A clever and entertaining college campus romance.
Two intertwined “mortal enemies” vie for a coveted college zine position.
Sadie is determined to become a staff writer for the zine of her dream school, Virginia’s Maple Ride University. After working tirelessly for years, Sadie was accepted to the university, and now she’s on her way to the Newsbag interest meeting in pursuit of a staff position. But she collides with Sebastian Adams, her longtime school competitor, and the smoothie he’s holding spills all over her. This encounter also reveals unfortunate news: Seb, the Instagram star whose channel, “Adams’ Apples,” is hugely popular, has been taken off Maple Ride’s waitlist. Seb and Sadie have a long, involved history, having practically been raised together since birth by parents who are best friends. Newsbag is highly selective with a national reputation, and the co-editors inform meeting attendees that only one staff writer position is available, setting off a fierce rivalry while simultaneously showing Sadie that her feelings for Seb might be something other than competitive disdain. The college—with its quirky and hilarious student organizations, such as the Sad Bitch Book Club and the Random Acts of Chaos Club—is the perfect setting for the witty snark and blooming rivals-to-lovers romance. Readers will be drawn into the competition while rooting for a happy ending between these nemeses. Sadie and Seb (who’s bisexual) are cued white.
A clever and entertaining college campus romance. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Jan. 21, 2025
ISBN: 9781250904027
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
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 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
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