In this refreshing, smoothly written debut, three cousins who have never been close drive from Oregon to Arizona in Beast, their grandmother's 1988 Ford Thunderbird, after her funeral. Matt, who is white and Latino, inherits Grandma Lupe's car and convinces his evangelical Christian parents to allow him to drive it home to Phoenix. Half-Jewish Ethan persuades Matt to reroute through California so he can meet his online crush, Levi, a student at Berkeley. Oscar, who is Latino, just wants to get high and continue avoiding the aftermath of his father's tragic murder in a school shooting nine years earlier. Matt struggles to reconcile God's plan for his life with his dream of being a filmmaker times, he composes screenplay scenes of their adventures. Ethan is deeply insecure, but he knows just how to help when Oscar is overcome by suicidal thoughts, (a plotline that is resolved a bit too easily). These 18-year-olds gradually discover d reveal eir true selves as they help one another envision a future of love, honesty, and acceptance.

Reunited following the death of their beloved Grandma Lupe, three estranged teen cousins-quick-witted, aloof stoner Oscar; aspiring Christian filmmaker Matt; and Jewish nerd-in-love Ethan-embark on a road trip from Portland to Albuquerque.Lovingly dubbed Beast by the cousins, Grandma Lupe's 1988 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe proves mighty useful when Matt inherits it. On the road, the three cousins learn about and from each other, sharing their lives and secrets. For 18-year-old Matt, the voyage represents a path laid down for him by God even though an excursion to California-and USC, his dream film school-doesn't exactly fit in with his strict father's wishes. Meanwhile, 17-year-old Ethan can't wait to arrive at Berkeley, where he hopes to elevate his text-heavy friendship with fellow nerdy boy Levi to his first real romantic relationship. Traumatized by the loss of his father in a school shooting, 18-year-old Oscar uses the road trip as an excuse to delay a reckoning with his knotty past as he self-medicates with weed (and other drugs). Starting off as mere character sketches, the three Latinx cousins (Matt has a White father) soon develop into fully endearing heroes thanks to Zepeda's deft, potent writing. Alternating short chapters from each teen's perspective packs nuance and depth in this quick read splashed with melodrama and humor. Though heavy-handed on occasion, overall this tale soars.Like a missive from the soul. (author's note, resources) (Fiction. 14-18)

Gr 9 Up Zepeda uses her own life experiences to weave a realistic tale in a road trip novel. This book tackles several important themes, such as mental illness, developing first relationships, and finding one's own voice as a soon-to-be adult. Matt, Ethan, and Oscar are cousins who barely know each other, besides being connected through the Latino roots of their moms. At the funeral for Grandma Lupe, the boys decide they could all benefit from a road trip from Portland, OR, to Albuquerque, NM, in their grandmother's Thunderbird. Each cousin has his own journey to work through: Matt wants to find his voice as an Evangelical Christian and follow his passion of becoming a filmmaker, Ethan wants to meet a boy he met online that he feels strongly about but isn't sure those feelings will translate into real life, and Oscar wants to run away from his emotions related to major trauma. Despite their differences, the three bond and help each other grapple with their growth, forming a family bond sure to make their grandmother proud. Zepeda spends some time throughout the novel exploring the boys' Latino identity, especially in an encounter with law enforcement. VERDICT A good addition to any library with a healthy circulation of teen male readers and those who enjoy road trip novels. David Roberts