Summering in tony Palm Desert, Calif., would agree with most people, but for skateboarder chick Katriona Shaw, who’s stuck in paradise with her glamorous film-star grandmother, Noni, it couldn’t be worse and her running acerbic commentary, which borders on whining, never lets readers forget it. However, things get more complicated when the 62-year-old Noni begs Katriona to double for her, because she’s out of commission with a sprained ankle and has a pivotal meeting with a movie producer. With a stretch of the imagination and serious help from Noni’s assistants, 15-year-old Katriona dons her grandmother’s heels, makeup and pout to successfully become Noni. Predictably, this causes Katriona to soften towards her grandmother, refine her acting skills and gain self-confidence. Although Katriona’s physical transformation is far-fetched, Katriona’s development into a likable character, a character with which teen readers can relate, is natural and believable. (Fiction. YA)
Pub Date: April 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-525-47634-2
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2006
A coming-of-age story best appreciated by fans of genre romance.
Told she resembles one of Jane Austen’s least likable characters, an aggrieved, self-doubting teen strives to change her ways.
Marnie Barnes, 18, a wealthy senior at an upscale San Francisco boarding school, feels pressured. When her older sister Lindy was a senior, her project won the school’s prestigious Hunt Prize. Now Marnie’s desperate to win it herself—her Stanford ambitions and family’s appreciation ride on it. The third of five daughters, Marnie feels slighted by their mother, who comments unfavorably on her weight. Facing the deadline to submit her project proposal (having children read to dogs at an animal shelter), she’s neither gracious nor grateful when her roommate, Adhira Fitz, introduces her to friends with animal-shelter contacts. When exasperated Adhira compares her to Elizabeth Bennet’s awful sister, Marnie realizes she needs to change, a challenge made easier by Eugene “Whit” Whitlock, the cute boy volunteering at the animal shelter who helps get her project on track. But Marnie’s still crushing on hot venture capitalist Hayes Wellesley, Lindy’s best friend’s fiance.Unlike Austen’s Mary, Marnie is redeemable—refreshingly imperfect, her characterization mostly rings true, and it’s her struggles that will keep readers invested as the plethora of largely familiar character types move through the unruly plot. Marnie is White; Canadian Adhira, who largely functions as the supportive BFF, has relatives in India; and Whit has a White American father and Japanese mother.
A coming-of-age story best appreciated by fans of genre romance. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-306013-5
Page Count: 384
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
A delectable rom-com debut.
Two bakeries in the fair city of Olinda, Brazil, are rivals—and two teens fall in love while fighting for their livelihoods.
Lari Ramires grieves the recent passing of her beloved grandmother, her absence deeply felt everywhere, especially in the now-empty spot she occupied in Salt, their family’s bakery. Already struggling to make ends meet thanks to fierce competition with Sugar, the bakery across the street owned by the Molinas, their longtime enemies, the family business takes an even bigger hit when supermarket chain Deals Deals starts driving small businesses to close. Lari finds herself at a crossroads, wanting to help with the bakery but under strict guidance from her mother to concentrate on her studies so that she can be the first Ramires to go to university. To protect Salt, she may do the unthinkable: reach out to Pedro, the Molinas’ teen son, to see if they can work together to save their bakeries. Can Pedro and Lari overcome decades of familial mistrust to work together? Brazilian author Carvalho’s novel is a sweet, charming story that sets its perfectly seasoned enemy-to-lovers tale in the diverse region of northeastern Brazil. As Pedro and Lari’s connection develops, their romance is enriched by the ways they find their own voices despite the weight of family expectations, grief, and financial distress.
A delectable rom-com debut. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-335-45433-1
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022
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