What I Like About You

April 20, 2020
After the death of her beloved grandmother, high school senior Halle Levitt and her 15-year-old brother, Ollie, move in with their widowed grandfather for the school year as their Oscar-nominated parents pursue their latest documentary. Arriving in Connecticut, Halle’s worlds collide. Online, Halle is Kels, the confident faceless blogger behind One True Pastry; an army brat who loves baking cupcakes frosted to emulate the covers of the books she reviews; and best friend to webcomic creator Nash Stevens. In real life, anxious Halle hopes her blogging will bolster her application for NYU, which is also Nash’s dream school. Offline, Nash Kim, alias Nash Stevens, is now Halle’s classmate. Scared to disappoint, Halle doesn’t tell Nash she’s Kels—even when she realizes Nash is in love with Kels and Halle is falling for Nash, forming a love triangle that’s actually “just a line.” Debut author Kanter realistically paints Halle and Nash YA-centric universe via Twitter, Instagram, blog posts, and group chats, giving an insider’s peek into the fandom. Though some of these elements are more effective than others, Kanter creates robust characters and a swoon-worthy romance. Ages 12–up. Agent: Taylor Haggerty, Root Literary.