Time and Time Again

Starred review from April 29, 2024
Two disabled former friends—both white and Jewish—reconnect and explore their feelings while stuck in a time loop in this heartfelt, pitch-perfect debut. In Lewiston, Fla., 17-year-old Phoebe has been stuck reliving August 6 for nearly a month. She worries that a wish she made during an intense IBS flare-up is why she’s trapped; now, she’s forever waiting for her anticipated appointment with a specialist whom she hoped wouldn’t dismiss her symptoms because of her weight. Everything changes when she encounters her former BFF, nonbinary and arthritic Jess, and discovers they’re also stuck. Horrified to learn that Phoebe hasn’t taken advantage of the “no consequences” aspect of the loop, Jess dubs themself a “certified fun guide” and pushes Phoebe into new activities, such as seeking revenge on a bully and hanging out
with Jess’s brother’s band. As their time together blossoms into romance, Phoebe’s comfort in the certainty of the loop’s events chafes against Jess’s sudden desire to break the loop. Via sparkling prose, Greenfield crafts a magnetic romance between two disabled teens that highlights the realities of their experiences, comforting reconnection, and ways in which anxiety can distort perception. Ages 13–up. Agent: Natascha Morris, Tobias Literary.

May 15, 2024
For Phoebe Mendel, it's been Aug. 6 for a month. That situation doesn't look like it will change any time soon. Trapped in a seemingly endless time loop that begins in the morning of that sweltering, miserable Florida day and ends with a major flare-up of her severe irritable bowel syndrome, Phoebe is miserable and lonely--until the arrival of childhood friend Jess Friedman. Jess, who's nonbinary and has oligoarthritis for which they use mobility aids, is a brash, fearless, and fun free spirit who is also trapped in the time loop. Determined to live each consequence-free repeated day to the fullest, Jess convinces Phoebe to embark on hijinks and adventures. The pair grow and change but cannot escape the complications of their usual lives and selves. Phoebe and Jess' slow-burn romance is carefully developed and believable--an opposites-attract connection that's built on shared experiences as disabled Jewish lesbians in an unwelcoming town. Greenfield captures well the existential horror of the loop while finding believable ways for the protagonists to seek enjoyment and growth within it, ensuring that familiar genre tropes don't feel stale. Often-passive Phoebe feels less vibrantly portrayed than the supporting cast; however, her struggles with pain, insecurity, and anxiety are sympathetically shown, and her role as a fat romantic lead coming into her own is much needed. The supporting cast includes queer and racially diverse characters. An original twist on a well-grounded romantic storyline. (Speculative romance. 13-18)

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June 1, 2024
Grades 9-12 Phoebe Mendel has been stuck in a rut ever since she found herself in a time loop, repeating Tuesday, August 6, over and over again. Every morning, she wakes up to a Dusty Springfield song as her mom makes the blueberry pancakes she knows Phoebe's IBS can't handle. Every day, she shares a weird look with former friend Jess and plays a Scrabble game with her dad and uncles before her gut gets wrecked again by her dad's chicken parmesan. After a full month of Tuesdays, something changes--Jess hits Phoebe with their car and then actually remembers it the next non-day. With all the time in the world and the knowledge that everything but their memories will reset at 6 a.m., they finally have a chance to have some fun and figure out why they were forced apart when they were younger. Greenfield's debut is a fun summer romp and romance starring a fat Jewish lesbian with an invisible disability and a physically disabled nonbinary Jewish lesbian in a world where time stands still.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2024

Gr 9 Up-Phoebe Mendel has long been stuck in a time loop where she's forced to live out the same mind-numbing day over and over again. When Phoebe gets side-swiped by a car driven by her estranged friend Jess (they/them), the monotony is finally broken. Suddenly, Jess and Phoebe find themselves trapped in time together. While Phoebe feels imprisoned within her predicament, Jess sees the loop as a possibility for adventure. As they try to fill their days with exciting and meaningful experiences, long-buried romantic feelings surface. Phoebe and Jess discover that, while the day remains the same, their relationship evolves with every second. Phoebe's chronic pain due to IBS is often trivialized due to external fatphobia, while Jess has oligoarthritis and uses mobility devices. Both characters are Jewish; Greenfield's debut is a disability narrative that also explores the experiences of non-Christian queer teens living in predominantly Christian neighborhoods. Phoebe and Jess's strong connection lies beyond mere attraction, as they also rely upon each other for a sense of community and belonging that they can't find elsewhere. VERDICT Readers will be invested in Phoebe's transformation into a more empowered and confident teen, and Phoebe and Jess make a compelling and fun-to-watch pair. A recommended purchase for libraries where teen romances circulate well.-Ingrid Conley-Abrams

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