(Also known as Good Oil)
Published December 11 2012 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Hardcover, 243 pages
Borrowed from library
After school, Amelia works at a grocery store to help earn some extra money. She and co-worker Chris immediately hit it off, talking about anything and everything and before she knows it, Amelia is in love. The only problem is that Amelia is 15 and Chris is 21. Six years does not seem like a big difference (fun fact, my parents are six years apart!) but it's everything to Amelia and she knows it can't be. But still, she can't help that she's in love. And maybe, just maybe, there might come a day when he likes her too.
This has been on my TBR list for SO LONG and I'm just so HAPPY that I've finally gotten to it. Maybe because I can finally cross it off (as a person with a TBR that never stops growing, this is obviously a very monumental achievement for me) but also because I really, really, really, really liked this book. I might even use the word LOVE. Because man, Buzo just absolutely blew me away!
Going into Love and Other Perishable Items, I thought I was going to find a fluffy book with cute characters and cute writing that would make me SQUEAL a lot. Truth: I did not squeal a lot when I read this book. But instead, I found really solid, amazing characters, great writing, and a storyline that felt so REAL and great sub-plots hitting on real issues and I THINK I ACTUALLY DO LOVE THIS BOOK. Because Buzo has written one of those stories that's just so relatable, where you want to be like, Hey girl (or boy) I totally get what you're going through.
I loved the dual perspectives. They're usually a hit or miss for me but this time, the two voices worked so well. They actually helped me to connect more with each character and I loved that I could learn a little bit more about each of them through it and of course, their thoughts on each other and life in general.
You don't even understand, I'm getting MORE and MORE excited about this book as I'm writing this review. That has never happened to me before. Like honestly, I'm going to explode with tears of love (is that a thing?) in a minute because I just love this book too much and all I want to do right now is clutch it to my chest and keep it forever.
Everything was terrific. The writing was terrific, the characters were terrific, and THE ENDING WAS PERFECT. I could not have imagined it to end in any better way. LOVED THIS BOOK.
LOVED THIS BOOK. Definitely going to be one of my favourites for the years to come. Everything about it was just so amazing and spot-on. It's one of those books that I regret getting from the library because I just want a copy for myself which I will probably end up getting. THIS BOOK IS WHY I LOVE AUSSIE AUTHORS. Gah, so good. So much depth. AMAZING.
Not everyone will like this as much as I did but if it sounds like your kind of book, READ IT.
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Anna @ Anna Reads says "Amazing. No other words. Loved it. I suspect this book will be ranked among my favorites for years to come."
Jamie @ The Perpetual Page Turner calls it "a quietly beautiful coming of age story about the stickiness of crushes and first love."
Lee @ Rally The Readers gives it 2.5 stars: "I couldn’t find the emotional investment for this one."
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