Our Own Private Universe - Hardcover

Robin Talley studied literature and communications at American University. She lives in Washington, DC, with her wife, but visits both Boston and New York regularly despite her moral opposition to Massachusetts winters and Times Square. Her first book was 2014's Lies We Tell Ourselves. Visit her online at robintalley.com or on Twitter at @robin_talley.

Gr 9 Up—Aki has always been a perfect preacher's daughter—responsible, polite, safe. This summer, though, things will be different. Aki will be traveling with a group of teens and chaperones (her father included) to help build a new church in rural Mexico. Aki is hoping for a distraction after being rejected by the music program of her dreams. She finds it in Christa. Both girls want a simple summer romance, but Aki is out as bisexual only to her best friend, and Christa is terrified that her parents will find out that she likes girls. Talley does an excellent job of portraying how a closeted relationship can start to unravel despite genuine affection, and the depiction of Christa's and Aki's emotional lives seems honest and real. There are sometimes too many side plots, such as sudden revelations about Aki's long-deceased uncle, but they don't overwhelm the central themes. And even with her infatuation, Aki never becomes singularly focused. She devotes energy to her brother and to conversations about the upcoming convention, where their church will take official stances on topics such as same-sex marriage and foreign aid. Particularly important is the novel's information, so commonly ignored, on safe sex between two women, which is effortlessly worked into the narrative. VERDICT This pitch-perfect romance is all heart, touching on serious issues but never becoming too heavy, and will be a strong addition to any teen collection.—Amy Diegelman, formerly at Vineyard Haven Public Library, MA