Friday, March 1, 2024

New Suspense-filled YA Novels

 Suspense is a state of anxiety or excitement caused by uncertainty, doubt or undecidedness in a narrative work.  Suspense is the audience's anticipation about the plot or conflict, particularly as it affects a character for whom the audience feels sympathy. Three new YA titles this month elicit that excitement for the female protagonists. In Dead Girls Don't Say Sorry by Alex Ritany Nora Radford explores the truth about her toxic relationship with her best friend Julia, after she dies in a car accident. Cancelled by Farrah Penn introduces Brynn Whitaker, who is a "flirting coach" for her classmates.  When she is wrongly accused of hooking up with another girl's boyfriend, she must proves her innocence or face ostracism for the rest of her senior year. Make Me a Liar by Melissa Landers adds a sci-fi twist to a similar plot.  Tia Dante is an "immersionist."  She can swap bodies with a consenting person and handle difficult situations for them. But when someone uses her vacated body to commit a murder, she must find the culprit or go to jail. 

In alternating chapters Dead Girls Don't Say Sorry chronicles the years before and after Nora Radford's best friend Julia dies in a car accident. The two have been inseparable since fifth grade and plan to go to McGill University together.  But then Nora gets the opportunity to apply early admission for a journalism program a TMU, and things between the girls begin to deteriorate. Complicating matters, Nora's childhood friend Dillan moves back to town, and they rekindle their friendship, making Julia jealous.  The truth about the girls' toxic relationship is slowly revealed, as Nora discovers Julia's betrayals that have sabotaged her future. Nora struggles with her feelings of guilt and grief over Julia's death, as she processes what really happened.  The author's pacing, dialogue and characters propel the reader through Julia's gut-wrenching discoveries, as she tries to make peace with what happened and move on with her life. 

Cancelled finds serial dater Brynn Whitaker giving advice to fellow high schools on how best to communicate with their crushes and score dates. Her much-needed income as a flirting coach is threatened when she goes to a Halloween party dressed in a banana costume, and an anonymous video surfaces of a person in the same costume hooking up with her ex-best friend's boyfriend.  Being ostracized at school, she is determined to find the identity of the actual person in the video. As she gets closer to the truth, she realizes she doesn't want to slut shame another girl, but rather turn the tables on the misogynistic attitude that exonerates the male cheater.  She and her friends form a "femolution" club, denouncing sexism in the school.  Her social group includes a trans girl, a pansexual hijabi wearing girl, a pregnant classmate and her swoon worthy twin brother.  With her income, her scholarship and college recommendations on the line, Brynn must prove her innocence once and for all.  

Make Me a Liar has a similar plotline with a sci-fi twist.  Tia Dante is an immersionist, a person who can swap bodies with a person with their consent.  Tia uses her ability to help classmates do things they are afraid to do for themselves, such as standing up to bullies, breaking up or coming out - all for a price.  When someone borrows her body while she is swapping and murders the district attorney, Tia is suspected of murder.  With the aid of her ex-boyfriend Nash, who she finds out is an immersionist himself, Tia attempts to prove her innocence.  Tia's first-person narration reveals her to be a witty irreverent teen (Pies before guys) with a penchant for trouble.  Nash, who broke up with her, realizes his error and works to win her back. A secret supernatural organization and international mobs, as well as criminal justice issues, make this a real page-turner.  

Thursday, February 1, 2024

New YA Romances: With a Little Luck, GILM! and Heartless Hunter

 It's February and love is in the air, laced with a little magic.  Three new YA romances employ magic to move the plot along.   With a Little Luck by Marissa Meyer (Cinder) introduces Jude, a Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) playing introvert, who finds a magic twenty-sided die that changes his luck in love and life. GILM! by Brian Corley has the protagonist employing a magical spell to help him write a popular song to win the girl. Heartless Hunter: The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli pits witches against witch hunters in a battle for control, so that they may freely practice their magic. 

