Right Where I Left You - The Library of the Uncommons

English language

Published Feb. 18, 2022 by Penguin Young Readers Group.

ISBN:: 978-0-593-20647-8

(1 review)

Kacen Callender meets Becky Albertalli in a deliciously geeky best friends-to lovers romance from award-winning author Julian Winters!

School’s out, senior year is over, and Isaac Martin is ready to kick off summer. His last before heading off to college in the fall where he won’t have his best friend, Diego. Where—despite his social anxiety—he’ll be left to make friends on his own. Knowing his time with Diego is limited, Isaac enacts a foolproof plan: snatch up a pair of badges for the epic comic convention, Legends Con, and attend his first ever Teen Pride. Just him and Diego. The way it should be. But when an unexpected run-in with Davi—Isaac’s old crush—distracts him the day tickets go on sale, suddenly he’s two badges short of a perfect summer. Even worse, now he’s left making it up to Diego by hanging with him and his gamer buddies. Decidedly NOT part …

Kacen Callender meets Becky Albertalli in a deliciously geeky best friends-to lovers romance from award-winning author Julian Winters!

School’s out, senior year is over, and Isaac Martin is ready to kick off summer. His last before heading off to college in the fall where he won’t have his best friend, Diego. Where—despite his social anxiety—he’ll be left to make friends on his own. Knowing his time with Diego is limited, Isaac enacts a foolproof plan: snatch up a pair of badges for the epic comic convention, Legends Con, and attend his first ever Teen Pride. Just him and Diego. The way it should be. But when an unexpected run-in with Davi—Isaac’s old crush—distracts him the day tickets go on sale, suddenly he’s two badges short of a perfect summer. Even worse, now he’s left making it up to Diego by hanging with him and his gamer buddies. Decidedly NOT part of the original plan. It’s not all bad, though. Some of Diego’s friends turn out to be pretty cool, and when things with Davi start heating up, Isaac is almost able to forget about his Legends Con blunder. Almost. Because then Diego finds out what really happened that day with Davi, and their friendship lands on thin ice. Isaac assumes he’s upset about missing the convention, but could Diego have other reasons for avoiding Isaac?

1 edition

Tsundoku reviewed Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters

Great look at a summer before College

5 stars

Content warning Family issues; infidelity, discussion of children forced to parent (in background)

I don't want to call this "Fluffy" because most of the book is extremely tense (at least to me lol) with "why is my friend mad at me?????" But if I recall, Teenagers are bad at handling their feelings. Not like I can talk, I'm not much better.

This book's sub-plot regarding Disaster Academy did not head the direction I thought it would (maybe I'm just a little Disney / Marvel focused right now if you consider news as of late) but I'm not complaining.

Also I nearly included "this is a nice debut". Reader. This is not a debut. Julian Winters has written several other books, I'm just oblivious.

I will say this is mostly a safe queer space. There's a bit of discussion about slurs, but no actual experience.

There is this family subplot that hits a bit close to home (For different reasons, but you don't need me to write an essay about my mom) and I won't lie, it HURT. It felt like the book was telling me to reconcile regardless of what my mom has done (And to be clear: it was not. I just read too much into it).

Anyway, sorry if this isn't a great review. I've been struggling with my thoughts for a while now.