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The Odds of Lightning
A bolt of lightning inspires an incredible adventure in this charming, magical realism story that takes four teens on an all-night journey through the streets of New York City.
Extraordinary things happen when we least expect them.
Tiny, Lu, Will and Nathaniel used to be best friends. Then life-defining events the summer before high school tore them apart. Now, three years later, they hardly talk anymore. Nathaniel has become obsessed with winning the prestigious science scholarship that his genius older brother once won. Will has risen from anonymity to popular soccer star. Lu grew into a brash, impetuous actress. And shy, poetic Tiny has slowly been fading away.
But fate weaves their lives together again the night before the SATs, during a wild thunderstorm that threatens to shut down New York City. And lightning strikes.
Before they know what's hit them, the four teens embark on an epic all-night adventure to follow their dreams, fall in and out of love, reconcile the past, and overcome the fears that have been driving them since that one lost summer. And by the time the sun rises, odds are they’ll discover that there’s a fine line between science and magic, and that the mysteries of love and friendship can’t be explained.
Extraordinary things happen when we least expect them.
Tiny, Lu, Will and Nathaniel used to be best friends. Then life-defining events the summer before high school tore them apart. Now, three years later, they hardly talk anymore. Nathaniel has become obsessed with winning the prestigious science scholarship that his genius older brother once won. Will has risen from anonymity to popular soccer star. Lu grew into a brash, impetuous actress. And shy, poetic Tiny has slowly been fading away.
But fate weaves their lives together again the night before the SATs, during a wild thunderstorm that threatens to shut down New York City. And lightning strikes.
Before they know what's hit them, the four teens embark on an epic all-night adventure to follow their dreams, fall in and out of love, reconcile the past, and overcome the fears that have been driving them since that one lost summer. And by the time the sun rises, odds are they’ll discover that there’s a fine line between science and magic, and that the mysteries of love and friendship can’t be explained.
384 pages, Paperback
First published September 20, 2016
42 people are currently reading
3838 people want to read
About the author
Jocelyn Davies
7 books1,071 followersJocelyn Davies is a children’s book editor in New York City, where she was born and raised. She studied English and theater at Bates College in Maine. A New Yorker at heart, she currently lives in Brooklyn. She is also the author of the A Beautiful Dark series, and has never been struck by lightning—at least not literally. Visit Jocelyn online at JocelynDavies.com and follow her on Twitter @JocelynDavies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
May 11, 2017
I wanted to chuck this book long before it was finished because honestly, if a contemporary is gonna be almost 400 pages, you gotta make it 400 ENTERTAINING pages.
The Odds of Lightning takes the reader on a journey through the lives of four characters. The summer before highschool brought upon a rift in the group, each character leading their life in a different direction than the rest. But when they all get hit by lightning at a party, and begin to experience rapid changes both physically and mentally, a friendship-bonding-adventure is in order.
This book had LOADS of potential. From the four split point of views to the flashbacks in time, I was honestly expecting to love this book. But it turned out to be more of a double romance book than a magical-realism one. Sad.
The kids get struck by lightning and instead of falling over unconscious or rushing to the hospital or even melting, they’re totally unscathed and even begin to experience different powers ??? nice, love it.
The characters were relatable, I’ll give them that. I appreciated how they were each unique and not a copy of each other but meh, I’m going to need more from this.
Also, it was 400 pages??? If you’re gonna drag it out that long, ADD SOMETHING that makes me so engrossed in the book, like idk, some sketches, some drama, some ANYTHING ???
But nope, we got a lot of meh and a lot of flashbacks and a lot of slow paced ish.
Sowwwyyyyy.
“So,” Tiny said. “Let’s defy the odds.”
2 stars!!
September 16, 2018
UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 15, 2018
STILL ONE OF THE BEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN. STILL MADLY IN LOVE WITH EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. FOREVER FAVORITE. THIS WILL BE AN ANNUAL READ FOR ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
UGH
IM SO MAD
I HATE THIS BOOK IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.
ITS WONDERUL AND MAGICAL AND UGH.
READ IT.
PLEASE.
content warning: language, crude jokes, sexual content (nothing explicit, but farther than I’m a-okay with), DEEP EMOTIONALLY SCARRING FEELS.
STILL ONE OF THE BEST BOOK EVER WRITTEN. STILL MADLY IN LOVE WITH EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. FOREVER FAVORITE. THIS WILL BE AN ANNUAL READ FOR ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
UGH
IM SO MAD
I HATE THIS BOOK IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.
ITS WONDERUL AND MAGICAL AND UGH.
READ IT.
PLEASE.
content warning: language, crude jokes, sexual content (nothing explicit, but farther than I’m a-okay with), DEEP EMOTIONALLY SCARRING FEELS.
December 10, 2016
I had to put this book off for a while, because I suddenly lost interest. At first, it was really great. But then, things changed, and I had very mixed feelings. On one hand, the plot twist was interesting. On the other hand, it made things much too cheesy, and I picked up this book for something a bit different. But I did like the ending quite well, so overall, this book was rather good.
September 24, 2016
Genuinely enjoyed this one. It's sweet and easy to connect to, and one twist was so well done I was actually surprised. And I enjoyed the blend of realistic fiction with a touch of fantasy/magic realism.
Though I'm not sure the author knows how SATs really work. Haha.
Though I'm not sure the author knows how SATs really work. Haha.
January 2, 2017
That ending kind of messed me up!!
February 2, 2020
Oh my god, this was such a dumb book. Two stars for atmosphere and a really fun first fifty pages. The supernatural twist though - so. bad.
September 9, 2018
The Odds of Lightning is about four children (Tiny, Lu, Will, and Nathaniel) who used to be best friends. Later, after specific events before high school, the kids' valuable friendship is ripped apart. Three years later, the group rarely talks. Determinedly, Nathaniel focuses on obtaining a renowned science scholarship. Will has transformed from a class clown to a high school soccer star. Lu has grown into a great actress. Tiny, a shy and poetic girl, is slowly becoming "invisible."
