Sponsored by Flatiron Books, publisher of His & Hers by Alice Feeney.
From the New York Times bestselling author of Sometimes I Lie, comes a new thriller from Alice Feeney. His & Hers is a twisty, smart, psychological thriller. A gripping tale of suspense, told by expertly-drawn narrators that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Samantha Downing, author of My Lovely Wife, says His & Hers “should not be missed” and Mary Kubica calls it “deliciously dark.”
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!
I’ve been meaning to gush about Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary O’Connell-Valero, but then it won multiple Eisner Awards over the weekend and now I have to tell you how much I love this book!
Content warning: statutory rape, abortion
This graphic novel is the story of Freddie, a teen girl who is in love with her girlfriend, Laura Dean. The only problem is that Laura has now broken up with Freddie three times, with no signs of remorse. Freddie writes letters to an advice columnist, desperate for insight on how to make this relationship work. But what Freddie is overlooking is that in her attempts to get Laura to stay with her, she’s neglecting her friendships–and her best friend needs her right now.
First off, the art. Oh my word, the artwork is gorgeous. It’s dreamy and romantic, but with occasional details that are odd and disparate, so you feel like you’re in a bit of a strange dream while reading, and you want to pay close attention. The style reminds me of Tillie Walden because of the line work and detail, but it’s also uniquely O’Connell-Valero.
The story is also just so engaging from the very beginning–I love how we get this all from Freddie’s perspective, but the story is framed by her letters to the advice columnist (Anna Vice, I love it) and those letters provide the background narration to the panels. I love that we’ve gotten to a point in publishing, particularly in YA, where a queer girl and her (not so healthy) relationship with another girl is given the same kind of space and grace to exist as dysfunctional heterosexual couples have had for years (decades? centuries?).
This is a book about making mistakes and falling for the wrong person, but it’s also about picking yourself back up, learning from your mistakes, and doing better. Oh, and when Anna Vice’s response finally comes–well, let’s just say that’s something I wish I could tell my own teenage self.
Obviously buy or borrow this one in print. The artwork is gorgeous, and you won’t regret it!
Happy reading!
Tirzah
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