Madness descends upon an Orlando convention center as three separate (and wildly divergent) conventions converge on the same weekend. Callie accompanies her workaholic father to the World Taxidermy Championships. Phoebe arrives with her school's percussion ensemble, hoping to impress bigwigs at the Indoor Percussion Association. And Vanessa is excited to be rooming with her cowriter and internet girlfriend, Soleil, at fanfic-oriented WTFCon. Unfortunately for everyone, the opening day sees them sinking into their own problems: Callie's strained relationship with her father, Phoebe's judgmental attitude, and Vanessa's immense self-doubt. It's only after circumstance puts them together that they find ways to rise above their personal challenges. Split into three separate POVs written by three different authors (Cherry, Lindsay, Ribar, and Michelle Shusterman), this book grabs readers from the very beginning with quirkiness and humor. The story lines entwine with one another in bizarre, absurd ways that are sometimes hilarious and periodically poignant. Readers looking for zany fun will be thoroughly satisfied, as will those who like stories about the power of friendship and the importance of inner strength.

Vanessa, Phoebe, and Callie--attendees of vastly different conventions (fandom, percussion, and taxidermy, respectively)--meet at a convention center and form a friendship better than many of their existing relationships with their con-companions. Well-drawn characters enhance the humor of this multiple-perspectives tale, which is light but progressive; Vanessa's blossoming romance with genderqueer Merry is a particularly heartwarming subplot.

In this entertaining and sometimes slapstick testament to the power of friendship, three teenage girls-each attending a different convention held in the same location-help each other overcome their respective conflicts. Vanessa Montoya-O-Callaghan is eager to finally meet her online girlfriend and fanfic co-writer at WTFcon. Phoebe Byrd can-t wait to rock out at the Indoor Percussion Association. And Callie Buchannan hopes to get some quality time with her workaholic father by helping out as his assistant at the World Taxidermy Championships. Naturally, everything goes wrong: Vanessa-s girlfriend is increasingly awful in person, Phoebe falls for one of her bandmates, and Callie chafes at her father-s demands. Working seamlessly in alternating POV chapters, Cherry, Ribar, and Schusterman deliver a laugh-out-loud romp that finds humor and drama in three very different fields of interest. As the story lines converge, readers will delight in seeing these passionate girls recognize that it-s okay to want things and to screw up, and that sometimes you make unexpected friends in the process. Ages 12-up. Agent: (for Cherry) Holly Root, Waxman Leavell Literary; (for Ribar) Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates; (for Schusterman) Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary. (Mar.)

Gr 9 Up-allie, Vanessa, and Phoebe are staying at the same hotel but attending three different conventions. Callie is hoping to have quality time with her father at the World Taxidermy Championships as his assistant, but when she discovers a big secret he's been hiding, their relationship is in jeopardy. Vanessa is geeking out at the We Treasure Fandom convention (WTFcon), where she will meet her online girlfriend and fanfiction coauthor Soleil in person for the first time. Phoebe is hoping to beat the competition at the Indoor Percussion Association convention, but keeps getting distracted by her cute band mate Scott and former best friend Christina. When the three teenagers serendipitously meet because of a mix-up in the hotel lobby, they form a fast and strong friendship. This is a charming collaboration and a fun and quick read that will appeal to any reader who has ever loved something so much it hurts. While at times the characters' voices are hard to tell apart, the fast-moving and engaging plot will keep teens turning pages. The book contains well-done LGBTQIA protagonists, light romance, and strong female friendships. VERDICT An adorkable story about teenage girls navigating love, friendship, and family, this is a solid addition to any young adult collection. Ariel Birdoff, New York Public Library