A novel about freaks, geeks, crushes and friends - and how sometimes you can be all of them at once....
Charlie is the freak. Gloria is the freak magnet. When they meet, sparks fly ... for Charlie. Gloria, well, she thinks he’s like every other freak who feels compelled to talk to her, just a little better-looking than most.
In this he said / she said tale of love, loss, and lucky signs, two young strangers at a crossroads in their lives become friends by happy accident (okay, maybe some harmless stalking is involved – and not by the person you think!) and forever change each other.
“I dare you to read this book and not fall in love with every single word on its pages. Magic.”
-The Crooked Shelf
"Readers will easily fall for this story of freak love; it’s poignant, laugh-out-loud funny and awkward in the best of ways."
-Publishers Weekly
"Touchingly realistic and balanced with humor. A skilled and moving portrait of two young people struggling to make sense of the world."
-Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books (Recommended)
"Undeniably pleasurable... Auseon’s details are just original enough to amuse and move readers. (His handling of the parents, including a Huntington’s-ravaged mom is even better.)"
-Booklist
"Charming and clever... a small gem of a story in which a talented author reveals hidden layers of his characters."
-VOYA
2010 Bank Street College Best Book of the Year
2010 ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults nominee
2010 Cybils award nominee (Young Adult)
"I'm not overstating when I say this novel reminded me of all the things I love about YA realism done right. On a craft level, the book is quite an achievement: I haven't seen dual first person point of view done any better than this, with each voice absolutely distinct, or read many other novels able to balance true humor with true weight half so well. I'd recommend this book to just about anyone. Freaks and freak magnets take note.”
-Gwenda Bond, author of Lois Lane: Fallout