The Fragile Ordinary

Another extraordinary story by Samantha Young, of love, loss, guilt, betrayal, jealousy, bullying, addiction. All the things teens must deal with on a daily basis as they come of age. It's a story about finding oneself in a world where you feel so isolated by your differences. Comet is so quirky and eccentric. Such as her love of her crazy fashion style and shoe obsession. I'm also an avid reader so it was good to be able to relate to Comet through her love of books. Her poetry was amazing. Comet always felt so alone and afraid too share herself with anyone until Tobias comes along, because of the strained and neglectful relationship Comet has with her parents. Tobias pulls at your heartstrings when you learn of his past and what he's dealing with. Yet he still tries to be there for both Comet and Stevie during their problems. He feels like he betrayed Stevie and the guilt eats at him. The chemistry between Tobias and Comet is such a sweet love story you can't get enough of them. They just both pull the best out of each other. Samantha doesn't shy away from any topics which always draws me in. She also pulls at all of your emotions. You cry, you yell at the book and you laugh with the characters. This is most certainly a five star, must read book. Can't wait to see what she has in store for us next.

The Fragile Ordinary, the title of Samantha Young’s newest release, seems quite contradictory; the implication that something normal…something standard…something regular could be vulnerable or delicate doesn’t quite fit its moniker, but it doesn’t mean it’s any less true…it doesn’t mean there’s not value and understanding in that paradoxical idea. In the continuum between ordinary and extraordinary, especially when it comes to teenagers, there’s a learning curve due to the pressures, insecurities, and expectations that come with traversing through hallways and classrooms where people are constantly judged and evaluated based on their actions and their words, and what that means for those individuals who see themselves as nothing more than ordinary is that they must contend with labels, pressures, and bullying, upsetting the delicate balance that exists for them on any given day, making it difficult to keep themselves and their lives in check, which forces a spotlight on those who would never choose to be exposed as anything but regular. Based on her name alone, there are certain expectations for Comet Caldwell - thoughts on how she should act and who she should be, and even though that’s not the path that she would ever choose for herself, it places her in a rather precarious position that is further aggravated by the appearance of a certain American bad boy - one who enters her life and brings with him his own issues and demons to fight, which means that, together, Comet and Tobias need to decide if they’re meant to be an extraordinary duo or remain behind the scenes as unequivocally ordinary as they can be. Before I go any further with my review, I think it’s important for readers to understand that I don’t read a lot of young adult literature; it’s not that I don’t enjoy it; it’s just that my reading schedule, which includes author review teams, ARCs as a blogger, and the books I beta read, isn’t conducive to all of the YA books that have been released. But, not only is Samantha Young one of my absolute favorite authors, but her storytelling and the characters she constructs never fail to illicit a wide range of emotions and thoughts. And The Fragile Ordinary did just that! All readers will relate to Comet in some significant way; to me, I felt like she was my high school self kindred spirit. Everything she endures…her views on life and living…the way she handles the multitude of difficult situations and decisions…her love of book characters and her connection to them…Comet is such a relatable character and the turmoil that surrounds her doesn’t feel the least bit contrived or over the top and that is exactly the kind of main character readers can identify with, support, and cheer on because as Comet experiences all of drama and pressures of being a female teenager, her plight resonates with everyone who hears/reads her story. Tobias King definitely has a hardened edge to him, but in some ways I think that helps him deal with his past and the aspects of his current life that seem out of his control. He doesn’t appear to be someone who would mesh well with Comet, but that’s the thing about preconceived notions and judging people based solely on what is said about them and the mask they wear. To truly understand someone, there needs to be an investment…a common ground and slowly but surely that connection is made and solidified between Comet and Tobias, and it’s heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time simply because of how things play out and the choices that have to be made, not only for them individually but also for any future they could possibly have together. In every sense of the word, The Fragile Ordinary is a paradoxical title - one that teaches relatable and significant life lessons and then goes about exemplifying those teachings through two main characters who every reader will identify with and be inspired by…Comet and Tobias’ story is an amazing story of resilience…of friendship…of love, and it realistically illustrates a teenager’s journey through life - the highs and the lows and everything in between. It’s definitely a story that stay with me and its lessons will not soon be forgotten. 5 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)

It’s been awhile since I’ve read YA. Overall I did enjoy this book, despite it starting off slow. It took awhile for me to connect. I didn’t really like a lot of the characters, but some of them did eventually grow on me.

Oh man, I really loved this book. Comet was simply an amazing character that is sure to make any reader love her. I truly related to her on a very deep level simply because she lives her life in a way I wish I was brave enough to live (at her age). Each character was fleshed out and I loved the backstories that were present. I do wish that we learned a little more about the side characters but I truly loved Tobias & Comet. Their story was fresh and I loved that it didn't feel too young nor did it go into too much of an adult realm. At 28, I was still able to love the story. This is the first young adult novel that I have read by Samantha Young. I've been hooked by her books for years so I was a little nervous to go from adult romance to young adult romance. It's always interesting to see how a writer's writing changes when it comes to age. Though I prefer Samantha Young's adult novels, I truly loved this book. It is realistic, it's fast paced, and it is sure to make you think back to your high school woes (if you're older). Honestly, it was fantastic. I truly loved it. **I received this book in exchange for an honest review.**

I don't seem to read as much YA since I have left my teenage years behind. Samantha Young is one of my favorites so I thought I should give The Fragile Ordinary a try. It kept me up reading in the wee hours of the night. I went through so many emotions reading this book. This is also a book about teenagers, who sometimes make questionable decisions. I liked that all the teenage characters were fleshed out. They all made mistakes. I can obviously relate to Comet, the introvert and bookworm. She feels like a kindred spirit most of the time. We don't just get the story of her romance with Tobias. We also get the story of her relationships with her family and friends. Will I ever read it again? Probably not, but I appreciate the journey and the message. This story has themes that include love, loss, growing up, bullying and drug use. I voluntarily read an early copy.

Since I have finished The Fragile Ordinary, I have been trying to come up with the right words to express the enormity of this book. This book...THIS BOOK... I mean.. I couldn't put it down. I was so captivated from the very beginning as we meet Comet. She is so eccentric and so many could connect with her today. I mean, come on, who doesn't just want to shut the world out and curl up with a book and escape inside that world? But, Comet taught us so much more than just settling and hiding. She showed us that being ourselves and living every moment to the fullest can be just as adventurous and amazing. Don't get me wrong. This story captures so many struggles of our teens today. From bullying, self-assurance, drugs, associations within certain groups, to friendships and romantic love. Samantha Young tackles these issues within this story of Comet brilliantly. You become Comet and journey through this epic tale feeling her hopes and fears. You experience her joys and heartaches...*sighs*...She is just amazing!! While I am talking about Comet, I need to mention the other person that we fall for and that is Tobias. Young couldn't have written a more imperfect love interest. And I mean that in the most perfect way. I loved how Comet had this picture in her mind from what a "book boyfriend" would be and how Tobias would destroy that dream. But this brought us to how much this story was epic. Each and every moment that we spent with Comet and Tobias was genuine and real. I LOVED their relationship and I totally FELT each emotion they went through... All this brings me to the ingenious, talented brilliance that Samantha Young has given us in The Fragile Ordinary. A truly epic coming of age tale that is a must read for all!!