Scarlett Epstein Hates It Here

After Scarlett's favorite TV show, Lycanthrope High, is canceled, the 15-year-old, who is deeply involved in an online fan-fiction community for the series, navigates her frustrations and real-life woes by creating a new spin-off story. She casts her nemesis, Ashley, as a robot drone and her crush, Gideon, as her love interest. Inevitably, worlds collide when Scarlett's fan fiction gets leaked, and she has to face up to reality. Scarlett's voice is smart and witty, laced with snarky pop-culture references and crackling one-liners %C3%A0 la Gilmore Girls ("Even after nine years of torture, though, Ashley's prettiness still stuns me like a manta ray... as if God designed her to provide a believable photo for catfishing people"). Like her beloved Lycanthrope High, Scarlett's story features a "diverse cast of wisecracking misfits" (Scarlett herself has a Jewish and Mexican background), respects its teenage audience, and perhaps cuts off too soon. As in Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, excerpts from Scarlett's fan fiction appear throughout, further highlighting the sharp-edged humor and questionable decision-making that make her such an entertaining narrator. Ages 12%E2%80%93up. Agent: Tina Wexler, ICM. (Apr.)