A decent debut from a promising new writer—readers will hope for a stronger sophomore offering
Seventeen-year-old Chloe goes on a road trip to audition for a dance conservatory.
With her mom away on a cruise, good girl Chloe Pierce resolves to attend auditions in Washington, D.C., for her dream school, a prestigious ballet conservatory, even though her widowed mom said no, wanting her to remain closer to home. Just as she leaves New Jersey, handsome-but-loathed neighbor Eli Greene fake blackmails her into taking him—and his dog—along and giving them a ride to the train station in D.C., therefore shortening his trip to see his father in North Carolina. Chloe unhappily complies, her anger toward him eventually explained by an incident from their shared past. The plot meanders along, and so do the pair of black teens (and the dog), eventually reaching the auditions and talking openly about their unresolved history. Chloe’s former crush on Eli is resurrected, but thankfully only after he’s properly apologized for his misdeeds. The ending feels a bit pat, as does Chloe’s assumption that Eli’s insistence that everything happens for a reason is indeed the truth. This is a slow, quiet book best suited to contemplative readers who can forgive the uneven pacing and minimal character development.
A decent debut from a promising new writer—readers will hope for a stronger sophomore offering . (Fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: June 4, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-29488-3
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
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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