Pepper just wants to get through her senior year of high school, but her mother insists she puts her powers of GIFing to use for their family burger chain's Twitter account. Jack knows he could do more for his family's diner on social media, if only his dad would let him. But when the two get locked into a genuine Twitter war over their respective restaurants' grilled-cheese recipes, things get complicated on- and off-line. This is a unique take on the YA rom-com trope that the person of your dreams is right in front of you. While describing reaction GIFs doesn't always work on the page, debut author Lord has found a way to weave web culture into the lives of her protagonists in a way that feels natural, and the possibility for crossed signals and mistakes going viral consistently ups the tension. This plugged-in romance will likely be seen as a precursor to the way teen love stories will be told for years to come.

Echoing the premise of You-ve Got Mail, this comic romance set in New York City stars social media maven Pepper, daughter of the founders of popular franchise Big League Burger, and coder Jack, whose parents run a deli, Girl Cheesing, in the East Village. Long before their parents- companies become engaged in a war involving rights to a popular cheese sandwich, Pepper and Jack became friends on a chat platform (developed by Jack) that hides its users- identities. Not knowing they-re close online buddies, the two teens, who know each other IRL from swim team, get active in protecting their parents- respective businesses. As the battle between Big League Burger and Girl Cheesing grows increasingly heated, Pepper and Jack form a romantic bond, but things grow complicated. Alternating between Pepper and Jack-s points of view, Lord-s snappy debut features a strong contemporary beat and a host of sympathetic characters. Although the outcome of Pepper-s and Jack-s frenemy relationship is fairly predictable, family secrets and surprising turns of events keep the story moving until misunderstandings and loose ends resolve. Ages 12-up. Agent: Janna Bonikowski, the Knight Agency. (Jan.)

Gr 7 Up-High schoolers and potential heirs to their family deli and burger franchises, Jack and Pepper are not exactly friends. Jack is living in the shadow of his popular and somehow more handsome identical twin brother, while Pepper, a Nashville-to-NYC transplant, quickly becomes a chameleon at their fancy private high school. Instead of installing a social media team to keep their businesses on the up-and-up, both sets of parents insist that the teens handle it all. It's not long before a Twitter war between the two companies starts and, unknowingly to Jack and Pepper, they are each on the other side of the keyboard. Filled with humor, heart, and a dose of social media realityincluding consequencesdebut author Lord packs a punch in this adorably fun novel. Subplots abound, including a student-made anonymous app that ends up bringing people together. Family issues will strike a chord with readers, whether or not they're familiar with the ins and outs of running a restaurant. Lord keeps it light when she needs to but isn't afraid to bend to the point of breaking when it matters most. The action takes on a darker edge as the anonymous app subplot thickens, and the companies' competition goes viral in the Twitter-verse. VERDICT Readers will fall in love with the main characters, rooting for them to have their meet-cute. Erin Holt, Williamson County Public Library, Franklin, TN