Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Title: Tell Me Three Things

Release Date: April 5, 2016

Publisher: Delacorte

Pages: 336

Received: From Publisher: ***Thank you so much Penguin Random House for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review!!!***

Star Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

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? [goodreads]

My Thoughts

First of all, WAFFLES. I love this cover because it represents the novel in a clear metaphorical sense! Tell Me Three Things is sweet like waffles and unique in every shape, the waffle iron has. I enjoyed the mystery, romance, and the handling of mourning. Jessie's story is simple and the author created depth into her character that enhances her storytelling. Of course, this is spoiler free, so I will try to throw in some thoughts, while leaving you wanting more...

Jessie's life has become a disarray. She barely had time to recover over the loss of her mother and then is sent to her father, who has a whole family of his own. She has to leave her old school and friends behind and start at a new school with no friends. It sounds completely ordinary from here, but there seems to be an anonymous student (SN) emailing her tips and tricks of getting around school. Jessie was a strong lead and completely a real teenager. 

Then there comes a turning point and she finds new love interests and more friends. She also had a step brother Theo, who I learned to love. I felt...I don't know the word.. "in" a private high schooler in Los Angeles's life. The emails between SN and Jessie were also quite hilarious and the headlines cracked me up! There probably should have been more development in relationships like a little more of her step brother and step sister, but the author really took her time on working the best friend story line, which was fine by me. 

Tell Me Three Things had a plate full of components that a contemporary lover would love to dig into! It was clever, entertaining, and quite the easy read. Buxbaum's first young adult novel makes me craving for more and I'm excited to see more from her in this genre.


4/5 STARS