Satisfying and pleasurable.
A high schooler’s pseudonymous blog about sex goes viral when a local conservative politician attacks it.
Phoebe Townsend, 16, was surprised and intrigued at her first sight of a penis two years ago: It was nothing like she expected, and she realized she didn’t know much about sex at all. She set about researching and combined her newfound knowledge with her love of journalism to create a blog that received little attention in her small town until it attracted the ire of mayoral candidate Lydia Brookhurst. Phoebe is honest about arousal, the true meaning of consent, and the limitations of her own knowledge when it comes to, for example, queer sexuality, whereas Brookhurst believes that the only permittable sex education is that which emphasizes abstinence. When Brookhurst outs her, Phoebe has to deal with threats and vandalism but stands her ground regarding the importance of her work. Already known for dealing with complex subjects with grace and honesty, Walton creates in Phoebe, best friend Cora, crush Neil, and eventual boyfriend Jorge real, imperfect characters with genuine emotions and actions. Through the medium of Phoebe’s blog posts and tweets, Walton also manages to include a tremendous amount of useful information about sex. Most characters default to White; Jorge is Mexican American. Cora's identity is not specified; she's described as resembling both Jameela Jamil and Meghan Markle.
Satisfying and pleasurable. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 23, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-31057-1
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2022
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
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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