Sponsored by Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst.
Once a celebrated monster rider in the deadly Becaran Races, Tamra’s second career as a professional monster trainer is in danger after an accident damages her reputation and leaves her nearly broke. She needs money to save her daughter, and that means she must once again find a winning monster, and a rider willing to trust her. Raia sees monster racing as a chance to escape a cruel fiancé, and her determination impresses Tamra despite her inexperience. Tamra and Raia will work harder than they ever thought possible to win, and discover the secret that makes a strange new monster so special.
Welcome to Read This Book, a weekly newsletter where I recommend one book that I think you absolutely must read. The books will vary across genre and age category to include new releases, backlist titles, and classics. If you’re ready to explode your TBR, buckle up!
This week’s pick is Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen!
If you’re a regular listener to All the Books!, then you might have heard me gush about this book in our April 21st episode! Maybe it’s because I’ve been in a reading slump, or because I just needed an infusion of something happy, but I really loved Late to the Party! It’s about 17-year-old Codi, who is a queer teen with two amazing best friends Maritza and JaKory, who are bisexual and gay respectively. They’re great friends who genuinely enjoy hanging out, watching movies, and just chilling–but they aren’t partiers, and neither of them have ever been kissed. They’re itching for an epic teen experience, but they don’t know how to go about it, and Codi feels a lot of anxiety about stepping outside of her comfort zone.
But when she shows up late to a party she didn’t even want to attend in the first place, Codi meets a neighbor, Ricky, who turns out to be gay as well. For some reason, they just click and a great friendship is born, but it’s not like Codi’s friendship with JaKory and Maritza. It’s something newer, more exciting. Ricky introduces Codi to his friend group, where Codi finds acceptance and new crush, and they go on to have an epic summer…but Codi doesn’t tell JaKory and Maritza about any of it.
I think what I loved most about this book is that it’s a really deft exploration of friendships and identity, especially when it comes to sexuality and LGBTQ+ issues, without defaulting to a tired coming out narrative. For these teens, coming out isn’t really a huge issue–finding acceptance and connection is what’s important. Quindlen balances a large cast of secondary characters beautifully, and they all felt like real, genuine people that I knew in high school. The plot unfolded so organically, and it actually made me quite a bit nostalgic for high school shenanigans and the rush of first crushes. The friendship angle was also really nuanced, as Quindlen explored how friendships can be both soul-sustaining but also limiting at times. If you’re in the mood for something on the lighter, funnier side, with great LGBTQ+ characters, themes of friendship and identity, then you cannot go wrong with Late to the Party!
Happy reading, and have a great weekend!
Tirzah
Find me on Book Riot, the Insiders Read Harder podcast, All the Books, and Twitter.
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