An absorbing #MeToo story that will increase awareness.
Guitarist Ana “Shadow” Santos dreams of a music career, but when an amazing opportunity presents itself, how far will she be willing to go to achieve her goal of stardom?
To 17-year-old Ana, music is everything. She has an innovative style, a strong message, and the drive to see her dreams come true. When Gill Daring, a local club owner and mover and shaker, takes her under his wing, she is thrilled with the opportunities it brings. She and her band play regular live shows every Friday night and have a growing fan following. Gill seems truly fond of her and eager to help her get her big break, but he pulls her away from her friends and band mates and even out of school. He also encourages her to keep secrets about their time together. Meanwhile, others try to warn her that Gill may not be the good guy he presents himself to be but rather a master manipulator, grooming Ana for more than her shot at stardom. Though the story is engaging for reluctant readers, the way red flags and warning signs of predatory behavior are woven through the narrative is its greatest strength. The subjects presented will educate and inform many readers on an important topic; it’s a shame no resources are included for those seeking support or information. Ana is cued as Mexican Canadian; other main characters read as White.
An absorbing #MeToo story that will increase awareness. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4594-1588-1
Page Count: 160
Publisher: James Lorimer
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
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
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