By Jamie Paradis ’20, Arts and Entertainment Staff Writer

A not uncommon set up: A young adult romance novel about a new girl who falls in love with the quiet bad boy. Although this familiar structure to fiction novels has often been explored in the literary world, Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum succeeds as an intriguing, page-turning, contemporary young-adult book. The novel is about a girl named Jessie who was born in Chicago. A few years after her mother’s devastating death, her father decides to move them to L.A. to live with a woman whom he met through an online dating app and her son. Because of this perceptibly immature and brash decision, Jessie holds some resentment towards her father.

Jessie struggles to adapt to the trendy and hip environment of Los Angeles. Her school is full of “perfect” Cali girls and intimidating prep school boys – a total culture-shock for Jessie. She receives an email from an anonymous student called “Somebody/Nobody” offering guidance for Jessie at the new school. Doubtful and confused at first, Jessie and “SN” begin speaking online daily and he ends up being one of the only people that she makes a real connection with at her new school. She struggles with making new friendships, navigating her relationships with her new family, coping with her mother’s death, and, of course, love.

Unlike many other novels of the same design, Tell Me Three Things does an excellent job of preventing cliché and cheesy writing that is frequently found in the YA genre. The way Buxbaum describes Jessie’s emotions and struggles is very raw and realistic, resulting in a very approachable and understandable narrative for any young-adult reader. Students at Newark Academy could relate to the novel for its portrayal of the differences between the lives of public school and private school students and its analysis of fitting into new societal norms.

The beginning hooks you in with Jessie’s comedic and candid narration while the novel’s foundational mystery attracts readers for the entire duration of the novel. The story resolves with an adorable, surprising, and classic “perfect” romance novel ending. For readers who have now grown close to Jessie and the vicissitudes of her life, the end makes the novel great and makes it worth a re-read.

My main critique of the book would be Jessie’s tendency towards to exaggerate in her narration. Every time something bad happened, it seemed to be the worst and most devastating moment in her life. This over-dramatization may be a realistic portrayal of today’s youth, but it grew repetitive and frustrating. Jessie’s situation was less than ideal in many ways, but her character seemed increasingly flawed as she complained about every hardship in her new life. As a whole, however, the plot and development of her character were very successful and enjoyable to read.

After letting her borrow my copy, Sophie Chang ’20 excitedly told me, “I read the whole book in two days. It was a very entertaining read. I recommend it 100%!”.

Although the book is not revolutionary, it is a very engaging read that does not feel like pabulum. It is great for people who want to read more in their free-time but may be easily disinterested. Tell Me Three Things is an easier and faster read than most novels, but still a valuable addition to anybody’s collection of books. Never underestimate the intrigue of romance novels!