A review by readingwithhippos
Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn

4.0

This one left my heart heavy but it’s a shining example of YA done right. Stephanie Kuehn has a background in psychology, and it shows in the dark, conflicted narration of her main character, known as Drew in his childhood and Win (short for Winston) as a teenager. Chapters alternate between a night Win spends at a party in the woods and Drew’s summertime visit to his grandparents’ house, details just out of reach until finally it all comes swirling together in a wave of crushing revelations. I can’t resist a well-executed dual timeline; I love picking up bread crumbs and anticipating where each half of the story is going to go. Kuehn confronts some very heavy issues, but her scenes are crafted so carefully and—dare I say it?—artistically. There’s nothing gratuitous here, just a heartbreaking story you won’t be able to put down.