Don’t Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
What would happen if a homeroom full of high school students developed telepathy as a side effect from the flu vaccine? DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT explores this very well. As seems natural for any story with multiple telepaths, there are several POVs, as well as an omniscient “we” narrator (a nice touch). The reader is able to see how the individual teens handle his or her new ability, while also seeing the effect on the whole.
The things these teens can now hear are at turns funny, frightening, exhilarating, and heartbreaking. No one has secrets here–the moment you think it, the group knows it. Thankfully for the characters, the author gives them an out–closing their eyes stops thoughts from being read (or heard), and distance makes it tricky to hear. Teens can be plenty mean with just their words–imagine if you could suddenly hear your best friend’s thoughts about your weight, or learning that the boy you have a crush on likes someone else, and could never like you in that way. Some of the things these teens find out are crushing, and you cringe to read them. You really feel for these characters. Some want to use their newfound power for good. Others, not so much. There are no secrets among this crowd, and in a catty place like high school, that can be stressful just to read about.
While the ending is a little predictable, opening up the world for sequels, the book reads well and fast. This doesn’t really have fantastic elements–it swings just a little sci-fi, what with the CDC getting involved due to the interesting side effects of the vaccine. If you want a somewhat scary glimpse into the world of high school, or you just want a quick “what if” shot of telepathy, check this one out.
Received as a free digital ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.