Thursday, November 18, 2010

The Half-Life of Planets by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin

Music-obsessed boy meets off-kilter science girl and they immediately hit it off. A friendship forms, but neither is sure how to discuss their interest in the other: she's closed off, he's got Aspergers. But somehow, they understand one another better than anyone else can.

These teens are instantly likeable, and they've got a funny, quirky friendship with just enough tension to keep you wondering how it will end. And the music references - let's just say I laughed out loud more than once: KISS/kiss wordplay, the importance of John Oates, and the impulse control it takes to not follow your instinct when a girl's t-shirt says "Squeeze."

I read it in a sitting. Chapters alternate between Liana's voice and Hank's, so you get a fair balance in viewpoint and a great look inside each character's head. Highly recommended.

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