An uneven but sincere coming-of-age story that delves into questions of loss and belonging.
A talented and ambitious teen struggles to cope with a tragedy that casts a pall over her dreams.
Senior Sky Simms is captain of the Golden Swans, her majority Black school’s majorette team. They’re thrilled to be invited to compete in the National Battle of the Bands’ inaugural high school competition. But Sky is overwhelmed by balancing schoolwork, the high stakes of the competition, and her all-encompassing grief over her older brother Jordan’s traumatic death. Her hopes of leaving Indianapolis, the hometown she loves “when it’s not forgetting / about me and people like me,” and attending an HBCU like Jordan are dimmed. She also struggles to work with former basketball player and cocky drumline captain Meech (“Mr. Always Has a Girl / But Never Has Them Long”). As sparks unexpectedly fly between them, Sky slowly starts to realize that she’s been holding herself back from truly living. Sky’s grief and her reckoning with moving forward after loss are the book’s strongest elements, in contrast to the romance and majorette storylines, which feel as if they follow expected beats rather than being fully realized. The straightforward verse lacks flair, but at times, the formatting of the lines effectively underscores Sky’s emotional state. Despite the heavy themes, this is overall an accessible and optimistic read.
An uneven but sincere coming-of-age story that delves into questions of loss and belonging. (Verse fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Jan. 26, 2027
ISBN: 9780593858646
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
A winning game of feelingsball.
A former football star, who never thought she’d play again after she came out as transgender, steps back onto the field for one last season to help her team win state.
Grace Woodhouse used to know where she belonged. She had Division I schools lined up to recruit her, but that was before what happened during playoffs last year, before she came out as trans, and before she quit the team. Although her single father and new friend group support her, Grace feels lost as her senior year begins. When one of her old teammates asks her to help him with his technique, she quickly realizes that he and the other captains are hoping for more than her expertise from the sidelines—they want her to rejoin the team. Grace can’t resist the opportunity to play again, but her return draws unwanted national attention that makes her question her future and who she wants to be. Flashback chapters written in the second-person present tense bring Grace’s past to life, which helps maintain momentum and makes her emotional journey feel more immersive. A heartfelt, goofy, and diverse cast of secondary characters surround Grace, who’s white, as she navigates self-doubt, friendship, complicated feelings for her ex-girlfriend, and what she wants to do after graduation. Overall, this coming-of-age sports narrative is honest, gentle, and hopeful.
A winning game of feelingsball. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781646145027
Page Count: 344
Publisher: Levine Querido
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
PERSPECTIVES
A heartwarming and endearing love story for readers to savor.
Another member of the boy band the Heartbreakers looks for love in this fourth and final installment in Novak’s series.
Cara Samuel is stuck. She’s finally in remission from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but Cara, who’s nearly 20, is having a hard time restarting her life. At her sister Stella’s (annoying) urging, Cara cleans out her room and discovers an old bucket list that she created in a cancer support group but didn’t get to start working on thanks to a recurrence of her cancer. Stella is dating the lead singer of the Heartbreakers, Cara’s favorite band, and when they come to town, Cara meets their drummer, JJ Morris. Soon he’s helping her cross items off her list, and she’s posing as his girlfriend to help him fend off a jealous ex. As genuine feelings begin to grow between them, Cara must face her fears about her illness returning if she hopes to live life to its fullest. Readers should prepare to have their heartstrings plucked in this emotion-laden romance starring two flawed, lovable characters. Cara’s fears are easy to sympathize with, and following her journey to braving the world once again is enjoyable. JJ is a swoonworthy hero, courteous but flirtatious. Novak artfully and deftly employs the fake-dating and bucket list tropes, creating an entertaining tale with emotional depth. The leads are white.
A heartwarming and endearing love story for readers to savor. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2026
ISBN: 9781464230059
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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