In With a Little Luck, Jude, an introverted artist whose parents own Vinyl Ventures music store, spends his time drawing comics, working at his parents' store, hosting D&D nights with his friends, and pining after Maya, a girl he has had a crush on since elementary school. One night Jude finds a red 20-sided die, and he begins experiencing an uncanny bout of good luck.  His comic book art is chosen for publication, his best friend Ari's song becomes a finalist in a song competition, and he wins tickets to a concert, which he asks Maya to, and she accepts.  The concert date goes incredibly well, and Maya joins his D&D group, but then he misplaces the red die and his good luck turns bad. He discovers that his crush on Maya was more about the unattainable, and he's really in love with Ari, but wonders if it's too late to let her know how he feels. Jude's comics, which are based on the games he creates as dungeon master for his D&D group, penned by Chuck Gonzalez, are included in the text. As Ari makes it to the last round of finals in the song writing competition, Jude wonders if the song about unrequited love is actually about them. Jude's narration, which includes breaking the fourth wall, is engaging and the chemistry between Ari and Jude is palpable. Readers will enjoy his journey of realization. 

GILM!, (an admittedly odd title), is about a boy who is challenged to write a song about a word that rhymes with film. Geoff Smith, a recent transplant from Texas to Portland, has a single father who is a collector of magical oddities.  When Geoff finally talks to his crush Corrinne, he offends her by saying he dislikes musicals, and brags that he is a songwriter himself and is in a band (although it's in Texas.) She challenges him to write a song that has a word in it that rhymes with film. If he succeeds, she will go out with him.  After drawing a blank, he goes home and finds one of his dad's book on magical spells.  Executing one, he wishes to write a popular song that includes a word rhyming with film and his wish is granted.  However, be careful what you wish for!  He arrives at school the next day and his song Gilm! is on everyone lips. To make matters worse, his father can't stop saying it. Now Geoff has to find a way to undo the spell but keep the girl. The author is a songwriter/musician in the rock band The Mars McClanes, who have recorded a new song of the same name, which in turn inspired the novel. 

Heartless Hunter: The Crimson Moth is the first book in a duology set in the Republic of Red Peace, where witches once ruled, but are now hunted by witch hunters known as the Red Guard.  Teenage Rune Winters, a wealthy socialite, is known for turning in her own witch grandmother to be purged.  However, Rune was persuaded to do so by her grandmother, to save herself.  To vindicate her death, Rune operates in secret as the Crimson Moth, who helps witches escape the Purge.  Her grandmother charged her with finding the witch Seraphine for help, and to do so she courts Gideon Sharpe, the head of the red Guard, hoping to get a clue about her location. In turn Gideon suspects Rune of being the Crimson Moth and returns her advances, trying to catch her in the act.  What they didn't expect was to fall in love.  The complexity of the conflict paints neither side as wholly good nor evil. A dramatic ending sets up the sequel in which the two factions will continue their battle. 

Thursday, January 4, 2024

New YA books for 2024

 The revision of my book What's New in Young Adult Novels? and Ideas for Classroom Use for 2024 is now available.  Just click on the book icon in the upper right corner of my blog and it will take you to Lulu.com where you can purchase this book. Over 50 new books are recommended along with ideas for using them in the classroom. I would again like to take this opportunity to thank NetGalley for providing ARCs of many of the new young adult novels that I review.  Three new YA books being released in January 2024 caught my fancy.  Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft is a Regency-inspired fantasy about a seamstress who weaves enchantments into the clothing she creates. The Getaway List by Emma Lord (Begin Again) finds a high school graduate defying her mother and heading to NYC to rekindle a relationship with her childhood best friend, who is the co-creator of the "getaway list," a list of adventures they want to experience in the city. Dungeons and Dramas by Kristy Boyce introduces Riley, who is obsessed with musicals. When she gets caught hijacking her mother's car to go to the city to see Waitress, her punishment is working in her father's gaming store, where she gets new insights into the gaming world, as well as her relationship with her father. 

Fragile Enchantment introduces Niamh, a seamstress who has magic in her blood, which allows her to stitch emotions and memories into the clothes she designs.  When she receives an invitation to serve as the tailor for the royal wedding in Avaland, she sees it as an opportunity to guarantee a better life for her working class Machlish family. She arrives in Avaland to find Machlish workers striking, the groom Prince Christopher (Kit) alienating everyone around him, and Lovelace, a gossip columnist, wreaking havoc at court.  Niamh pierces Kit's thorny defenses with patience and persistence, as she creates a calming wardrobe for the upcoming nuptials.  Neither he nor his fiancĂ©, the Castillian Infanta Rosa, want to marry, but are being coerced by forces beyond their control.  Complicating matters are the political upheaval created by the rebellious workers, the tenuous marriage agreement between the kings of Avaland and Castille, Lovelace's column exposing the growing intimacy between Niamh and Kit, and Niamh's deteriorating health which is being depleted by her use of magic.  The narrative satisfyingly works its way toward a resolution of all the complications in this sweeping Regency romance. 

