Ramona Blue

This is a great, realistic story! I know when the blurb for this came out there was a lot of hubbub about it maybe seeming to posit that a ~lesbian is just waiting for the right man~...I think that was mostly cleared up already in the book world, but my 2 cents is that it's definitely not saying that, but rather acknowledging that sexuality is fluid! There is a great discussion within the narrative where 2 characters discuss the relative usefulness of more specific labels like “demisexual homoromantic” (not Ramona's identity but a friend's), and a great portrayal of small town LGBTQ community dynamics, and a great portrayal of a low-income Southern teen...all kinds of identities that are underrepresented in YA fiction.

But also a great character to root for and a compelling story!