When the song ends, we hold on to this moment that, in the space between, feels like a million electrodes have be- gun to rattle and vibrate. I feel it fuse to my bones. It connects us together, grounds us, right here, right now.
Title: The Inevitable Collision of Birdie and Bash
Author: Candace Ganger
Series: Standalone
Publication: July 25th 2017 by St. Martin’s Griffin
Pages: 320
Source: Publisher in exchange for a honest review
Summary from Goodreads:
Birdie never meant to be at the party. Bash should have been long gone. But when they meet, a collision course is set off they may never recover from.
Sebastian Alvaréz is just trying to hold the pieces together: to not flunk out, to keep his sort-of-best friend Wild Kyle from doing something really bad, and to see his beloved Ma through chemo. But when he meets Birdie Paxton, a near-Valedictorian who doesn’t realize she’s smoking hot in her science pun T-shirt, at a party, an undeniable attraction sparks. And suddenly he’s not worried about anything. But before they are able to exchange numbers, they are pulled apart. A horrifying tragedy soon links Birdie and Bash together—but neither knows it. When they finally reconnect, and are starting to fall—hard—the events of the tragedy unfold, changing both their lives in ways they can never undo. Told in alternating perspectives, The Inevitable Collision of Birdie & Bash by Candace Ganger is a beautiful, complex, and ultimately hopeful teen novel that will move you to the very last page.
My Thoughts:
The Inevitable Collision of Birdie & Bash took me by surprise in the best of ways. This cute, shockingly deep contemporary is the epitome of not judging a book by its cover. You look at the pretty swirls, the bright red and purple, and the roller skates, and you think it’s just another sugary contemporary – oh how wrong you are.
This book leads you in through a double-helix spiral. It is an emotional roller coaster that shakes, turns, and spins you out of sorts in the best way possible. The Inevitable Collision of Birdie & Bash brings two characters together in the wake of a tragedy they are both deeply connected to in ways that will tear out your heart. This book also poses the question of truth and whether or not hiding the truth in order to protect someone is ever a reason to lie. It keeps you on your toes because you think you know which direction it’s heading, but then you realize you’re protecting what you want to happen and then WHAM, it all falls apart and you’re stuck in the rubble.
Don’t let me scare you off, guys. While this book is definitely one that requires some tissue assistance, it is also filled with light and laughter in some unexpected ways. The characters are a hoot, especially Birdie. She’s smart, fierce, and so full of nerdness I couldn’t help but cheer. Bash is pretty awesome, too. In addition to the characters, the writing itself is humorous. It’s quick, chatty, and somehow effortless.
The metaphors, the excellent characterization, and the overall emotional ride combine forces in The Inevitable Collision of Birdie & Bash to create something magical. The book will make you laugh, definitely make you cry, and it might even make you question some of your own choices. It’s fun, smart, witty, and emotionally traumatizing and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
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