This engrossing installment moves a series about a gay teen in a promising, mature direction.
This fourth volume of a YA series chronicles a sweet, queer teen coming-of-age in Boston.
As Roamer’s story begins, his narrator and protagonist, RV, finds himself starting a summer that already feels different and slightly off from previous ones. It seems as if all the people in the high school student’s life are facing major problems that affect their moods. (Even Joe from Joe’s Pizza does not seem his usual cheery self.) Following the football accident at the end of Why Can’t Relationships Be Like Pizza? (2021), RV’s best friend—and crush—Bobby is struggling to recover from the physical and cognitive effects of his head injury with such tenacity that he is actually scaring the protagonist. At the same time, both RV’s friend Mark and his mentor and confidant, Mr. Aniso, are also preoccupied by upsetting events in their families. It feels as if there’s not much fun to be had as RV begins a summer job at the multiplex. But the new gig introduces him to the gregarious and flirtatious Italian American Matteo. RV soon embarks on his first “official” dates with a boy and realizes he has to figure out what that means for his other friendships, his family, and his future—all while trying to learn to drive. Some of the more adult themes, like homophobia, sex, and identity, which were largely on the periphery in the previous volumes, have started to directly affect RV, making for a much more engaging narrative. (Bobby’s difficulty coping with his new disabilities is the most complex and realistic subplot yet.) Roamer’s teenagers still come off as too formal and polite with one another to be believable at times. But just like its main character, the series has shown real progress and moved toward a more serious look at the lives of today’s queer young people.
This engrossing installment moves a series about a gay teen in a promising, mature direction.Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-64890-346-5
Page Count: 247
Publisher: NineStar Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters.
When star hockey player Alec Barczewski’s estranged childhood friend, Dani Collins, moves to town, they end up in a mutually beneficial fake-dating relationship that reignites old feelings.
Following her parents’ divorce, Dani and her mom move in with Dani’s hockey legend grandfather in Southview, Minnesota, where she spent a month every summer as a child and where her friendship with Alec grew. Between visits, the two were pen pals, but they eventually fell out of touch. Despite some tensions over their loss of friendship, the high school seniors reconnect. Desperate to get off Harvard’s waitlist, Dani needs another extracurricular activity, while Alec—whose reputation took a hit when a photo of him holding a bong appeared on social media—is eager to improve his tarnished image for NHL scouts. The pair strike a deal: They’ll fake date, making Alec look like a stable guy whose academically gifted girlfriend is related to hockey royalty, and in exchange, he’ll get Dani a team manager position that will catch the eye of Harvard’s admissions officers. Eventually, complicated feelings about their past, stressful family relationships, and their brewing romance boil over. Romance fans will love the deliciously tension-filled scenes between Alec and Dani, who are believable friends with heavy demands weighing on them. They feel like real teenagers, and readers will enjoy rooting for them as the well-paced story unfolds. Main characters present white.
A compelling romance inhabited by complex and appealing characters. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9781665921268
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
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
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