The night before the SAT, faith drives the four teens together as a superstorm threatens to shut down New York City. Lightning strikes! The four teens are set on an adventurous journey to follow their dreams, rediscover their friendship, and overcome each of their fears. By dawn, the teenagers discover that perhaps magic is real.
Overall, the book is well-written! The storyline is impressive, and the characters are relatable. For me, I related to Will because as a person I feel like I often change my personality to fit in and feel like a part of the in-crowd. The book influences me to stay true to my self. Also, I loved how the author did a phenomenal job of showing the different teens POV despite their unique personalities. Often, novels don't do a satisfactory job of explaining all the characters views, but this novel exceeded my expectations in this category!
Although the novel was great I had a few set-offs. For one, the novel progresses at a slow pace. For example, the novel has tons of backstories, which were often in huge chunks throughout the story; the backstories were not quite as interesting as the actual story although it did contribute to the novel. Finally, the novel was a cliche due to old besties meeting up together and becoming even better friends, which is a common character storyline.
The night before the SAT, faith drives the four teens together as a superstorm threatens to shut down New York City. Lightning strikes! The four teens are set on an adventurous journey to follow their dreams, rediscover their friendship, and overcome each of their fears. By dawn, the teenagers discover that perhaps magic is real.
Overall, the book is well-written! The storyline is impressive, and the characters are relatable. For me, I related to Will because as a person I feel like I often change my personality to fit in and feel like a part of the in-crowd. The book influences me to stay true to my self. Also, I loved how the author did a phenomenal job of showing the different teens POV despite their unique personalities. Often, novels don't do a satisfactory job of explaining all the characters views, but this novel exceeded my expectations in this category!
Although the novel was great I had a few set-offs. For one, the novel progresses at a slow pace. For example, the novel has tons of backstories, which were often in huge chunks throughout the story; the backstories were not quite as interesting as the actual story although it did contribute to the novel. Finally, the novel was a cliche due to old besties meeting up together and becoming even better friends, which is a common character storyline.
September 29, 2016
There was magic everywhere in this city. You just had to know where to look.
I absolutely devoured The Odds of Lightning. It has everything I want in a YA contemporary: love, friendship, loss, superhero-y adventure, redemption. I found myself gravitating towards each of the four main characters in unique ways; their voices are so distinct, and - especially on a craft level - that's super admirable. If I had to pick a favorite character, I'd say Nathaniel, because I love, love, love all of his banter about science. And Lu's T-shirts pretty much make my life.
Relationship-wise, the cuteness level of this book is also off the charts. It has the absolute best kiss scene. Like, ever. Think Stephanie Perkins + real-life magic.
What I might love best about The Odds of Lightning is it's basically a love song to New York City. I really felt like I was there, rushing along the streets in a possibly end-of-the-world storm. And the twist! It's so, so well done.
I would highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a YA contemporary that effortlessly weaves in magical realism.
I absolutely devoured The Odds of Lightning. It has everything I want in a YA contemporary: love, friendship, loss, superhero-y adventure, redemption. I found myself gravitating towards each of the four main characters in unique ways; their voices are so distinct, and - especially on a craft level - that's super admirable. If I had to pick a favorite character, I'd say Nathaniel, because I love, love, love all of his banter about science. And Lu's T-shirts pretty much make my life.
Relationship-wise, the cuteness level of this book is also off the charts. It has the absolute best kiss scene. Like, ever. Think Stephanie Perkins + real-life magic.
What I might love best about The Odds of Lightning is it's basically a love song to New York City. I really felt like I was there, rushing along the streets in a possibly end-of-the-world storm. And the twist! It's so, so well done.
I would highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a YA contemporary that effortlessly weaves in magical realism.
September 13, 2017
Like many people I thought that the description made this sound good. However, it was quite disappointing. My biggest issue was that the superpowers weren't really a part of the story. It focused more on the other stuff. I don't know about anybody else but I felt there wasn't any real connection with these guys. It left me wondering how they were friends in the first place. The last thing about this was the ending. I felt it was one of those WTF endings and I hate those.
November 28, 2016
The premise of the story caught my eye, so I thought that I would give it a shot.
Unfortunately, I think that the author botched what might have been a good idea. It was very disappointing, especially the ending where it fell entirely flat.
Unfortunately, I think that the author botched what might have been a good idea. It was very disappointing, especially the ending where it fell entirely flat.
Read
June 23, 2020DNF: boring, slow, and not good at all
January 17, 2019
The Odds of Lightning by Jocelyn Davies is about four people who used to be best friends going on a journey to save their lives. Tiny, Lu, Will and Nathaniel have finals tomorrow so Will throws a party. Tiny, Lu and Nathaniel manage to all run into each other at the party on the roof of Wills house where they all get struck by lightning. The lightning gives them what they all want and feel. Tiny starts to turn invisible because that's how she always felt when they all hung out. Lu starts to lose feeling because she wants to stop hurting. Will turns into a super human of sorts because he just wants to be better than he is now and he wants to be noticed. Nathaniel turns into people because he doesn't think he himself is good enough. I liked the beginning of the book a lot and I frankly couldn't put it down. Sadly, near the mid to end of the book really started to fall of and just became annoying. The author throws around the F-word and other swears randomly and out of nowhere which I personally dislike because I feel it lakes creativity. I kept getting all the characters confused because we never really get a good in depth picture of them all. Yes, the chapters are set up so each one is from one of their point of view but it never seemed like it. I found myself needing to look back at the beginning of each chapter to know who the point of view was from because it was being told in a third person point of view from one of the character's. Another thing that bothered me while I read was their plan to save themselves because they suspected that they would die at the end of the night for some reason that isn't explained. Their plan was to go to the school where Nathaniel's late brother had a report that he wrote about lightning and weather. They all figured that for some reason his brother would know about some magic lightning and that the report would tell them how to reverse the effects. I really enjoyed how it started but over time the book just became frustrated to read. I give The Odds of Lightning a ⅖ because I thought it was a good idea and plot for a book, but was just poorly written.
