A laugh-out-loud romp that blends heart, humor, and hijinks—ideal for anyone who has ever felt caught between worlds.
One misplaced jacket sparks an unexpected journey of love and reconnection.
Seventeen-year-old Nina Riley is excited to spend the summer back in Austin, Texas; she and her mom moved to Houston a year ago. She’s less thrilled about the return of her long-absent father, who’s cued white, and the tension it stirs within her Vietnamese American mother’s side of the family. Desperate for a break, Nina takes a solo walk along a trail, only to stumble into a cute, dimpled stranger named Ian Nguyen. Their awkward yet electric encounter is cut short when he gets an urgent phone call and takes off, leaving behind his jacket. Determined to find him, Nina enlists Linh, her quick-witted cousin, for a lighthearted detective mission, which leads to comedic missteps, surprising revelations, and a whirlwind romance with undeniable chemistry. This breezy, feel-good novel brimming with charm, mishaps, and heart thoughtfully weaves in themes of family expectations, identity, and belonging. The humor is sharp, the dialogue snappy, and the romance charming; the heavier topics are treated with a light touch. Nina is a relatable protagonist, navigating the messy realities of adolescence, family dynamics, and the bittersweet process of growing up. The novel’s vibrant cast adds rich cultural authenticity, enhancing the family drama and romantic tension.
A laugh-out-loud romp that blends heart, humor, and hijinks—ideal for anyone who has ever felt caught between worlds. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9781339010205
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
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
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