Gr 9 Up-Graham and Roxana have been best friends for eight years, ever since Roxy asked Graham what Hogwarts house he would be sorted into. They have grown together through various fandoms and into a love of comic books. So much so that they have teamed together to write their own comic. Once Graham learns that the creator of their favorite comic will make his first public appearance in 20 years at the New York Comic Con, Graham knows they have to go. He also decides this is the perfect opportunity to tell Roxy he loves her. But once Comic Con actually starts, nothing goes as planned, and Graham is left questioning his decision to confess his feelings. This is a quick and fun read. A majority of the story takes place over three days at the convention, with a cast of unique characters. There is a lot of talk about creating comics, writing fan fiction, and spending time on discussion boards. The back-and-forth between real characters and fake worlds may seem jarring to some readers, and the buildup to Graham's reveal takes too long for its quick resolution, which may leave some unsatisfied. VERDICT A good purchase for large public libraries.-Faythe Arredondo, Tulare County Library, CA © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Sixteen-year-old proud nerd Graham has an elaborate plan to profess his love for his best friend, Roxy, at New York Comic Con. When the weekend arrives, his efforts are continually thwarted. Despite his somewhat misguided grasps at Roxy's dwindling good graces, Graham is a mostly levelheaded, affable narrator whose cheerful embrace of geeky pop culture will appeal to like-minded readers. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Graham is in love with his best friend, Roxy he just isn't sure how to tell her. So when the author of their favorite comic-book series appears on the schedule of New York Comic Con, it seems like a sign. Unfortunately, during Comic Con weekend every romantic gesture Graham puts into motion gets crushed, leaving him to wonder if he'll ever be the geek to get the girl. Tash mixes just the right number of pop-culture references into her familiar teen love story, utilizing the Comic Con setting to truly set the novel apart. Though the predictability of certain plot points risks turning characters into stock high-schoolers, the realistic dialogue saves them. The story's pacing allows readers to feel as if they're experiencing the conference in real time, making Tash's lighthearted romance easy to get swept up in. This book will appeal to fans of geek culture, particularly those who have daydreamed about getting the guy or girl, all while wearing a cape.--Horan, Molly Copyright 2016 Booklist

Tash (Three Day Summer) captures the joy and pain of a 16-year-old writer pining over his best friend and comic book collaborator. Graham and Roxy have been close for years, sharing hopes, dreams, and an undying passion for all things geeky. Both are obsessed with Robert Zinc, the legendary and reclusive creator of their favorite comic. With New York Comic Con at hand, Graham wants to make everything perfect for Roxy so that he can declare his love for her. Nothing goes according to plan, of course, from a British hottie attracting Roxy's attention to a mob keeping them from getting tickets to Zinc's only panel. Closely paralleling the John Hughes movies Graham and Roxy love, the plot unfolds amid abundant references to geek culture (at one point, Graham stops a thief using a quote from The Princess Bride). As Tash introduces a cast of charming, goofy, and diverse characters, she uses the hopeful voice of a young man in the throes of first love to gently poke fun at fandom while celebrating the passion and camaraderie of the community. Ages 14-up. Agent: Victoria Marini, Gelfman Schneider. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

For Graham Posner, a geeky, bespectacled white teenager from Long Island, the love he feels for Roxana Afsari, the Persian girl next door, is as epic as Peter Parker's for Gwen Staceywithout the whole dying bit.A self-respecting comic-book devotee cannot simply blurt out his amorous feelings; the moment has to be hero-worthy, and Graham knows that New York Comic-Con during a Q-and-A with their favorite comic creator is the perfect opportunity. How to make that epic moment happen is the subject of Tash's witty third novel (The Mapmaker and the Ghost, 2012, etc.), and what follows is an unabashed love letter and delightful inside joke for comic enthusiasts who were fans long before Hollywood made geek culture chic. The author perfectly captures the earnestness and grandiose sentiment of a love-struck teenager whose life is fueled by and intertwined with geek culture, and the narrative's diverse cast is a testament to comic books' universal appeal. Teen issues such as violating curfew on a school night or missing out on coveted tickets to an event receive the same gravitas with which the X-Men save the world and race home in time for dinner. Best of all, the novel captures the joyous spirit of Comic-Con and fantasy's ability to provide its devotees with a community through which to contextualize their joys and sorrows.A lighthearted and engaging romp for anyone who loves Spidey and Gwen's upside-down kiss in the rain. (Fiction. 13 up) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.