Book Review - Don't Even Think About It

Don't Even Think About
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Standalone
Genres: Contemporary | Young Adult
Release Date: 1st May 2014
Publishers: Orchard Books
No. Pages: 304
Source: Review Copy - Orchard Books
Rating: 
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This is the story of how we became freaks. It's how a group of I's became a we.

When Class 10B got their flu shots, they expected some side effects. Maybe a sore arm. Maybe a headache. They definitely didn't expect to get telepathy. But suddenly they could hear what everyone was thinking. Their friends. Their teachers. Their parents. Now they all know that Tess has a crush on her best friend, Teddy. That Mackenzie cheated on Cooper. That Nurse Carmichael used to be a stripper. Some of them will thrive. Some of them will break. None of them will ever be the same.

I usually pride myself on choosing and reading books with a good plot or good, intriguing characters, and in most cases, these books will have a good plot arch or great character development, so when I chose to auto-approve request Don't Even Think About It, I knew what I was getting into. For a book with a premise utterly unbelievable, and writing that, if the synopsis was anything to go by, was easy, simplistic and entertaining, I thought this book wouldn't and couldn't be anything other than an easy way to pass time, but let me tell you, I surprised myself..

Don't Even Think About It has one of the most unique premises I've ever heard of, and a very unbelievable one at that, and I think it's the fact that it was instantly so unbelievable that the rest of the book was like water off a ducks back. I wasn't looking for answers with clarity, and I wasn't searching for plot twists and a steady, building plot; it was essentially, a snippet of a class's lives before and after they develop telepathy and what they choose to do with this new talent. In truth, what more could you want from a story like this other than revealing secrets, drama and lots of good humour? I honestly don't know, but I seriously feel like Mlynowski knew what she was writing and what she wanted to do, I think she just wanted a funny, entertaining read for people. There was no commitment to this story, and there wasn't a need to confide or connect to the characters, there were some I connected to, which I'll get to in a minute, and some I didn't, but that didn't effect the enjoyment I experienced reading it. The sarcasm and drama that came from having telepathy in a school was just so utterly brilliant I had to love it; affairs, past occupations, crushes, cheating on tests, it really took the normal school drama's and blew them out of proportion, which I really enjoyed, and for a book with no real plot at all, other than people finally figuring it out, it was highly enjoyable.

There were too many characters in Don't Even Think About It for me to talk about all of them in detail, but there were a few stand out characters that I think made a lasting impression on me and that I could relate to and understand. Cooper I felt had it bad with the telepathy, and I think in comparison to everyone else's struggles, he just didn't know how to deal with what he found out, even when you take away the relationship problems with Mackenzie, who I seriously disliked. His individual story dealt with lies on a huge scale, on deception and protection, and I really liked how is story was left open ended alongside said Olivia's, who I also really liked. I felt I could relate to her shyness and I could understand how the telepathy gave her confidence enough to be herself; she highlighted that sometimes you just think everyone has an opinion on you, when sometimes they don't even notice you, and her humour and sarcasm shone through when in the group of Espies that it was a joy to read about her side of the story. I also really enjoyed Tess's story closer to the end; I could understand her story with teddy and wanting the truth, and how her decision in the end was best for her, and I have to admit, I really warmed to BJ too. I was surprised by just how much the characters had their own stories when they all had no choice but to share them, and in many cases, the telepathy helped there characters grow and evolve into better ones, and I think that one of the other things I enjoyed about this book.

Don't Even Think About It isn't logical and neither is it believable, and with a premise like that, you'd be a fool to take it seriously, but I really enjoyed it, I liked the whole premise so much in fact, if there is a sequel, I would more than likely read the hell out of it, but I'd love for there not be, I think that ending was done really well. There are many things that could make this book not your style, but personally, after suffering a book that bored me to tears beforehand, Don't Even Think About It was the lighthearted, humourous and entertaining read I needed, and I'm so glad I picked it up.