Every Exquisite Thing

Starred review from February 22, 2016
The power of the written word is on full display as junior Nanette O’Hare upends her privileged, “normal” life after discovering an out-of-print cult classic. Countless rereads of The Bubblegum Reaper lead her to question her place in the world and everyone’s expectations of her. She rebels by quitting the soccer team and distancing herself from her classmates in favor of befriending Booker, the book’s elderly author, and Alex, another teenage Bubblegum Reaper fan. Alex is a talented poet but a troubled young man, and their ill-fated romance leaves Nanette struggling to move forward; halfway into the novel, she begins to speak and think of herself in the third person at the suggestion of her therapist, June, in an effort to “See self as someone else.” Quick (Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock) continues to excel at writing thought-provoking stories about nonconformity. As June says at one point, “Sometimes you just have to pick a direction and make mistakes.” Through Nanette’s eyes, Quick paints a compelling portrait of a sympathetic teenager going through the trial-and-error process of growing up. Ages 15–up. Agent: Douglas Stewart, Sterling Lord Literistic.

August 29, 2016
In this coming-of-age story, teenager Nanette O’Hare is transformed from conformist to rebel when she reads an out-of-print novel that stresses personal authenticity. With some of her subsequent choices—falling in love with a troubled fellow fan of the book, quitting sports, and refusing to feign interest in her peers’ shallow preoccupations—she discovers the joy of genuine freedom but also the difficult lesson that “you must sometimes pay a high price for individuality.” Johansson is an experienced narrator and voice actress who has performed dozens of audio books, including murder mysteries, middle-grade fiction, and romance. Many of the characters speak with a New Jersey accent, which Johansson nails, adding flavor to the story without sounding caricaturist. Her performance doesn’t shy away from the raw emotions of first love and loss, but it stays in keeping with Nanette’s generally circumspect and level emotional keel: this is a girl who holds things tightly to the chest. Johansson’s narration makes this an engaging and thoughtful listen. Ages 15–up. A Little, Brown hardcover.