Hot Boy Summer

A queer found family struggles to navigate interpersonal drama in this meandering novel from Jiménez (Bloodline). The summer after his junior year in San Antonio, Mac Acosta is thrilled to finally have a group of gay friends: his current best friend Cammy; flamboyant, diva-worshiping Flor; and athletic Mikey. The goal is to maximize fun all summer, including going all-out at an Ariana Grande concert, for which Cammy offers to buy Mac’s ticket when Mac can’t afford it. But intentional snubs and backhanded compliments cause fissures within the group, and Mac grapples with these new dynamics alongside his long-standing friendship with Cammy, his reciprocated crush on Mikey, and his home life with his homophobic, conservative father. When former RuPaul’s Drag Race competitor Valentina announces a public event, it brings the quartet together, but things don’t go as planned. Friendship drama takes the forefront over explorations of issues such as Mac’s financial precarity. Still, Mac’s frenetic, slang-laden narration (“It’s a vibe and a moment. For the reals. And I’m sooo here for it, and I’m #sooo- verygagged”) is distinctive, infusing this summery romance with reality show flavor. Flor, Cammy, and Mac read as Latinx; Mikey is Filipino. Ages 14–up. (May)