In The Getaway List, Riley Larson, who has received rejections from all ten colleges she applied to, decides to defy her controlling mother and take back the spontaneity in her life.  She heads to NYC where she reunites with her childhood friend Tom with whom she created a Getaway List.  Over their three-year separation, Tom had grown distant, and Riley discovers her mother had plotted to keep them apart.  Fueled by her anger, Riley decides to stay for the whole summer to work through the list with Tom and his quirky friends, camping, going to concerts, and exploring the city. Tom's screenwriter mother is on an extended stay in LA, so Riley and Tom are free to not only discover themselves, but also their romantic feelings for each other.  The supporting characters are well-developed, and the author's affectionate portrayal of NYC adds to the charm of the novel. 

We are introduced to another rebellious Riley in Dungeons and Dramas. When this Riley takes her mother's car, without permission nor a driver's license, to the city to see the musical Waitress, her divorced parents decide her punishment will be working at her estranged father's gaming store.  Not only is she distraught about working there, she is also upset that the school has cancelled this year's spring musical, which she was hoping to direct.  When her ex shows up at the store with his new girlfriend, Riley claims her co-worker Nathan is her boyfriend to save face.  Nathan is appalled, but agrees to the ruse so that he can make his crush jealous.  To make the relationship seem more official, she starts playing Dungeon and Dragons with him and his friends at the store.  Of course, she is the bard and finds opportunities to sing at every meeting. The more time she and Nathan spend pretending to be involved, the more lines blur.  Meanwhile, she is campaigning to revive the musical by putting on a show for the administrators to demonstrate that there is sufficient interest for them to reconsider their decision.  When things go terribly wrong, Nathan and her new friends come to her rescue. 

Friday, December 1, 2023

The Magic of Midnight in YA Novels

Midnight is the moment when one day ends and another day starts.  It is often used symbolically to describe a major change in our life's experiences.  Three YA authors have used midnight in the titles of their new books to express just that. Bring Me Your Midnight by Rachel Griffin takes place on the island of Witchery where two factions of witches reside.  One coven practices tourist friendly low magic and attempts to get along with non-magical mainlanders. The second coven is hidden and practices the more powerful dark or high magic. Teen witch Tana Fairchild struggles to decide her destiny, and possibly make peace between the two covens. In What Happens After Midnight by K.L. Walther the daughter of a faculty member at Ames Boarding School is tapped to help the "Jester" pull off the epic annual senior class prank. When she discovers the Jester is her former boyfriend, she wonders if getting involved with him again will break her heart. On a much more serious note, The Fight for Midnight by Dan Solomon, reimagines the 2013 filibuster of the Texas abortion bill HB2. Alex Collins, who has never thought much about the issue, attends the event at the State Capitol and is torn between the pro-life and pro-choice arguments.  

In Bring Me Your Midnight teen witch Tana Fairchild, the coven-leader's daughter on the island of Witchery, is expected to marry Landon Yates, the non-magical son of the mainland's governor.  Her coven has given up high magic in favor of the tourist-friendly low magic to assuage the fears of the mainlanders.  Although she doesn't love Landon, he is a kind man, and she knows he will assure her coven's protection. She is willing to make this sacrifice until Wolfe Hawthorne, who practices high magic and lives with a hidden coven on the island, appears to her at midnight during her coven's annual ritual where they release their magical powers into the ocean.  Missing the annual purge, Tana seeks out Wolfe to help her drain the potentially deadly excess magic from her body. Wolfe complies and they begin a clandestine relationship which evolves into a passionate love. Wolfe tries to convince Tana to embrace her magic.  The purging ritual is disturbing the ocean currents and threatening the island's fragile environment.  Tana is torn between her obligation to her coven and her love for Wolfe, and the exhilaration she experiences when she practices high magic. Their midnight meetings help Tana begin to embrace a major change in her destiny. 