October 13, 2017
This isn't a story about superheroes, even though that's how we felt sometimes. It's not about extraordinary creatures. It's just about us, and the extraordinary things that happened to us when we were least expecting them.
This book was electric. It was charge, and it was energy, and it was magic and wonder all at the same time and I absolutely loved it.
Meet our 4 protagonists: Tiny, Lu, Nathaniel and Will. They once were friends, but not anymore. And on one special, magical night before the SATs, they come together again.
Character development was a particularly strong part of this book, and each of them had a distinct voice and a story to them and the way they behaved that was well-explored. I think all 4 of them were given an equal weight in the book so I wouldn't say that one of the four is more important than any of the rest, but of course I had a favourite- Nathaniel.
To me, Nathaniel's voice felt the most authentic, the most aching and the most relatable. I could fully empathise with him and his struggles, his expectations and his goals. I understood why he behaved the way he did, did the things he did and made the decisions that he made. I loved Nathaniel, but I also loved Tobias. Not someone who's POV we read, but so instrumental to the story and to the lives of the other 4. Tobias was inspiring and real and magical, not just to me but clearly to his younger brother and their friends, in particular Tiny.
Personally, I couldn't really particularly relate to all of her struggles. Her fears however, were so real and clearly struck a chord with me. But what I loved about her was her resolve, to be better, to do better, to be more than she was, to live out loud instead of just on the page. And the moments in which she did that were some of my favourite parts of the book. These spectacular parts were what set this book apart from the rest.
Will and Lu had fate so intertwined it's impossible to talk about them separately, but what is so special about their relationship is that underneath everything that shifted about them, they were still the same people who felt the same way. I think that in itself is hopeful, and such a special bond to treasure.
Definitely the setting plays a major role in the book, and I don't think this book could possibly be set anywhere other than New York City. I definitely appreciated all the interactions between people and place, and Nathaniel/Tobias's commentaries on random scientific trivia of the city. People have described this book as "a love letter to New York", and while I agree that most of our characters actions and attitudes are heavily influenced by where they live, I think this book is so much more than that.
It is about who we are, who we want to be and who we fear we are. It is about love and grief, it is about magic and science, it is about being loud and being soft, it is about being vulnerable and being brave. It is about being best friends, and it is about how we hold on to the relationships we treasure most.
It is a long read, 400 strong pages, but the story takes place over the span of only one night, with spinets of their childhood or "the last day of the summer before high school". It is engaging throughout, and little by little is revealed. With 4 different POVs to write from, meaning 4 different people's attitudes and feeling to convey, plus how they felt no versus how the felt three years ago, Davies had a lot to write about. However, despite this being so challenging, I think she executed this particularly well. Especially in the beginning of the book, it is almost written like a movie, I could picture the scene panning out to another character in the same scene but with a different experience. That was something I had almost never come across in a book before, and this kind of vivid writing evidently left a strong impression on me.
I'm not sure why I loved it so much, but I did. The message of being you and what being you means definitely is an important and well-conveyed one, but I don't think it resonated with me in that sense of the word. That being said, The Odds of Lightning took my breath away. You have to give this a read and be swept into one ordinary, magical night.
October 15, 2016
The Odds of Lightning is about what happens when your greatest wishes and worst fears come true. It's kind of an It's A Wonderful Life-esque kind of thing, except without all the heartwarming family-friendly warm squishies. Because some of the language (like the gratutious f-bombs) is definitely NOT family friendly. Not that I'm judging or anything. I've been known to drop an f-bomb or two. Especially when hitting my funny bone or stubbing my toe or stepping in fresh cat vomit while traversing a dark room because I'm too lazy/sleepy to hunt for the light switch.
Anyway...
Here we have four teens, Tiny, Lu, Will, and Nathaniel, high schoolers who are facing the SAT, the future, and (here's the really scary part) themselves. Before high school, these four used to be best friends. Then the toxic combination of hormones and curiosity and drama happened, and that's when things got weird and, eventually, ended. Until, finally, these former friends barely recognized each other. Lots can happen in three years. A lot can change. Families can split, images can be overhauled, dreams can die a slow death, and people can fade into the background so much that it seems they aren't even there anymore (not even to themselves)...
Then comes the night of the Super Storm (a.k.a. "Stormpocalypse"), which happens to coinside with a major party at Will's. Coincidence brings these four former friends to the party and traps them on the roof just as lightning strikes. Literally.
When the teens wake up, they discover their hearts desires have been granted:
* Emotionally-wrecked Lu can no longer feel anything. Not touch. Not emotions. She's perfectly and blissfully numb.
* Former fat-kid Will (who may be buff now, but is still that fat kid inside) can physically transform into whatever his ideal of the moment may be.
* Nathaniel, who'd spent his life living in his genius older brother's shadow and never being able to measure up has super powers. Super strength. Super intelligence. Super senses...
* And Tiny. She's invisible. Literally. Just like she's always wanted to be.
But what if your heart's desire is also your greatest fear?
The four former friends must find out what happened when the lightning struck. They must find out how to get their lives back to normal. And they must work together to do it. But the clock is ticking... Can these teens work through their personal baggage in time to reclaim their lives AND make it to the SAT?
I'd call this one a solid 3.5 Stars. Maybe even 3.75. The plot was pretty predictable, but I did enjoy spending time with each of the characters (Although it would have worked better if the book had been written in first person, if everyone would have narrated their own chapters. Would have felt more personal. In my humble opinion.).
Anyway...
