Read This Book Now

It’s no secret that I’m in love with Robin Benway. Er, that’s a little creepy. What I mean is, I’m in love with Robin Benway’s writing. (I believe my treatise on Audrey,Wait! is proof enough.)

Well the other day, in a post-Spider Trauma attempt at diverting my mind, I was on Goodreads. I landed on the page for Benway’s next book, Also Known As, refreshing the page to see if it’d turn the expected publication date from February 29 to January 19, when something hit me: I’d never read Benway’s sophomore novel.

So of course I bought The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May and June and devoured it. And of course because Benway wrote it, I spent the entire time with this giant grin on my face, which, to be honest, made my face a little sore.

Exhibit A, this little interaction where the girls discuss the implications of their abilities on their love lives:

“I’m jealous,” June said. “I wish my superpower had a sound effect like May’s.” 

“Stop calling them that,” I told her. “They’re not super.” 

“They’re anti-super,” May agreed. 

“Well, you know what else is not super?” June said. “Being able to read a guy’s mind when he’s kissing you or doing…other things.” 

“Like the nasty?” I asked her. “To use your delicate terminology?” 

“Well, yeah. What if he thinks I’m a bad kisser? What if…what if he thinks I’m fat?” June shuddered. “I hate him already and I don’t even know him.” 

May rolled her eyes and turned to me. “So is your future boyfriend hot?” 

“I don’t know?” I replied. “Maybe? Kind of? In a certain slant of light?” 

“And by that do you mean ‘utter darkness’?”

I’ll say this: April, May and June wasn’t as laugh-out-loud hilarious as Audrey, Wait! That said, it’s still really funny and adorable. Benway’s grasp on the way teens talk is perfect. Also perfect: Her portrayal of what it’s like to have siblings.

Going into it, I thought I’d love this book for its humor. And don’t get me wrong, I did love that. But what made the book for me was the relationship between the sisters. (Which was strengthened by the fact that we get each sister’s POV.) It was so real and broken and perfect. There was definitely a plot—and a bit of mystery—but I would have read an entire book based on these three girls sitting around and talking about nothing.

If you liked Audrey, Wait! you’ll enjoy this book. If you like witty banter or mysteries or sibling rivalry or smiling a lot, you’ll like this.

And now, please join me in my petition to get Bloomsbury to expedite the publication of Benway’s next novel.