Scan barcode
cn3's review
emotional
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
madelinefmcguire's review
5.0
Eleven year old Joey is angry like all the time and she doesn't understand why. She has two moms who love each other (and her), an older brother and her two fellow triplet brothers so she's never without company. But lately all the feelings and questions- does she have a crush on her best friend Layla, why is her oldest brother staying with his dad, and the stress of a genealogy project- are making her lash out and hurt people. Joey doesn't want to hurt anyone least of all her friends and family if only she could figure out where all her anger is coming from.
This book hurt my heart because Joey is trying so hard not to be angry and she's only 11 so it doesn't work like that. This book does such a good job of showing off a blended family, family dynamics and just general feelings as an eleven year old. A good recommendation for someone who likes coming of age stories, the "main character has this problem/issue/disability/thing they have to accept/overcome"
This book hurt my heart because Joey is trying so hard not to be angry and she's only 11 so it doesn't work like that. This book does such a good job of showing off a blended family, family dynamics and just general feelings as an eleven year old. A good recommendation for someone who likes coming of age stories, the "main character has this problem/issue/disability/thing they have to accept/overcome"
greysonk's review
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
ljrinaldi's review
4.0
This is one of those books where you ache for the protagonist through the whole book. Joey is in pain, mental pain. She wants to scream all the time, and she lashes out at others that love her. Her two moms don't know what is wrong, and don't know how to help her.
Her class is doing a section on genetics, and she wonders where all this anger is coming from. Is it nature or nurture? Did it come from her mom, or from her donor. If it is from her donor, does he know how to control his rage?
Joey doesn't want to be this way, so very angry at the world, but she doesn't know how to solve it, and keeps getting in worse and worse trouble.
There were times I was crying. The author knows how to tear our heart to shreds.
Not an easy book to read, but a good book, because it explores that anger.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Her class is doing a section on genetics, and she wonders where all this anger is coming from. Is it nature or nurture? Did it come from her mom, or from her donor. If it is from her donor, does he know how to control his rage?
Joey doesn't want to be this way, so very angry at the world, but she doesn't know how to solve it, and keeps getting in worse and worse trouble.
There were times I was crying. The author knows how to tear our heart to shreds.
Not an easy book to read, but a good book, because it explores that anger.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
seventhaurora's review
5.0
*4.75 stars*
my second nicole melleby book and another one i absolutely loved.
melleby does family dynamics SO well and writes such complex yet largely sympathetic main characters, your heart can't help but to both hurt and cheer for them.
in particular, The Science of Being Angry follows a family with two lesbian moms, their triplets, and the triplets' big brother from one of the moms' first marriage. this particular family dynamic is a huge part of the book and is a cornerstone in 11-year-old joey (one of the triplets)' journey to figure out why she is so angry all of the time, and why she sometimes hurts the people she loves, despite her best intentions.
we follow joey as she tries to navigate 6th grade, her complex relationship with her twin triplet brothers, her complicated feelings towards her ex-best friend, and the ball of anger inside her that she feels might make her explode at any second.
this book perfectly encapsulates the feeling of knowing you are hurting someone and wanting to stop, but not knowing how. not even knowing how to articulate what is going on inside your mind and your body. being autistic, i know this feeling all too well, and i felt a kind of kinship with joey.
nicole melleby is a seriously strong contender for being my favourite middle grade author. this is a book i will keep on my shelves and keep in mind to recommend to all the 10- to 13-year-olds i can.
my second nicole melleby book and another one i absolutely loved.
melleby does family dynamics SO well and writes such complex yet largely sympathetic main characters, your heart can't help but to both hurt and cheer for them.
in particular, The Science of Being Angry follows a family with two lesbian moms, their triplets, and the triplets' big brother from one of the moms' first marriage. this particular family dynamic is a huge part of the book and is a cornerstone in 11-year-old joey (one of the triplets)' journey to figure out why she is so angry all of the time, and why she sometimes hurts the people she loves, despite her best intentions.
we follow joey as she tries to navigate 6th grade, her complex relationship with her twin triplet brothers, her complicated feelings towards her ex-best friend, and the ball of anger inside her that she feels might make her explode at any second.
this book perfectly encapsulates the feeling of knowing you are hurting someone and wanting to stop, but not knowing how. not even knowing how to articulate what is going on inside your mind and your body. being autistic, i know this feeling all too well, and i felt a kind of kinship with joey.
nicole melleby is a seriously strong contender for being my favourite middle grade author. this is a book i will keep on my shelves and keep in mind to recommend to all the 10- to 13-year-olds i can.
bravelass85's review
4.0
A solid YA that addresses complex issues around mental health, bullying, and blended families. I was searching for a novel that would address these issues and have prominent LGBTQ characters.
wildflowerz76's review
5.0
The Science of Being Angry pulled my heart right out of my chest and played with it a while before it finally gave it back. This middle grade book about an 11 year old girl, one out of a set of triplets, and her inability to control her anger made me feel all kinds of ways. Joey gets angry and lashes out. She yells and she hits. All her classmates think she's mean and she only really has her brothers. She doesn't want to be this way, but she doesn't know how to fix it. Her moms want to help her, but they just don't know how. So when they start studying genetics in school, Joey thinks that if she can find her sperm donor father, she can see if she got this from him and maybe he has a solution to fix her. This sweet, but heartbreaking book was incredibly moving.
tippettreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
barbaragorgon's review
4.0
This is a lovely little book that made me weep by the end. I really appreciated the tension here--it feels true to Joey's experience and her moms' characters, as well.