SOMETHING MAYBE MAGNIFICENT

Victoria Reeves is back with another No-Fail Plan in this follow-up to The First Magnificent Summer (2023).

This time, Victoria is ready to move on from the disappointment of last summer, which she spent with her absent, neglectful father. Now her plan consists of just three steps: “Forget about Dad,” “Get published,” and “Spend as much time with Mom as possible.” Step one is already off to a bad start—in the past year, Dad hasn’t reached out to Victoria, her siblings, or her mom or sent any child support, even while Mom has worked two jobs to barely get by. At least the other two goals look promising. That is, until Mom’s serious boyfriend starts hanging around more, becoming The Problem Known as Kyle. Victoria hatches The No-Fail Plan To Fix Our Family (and Heal), which boils down to getting rid of Kyle for good (“I’ve read all the fairy tales. The kids are never the winners when stepparents enter the picture”). As Victoria grapples with “womenstruation,” her growing body, new feelings, and more family changes, she must decide whether she’ll let people into her life or build walls so high that no one can reach her. Victoria writes her journal entries in both verse and prose, which will appeal to a variety of readers. This sequel thoughtfully and sincerely explores themes of womanhood, family, anxiety, and identity. Characters are cued white.

Tugs at the heartstrings and shows the importance of unconditional love.