02/21/2022
Kemp (Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet) delivers a lyrical standalone about pursuing one’s dreams despite impossible odds through Chicane teens Aarón and Mia, virtual strangers bound together by two things: a passion for music, and grief after having each lost a parent. Both seek entrance and a scholarship to the Acadia School of Music, but each finds auditioning insurmountable against their own trauma—six months after Mia’s mother left their family, “an alcoholic chokehold... squeezed the life out of” her father; cancer, meanwhile, has recently caused the death of Aarón’s mother. While Mia navigates self-doubt, and her mother’s legacy of abandonment and domestic abuse, Aarón copes by hallucinating a giant talking robot, the stage persona of his favorite musician, who has long been reported missing. As their San Antonio neighborhood, Monte Vista, crumbles under ICE raids, gentrification, and police brutality, the two navigate their realities not only for the sake of themselves and their futures, but for the culture and soul of their community. An unfocused narrative that details Aarón’s experiences more fully than Mia’s does little to take away from the impact of seeing two teenagers and their loved ones attempt to heal from grief, and descriptions of music are sufficiently vivid to lift melodies right off the page. Ages 14–up. Agent: Andrea Morrison, Writers House. (Apr.)
A 2022 Booklist Editors’ Choice A 2023 TAYSHAS Selection A Bank Street Best Book of the Year
"A gripping, authentic, and vivid portrayal of grief and the many ways it can manifest itself."
—Jonny Garza Villa, author of Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun
"A heartwarming, soul-searing coming-of-age journey."
—Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, author of How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe
* "This story will be resounding in readers’ hearts long after they’ve turned the last page. With the lyricism of Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and Raquel Vasquez Gilliland’s works, this novel is recommended for all collections."—SLJ, starred review
* “Kemp’s latest novel is a multilayered symphony in itself, keeping the reader’s emotions heightened from the first sentence until the finale, during which readers will be left breathless in wonder. Kemp effortlessly creates beautifully flawed characters who are impossible to forget.”—Booklist, starred review
"A powerfully emotional story about two teens pursuing their dreams in a difficult world."—BCCB
"A lyrical standalone about pursuing one’s dreams despite impossible odds."—Publishers Weekly
"A story of surviving grief with the help of community."—Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet: *"Fans of Elizabeth Acevedo’s With the Fire on High will cherish Xander and Pen’s love story and Pen’s passion for food. This stellar debut offers a cathartic take on a relationship between a father and daughter. Authentic flavor inside and out."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
*"Kemp’s novel serves up finely rendered, stirring character arcs...as well as an intimate portrait of two teens grappling with mental health, complicated family relationships, and newfound love."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Wonderfully realized characters, a vibrant setting, and so much more. I loved this."—Melina Marchetta, award-winning author of Jellicoe Road
"Pen and Xander will steal your heart. One to savor."
—Laura Taylor Namey, New York Times bestselling author of A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow
"A bold new voice to watch in children's fiction."
—Eric Smith, author of Don't Read the Comments
"An affecting, timely debut....Add it to your 2021 TBR list immediately."
—Liz Lawson, author of The Lucky Ones
"Like the delicious food and decadent desserts described within its pages, Kemp's debut explores the often bitter and sweet complexity of family, new love, and what it means to find home. "
—Mia García, author of The Resolutions
"Pen and Xander's unforgettable love story refuses to sugarcoat difficult topics, but instead deftly explores them with a thoughtful hand. A cathartic read and new favorite author."
—Nina Moreno, author of Don't Date Rosa Santos
"Lush imagery celebrates Mexican culture and depicts how food can bring people together. . . . not to be missed."—School Library Journal
"Students will enjoy the food descriptions and community culture that lend the story a sense of authenticity and believability."—School Library Connection
“Kemp’s precise writing flows from Pen’s perspective to Xander’s effortlessly, even while revealing their individual lives….Recommended for readers who enjoy strong stories about found families, expectations, and food.”
