Madeline Moore is between high school and college. For the summer she is working in the family bookstore, Books and Moore. Their independent bookstore is going through a hard time, not only because of the usual competition from online stores, but also because another bookstore has opened across the street. Madeline is intent on boosting sales to ensure that her store can survive and she can become a manager. She has the help of her classmate and co-worker Zelda who has a successful book review YouTube channel. 

The rivalry with the other store is complicated because Jasper Hamada works there. Madeline has a crush on him, but also hates him. They get into fights but also flirt with each other all the time. Will they overcome their differences to become a couple? Well, this is a YA novel, so it isn’t hard to guess.

The more interesting story line concerns Madeline’s family. She lives with her aunt Astrid and her half-brother Bennie who will be a junior in high school. Bennie dates other guys. Their mother Dahlia has been absent for most of their lives, trying to make it in Hollywood. She has been totally unreliable and both children have some abandonment issues and find it difficult to trust. 

But then Dahlia returns to live with them, saying she is back home for good. They don’t believe her. Will she really stay or bail on them as usual? Will she be able to overcome their distrust? That one isn’t so easy to predict.

While there are some emotional issues, this is mostly a light-hearted teen novel with a focus on books, especially YA adventure stories. The story is entertaining enough, with some funny moments. Madeline shows business acumen in finding ways to promote the bookstore, which is not a skill you often see highlighted in YA books. There are also some good food choices. The performance of the audiobook by Siho Ellsmore brings plenty of energy. 

Christian Perring is editor of Metapsychology Online. 

Categories: Fiction, AudioBooks

Keywords: YA literature