Sources Say is a young adult contemporary standalone by author Lori Goldstein. I thought this book was a lot of fun, park high school hijinks, part revenge competition between exes, and part mystery. Sources Say is about a high school power couple that recently split up. For various individual reasons, they each find themselves running for student council president. When they find out that their ex is running, it makes them each step up their games in a big big way. I really enjoyed this high school election that was also shrouded in a fun mystery. 

Sources say is told in multiple points of view, including sisters Angie and Cat, Angie's ex boyfriend Leo and a great cast of supporting characters surrounding them. I loved that there were so many characters because that meant there were multiple different storylines we were following. There is obviously the tension between Angie and Leo as they run against each other, but there was also a good focus on Cat as she ran the school's newspaper as newly appointed editor in chief, as well as the interaction of the strained sister relationship between Cat and Angie. Lori Goldstein managed to pack a lot into this novel, and I loved all of the layers and themes woven in. 

Sources Say was a bit immature at times, but I wouldn't really expect anything else from the revenge prank election that it turned into. And it wasn't off-putting to me. I thought all of the characters acted very age appropriate. The mystery of who created the pictures of the "frankengirls" and who was behind the online newspaper- the shrieking Violet were fun additions to the story as well. I wasn't really expecting much of a mystery element when I first started reading the book, but it because a pretty big plotline. 

if you are a fan of standalone young adult rivalry stories, I think you will really enjoy Sources Say. I found this to be a very fun and satisfying read. It even managed to surprise me with a few of the reveals!

It seems like the 2020 election will never end, even as President-elect Biden’s inauguration draws nearer. Even though we all have election fatigue, it’s still important to be politically aware and responsible consumers of media.

Enter Lori Goldstein’s Sources Say, a young adult novel focused on a contentious high school election between two exes. Caught in the middle is a reporter, the sister of one of the candidates, attempting to do her best at covering everything truthfully and fairly.

Sources Say is a fun and easy read for readers of all ages to learn more about the realities of misinformation and politics in an accessible environment. The characters are likable and easy to grasp on to and the romantic plot is compelling. Though at times the plot devices and framework can feel a bit gimmicky, they work well within the overall story for a unique twist on social media and news.

I started off by really enjoying this, there was something about the small town setting and sisters that I was really drawn to. As the book progressed however I quickly fell out of love with it. That's not to say that the book doesn't take some time to look at the bonds of sister through the lens of a high pressured Student Council election, it's just that as the book went on I started to care less and less. At times the book felt too focused and not expansive enough, which feels odd to say considering the genre, but even with the slight mystery elements I never really felt like the scope of the story was really wide enough for the reader to actively engage with it and instead was expected to wait for the story to unfold in a rather bland way. The twists that the book concludes with were also odd, feeling more like a hard stop only to then start again and then eventually turn into a rather sad downhill slide to the end of the book.

If there was a saving grace of the novel I did think that Cat and Emmie had an interesting dynamic, I thought that in some ways that relationship was the best develop. There were definitely times were I found that Cat and Emmie had more chemistry than Cat and her actual love interest. 

As for how the book actually ends it feels more Saturday made for tv movie than I personally would have liked. I'm certain that there is an audience for this book, and based on the synopsis I thought I was in that number but after having finished the story I find myself wishing that I had chosen to leave this one on the shelf.

This wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't the book for me. There were a lot of aspects that I enjoyed but I lacked emotional investment in this story and the characters. With that in mind, I lost interest in the story part way through and didn't really care about what was going on. There were aspects I enjoyed, but nothing that made me emotionally invested in the story itself.

Of the things that I did enjoy in this book, I liked the political commentary. I thought the school's election was an interesting concept that was well put together. I liked that Angeline was a social media influencer. I thought that was an interesting touch and I enjoyed seeing how it shaped her narrative. Then, the book felt very atmospheric.

