Desert Echoes

by Abdi Nazemian, Arya Shahi (Read by)

Overview

From Abdi Nazemian, the award-winning author of Like a Love Story and Only This Beautiful Moment, comes a suspenseful contemporary YA novel about loss and love.

Fifteen-year-old Kam is head over heels for Ash, the boy who swept him off his feet. But his family and best friend, Bodie, are worried. Something seems off about Ash. He also has a habit of disappearing, at times for days. When Ash asks Kam to join him on a trip to Joshua Tree, the two of them walk off into the sunset . . . but only Kam returns.

Two years later, Kam is still left with a hole in his heart and too many unanswered questions. So it feels like fate when a school trip takes him back to Joshua Tree. On the trip, Kam wants to find closure about what happened to Ash but instead finds himself in danger of facing a similar fate. In the desert, Kam must reckon with the truth of his past relationship--and the possibility of opening himself up to love once again.

Desert Echoes is a propulsive, moving story about human resilience and connection.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798874817114
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/10/2024
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 5.70(h) x 0.00(d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Abdi Nazemian's first novel, The Walk-In Closet, won the Lambda Literary Award for Best Debut. His screenwriting credits include Menendez: Blood Brothers, The Quiet, Beautiful Girl, and Celeste in the City. Abdi is an alumnus of the Sundance Writer's Lab, has been a mentor at the Outfest Screenwriter's Lab, and has taught screenwriting at UCLA Extension. As the head of development for Water's End Productions, he has served as an executive producer or associate producer on a number of films, including Call Me by Your Name. He lives in Los Angeles with his fiancé and two children. You can find him online at AbDaddy.com.

Arya Shahi is an Iranian-American playwright, poet, and rapper. He is the co-founder of PigPen Theatre Co., an award-winning theatre company and band. With PigPen, Arya has written, directed, and performed in original plays (including The Old Man and the Old Moon) as well as books adapted for stage (including Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux). PigPen's album Bremen was released in 2012, followed by Whole Sun in 2015. Arya lives in Los Angeles. www.aryashahi.com

Editorial Reviews

Praise for ONLY THIS BEAUTIFUL MOMENT: “This story, told in three points of view from three generations of the same family, is nothing short of masterful. This is the kind of story that young adult literature is made for—a story of the heart, of the very real human struggles young people face and that adults try to—but never truly—forget.” — ALA Booklist (starred review)

“Nazemian expertly bridges the past and the present, exploring racism, homophobia, and relations between the United States and Iran along the way. His elegant prose propels this historically resonant and culturally nuanced family drama. A stunning intergenerational coming-of-age story.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Only This Beautiful Moment is a triumph. A touching story about family and identity, secrets and generational trauma, and, most of all, the love that brings us together.” — Arvin Ahmadi, author of How It All Blew Up

"Only This Beautiful Moment is the must-read book of 2023. Abdi Nazemian has managed to write a multi-generational story that is both universal and specific to the Iranian queer experience. I couldn't put it down. I can't stop talking about it and neither will you." — Firoozeh Dumas, New York Times bestselling author

“An absolutely mesmerizing exploration of grief and self-discovery. Abdi Nazemian is an unforgettable voice whose work reads like a gift to the queer community and beyond.” — Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Only Abdi Nazemian can craft such a beautiful story about grief, the weight of addiction, and first loves. Iranian best friends Kam and Bodie will capture your hearts while the L.A. desert will haunt you. A true masterpiece!” — Lilliam Rivera, award-winning author of Never Look Back

“All the sweet and salty joys of candy, but with the nourishment of a home-cooked meal. This is a joyous and suspenseful reminder of the possibilities—and complications—of the human connections that make a life worth living.” — Eliot Schrefer, National Book Award finalist 

"A teen boy finds himself after a tragic loss... a poignant and enjoyable whole that sensitively but honestly explores relationships, grief, identity, and addiction. A bittersweet and sincere coming-of-age story."—Kirkus — Kirkus Reviews

"Nazemian (Only This Beautiful Moment, 2023) has written a deeply felt and memorable love story between two highly empathic teens, a moving exploration of Kam and Bodie’s enduring friendship, both relationships ultimately inviting thought about the nature of love." — Booklist

From the Publisher

2024-06-15
A teen boy finds himself after a tragic loss.

Iranian American high schooler Kamran Khorramian’s life is in upheaval. Two years ago, Kam’s boyfriend, Ash Greene, who’s cued white, disappeared during a camping trip in Joshua Tree National Park. Everyone, including Bodie Omidi, Kam’s lifelong best friend (who’s also gay and Iranian American), wants him to move on, but he just can’t let go—not as long as he believes that Ash could still be alive. The narrative structure engagingly alternates between Kam’s freshman and junior years. In freshman year, Kam and Ash meet and bond over a shared love of the music of Lana Del Rey, but Ash’s unpredictable behavior makes their relationship hard. In junior year, Kam struggles with grief, racially charged ostracization, and figuring out his future. Kam also has to learn to cope with the impact of substance abuse in his family, finding support and understanding in Alateen during junior year. Both timelines converge in an emotional denouement. The storytelling relies heavily on Kam’s amnesia surrounding the night of Ash’s disappearance, which feels cliched, and the ending is sweet but feels tonally disparate from the rest of the book. Ultimately, however, many of the novel’s elements come together to create a poignant and enjoyable whole that sensitively but honestly explores relationships, grief, identity, and addiction.

A bittersweet and sincere coming-of-age story. (author’s note)(Fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews