Not My Problem - Hardcover

Smyth, Ciara

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062957147 ISBN 13: 9780062957146

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2021

Synopsis

Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Nina LaCour, this queer coming-of-age story from the author of The Falling in Love Montage is wry, multilayered, and unflinchingly honest.

Aideen has plenty of problems she can’t solve. But when she stumbles upon overachiever Meabh Kowalska having a full-blown meltdown, she sees one that she can actually fix. Meabh is desperate to escape her crushing pile of extracurriculars. Aideen volunteers to help—by pushing her down the stairs.

Problem? Solved. Meabh’s sprained ankle is the perfect excuse to ditch her overwhelming schedule. But when one of their classmates learns about their little scheme, more “clients” start asking for Aideen’s “help”—kicking off a semester of traded favors, ill-advised hijinks, and even an unexpected chance at love.

Fixing other people’s problems won’t fix her own. But it might be the push Aideen needs to start.

One girl with a talent for creative solutions. A whole school full of problems.

• Academic Pressure: Follows an overachiever so desperate for a break she’ll pay to have her ankle sprained, and the underachiever who’s happy to help.
• Witty Banter: Aideen’s sharp, sarcastic narration guides you through a semester of back-alley deals and unexpected feelings.
• Complicated Family Life: While Aideen is busy solving problems for cash, she’s ignoring the much bigger one waiting at home with her alcoholic mother.
• Found Family: An unlikely team of misfits—including the girl she just pushed down the stairs—comes together to run the school's most chaotic problem-solving service.
• LGBTQ+ YA Romance: What starts as a bizarre business arrangement might just be the beginning of an honest, awkward, and hilarious queer romance.

About this title

About the Author

Ciara Smyth studied drama, teaching, and then social work at university. She thought she didn’t know what she wanted to be when she grew up. She became a writer so she wouldn’t have to grow up. She enjoys jigging (verb: to complete a jigsaw puzzle), playing the violin badly, and having serious conversations with her pets. Ciara has lived in Belfast for over ten years and still doesn’t really know her way around. Visit her online at www.ciarasmyth.com.

Reviews

Gr 8 Up—In this witty and engaging novel, Irish author Smyth creates a flawed teen girl, Aideen, who makes a credible journey from self-protectively tough to ready and willing to face her main problem: her single mother's neglectful alcoholism. When Aideen makes a snap decision to help the principal's overachieving, overscheduled, and generally disliked daughter, she begins doing secret favors for classmates in return for them owing her their help. She develops unexpected feelings for one of her clients and makes a new friend in Kavi, who is chatty and humorous but also has his own problems as, Aideen discovers, everyone does. The story unfolds effortlessly, detailing both suspenseful and hilarious moments, as does real life. Populated with believable high school friends and very few adults, Aideen and most other characters are white, and Kavi is Indian. Here, Aideen's lesbian identity is not a plot point, but a detail that gives her authenticity. VERDICT This engaging novel will hook readers immediately. Recommended for all collections serving teens.—Francisca Goldsmith, Lib. Ronin, Worcester, MA

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0062957147
• ISBN 13: 9780062957146
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 368