The Possibility of Somewhere

July 11, 2016
Eden’s mother abandoned the family when Eden was a child, her father is abusive and controlling, and the family is extremely poor. Day (a pseudonym for author Elizabeth Langston) gives Eden a killer intellect—she’s on track to become class valedictorian—and a brusque attitude she uses to keep the world at bay. But Eden’s longtime academic rival, Ash, and a new girl at school, Mundy, gradually chip away at Eden’s exterior until she lets them in. Even as Ash and Eden finally share their mutual romantic feelings, they keep their relationship secret. Ash is worried about his strict Indian parents, who don’t want him dating “white trash,” and Eden’s reasoning seems to stem from their longtime academic rivalry, until she eventually reveals it’s because of her father’s racism. Day’s story loses focus as the plot zigzags among the various dramas running through Eden’s relationships as she fights for a happy ending. This aside, Eden will lure readers with her willful refusal to allow poverty and hardship to define or limit her. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary.

July 1, 2016
White "trailer trash" girl meets wealthy Indian boy, sparks fly, and college plans are complicated in this romance. Eden and Ash are front-runners for valedictorian, Ash due to parental pressure and Eden because good grades mean college. They have never liked each other--and anyway, Eden doesn't like anyone. A new classmate (who primarily exists for reasons of exposition and plot momentum) encourages Eden to wear makeup; this plus a teacher-mandated project partnership soon turns rivalry to love. But Eden's father is a racist, and Ash's parents are snobs. Clumsily told, with inconsistent information and characterization (particularly Eden, whose first-person narrative sounds more middle-aged than foulmouthed teen outcast), this nevertheless fills a hole, tackling a transracial, transclass relationship in a community where that's barely acceptable, with a bonus of autism education for readers through Eden's babysitting job. Both teens are brilliant and beautiful, and the story veers unevenly between Eden's struggles (will she get the scholarship? Is her dad going to get in her way? Is her amazing stepmother going to support her again?) and the burgeoning romance, never quite making either go anywhere. Mediocre and formulaic but not utterly without value. (Romance. 13-17)

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June 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-Eden Moore is the smartest person in her graduating class. She has to be if she wants to escape her poverty-stricken family. Money is tight, since her dad can't seem to hold a job, so Eden works part-time taking care of a boy with autism and his sister. It's this job that helps her find her purpose in life. But none of that means anything to Ash Gupta. He's the second smartest and the opposite of Eden in almost every way. They are barely civil, but their paths cross often. Eden challenges almost everything Ash says or does in class. Things become heated during an English presentation, and instead of hating each other, they find themselves mutually attracted. But will their vast differences tear them apart? This is an engaging read. The narrative takes place during one semester of school, and it's full of drama, struggles with money and grades, family turmoil, and identity issues. While the book is engaging, the ending is a slight letdown. Readers may not react well to being so invested in Eden and Ash's journey, only to see their story resolved in a time jump. VERDICT The topic and characters make this a good purchase for libraries.-Faythe Arredondo, Tulare County Library, CA

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