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ZONTA

THE WAY I SEE IT

From the The Way I See It series

A flawed but affecting portrayal of challenging adolescent realities

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In the second book of Tillit’s The Way I See It YA series, the author introduces a new character facing her own challenges.

Zonta Jones, a biracial teenager with ADHD, navigates the turbulent waters of high school and finds herself caught in a relentless storm of unwanted attention from Carlos, a classmate bent on hooking up with her. Despite her attempts to brush off his incessant scrutiny and advances, he persists, and Zonta grapples with an overwhelming sense of exhaustion from maintaining a facade of perpetual pleasantness: “I was sick of being nice. Or at least trying to be nice and kind and saying the right things to people.” Struggling against societal and family expectations, and gender norms that demand her compliance, Zonta’s frustrations mount as she continues to endure the unwelcome spotlight. Compounding her distress is a recurrent feeling of inadequacy whenever she attempts to articulate her thoughts and emotions, which is partly explained by her having ADHD, which also affects her studies. Each effort to convey her perspective leaves her feeling small and unheard, giving her a profound sense of self-doubt, which ends up compromising the friendships she struggles to build. The author’s series aims to present a mosaic of teenage perspectives as students grapple with the gritty challenges of life at Hancock High, tackling weighty societal issues like poverty, prejudice, abuse, harassment, and racial tensions (the previous installment’s protagonist, Ozzie, makes an appearance here as Zonta’s friend). The prose is basic but effectively captures Zonta’s struggles, and her frustration at being misunderstood is palpable: “My parents were upset. Really upset. And they thought I didn’t know what I was talking about at all. They never did really understand how I saw things.” The open ending feels abrupt and lacks resolution, leaving the narrative somewhat incomplete.

A flawed but affecting portrayal of challenging adolescent realities

Pub Date: July 15, 2022

ISBN: 9781735264226

Page Count: 191

Publisher: My Easy Read Books

Review Posted Online: Jan. 30, 2024

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THE ONLY GIRL IN TOWN

A high-concept premise that falls short in its execution.

A teenage girl finds herself alone after everyone else in her town mysteriously disappears, leaving her scrambling to figure out how to find them all.

One late summer day, everybody in July Fielding’s town disappears. She is left to piece together what happened, following a series of cryptic signs she finds around town urging her to “GET THEM BACK.” The narrative moves back and forth between July’s present and the events of the summer before, when her relationship with her best friend, cross-country team co-captain Sydney, starts to fracture due to a combination of jealousy over July’s new relationship with a cute boy called Sam and sweet up-and-coming freshman Ella’s threatening to overtake Syd’s status as star of the track team. The team members participate in a ritual in which they jump off a cliff into the rocky waters below at the end of their Friday practice runs. Though Ella is reluctant, Syd pressures her to jump. Short, frenetically paced sections move the story along quickly, and there is much foreshadowing pointing to something terrible that occurred at the end of that summer, which may be the key to July’s current predicament, but there is much misdirection too. Ultimately this is a story without enough setup to make the turn the book takes in the end feel fully developed or earned. All characters read white.

A high-concept premise that falls short in its execution. (Fiction. 14-18)

Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2023

ISBN: 9780593327173

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: July 27, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023

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WHILE WE'RE YOUNG

Rom-com fans will love this joyride through Philadelphia.

An entertaining romp reminiscent of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

High school senior Grace Barbour needs a break from school, and she’s pretty sure her best friends, Isabel Cruz and Everett Adler, do too. The student body president engages in some subterfuge (and begging) to get the pair to skip school and hit the road for the best day ever. Grace’s motives aren’t entirely altruistic—she has growing feelings for Everett, who’s Isa’s ex. She needs them to make up ASAP so she and Everett can move forward with their relationship. Isa, meanwhile, is keeping a secret from Grace—she and Grace’s brother, James, have feelings for one another (and James is hot on the trio’s trail). An unforgettable day unfolds, as the longtime friends, who are just a month from graduation, deal with their entangled bonds, reveal secrets, explore the city, and eat cheesesteaks. Despite a slightly slow start, Walther’s latest ramps up to become a lively and enjoyable read. The Philadelphia setting shines as the friends reminisce about their childhoods growing up just outside the city and the special bond their families share. Mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and grief, are dealt with sympathetically between capers. The multifaceted characters effectively deal with their problems through satisfying conversations. Isa is Latine, Everett is Jewish and cued white, and Grace, who’s bisexual, also presents white.

Rom-com fans will love this joyride through Philadelphia. (Romance. 13-18)

Pub Date: March 4, 2025

ISBN: 9780593813959

Page Count: 384

Publisher: Delacorte Romance

Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2025

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