A fun rivalry-to-romance romp.
Two teens from competing families team up to thwart the destruction of their local mall.
As long as they can remember, high school juniors Chloe Kwon and Peter Li have been told to stay far away from one another. For more than a decade, their families have been sworn enemies in a feud of mysterious origin. Running in different social circles—self-effacing Chloe is in the artsy crowd and genial Peter is an athlete—their interaction in school is minimal, outside of some occasional banter. However, with working competing holiday jobs plus pitching in at their families’ restaurants—all at the local mall—their crossing paths is inevitable. And when Chloe and Peter discover a plan for the impending sale and demolition of the mall, they might just need a Christmas miracle. The pair team up in an attempt to save their parents’ businesses and change the landlord’s mind. Late-night forbidden food swaps, friendly favors, and research into tenant rights find their tentative truce transforming into a budding romance. Dual narration affords a candid look at the two protagonists as they deal with familial miscommunication, racism (Chloe is Korean American; Peter is Chinese American), community organizing—and falling for one another. Chloe’s narrative feels dominant as she balances another life-changing event: A subplot about a national youth photography competition sees her discovering her artistic voice. Peter’s character development and personal stakes feel less even.
A fun rivalry-to-romance romp. (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-72824-801-1
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
Necessary, important, honest, loving, and true.
A gut-wrenching look at how addiction affects a family and a town.
Emory Ward, 16, has long been invisible. Everyone in the town of Mill Haven knows her as the rich girl; her workaholic parents see her as their good child. Then Emory and her 17-year-old brother, Joey, are in a car accident in which a girl dies. Joey wasn’t driving, but he had nearly overdosed on heroin. When Joey returns from rehab, his parents make Emory his keeper and try to corral his addictions with a punitive list of rules. Emory rebels in secret, stealing small items and hooking up with hot neighbor Gage, but her drama class and the friends she gradually begins to be honest with help her reach her own truth. Glasgow, who has personal experience with substance abuse, bases this story on the classic play Our Town but with a twist: The characters learn to see and reach out to each other. The cast members, especially Emory and Joey, are exceptionally well drawn in both their struggles and their joys. Joey’s addiction is horrifying and dark, but it doesn’t define who he is. The portrayal of small-town life and its interconnectedness also rings true. Emory’s family is White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast, and an important adult mentor is gay. Glasgow mentions in her author’s note that over 20 million Americans struggle with substance abuse; she includes resources for teens seeking help.
Necessary, important, honest, loving, and true. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-525-70804-9
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
PERSPECTIVES
A fresh take on high school and activism.
An upset in the struggle for succession at a high school newspaper sends shock waves far beyond the newsroom.
Eliza Quan has spent her high school career in Southern California preparing to assume leadership of the Willoughby Bugle; she’s the most qualified, and she’s sure she’s the best for the job. Her plans are stymied, however, by Len DiMartile, a biracial (White/Japanese) ex–baseball player who apparently joined the Bugle’s staff on a whim following an injury and who easily wins the election for editor-in-chief. Eliza is angry—why should likability come before dedication and well-informed goals? Determined to contest the election results, Eliza starts a feminist movement in her high school, forming unlikely partnerships in a quest for justice. In the process Eliza learns that there are no simple answers when fighting for what’s right—and that even Len may not be as bad as she believed. Maybe even boyfriend material. The narrative tackles the complications of standing up for yourself without harming others while also exploring other dynamics, including life in a refugee family—Eliza’s parents are Chinese Vietnamese—and varying attitudes toward feminism as her mother’s pragmatism is contrasted with Eliza’s push for systemic change. Eliza’s best friend is Black, and, in a school setting that is predominately Asian, activism at the intersection of race and gender is also addressed. Quach skillfully balances all these elements, breathing life into this enemies-to-lovers story.
A fresh take on high school and activism. (Fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 14, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-303836-3
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
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