I Was Born for This

In this immersive, character-driven drama, Oseman (the Heartstopper series) thoughtfully highlights the cost of celebrity on one’s mental health alongside the ways in which online fandoms can both build community and fan the flames of obsession and parasocial behavior. Eighteen-year-old Iranian-cued Fereshteh “Angel” Rahimi is meeting her online best friend, white-cued Juliet, for the first time IRL; they’re set to spend an epic week together, culminating in a concert by mega-popular boy band The Ark. After arriving in London, however, Juliet reveals she has also invited her crush, sidelining Angel. Meanwhile, Ark’s front man, Indian and Italian 19-year-old Jimmy, struggles to keep his trans identity private from fans and manage his anxiety—especially when a photo of him and Black-cued bandmate Rowan goes viral, ostensibly supporting the popular theory that they are secretly a couple. When Angel and Jimmy’s lives suddenly converge, the two teens grapple with their respective internal struggles while offering mutual support. Employing even pacing, enticing alternating perspectives, and a cinematic writing style that continually builds tension, Oseman capably explores myriad facets of experience, spanning gender and sexual identity, ethnicity, and religion. Ages 14–up. Agent: Claire Wilson, RCW Literary. (Oct.)