Here we have four teens, Tiny, Lu, Will, and Nathaniel, high schoolers who are facing the SAT, the future, and (here's the really scary part) themselves. Before high school, these four used to be best friends. Then the toxic combination of hormones and curiosity and drama happened, and that's when things got weird and, eventually, ended. Until, finally, these former friends barely recognized each other. Lots can happen in three years. A lot can change. Families can split, images can be overhauled, dreams can die a slow death, and people can fade into the background so much that it seems they aren't even there anymore (not even to themselves)...
Then comes the night of the Super Storm (a.k.a. "Stormpocalypse"), which happens to coinside with a major party at Will's. Coincidence brings these four former friends to the party and traps them on the roof just as lightning strikes. Literally.
When the teens wake up, they discover their hearts desires have been granted:
* Emotionally-wrecked Lu can no longer feel anything. Not touch. Not emotions. She's perfectly and blissfully numb.
* Former fat-kid Will (who may be buff now, but is still that fat kid inside) can physically transform into whatever his ideal of the moment may be.
* Nathaniel, who'd spent his life living in his genius older brother's shadow and never being able to measure up has super powers. Super strength. Super intelligence. Super senses...
* And Tiny. She's invisible. Literally. Just like she's always wanted to be.
But what if your heart's desire is also your greatest fear?
The four former friends must find out what happened when the lightning struck. They must find out how to get their lives back to normal. And they must work together to do it. But the clock is ticking... Can these teens work through their personal baggage in time to reclaim their lives AND make it to the SAT?
I'd call this one a solid 3.5 Stars. Maybe even 3.75. The plot was pretty predictable, but I did enjoy spending time with each of the characters (Although it would have worked better if the book had been written in first person, if everyone would have narrated their own chapters. Would have felt more personal. In my humble opinion.).
November 20, 2016
This book wasn't terrible, but it wasn't amazing either. I feel like this book had a lot of potential, but many things weren't explored at all. The books with the whole "let's what to find out what the secret is" are getting old.
December 14, 2017
Great start disappointing ending
June 28, 2018
Super quick read and easy to get through, but it was cringy at pretty much all times. Cute, but I don’t think I would recommend it.
April 26, 2020
Enjoyed this. Teenagers well written. Dialogue hard to follow at times as it swaps between characters quickly. Still worth a read. Good modern YA.
July 6, 2022
2.5 Stars
I’m generally really picky about the contemporary books that I read. This time, I tried to find some random book from my local library rather than pick amongst the highest recommended books to see if I could find one that had slipped behind the cracks. While this book won’t be going on any favorites lists for me I can still see fans of the genre really enjoying this one.
Would I read this book again though? Probably not.
This book takes place in a single night (a trope that I’m actually quite turned off by.) It always makes me feel like the growth isn’t quite earned and I like to feel like there has been a substantial impact on the characters by the end—which seemed to be purposely avoided by the author for the sake of *plot twist*.
I definitely preferred scenes in the book taking place in the past. Luckily for me it was fairly 50/50 to the main events of the story. I honestly think that I would have enjoyed this book far more if it had just stayed fully in the past (and not included weird magic.)
A quick thing I’d like to mention is how it feels like the characters didn’t really experience 3 years between the past and present—except for a few minor details. The character of Tiny is probably the best example of this (which I will get to.) The difference in time ended up feeling like an excuse for the author to not focus as much on the character’s shock and from the event that separated them.
THE CHARACTERS
Tiny—She definitely felt like the author’s favorite character. I wasn’t opposed to that—and on the surface, I should have related to her the most—but some things fell flat. I mostly didn’t like how surface-level her “invisibility” problems seemed. And (as I mentioned earlier) in the three years that have passed we never get a sense for how bad her situation really got.
Lu—She didn’t really live up to the “impetuous actress” label that the description gave her. Because of that, I felt like she didn’t have many ways to grow through the story.
Will—He might have been my favorite character. His transition in the three years since the group stopped being friends was probably the most interesting part of the story for me. I don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll leave it at that.
Nathaniel—I thought that I would end up liking him way less than I did. Although—of the characters, he felt like more of a stereotype which could get annoying at times. Especially after reading a book like “The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost Kiss” the sciency-stuff portrayal felt very stilted almost immediately.
THE WRITING
Especially in the beginning, the author’s writing made me think this was a debut work of hers—which it isn’t. Luckily though, I think she got more comfortable writing for all of the characters, and they started to feel like real people.
THE MAGIC
The magic didn’t have many consequences on the rest of the story. I honestly thought that at the end of the book
I felt like the story focused more on Tiny’s and Will’s abilities than on the other two characters. I would have liked for it to be more balanced between the characters, but that’s mostly because I feel like the drama with the first two characters powers could get a bit too repetitive at times.
THE SAT’S
If you know it’s going to bother you if the SATs are portrayed highly unrealistically then I wouldn’t recommend this book to you. For some reason, in this book each character has them scheduled on the same day and they all think it’s a good idea to get crazy drunk the night before.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you want a quick read then you could really enjoy this book. I ended up reading it in a single day and it felt very digestible. The characters aren’t anything you haven’t seen before, but the magic did seem to make the story fairly unique.
If you have any good YA contemporary recommendations, I’d love to hear them in the comments 😊
I’m generally really picky about the contemporary books that I read. This time, I tried to find some random book from my local library rather than pick amongst the highest recommended books to see if I could find one that had slipped behind the cracks. While this book won’t be going on any favorites lists for me I can still see fans of the genre really enjoying this one.
Would I read this book again though? Probably not.
This book takes place in a single night (a trope that I’m actually quite turned off by.) It always makes me feel like the growth isn’t quite earned and I like to feel like there has been a substantial impact on the characters by the end—which seemed to be purposely avoided by the author for the sake of *plot twist*.
