The swoon of Nicola Yoon meets the emotional punch of Elizabeth Acevedo in this breakout debut novel that answers big questions about identity, family, and love.
High school junior Michie is struggling to define who she is for her scholarship essays, her big shot at making it into Brown as a first-generation college student. The prompts would be hard for anyone, but Michie's been estranged from her mother since she was seven and her concept of family has long felt murky.
Enter new kid and basketball superstar Derek de la Rosa. He is very cute, very talented, and very much has his eye on Michie, no matter how invisible she believes herself to be.
When Michie's mother unexpectedly reaches out to make amends, and with her scholarship deadlines looming, Michie must choose whether to reopen old wounds or close the door on her past. And as she spends more time with Derek, she'll have to decide how much of her heart she is willing to share. Because while Michie may not know who she is, she's starting to realize who she wants to become, if only she can take a chance on Derek, on herself, and on her future.
Format
Page Count
Trim Size
Dewey
AR
Genre
Scholastic Reading Counts
JLG Release
Book Genres
Topics
Standard MARC Records
Cover Art
School Library Journal
Gr 7 Up-A strong debut combining emotional stakes, supportive friend relationships, and a love story. Michie, a high school junior in Richmond, VA, is still recovering from a breakdown the previous year. She lives with anxiety, caused in large part to the shame she feels as the byproduct of her mother's sexual assault. She finds comfort in her supportive grandmother, who is raising her, as well as among others in group therapy, and her fun-loving BFF, JoJo. Michie, an unabashed nerd, is striving to get into Brown University and finds escape through her favorite novels. Enter Derek de la Rosa, new in town and very hot. He's interested in Michie in a way no boy has been, which challenges her self-hatred and insecurity. Her long-estranged mother's sudden interest in reconnecting adds yet more complexity to her life. Michie is a charming and sympathetic protagonist who is easy to root for. Derek, who has his own family issues, is fun and kind, challenging her in good ways to believe in herself. Clarke writes with a light touch that uses humor and gentleness to balance more intense psychological parts of the story. The way she weaves the love story with friendship, family, and scholastic goals comes together in a satisfying conclusion. Michie is Black, Derek is Black and Mexican American, and JoJo is mixed race with an Iranian mother. VERDICT Sure to appeal to fans of Nicola Yoon, Sarah Dessen, and Elizabeth Acevedo, this is a kindhearted, empathetic story that also happens to be utterly swoon-worthy.-Ann Foster?(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.