cover image Never Always Sometimes

Never Always Sometimes

Adi Alsaid. Harlequin Teen, $17.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-373-21154-8

Upon entering high school, best friends Julia and Dave wanted, more than anything, to avoid becoming clich%C3%A9. To ensure that they have an "original high school experience," they created a list of things they must never do, like skinny dipping or going on a "life-changing" road trip. But now it's senior year, and they wonder what they might have missed out on. Julia and Dave decide that it's time to break their own rules and try, if only once, all the things they vowed not to do. Much to their surprise, they have some fun drinking at parties and dying their hair, and they discover that some classmates they had previously dismissed as stereotypes are worth knowing. Complications arise when David starts falling for a very conventional girl, and Julia simultaneously discovers that her feelings for David go deeper than friendship. Exploring universal feelings of friendship and love, Alsaid (Let's Get Lost) offers a colorful depiction of two teens discovering what they have in common with others. Their escapades and realizations will evoke laughter and empathy. Ages 14%E2%80%93up. Agency: Alloy Entertainment. (Aug.)