I definitely preferred scenes in the book taking place in the past. Luckily for me it was fairly 50/50 to the main events of the story. I honestly think that I would have enjoyed this book far more if it had just stayed fully in the past (and not included weird magic.)
A quick thing I’d like to mention is how it feels like the characters didn’t really experience 3 years between the past and present—except for a few minor details. The character of Tiny is probably the best example of this (which I will get to.) The difference in time ended up feeling like an excuse for the author to not focus as much on the character’s shock and from the event that separated them.
THE CHARACTERS
Tiny—She definitely felt like the author’s favorite character. I wasn’t opposed to that—and on the surface, I should have related to her the most—but some things fell flat. I mostly didn’t like how surface-level her “invisibility” problems seemed. And (as I mentioned earlier) in the three years that have passed we never get a sense for how bad her situation really got.
Lu—She didn’t really live up to the “impetuous actress” label that the description gave her. Because of that, I felt like she didn’t have many ways to grow through the story.
Will—He might have been my favorite character. His transition in the three years since the group stopped being friends was probably the most interesting part of the story for me. I don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll leave it at that.
Nathaniel—I thought that I would end up liking him way less than I did. Although—of the characters, he felt like more of a stereotype which could get annoying at times. Especially after reading a book like “The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost Kiss” the sciency-stuff portrayal felt very stilted almost immediately.
THE WRITING
Especially in the beginning, the author’s writing made me think this was a debut work of hers—which it isn’t. Luckily though, I think she got more comfortable writing for all of the characters, and they started to feel like real people.
THE MAGIC
The magic didn’t have many consequences on the rest of the story. I honestly thought that at the end of the book
I felt like the story focused more on Tiny’s and Will’s abilities than on the other two characters. I would have liked for it to be more balanced between the characters, but that’s mostly because I feel like the drama with the first two characters powers could get a bit too repetitive at times.
THE SAT’S
If you know it’s going to bother you if the SATs are portrayed highly unrealistically then I wouldn’t recommend this book to you. For some reason, in this book each character has them scheduled on the same day and they all think it’s a good idea to get crazy drunk the night before.
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you want a quick read then you could really enjoy this book. I ended up reading it in a single day and it felt very digestible. The characters aren’t anything you haven’t seen before, but the magic did seem to make the story fairly unique.
If you have any good YA contemporary recommendations, I’d love to hear them in the comments 😊
March 22, 2017
The Odds of Lightning follows the stories of 4 character's lives. The main character's are, Tiny (Emma), Lu (Luella), Will, and Nathaniel.
Will, Nathaniel, Tiny and Lu are past friends that separated and went different ways during high school. Nathaniel and Will are still friends in "secret" and Tiny and Lu are best friends still but they have grown apart from the boys.
One night, during a storm, Will calls Nathaniel over to study and Nathaniel agrees to do it. Right after Nathaniel has said yes to studying, a friend of Will's texts Will and says that he should throw a party. Will agrees and invites the school to the party.
Lu and Tiny hear about the party and Lu demands that they go. Lu "bribes" Tiny to go with the possibility that Tiny's crush might hook up with her.
Well at the party, Tiny approaches her crush and asks him if he liked any of the poems submitted for the school magazine, she had submitted one anonymously and wanted to see if he liked it, he told her none of the writing was good and that she should write something good for them.
Tiny is hurt by this and runs off onto the roof of the building that Will's family owns. Nathaniel sees that Tiny is upset and follows her onto the roof. Nathaniel is on the roof with Tiny and he is comforting her, Lu and Will run into each other and get in a fight. Lu also runs away to the roof and Will follows her.
So, Will, Lu, Tiny, and Nathaniel are on the roof and they realize that they are stuck there. The door that leads up to the roof is shut because the brick that keeps it from closing all the way has been moved. The four are stuck on the roof during a lightning storm.
As the four of them are talking about the dangers of being stuck on the roof during a storm, Lightning strikes them and gives them superpowers that are there greatest fears and their greatest desires.
Nathaniel's is super strength and he opens the door with no problem. Tiny's is disappearing and during the book, she becomes fainter and darker. Will's is to change into the person he is wondering about/wants to be. Lu's is to not feel pain physically.
The four leave the party to try to get to the high school that they attend to get a paper that could help them save themselves. On the way to the school they get held up in many ways, Lu runs of to be with her secret boyfriend and she finds out that he doesn't want to be her boyfriend and that he is seeing another girl. Tiny, Nathaniel, and Will show up just as he is saying this and Will punches the boy in the face.
After they leave Lu's ex-boyfriend, they get in the last taxi that is still running and he takes them part of the way to the high school. On the way to the high school, the taxi is stopped by a mob of people. The four friends get out and go to Kmart to get some supplies.
The power goes out while they are at Kmart and they get stuck there for a short period of time.
After the power goes back on, the quartet encounter an actress that they met earlier and she tells them that she needs their help. The four help her and get even farther offset from their path to the high school.
Tiny is determined to not disappear and she leads her friends back to the park they started at. When she gets there, she calls the taxi and he comes and takes them to the high school. when they get there, they go inside and find that the paper they need is not there.
Tiny realizes that she doesn't need the paper to help her and her friends stay alive. The lightning has been following her throughout the night and she tells them that to be struck by it, she just needs to "summon" the lightning to be struck by it.
The friends go to the Brooklyn Bridge and when they are there, they decide that they don't want to be struck by lightning, but, they are struck by lightning and don't remember the happenings of the night.
I enjoyed reading this book. It is a funny book and is not predictable. There are some things that are not clear to the reader at first, but, if you go back and look through the book again, you will understand everything slightly better. I can tell that this book is one I will continue visiting over the years.
-Jocelyn Kuntz
Will, Nathaniel, Tiny and Lu are past friends that separated and went different ways during high school. Nathaniel and Will are still friends in "secret" and Tiny and Lu are best friends still but they have grown apart from the boys.
