Genre: YA contemporary

Goodreads rating: 4.26

“Two boys. Two secrets.”

If you’re looking for excellent writing and an uplifting read, I highly recommend The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson. Williamson writes in an eloquent style that I could read all day long—and did! Her compassion for her characters shines through every word of this tale of two high school age people striving to express their true nature in a world that does not always welcome them. At its heart, The Art of Being Normal is about friendship and what good people are capable of when they support one another and don’t give up. Every character and setting is believable. There are surprising plot twists, too. Yes, there is heartbreak but, above all, there is hope. 5 stars.

Quotes:

Clever: “When she’s not being sappy, she’s as hard as nails.”

Brilliant (when you know the context): “I watch as he breaks into a jog toward the bus stop, his blazer flying out behind him like a cape.”

Heart-wrenching: “Sometimes, if I can’t sleep at night or I’m bored on the bus or in classes, I imagine this parallel universe where Dad is still around. In it he takes me to soccer games, helps me with my homework, and calls me “son,” like he’s really proud of me. He makes Mam nicer too: younger, prettier, happier. Parallel-universe Mam always remembers to buy toilet paper, cooks roast dinners on Sunday, and laughs a lot.”

— Eve Messenger