One Small Thing

April 23, 2018
Good girl falls for bad boy may be an old theme in romance novels, but Watt (When It’s Real) adds an edgy twist. Since her sister’s death three years ago, 17-year-old Beth’s parents have become overprotective and overbearing, making her feel like a prisoner in her own home. In an act of rebellion, she sneaks out to a party and hooks up with a stranger, not recognizing him as Charles Donnelly, the reckless driver who struck her sister with a stolen car. The plot thickens when Charles (Chase), recently released from juvie and now living in Beth’s town, tries to make a fresh start at Beth’s school. Beth knows she should hate him as much as her harassing classmates do, but she can’t help being drawn to him. Ironically, he is the one person who understands her pain and offers advice she can really use. Watt skillfully dissects an extremely complicated and highly improbable situation to reveal the layers of emotions experienced by Beth and other characters. Beth’s anger toward her parents, the grief she feels for the loss of her sister, and her attraction to Chase will be deeply felt by readers. Ages 14–up. Agent: Don Fehr, Trident Media Group.

April 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-In failing to deal with the grief of losing their older daughter, Beth's parents have instituted draconian efforts to protect her from harm. In an act of defiance before her senior year begins, Beth sneaks out to a party on the other side of town and has sex for the first time with Chase, whom she meets that night. She is horrified to see him on the first day of school and is surprised to find everyone else knows who he is: the driver of the stolen car that hit and killed her sister. Having every reason to hate him, Beth finds herself attracted to Chase. Other students have started a petition to have Chase removed from the school and he is being constantly bullied. Despite everything, Beth and Chase seemed determined to find a way to be together, even if it means staying apart. While rushed, surprise twists at the end will leave romance fans shocked, saddened, angered, and happy all at the same time. While the Romeo and Juliet story line is appealing, setting descriptors are disparaging to individuals' socioeconomic statuses and character development doesn't rise above cliché. VERDICT Not recommended for purchase.-Jillian Woychowski, West Haven High School, CT

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2018
In this contemporary romance, a high school senior falls for the boy who accidentally killed her sister while he was joyriding in a stolen car.Seventeen-year-old Beth strains beneath the suffocating weight of her parents' grief and overprotectiveness. When she learns they've intercepted her college applications because they intend to force her to live at home and undertake an online degree program, she reaches a breaking point. Readers will easily sympathize with Beth's struggle even as she spontaneously rebels by going to a party in a neighboring town with a crowd she doesn't know. There she meets mysterious Chase and has sex with him, creating a bond between herself and the misunderstood bad boy that fuels their predictable magnetism. It may strike some as unbelievable that Beth wouldn't have heard any gossip beforehand about Chase's upcoming release from juvenile detention and enrollment at her high school, especially given the depiction of her insular, middle-class community. There are also some instances in which the dialogue between teen characters seems uneven, with passé phrases like "get our party on" clashing with more current slang such as "lit as fuck." Still, teens with a penchant for clandestine love stories will find plenty to keep them going here. A secondary plot involving Beth's sister's old boyfriend adds an edgy layer, appealing to those who favor thrillers. The book assumes a white default.An engaging, if trope-filled, drama. (Fiction. 14-18)

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