Alondra

February 6, 2023
Dramatist Femia transforms her award-winning play ALLOND(R)A into a character-driven debut novel about an introverted, bisexual teen learning to leave her comfort zone. The most interesting thing that Puerto Rican 17-year-old Alonda Rivera has planned for the summer is watching a group of teenagers practice wrestling in the playground outside her Coney Island apartment building. Upon gathering enough courage to talk to the teens, she falls in love with amateur wrestling, which grants her a fearlessness in the ring that encourages her to deviate from her routine. She also begins a relationship with charismatic King, who is Black and the group’s de facto leader. Even as their relationship progresses, however, Alonda experiences increasingly frequent romantic feelings toward girls. When she starts developing an attraction to another group member, Black artist Lexi, Alonda aims to apply her newfound bravery to sorting out matters of the heart. A slight plot and uneven pacing leads to lowered stakes and urgency, but Alonda’s determination to explore a bold new side of herself, and her gradual self-acceptance of her bisexuality, are immediately endearing, amounting to a sweetly introspective read. Ages 14–up.

April 1, 2023
Grades 7-10 In Femia's debut, Alonda watches an amateur wrestling group outside her window and dreams of joining them. Alonda has lived with her older sister, Teresa, since her mom passed away, and she also wrestles with her grief. One day, a chance encounter gives Alonda an in, and she joins the wrestling group. As the group gets more serious, filming live shows that they upload to YouTube, Alonda creates Alondra, a wrestling alter ego that exemplifies the best, most fearless part of herself. She also deals with her complicated feelings for both her new boyfriend, King, and Lexi, the girl she can't stop thinking about. Femia tackles friendship, love, sexuality, and grief deftly in this capture of a wrestling summer when everything changes. Despite being 17 and a junior in high school, Alonda, along with her friends, reads a little younger than same-aged characters in other recent YA books with similar themes. This book will appeal to anyone who enjoys contemporary realistic YA, wrestling (or sports in general), and coming-of-age romance.

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Starred review from February 15, 2023
Against the backdrop of a Coney Island summer, a 17-year-old Puerto Rican teenager tries to find her place in the world. Alonda Rivera thought she had her summer figured out: She'd get a job, like usual, and beg her guardian, Teresa, to get air conditioning (again). But everything changes when she looks out her apartment window and sees four neighborhood teens wrestling on the playground. Watching wrestling is Alonda's absolute favorite thing, and she decides she's going to join them. King, Spider, Pretzel, and Lexi (the only girl in the multiracial group) don't put up much resistance to including her. Instead, the obstacles are overprotective Teresa and Alonda's own undecided heart. Italian American Teresa was Alonda's mother's best friend until Mami died a decade ago. As for her heart, things are a little complicated: Although she's romantically interested in King, talking to Lexi lights something up inside her. As she tries to navigate Teresa's rules and her feelings for these new friends, Alonda, who adopts the alter ego Alondra, must learn to be fearless, just like Mami before her. There's much to praise in this fast-paced and engaging debut, from the sense of found family that is part of Alonda's life in multiple ways to the commentary on the impact of gentrification. A satisfying and joyful read. (Fiction. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 20, 2023

Gr 7 Up-Alondra lives with her guardian Teresa after her mother's death. Making healthy relationships is a struggle for the Latinx and bisexual teen, but channeling her mother's advice, Alondra breaks out of her introverted bubble and introduces herself to her neighbors. And thus begins a summer adventure in which four kids from the Coney Island-area set out to wrestle. Femia captures the linguistics of time and place, so the characters use contemporary vernacular. Things in this young adult world are "sick," "dope," "mad hot," and "like, whatever." Some of the dialogue between characters appears in the form of text chats, adding to the book's authenticity. Coney Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Nathan's hot dogs, public transportation, and visiting homes via fire escapes make New York City come to life in these pages. The ever-present heat of the city is also frequently referenced. Though Alondra learns to navigate a summer romance, the sports narrative is what primarily moves the plot forward. The novel also briefly touches on the intersections of gentrification, queer pride, financial struggles, and family relationships. VERDICT Purchase where books that center sports as the vehicle for life lessons are popular, such as Yamile Saied M�ndez's Furia and Racquel Marie's You Don't Have a Shot. Teens will pick this up for the wrestling and stick around for the coming of age.-Stephanie Creamer

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