Somebody Nobody: Tell Me Three Things

Review: Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum


Title: Tell Me Three Things
Author: Julie Buxbaum
Pages: 336
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publish Date: April 5, 2016
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Synopsis: Everything about Jessie is wrong. At least, that’s what it feels like during her first week of junior year at her new ultra-intimidating prep school in Los Angeles. Just when she’s thinking about hightailing it back to Chicago, she gets an email from a person calling themselves Somebody/Nobody (SN for short), offering to help her navigate the wilds of Wood Valley High School. Is it an elaborate hoax? Or can she rely on SN for some much-needed help?
It’s been barely two years since her mother’s death, and because her father eloped with a woman he met online, Jessie has been forced to move across the country to live with her stepmonster and her pretentious teenage son.
In a leap of faith—or an act of complete desperation—Jessie begins to rely on SN, and SN quickly becomes her lifeline and closest ally. Jessie can’t help wanting to meet SN in person. But are some mysteries better left unsolved?
Julie Buxbaum mixes comedy and tragedy, love and loss, pain and elation, in her debut YA novel filled with characters who will come to feel like friends.

I mentioned this on FB, and maybe Goodreads, but I've actually been in a reading slump for a few weeks now. Sometimes all you need is a 5-star contemporary novel, which is what I rated Tell Me Three Things. Tell Me Three Things pulled me out of my reading slump. Some novels just give you hope for the booking world, it's just that amazing. Tell Me Three Things was one of those books.

Let's just squee about the cover real quick. Look at it! LOOK AT IT! It's so PRETTY! The simplicity with the faint cursive... I just love it! Plus, it makes me hungry. Side note, while reading this book I started craving waffles so I had to go out and buy me some.

Tell Me Three Things is about a girl named Jessie who's mom died 2 years ago, and her dad just got remarried, moving them out to LA. Jessie has a horrible first day of school, and later that night an anonymous person emails her, calling himself Somebody Nobody. He gives her advice and is just a friend for her. Now Jessie tries to figure out who this SN is while trying to manage a new life in LA, making new friends and whatnot.

The only fault I had with this book was with Jessie

Jessie is supposedly this average looking teenager (calling herself ugly but she wasn't really ugly) who has never had a boyfriend. She made out with the boy next door (who dates her bff), but had never had a boyfriend. Then she moves to Wood Valley and has all these guys pining for her? I get that it's a cliche (and as Jessie stated sometimes cliches are nice) but not this one! The girl doesn't get all of the guys. I could understand one and maybe SN, but not over three! I'm sorry but that's not realistic.

I only read contemporary for the realism which is why I didn't like that part. It was nice how Buxbaum worked it into the story. That piece just wasn't for me (yet it didn't bring my rating down).

Everything else was magical

I use magical in the sense of it not having anything to actually do with magic. This book was just pure awesomesauce. I love reading nerdy books because I get to bring out my nerdy vocabulary. It's just great.

Tell Me Three Things gave me all the feels. It was adorable and just pure swoon-worthy. I loved each of the characters because they just added so much to the storyline. My favorite would probably have been Ethan. He seemed like the sort of guy I would like (I know) but I just like his character. I felt for him when he couldn't sleep and thought he was so sweet when he recited poetry because he actually reads poetry!

I thought the Wood Valley kids had ridiculous names, which is why I laughed whenever they were brought up. They had 3 Hannibals and 5 Romeos!

Honestly, Tell Me Three Things was an easy and lovely read. I love this world, the characters were fantastic, and I loved the little mystery of SN. Everyone should read this book. I don't care if you don't like contemporary, it's not my typical cup of tea but I loved it.

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