February 15, 2023
Lydia is a whole 13 months older than Penny, but she's never felt like the big sister. According to Lydia, Penny is perfect--she has a detailed plan for the future and the grades to back it up. Lydia feels like she's constantly in her sister's shadow. She also doesn't have any close friendships and is a serial monogamist with a tendency to let boy drama control her life. After a boy-crazy high school year with disastrous repercussions, the sisters make a pact: They'll have a summer free of boys, one spent living with their cool aunt and uncle in Los Angeles. After Lydia falls for Fran, a cute girl she meets while working as a barista, readers learn that Lydia has known she's bisexual for quite some time but is not out to her family yet. Since Fran isn't a boy, Lydia pursues the relationship in secret, deciding she's not breaking the pact. Lydia's relationship validates the bisexual experience through an enjoyable romance. While the disjointed and sometimes repetitive first-person narration can make the plot difficult to follow at times, Lydia successfully navigates her growing feelings for Fran, a new group of friends, and her sometimes strained relationship with Penny. This body- and sex-positive story will hold readers' interest until it eventually reaches its satisfying conclusion. Lydia and Penny are White; Fran is cued as Latine. A cute, queer romance plus a sweet exploration of the special bond between sisters. (Fiction. 13-18)
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April 1, 2023
Grades 8-11 Lydia has always trusted her younger sister, Penny, so she has (almost) complete faith in Penny's plan for their summer. After a school year plagued with boy problems, they're both spending the break with their aunt in L.A., throwing themselves into work and forgoing boys entirely. The summer is off to a promising start as Lydia begins working at her aunt's coffee shop and actually makes friends, something that's always been elusive for her. But when she realizes she wants more than friendship from a coffee shop regular, she wonders if she'd technically be keeping her promise of a no-boy summer if she falls for a girl. Spalding's latest novel is so compelling because Lydia is grappling not just with her queer identity but with who she wants to be as a friend, as a sister, and as someone who works in the arts. A fun read about finding your place in the world while learning to perfect latte art.
COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
April 1, 2023
Gr 10 Up-Spalding's newest novel is the story of Lydia and Penny's "no boy summer," a pact the sisters made after boys became a negative distraction in their lives. Lydia is excited to work at her aunt's coffee shop, while Lydia works at the office of that aunt's boyfriend. Lydia is jealous because Penny knows exactly what she wants to do with her life, while Lydia's interests have been deemed unsatisfactory. As Lydia meets new friends at the coffee shop, she learns that she can follow her dreams, and that sometimes life leads to unexpected places. While Lydia's story is, on the surface, about a summer with no boys, it is about her finding herself in many ways. She learns what it is to truly have friends, what it's like to build a real relationship with her sister, and she can be authentically out as bisexual. This also shows the importance of different relationships, not just romantic ones, and how to maintain them. VERDICT A great summer read, this will be a solid choice for teens who are trying to find themselves. The spunky main character and her friends will appeal to readers looking for a character-driven story.-Tegan Beese
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