Mason-Black, Jennifer. Sometimes the Girl. Lerner/Carolhoda Lab, 05/2025. 294pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-7284-9329-9. GRADES 10–12. ADDITIONAL.
Holiday’s life-altering problems include her brother’s recent suicide attempt, a breakup with her longtime friend/girlfriend, a new friend (or love interest?), old friends mysteriously reappearing, and a problem with her now former mentor at the local college. This eighteen-year-old’s life gets even more complicated as she begins working for a dying, elderly lady who wrote one super famous book decades ago. Now she’s dredging up memories and complications, including ethical issues with the author’s family. As a result, Holiday’s life is probably more complicated than most recent high school graduates, only some of which resolves by the end of this complicated plot and its many tangential issues. This reviewer was engaged with the story, but hard to tell if younger readers will be. Holiday presents as white.
Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library