Fun and thoughtful—more than just a summer read.
Trying to leave behind her breakup with her manipulative ex, Gavin, Cassidy decides to spend the summer with her father's family at their Jersey Shore bed-and-breakfast.
Despite her parents’ painful divorce, Cassidy's father’s family is welcoming and supportive; her younger half brother's innocent humor is particularly endearing. Soon, however, Cassidy feels considerably less welcome when she gets a job as a camp counselor—as a summer girl, she faces scorn and jealousy from local girls. At camp, she becomes acutely aware of Bryan, the polar opposite of Gavin. Paralyzed in a poignantly mundane accident, Bryan is adjusting to both paraplegia and a breakup of his own. Bryan becomes a counselor to force himself to socialize—and, maybe, to relearn how to surf. His doubts and frustrations are realistic and balanced by wit—he's not above claiming the occasional #wheelchairperk, like having "the upper body of fucking Iron Man" or "hot girls being helpful." Narrated in their alternating voices, Bryan and Cassidy's gradual romance is graced by a cast of caring, bantering friends, the sunny beach setting, and even a riddle to solve. Squalls and rash decisions threaten the summer fun, but drama never overshadows characterization. Cassidy's wavering between Gavin's and Bryan's respective attractions will resonate with teens who've gone through messy breakups, and Bryan's increasing confidence will both educate and satisfy readers. Both Bryan and Cassidy are white.
Fun and thoughtful—more than just a summer read. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: May 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-243883-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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