Grapefruit moon

Two Belfast teens face quiet crises in this introspective novel from McMillan (Every Sparrow Falling). Academically gifted Drew is attending Henry Cooke Academy for his A-levels. He's welcomed by classmate Charlotte and her circle, who explain the social hierarchy. They warn him of the Stewards, an exclusive group of boys with special privileges currently run by Charlotte's ex-boyfriend Adam. Drew's crush on Charlotte despite his having started dating her friend, tensions with his former mates, and his ex-girlfriend's unexpected pregnancy with her new boyfriend complicate things. Meanwhile, Charlotte takes lessons from a drag queen to amplify her performances in a poetry slam competition while hiding Adam's harassing messages and implied threats of releasing a sex tape of him and Charlotte. After Drew is inducted into the Stewards, he makes a painful mistake while drunk, and Charlotte slowly gains the courage to speak up for herself. Later plot points, including a school trip to Granada, offer new resolve for Drew and Charlotte, making for a delicate and candid depiction of two teens' efforts to shape their uncertain futures while navigating weighty issues such as financial insecurity, sexual violence, and teen pregnancy. Major characters cue as white. Ages 16--up. (June)

At Henry Cooke Academy in Belfast, Northern Ireland, classmates Andrew and Charlotte are under enormous pressure. The first from his council estate to attend the prestigious school, Drew is sure his way to success is to join the Stewards, the exclusive boys' society that serves as Cooke's most powerful clique. Their leader is perfect-on-the-surface Adam, Charlotte's ex-boyfriend, who blackmails her with revenge porn after she initiates their breakup. Throughout the year, Drew and Charlotte grow closer. She finds self-confidence by performing at poetry slams, while he finally feels welcome at Cooke's through becoming part of her friend group. When a terrible decision threatens to blow up Drew's life, and the weight of Charlotte's secrets becomes unbearable for her, they must each risk letting go of the old selves they've been holding fast to. Both teens reckon with forces beyond their control, and McMillan depicts with clarity the aggressions, small and large, of the classism and patriarchy that wear down their spirits. The cruelties Drew and Charlotte face from classmates and the lives in which they feel stuck are all the more compelling for how recognizably drawn they are. Even the kinder students can be clueless in their privilege. Drew, Charlotte, and their friends are realistically flawed--joking, stumbling, and trying again, even as they fail. There's an admirable frankness to their points of view, an honesty that rarely veers into sentimentality and renders the characters believable. Main characters are cued white. Deeply human. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

1. CharlotteSixth form. A new start.Walking into the student centre, I glanced around for Lucy and Artie. There theywere, at the back. I tried to ignore Adam as I walked past him, but my eyes locked withhis for a second by accident. He smirked and raised a hand in mock greeting.His little gang of Stewards were gathered around him, their badges gleaming in the sunlight, bright as their futures -- the elite, the rugby boys, the chosen ones. But the chosen ones were always boys, never girls. Welcome to the twenty-first century at one of Northern Ireland's best schools.Not that I wanted to be a part of their group. Idiots. Ignore them, I thought. Look, your friends are here. Ignore him.Adam hadn't been in touch all summer, and maybe he'd gotten over everything now. I shook off the thought of him.Artie was in good form. He gave me a massive hug and scooched over so I could sit on the table next to him.'Hey, new boy!' he called, looking over my shoulder.I looked behind me, and sure enough, there was someone new standing at the window, looking a bit dazed. I couldn't blame him. Cooke's can be a lot if you're not used to it. It's like a little planet all of its own. You can forget you're in Belfast sometimes.'Come and sit with us!' Artie went on as the boy acknowledged him. 'What's your name?''Andrew.' The new boy ambled over to us and leant against a desk. 'Drew, just.'Lucy grabbed my arm, beaming. 'Sooooo,' she said, 'please say you decided on English in the end?''Yes. Also Sp-''Oh, yay!' said Lucy. 'What about you?' she said to the new boy.'Um. No, not English. Spanish, though, and -''Cool!' I said. 'You'll love Don Antonio - he's brilliant.''Wooooo,' said Artie. 'Does someone have a little crush on señor teacher?''An intellectual one, maybe!' I said. 'Besides, I think you're more his type.''I'm everyone's type, darling,' said Artie, with a grin directed at the new boy, whose eyes widened.'He's just teasing,' I said. 'Artie's a pussycat. Aren't you, Artie?''Miaow!' he purred, flexing a mock paw.The bell rang and we headed off to form class. Turned out Drew was with me and Lucy, which was nice. We'd look out for him while he found his feet.As I left the room, I noticed Adam staring at me. Urgh. At least I wouldn't have any classes with him. He was destined for a career in medicine, so it would be all science and maths for him. We'd hardly even see one another, and we only had two more years of school together. I was sure that everything was on the verge of settling down and disappearing into the new year ahead.I was so completely wrong. Excerpted from Grapefruit Moon by Shirley-Anne McMillan All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.