Virtually Yours

May 1, 2019
NYU freshman Mariam Vakilian is at a crossroads. Socially adrift, unsure about her major, and still grieving the end of a three-year relationship with her boyfriend, Caleb, who is attending UC Berkeley, Mariam signs up to try HEAVR, a virtual reality dating app. Reviewing her top three matches, she immediately recognizes--and impulsively chooses--Caleb. Creating an avatar and using an alias to disguise her identity, she goes on virtual dates with him, hoping he will fall back in love with her. Just to complicate things, another one of Mariam's dating app matches is her new real-life friend Jeremy, with whom she's becoming increasingly close. Muddling through all this confusion forces Mariam to work through some of her anxiety and self-absorption to truly connect and build honest relationships with family, high school friends, and her college circle. Tash (The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love, 2016, etc.) presents readers with a young woman navigating life's risks and rewards in a way that will resonate with many readers. Although the pacing lags at times, smooth writing and lively banter elevate this deceptively light novel. Mariam is the daughter of Iranian Muslim immigrant parents, and Persian cultural elements add texture and interest to the story. Caleb is implied African-American, Jeremy is half-Mexican and half-Italian, and Mariam's white lesbian roommate has a French-Canadian girlfriend.A sincere story of self-discovery. (Fiction. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2019

Gr 9 Up-Tash has created a modern love triangle among three college students with an online virtual reality dating twist. By using a service called Happily Ever After Virtual Reality (HEAVR), Mariam is able to pose as someone else when she is matched with her ex-boyfriend Caleb, who is going to college on the other side of the country. Feeling guilty because of her duplicitous actions, she starts talking to Jeremy, who works with her at the gym. It doesn't dawn on Mariam immediately, but she realizes that Jeremy is also one of her top picks from the HEAVR service. This creates a complicated relationship with Jeremy, where she is constantly second-guessing everything they say and do together. Is it OK to discuss her issues with Caleb? Does Jeremy want to be more than a friendly shoulder to lean on? Thus begins a hilarious novel that readers will not want to put down. Through snarky, tongue-in-cheek dialogue and hysterical inner monologues, Tash creates characters who are charismatic and engaging. They guide readers on a roller-coaster ride through their discovery of just who is really right for each other. VERDICT Perfect for anyone who likes humor and romance.-Lenore Catalano, Hammarskjold Middle School, East Brunswick, NJ

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.