Playing With Matches

Here is a review for a book I read, Playing With Matches, by Brian Katcher. Don't worry, no spoilers!

This was your classic "Unpopular boy likes popular girl but then falls in love with outcast" kind of story with a twist that changed it from cliche to original. Because the "outcast" has a severely deformed face from when a kerosene lamp blew up in her face as a child. When the main character Leon has to do a project with her, he realizes that they have a lot in common and despite Melody's disfiguration, they might me more than "just friends."

Then the popular, pretty girl, Amy just has to go and tell Leon she likes him!

I don't want to ruin the book for you (although simply by reading the jacket summary, I knew what was going to happen) so I won't say anymore except that sometimes I got really angry at Leon and wanted to stop reading it. But the ending is very satisfying, so keep reading!