 28, 2014 Jeff Raymond rated it it was ok

Shelves: arcs-manuscripts, books-i-own-on-kindle, read-ya-contemporary

Closer to a 2.5.

What is most interesting to me about this book is how entirely safe it is. The plot, about how the parents of two teens are having an affair and die in a car wreck come together and have a mini fling/adventure, is actually really paint-by-numbers and feels utterly unoriginal.

It's a perfectly serviceable teen romance, which is all well and good, but when there's so much better out there it's hard to consider or recommend this one above them. There's just nothing special or notice ...more

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May 22, 2015 Isabella rated it it was amazing

okay . before i read this i went to look and see what other peeps said about it ,and i saw alot of like -Ugh! this book is 100% boring and then others were like i so loved this book, well heres my thought .... This little book is amazing its a short-read kind of deal ,but its awsome ! i started this last night got sleepy and finished it this morning and i was very satisfied . Juliette & Abram make the best couple seriously their both so silly ! anyway thats my thought . go check it out if u have ...more

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Mar 27, 2015 Isabella rated it did not like it

Shelves: um-childe-anyways-so

I wish I could give this book 0 stars. Literally. The characters were obnoxious, irritable and tended to slut shame profusely + share their racist jokes. Are they supposed to be funny? The story was beyond unrealistic and all it managed to do was bore me to tears and wish I had never picked this book up.

Biggest book disappointment in probably my whole life.

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Apr 04, 2015 Aliam Sunshine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-i-have, favorites

Definitely one of my most favorite book this year! Juliette and Abram are just too adorable not to love! I hope it gets a companion novel. ❤️

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Dec 04, 2014 Ellice Y. rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed-at-paper-riot, young-adult-fiction, arcs, dual-pov, contemporary, road-trip-books, really-like-but-not-quite-a-favorit

Review originally posted here at Paper Riot

Finding Mr. Brightside by Jay Clark is a huge story in a small package. At 224 pages, it may just be the shortest book I’ll read this year, but it will also be one of the most noteworthy. Clark’s story has stuck with me for days (weeks now!) after I finished reading it, and the more I think about the masterful way he wove his two main characters’ stories together, the more I love it. And his writing itself? Brilliant! As I was reading, I would find myse
Review originally posted here at Paper Riot

Finding Mr. Brightside by Jay Clark is a huge story in a small package. At 224 pages, it may just be the shortest book I’ll read this year, but it will also be one of the most noteworthy. Clark’s story has stuck with me for days (weeks now!) after I finished reading it, and the more I think about the masterful way he wove his two main characters’ stories together, the more I love it. And his writing itself? Brilliant! As I was reading, I would find myself grinning widely at Abram’s witty comments or nodding in agreement at Juliette’s philosophy on life. I freakin’ adore these characters, y’all. Excuse my lack of eloquence, but it’s the best way I know to convey my feelings about Abram and Juliette! Their story is one that I don’t think has ever been told in young adult literature; it’s tragic but hopeful at the same time, and the ending is just perfect.

Here’s a quick synopsis of Finding Mr. Brightside: Abram Morgan and Juliette Flynn have been acquaintances at school for a while, but they are thrown together under tragic circumstances when their parents are involved in a fatal car accident. They were surprised to learn that Juliette’s mother and Abram’s father had been involved in a secret affair; in fact, the day of the accident, the two were on their way home from the Morgans’ beach house. So, in addition to dealing with the loss of a parent, both Abram and Juliette are now forced to process this new information about their parents’ hidden lives. Easygoing Abram deals with his grief much differently than Juliette, and since he’s had a secret crush on her for a while, Abram is very aware that Juliette is struggling. A late-night meeting at CVS is the event that finally leads them to hanging out together, and much to Juliette’s surprise, she begins to develop feelings for Abram too. Under the circumstances, being together is obviously awkward at first, so they must learn how to cope with all of these warring, confusing emotions.

Cue a swoony reader with heart-shaped eyes. That would be me, falling in love with Abram and Juliette. And okay, I’ll admit, they aren’t your typical contemporary YA boy and girl—Abram has been taking Paxil since the wreck, and Juliette is addicted to Adderall. Both drugs cause side effects that aren’t exactly conducive to romantic moments for them. Abram sleeps a lot, while Juliette is anxious and likes to be in control. They must deal with other issues and personal hang-ups besides just the drugs though. Their personalities are as different as night and day. Abram is an eternal optimist, while Juliette is a perpetual pessimist. The book switches back and forth between Abram and Juliette’s perspectives, which I LOVE because it’s hilarious to see how completely different their thoughts are on the exact same topic. However, though they both have faults, addictions, and their own personal internal demons, it’s so lovely how Abram and Juliette bring out the very best in each other, and I’m not sure I can think of a better-suited couple in all of YA literature! Oh, and for those of you who, like me, read for the kissy scenes, Abram and Juliette’s first kiss absolutely melted my heart. <3

Clark’s prose is probably what stands out the most to me in Finding Mr. Brightside. His descriptions and phrasing are so expressive and unique. I ADORE his writing, and I found myself re-reading multiple sentences and paragraphs over and over again. For example, here’s one of my absolute favorite lines from the book: “Not fair that anything would ever try to pass itself off as more important than us and this, but that’s life, I guess—a bunch of crap competing for your attention when the best things are right in front of your face.” That line seems so simple, yet it overwhelmed me with the truth behind it! I underlined A LOT of quotes and passages in this book—Clark just described real life circumstances in such original ways, or certain quotes would make me understand a character so vividly. There were times when I even found myself agreeing with Juliette’s cynical views, most notably in the (hilarious) way she thinks of Facebook (which you can read in the Memorable Quotes section below). I *might* have snorted out loud when I read that part. ;)

Obviously, I really, really like Finding Mr. Brightside. It’s a serious contemporary with some funny moments and a perfect ending. Seriously you guys—give this one a chance! I think you’ll fall in love with Abram and Juliette, and there are some great secondary characters who make brief appearances as well. If I have any hang-up with this book whatsoever, it’s that it wasn’t long enough—can we have a sequel?! :)

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Loved, loved, loved it! Review coming soon. ...more

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Young Adult Conte...: #13 Finding Mr. Brightside by Jay Clark	4	18	Mar 29, 2015 09:54AM

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About Jay Clark

Jay Clark

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8 things we probably have in common:

1. Do you have a Starbucks addiction? Let’s form a support group. (I’ll bring the Starbucks.)

2. Ever find yourself at CVS for 30+ minutes? Over here, I’m waving from the vitamin B12 section!

3. Did you remember your CVS ExtraCare card and/or ExtraBucks coupon? Me, neither. We'll get 'em next time, friend.

4. Do you procrastinate as much as I did at your age? It's ...more