From the Publisher
ALLA Alabama Authors Awards Best Teen Book of the Year
Rise: A Feminist Book Project List Honoree
"Millie’s unapologetic battle against sexism is inspiring, and Tag’s reckoning with his privilege is heartening. Weighty issues and the quirky rivals-to-lovers romance are given equal attention . . . An unusual, thought-provoking take on advocating for oneself and others." —Kirkus Reviews
"Both main characters are well-developed as individuals within a novel that explores the hostility, harassment, and other challenges faced by many girls who choose to enter the traditionally male-dominated world of debating. Drawing readers into that sphere, this detailed, engaging story delivers both happiness and justice in the end." —Booklist
"PW contributor and former high school competitor Doll’s (Unclaimed Baggage) passion for debate is genuine and infectious, and the protagonists’ alternating perspectives make for a persuasive read." —Publishers Weekly
"Doll’s well-developed inspirational character arcs show Millie’s and Tag’s separate journeys to become voices for change. Additional depth is provided by edifying, and sometimes playful, footnotes. Informed by her own high school debate experience, Doll includes an extensive personal note that adds to the authenticity of issues explored in the novel." —School Library Journal
Booklist
This detailed, engaging story delivers both happiness and justice in the end.”
Kirkus Reviews
2022-04-13
High school debaters discover that opposites attract.
For Millie Chalmers, winning the Alabama state debate tournament is everything. It guarantees lucrative scholarship opportunities—a boon for Millie and her overworked single mother. She can’t let anything interfere with her college plans: not pervasive sexual harassment and double standards, not dating, and certainly not saying how she really feels. But aspiring chef Tag Strong just wants to speak his mind, dismaying his ambitious parents and private school teammates. After an active shooter scare at a tournament brings Millie and Tag closer, they fall in love despite their opposing personalities. But as the final tournament approaches, mishaps and a vicious harassment campaign against Millie threaten to ruin not only her chances of winning, but the teens’ relationship. In alternating first-person chapters, Millie and Tag reflect on each other, parental expectations, and their debate topics, which—echoing the plot—include gun ownership, income inequality, and speaking out against injustice. Footnotes pepper their narratives with definitions, citations, and snarky asides. Twitter threads and recipes for Tag’s culinary creations add variety and verisimilitude. Though the pacing is occasionally uneven, Millie’s unapologetic battle against sexism is inspiring, and Tag’s reckoning with his privilege is heartening. Weighty issues and the quirky rivals-to-lovers romance are given equal attention. Millie and Tag are White; secondary characters bring some ethnic diversity.
An unusual, thought-provoking take on advocating for oneself and others. (author's note) (Fiction. 14-18)
