The Outsider by Melinda Metz Review

The Outsider by Melinda Metz

Publisher: Pocket Books

Paperback: 170 pages

Cost: $1.99

Date Started: 1/17/12

Date Finished: 1/17/12

A few days ago I went back to my library to pick up two new books on hold for me: Matched by Ally Condie, and this WONDERFUL BEAUTY: THE OUTSIDER BY MELINDA METZ. 

(You can tell by the caps that I am super excited.) 

This last December my sister introduced me to the '90's series called Roswell. I watched for hours on end every single day...until I saw one episode that changed my view of my favorite show forever. I couldn't even hear the word 'Roswell' without cringing...sob.

So I did a ton of googling and found out that the show was actually based on a series by Melinda Metz. After even more googling, I found that the episode that made me cry didn't happen in the books - in fact, the characters that made it happen didn't even exist. Naturally, I got it on hold as soon as I finished reading the last word. 

Synopsis: 

He's not like other guys.

Liz has seen him around. It's hard to miss Max -- the tall, blond, blue-eyed senior stands out in her high-school crowd. So why is he such a loner?

Max is in love with Liz. He loves the way her eyes light up when she laughs. And the way her long, black hair moves when she turns her head. Most of all, he loves to imagine what it would be like to kiss her.

But Max knows he can't get too close. He can't let her discover the truth about who he is. Or really, what he is....

Because the truth could kill her.

Cover: This time the cover didn't matter to me at all. I was more absorbed in the content :3 It's fitting though - very mysterious. My version had a picture of the original people who were supposed to be the Roswell crew inside. They look really different than the cast of the TV show. In my opinion, I think the show's cast was much more fitting.

The Good: The book was really different from the show, which I liked. A lot of things happened that never happened in the pilot. Max has more personality than he did in the first episode, too, and we got to see his side - why he fell in love with Liz, how he felt when he was with Liz, all his thoughts and emotions. We also see POVs of the other characters that we never really get to see in the show. They aren't written in first person, but I could understand whose eyes we were looking through. It was suspenseful - I was gripping my blanket when Sheriff Valenti stopped Michael and Isabel in their Jeep. It was romantic - I had a smile on my face every time Max and Liz kissed. And it was sad - I was teary when Max separated himself from Liz for her good. The writing style was simple, but also very 90's by the tone (90's babies, you'll know what I mean). It was also fast, but there are more volumes to come - yay! (: 

The Bad: I'm a really romance-oriented person when it comes to books, so whenever it skipped to Alex, Isabel, Maria, or Michael, I got really impatient and almost flipped through the pages. But it was good, because that meant it took longer to end :) I really loved the book. Later, all those characters fall in love anyway, so it'll be even BETTER to read!

Overall: It was a great quick read. Nothing too sci-fi for me, and had just the right amount of romance! I just wish the books were longer ):

Rating: 4.5 

My next post is coming very soon about Ally Condie's Book, Matched. I've already finished it (I'm a fast reader) so a review will be posted shortly. I'm getting closer and closer to finishing my list!

I've also signed up for a site called Good Reads, which shows me all the books that people liked. It's giving me great ideas for what to pick out at the library next. If you're having trouble, definitely sign up!