I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli Published by Balzer + Bray on April 20, 2021
Pages: 400
Source: the publisher
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Contrary to popular belief, best friends Kate Garfield and Anderson Walker are not codependent. Carpooling to and from theater rehearsals? Environmentally sound and efficient. Consulting each other on every single life decision? Basic good judgment. Pining for the same guys from afar? Shared crushes are more fun anyway.
But when Kate and Andy’s latest long-distance crush shows up at their school, everything goes off script. Matt Olsson is talented and sweet, and Kate likes him. She really likes him. The only problem? So does Anderson.
Turns out, communal crushes aren’t so fun when real feelings are involved. This one might even bring the curtains down on Kate and Anderson’s friendship.
I don’t think I’m ever going to read a Becky Albertalli book that I don’t like. Her books are just so… Amazing. Incredible. Insanely good. Like. I could go on. And Kate in Waiting was no exception. I devoured this book. I read it in three days. I just couldn’t put it down! It had a diverse cast of LGBTQ+ characters, a little bit of mental health rep, and some great Jewish rep. Not to mention a great plot. Basically, it had everything I love!
I don’t know how she does it, but Becky always manages to write such relatable characters. I always feel like I’m standing right there with them. Kate was great. I related to her on so many levels, even just with small things, like hating the rain and being a zombie demon after taking Xanax and not getting enough sleep. Anderson was amazing and so, so sassy. I felt so bad for him after that one scene (not gonna spoil it), but I understood why everyone involved behaved/acted/responded the way they did. Noah had my heart from the very beginning. He was just so adorably dorkish. I predicted what would happen with him and ____ (Sorry, no spoilers, hehe) less than a quarter of the way into the book and I definitely had a !!!!!!! moment when I found out I was right.
I need to shout-out Kate’s relationship with her brother, Ryan. I love the way Becky handles sibling relationships in her books. Media always makes siblings hate each other; they either fight all the time or they just ignore each other. And, yeah, that’s relatable for some people. But some people do get along with their siblings, and it’s a breath of fresh air to see that.
Sending a shout-out to Matt, Raina and Brandie and basically everyone in this book. Seriously, how does Becky Albetalli always write such amazing characters???
Also, shout-out to the Dear Evan Hansen reference and what I think was a Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda reference.
So.. Yeah. I loved this book. More than words can say. I loved everything about it. The only negative thing I can say is that I want more of these characters and this world, but I’m pretty sure it’s just a stand-alone. So that’s disappointing, haha.
But yeah. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves books about friendship, first love, and high school or musical theater. Also for anyone who likes LGBTQ+, mental health and Jewish rep. If you’re new to Becky Albertalli, this is a great book to pick up. And if you’ve read and loved her other books, then I can promise this one won’t disappoint!
Kate in Waiting releases tomorrow, so there’s still time to pre-order!!! Go do that, right now! You won’t regret it! And if you pre-order, you can get this adorable necklace!!!