Music-obsessed Riley and Reid, a writer, are shocked to find out that their fellow band mates, Lucy (Riley's once–best...
So many boys, so little time; what's a rock girl to do?
Music-obsessed Riley and Reid, a writer, are shocked to find out that their fellow band mates, Lucy (Riley's once–best friend and former confidante) and Nathan, have not only been secretly dating, they’ve also been doing it. Feeling glaringly inexperienced, Riley and Reid decide to keep a handwritten notebook—nicknamed the Passenger Manifest from the TV show Lost—chronicling all of their experiences with love, dating and sex. To Riley's surprise, she becomes involved with three guys: science-loving Garrick, who once dated a celebrity; Ted Callahan, her longtime, irresistibly floppy-haired crush; and Milo, a fellow band geek and tuba player. Riley and Reid carefully record every detail of their dating foibles, but when the Passenger Manifest turns up missing, what are they to do? Narrated mainly by Riley, the story provides small snippets of Reid's dating life—and, regrettably, little else about him—in the entries from the Passenger Manifest that appear between prose chapters. Riley’s approach to sex is a long way from Forever…; losing her virginity seems to be more an item on her to-do list than a milestone moment. A not-so-fluffy chick-lit offering rife with angst, rock ’n’ roll and lots of kissing. (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: April 14, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-316-37152-0
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Poppy/Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 9, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A coming-of-age story best appreciated by fans of genre romance.
Told she resembles one of Jane Austen’s least likable characters, an aggrieved, self-doubting teen strives to change her ways.
Marnie Barnes, 18, a wealthy senior at an upscale San Francisco boarding school, feels pressured. When her older sister Lindy was a senior, her project won the school’s prestigious Hunt Prize. Now Marnie’s desperate to win it herself—her Stanford ambitions and family’s appreciation ride on it. The third of five daughters, Marnie feels slighted by their mother, who comments unfavorably on her weight. Facing the deadline to submit her project proposal (having children read to dogs at an animal shelter), she’s neither gracious nor grateful when her roommate, Adhira Fitz, introduces her to friends with animal-shelter contacts. When exasperated Adhira compares her to Elizabeth Bennet’s awful sister, Marnie realizes she needs to change, a challenge made easier by Eugene “Whit” Whitlock, the cute boy volunteering at the animal shelter who helps get her project on track. But Marnie’s still crushing on hot venture capitalist Hayes Wellesley, Lindy’s best friend’s fiance.Unlike Austen’s Mary, Marnie is redeemable—refreshingly imperfect, her characterization mostly rings true, and it’s her struggles that will keep readers invested as the plethora of largely familiar character types move through the unruly plot. Marnie is White; Canadian Adhira, who largely functions as the supportive BFF, has relatives in India; and Whit has a White American father and Japanese mother.
A coming-of-age story best appreciated by fans of genre romance. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-306013-5
Page Count: 384
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
This gripping page-turner will keep readers guessing until the final twist.
Seventeen-year-old Hunter Gifford has no memories of the car accident he was in the night of the homecoming dance with Chloe Summers, his now-missing girlfriend.
In the small southern Kentucky city of Bentley, comments on social media condemn Hunter as responsible for Chloe’s disappearance. When he attends the community vigil for her, Chloe’s mother publicly accuses Hunter of obstructing the investigation. Hunter’s own mom died when he was 15 and his sister, Olivia, was 12. Their dad has awkwardly attempted to pull his weight as a solo parent, and Hunter has stepped in and nurtured Livvy. Small but mighty Livvy is an ardent defender of her brother and is fiercely in love with her girlfriend, Gabriela. To make things worse, childhood friend Daniel informs Hunter that he’s making a true-crime documentary about Chloe. Hunter is upset, especially since it makes him look like a prime suspect, and a subsequent dramatic event draws more attention to the video. Hunter and Chloe met in creative writing club, and he knew she kept a journal—but it’s missing. Enter the sleuthing team of Hunter, Livvy, and Gabriela, who hatch a plan to find it. The dynamics between Hunter and Livvy and Livvy and Gabriela are endearing and will charm readers, who will root for them to solve the well-executed mystery. Main characters default to White; Gabriela is Mexican American.
This gripping page-turner will keep readers guessing until the final twist. (Thriller. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72825-420-3
Page Count: 360
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
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