This was a weird -and oddly dangerous- book for me to read. I left myself a little vulnerable because of how much I related to the main character.. and for those of you who know the story, that includes all the shyness and crippling insecurities. The author nailed it to a T, and it's the powerful writing that tangled me in so tightly. It's just that whenever the main character hit a bump I hit it with him; it opened old wounds that obviously hadn't fully healed. It's a long healing process. So this book hurt as much as it rang true. It was a bittersweet feeling to have a story for us socially impaired people who simply can't handle emotional turmoil. 
 But the writer is merciful. Yes, she may have torn out my heart and smeared it into the dirt ...but then she dusted it off and gave it back. I'm not going to include spoilers, but the angst doesn't last forever. It left me feeling warm and happy, even. Normally I can't handle jealousy themes because they leave me too wounded to give five stars... But I'll make an exception this time. I simply can't give this book anything lower. Not possible - not after it got me so damn involved. Not after all we've been through!! We all came out a bit stronger, I think. 
 ...Yeah, I know. I really need to stop taking reading so seriously.