I'm always hesitant about going into contemporary novels. My comfort zone is fantasy; anything dark and whimsical that can pull me out of real-world problems. So, naturally, going into "The Way You Make Me Feel" was entering unchartered territory for me. But, lulled in with the premise of a food truck and a prank-gone-wrong, I took myself on a journey and ended up loving it.
This story follows Clara Shin through the ups and downs of one tumultuous high school summer. When a mishap with some fake blood and an argument with a classmate nearly gets her suspended, her father devises a plan for her (and her arch-nemesis) to work on his food truck to repay the school for the damage done.
This book is a great exploration of high school life. Everything someone experiences through the later years of teenage-dom is a topic covered in this book: losing touch with old friends, learning to take responsibility, arguments with a parent and so much more. Maurene Goo's writing is so bubbly and so warm, and the way Clara's voice shines through in this text is excellent. It let me feel like the rebellious girl I always wanted to be.
As for characters (always my favorite part of a book)...they were so well written. I found myself relating to all of them in one way or another, but particularly with Rose and her anxiety. I also loved all of the side characters, including Clara's group of friends and the ones she meets along the way. Every character in this book could be a real person, and I appreciated that.
Overall, if you're looking for a fun contemporary book (one with lots of mouth-watering food, too) then I would recommend this book over and over again.
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edit: I have two other things that I need to add to this review that I (somehow) forgot to include earlier. One of my favorite aspects of this novel was the family dynamic. You have separated parents / a single parent dynamic. While I was unable to relate to the single parent situation, the aspects of the novel that related to the separated parents really hit home. I also love the fact that we have a close father and daughter in this book. It's become expected within the YA community for books with teenage main characters to have little-to-no parental contact but in this book, we see the exact opposite. Every action Clara makes within the book revolves around her relationship with her dad, and the relationship they had was a healthy one – that was so unbelievably refreshing to read about.
The second thing I'd like to add is that this novel does a great job at showing you just how much can happen and change within a short span of time. We see Clara progress over the course of a summer break, and in that time she does so much. It's a true account of how much can happen in a matter of a few days, weeks and months.
edit: I have two other things that I need to add to this review that I (somehow) forgot to include earlier. One of my favorite aspects of this novel was the family dynamic. You have separated parents / a single parent dynamic. While I was unable to relate to the single parent situation, the aspects of the novel that related to the separated parents really hit home. I also love the fact that we have a close father and daughter in this book. It's become expected within the YA community for books with teenage main characters to have little-to-no parental contact but in this book, we see the exact opposite. Every action Clara makes within the book revolves around her relationship with her dad, and the relationship they had was a healthy one – that was so unbelievably refreshing to read about.
The second thing I'd like to add is that this novel does a great job at showing you just how much can happen and change within a short span of time. We see Clara progress over the course of a summer break, and in that time she does so much. It's a true account of how much can happen in a matter of a few days, weeks and months.
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