Book info:
Title: A Prom to Remember
Author: Sandy Hall
Published by: Swoon Reads
Publication date: April 24th, 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
My rating: 5 stars
Synopsis:
Love it or hate it, you’ll never forget it. In this heart-warming novel, Swoon Reads star, Sandy Hall, explores a classic high school celebration, capturing every relatable and hilarious teen milestone along the way.
Cora: Dating Perfect Boyfriend Jamie. Has NO IDEA how to break up with him…
Paisley: Anti-prom. Somehow nominated her anxiety-ridden best friend for prom king…
Henry: Hates social situations. Invited to prom by the most popular girl in school. SEND HELP!
Otis: Half of one of the cutest couples in his class. Not quite ready for a post-prom hotel room…
Lizzie: Shy. Excited to go to prom. With a boy. Whose name she doesn’t know.
Cameron: Loner. Over high school. Just wants to meet the mysterious girl who’s been leaving him notes…
Jacinta: Unnamed Nerd Girl #3. Determined to become the star of her own life, starting with prom…
Chosen by readers like you for Macmillan’s young adult imprint Swoon Reads, A Prom to Remember, from Sandy Hall (author of A Little Something Different), is a funny and cinematic look at the biggest dance of every high schooler’s life.
My Review:
This is another story that I feel is perfect for the teens of today. While this is my first book I've actually read by this author, I've had one sitting on my TBR shelf, and now I'm excited to get around to reading it. This story had such an amazing range of characters and situations. It reminded me a little of the recent movie Blockers. It also is a book I will recommend at the bookstore, and to my students, for anyone who enjoyed Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda. Right off the bat, I personally connected with Jacinta. In high school, I was Unnamed Nerd Girl #3. I don't know how anyone in high school, other than the few people I hung out with remember me enough to friend me on Facebook these days. I don't feel like I got the type of end of the year/prom experience that Jacinta ends up with in the conclusion of the story. Then, there was a story that I think Paisley told, about why women are called "chicks". Now, I googled it. I don't find a story anywhere like what she told, but if it's true, I can't use that anymore. Finally, both the movie Blockers, and Love, Simon really got me started thinking about the things we don't think about with gay teens. Like for instance, the whole hotel room after prom is something I remember the drama of when I was watching shows like Beverly Hills 90210 (the original). And how it meant sex, the first time for the girl usually. It was touched on in Blockers as well. But you, well, me, I guess I just didn't ever think about how the first time for sex for gay teens is going to be just as scary as it is for hetero. I'm sorry if that is wrong, but that is how my brain worked. I've now got a clue, and my mind is getting more and more open about just how things are basically the same for all teens on those types of aspects, it is just how they are treated by other people. So Otis and Luke's story really was one that I appreciated reading. And boy, I really did love Luke. I also loved Henry. It's rare I think, that we get such a story about a teen who has the social anxiety that Henry has, where to most people, they seem pretty normal. Usually when we have stories about teens like that, everyone tends to know or think that they are weird. So for Henry to be like he was, well, it was good. I loved the friendship between him and Paisley as well. I loved Paisley's prom shirt that she made when she got asked to prom.
This story just made me smile. I loved it, can't wait to order it for my school library!
Author Bio:
I’m a teen librarian from New Jersey where I was born and raised. I have a BA in Communication and a Master of Library and Information Science from Rutgers University. When I’m not writing, or teen librarian-ing, I enjoy reading, slot machines, marathoning TV shows, and long scrolls through Tumblr. A LITTLE SOMETHING DIFFERENT is my first novel.
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