ReReview: Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

 Summary from Goodreads:

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs. So she convinces her best friend, Harvey, to help her with a crazy bucket list that's as much about revenge as it is about hope.

But just when Alice's scores are settled, she goes into remission, and now she must face the consequences of all she's said and done.

My Review:



What I Liked:

Writing Style. Even when I don't care for plot, characters or the format of Murphy's novel I still love the writing. She does a good job of writing a novel that is easy to step into as reader. Her details are good and her side characters are well developed. 

Harvey. I adored Harvey, who is one of the main points of view in the novel. He was a very likeable character and his chapters were my favorite to read. I would have loved it if the entire novel was told from his point of view. 

Plot. I did not care for the format but did like the main plot aside from the romance. It was interesting to read about Alice's battle with cancer, her issues with other students, and the revenge side plot. 

What I Disliked:

Format. The constant switch between the past and present threw me off. It helped that I was listening to the audiobook with gendered narrators but overall I did not care for the format. 

Alice POV. I struggled with my feelings about the main character, Alice. I both liked and disliked her. Murphy has crafted a character who by the end of the novel I did not care for but overall she created a realistic teenage character. Not every single person is without flaws and the character of Alice shows this. I liked the character at first, and by the middle understood her motivations for her not so great actions. However, the only aspect that I could not condone was her treatment of my baby Harvey. 

Romance. I liked the romance at first, mainly because of the cuteness that is Harvey. However, by the end I felt that it was unrealistic that they got together after everything that happened. They needed more time to heal before attempting a relationship. 

I recommend checking this novel out if you enjoy Murphy's writing style. It is not my favorite from this author but still a solid read. 

My Rating:

3.5 Stars Out of 5 Stars