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A review by heykellyjensen
Get Real, Chloe Torres by Crystal Maldonado
Chloe and her former BFFs Sienna and Ramona haven't talked in a long time. But Chloe cannot stop thinking about them, as the boy band they grew up with and adored, INTONATION, is having a one-night-only charity show in Las Vegas. Despite begging her dad for tickets to the show, Chloe's dad won't budget. No way is he letting his daughter go across the country to see this band, even if she's just graduated high school and is about to go to college.
But then, on her birthday, Chloe's dad relents. He has many rules related to her attending the concert, including that she will be driving and staying in hotels he designates; she, however, is less interested in those than in convincing Sienna and Ramona to join her, despite how the three of them haven't been friends in a long time.
By luck, they agree. They are all very different from when they were friends, and each has a different motivation for going on this road trip. What unfolds is a story of how friendships shift and change and how sometimes, bigger romantic feelings can alter the dynamic of a friend group (and that's not necessarily anyone's fault).
This is a fun story featuring three queer brown girls on a road trip to see a boy band. It's a story of complicated friendship, as well as a story about finding out who you are as an individual. Chloe's life is anything but put together, even if it can look like it from the outside. The message is, of course, that that is okay. We are always learning about ourselves and growing. Sometimes there are detours, but you can make the best of them, just as sometimes you need to pull over and simply rest along the way.
You'll suspend a lot of disbelief in this one, but who cares? It's fun, and Crystal writes teens who feel like the kinds of friends you wish you had in high school. Readers who love The Fall of Whit Rivera will like this book, as Whit will make a few appearances in the story. If you want queer coming-of-age stories with a road trip and a sweet f/f romance, this'll be one you want to pick up.
But then, on her birthday, Chloe's dad relents. He has many rules related to her attending the concert, including that she will be driving and staying in hotels he designates; she, however, is less interested in those than in convincing Sienna and Ramona to join her, despite how the three of them haven't been friends in a long time.
By luck, they agree. They are all very different from when they were friends, and each has a different motivation for going on this road trip. What unfolds is a story of how friendships shift and change and how sometimes, bigger romantic feelings can alter the dynamic of a friend group (and that's not necessarily anyone's fault).
This is a fun story featuring three queer brown girls on a road trip to see a boy band. It's a story of complicated friendship, as well as a story about finding out who you are as an individual. Chloe's life is anything but put together, even if it can look like it from the outside. The message is, of course, that that is okay. We are always learning about ourselves and growing. Sometimes there are detours, but you can make the best of them, just as sometimes you need to pull over and simply rest along the way.
You'll suspend a lot of disbelief in this one, but who cares? It's fun, and Crystal writes teens who feel like the kinds of friends you wish you had in high school. Readers who love The Fall of Whit Rivera will like this book, as Whit will make a few appearances in the story. If you want queer coming-of-age stories with a road trip and a sweet f/f romance, this'll be one you want to pick up.