ALA Booklist (Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

Nell Becker is at the top of her class, but she didn't get there by slacking: at school and at sports, she works hard, sometimes pushing herself to the point of panic attacks. Infuriatingly, Jackson Hart, the effortlessly cool, charming rich boy who trails just behind her in rankings doesn't seem to have to work for it at all. Amidst the tense politics of their affluent town and the pressures from their elite prep school, Nell and Jackson orbit each other, and their rivalry develops into an intense physical relationship, and then perhaps something else. But Jackson's motives aren't always clear, and for Nell, emotions will never be as important as winning. Soon their relationship, never the healthiest, spirals out of control. Nell, tightly wound, abrasive, and often self-involved, manages to be both unlikable and entirely sympathetic, and her relationship with Jackson shines a stark, startling light on the differences that boys and girls face in today's society. A take-no-prisoners look at the dark side of competition.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Darker and weightier than many stories about rivals falling in love, Devore-s second novel draws a blurry line between honest emotions and calculated moves. Although they are both top students at their prestigious private school, Jackson Hart has several things that Nell Becker, the principal-s daughter, lacks-namely wealth, status, and a carefree attitude that makes getting to the top look easy. Jackson has always been serious-minded Nell-s nemesis, but their relationship changes during the spring of their junior year, when Nell finds that she has more in common with Jackson than she thought and stops denying her physical attraction to him. Knowing Jackson has used other girls, Nell is determined not to lose control of her feelings, viewing their flirtations as a game she intends to win, but victory comes with a higher price than she anticipates. The pace is somewhat slow, but Devore (How to Break a Boy) offers an in-depth examination of the protagonists- complicated psyches and less-than-perfect home lives. Its hard-hitting message about the pressures placed on teens to succeed will be relevant to many readers. Ages 17-up. Agent: Diana Fox, Fox Literary. (Jan.)

School Library Journal (Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

Gr 10 Up-Nell Becker always plays to win, no matter what the competition. She's determined to prove her right to attend Cedar Woods Preparatory Academy by outperforming the best and brightest, not to mention wealthiest, of the student body. If her mother wasn't headmaster, her family could never have afforded to send her to the exclusive school. Her mother is a role model who never misses an opportunity to remind Nell of her high expectations.. Trailing Nell by a tenth of a grade point is her chief competition for valedictorian, Jackson Hart. Despite his imperious attitude, Jackson's wealth and striking good looks have earned him a place as every teacher's pet. Nell could swear she's never seen him crack open a textbook. He has become an obsession for her; the ease with which he aces every test, the never-ending train of girls who fall for his lies, the way he constantly baits her with arguments she can't possibly win. There is no passion greater than her hatred for Jackson Hartuntil Jackson begins to unexpectedly confide in her, and that passion takes a 180-degree turn. Devore has written her protagonist as driven, selfish, and, at times, totally despicable. Jackson, by contrast, seems the more affable character. But, a clever plot twist reveals just how quick we are to judge the behavior of girls more harshly than that of boys. VERDICT With an unsettling heroine who will challenge readers' perceptions of strong, competitive female characters, this is a winning choice for YA collections. Cary Frostick, formerly at Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church, VA

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

Fictional Bangladeshi boy Iqbal builds an inexpensive solar cooker to win the school science fair; with his prize money he also buys his mother a healthy gas stove to avoid the harmful smoke from an open fire indoors. Information on clean cookstoves and DIY instructions round out this excellent resource for thinking about science and daily life in other countries. Colored-pencil illustrations effectively render monsoon-season Bangladesh. Glos.