FIREBLOOMS

In an alternate California, 17-year-old Sebastian Ascencio moves to a new town that was built in the wake of devastating forest fires.

New Gault houses TECH, the company that created the all-encompassing software that tracks the town’s students’ word use, imposing a monthly limit. Any “word infractions” lead to a reduction in their word-data banks—all in the name of preventing hate speech and bullying. The town is also home to Sebas’ estranged mom, whose cancer diagnosis was the impetus for him to leave his Mexican American dad in San Marcos and move in to help her. Classmate Lu Hernandez, who describes themself as “Latinx with the added bonus of being comfortingly white-presenting,” loves TECH and the safety it represents. Life in New Gault comes with free access to food, healthcare, and advanced technology—all for the low price of total compliance. Sebas, who’s unwilling to sacrifice his privacy and freedom, clashes with his mom and Lu over these expectations. Villasante creatively illustrates the opposing viewpoints, presenting a relevant ethical quandary. But the characters’ shifting relationships comprise the true heart of the book: Her portrayal of Sebas’ emotional challenges as he navigates friendships, romance, and family crises is deft and sensitive. If the promising speculative premise of TECH is left behind along the way—the dark underbelly of such an authoritative system is lightly developed—readers will still be amply rewarded by the poignant conclusion.

A tender, intelligent love story.