by Kimberley Knights
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Just released: May 3, 2016
Publisher: Ravenswood Publishing
Genre: Contemporary YA
Paperback: 310 pages
Rating: 3
First sentence(s):
All I could think of as I felt the wheels of that Boeing 767 lift off the tarmac was that if I died, the pamphlet at my funeral service would be so lame.
Fragnut. Confused? Well so is everyone else at Lumiere Hall Prep when sixteen-year-old Rubie Keane rolls in from Trinidad and Tobago talking her weird lingo. Not that she minds the culture confusion; she's determined to leave the past behind her and be overlooked—but a certain stoic blue blood is equally as determined to foil her plans. Gil Stromeyer's offbeat personality initially makes Rubie second-guess his sanity, but she suspects his erratic outbursts of violence mask a deeper issue in his troubled, charmed life. Despite his disturbing behavior, a gradual bond forms between the two. However, on the night of the annual Stromeyer gala, events unfold that leave Rubie stripped of her dignity and kick Gil's already fragile world off its axis. Both their well-kept secrets are uncovered, but Gil's revelation proves that sometimes the best remedy for a bad case of lost identity, is a dash of comradery from an ally packed with flavor.
PeekAbook:
My two-bits:
This is one of those stories that moves along at an even pace until a little over halfway through the book.
The story is told from two perspectives with issues of racism and classism touched upon in a high school setting.
Also, troubled family lives from both main characters create some friendship bonding.
The Trinidad and Tobago culture and language is introduced and adds a nice tinge to the story.
Interesting to note: romance is not a focus in this YA novel.
* review copy courtesy of author
