Finally a review! I say finally because after one writes a book and revises a book and a galley comes out, there can be waiting. And there has been. I have heard very little about my forthcoming novel, Don't Stop Now, so I'm thrilled to receive this awesome review from Publishers Weekly:
Halpern delivers a summer road-trip novel with dark undertones, suggestive of a John Hughes film in its humor, pathos, and keen eye for the teenage mindset. Lil, a recent high school graduate who breezed through her senior year, has just heard from her sort-of friend Penny, who has faked her own kidnapping. Pretending (to herself and others) that she doesn't know why Penny took off, Lil persuades her best friend Josh to drive to Portland, Ore., to find Penny. Armed with cheesy Wisconsin-themed T-shirts and a sense of adventure, Lil and Josh travel west, visiting strange roadside attractions and staying in even stranger hotels, while Lil wrestles with her longtime, unrequited love for Josh. There isn't much sense of mystery to the trip--painful passages from Penny's viewpoint make clear the reasons behind her departure, and they find her too easily--but Lil's strong narrative voice and banter-filled relationship with Josh are immediate draws. As she did in Get Well Soon and Into the Wild Nerd Yonder, Halpern demonstrates her skill in creating outsidery everyteens trying to make sense of their lives. Ages 13–up. (June)
I almost puked (in a good way) when they put my name in the same sentence as my film idol, John Hughes (especially meaningful for a Chicagoland native like myself). I also like how they referred to my skill at creating "outsidery everyteens" (and how they made up words). Well put! I am really happy with this review. Happy Monday!
Halpern delivers a summer road-trip novel with dark undertones, suggestive of a John Hughes film in its humor, pathos, and keen eye for the teenage mindset. Lil, a recent high school graduate who breezed through her senior year, has just heard from her sort-of friend Penny, who has faked her own kidnapping. Pretending (to herself and others) that she doesn't know why Penny took off, Lil persuades her best friend Josh to drive to Portland, Ore., to find Penny. Armed with cheesy Wisconsin-themed T-shirts and a sense of adventure, Lil and Josh travel west, visiting strange roadside attractions and staying in even stranger hotels, while Lil wrestles with her longtime, unrequited love for Josh. There isn't much sense of mystery to the trip--painful passages from Penny's viewpoint make clear the reasons behind her departure, and they find her too easily--but Lil's strong narrative voice and banter-filled relationship with Josh are immediate draws. As she did in Get Well Soon and Into the Wild Nerd Yonder, Halpern demonstrates her skill in creating outsidery everyteens trying to make sense of their lives. Ages 13–up. (June)
I almost puked (in a good way) when they put my name in the same sentence as my film idol, John Hughes (especially meaningful for a Chicagoland native like myself). I also like how they referred to my skill at creating "outsidery everyteens" (and how they made up words). Well put! I am really happy with this review. Happy Monday!
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5 comments:
Hey, congratulations! That's got to feel so good! I hope the good reviews continue!
Julie, I've been gorging myself on your books all weekend. And I had a dream about Fudwahlla from Wild Nerd Yonder. (Forgive me if I spelled it wrong). Only it wasn't a LARP, it was an art exhibit, and Fudwahlla was the creater, and my son's art was featured in it.
WEIRD, huh?
And for some reason, I thought Don't Stop Now was a sequel to Get Well Soon. Not sure where I got that idea?
Anyway, I just reread Get Well Soon. I love that story. Especially "ass-eyes." Hahaha.
Great review! Congrats!
Congrats on the good review! Awesome to have a John Hughes mention in the same space!
Thanks for the love, everyone! I could read this over and over. Or maybe just the John Hughes line. Ronni, I am honored to have invaded your dreams! The sequel is the book I'm revising now. Out next fall. And I STILL laugh whenever I think of ass-eyes.
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