There was simply something about these characters that drew me in and wouldn't let me stop reading. Their story tugged at my heartstrings and made me alternately laugh and cry throughout. I also really, really enjoyed the slam poetry interspersed throughout the book and the song lyrics that started each chapter were sometimes almost as emotionally charged as the story itself. Also, I'm now two hours behind on getting through my homework because I couldn't make myself stop reading--that says something, you know?