An engaging read that contains both the hard realities and beautiful aspects of teen life.
In Adia’s sophomore novel, a 16-year-old Black girl’s plan to build a fallout shelter to help manage her depression and complicated family life gets derailed.
Syracuse, New York, transplant Niarah Holloway is an antisocial, video game–playing, doomsday prepper who’s just trying to make it through the end of sophomore year at her new school in Los Angeles. Her lack of preparation for her end-of-year project leads to her impromptu presentation using items from her Every Day Carry survival kit—and the nickname “Doomsday Girl.” Niarah’s poor attendance also lands her in the office of the guidance counselor, where she learns she must complete the capstone assignment and gym requirement over the summer to avoid repeating 10th grade. Instead of pursuing her original summer plan to construct Camp Doom, her fortified bunker, she’s forced to enroll in Mexican American classmate Marco “Mac” Torres’ Color Outside wilderness group, which is anathema to “Indoor Kid” Niarah. Over the summer, conflict with her parents, challenges to her pessimistic mindset, and feelings for Mac shake Niarah up. The emotional tenor of the narrative will resonate with many readers: The author thoroughly examines depression and family trauma, while also weaving poignant moments, cute romantic encounters, and a generous helping of humor into this satisfying story that has appealing leads.
An engaging read that contains both the hard realities and beautiful aspects of teen life. (content warning, resources) (Fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2024
ISBN: 9781368090117
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 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
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
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