This Is My Brain on Boys

February 22, 2016
Addie and Kris meet in a high-stress situation: their plane seems like it’s about to crash. Scientifically minded Addie sees the world through an extremely rational lens—think Temperance Brennan on Bones—even offering to kiss Kris as the plane flounders as a “medical intervention” (he’s about to pass out from hyperventilation). Though Addie considers herself immune to romance, she’s also working to prove a theory that any two people can fall in love if they undergo a trauma together. Addie, meanwhile, is so socially naïve that she doesn’t realize she’s experienced this exact thing with Kris. Strohmeyer (The Secrets of Lily Graves) has a great handle on Addie’s cerebral perspective, which is engaging and funny, along with her development of Kris as a repentant bad boy who likes Addie despite what turns out to be a complicated past between them. Addie’s social quirkiness is endearing, as is her friends’ protective attitude and behavior toward her. Readers will follow along gladly to see whether Addie allows a little love into her life alongside her intellectual pursuits in this entertaining romance for geek lovers. Ages 13–up.

March 15, 2016
Highly intelligent but awkward Addie attempts to prove that the experience of falling in love can be induced by subjecting people to a series of environmental conditions in this romantic comedy. When Addie encounters cute, earnest Kris on a turbulent flight back to the boarding school they both attend, she doesn't realize he's one of a group of students who vandalized her lab the previous year but is quickly brought up to speed by her fiercely protective friends. Unsure what to think, she's even more surprised when part of the reparations for his misdeed turns out to be serving as a test subject for an ambitious experiment she's attempting in the hope of winning a much-needed scholarship to college. While this sets into motion a complicated weave of storylines that will keep readers guessing about who is actually at work behind the scenes of Addie's project, there is never any real doubt about the outcome of the predictable romantic plot. Addie's extreme literal-mindedness is used to appealing comedic effect, and the class issues that are touched upon due to her family's relatively meager circumstances in juxtaposition to her classmates' extreme wealth add some depth. Addie, Kris, and their close friends are white; there are some secondary characters who are Chinese exchange students, and another classmate is from India. Funny and engaging, if somewhat formulaic. (Romance. 13-18)

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April 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Addie Emerson attends a private high school, Academy 355, near Boston. She and her lab partner, Dexter, are competing for the prestigious Athenian award, which would finance Addie's college education. She and Dexter are trying to manipulate the human brain to make their subjects fall in love. After researching and conducting one trial, Addie believes she has successfully guided two students to fall in love by placing them in life-threatening situations. She needs to prove this theory by conducting one last experiment. Kris Condos enters the picture. He is on probation and is working off his crime against the school-vandalism. The dean of students has assigned Kris to Addie's experiment. Addie, however, seems to be the only person attending Academy 355 who does not know about Kris's involvement in wrecking the school's science lab. As the trials take place, Addie gains a new understanding of the world around her. Through her struggles, Addie grows and perseveres. Readers will enjoy the twist at the end of the story. Strohmeyer has created an enjoyable realistic fiction title with a believable, smart protagonist who has a difficult time interacting with the world around her because of her intellect. Although the writing style is complex, the theme is universal. The scientific approach the author injects into this romance puts a new spin on this overtaxed genre. Because the vocabulary is reflective of the main character's intellect, this would probably not be a book to recommend to reluctant readers. VERDICT Give to teens looking for a refreshing twist to their YA romance.-Jeni Tahaney, Duncanville High School Library, TX

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