I received this book for free from Random House Children's Books in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen
Published by Wendy Lamb Books on May 12th 2015
Genres: Contemporary, YA
Source: Random House Children's Books
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Thirteen-year-old Stewart is academically brilliant but socially clueless.
Fourteen-year-old Ashley is the undisputed “It” girl in her class, but her grades stink.
Their worlds are about to collide when Stewart and his dad move in with Ashley and her mom. Stewart is trying to be 89.9 percent happy about it, but Ashley is 110 percent horrified. She already has to hide the real reason her dad moved out; “Spewart” could further threaten her position at the top of the social ladder.
They are complete opposites. And yet, they have one thing in common: they—like everyone else—are made of molecules.
When I received the email for the blog tour for this book, upon reading about the book was very excited to read it. Of course I had to be part of this blog tour! The book was really great and I am so happy that I said yes to this. It was a quick read with a lot of important topics. It is told from both Stewart and Ashley’s POV’s. Stewart is a really smart kid. Or as he likes to say, gifted. He felt that his life was pretty great with his just him, his mom, and his dad. Then, his mom dies and things get tough. They learn to cope though and eventually start to move forward. Especially his dad who is dating someone and they are moving in with them. Now Stewart has to leave the only home he has ever known and move in with his dad’s girlfriend and daughter. Being the good kid he is, he looks on the bright side and is excited. Ashley, not so much. She is a bit of a brat, but she has her reasons. She is going through losing a parent too, but in a different way. Her dad is still alive, and actually living in the guest house behind their home. Her parents divorced because her father revealed that he is gay. Now Ashley is hurt and questioning everything. She feels lied to and betrayed. She is also afraid that her friends will find out.
Stewart although super smart is not good at social interactions and the correct ways to behave. He is super friendly, and doesn’t understand the social ladder. He just wants to be liked and to try to make it through a normal school. He thinks his mom would be proud of him. He doesn’t understand that Ashley is embarrassed of him and she doesn’t want to get along with him. I really liked Stewart. He is clueless about a lot of things, but he is such a great kid with a huge heart. He wants to step out of his comfort zone and try to be normal, but he doesn’t quite know exactly how.
Ashley is the popular girl. The mean girl. The one who everyone wants to be and is waiting for her to slip up to take her place as the queen bee. She has a group of friends that she isn’t really the greatest to, but she’s at the top of the social ladder and intends to stay there. She is also really hurting inside. She is angry at her father and doesn’t want to try to listen to him or understand him. She feels like her whole life has been a lie. She’s afraid that if anyone finds out that her father is gay that it will destroy her social status. She hates that Stewart and his dad live with them now. But I didn’t hate her. I felt sorry for her. Yes, she’s a jerk a lot of the time, but Stewart slowly starts making her see things clearer. He stands up for her when she is in a tough spot, and is there for her when she needs someone. She really grows up by the end of the book and she becomes a great person. I loved watching the change in her.
Now the title of the book is a mouthful, but it fits the book so well. It makes a lot of sense when you read it and I think it was a clever and perfect title for this book. I loved how the characters were so different, but also so alike in the way that they feel. They both have lost someone they love whether they are still living or not, and have to find a way to except things the way they are. They also both go through some crappy things at school and find a common enemy. But they are good kids and they do the right things. They do finally bond as a family and it’s really a sweet story. I think it’s good for people of all ages and had a really great message. I was glad to have read this book and I hope others discover it as well.
3.5 Hot Espressos
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