Odd One Out

August 13, 2018
In Decatur, Ga., three teens in a complex love triangle navigate a fine line between friendship and romantic love. High-school junior Courtney (“Coop”) can’t deny his physical attraction to his neighbor and female best friend, Jupiter, whom he’s loved for years. She identifies as gay, but she begins to wonder about her feelings for Coop, leading to mixed messages between them. Meanwhile, new student Rae dramatically changes Courtney and Jupiter’s dynamic after befriending them, and she finds herself infatuated with them both. Divided into three sections, each narrated distinctively by one of the three protagonists, the book effectively conveys teen dynamics, early sexual exploration, and feeling left out. Stone (Dear Martin) challenges stereotypical notions of what it means to be straight, bisexual, or gay, showing how sexual identities and desires can be as complicated as the individual human brain. Ages 14–up. Agent: Katherine Dunn, InkWell Management.

August 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-This sophomore novel by the author of Dear Martin is something completely different. Coop has been in love with his best friend, Jupiter, for as long as he can remember. He knows his love will never be returned because Jupiter is only attracted to girls. Rae is new in town and fits into "Jupe & Coop's" orbit very comfortably. Slowly, Rae begins to recognize that she is attracted to them both. This is the setup for the love triangle book that teen fiction has needed for a long time. While ethnicity and race are built into the intersectional storytelling, this title has more of a focus on the LGBTQ+ experience. Many young readers will identify with the feelings explored: the differences between romantic love and physical love, the difficulties associated with testing the boundaries of one's own sexuality with someone who is sure of theirs, and love beyond the binary. The subject matter is handled sensitively and thoughtfully. The novel's three perspectives are provided consecutively rather than the traditional alternating structure. The consequence of this is that one loses the access to the interior monologues of characters as the story progresses, which creates gaps in the telling. Nevertheless, this is an excellent choice. VERDICT An important and necessary love story for YA that will fill a gap in collections.-Kristin Lee Anderson, Jackson County Library Services, OR

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 15, 2018
Not your usual love triangle.Decatur, Georgia, teen Courtney "Coop" Cooper lives next door to his best friend, Jupiter "Jupe" Charity-Sanchez, a girl he'd be (even more) in love with if she weren't gay--and crushing on new girl Rae (half white and half Chinese-Jamaican), who may or may not be straight. Coop agrees that Rae is pretty cute, and the three become close friends as they navigate difficult, mercurial feelings about crushes, sexuality, and friendship. Biracial (black/Latinx) Jupe has two dads: Cuban-American Papi and African-American Dad. Coop, who is black, has a single mother (his father died in a car crash) and regards Jupe's dads as father figures. Rae feels like an interloper in the midst of this intimate friendship--Coop and Jupe have been snuggling at sleepovers for years. Just to make things more complicated, Rae is unsure if she has a crush on Courtney or Jupiter. Maybe both? In this novel that is divided into three parts and narrated first by Coop, then Rae, then Jupe, Stone (Dear Martin, 2017) has created well-rounded characters whose voices are distinct. The story's authentic and honest depictions of sex, parent-free social interactions, and Gen Z's highly critical take on gender roles and sexuality hit the mark.A he said, she said story that stands out. (Fiction. 14-18)

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Starred review from September 1, 2018
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Stone, author of Dear Martin (2017), delivers another poignant and necessary book for teens with her sophomore novel. It is a story about self-discovery, identity, love, and all the uncomfortable and staggering emotions felt keenly when you are a teen. The novel is told from three perspectives. Courtney Cooper is a basketball star, and although he has had a string of relationships?and breakups?he has always harbored a crush on his best friend, Jupiter Charity-Sanchez. However, Jupiter likes girls. Jupiter thinks her identity is neatly and clearly defined, until Rae Chin moves to town. Rae finds herself drawn to both Jupiter and Courtney, and a love triangle evolves among the trio that is complicated, messy, and real. Each teen embarks on their own journey of self-discovery to figure out who they are, what they need, and what they desire outside of the societal norms and labels dictated to them. Like Dear Martin, this shines in its authentic, timely dialogue; vivid, touching characters; and complex interpersonal relationships. It is a novel vital to young adults' lives that examines the intersections of sexuality, gender, and race?issues and blurred boundaries that teens grapple with in a society that favors neat and tidy boxes. Essential reading that proves some glass houses need stones thrown at them.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)