A high-energy homage to 1990s teen movies.
In Backus’ debut YA novel, two best friends, one straight and one gay, conspire to break up their private school’s most popular couple.
Zack Standish doesn’t fit in with the rich kids at Watson Christian Academy in the Seattle suburbs, where his offbeat skater-boy look causes him to stick out in a crowd. Imagine his delight when his best friend from childhood suddenly moves back to town after five years in Los Angeles. Josh Bradshaw is the same old guy, but he’s got something to tell Zack before they pick up their friendship where it left off: Josh is gay. And for years Josh has been secretly in love with Zack’s archrival, Brian “Superjock” Esau. Zack loathes Brian, the school’s star athlete, because he’s dating the girl whom Zack is in love with—the gorgeous Missy Hoff. Josh is pretty sure that Brian reciprocates his feelings, which gives Zack a crazy idea: What if Zack and Josh conspire to wreck Brian and Missy’s relationship? “ ‘You want us to break them up for our own devices?!’ Josh leaped to his feet as Zack nodded. ‘Why, for God’s sake?’ ‘For sex, of course! Why else?’ ” It’s a bonkers plan—the best ones always are—and it only gets wilder after the boys accept the help of Brian’s sister, Jamie, the school’s resident manipulator. The high school culture that Backus creates feels notably cinematic; it’s not at all realistic, but it’s entertaining, nonetheless. The author gives the plot some appealing dimension by including Brian and Missy as point-of-view characters, adding unexpected depth to the king and queen of the school; Brian is in therapy to figure out why he isn’t happy with his life, and Missy doesn’t feel secure in the relationship because she suspects that Jamie hates her. Overall, the book has a big heart and should please fans of both high-school comedy films and YA fiction.
A high-energy homage to 1990s teen movies.Pub Date: Aug. 23, 2022
ISBN: 9781611534665
Page Count: 326
Publisher: Torchflame Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
