THE L.O.V.E. CLUB

Three Chinese American teens fight for their lives inside a video game.

High school senior O has been a shadow of her former self ever since her friend group, the L.O.V.E. Club, fractured three years ago. First, ringleader Elle mysteriously disappeared, and then Liberty and Vera moved away, leaving O to fend for herself in their Chinese immigrant community in Calendula, a California desert town (Liberty, who’s trans, has a white mom). But when Liberty and Vera suddenly show up at school, something unreal happens. In the secret study room in their old middle school library where they used to hang out, the girls discover a video game called Morning Glory, which seems like a clear reference to Elle’s obsession with flowers. After O impulsively decides to play, they’re transported into the game. They find themselves battling surreal monsters and hostile landscapes formed from their memories. The game, seemingly created by Elle, forces them to confront raw wounds from their time together and apart. Each girl’s story unfolds in turn, painting a heart-wrenching picture of how generational trauma has affected their friendships. Armed with a notebook that can bend the fabric of the game, O must write the story of their journey to healing. Min’s sophomore novel is full of vivid and imaginative action and horror elements, but its true heart lies in the mystery (and gut-punch reveal) of the circumstances behind Elle’s disappearance.

An emotional thriller that explores themes of memory and friendship.