Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.Įveryone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago-except Pippa Fitz-Amobi. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.Īutumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart their mothers are still best friends.

The supporting characters, especially Stefania, are well developed and bring life to Miles’ world.Ī warm, optimistic transgender coming-of-age and queer romance. The author has chosen to include Miles’ birth name prominently this is uncomfortable but realistic for someone early in his transition. Miles is likable and relatable as he tries to discover who he is on his own terms, not based on what others think of him. It celebrates Miles’ real triumphs, from finding a suit that fits to mastering a Tchaikovsky concerto. The book captures the delight of being not just accepted, but also understood-as well as the pains of being misunderstood. Underhill makes it clear in a preface that this is a joyful queer story, and it lives up to that promise.

As Miles works toward his piano goals with Stefania Smith, his demanding new teacher, a romance blossoms with Eric-even though Miles still has Shane on the brain. But Miles’ New Year’s resolution to win Shane back is complicated by the arrival of Eric Mendez, a cute Latine guy who actually is queer and also likes Miles. He believes that if Shane really loved him, his gender shouldn’t matter. Miles Jacobson, a White trans boy from Wisconsin, had been dating Shane McIntyre for a year before Miles came out and Shane broke up with him. Sixteen-year-old Miles has two goals for the year: beat his rival at the Tri-State Piano Competition and win back his ex-boyfriend.

Always the almost by edward underhill