Review: Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Title: Side Effects May Vary 
Author: Julie Murphy
Expected publication: March 18th 2014 by HarperCollins/ Balzer + Bray
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
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Side Effects May Vary was probably the book that had me most worked up for 2014. I mean with a synopsis promising lots of drama and a "love story" blossoming between two childhood best friends I just couldn't contain my excitement. Add a cancer patient and then you have me hooked for life.

 

So I am not happy to write this review. You'll see why.

 

Mean girls have never bothered me before (I am not one of Courtney Summers biggest fan for nothing) but there was something really mean  about Alice. I found it hard to believe she cared about anyone feelings but her own, like with her mom's affair, everything was about Alice and how her mom had no right to ruin her life, then she saying that she loved Harvey but she constantly played games with him and clearly took advantage of his  feelings towards her. I couldn't really find it in my heart to like anything about her. Even reading the Now Alice, I just didn't see any changes in her. She didn't really show signs of maturing at all. In fact she acted even more selfish than when she was sick.

 

What I really loved was the "friendship" between Harvey and Alice. I really understood Harvey and think he is perfectly crafted as a person, so it was easy to see why he would feel so passionate towards someone like Alice. He was nice and caring and his good natured personality just makes you see why he is such a good friend to Alice even when she acts the way she acts.

 

But my inability to love Alice as a person didn't stop me from realizing that Julie Murphy is very good at story telling. The book was interesting. Things kept happening and even though some scenes were killing me to read, and I have a permanent scowl in my face from all the cringing; I can still say that I finished it and my time wasn't wasted. Murphy really did a good job at making the story come alive in front of my eyes, even if I didn't exactly loved it. But I am still interested in reading what she comes up next.