Review : My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga

Summary (from Goodreads)

Title : My Heart and Other Black Holes
Author : Jasmine Warga
Publication Date : February 10th 2015
Publisher : Harper Teen
Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Sixteen-year-old physics nerd Aysel is obsessed with plotting her own death. With a mother who can barely look at her without wincing, classmates who whisper behind her back, and a father whose violent crime rocked her small town, Aysel is ready to turn her potential energy into nothingness.

There’s only one problem: she’s not sure she has the courage to do it alone. But once she discovers a website with a section called Suicide Partners, Aysel’s convinced she’s found her solution: a teen boy with the username FrozenRobot (aka Roman) who’s haunted by a family tragedy is looking for a partner.

Even though Aysel and Roman have nothing in common, they slowly start to fill in each other’s broken lives. But as their suicide pact becomes more concrete, Aysel begins to question whether she really wants to go through with it. Ultimately, she must choose between wanting to die or trying to convince Roman to live so they can discover the potential of their energy together. Except that Roman may not be so easy to convince.

Personal Thoughts

If you know me at all, then you know that I would be the last person to pick up books like My Heart and Other Black Holes. I just refuse to read books about suicidal teenagers, because they tend to leave me sad for days. Still, there was just something about the blurb of My Heart and Other Black Holes that just enchanted me. And my instincts were right!

I don't know what exactly it was about My Heart and Other Black Holes that touched me on such an intense emotional level. Everything about it was so perfect to me. While reading it, I couldn't stop thinking about how much love I had for it and it's hard for me to pinpoint why exactly. This is just one of those books that has a simple story line, but still manages to sweep you off your feet and engross you from start to finish. In this case, the simplicity actually worked really well. Add to that, Jasmine Warga's lovely writing, you wind up with a special book that makes me want to get on my rooftop and shout out my love for it. My Heart and Other Black Holes is the kind of book that leaves you hopeful and makes you want to believe that there are good things out there even though we are perpetually surrounded by negativity. Undoubtedly, this is a book that tackled meany heavy and sometimes, difficult themes, but the book wasn't always sad and depressing. There were some sweet moments and My Heart and Other Black Holes was also laced some humor that had me smiling. I also loved getting to see Aysel and Roman's families play such important roles in the book.

I don't think My Heart and Other Black Holes could have been as strong without the gorgeously written characters though. Aysel and Roman were the essence of this story, giving life (no pun intended) to the book. Both these characters were so endearing and memorable in so many ways. Aysel, especially, was a shining star. Both Aysel and Roman were truly shattered characters, but throughout everything they supported each other and helped each other become better. They may have started out as suicide partners, but as their relationship evolved, so did they as individuals. Their friendship catalyzed the changes needed for them to see how truly special they were and to make them realize that there were things worth living for. The bond that grew between Aysel and Roman just made my heart flutter. THIS is what I crave for in romances : a relationship where you can actually see the positive changes it brings about to the parties involved.

My Heart and Other Black Holes has to be one of my favorite YA debuts of 2015. It's heartbreaking, romantic and hopeful all at the same time! This is a MUST read, you all!

Rating

Cover : 4/5
Plot : 5/5
Characters : 4/5
Writing : 5/5




Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Teen for the e-ARC of My Heart and Other Black Holes.

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