What Happens After Midnight introduces Lily Hopper, who attends an upscale boarding school in Rhode Island, because her mother is a faculty member. Each year the student body taps a "Jester," who masterminds an elaborate prank.  This year Lily is mysteriously invited to join the Jester's pranksters to steal and hide the annual yearbooks, which are scheduled to be handed out by class president Daniel Rivera, Lily's prom date.  When she finds out the Jester is Tag Swell, her ex-boyfriend, whom she still loves, she almost backs out. Tag has planned a complicated scavenger hunt for Daniel to complete in order to find the yearbooks.  Hiding the clues requires the use of her mother's keys, which Lily reluctantly steals. Of course, the pranksters set out at midnight to steal the yearbooks and hide the clues.  As Lily and Tag work together, they revisit their two-year relationship via flashbacks.  They dodge school security, faculty members and fellow students who are also out after midnight. Tag's Type 1 diabetes is woven into the story, creating complications in completing the prank. Old feelings resurface and Lily realizes that the biggest obstacle to their happiness was Lily's insecurity about other girls vying for Tag's attention, and that he was only marking time until he could convince her to give him a second chance.  Swift action and near misses in getting caught, as well as the "will they, won't they get back together" question, make this a real page turner.

The Fight for Midnight focuses on Alex Collins, who is facing a lonely summer after the death of his best friend, Jesse.  He fills his time doing community service at an adult day care center, reading Game of Thrones to an 85-year-old man, Mr. Monahan.  When Cassie Ramirez, a girl Alex has had a crush on since elementary school, calls him to come to the Texas Capitol building to protest Wendy Davis's historic filibuster of the abortion bill HB2, Alex goes, despite having no opinion on abortions.  Wendy must talk nonstop until midnight to keep the bill from passing.  At the Capitol Alex finds himself in the middle of a tense scene full of pro-choice "orange shirts," and pro-life "blue shirts," and hypocritical politicians playing political games. At first, he has no problem siding with Cassie, but then he runs into Shireen, Jesse's former girlfriend, who is adamantly pro-choice, and he begins to search his soul about how he feels about the issue.  The backstory of Jesse's death and Alex's crime which led to his community service, is woven into present-day events.  Once again midnight figures significantly in the changes the protagonist goes through to become an adult.  There is an author's note about his personal experience at the protest in 2013. 

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Teen Rom/Coms

 Why do readers and filmgoers enjoy romantic comedies or Rom/Coms so much? According to movie web, pleasantries felt while enjoying Rom/Coms elicit dopamine and serotonin, aka "happy hormones." Different from a straight romance, the central romantic relationship in a Rom/Com creates comedic tension. In Jessica Q. Sutanto's Didn't See that Coming, an outspoken gamer girl, poses online as "DudeBro" to avoid harassment. When she transfers to a new school, she realizes her online best friend "Sourdawg" goes there and is either her crush or her nemesis who are both gamers.  Eric Smith's With or Without You pits two teens whose parents own rival cheesesteak trucks against each other, even though they are secretly in love. Mindy Kaling's book club pick this month, Amy Lea's Woke Up Like This, is an adult/YA crossover about two battling teens who are transported 13 years into the future where they are engaged to be married. Unaware of what happened in the last 13 years to change their feelings for each other, they struggle desperately to get back to their teenage years and high school prom.

In Didn't See that Coming, Kiki Siregar, who lives in South Jakarta, Indonesia, games under the name "DudeBro" to avoid being objectified by guys in the gaming universe. Worrying that Kiki is too liberal, her parents transfer her to a traditionally Chinese school, where she immediately draws negative attention when she stands up to a bully, Jonas Arifin, and is branded on TikTok as #Crazy Kiki. She confides in her online best friend "Sourdawg," but later finds out he goes to her new school.  She wonders if he is her sweet sensitive lab partner Liam, or Jonas, whose delusional attraction to her is making her life miserable.  She enlists the help of the Li'l Auntie's dating service to solve the mystery. Although serious subjects of gender bias and STEM related topics are explored, they are dealt with in humorous ways.  As Kiki struggles to stand up to aggressors and be true to herself, she also recognizes that she doesn't want to alienate her crush Liam. Readers will find Kiki's entertaining hijinks a fun romp that of course, leads to a happy ending. 

