Unapologetic and critically engaged.
High school rushes onward, sweeping Ciel into an emotional whirlwind of kisses, crushes, bullies, and drama in this follow-up to Ciel in All Directions (2021).
Brazilian Canadian nonbinary ninth grader Ciel never realized they might like girls until, unexpectedly, they find themself kissing their best friend, Stephie, while comforting her in the aftermath of her latest (and supposedly final) breakup with her boyfriend. New, confusing, and exciting feelings explode inside of them, but the fireworks fizzle when Stephie decides their kiss was a mistake. As Ciel grapples with their personal romantic dramas, their school reels with conflict surrounding a set of nude photos of an underage classmate leaked by email to the whole student body. Picking up where the last book left off, this latest installment in Ciel’s daily adventures shifts into high gear from the first page. Linked themes of consent, privacy, honesty, and boundary-setting connect the larger, communitywide conflict with Ciel’s individual turmoil as they navigate four potential love interests, including two of their closest friends, a new friend from the cheerleading squad, and even a former bully. The rambling narration balances snark and sincerity. Ciel’s openness about their queerness and neurodivergence is at once playful and vulnerable. Although the ending arrives abruptly, a cliffhanger confession leaves readers longing for Ciel’s story to continue. The two previous entries in this series set in Montreal were written in French and translated; this title appears in its original English.
Unapologetic and critically engaged. (Fiction. 14-17)Pub Date: May 3, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-77260-257-9
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Second Story Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
Several yards short of a touchdown.
A transgender boy starting over at a new school falls hard for a popular cheerleader with a reputation to protect in this debut.
On the first day of senior year, transgender boy Pony locks eyes with cisgender cheerleader Georgia. They both have pasts they want to leave behind. No one at Hillcrest High knows that Pony is transgender, and he intends to keep it that way. Georgia’s last boyfriend shook her trust in boys, and now she’s determined to forget him. As mutual attraction draws them together, Pony and Georgia must decide what they are willing to risk for a relationship. Pony’s best friend, Max, who is also transgender, disapproves of Pony’s choice to live stealth; this disagreement leads to serious conflict in their relationship. Meanwhile, Georgia and Pony behave as if Pony’s trans identity was a secret he was lying to her about rather than private information for him to share of his own volition. The characters only arrive at a hopeful resolution after Pony pays high physical and emotional prices. McSmith places repeated emphasis on the born-in-the-wrong-body narrative when the characters discuss trans identities. Whiteness is situated as the norm, and all main characters are white.
Several yards short of a touchdown. (Fiction. 14-17)Pub Date: May 26, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-294317-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
An emotionally engaging closer that fumbles in its final moments.
Lara Jean prepares for college and a wedding.
Korean-American Lara Jean is finally settled into a nice, complication-free relationship with her white boyfriend, Peter. But things don’t stay simple for long. When college acceptance letters roll in, Peter and Lara Jean discover they’re heading in different directions. As the two discuss the long-distance thing, Lara Jean’s widower father is making a major commitment: marrying the neighbor lady he’s been dating. The whirlwind of a wedding, college visits, prom, and the last few months of senior year provides an excellent backdrop for this final book about Lara Jean. The characters ping from event to event with emotions always at the forefront. Han further develops her cast, pushing them to new maturity and leaving few stones unturned. There’s only one problem here, and it’s what’s always held this series back from true greatness: Peter. Despite Han’s best efforts to flesh out Peter with abandonment issues and a crummy dad, he remains little more than a handsome jock. Frankly, Lara Jean and Peter may have cute teen chemistry, but Han's nuanced characterizations have often helped to subvert typical teen love-story tropes. This knowing subversion is frustratingly absent from the novel's denouement.
An emotionally engaging closer that fumbles in its final moments. (Romance. 14-17)Pub Date: May 2, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-3048-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2017
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