THIS IS THE YEAR

A rising senior struggles with her life path and her twin sister’s recent death.

Julieta Villarreal, 17, can’t imagine working toward building her future while the world falls apart around her. Set in a near future where the climate crisis has turned her Florida home into a dangerous and increasingly uninhabitable hellscape, the story follows Colombian American Juli as she weathers her grief, depression, and feelings of hopelessness alone. She refuses to open up to her friends or therapist and avoids answering questions from caring AP English teacher Ms. Hawthorne and from her Mami (who’s also struggling to avoid “falling into the darkness again”). Eventually, Juli considers leaving the world behind and launching herself into the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join the corporation StarCrest’s inaugural Cometa Mission, which will send 15 U.S. seniors into space for five years to establish a base camp on the moon. Alternating between prose and poetry, this innovative story explores the conflicted inner life of its traumatized protagonist and her journey to self-acceptance, vulnerability, and purpose. Adding to its appeal, the story also touches on many everyday aspects of young adult life, such as school, friendship, romance, preparing for life after graduation, and following your dreams. It also deftly explores complex topics such as the climate crisis, single motherhood, grief, poverty, and predatory business practices that target vulnerable populations.

An original storytelling style and post-apocalyptic setting make this coming-of-age novel a worthy and special read.