Little Something Different

Before I read this book, I basically had close to zero contact with novels for almost four months. The only books that I managed to pick up were required readings and college textbooks. I dug myself a reading slump hole so deep and I didn't even know if I could get out of it. So one rare afternoon, finding myself with no importat schoolwork whatsoever, I decided to submerge myself in the book blogging world and see what you guys were up to (sneaky, right?) and I found this book.

I don't remember who, but one of my blogger friends posted this book on her Instagram and it piqued my interest. Long story short, I got myself a copy, settled into my reading nook, and completely devoured the whole thing. And guess what happened after I finished the last page? I wanted to read more books! I've been searching and searching for the book that would finally get me out of my slump and I found it in Gabe and Lea's story. Here's why:

1.) The story is told in fourteen different points of view. Yup you read that right. FOURTEEN. And each one of the characters had their own distinct voice that managed to pull me deeper and deeper into the story. I guess I really enjoyed this because of the reading slump that I was in; the different points of view gave me entirely different perspectives that tickled my brain cells and reactivated my yearning to devour more words, more stories. And did I mention that these points of view included a squirrel's and a park bench's?

2.) Gabe and Lea are incredibly awkward-cute.

“I've got a theory.”
“That it's a demon?”
“A dancing demon?”
“No, something isn't right there.”

I love awkward-cute people, I really do. I'm awkward-cute, my crushes are awkward-cute, and some of the best people I know are awkward-cute. But the thing about Gabe and Lea is that their awkward-cutenesses merge whenever their together and created this huge intergalactic force filled with cuteness and blushing and oh my gosh just talk to each other alreadyyyy-s

3. They were more than just awkward-cute. Okay, so most books with awkward-cute characters fit exactly in that mold, learning it, loving it, living it- but that is not the case for our two protagonists. You might think that Lea is one of those girls who stay indoors and read in their room all day, and Lea does do that parties and goes on the sneakiest stalking seshes with her roommates too. Lea is actually pretty feisty and can definitely put a man in his place. Gabe, on the other hand, might sound like a total dork, and he is, but he's an athlete too! He's shy, but not completely socially awkward. He just had his reasons, that's all. So yes! Character building and development were so on par and timely. It almost kind of felt like reading a collective journal.

4. It didn't kill any brain cells. When you're reading, your brain cells might die because of two reasons: one, the story was so incredibly complex and mindblowingly heavy to intake or two, the story was so incredibly bland and stupid and you just want to hit every character with a stick. A Little Something Different sounds like a cutesy lovestory that would fit into the latter, but thankfully no brain cells were harmed while reading. It is a love story, and it is cute, but it isn't stupid or bland at all. It's one of those books that manage to melt your ice cold heart at each turn of the page and make you feel weird bubbly emotions at the pit of your stomach, but it has intellect too. It's smart and witty, and while it melts your heart it doesn't melt your brain.

5. It pretty much told the story of my life. A Little Something Different is set during Lea's first year at uni and since i'm a freshman in college too, I could relate to so much of what she was going through. The hesitance, the insecurity, the fear of the unknown, the crush that I have on the cute guy who sits next to me in almost all of our classes- umm scratch that last part out haha! I don't think that my college profs pair me up with the guys in class, but there's still a chance right?

But yes, dear bookish friends, it kind of was like reading the story of my life. I used to like a guy, and this guy used to like me, and everyone knew except for us. My friends and his friends were so tired of us beating around the bush about things but like Lea, I was just so scared of the bad things that might happen. That was an old chapter in my life, but reading A Little Something Different made me want to blow off the dust and open it up again. I guess my instant connection with Lea gave me a stronger connection with the story and that's why I loved it even more. When a book hits home with you, it's a keeper for life.