Review: Doogie Howser meets Grey's Anatomy in Julie Cross's emotionally-charged New-Adult medical coming-of-age, THIRD DEGREE
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 12, 2014
Take Doogie Howser and Grey's Anatomy. Add Julie Cross's emotional connection with readers and attention to detail from her Letters to Nowhere series. Mix well. The resulting blend is the story of a teenage medical prodigy with...issues.Isabel Jenkins, daughter of a heart surgeon, is eighteen. She has a few weeks left as a medical intern with a specialty in surgery, when she's called to receive her residency assignment. She did not get accepted as a full doctor anywhere, no matter that she is a genius with an eidetic memory. She did not pass her "emotional readiness" psych exam to be a doctor. She failed. And, to pour salt in the wound, the co-star of the genius kids medical program passed his emotional exam. He got his residency - at her father's hospital!Six months separate Izzy from today and when she can retake the psych test. In the meantime, she is set on a course to do all the "normal" things she's never done, all in an effort to be able to sympathize with patients and get along with co-workers. Izzy enrolls at a regular college and takes a smattering of random classes. She learns what it is to fall in love and have friends. She gives; she takes; she cries; she laughs. Eventually, she knows what it is too feel, and why that isn't always a "good" thing. But, most importantly, she discovers that many things in life are beyond her control and learns to cope with that reality.* * * * * * * * *"Pretty, and smart enough to commit crimes without leaving any forensic evidence - you're like a lethal weapon.  We should warn all the males on this floor." - Marshall"I assure you that, if I get into your personal space, it's completely intentional." - MarshallI'm dying to tell him about the man with no one to call and make sure he knows that no matter what, when he's forty and injured in the ER, he can call me.  He can always call me.  Is this what love is? - Izzy* * * * * * * * *A socially-awkward, brainy, quirky girl. Wow. Julie could have named her protagonist "Lori," and she'd have been way too accurate on more than a few of those scenes. Where most readers would see "insensitive brat," I saw a victim of her insular studying habits and an obvious preference for predictable facts than irrational human beings. When the other college students treated her social handicap as a minor hurtle, not a burier, tears sprang to my eyes.This author is very realistic in her treatment of teenagers. She expects they'll think about sex, talk about sex, and have sex (Some do before the age of eighteen. Shhhhh!). Julie can be counted on for fake ID's, under-age drinking, and marijuana. She isn't promoting these habits, but she's not writing a squeaky-clean book, pretending that teenagers are pure as the snow. It gives her words more impact and, her characters, more life and vitality.As a dedicated reader of the YA Letters to Nowhere series by Julie Cross, I was intrigued by her jump into the developing genre of NA - New-Adult. If you aren't sure what the difference in YA and NA is, think of them like a parental rating system. YA keeps the flirting to a minimum and takes anything too much behind closed doors. NA is the I'm-having-sex-now crowd leaving the bedroom door open. Neither YA or NA forbids the mention of drugs, alcohol, or illegal activities, so always read the reviews prior to the purchase of YA or NA for a youth, if these issues are of concern to you. THIRD DEGREE, being NA, contains descriptions of sex.Another excellent book by Julie Cross:Letters to Nowhere (Letters to Nowhere Part 1)Thanks, Julie, for this oh-so excellent ARC. Providing you an exchange for an "honest" review is always a pleasure, because I never have to worry about hurting your feelings - You do such an awesome job!