Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski-ADVISABLE

Mlynowski, Sarah, Don’t Even Think About It. Pgs. 336. Random House Children’s Books, 2014. Language: R (52 swears; 13 “f” words); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG.  

What if you could read minds? When Room 10B at Manhattan’s Bloomberg High School gets their flu shots, one very strange side effect happens to the class: they can read minds. Soon, everyone in town’s secrets that were supposed to stay buried start coming to the surface. Although it’s great for them to know if that boy they like likes you back, if you’re boyfriend/girlfriend is cheating on you, or knowing what’s going to be on tomorrow’s test, knowing what your parents did last night is not or not so great when you’re the one that cheated on your significant other.  Are the powers permanent? Will the effects wear off or are there some unforeseen consequences?

Although the pacing starts out a little rough due to an information overload feeling, the pace quickly smooths out and keeps the reader engaged and entertained. Some of the characters seem shallow and unrealistic, but most feel they have depth and are realistic. Although the large character cast could confuse some readers, the story wouldn’t be the same without them. The plot was well-developed, but could’ve used a little more fleshing out of the ending. Still, there’s enough of a funny, engaging story that avid and reluctant reader will both enjoy. People who are fans of Mlynowski, like magical realism, or have always wanted to read their friend’s thoughts will enjoy reading this book. MS OPTIONAL. HS ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Kira M, Youth Serviecs Librarian, WHI Public Library.