Freak Magnet

A novel about freaks, geeks, crushes and friends - and how sometimes you can be all of them at once....
Charlie is the freak. Gloria is the freak magnet. When they meet, sparks fly ... for Charlie. Gloria, well, she thinks he’s like every other freak who feels compelled to talk to her, just a little better-looking than most.

 In this he said / she said tale of love, loss, and lucky signs, two young strangers at a crossroads in their lives become friends by happy accident (okay, maybe some harmless stalking is involved – and not by the person you think!) and forever change each other.

Reviews and Accolades

• 2010 Bank Street College Best Book of the Year
• 2010 ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults nominee
• 2010 Cybils award nominee (Young Adult)

"Readers will easily fall for this story of freak love; it’s poignant, laugh-out-loud funny and awkward in the best of ways."

 -Publishers Weekly

"Touchingly realistic and balanced with humor. A skilled and moving portrait of two young people struggling to make sense of the world."

-Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books (Recommended)

"Undeniably pleasurable... Auseon’s details are just original enough to amuse and move readers. (His handling of the parents, including a Huntington’s-ravaged mom is even better.)"

-Booklist 

"Charming and clever... a small gem of a story in which a talented author reveals hidden layers of his characters."

-VOYA 

 "I'm not overstating when I say this novel reminded me of all the things I love about YA realism done right. On a craft level, the book is quite an achievement--I haven't seen dual first person point of view done any better than this, with each voice absolutely distinct, or read many other novels able to balance true humor with true weight half so well. I'd recommend this book to just about anyone. Freaks and freak magnets take note.”

-Shaken & Stirred 

"This book is one of those friends you never want to lose. It makes me laugh and it loves being wacky, but it’s also not afraid to express its emotions. In short, this book is utterly wonderful, and I want to keep it around forever, so much so that I've made a marriage pact with it. If I haven’t found my soul mate by the time I turn 40, this book and i will get married. sure, we won’t really have the sexy, but we will have a lifetime of awesome companionship ahead of us."

-Forever Young Adult