Henry Page has never been in love. He fancies himself a hopeless romantic, but the slo-mo, heart palpitating, can’t-eat-can’t-sleep kind of love that he’s been hoping for just hasn’t been in the cards for him—at least not yet. Instead, he’s been happy to focus on his grades, on getting into a semi-decent college and finally becoming editor of his school newspaper. Then Grace Town walks into his first period class on the third Tuesday of senior year and he knows everything’s about to change.
Grace isn’t who Henry pictured as his dream girl—she walks with a cane, wears oversized boys’ clothes, and rarely seems to shower. But when Grace and Henry are both chosen to edit the school paper, he quickly finds himself falling for her.
Our Chemical Hearts is such a lovely story, I don’t know if it’s just me and come country pride but I feel like all the aussie authors really put such important themes in their contemporaries. I was expecting a fluffy light book, and while this is fun and hilarious it also dealt with grief, first love, expectations of adults and society, general teenage mishaps, and growth.
Henry is an amazing narrator and protagonist a writer, an achiever, an all round good kid who is infatuated with Grace.
“We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy, Grace. Reading Harry Potter is what is right.”
Grace has depression, a limp, ptsd, she doesn’t write anymore and has never seen Harry Potter but loves Star Wars.
Grace is not who she once was, wearing boys clothes, not bothering to brush her hair some days, just in general not caring, and needing to walk with a cane is all what makes her an interesting person to Henry but once he finds her old Facebook, photos of beautiful blond hair and in stylish outfits Henry quickly realises that this is a new Grace then what she once was and becomes infatuated with becoming her friend and finding out what’s happened.
“something can only be shattered so many times before it becomes irreparable, just as a piece of paper can only be folded so many times before it cannot be folded any more.”
Our Chemical Hearts is about two teens figuring out who they are, realising that love is a disaster sometimes and other times your just not ready for it.
I absolutely adored the ending, I loved the all in and Henry’s sister (I loved all his family). I think my main reason why I didn’t fall in love with the story is I did dnf this for new releases and when I picked it back up it just didn’t impress me as much as I was hoping.
I’d like to give this a 4 but I just didn’t love it that much so 3.5/5
This book blew up and I know a lot of people love it, I’m pretty sure someones bought the movie rights?! YAY
adoptabookaus 
I had picked this up from the library but never had time to read it: I’m kinda glad it wasn’t super great and it was just ok because I don’t feel so guilty now.
I’ll hopefully read it at some point! 😊
Great review! 🙌
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So many people loved it i was just a little underwhelmed it’s definitely a solid read but nothing that i would yell about and through at people XD Hope you do enjoy it when you get around to picking it up 🙂
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This one sounds cute. I think I’ll be adding it to my TBR now.
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I hope you love it! Definitely a good read and I love that the main character is a writer 🙂
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Aussie authors in general are just amazing I reckon. Most of their books i give at least 4 stars!
I’m honestly not too surprised this fell a little flat for you
There was so much hype surrounding it. I remember hearing it described as a John Green meets Rainbow Rowell type story at PenguinTeen Live a few years ago and those are big shoes to fill.
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Yep I heard the John Green, Rainbow Rowell speal I knew that was over doing it (It usually always is when a book is compared to others) I still liked it but yeah definitly to hyped for me.
I’m super excited to continue reading her work though think she has a fantasy book coming and when ever an aussie does fantasy I can’t help but squel a little bit, I seem to see a fair few aussie contemporaries but only a couple of fantasies.
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I bought this one quite a while ago on Kindle Casey and haven’t really had the motivation to pick it up until now. It actually sounds really charming and refreshing compared to most YA. I think I had assumed in was new adult and the typical boy meets girl romance type story, so coloured me surprised. Brilliant review Casey, looking forward to giving this one a read now ❤
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omg I wish you would have read it as NA that would have been hilarious.. just constant umm where is the sex?XD It’s a romance story in the loosest sense in a way and I enjoyed that, I didn’t love it as much as everyone else has seemed to but I did enjoy it and how it wasn’t the average contemporary fluff. Thank you Kelly! ❤
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Aww them expectations can be quite dangerous! Sad that it didn’t blow you away. Great and honest review! 😀
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I know! I did enjoy this and think I could have loved it more if I didn’t fall into the hype. Thank you 🙂
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