Stephanie Kate Strohm’s books are always such hilarious and compulsively readable books. Once you pick them up, you can’t put them down and That’s Not What I Heard is no different. We follow the lives of teens at William Henry Harrison High School after the golden couple breaks up and no one is quite sure why. Rumors are started and lines are drawn in this high school romcom romp.

The best words I can use to describe That’s Not What I Heard are dramatic and entertaining. Stephanie’s writing is just so easy to read and get lost in - I usually end up reading her books in one sitting and I find they’re the perfect thing to pick up when I don’t know what reading mood I’m in. I also love how she incorporated so many POVs into her stories as well - it’s never overwhelming, but it adds so much to the chaotic and frenzied nature of the story. And while I do enjoy all the POVs, because there’s so many, and it’s such a quick read, I’m never really invested in the story. But I don’t mind that so much, because it’s not what I’m looking for from this particular book.

That’s Not What I Heard is a big game of he-said she-said, with exaggerated high school politics that come together in creative and ridiculous ways.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Oh, this sweet, sweet book. It's been quite a while since I've read a YA book that didn't contain tragic romance, or tough lessons. Not that I don't love those books, don't get me wrong, but That's Not What I Heard was like a breath of fresh air in a genre that's starting to feel a little heavy. This book is pure fun, really. It's almost like a satire of high school, except it's even smarter than that. While I didn't absolutely love this book, I saw the brilliance in it. Plus, I definitely giggled out loud more than once. Trust me, this is something YA readers are going to love.

You know how the high school rumor mill is. One little thing overheard, and suddenly it's morphed into something that is nowhere near what was originally said. That's this book in a nutshell. Perfect couple Kim-and-Teddy have been together for what feels like forever. Now it's their Senior year, and it's time to start thinking about the future. Except... are they on the same page? A fight begins, and what follows is a breakup story for the ages. Seriously, it's on that type of scale.

I had to keep reminding myself that yes, school really was as absurd as this book felt sometimes. It did feel a little over the top at points, but what I really enjoyed was the fact that the reader actually gets to see the rumors progress as they move along the telephone line of gossip. Each chapter would pick up with the last person who had heard something, and I honestly laughed more than once at how that next person interpreted it. There are school hijinks, plans to get back together with lost loves, and more friendship than I think I've ever seen in a book like this. You can tell that Strohm has been there. You can tell that she knows just how silly things can get when the rumor mill activates. There's just a flair on top of that to make things seem funnier, and that's the pat I had the hardest time with.

Final verdict? This wasn't quite my book, but I do know that a ton of YA readers out there are going to love this. Young YA readers especially, who are just entering the wide world of high school, will probably really enjoy this story. It's silly, it's a little too quick moving at times, but it has a ton of heart behind it too. I enjoyed getting to know the residents at William Henry Harrison High! I know that others will too. ( )