A superb dramatization of timely teen issues that will educate readers of all ages.
In this debut YA novel, three teenage girls fall victim to sexual blackmail.
Thirteen-year-old Californian Jane Lin has been troubled lately. Her best friend, Caitlin “Kate” Young, whose home life has only worsened since her alcoholic father’s death, is in a coma after an attempted suicide. But Jane finds solace in her new online acquaintance, Scott Bouchard, who claims to be Kate’s cousin. Their discussions become a relationship, which soon leads to an exchange of nude pictures. But when Jane learns Scott has been lying, he turns to blackmailing her for additional photographs, lest he send the ones he already has to her family or friends. Earlier, Kate, an anorexic, met someone named Sara Beaulieu through an app. Sara unfortunately championed Kate’s eating disorder and suggested ways to optimize her fasting. This also entailed sending pics to Sara, who wasn’t quite who she claimed to be. Over in San Francisco is teen Sofia Ackmann, who, like the other girls, finds herself compromised by deceitful interactions online. But Sofia tells someone about her predicament and may have a way to fight back. Tronc splits her engaging novel into five overlapping narratives. Most take place in the 2010s, save for a hop back to the early 1990s that ultimately connects with everything else. There are certainly unsettling conversations, especially when they include insults like body shaming an adolescent girl. But the author deftly establishes characters: Jane reads class notes aloud to her comatose best friend and Sofia has a rock-solid bond with her older sister, Abril. Furthermore, the sextortion story bravely and respectfully addresses serious issues, such as eating disorders, suicide, and online privacy. The author, who grew up in France, lets slip the occasional typo or grammatical error, but none of this distracts from the vivid tale and strong characterizations.
A superb dramatization of timely teen issues that will educate readers of all ages. (acknowledgments, author bio)Pub Date: Feb. 9, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-73455-930-9
Page Count: 263
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: April 10, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
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
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
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