In With or Without You the legendary rivalry between cheesesteak trucks Plaza Steaks and Ortiz Steaks is fueled by high schoolers Jordan Plaza and Cindy Ortiz, whose escalating insults go viral. What spectating customers don't realize is the bickering is a marketing ploy.  Jordan and Cindy have been secretly in love for years.  Hoping to put the antics behind them when they graduate, they are conflicted when TV executives propose a reality show based on the rivalry. The two families are scheduled to compete in a "Truck Off!" food fair and as competition heats up, real grievances begin to arise.  Jordan wants to buy his own food truck and set off across the country with Cindy, whereas she would rather attend college to study the television industry The story is told in alternating perspectives with reality TV-style confessionals.  Will Cindy and Jordan find a way to make their relationship work, yet keep their families and TV executives happy, especially when their dreams are diverging?

Woke Up Like This introduces high school senior Charlotte Wu, who has despised golden boy J.T. Renner since he stood her up for Freshman Homecoming. Adding insult to injury, he runs against her for student council president and wins effortlessly, after she has devoted four years to student service and clearly deserves the job. During a prom decorating accident, Char falls off a ladder into Renner, and they slip through a wormhole to 2037 where they wake up in bed together a week before their wedding.  They now work at their former high school (She is a counselor, and he is a gym teacher.) and must keep up appearances as they try to figure out how to get back to 2024.  As they spend time together, trying to unravel the mysteries of the past, they learn more about each other. Char, who narrates the story, becomes desperate to get back to the past and make changes in decisions she made.  Their chemistry and witty bickering, as they evolve from enemies to lovers, make this a widely appealing rom/com. 

Sunday, October 1, 2023

Teens Dealing with Grief

 Coping with the death of a friend or family member is not easy for people of any age.   Reading about how main characters  in novels deal with death in their lives may inform readers about coping mechanisms and support systems that enable young adults to move on from the devastating experience.  This month I will recommend three new YA novels about teens dealing with grief. In A Pretty Implausible Premise by Karen Rivers (You are the Everything) two teen athletes find comfort in each other after experiencing tragedies that derail their Olympic dreams.  Someone You Loved by Robin Constantine (The Season of You and Me) finds Sarah and Jakes navigating the death of her boyfriend/his best friend Alex, who died in a horrific fall off a cliff. They feel guilty about finding solace in each other through their shared grief. I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold (The Electric Kingdom) is a speculative love story where two teens are brought together across their present, past and future lives by shared music only they can hear. 

 A Pretty Implausible Premise introduces Hattie and Presley, two teen athletes whose Olympic dreams are dashed by tragedy. Hattie, whose mother took off when she was six, hopes they will be reunited when Hattie swims in the Olympics.  But when 7-year-old Elijah dies while Hattie is lifeguarding, she begins experiencing panic attacks whenever she tries to swim.  Presley, an ice-skating phenom, loses his twin brother in a car accident that leaves him with injuries that end his competitive career.  When Presley transfers to Hattie's high school, he immediately recognizes her "haunted shimmer." Their relationship quickly progresses in ways that are uncannily similar to the romance novel that has been Hattie's lifeline since Elijah's death. When wildfires threaten their town, an evacuation and impromptu road trip gives them an opportunity to bond over shared losses and feelings of guilt. Through encouragement from Presley's therapist and Hattie's coach, as well as the novel that is an integral part of Hattie's recovery, their healing journey ultimately leads to love and hope for the future.  

When Alex dies in a 130 foot fall off a cliff in Someone You Loved, he leaves behind a grieving girlfriend Sarah, his sister Ashley, and his best friend Jake, who witnessed the accident. Sarah and Ashley are best friends. Two months before his death, Alex and Sarah's relationship evolves from friendship into a romance.  Following the accident, Sarah is not only dealing with her own grief, but Ashley's as well.  After running into each other at a cafe, Sarah and Jake begin nightly phone calls that soon become more than sharing their mutual grief.  Jake, who constantly hears Alex's voice in his head, is wracked with survivor's guilt and the feeling that he is taking over Alex's former life.  The only happiness he feels is when he talks to Sarah, which his therapist encourages.  As they grow closer, they worry about what Alex would think and how Ashley will handle their relationship.  Although they try to get involved with other people, finding solace in each other is something they desperately need. 

