The Getaway List

Recent high school graduate Riley Larson, 18, is dead set on leaving Falls Creek, Va. But after receiving rejections from all 10 colleges that she applied to, Riley is at a loss—not because she’s sad that she didn’t get in anywhere, but because she isn’t sad at all. Hoping to embrace spontaneity and rediscover herself outside of academia, Riley rebuffs her overscheduled life of extracurriculars and part-time jobs and, despite her mother’s protests, travels to New York City to reunite with her childhood best friend Tom, who moved there three years ago. Together with Tom’s memorably realized friend group, Riley determines to spend the summer checking off items on their cowritten Getaway List, which includes going camping, road-tripping, seeing their favorite band perform live, and singing at a karaoke bar. In this heartfelt ode to betting on oneself, Lord (Begin Again) enriches a familiar “bucket list” premise with leaps-off-the-page atmosphere and a lived-in setting. Introspective depictions of family, friend, and romantic relationships are riddled with humor and rambunctious energy in this inspired carpe diem romp through the city of dreams. Riley and Tom read as white. Ages 12–up. Agent: Janna Bonikowski, Knight Agency. (Jan.)