One night, during a storm, Will calls Nathaniel over to study and Nathaniel agrees to do it. Right after Nathaniel has said yes to studying, a friend of Will's texts Will and says that he should throw a party. Will agrees and invites the school to the party.
Lu and Tiny hear about the party and Lu demands that they go. Lu "bribes" Tiny to go with the possibility that Tiny's crush might hook up with her.
Well at the party, Tiny approaches her crush and asks him if he liked any of the poems submitted for the school magazine, she had submitted one anonymously and wanted to see if he liked it, he told her none of the writing was good and that she should write something good for them.
Tiny is hurt by this and runs off onto the roof of the building that Will's family owns. Nathaniel sees that Tiny is upset and follows her onto the roof. Nathaniel is on the roof with Tiny and he is comforting her, Lu and Will run into each other and get in a fight. Lu also runs away to the roof and Will follows her.
So, Will, Lu, Tiny, and Nathaniel are on the roof and they realize that they are stuck there. The door that leads up to the roof is shut because the brick that keeps it from closing all the way has been moved. The four are stuck on the roof during a lightning storm.
As the four of them are talking about the dangers of being stuck on the roof during a storm, Lightning strikes them and gives them superpowers that are there greatest fears and their greatest desires.
Nathaniel's is super strength and he opens the door with no problem. Tiny's is disappearing and during the book, she becomes fainter and darker. Will's is to change into the person he is wondering about/wants to be. Lu's is to not feel pain physically.
The four leave the party to try to get to the high school that they attend to get a paper that could help them save themselves. On the way to the school they get held up in many ways, Lu runs of to be with her secret boyfriend and she finds out that he doesn't want to be her boyfriend and that he is seeing another girl. Tiny, Nathaniel, and Will show up just as he is saying this and Will punches the boy in the face.
After they leave Lu's ex-boyfriend, they get in the last taxi that is still running and he takes them part of the way to the high school. On the way to the high school, the taxi is stopped by a mob of people. The four friends get out and go to Kmart to get some supplies.
The power goes out while they are at Kmart and they get stuck there for a short period of time.
After the power goes back on, the quartet encounter an actress that they met earlier and she tells them that she needs their help. The four help her and get even farther offset from their path to the high school.
Tiny is determined to not disappear and she leads her friends back to the park they started at. When she gets there, she calls the taxi and he comes and takes them to the high school. when they get there, they go inside and find that the paper they need is not there.
Tiny realizes that she doesn't need the paper to help her and her friends stay alive. The lightning has been following her throughout the night and she tells them that to be struck by it, she just needs to "summon" the lightning to be struck by it.
The friends go to the Brooklyn Bridge and when they are there, they decide that they don't want to be struck by lightning, but, they are struck by lightning and don't remember the happenings of the night.
I enjoyed reading this book. It is a funny book and is not predictable. There are some things that are not clear to the reader at first, but, if you go back and look through the book again, you will understand everything slightly better. I can tell that this book is one I will continue visiting over the years.
-Jocelyn Kuntz
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2018
I don’t normally write reviews, but this book was a special exception.
THIS BOOK WAS A FLAMING PILE OF GARBAGE.
it was like a horrible Walmart knock off version of They Both Die in the End.
I hated every single character with everything in my heart. They were all winey, conceited, ungrateful anal cavities and I was honestly crossing my fingers that at the end when they were struck by lightning they would all die. (Okay that’s a little harsh, but you see my point).
And the “issues” that they dealt with?? Literally every. single. teenager. deals with the fear of being invisible (@tiny)/ not living up to expectations (@nathaniel)/ people judging them (@will)/ being vulnerable (@lu or Luella or whatever the heck she goes by). But every other teenager doesn’t make that problem the essence of their identities.
But the worst part? The worst part were the millions of “deep and inspirational” quotes throughout the book. Every single one of them was garbage. But I have to say, my least favorite was when Tobias wrote that dumb quote on Tiny’s shoe with chalk because
1) IT WAS RAINING AND EVERY PERSON WITH THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF COMMON SENSE KNOWS THAT CHALK DOESN’T WORK IN THE RAIN
2) the entire relationship between tiny and Tobias was straight up nasty. he’s going into college and she’s going into high school. that age gap is disgusting and that’s a fact
3) who tf writes on someone else’s shoe??? ALSO WITH CHALK????
Also the ending was horrible. It made me wish that I could be just like the characters in this book and forget that that entire crap show even happened
THIS BOOK WAS A FLAMING PILE OF GARBAGE.
it was like a horrible Walmart knock off version of They Both Die in the End.
I hated every single character with everything in my heart. They were all winey, conceited, ungrateful anal cavities and I was honestly crossing my fingers that at the end when they were struck by lightning they would all die. (Okay that’s a little harsh, but you see my point).
And the “issues” that they dealt with?? Literally every. single. teenager. deals with the fear of being invisible (@tiny)/ not living up to expectations (@nathaniel)/ people judging them (@will)/ being vulnerable (@lu or Luella or whatever the heck she goes by). But every other teenager doesn’t make that problem the essence of their identities.
But the worst part? The worst part were the millions of “deep and inspirational” quotes throughout the book. Every single one of them was garbage. But I have to say, my least favorite was when Tobias wrote that dumb quote on Tiny’s shoe with chalk because
1) IT WAS RAINING AND EVERY PERSON WITH THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF COMMON SENSE KNOWS THAT CHALK DOESN’T WORK IN THE RAIN
2) the entire relationship between tiny and Tobias was straight up nasty. he’s going into college and she’s going into high school. that age gap is disgusting and that’s a fact
3) who tf writes on someone else’s shoe??? ALSO WITH CHALK????
