ARC, 386 pagesRelease Date: February 26, 2019Published by: Crown Books for Young Readers
Read from: February 18-23, 2019Stand-aloneSource: #NCTE19TW:For fans of: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, YA
A contemporary novel about two best friends who must make tough decisions about their futures--and the TV show they host--in their senior year of high school.
Every Friday night, best friends Delia and Josie become Rayne Ravenscroft and Delilah Darkwood, hosts of the campy creature feature show Midnite Matinee on the local cable station TV Six.
But with the end of senior year quickly approaching, the girls face tough decisions about their futures. Josie has been dreading graduation, as she tries to decide whether to leave for a big university and chase her dream career in mainstream TV. And Lawson, one of the show's guest performers, a talented MMA fighter with weaknesses for pancakes, fantasy novels, and Josie, is making her tough decision even harder.
Scary movies are the last connection Delia has to her dad, who abandoned the family years ago. If Midnite Matinee becomes a hit, maybe he'll see it and want to be a part of her life again. And maybe Josie will stay with the show instead of leaving her behind, too.
As the tug-of-war between growing up and growing apart tests the bonds of their friendship, Josie and Delia start to realize that an uncertain future can be both monstrous...and momentous.
*MY THOUGHTS*
As soon as I knew Zentner was coming out with another book I added it to my TBR. And after reading The Serpent King and Goodbye Days I was even PREPARED to read this one. But the more I read it, the more I realized that it was nothing like his other books. But that was what I ended up liking most of all.
"It's comforting to know that you don't have to be excellent to not be completely forgotten."pg. 23
Best friends Josie and Delia are commonly mistaken for sisters. They play sisters on their show Midnite Matinee, they act just alike, and they complete each other's sentences. But as they get closer and closer to graduation, they realize that there are some things they have to make a decision about... The fate of their show and their friendship hangs in the balance. But Delia needs the show to stay close to her dad and Josie has dreamed of reaching her dream in TV for as long as she can remember. Can these things and their friendship stand the test of time?
"How'd it look tonight?" I ask. [...] He draws in a breath and belches, "Real," then draws in another breath and belches, "Bad."pg. 113
I think what I loved most about this book was the positive way Zentner portrayed depression meds on the page. I've read so many books that show them as something to be ashamed of, but every time Delia talked about it, she said she could tell that they were working. There's not many books that talk about mental health meds and the positive they do.
"You are perfect just the way you are," he continues, "and I wouldn't change a single thing about you."pg. 244
I also really loved the friendship between the two of them. They did so much for each other without knowing it. They really did seem like sisters. It was so emotional to see them finally come to a conclusion on what they needed for both of them to be happy. I was glad they were able to figure something out in the end.
"Someday I'd love to know why the people with the least to lose are always losing the little they have."pg. 183
And lastly, I really loved that this was so different from Zentner's other books. Normally with a Zentner book I can count on leaving tear stains all over my book. But with this one, I found myself laughing instead. When I say this book was HILARIOUS, that's the only way I know how to put it! It was emotional at times, but it was nice to see a bit of versatility in his writing. So, for those of you wondering, there are some emotional times, but it is not as bad as The Serpent King.
This book was nothing like his others, but that was what I liked most about it. There were times that I didn't care for the goofing off they continuously did, but for the most part, it helped to move the plot along. I found myself lost in Zentner's words and the little Easter eggs from his other stories. So, get your hands on this one and see the perfect friendship and the very real portrayal of growing up in this story."Life is gonna dick me around time and again."pg. 336
Overall, I give this
