‘The Voting Booth’ by Brandy Colbert

Five stars!

Book Blurb:

“From Stonewall Award-winning author Brandy Colbert comes an all-in-one-day love story perfect for fans of ‘The Sun is Also A Star.’

Marva Sheridan was born ready for this day. She's always been driven to make a difference in the world, and what better way than to vote in her first election?

Duke Crenshaw is so done with this election. He just wants to get voting over with so he can prepare for his band's first paying gig tonight.

Only problem? Duke can't vote.

When Marva sees Duke turned away from their polling place, she takes it upon herself to make sure his vote is counted. She hasn't spent months doorbelling and registering voters just to see someone denied their right. And that's how their whirlwind day begins, rushing from precinct to precinct, cutting school, waiting in endless lines, turned away time and again, trying to do one simple thing: vote. They may have started out as strangers, but as Duke and Marva team up to beat a rigged system (and find Marva's missing cat), it's clear that there's more to their connection than a shared mission for democracy.

Romantic and triumphant, ‘The Voting Booth’ is proof that you can't sit around waiting for the world to change, but some things are just meant to be.”

Review:

So many things make ‘The Voting Booth’ the perfect Contemporary YA read right now, including the timing.  This book touches upon several important and relatable every-day-life issues, such as divorced parents, loss of family members, gun violence, voter suppression, Juneteenth, protests, discrimination and prejudice based on race, gender, and class.  And of course, the importance of voting and the impact each election can have for years to come, especially for young people.

All these issues are artfully incorporated within a one-day adventure where our 18-year-old main characters attempt to vote in their first election, deal with family and relationship issues, search for an Instagram-famous runaway pet cat, and try to arrive to their band’s first paying gig on time.  Though the themes are heavy, that the main characters were so easy to root for and always tried to do the right thing made this an enjoyable for me.

Grab ‘The Voting Booth’ on July 7, 2020!

#TheVotingBooth #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

‘The Friend Scheme’ by Cale Dietrich

Five stars

Book Blurb:

“Part thriller, part romance, The Friend Scheme is another twisty #ownvoices YA novel from Cale Dietrich, author of ‘The Love Interest.’

High schooler Matt's father is rich, powerful, and seemingly untouchable—a criminal with high hopes that his son will follow in his footsteps. Matt's older brother Luke seems poised to do just that, with a bevy of hot girls in tow. But Matt has other ambitions—and attractions.

And attraction sometimes doesn't allow for good judgement. Matt wouldn't have guessed that when he makes a new friend, one who is also carrying a secret. The boys' connection turns romantic, a first for both. Now Matt must decide if he can ever do the impossible and come clean about who he really is, and who he is meant to love.”

Review:

The narrating was *chef’s kiss* spot-on, really felt like I was inside Matt’s head, feeling his feelings and rooting for him 110% through it all.  He tries so hard to do right by his family and live up to societal expectations, even as he twists himself into a miserable pretzel in his attempts.

This isn’t so much a story of ‘finding oneself’ - Matt knows exactly who he is and what he wants when we meet him.  He just doesn’t think it’s possible to pursue his dreams or to be with the type of person he wants to be with.  Societal norms and family obligations have set him up to be a completely miserable 17-year-old, despite being surrounded by family, beautiful beaches, and lots of money.  He is unable to share his true self with the world and it’s not very surprising that he has no friends when we first meet him.

It is heartbreaking to have a narrating character be so in-touch with themselves, but to have such low self-esteem and feel so trapped.  Matt’s insecurities and awkward moments are the result of the environment he was brought up in; societal expectations and traditions of masculinity, gender, and putting one’s parents’ wishes before their own.  He’s constantly in performance-mode; pretending to be what his family expects, rather than what he really is, under threat of his world imploding around him.  He truly believes his family wouldn’t just out-cast him, but that they’d actively hunt him down for the rest of his days, should he go against their wishes.  That’s the mob for ya.

Readers are introduced to Matt on the day he first meets Jason and it quickly becomes apparent that the boys’ circumstances are similar to ‘Romeo and Juliet.’  Their friendship and mutual growing attraction can only flourish if they don’t discuss their families, even though the ‘family business’ is a huge aspect of both their lives.  We watch as Matt’s feelings for Jason grow and witness his inner conflicts and self-talk over whether he can continue to hang out with (and make out with) Jason or if he’s betraying his family by doing so.  He wants to be smart, he wants to be loyal, to his father who raised him as a single parent and his older brother who looks out for him and gives him advise. 

It is easy for readers to become invested in Matt, to feel his feelings, and relate to his situations.  It is also deeply satisfying to watch the positive changes he makes for himself towards the end of this book.  Hang in there through the rocky parts, it gets better.

Grab ‘The Friend Scheme’ on July 28, 2020!

#TheFriendScheme #NetGalley - I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.