An avalanche of grief—the death of her beloved Abuela, first love lost, and the betrayal of a best friend—is just too much for 17-year-old Lila Reyes.
Lila’s family sends her to England, hoping a new place will help her pick up the pieces of a shattered heart after her longtime boyfriend, golden boy Andrés, ends things right before prom and she learns that her best friend was secretly planning two years of volunteering in Ghana instead of moving in with her. But Winchester is cold and so very old—nothing like the vibrant heat of Miami. Can a Cuban American baker who dreamed of taking over La Paloma, the family bakery founded by her Abuela, really find peace here? But between the incredible kitchen at the inn run by Cate, her Venezuelan honorary aunt; the diverse, new friend group that takes her in; and the blue eyes and caring heart of tea seller Orion Maxwell, she might just be OK. Namey does a lovely job with pacing in this book, slowly unfolding Lila’s story as her relationships grow naturally. This sweet coming-of-age novel looks at grief head-on but contains plenty of lighthearted moments. The food Lila cooks and the Spanish she uses will feel comfortingly familiar to Cuban readers.
Part romance, part foodie heaven, the warm atmosphere will make readers want to cook and dance and love. (Fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Nov. 10, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5344-7124-5
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
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BOOK REVIEW
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PERSPECTIVES
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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
Categories: TEENS & YOUNG ADULT ROMANCE | TEENS & YOUNG ADULT SOCIAL THEMES
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A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
32
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Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
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