#famous

by Jilly Gagnon

Overview

Debut author Jilly Gagnon bursts onto the scene with a story equal parts bite and romance, perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Jennifer E. Smith, about falling for someone in front of everyone. 

In this modern day love story: Girl likes boy. Girl snaps photo and posts it online. Boy becomes insta-famous. And what starts out as an innocent photo turns into a whirlwind adventure that forces them both to question whether fame—and love—are worth the price…and changes both of their lives forever.

Told from alternating points of view, #famous captures the sometimes-crazy thrill ride of social media and the equally messy but wonderful moments of liking someone in real life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062430045
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/28/2020
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Jilly Gagnon is currently based in Chicago, but is originally from Minnesota, a fact she’ll likely inform you of within minutes of meeting you. When she’s not writing, she’s probably either deep in a video-game rabbit hole, talking to her cats like they understand her, or practicing her violin, which for some inexplicable reason (masochism) she took up recently. Jilly’s short humor, personal essays, and op-eds have appeared in all kinds of places that it’s too tedious to list. She also writes the adult comedy book series Choose Your Own Misery, coauthored with Mike MacDonald. Visit Jilly at www.jillygagnon.com.

Editorial Reviews

A bracing, big-hearted story about #life, #love, and #horrifyingembarrassmentinfrontofmillionsofpeople.

Jesse Andrews

A charming, upbeat, well-paced romp, with plenty of humor that’s tempered with realistic emotions.

Booklist

A charming, upbeat, well-paced romp, with plenty of humor that’s tempered with realistic emotions.

Booklist

A bracing, big-hearted story about #life, #love, and #horrifyingembarrassmentinfrontofmillionsofpeople.” — Jesse Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl

“Eleanor & Park meets The Social Network in this hilarious yet touching love story about how technology can both divide and connect us.” — Tommy Wallach, author of We All Looked Up

“A charming, upbeat, well-paced romp, with plenty of humor that’s tempered with realistic emotions.” — Booklist

“This enjoyable romance is laced with cringe-inducing realism.” — School Library Journal

“Inspired by the ‘Alex from Target’ phenomenon, debut author Gagnon explores online trolling, instant celebrity, and social media frenzies with sensitivity and humor.” — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

Eleanor & Park meets The Social Network in this hilarious yet touching love story about how technology can both divide and connect us.

Tommy Wallach

2016-11-23
A viral photo throws two teenagers' lives into chaos.When nerdy white girl Rachel takes a covert picture of dreamy white boy Kyle as he works at his fast-food job, she thinks nothing of posting the pic on Flit with a catchy hashtag: #idlikefrieswithTHAT. The picture quickly goes viral, with Kyle's follower count climbing into the tens of thousands. After a daytime talk show gets its hands on Kyle and Rachel, the two classmates find themselves in increasingly close quarters. Romance blossoms while an ex-girlfriend and ex-friend throw wrenches in the works, the narration flipping between Rachel and Kyle. Kyle is nothing but a schmuck with a haircut, haplessly speaking without thinking and bemoaning his inability to understand subtext. It gets old fast. Rachel's narrative starts out promisingly: her online experience is filled with scorn and ridicule. Gagnon brushes up against the gender gaps in the social media age but quickly abandons it for the "nerd girl dates popular guy" trope. Given Kyle's lack of substance, this betrays Rachel's credibility as a strong female protagonist. She also fails to follow through on the social media issues she tees up. Once the pic is posted, a TV show quickly becomes the focus of the couple's storyline, and the story treads familiar "we're different people when the cameras aren't rolling" territory. A missed opportunity. (Fiction. 12-16)

Kirkus Reviews