A fresh story exploring timely issues.
Ariana Ruiz had a terrible evening.
She’s not sure she actually consented to having sex with Luis Ortega, which brings on horrible feelings, including dissociating for hours. Queer Mexican American Ariana is autistic “with a heavy dose of selective mutism,” and she’s starting to wonder if her silence is precisely what Luis liked. Shawni, Luis’ ex-girlfriend, told Ariana to stay away from him only to see them go into a room together at a party. So when Ariana texts Luis, and he agrees not to tell anyone what happened but everyone still seems to know, she assumes Shawni is to blame. Boys start harassing Ariana, and the situation spirals into hellish bullying. And then, she finds a note in her locker reading “me too.” The mystery writer and Ariana connect on Tumblr, although Ariana is initially against their suggestion of getting back at Luis. But after learning that he was even more deliberate in his exploitation of her than she realized, she goes to the appointed meeting place. There, she discovers she’s not the only one invited: It’s a support group for people whose reputations were ruined by Luis. Readers may find that the actual revenge they take feels flat against the violent trauma Luis put each of them through, but the group of teens, who are diverse across many dimensions and were previously socially isolated by Luis’ actions, forge new bonds and help each other heal.
A fresh story exploring timely issues. (author’s note, content warnings) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 23, 2023
ISBN: 9780063060302
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
An inclusive, optimistic message deepens this charming romance.
A life-changing summer in Europe brings two neurodivergent teens together.
Tilly, 18, has ADHD and a psyche dented by parental expectations she’s unable or unwilling to meet. Her parents have long held up Mona, her Yale alumna sister, as Tilly’s exemplar. Mona has relocated to London to start Ruhe, an environmentally friendly nail polish business, with Amina, her business partner and romantic prospect. Hired as their summer intern, Tilly’s thrilled to escape disempowering parental oversight that veers from infantilizing (“Are you being good for Mona?”) to rigid insistence on academic achievement. While flying to London, Tilly’s English seatmate, Oliver, also 18, witnesses Tilly’s ADHD symptoms firsthand (call it a meet-awkward). Handsome but distant, he’s Ruhe’s other intern, his considerable skills mediated by the impact of navigating the world as an autistic person. Traveling across Europe to market Ruhe, they share diagnoses and discoveries—each one struggles with hyperfocus—offering support as needed. Oliver adores colors, especially understanding and applying the science behind them. Writing is Tilly’s passion; with growing confidence, she finds an outlet for her spontaneous creative spirit, something Ruhe needs. Acting on their mutual attraction forces the teens to move out of their self-limiting comfort zones and take emotional risks. Eddings, who shares both characters’ diagnoses, brings clarity, humor, insight, and empathy to their challenges. An adjunct assortment of bright, variously divergent teens manifest kindness, affection, and acceptance. Most major characters appear White; Londoner Amina has “amber skin.”
An inclusive, optimistic message deepens this charming romance. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2023
ISBN: 9781250847065
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2023
A realistic romance illuminating the difficulties of experiencing discrimination while reaching for a dream.
Zelda Bailey-Cho dreams of comedy fame, but are the obstacles worth the fight?
Will the rules of improv help Zelda through a turbulent summer at the improv camp founded by her idol? Zelda is surprised to learn she’s one of just five girls in a sea of 200 male campers. Luckily, the girls in Gilda Radner cabin quickly form an emotional support system. Talented and driven, Zelda earns a spot on the camp’s elite improv team and falls for her tall, blond coach, Ben. At first excited and then confused and horrified, Zelda struggles to manage her cabin mates’ high expectations, Ben’s advances, and unchecked sexual harassment from her male teammates. She always knew that being female in the comedy world would be challenging, but how can she balance standing up for herself and being a trailblazer? Strong character development and exploration of timely topics make this novel shine despite its being somewhat weakened by unbelievable plot points and a tidy ending. Thoughtfully created diverse characters, who are specifically described and involved in both queer and straight relationships, model navigating social situations without assuming norms, whether relating to sexual identity labels or family structure. Most heartening of all, Zelda’s second chance at love provides a healthy counterpoint to Ben’s abusive behavior. Curly haired Zelda, who is white, is part of a blended Korean Scottish family.
A realistic romance illuminating the difficulties of experiencing discrimination while reaching for a dream. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: April 21, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4197-4084-8
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