Also the ending was horrible. It made me wish that I could be just like the characters in this book and forget that that entire crap show even happened
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2018
This was so cute and goofy and nerdy, I loved it! Science plays an important role here and the majority of the main characters are nerds--whether they admit it or not. And they're also intelligent, and they talk about nerdy things with no shame whatsoever. Loved it loved it loved it.
It sometimes didn't seem believable, though. I mean, Tiny was disappearing and appearing every minute and no stranger freaked out? The only one showing good sense was Cleo. Cleo wasn't a MC, but she's awesome!
Really, you could read this in one sitting. You'll find scientific references in every single chapter, but they're well explained, they didn't make my mind blow up and it feels natural when the characters start talking nerd stuff.
What I didn't like was... that the ending was kind of more magical than the rest of the book. In an unbelievable way. And that not everything was explained. And I love when EVERYTHING is explained. But the story focused more on the character internal conflicts and their relationships with one another. I would've liked it more if there had a balance between the character development and this whole lightning thing that had so much potential.
It sometimes didn't seem believable, though. I mean, Tiny was disappearing and appearing every minute and no stranger freaked out? The only one showing good sense was Cleo. Cleo wasn't a MC, but she's awesome!
Really, you could read this in one sitting. You'll find scientific references in every single chapter, but they're well explained, they didn't make my mind blow up and it feels natural when the characters start talking nerd stuff.
What I didn't like was... that the ending was kind of more magical than the rest of the book. In an unbelievable way. And that not everything was explained. And I love when EVERYTHING is explained. But the story focused more on the character internal conflicts and their relationships with one another. I would've liked it more if there had a balance between the character development and this whole lightning thing that had so much potential.
September 25, 2016
Tiny, Lu, Nathaniel, and Will all used to be friends--they called themselves the "Science Club"--but everything changed for them the summer before they started high school. Now, they barely even speak or acknowledge each other .Tiny and Lu say that they're "best friends" but they don't really act like it. Will calls Nathaniel whenever he needs someone to study with and no one else is around. The night before the SATs they all happen to be at the same party celebrating the "Stormpocalypse". They find themselves on the roof where they are inevitably struck by lightning and something about each of them changes. As they travel across New York City in a quest to change themselves back to normal, they'll learn some things about friendship and what it truly means to be yourself.
First of all, I appreciate that each of the characters are individuals. The narrative alternates between each of the four main characters and between the present and the summer before high school started. They each had distinctive voices which made the book more interesting to read. With that being said, I do think that the characters seemed a little immature for how old they were supposed to be. Or...maybe not too immature, but there wasn't much of a difference between the characters in the "Then" sections versus the "Now" sections. They've been separated for three years and the author doesn't really show the reader how those years have changed each of the characters. Sure, we're told that Nathaniel is now super studious and Will is a stud when he used to be a chub, but we're only told these things. We're not really shown in the narrative how these changes have effected them. Perhaps this is why I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I didn't not enjoy the book, but I had a hard time bringing myself back to it after I'd put it down for the day.
The plot was a tad unbelievable, but perhaps that was the point. I couldn't help but think things like "Okay, it's like two in the morning and there's still a Sweet Sixteen party going on? In the middle of an epic storm?" Stuff like that just kind of took me out of the story. I understand why the book was set in the middle of the night in the middle of an epic storm, but it made some other elements of the story hard for me to buy. I also could have done without the science-y element of the story. Again, I understand why it was included, but every time the characters tried to explain something about it I just found myself scratching my head. It honestly didn't make very much sense to me and I would have had an easier time buying a magical explanation than the scientific one given.
One thing I really liked about the book was the setting. I feel that the author was able to really capture New York City in the middle of a massive storm. This book made me want to fly over there and start exploring the city right away. I liked that we got to see a lot of different parts of the city through the eyes of these characters who have lived there their whole lives and the entire storm made everything feel very atmospheric.
Overall, I thought this book had a really promising premise, but the execution was lacking in some ways. While it has a strong conclusion, everything before that was a little jumbled like perhaps the author was trying to do too much.
Overall Rating: 3
Language: Moderate
Violence: Mild
Smoking/Drinking: Mild
Sexual Content: Mild
Note: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, I appreciate that each of the characters are individuals. The narrative alternates between each of the four main characters and between the present and the summer before high school started. They each had distinctive voices which made the book more interesting to read. With that being said, I do think that the characters seemed a little immature for how old they were supposed to be. Or...maybe not too immature, but there wasn't much of a difference between the characters in the "Then" sections versus the "Now" sections. They've been separated for three years and the author doesn't really show the reader how those years have changed each of the characters. Sure, we're told that Nathaniel is now super studious and Will is a stud when he used to be a chub, but we're only told these things. We're not really shown in the narrative how these changes have effected them. Perhaps this is why I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I didn't not enjoy the book, but I had a hard time bringing myself back to it after I'd put it down for the day.
The plot was a tad unbelievable, but perhaps that was the point. I couldn't help but think things like "Okay, it's like two in the morning and there's still a Sweet Sixteen party going on? In the middle of an epic storm?" Stuff like that just kind of took me out of the story. I understand why the book was set in the middle of the night in the middle of an epic storm, but it made some other elements of the story hard for me to buy. I also could have done without the science-y element of the story. Again, I understand why it was included, but every time the characters tried to explain something about it I just found myself scratching my head. It honestly didn't make very much sense to me and I would have had an easier time buying a magical explanation than the scientific one given.
One thing I really liked about the book was the setting. I feel that the author was able to really capture New York City in the middle of a massive storm. This book made me want to fly over there and start exploring the city right away. I liked that we got to see a lot of different parts of the city through the eyes of these characters who have lived there their whole lives and the entire storm made everything feel very atmospheric.
Overall, I thought this book had a really promising premise, but the execution was lacking in some ways. While it has a strong conclusion, everything before that was a little jumbled like perhaps the author was trying to do too much.
