Unabashedly nerdtastic.
A celebrity wants to be somebody else and a fan just wants to be somebody in this The Prince and the Pauper–inspired sequel to Geekerella (2017).
Having played Princess Amara in the movie reboot of cult sci-fi show Starfield, 19-year-old Jessica Stone is ready to move on to more serious roles. High schooler and self-proclaimed nobody Imogen Lovelace idolizes the independent space princess and is campaigning to #SaveAmara. When the look-alikes collide at the annual ExcelsiCon and switch places—a cinematic improbability acknowledged, then cheerfully exploited—each gains a new perspective on fandom. Jess revels in normality and hesitantly explores romance with Imogen’s online friend, Harper Hart. Imogen relishes the limelight and spars and sparks with Jess’ bodyguard, overly serious 17-year-old Ethan Tanaka. Interracial and same-sex relationships are central—Jess and Imogen are white, Harper is black and female, Ethan is Japanese-American, and Imogen has two moms and a gay brother—all befitting the inclusivity and gender-bending aspects of fandom, cosplay, and cons. Yet Poston (Heart of Iron, 2018, etc.) also ruthlessly dissects the dark side of science-fiction and fantasy pop culture: body-shaming, trolls, social media mobs, and sexual harassment. Sometimes, the best tales are the ones that transport audiences, not serious and philosophical but fun, light, and nerdy.
Unabashedly nerdtastic. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: April 2, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-68369-096-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Quirk Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2019
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
A worthy second-chance romance.
In this follow-up to 2021’s Better Than the Movies, a 20-year-old college freshman gets a second chance at his dreams.
After the death of his father and his mother’s subsequent physical and emotional disappearance, Wes Bennett left behind all of his plans and the girl he made them with to go home and take care of Sarah, his younger sister. But now, Sarah has graduated, his mom is back on her feet, and by some miracle, Wes has an offer to pitch for UCLA’s baseball team. Liz Buxbaum, the girl he’s always loved, works for the university’s athletic department, taking photos and video of the team for social media, which means that maybe he can have a second chance at love, too. But since Wes left, Liz has made every effort to protect herself from ever feeling that broken again; there’s no room for love, because she doesn’t believe in it anymore. Or she doesn’t want to. This second-chance sports romance includes fake dates, quippy and quirky best friends, real heartache, and the sweet ache of first love. The clever dialogue keeps readers from drowning in the main characters’ emotional push-and-pull. Reading the first novel isn’t necessary for appreciating this one, although knowing the full history between Wes and Liz will only add to the ache and longing readers feel from and for them. Main characters are cued white.
A worthy second-chance romance. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781665947138
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
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