Unabashedly nerdtastic.
A celebrity wants to be somebody else and a fan just wants to be somebody in this The Prince and the Pauper–inspired sequel to Geekerella (2017).
Having played Princess Amara in the movie reboot of cult sci-fi show Starfield, 19-year-old Jessica Stone is ready to move on to more serious roles. High schooler and self-proclaimed nobody Imogen Lovelace idolizes the independent space princess and is campaigning to #SaveAmara. When the look-alikes collide at the annual ExcelsiCon and switch places—a cinematic improbability acknowledged, then cheerfully exploited—each gains a new perspective on fandom. Jess revels in normality and hesitantly explores romance with Imogen’s online friend, Harper Hart. Imogen relishes the limelight and spars and sparks with Jess’ bodyguard, overly serious 17-year-old Ethan Tanaka. Interracial and same-sex relationships are central—Jess and Imogen are white, Harper is black and female, Ethan is Japanese-American, and Imogen has two moms and a gay brother—all befitting the inclusivity and gender-bending aspects of fandom, cosplay, and cons. Yet Poston (Heart of Iron, 2018, etc.) also ruthlessly dissects the dark side of science-fiction and fantasy pop culture: body-shaming, trolls, social media mobs, and sexual harassment. Sometimes, the best tales are the ones that transport audiences, not serious and philosophical but fun, light, and nerdy.
Unabashedly nerdtastic. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: April 2, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-68369-096-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Quirk Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2019
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
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
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