A tour de force novel with pages that almost seem to turn of their own accord.
A teenager bravely contends with hormones, homosexuality, and high school in this uproarious romantic comedy of errors that breathes new life into the prom story.
Nolan Sheffield just wants to make it through his junior year without making waves and follow his beloved older sister, Daphne, to college. The last thing on his mind is dating. Unfortunately for him, his overprotective big sis has other plans. Before Nolan knows what happened, he has an unexpected prom date, an improbable fake boyfriend—who once bullied him—and no clue how to make sense of the situation. In her second novel, Goslee (Whatever., 2016) combines elements of the 1999 films Never Been Kissed and She’s All That into a delightful teen romp that is as hilarious as it is heartfelt. The author has an undeniable knack for dialogue and description and creates a cast of characters so genuine and amusing that readers will scan their high schools hoping to find them. Nolan’s relationships with his adoptive parents and well-meaning yet meddlesome sister anchor the narrative, creating a portrait of a quirky yet eminently supportive modern family that any gay child would envy. Nolan’s candid conversation with his mom about the birds and the bees demonstrates her unconditional love and provides hope that life may one day reflect art. Nolan and his family are white; scant physical descriptions leave readers speculating about other characters’ ethnicities based on names.
A tour de force novel with pages that almost seem to turn of their own accord. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: April 23, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-62672-401-3
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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