A delightfully compelling coming-of-age romance.
A misanthropic loner’s community service starts off motivated by self-interest but ends up changing her life.
Seventeen-year-old gamer Eloise Deane’s dream is to attend the University of Southern California’s computer science program. But since her father was recently laid off, Eloise needs to both apply for admission and try to get a generous scholarship, forcing her to pad her impressive academic resume with community service. She begrudgingly agrees to volunteer with LifeCare, a nonprofit that matches volunteers with older people in need of regular conversation and companionship. Friendless after ghosting her best friends during a difficult episode with anxiety and depression the previous year, sarcastic and introverted Eloise is taken aback by Austin Yang, LifeCare’s smiley, outgoing star teen volunteer who’s assigned to train her. Eloise joins Austin for his regular house visits to Marianne Landis, a lonely 73-year-old who’s no stereotypical senior; she’s the former lead singer of The Laundromats, a famous 1970s and ’80s rock band. As Eloise and Austin, who is an open and kind musician with surprising layers, begin regularly visiting Marianne together, Eloise grows unnervingly attached to both her new friends. The slow-burn, grumpy-sunshine romance develops organically, as does Eloise’s strengthening sense of self-worth. The author convincingly details Eloise’s family dynamics (unemployed dad, self-employed mom, pesky 11-year-old sister) as well as the MMORPG game she’s mastered. Austin is Korean American in a main cast that otherwise presents White.
A delightfully compelling coming-of-age romance. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: July 25, 2023
ISBN: 9781534493575
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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