—Booklist
★ 04/29/2022
Gr 9 Up—A novel that takes on grief, trauma, first love, and the restorative power of music and community. Aarón's mom recently died from cancer. Mia's mother abandoned her family; her father, consumed by his heartbreak, died from alcoholism. Both families haven't been able to recover from their losses, but DJ Aaron and trumpeter Mia hope to escape their trauma with a spot at a fancy school that is offering music scholarships to kids in their San Antonio, TX, neighborhood. In alternating chapters, we see how each teen struggles to fight their demons and change their destinies. He is hallucinating, seeing and hearing his music idol in the form of a robot. She freezes each time she steps on the stage to audition, glued to the spot by her self-doubt. Together they take steps toward healing, joining forces to protest the recent ICE raids in their town. Initially, it's difficult to discern between the two points of view, but Kemp eventually hits her stride. The excellent characterization isn't limited to the protagonists. From the local bus driver and neighborhood librarian to Mia's and Aarón's siblings, each secondary character is also well developed. Kemp eloquently captures how the warmth and strength of a community of mentors can impact a young person's life. Dreams aren't realized by the efforts of one person; they are achieved through the support of many working in concert. Readers will empathize with Mia's imposter syndrome, and Aarón's conflicts with his father and twin brother are portrayed with nuance. Even their town, Monte Vista, is fully realized, having its own complex identity. Most characters are of Chicanx and Latinx heritage. This story will be resounding in readers' hearts long after they've turned the last page. VERDICT With the lyricism of Benjamin Alire Sáenz's Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and Raquel Vasquez Gilliland's works, this novel is recommended for all collections.—Shelley M. Diaz
Robb Moreira and Tania Possick deliver moving performances as Aarón and Mia, teenagers whose passion for music turns their tragedies into triumphs. Moreira captures the reserved nature of Aarón, a DJ who is reeling from his mother’s death. Aarón’s grief and anxiety follow him in the form of a robot mascot. Moreira’s performance shifts into an acerbic tone for the robot as its humorous yet foreboding presence haunts Aarón. Possick’s soft-spoken voice is an ideal match for Mia, a steadfast trumpet player who is plagued by doubt and stage fright. The narrators bring life to the teens’ vibrant Texas neighborhood with their mix of voices and accents, which crescendo into an emotion- packed performance as the community comes together to protest injustice with art and music. J.E.C. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Robb Moreira and Tania Possick deliver moving performances as Aarón and Mia, teenagers whose passion for music turns their tragedies into triumphs. Moreira captures the reserved nature of Aarón, a DJ who is reeling from his mother’s death. Aarón’s grief and anxiety follow him in the form of a robot mascot. Moreira’s performance shifts into an acerbic tone for the robot as its humorous yet foreboding presence haunts Aarón. Possick’s soft-spoken voice is an ideal match for Mia, a steadfast trumpet player who is plagued by doubt and stage fright. The narrators bring life to the teens’ vibrant Texas neighborhood with their mix of voices and accents, which crescendo into an emotion- packed performance as the community comes together to protest injustice with art and music. J.E.C. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
2022-01-11
A story of surviving grief with the help of community.
Full of music from the start, this novel follows two Chicane teens in San Antonio, Texas, who are navigating loss and self-doubt. Aarón’s mother died eight months ago and now he has an imaginary robot following him around. Not just any imaginary robot, though, but one that represents La Maquina, the public persona of Xavier López, a musician Aarón is strongly attached to—and someone missing for nearly a year who he can’t accept is possibly dead. Mia has grown up with domestic violence at the center of her world. She and her brothers create family bonds through invented rituals so they won’t focus on the parents who are gone: first, their mother who abandoned them, and soon after, their father, who was consumed by alcoholism until he passed away. Aarón and Mia come together with a pact to not give up on auditioning for scholarships to a prestigious music school, but their community may need their alliance for more. As the book threads together commentary on race, mental health, and undocumented immigration, the two main characters join protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids on their neighborhood. The text is vibrant, withSpanish words and poetry effortlessly woven throughout; unfortunately, the chemistry between Aarón and Mia does not fully satisfy, affecting readers’ connection to them and the story.
A bold premise written in beautiful prose but faltering in characterization. (Fiction. 14-18)
