An earnest look at grief, expectations—and the many ways to get to a happily-ever-after.
A sweet novel full of sisterly love, budding romance, and healing after loss.
Castillo Torres takes her position as the student body association event chair at Matteo Beach High seriously. To her, it’s the best path forward after her mother’s death two years ago. Cas plans to use her portfolio to score influential event planner Mandy Whitmore’s “fairy godmother internship,” help older sister Mariposa (who goes by Po) crush her senior year and get into college, and springboard her dad out of his video game–filled depression. An opportunity to organize Disney YouTuber Paulina Reyes’ nontraditional quinceañera is the perfect boost to Cas’ internship application. Hanging out with cute lifeguard Javier Bae-Luna, who’s Korean and Guatemalan, only sweetens the process. But when a lie blows up bigger than a balloon arch, Cas’ perfect plans pop. Parra’s sophomore novel is filled with lots of fun party-planning details, along with a heartfelt look at the mourning process, as Cuban American Cas grapples with her mother’s death and shifting dynamics in the wake of the family’s loss. Cas and Po’s relationship is lovingly depicted—and Po’s malapropisms are laugh-out-loud funny. The central conflict and earnest conclusion will charm contemporary romance fans, and Javier and Cas’ thoughtful, budding relationship is a highlight, showcasing sincere emotion and care.
An earnest look at grief, expectations—and the many ways to get to a happily-ever-after. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 28, 2024
ISBN: 9781250862778
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 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
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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