Starred Review ALA Booklist

Starred Review Stevens' (The Lies about Truth, 2015) poignant new novel tells the story of a memorable summer in Otters Holt, Kentucky, fraught with big mistakes, small lies, and copious misunderstandings. Billie McCaffrey tist, preacher's daughter, and general troublemaker nds herself in an awkward position when she and her four best friends, known collectively as the Hexagon, accidentally burn down a section of their church on the same night that one of the pillars of the community passes away, leaving the future of the all-important Harvest Festival in jeopardy. The Hexagon, and Billie in particular, find themselves in the spotlight as they work to save the festival and stay out of trouble. Stevens moves the narrative beyond mere small-town drama by building in-depth characters; examining boundaries between friendship and romance, and different generational approaches to religion; and confronting gender and sexual assumptions head-on. The lack of didacticism and a decision not to focus on demonizing religion in the face of sexual exploration (and vice versa) makes this novel stand out in exemplary fashion. This is a beautifully written, quiet, and nuanced exploration of human connection, self-discovery, and living to the fullest no matter what others might think.

Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

A gender-nonconforming 17-year-old and her crew explore desire in a small town. The only daughter of a preacher and an artist, Elizabeth "Billie" McCaffrey likes to buck convention and is warmly loved in return by members of the Hexagon, the tightknit group of four boys and one other girl she hangs with in largely white Otters Holt, Kentucky. Ever the instigator, Billie encourages the Hexagon to experiment with an aging microwave that results in nearly burning down the youth room of her father's church. Brought even closer to the boys she's been collecting "like baseball cards since third grade" and her beloved friend, Janie Lee, as they perform community service to atone for their transgressions, Billie soon realizes their high jinks barely mask awakening desire as the friends begin to explore new dimensions of their relationship. "I do not know what type of love we are—history, future, or infinity—but we are love all the same," says Billie, wanting nothing of her group's emotional intimacy to change while she questions her sexual orientation and tests the uncharted waters of physical attraction. With singing prose and a rollicking plot, Stevens presents a rich palette of characters daring to brave familial and societal expectations to become what they're meant to be. A spirited, timeless tale of teen self-discovery in those tense, formative high school moments, captured with grace, lyricism, and insight. (Fiction. 14-adult)

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A gender-nonconforming 17-year-old and her crew explore desire in a small town. The only daughter of a preacher and an artist, Elizabeth "Billie" McCaffrey likes to buck convention and is warmly loved in return by members of the Hexagon, the tightknit group of four boys and one other girl she hangs with in largely white Otters Holt, Kentucky. Ever the instigator, Billie encourages the Hexagon to experiment with an aging microwave that results in nearly burning down the youth room of her father's church. Brought even closer to the boys she's been collecting "like baseball cards since third grade" and her beloved friend, Janie Lee, as they perform community service to atone for their transgressions, Billie soon realizes their high jinks barely mask awakening desire as the friends begin to explore new dimensions of their relationship. "I do not know what type of love we are—history, future, or infinity—but we are love all the same," says Billie, wanting nothing of her group's emotional intimacy to change while she questions her sexual orientation and tests the uncharted waters of physical attraction. With singing prose and a rollicking plot, Stevens presents a rich palette of characters daring to brave familial and societal expectations to become what they're meant to be. A spirited, timeless tale of teen self-discovery in those tense, formative high school moments, captured with grace, lyricism, and insight. (Fiction. 14-adult)

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

Otters Holt, Ky., is home to the Harvest Festival, a giant -Corn Dolly- statue, and Billie McCaffrey, daughter of the local preacher-and a girl no one expects to ever win a (much smaller) Corn Dolly, a cornhusk doll awarded annually to a woman who best exemplifies femininity and grace. The summer before senior year, tomboyish Billie begins to fall for her two best friends, Woods and Janie Lee, just as those same two friends start having feelings for each other. With the Harvest Festival in peril of cancellation, Billie and her five closest pals, aka the Hexagon, rally to save it. Billie-s shifting relationships with her friends, father, and small town are poignant, as is her evolving friendship with Hexagon member Davey, who introduces her to a world outside of Otters Holt, where she feels freer to question and explore her sexuality. Small-town hijinks and the true-to-life interconnectedness of the characters bring warmth and humor to Stevens-s bighearted contemplation of love, family, and home. Ages 14-up. Agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary. (Aug.)

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-illie McCaffrey likes making epitaphs for herself. Though she's not always sure what her gravestone will say, she's certain that it will be in Otters Holt, KY, and she's proud of that. Another thing she's proud of? Her group of friends. Lovingly dubbed the Hexagon, they are all joined at the hip. After a prank gone wrong, Billie has to examine her identity as her friends begin to look closer at the oddities that they had previously dismissed. Navigating gender expression and sexuality, this is a book about lovethe kind you find in friendships and romantic relationshipsand how confusing it can be to understand the difference between the two. The book has a large cast, and two of the six friends unfortunately fall to the wayside, not getting quite the depth that Billie, Woods, Davey, and Janie Lee receive. However, these less developed characters never become tropes, and the narrator's fondness for them is evident. Billie provides a refreshing look at the ways faith and the church as an organization can clash. This story also celebrates experimentation with identity: Billie tries out quite a few throughout. As she finds herself, readers will be rooting for her until the very end. VERDICT An instant classic. This is The Perks of Being a Wallflower without the angst, for a new generation. A good choice for every collection.Kathryn Kania, Goodwin Memorial Library, Hadley, MA

Voice of Youth Advocates (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Growing up in a small Kentucky town, teenager Billie has a group of close friends, self-named the Octagon. She cares for each of them, but begins to question her sexuality when she thinks she is falling in love with two of her best friends: one male, one female. Every one of them is fixated on kissing, but what teenager is not? Her father, the minister, worries what other residents of the town will think and do if Billie pushes the boundary of her gender and sexuality, and whether he will be able to keep his job. When the town’s sponsor of the annual Harvest Festival dies, the Hexagon decides they will raise enough money to keep it alive, along with the annual awarding of the Corn Husk Doll, an important sentimental town tradition. Billie is a tomboy, especially in her clothing choices, who cares deeply for her friends, her parents, and the town, but she needs to be true to herself. She questions how her close friends will feel about her emerging sexual identity; even she is finding it difficult to reconcile her changing view of herself. All of her friends have their own problems, too, but the group members prop each other up with understanding and communication. It is refreshingly clear that Billie’s parents love her, no matter what sexuality emerges, and they tell her so eventually. Stevens shows the courage it often takes to find oneself and then to be true to that. With LGBTQA+ rights in the news now, this story could contribute to open discussions about gender and sexuality.—Jane VanWeimokly.