e-Audio, 07:41:38
Narrated by: Jade Wheeler
Release Date: January 10, 2023
Published by: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Read from: December 29, 2022 – January 2, 2023
Stand-alone
Source: PRH Audio (I received a copy of this book from the PRH Audio in exchange for a just and honest review. This did nothing to influence my review.)
TW: Parental Abandonment, Homophobia,
For Readers Interested In: Romance, LGBTQ+, Realistic Fiction, Racial/Ethnic Diversity, Socioeconomic Diversity, YAIt’s too late for a Sweet Sixteen but what if Mahalia had a Coming Out Party? A love letter to romantic comedies, sweet sixteen blowouts, black joy and queer pride.
Mahalia Harris wants.
She wants a big Sweet Sixteen like her best friend Naomi.
She wants the super cute new girl Siobhan to like her back.
She wants a break from worrying–about money, snide remarks from white classmates, pitying looks from church ladies . . . all of it.
Then inspiration strikes: It’s too late for a Sweet Sixteen, but what if she had a Coming Out Party? A singing, dancing, rainbow-cake-eating celebration of queerness on her own terms.
The idea lights a fire in her, and soon Mahalia is scrimping and saving, taking on extra hours at her afterschool job, trying on dresses, and awkwardly flirting with Siobhan, all in preparation for the Coming Out of her dreams. But it’s not long before she’s buried in a mountain of bills, unfinished schoolwork, and enough drama to make her English Lit teacher blush. With all the responsibility on her shoulders, will Mahalia’s party be over before it’s even begun?
A novel about finding yourself, falling in love, and celebrating what makes you you.
*MY THOUGHTS*
I personally had some issues with Garrett’s work in the past, so I was a little iffy to try this. But then the cover was released and I didn’t have anymore doubt. I knew I needed to have this in my hands to at least try it. And Lordt I hate this cliche, but I’m so glad I did. This was not only a coming of age book, but also a sweet book about falling in love.
This book was so sweet! Mahalia was this sweet girl who just wanted a party; something for herself. Seeing as she never got her Sweet Sixteen, she thought she deserved a different party… And this one just so happens to be a Coming Out party. From that fact alone, I knew this was going to be good. Because is that not the cutest thing ever? Throughout the story Mahalia was trying to figure out how to get the money to throw her party, but of course life happens and she lost more than she gained. Add on to the fact that Mahalia’s mom is a single parent and she also gets laid off during the book. (Which makes this a good book to talk about socioeconomic diversity too.)
The romance is also hella cute! Mahalia is trying to figure out the best way to come out and to make it special. Siobhan is the cute girl she’s been flirting with lately. Or is it really flirting? Because she’s been throwing mixed signals at Mahalia. So what does she do? Their story is cute, but it doesn’t come without it’s bad moments too. Like the end? I was sweating. I hate situations like that. But I think they handled it gracefully.
The writing style was good too. I definitely had a different experience with this one than her other book. And this makes me so happy. I would have missed out on this incredible book without it. I was engrossed with every minute I was listening. So much so I found myself doing extra things like coloring so I could force myself to listen more.
This is a perfect segue way because I also loved the narrator. I haven’t listened to anything else they’d done before, but I really enjoyed it. They have a really great Scottish accent too. And I thought it was even funnier because there was a part where they had to use a bad one. Hearing them trying to make it bad was pretty weird. Neither one was forced at all. It turned out to be one of the better ones I’ve heard.
What I didn’t care for was some of the open ends it left tho. Like the old man? What was that about? Did he have a real purpose? Was he a filler character? I wanted to know why he decided to turn up again. And then they didn’t say where the means came from. (If they did I missed it.) But I also didn’t feel like it made that much of a big deal. I didn’t feel like it took anything from the plot, it just had some frayed ends.
This book was such a sweet coming of age romance. It was mainly about Mahlia and her growth and dealing with not getting all the things she wanted, but it was also about a sweet love she found along the way. I really hope y’all read this and love it as much as I did!
Overall, I give this
