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Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

Synopsis: Birdie never meant to be at the party. Bash should have been long gone. But when they meet, a collision course is set off they may never recover from.

Sebastian Alvarez is just trying to hold the pieces together: to not flunk our, to keep his sort-of-best friend Wild Kyle from going something really bad, and to see his beloved Ma through chemo. But then he meets Birdie Paxton, a near-Valedictorian who doesn’t realize she’s smoking hot in her science pun T-shirt, at a party, an undeniable attraction sparks. But before they are able to exchange numbers, they are pulled apart. A horrifying tragedy soon links Birdie and Bash together–but neither knows it. When they finally reconnect, and are starting to fall–hard–the events of the tragedy unfold, changing both their lives in ways they can never undo. Told in alternating perspectives, The Inevitable Collision of Birdie & Bash by Candace Granger is a beautiful, complex, and ultimately hopeful teen novel that will move you to the very last page.

I have to admit that The Inevitable Collision of Birdie & Bash was a 100% impulse request. But honestly! Between the cover and the quirky title, can you blame me? I don’t read a lot of contemporary YA Fiction, but this caught my eye and I’m so glad it did!

As always, I’m not going to include any spoilers. Suffice it to say a tragedy occurs near the beginning of the book that links Birdie and Bash, although Birdie isn’t aware of the connection. Things get even more complicated as they both start working at a rollerskating rink, with Bash struggling with the secret he’s hiding.

Birdie is such an awesome character. She’s intelligent and cracks math jokes. She’s also pretty sassy and her ability to recite random facts provides some much needed comic relief. After the tragedy, she struggles with guilt which lends her a certain vulnerability. She’s extremely likable and believable.

And Bash just broke my heart on so many occasions. He’s a good kid who is struggling with the impending death of his mother. He tries to forget what is happening, but it overshadows his every move. He’s the type of teen who takes responsibility for everything, even something that’s not his fault. He tries so desperately to keep his life together, that I kept wanting to reach into the book and give him a hug.

The plot is very fast-paced, and filled with beautiful imagery. The ending is perfect and is one of those that will leave you sighing with complete satisfaction as you close the book. 

The Inevitable Collision of Birdie & Bash is an amazing and unforgettable debut by Candace Granger. It’s a breathtaking story of love, family, and friendship that will make you laugh and also tear up at times, and is perfect for fans of John Green, Rainbow Rowell, and Nicole Yoon. It’s a delightful rollercoaster of a book that will put readers through through the ringer and invites debate over destiny and fate. I usually delete eARCS from my Kindle once I’ve read them but this one I’m going to keep because I have a feeling I’m going to want to read it again.