An enjoyable sequel in a well-oiled coming-of-age series.
This follow-up to Marquis’ charming bestselling debut continues the saga of young, Black Chicagoans in the early 20th century.
It’s been several weeks since the masquerade ball for Ruby’s father’s political campaign, and she’s eager to solidify her social status as a newlywed and the daughter of Chicago’s first Black mayor. But after Ruby and her parents learn of horrible rumors, their aspirations fall prey to uncertainty and chaos. Meanwhile, Olivia, Ruby’s best friend, focuses on building political power among local Black women, but her parents continue to pressure her to marry. They’re unaware of her star-crossed, long-distance entanglement. “Life can’t be just about work…What about love?” younger sister Helen asks Olivia. To which she replies, “Who said my decision wasn’t for love?” Helen may be open to romance, but she also concocts an ambitious plan to prepare the family’s carriage company for a horseless future. Ultimately, she must collaborate with a young man she finds irritating to pull it off. Domestic-worker-turned-entrepreneur Amy-Rose tries to keep her mind off Davenport business heir apparent John, but new circumstances make that tricky. The Davenport universe, which has history, humor, and heart baked into it, maintains its continuity in this volume, and Marquis will satisfy fans with the characters’ expanding narratives. The breezy and fluid prose supports the love-filled merry-go-round of will-they-won’t-they storylines.
An enjoyable sequel in a well-oiled coming-of-age series. (Historical fiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Nov. 12, 2024
ISBN: 9780593463369
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
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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