A coming-of-age story with a rich cast of interesting characters.
A fun, thoughtful small-town tale of teen romance and family connection.
Olly Smith-Nakamura has just moved from the Bay Area to Frog Wallow, West Virginia, where one of her fathers grew up. She’s going through a lot, having recently experienced a breakup with her girlfriend and lost her Grandpa George. Adjusting to Appalachia after living in California is difficult; she understands it makes financial sense to take over Grandpa George’s hardware store since Dad lost his job and Papa had to close his restaurant, but her life back home seemed much better. In Frog Wallow, Olly stands out just by virtue of being biracial and having two dads; Papa, her biological father, is Japanese American, and her African American biological mother is Dad’s sister. Olly is also a lesbian. Things take an interesting turn when Olly meets competitive Ariel, nicknamed Miss Perfect, who in truth wants out from her ultracontrolled life. The two initially clash but later find out they have more in common than anticipated. Unfolding in a world in which Covid is still present but the early pandemic lockdowns are over, Olly’s growth is strongly supported by her family as she embraces her African American roots. While the book is at times slow paced and generous on the telling rather than showing, it’s an enjoyable read that explores a queer romance in a rural setting.
A coming-of-age story with a rich cast of interesting characters. (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: Nov. 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-63679-249-1
Page Count: 264
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
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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