Music fans will especially enjoy this story of two people learning to trust themselves—and each other.
Former best friends redefine their relationship and themselves while on a spontaneous road trip.
Caspian Forrester’s mom, the guitarist in a rock band called The Darlas, died when he was a baby. His dad is still traumatized by the loss, so Cass keeps it a secret that he also plays the guitar, regularly busking in a San Francisco train station. Sydney Greenfield, Cass’ former best friend, sticks out in her family of high-achieving siblings—and not in a good way. Though she’s landed an internship at an illustrious music venue, she hasn’t told her parents about it yet. Meanwhile, Cass learns that The Darlas are reuniting for one last tour. When their paths cross after high school graduation and Cass gives Syd a ride, they spontaneously decide to go to the first show in Sacramento together. One show leads to another, and as they follow the band, the two White teens have a lot of time together on the road to work through their respective issues with their parents, what happened with their friendship, and what comes next. Though the protagonists end the book as a couple, the focus is on the characters’ individual journeys, which include realistically dealing with issues around grief, mental health, and finding the confidence to follow their own paths.
Music fans will especially enjoy this story of two people learning to trust themselves—and each other. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-35027-0
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Exactly what the title promises.
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. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK TO SCREEN
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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