• Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2019 May #1
  Separately, Chris and Maia are two teens consumed by deep personal problems. When Chris spends the summer at his aunt's in small-town North Carolina to escape his parents' arguments about his being transgender, the two teens meet and gradually become more than friends. Nevertheless, it takes time for Chris to reveal he's trans, and he doesn't want to talk about the brutal gendered assault he suffered a year ago. Maia's reluctance to talk about her sister's death continues to shield another secret she's hoping never to reveal, especially to Chris. Smith's whole-hearted support of LBGTQ teens and equality is genuine, as is her acknowledgment that grief must occur on one's own terms. Both narrators are honest in their own narratives even when they hide truths from each other, and the inclusion of close friends who are placed at arms' length bring an added dimension of authenticity to the story. Teens who need to find their place in a world they hope will accept and understand them will want to read this compelling novel. Grades 9-12. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.

Amber Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of the young adult novels The Way I Used to Be and The Last to Let Go. An advocate for increased awareness of gendered violence, as well as LGBTQ equality, she writes in the hope that her books can help to foster change and spark dialogue surrounding these issues. She grew up in Buffalo, New York, and now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her partner and their ever-growing family of rescued dogs and cats. You can find her online at AmberSmithAuthor.com.