Published by HarperTeen on May 17, 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 382
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Maguire is bad luck.
No matter how many charms she buys off the internet or good luck rituals she performs each morning, horrible things happen when Maguire is around. Like that time the roller coaster jumped off its tracks. Or the time the house next door caught on fire. Or that time her brother, father, and uncle were all killed in a car crashβand Maguire walked away with barely a scratch.
Itβs safest for Maguire to hide out in her room, where she can cause less damage and avoid new people who she could hurt. But then she meets Jordy, an aspiring tennis star. Jordy is confident, talented, and lucky, and heβs convinced he can help Maguire break her unlucky streak. Maguire knows that the best thing she can do for Jordy is to stay away. But it turns out staying away may be harder than she thought.
I stumbled upon this book while shopping and made an impulse buy because Nicole’s review from Feed Your Fiction Addiction was fresh on my mind. I finished this book the next day; it was so good.
Fun fact: I accidentally purchased a signed copy of this novel! I also almost didn’t get to buy this book because of a temporary power outage due to crazy storm that blew in. So glad the power came back on π
Maguire is a compelling character. I believe that many of us can relate to her fears of hurting loved ones and her desire to take responsibility for unlucky situations because it’s so much easier to blame herself than to accept that sometimes bad things happen to good people. And to be honest, if I were as lucky (or unlucky) as her, I might be tempted to think something out there is out to get me.
I appreciate how it takes time for Maguire to overcome her fears. She starts slowly at first. Some of the later progress may seem to come almost immediately, but there are time skips in between. The novel as a whole spans about a year and a half. In the end, Maguire isn’t entirely cured of her fears, though she reaches a point where she’s willing to take risks. This leaves us with the understanding that life isn’t perfect but there is hope.
My favorite part about this novel has to be the dialogue. It reads so naturally that I could hear the conversations taking place. Some of the best banter takes place between Maguire and her step-dad (the feels!) and between Maguire and Jade (their text messages are hilarious, as is Jade’s commentary on Maguire and Jordy’s relationship. These relationships are especially meaningful to me because they demonstrate that romance is not the center of Maguire’s world; she has healthy, visible relationships with family and friends. (Note: Maguire also has cute exchanges with her half sister, and her mother plays an important role in her life, especially in a couple scenes towards the end of the novel.)
The romance itself is slow to build. Maguire has good reason to be afraid of getting involved with someone she cares about, and Jordy is super sweet and supportive of her. They develop a strong friendship as they help each other overcome their respective fears. At times, they go through conflicts in their relationship, but they communicate with each other and acknowledge their own faults in the conflict. This helps them to move forward stronger than ever.
I recommend Girl Against the Universe to reads who enjoy a light contemporary read that addresses real-world issues like mental illness and survivor’s guilt, integrates sports (Maguire and Jordy both play tennis) and romance, and has a strong family presence.
Content: PG-13
Comparable Titles
If you enjoy this one, you may also enjoy…
- Made You Up by Francesca Zappia: a contemporary romance about a schizophrenic girl trying to make sense of the world around her and the insanity that is high school. It also features a strong family relationship.
- Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown: a positive, heart-warming read that addresses how mental health affects our relationships. Themes include family, friendship, and the imperfections that make us who we are.
- Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally: a contemporary sports romance.
Let’s Chat
π Have you read Girl Against the Universe or another novel by Paula Stokes?
π Maguire has little rituals and lucky charms she keeps. Do you have a ritual or lucky charm?
Danielle Hammelef says
This is one of my favorite books!
Crystal says
I’m so glad to hear that. I agree that Girl Against the Universe is a fantastic read! π
ShootingStarsMag says
I’ve heard really good things about this book, and author too! I’m glad to hear this was a good read for you. Yay for good dialogue.
-Lauren
Crystal says
Thanks, Lauren. Girl Against the Universe is fantastic π
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction says
Yay!! I love hearing that someone picked up a book because of me (and enjoyed it—that part is key, I suppose). π
I agree that this book is great as a lighter read that still tackles some serious issues. I’ll definitely be reading more Paula Stokes.
Crystal says
I agree. It’s great to hear someone picked up a book because of usβand even better when we hear they enjoyed it!
I’d also be up for reading more from Paula Stokes π
Dani @ Perspective of a Writer says
I added this to my TBR because of Nicole’s review too! I love that friendship played a huge role and that the romance was slower. When we’re dealing with fears its naturally hard to think of happily ever after… we’re just trying to survive the day!! β€οΈ I really need to read this now.
Crystal says
I agree. I love how Paula Stokes takes time to develop the friendship and let Maguire to move forward with her fears. I hope you enjoy Girl Against the Universe, Dani!
Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer says
I love when the characters voice and dialogue feel realistic and pull me in. Lovely review!
Crystal says
I agree. Characters are so important to a good book!
Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight says
Natural dialogue can make such a big difference in being able to sink into a book. And I love seeing some non-romantic relationships in books! This sounds like a really nice book overall π
Crystal says
I agree. My favorite books have strong character friendships and natural dialogue. It was fun to discover this in a light contemporary read, which is different from my usual π
Melliane says
Oh yes it looks good there and I didn’t know about it
Crystal says
It’s a wonderful read π
Sophia Rose says
It sounds like a thought-provoking one as she works through her fears and learns to take some calculated risks again. Yes! Love good dialogue, too. So cool that you were able to get this one storm and all. I’ll have to add it to my list.
Crystal says
I love how this book is thought-provoking while being a lighter read at the same time. And the theme of working through fears and learning to take calculated risks is something that can encourage readers whether or not they have similar experiences. And yes! Good dialogue can really make the book π