Review by Booklist Review
Margo Zimmerman knew she was on the autism spectrum, but it's not until she kisses a girl during a game of Spin the Bottle that she realizes she's probably gay. Two months after the fateful night, she's still trying to figure out just how to be gay. Margo has always done whatever needed to be done to accomplish her goals, but when her goal is "be gay," Google isn't much help. When she runs into very bisexual Abbie Sokoloff at the local lesbian bar's Teen Night and utterly fails to flirt, Margo begs Abbie to teach her everything she knows. Abbie agrees in exchange for AP History help, but the first lessons don't go too well. Both girls have preconceived notions about the other, but those soon go out the window. Shrum and Waxelbaum have created relatable narrators in Margo and Abbie. Their voices are casual and conversational, which makes this a fun read, and it's a joy to see more characters like this come to YA.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A newly out queer teen recruits her "resident Queer Girl™" classmate to help navigate her burgeoning sexual identity in this playful romance by collaborators Shrum and Waxelbaum. When autistic student body president Margo Zimmerman, 17, realizes she's gay, she struggles with "being gay correctly" despite extensive googling ("Query: how to be gay. Query: gay tips. Query: queer culture?"). Meanwhile, 18-year-old Abbie Sokoloff--who is bisexual and who Margo views as "perfectly, comfortably, gorgeously gay"--has been contending with poor grades. The girls make a deal: Margo will tutor Abbie in AP history in exchange for "Queer 101" lessons. Over the course of Margo's queer education, the teens are forced to confront preconceived notions about each other, and accept the fact that there's no one way to express one's sexual identity. Some key relationship moments occur off-page, leading to deflated romantic tension. Nevertheless, flirty banter and Margo and Abbie's candid alternating narration positively depict myriad facets of neurodiversity and dating, including attraction, consent, masturbation, and safety. Seamlessly integrated contemporary media references and LGBTQ cultural touchstones admirably explore the repercussions of internalized bias and community gatekeeping. Margo and Abbie are Jewish and read as white. Ages 14--up. Agent: Rebecca Podos, Rees Literary. (May)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 10 Up--Margo Zimmerman likes to have everything in place, which is why her realization that she is a lesbian is such a shocking revelation during her senior year of high school. She's worried about being "gay enough," so she enlists the help of Abbie Sokoloff, noted expert lesbian, to give her lessons on her newfound sexuality. Abbie, in return, needs help in her AP U.S. History class; her grades are slipping, and she sees college as her only way out of her turbulent, unsupportive home life. As the girls work together, they start to fall for each other, but not everyone thinks it's a good match. They need to decide whose opinion matters as they navigate some tough issues at the end of senior year. This is a pretty straightforward teen queer romance, with humor, good-natured awkwardness, and character growth. Characters are racially diverse and many identify as queer; autism and ADHD are both prominently represented. One quibble is that the autistic character's traits seem marked off of a list and not authentically woven into her character development. Various degrees of prejudice, even those within the LGBTQIA+ community, are explored in interactions that feel authentic and raw, and current issues, such as Florida's increasingly bigoted attitude toward queer people, are discussed. There are a few teen story tropes that become old very quickly, such as regular partying and sexually suggestive language. While there isn't much plot beyond an in-depth discovery of one's queer identity, for many readers this will suffice. VERDICT Recommended for collections that need more LGBTQIA+ titles.--Christine Case
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Margo Zimmerman has it all: She is smart, gorgeous, and she's dating one of the most popular guys in her school. When Margo plays a game of spin the bottle at a friend's party and it lands on a girl, Margo realizes midkiss that she's gay. With no helpful guidance from her polyamorous, pansexual older brother, Margo reaches out to the only openly queer person she can think of: Abbie Sokoloff. Abbie herself is in need of guidance, as her prospective university has rescinded their acceptance letter due to her poor grades. Abbie decides to teach Margo queer 101 in exchange for academic tutoring. This lighthearted story addresses lesbian and bisexual stereotypes through comical interactions and witty dialogue that sometimes reads as more grown up than teen. Despite being the product of a collaboration between two authors, the plot-driven narrative told from alternating first-person points of view is sometimes confusing when it comes to distinguishing between the protagonists' voices. However, this adorable, sex-positive, will-they, won't-they romance is an engaging story. The characters, though somewhat one-dimensional, will keep readers interested as they learn more about themselves and each other. Both main characters are Jewish, neurodivergent, and queer; they are cued as White. A largely enjoyable story with a spicy queer romance. (Romance. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
