1. This reads like it was inspired by John Green, except terrible.
2. Manic Pixie Dream Girl gone so wrong.
3. I hate Adam. You don't have to like the characters to make a story good, but I didn't even like reading about Adam.
4. What the fuck was Pia's problem. Why did she go along with everything from the start? IT MAKES NO SENSE.
5. I did not like this book. ( )

Review based on ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. It has taken me altogether too long to get through it, but that has nothing to do with the book and everything to do with my crazy life. In fact, escaping my crazy life and entering Adam's was just the thing I needed.

The book starts off with a letter from the Director of Counseling Services at the institute. I thought this was a clever and well done intro to the novel. I was immediately intrigued and impressed with the author's presentation of this perspective.

The adolescent love story in this novel is compelling and entertaining, to say the least. Adam meets his love on the way back to the mental institution and from that point forward begins an unhealthy (not surprising) obsession. Of course it wouldn't be an adolescent love story if the feelings were mutual.

Without ruining any of the story, I will say that I was pleased with the author's take on obsession and very happy to have been graced with this book. It is dark and engaging. Just how I like things. ;)

Definitely recommend. ( )

The writing is good. The characters of Francine/Miss Entropia (Pia) and Adam (who acts as narrator) are interesting twists on standard mentally ill teens. But periodically I found myself thinking of similar "love in the hospital" type stories, from David and Lisa, through The Collector, and several Shakespearean plays.

Adam's growing obsession with Pia and Pia's growing irritation at Adam took longer to evolve than necessary for the story. If this book were edited down about 75 pages, it would be a much tighter story, and possibly more suited to the teenaged audience which is its subject.

I enjoyed the read, but will be cautious about recommending it. ( )

Miss Entropia and the Adam Bomb is a love story, but a love story of the type that is born of something less than sanity. It begins on the way to a mental institute, winds its possessive and fiery way through the lives of Miss Entropia and Adam, and ultimately ends in tragedy.

Adam Webb is an odd kid. In fact, it’s on the way back to the Institute Loiseaux (essentially a mental insitution, though it has its quirks) that he meets and falls for Francine Haggard, better known as Miss Entropia or Pia. Adam is immediately smitten and while their initial adventure results in Miss Entropia not being accepted at the ‘Tute (as Adam refers to it), he never forgets Pia and holds her up on a pedestal as a goddess (specifically, the Hindu goddess Kali). She occupies his thoughts constantly, and when a chance run-in leads Adam right to her again, he decides that he will do anything to possess her, to keep his goddess for himself. Pia, a pyromaniac and someone who is even less stable than Adam, will have none of Adam’s possessiveness, and refuses to be owned or worshipped. Their relationship (and Pia) is pushed to the breaking point as Adam tries to hide her from the police who are supposedly looking for her as they investigate the mysterious fire that destroyed her parents’ home; in reality, the fire and “investigation” simply allow Adam to keep Pia tied to him. As Pia grows frustrated and unhappy with her situation, things begin to spiral totally out of control and tragedy strikes.

Miss Entropia and the Adam Bomb is both funny and dark, charming and and yet ultimately disturbing. The characters in general are interesting (especially Adam’s family members, who have some eccentric moments), and Pia and Adam are wonderfully well-written -- they’re funny, unbalanced, neurotic, disturbed, quirky, and most important of all, they’re believable. Their story may not be a “normal” one, but Rabasa makes their characters come to life in a way that you can imagine the events of the book actually happening. The writing is wonderful, and I found myself simply turning page after page to see what happened next to Adam and Pia. ( )

This was a different kind of book from my usual reads. Adam is a disturbed young teen who spends time in and out of the Institute. He meets Pia when he is picked up by the Institute van to be taken back. They have to make another stop to pick up Pia. Adam locks out the driver once Pia has been deposited inside. He drives away and they try to hide out at a nearby mall where Pia teaches Adam how to shoplift and live off leftover food. They are soon caught, Adam sent off to the "Tute as he calls it and Pia is sent off somewhere else. But Adam can't forget about her and when he is back home years later her looks her up, sneaks her into his home as she has been homeless after burning down her parents home and running away.

This was an interesting look into the twisted mind of two dysfunctional people and Adam's obsession of Pia and trying to keep her under control so she will never leave him. Adam is a sympathetic, misguided character and Pia is a complete free spirit. Their love is twisted and destined to to explode. ( )