In I Loved You in Another Life two teens experience tragedies that hinder their plans for the future.  Shosh Bell, an aspiring actress, loses all ambition and turns to alcohol when her beloved sister is killed.  Evan Taft has dreamed of a wilderness program in Alaska for his gap year when his father leaves and his mother is diagnosed with breast cancer. He feels responsible for the well-being of her and his neurodivergent 7-year-old brother. They both begin hearing a song in their head that ultimately leads them to each other.  When they finally meet, they feel like they've met before, and indeed they have.  Their alternating points of view are interspersed with stories from their different lifetimes together - Paris 1832, Tokyo 1953, Oslo 2109. When they hear a performer, Neon Imposter, singing the songs they thought only they could hear, they realize the connection is larger than themselves.  Together these troubled characters find healing in each other.  The author writes and records songs as Neon Imposter, including ones from this book that can be found online.

Friday, September 1, 2023

Cultural Comparisons

 Having students do a cultural comparison between their own culture and one represented in a book they are reading is an efficient way to combine reading and writing skills.  Three books that lend themselves to this exercise explore Chinese, Korean and Indian traditions. The Boy You Always Wanted by Michelle Quach finds Francine Zhang enlisting the help of Ollie Tran to stand in as her dying grandfather's male heir.  In the Chinese culture only a male can ceremonially honor ancestors. The Name Drop by Susan Lee enlists K-drama tropes to tells the story of two Korean teens who switch identities for a summer internship.  He is the son of the corporation's CEO and she is the daughter of an employee who worked to create the internship program. Sleepless in Dubai by Sajni Patel follows two feuding teens to Dubai where they are celebrating Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights with their families. Copious details about Dubai and Diwali make this an informative, as well as entertaining read. In all three books the struggles females face to achieve in their culture are explored. 

In The Boy You Always Wanted Francine Zhang's dying grandfather, A Gung, regrets having no male descendants to honor their ancestors, so she comes up with a plan.  She ask Ollie Tran, who like Francine is a Chinese/Vietnamese American, to become A Gung's honorary heir.  Although Ollie is at first opposed, he realizes their families have know each other since before they came to the U.S., and A Gung provided for Ollie when his father died and left his family destitute. In return Francine will help Ollie beef up his extracurriculars for college applications. They join the multicultural club where he's responsible for a booth at their annual fundraising event, showcasing his family history, about which he knows little.  As he researches and pours over old pictures Francine has provided, he discovers an alarming secret.  Told from alternating perspectives, the story highlights two teens growing romantically involved as they investigate their heritage and the ties that bind.

Switched identity, ala The Prince and The Pauper, is explored in The Name Drop. Jessica Lee is a top southern California high school student who earns a summer internship in New York with her father's employer, the Korean tech company Haneul Corporation.  Elijah Ri is the son of Haneul's Seoul-based CEO and will reluctantly be spending the summer as an executive trainee there. Because their Korean names Yoo-Jin Lee are the same, the airlines confuses them and puts Jessica in first class and Elijah in coach.  When they arrive, Jessica is whisked off to a townhouse and Elijah ends up in a cramped apartment with the interns.  By the time the two figure out what happened, Elijah, who has been yearning to live a less sheltered life, proposes they continue with the switch, and Jessica, who turns out to be an excellent leader, agrees.  The two bond while working together on a company event, but differing perspectives on life threaten their budding romance.  Told in Jess and Eli's alternating perspectives, peppered with classic K-drama tropes (demanding parents, an elite male attracted to a low status female, a Cinderella makeover) this humorous and romantic tale is filled with rapid-fire banter and a relatable emotional connection where the lovers give each other the strength to follow their hearts.

Sleepless in Dubai introduces former best friends, Nikki, an aspiring photographer, and Yash, a graphic artist, who are neighbors whose parents are also best friends. The kids had a falling out when, confronted by her parents, Yash confirms Nikki had been sneaking out with friends to go clubbing.   She is furious and gives him the silent treatment for most of the school year. To complicate matters he accidentally drives over her most prized possession, a camera gifted to her by her dad.  When their parents plan a trip to Dubai for Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, Nikki realizes that her parents are hoping she will let go of her grudge and make up with Yash.  Arriving in Dubai, Nikki attempts to mend fences, especially since her parents will not allow her to go out alone.  When Yash presents her with a new camera, they begin taking excursions and Nikki realizes she's developing romantic feelings for him.  Nikki confesses her crush, but Yash reveals a secret that has her reeling.  The elaborate descriptions of Dubai and the constant smorgasbord of Indian delicacies delightfully illustrates a culture that readers will devour. This book comes out October 24, 2023.