Weekend Pick for March 24, 2023
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For this week’s pick, I want to share Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert. Hibbert, a beloved adult author, has written their first young adult novel as part of the new imprint founded by David and Nicola Yoon, Joy Revolution. As explained by Yoon, "Joy Revolution will tell stories with people of color as their heroes, each searching for love and living their lives on their own terms. It’ll be a safe haven for readers to celebrate the full beauty of their humanity." This novel certainly brings the joy, love, and hilarious banter that we all need!
Set in the UK, Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute follows two main characters–Bradley Graeme and Celine Bangura. At the start of the novel, Bradley Graeme in everyone’s eyes, but his ex-best friend Celine’s, is pretty much perfect. Athletic, smart, and skilled at managing his OCD, Brad seems to achieve the balance of kind, cute, funny, and focused–except when he ends up in the same philosophy class as Celine.
Holding on to a years’ old rivalry and abandonment issues, Celine loathes Bradley. Though a social media star focused on conspiracy theories ranging from UFOs to holiday overconsumption, Celine views herself as though she’s not cool enough for the popular crowd which stole Bradley’s attention. Therefore, Celine has forged her own path to success and continued to pursue her dreams while swapping petty insults and academic competitions with Brad. When a string of events set in motion Brad and Celine being in the same scholarship wilderness program, the two enemies and ex-best friends are forced to reconsider their messy past. Forced to work as a team, their adventures draw them closer together and help them remember the good times of their past, but the question remains whether this is enough to repair their friendship or perhaps spark something completely new between the two?
Set in the UK, Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute follows two main characters–Bradley Graeme and Celine Bangura. At the start of the novel, Bradley Graeme in everyone’s eyes, but his ex-best friend Celine’s, is pretty much perfect. Athletic, smart, and skilled at managing his OCD, Brad seems to achieve the balance of kind, cute, funny, and focused–except when he ends up in the same philosophy class as Celine.
Holding on to a years’ old rivalry and abandonment issues, Celine loathes Bradley. Though a social media star focused on conspiracy theories ranging from UFOs to holiday overconsumption, Celine views herself as though she’s not cool enough for the popular crowd which stole Bradley’s attention. Therefore, Celine has forged her own path to success and continued to pursue her dreams while swapping petty insults and academic competitions with Brad. When a string of events set in motion Brad and Celine being in the same scholarship wilderness program, the two enemies and ex-best friends are forced to reconsider their messy past. Forced to work as a team, their adventures draw them closer together and help them remember the good times of their past, but the question remains whether this is enough to repair their friendship or perhaps spark something completely new between the two?
Hibbert’s tale of braving the wilderness and reconnecting with people from your past draws readers in with wit, heart, and curiosity of how these hijinx will turn out. Though focused on Bradley and Celine, the full cast of characters bring new depth to every kind of love–parental, sibling, and self. Reading this story feels like an adventure and an affirmation of the interconnectedness we all share with each other. As one of my students said, “Books can be part of a healing process. This story has all the things–Black boy joy, body positivity, parents who actually parent, positive views of disability…all of this is so normal in this wonderful world.” So I hope that you will take the time to consider checking out this debut novel and immerse yourself in Hibbert’s wonderful world!
Until next time, keep reading!
Cammie
Until next time, keep reading!
Cammie
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