Anna has a clever talent: She can, somehow, rise out of her own body and travel about as a spirit.
This has always been an amusing gift, especially useful during boring classes, but when she witnesses an accidental death after her friend Seth fails to save an almost-stalker classmate, Taylor, from a lethal fall, the trick becomes perilous. Dead Taylor occupies Anna’s spiritless body, leaving the high school junior with no place to go. Fortunately, Anna and best friend—and almost boyfriend—Rei have such a spiritual connection that he’s able to detect her presence, and they find they can conveniently communicate by computer keyboard. Seth is accused of murder, but readers must seriously suspend disbelief; he’ll go on trial just days later because his crime is so “vicious,” leaving the two clever teens very little time to evict ruthless Taylor and convince the court that a spirit can serve as a witness. While not great literature, this fast-paced adventure is surprisingly engaging, as Anna, in an earnest first-person voice, and Rei navigate the pitfalls of their evolving relationship and try imaginative ploys to send away Taylor, who has taken over Anna’s body with an almost humorous vengeance (tats, piercings and the like).
Readers who enjoy more than a dash of the paranormal in their romance novels won’t be disappointed with this amusing albeit lightweight effort. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-59643-710-4
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
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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. 13, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
Categories: TEENS & YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES
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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. 23, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
Categories: TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE
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