A big shout-out to Balzer and Bray and Edelweiss for entrusting me with an early copy of this book.
Release date: April 20th, 2021
Publisher: Balzer and Bray
Genre: YA contemporary
Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰
SYNOPSIS:
Contrary to popular belief, best friends Kate Garfield and Anderson Walker are not codependent. Carpooling to and from theater rehearsals? Environmentally sound and efficient. Consulting each other on every single life decision? Basic good judgment. Pining for the same guys from afar? Shared crushes are more fun anyway.
But when Kate and Andy’s latest long-distance crush shows up at their school, everything goes off-script. Matt Olsson is talented and sweet, and Kate likes him. She really likes him. The only problem? So does Anderson.
Turns out, communal crushes aren’t so fun when real feelings are involved. This one might even bring the curtains down on Kate and Anderson’s friendship.
My Review!
When I walk into a Becky Albertalli book, I know what I'm getting; I'm getting humor, heart, love, and an overall amazing story that will stick with me for a long time. Every time I read when of her books I think, "All right, this is her best one yet," and then read her next one and say the same thing and I'm caught in the neverending spiral of Albertalli love that I will never escape from. If I never escape, I think I'll be okay.
In this latest YA Albertalli masterpiece, we follow best friends Kate and Andy who share almost everything, including crushes. They're big theater buffs and seem to be tighter than Channing Tatum's... But when their summer camp crush shows up at their school, things get a tad messy, especially when their crushes turn into something a bit more complicated.
I was not a theater kid in high school even though I desperately wanted to be. My anxiety and my stammer stopped me from doing a lot of things I wish I had so, reading books like this really makes me believe I'm part of something like putting on a play like Kate and her friends. We take a deep dive into what it's like to be in a play, and it was really refreshing to read despite giving me FOMO. I believe I shall live vicariously through my son. He's going to hate me for all things I'm going to make him do.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the platonic friendship between Kate and Andy. The romance had an enemies-to-lovers aspect that I simply adored. Noah is the best cinnamon roll with a broken wrist there is and he acts as a plot point in himself in that you should not judge a book by its cover or take things at face value or forget a majority of the iceberg is underwater etc You catch my drift. But at the same time, Albertalli tackles the f*&k boy g highschool culture with hilarity as well as looks at the problematics of said culture.
The thing about books this good is that I don't necessarily care if the story is predictable. I'm just here for the ride.
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