Overall Rating: 3
Language: Moderate
Violence: Mild
Smoking/Drinking: Mild
Sexual Content: Mild
Note: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2022
Honestly, it wasn't a bad read at all. I enjoyed the direction that the story was going every time I picked this book up. There were times that it got slow and I did not wanna read it at all but I think overall it was just alright. I would wanna read it again if i have the free time too.
August 14, 2024
The plot was fun and fast-paced (even though the twist felt out of place) but the writing was nothing special and overall just felt like a generic contemporary teen novel. I enjoyed reading it but wouldn't necessarily recommend it.
January 24, 2018
It was one of the best books i read in a while
January 18, 2018
4.5*
The Odds of Lightning was an AMAZING book.
Pros:
I loved the friendship between the characters.
The way the setting was laid out was fabulous.
The relationships were adorable.
Cons:
I didn't really like the ending. I thought that it kinda ruined everything that was built up.
There is a little bit of profanity in this book, as well as a scene where two of the characters get a bit close. If you are younger, or if you like the books you are reading to be censored, I would not recommend it.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. To me, the positives far outway the negatives, and I really liked imagining my life with them.
The Odds of Lightning was an AMAZING book.
Pros:
I loved the friendship between the characters.
The way the setting was laid out was fabulous.
The relationships were adorable.
Cons:
I didn't really like the ending. I thought that it kinda ruined everything that was built up.
There is a little bit of profanity in this book, as well as a scene where two of the characters get a bit close. If you are younger, or if you like the books you are reading to be censored, I would not recommend it.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. To me, the positives far outway the negatives, and I really liked imagining my life with them.
November 5, 2018
This book was about four longtime friends that separated at the start of high school but were brought back together by one unlucky, or lucky, night. On the night before the SAT's, Lu, Will, Nathaniel, and Tiny are all brought back together for one wild night that includes being struck by lightning, superpowers, and even a body swap. They learn things about each other that they never knew, reconcile their friendship, and experience a night they'll never forget.
I only rate this book a two out of five because it couldn't keep me on the edge of my seat. The book was slow and the on and off relationships in the book just got annoying considering it was basically about one main night and that's it. The plot also didn't make much sense and the ending, in my opinion, was a stretch. I feel like there were other ways the author could've gone about writing this book because I've read many books like it that just made more sense and with a different approach, were more interesting. I know that the flashbacks were provided for more context and to build up some suspension but I genuinely think that some of it was unimportant for the reader to know. One thing I did like about the book was the beginning. As I begun to read the book I had high hopes because the story line seemed fascinating with the, "end of the world," cliche, Tiny and Nathaniel coming out of their comfort zones, and literally being struck by lightning, but then the book got progressively worse. I've read books where the, "end of the world," was supposed to be coming and they didn't disappoint but this one did. A lot of the book was about trying to relate to Nathaniel's favorite past time science but it didn't help the plot make any more sense.
Although I didn't like this book because I thought it was dull and illogical I think some people could potentially like this book. I'm not a very avid reader and I thought everything was dragged out but if someone had more patience or could make sense of the text a little more than I could, then I think they would like this book.
I only rate this book a two out of five because it couldn't keep me on the edge of my seat. The book was slow and the on and off relationships in the book just got annoying considering it was basically about one main night and that's it. The plot also didn't make much sense and the ending, in my opinion, was a stretch. I feel like there were other ways the author could've gone about writing this book because I've read many books like it that just made more sense and with a different approach, were more interesting. I know that the flashbacks were provided for more context and to build up some suspension but I genuinely think that some of it was unimportant for the reader to know. One thing I did like about the book was the beginning. As I begun to read the book I had high hopes because the story line seemed fascinating with the, "end of the world," cliche, Tiny and Nathaniel coming out of their comfort zones, and literally being struck by lightning, but then the book got progressively worse. I've read books where the, "end of the world," was supposed to be coming and they didn't disappoint but this one did. A lot of the book was about trying to relate to Nathaniel's favorite past time science but it didn't help the plot make any more sense.
Although I didn't like this book because I thought it was dull and illogical I think some people could potentially like this book. I'm not a very avid reader and I thought everything was dragged out but if someone had more patience or could make sense of the text a little more than I could, then I think they would like this book.
December 12, 2018
THIS BOOK WAS FRICKEN AMAZING!!!!!!! I could not put it down!!!
January 1, 2021
The prologue really sucked me in, especially with the rapid-fire POV changes until they got shorter and shorter and converged. Decent set-up, but then the supernatural elements were brought in and they were not really necessary.
Throughout their strange night, the characters just kinda realized or decided things right then in the moment, which can happen to people but if there is epiphany after epiphany, it comes across more as "Person A did this. Then Person B realized this. Meanwhile Person C remembered." Like, it was more telling rather than building and inferring which may gel with some people but not for me.
I was kind of excited when I first read about Will's anxiety, because we don't get a lot of real anxiety in characters especially jocks, but that was sort of brushed away with some "it didn't matter anymore, it was all better because Lu was there" bullshit. Anxiety doesn't just go away because someone is there. Support is nice and all, but it doesn't just magically solve the underlying issue.
So yeah, had some promise at first, but nothing kept me reading except my personal drive to finish books I start.
Throughout their strange night, the characters just kinda realized or decided things right then in the moment, which can happen to people but if there is epiphany after epiphany, it comes across more as "Person A did this. Then Person B realized this. Meanwhile Person C remembered." Like, it was more telling rather than building and inferring which may gel with some people but not for me.
I was kind of excited when I first read about Will's anxiety, because we don't get a lot of real anxiety in characters especially jocks, but that was sort of brushed away with some "it didn't matter anymore, it was all better because Lu was there" bullshit. Anxiety doesn't just go away because someone is there. Support is nice and all, but it doesn't just magically solve the underlying issue.
So yeah, had some promise at first, but nothing kept me reading except my personal drive to finish books I start.
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