Otherwise, I don't have a lot more to say on this one. I wasn't emotionally invested and because of that it took away a lot of my enjoyment for the story. I wasn't very concerned with who won the election, or the truth behind Leo and Angeline's relationship. None of the book really grabbed me and held me in it. I'm honestly really sad about this! I was hopeful going into it, and now sad that it didn't get me emotionally invested at all.

This was a cute story about romance, rivalry, and I enjoyed reading it. The drama seemed a little over the top at times, but I was rooting Angeline and Leo to get together. The "Frankengirls" issue was definitely something that I felt needed to addressed more seriously instead of being used as ammunition during a student council election, but I found it a fascinating part of the story. I will also say that I was surprised at how much more of a main character Cat was, because the summary didn't seem to indicate she would be a major character. It was a more palatable storyline for me because I could identify with her and her actions more than I could Angeline. Overall, it was a cute story that I think teens will love if they're looking for a fun romantic comedy.

I really wanted to love this one, because the plot sounded amazing, but for some reason I just couldn’t fully get into it. I’m not sure if it was the writing style or that the characters fell a little flat for me, but I just couldn’t get into. Angelica just seemed way too self-centered for me to really like her, and I couldn’t connect with Kat at all.  And honestly I thought it would be a dual POV between the couple, and be their perspective for a second chance romance type of trope. That’s on my for not realizing though. The one thing I did like was the sister relationship and how ghat developed.

Angeline and Leo are both popular students at their charter school, are running for student council, and… they are exes. With all eyes watching and school media weighing in, this is a timely story.

While the premise is promising, I had trouble liking both self absorbed main character Angeline and her judgemental sister Cat. Given that this story alternates between each sister’s point of view, connecting with this story was a challenge for me. I did appreciate the development of the sister relationship over time as well as the very real subjects of taking one’s right to vote seriously and discerning spin vs. fact based news.

I’m not really big into reading contemporary books but Penguin Teen sent it to me and I decided to give it a shot. It was interesting enough but at times, I found myself skimming to get through chapters. I can’t say that I particularly loved any of the characters that much because I didn’t feel like I knew them enough. I did love the concept of this book but I did not enjoy the end product as much as I hoped for.

This book did take me a while to get through because I was not super invested in it. I didn’t dislike the book but I do not think I will read it again and the story probably won’t stick with me.

Student Council elections at Acedia Charter School have never been a big deal. But after a very public and nasty break up, Leo and Angeline, two of the most popular kids in school, begin running for President against each other. Angeline's sister Cat, runs the school's newspaper and tries to cover the two opposing parties platforms without bias, but then an anonymous news source called The Shrieking Violet changes the playing field. As things get more personal as the days tick down to election day, the student body becomes engaged in the race like never before. Thus begins The Battle of the Exes. 

I wanted to like this more than I did... although it was entertaining at times, I was never fully invested in the story or the characters. I felt as though I was reading just for the sake of finishing the book. I was not a fan of either sister, or their attitudes. Angeline was a popular vlogger, but was extremely self-centered and narcissistic, constantly obsessing over her subscribers and how many likes she could get on her next post. I liked Cat more than Angeline, but I still never really cared for her much. I did like how the sisters relationship developed as the story progressed though, it was nice to watch them grow closer to one another. I liked Leo for the most part, but again, never cared that much about him or his "struggles". My biggest complaint would be the length of the book, I think it could have been shorter and still got the same points across.

I was very excited for the premise of this one, but unfortunately just couldn't get into the the writing style or voice.  I think this is a case of not-for-me so I hope others will enjoy it more!

In a run for class president.... 
the story should be perfect but it fell a bit flat for me. The two main characters were sisters and they were just terrible. Angeline was a narcissist while Kat was whiny and very self-centered. The supporting characters were much better for the plot. Leo was much more likable as he wanted the best for the school. Maxine was a great developer and deserves more of a role.

I loved the idea for the plot of this book. But unfortunately it was not the book for me. I just couldn’t connect with the characters at all.

Sources Say is a fun yet also surprisingly timely YA contemporary about two exes running for Student Council President at their charter high school. It follows Angeline, an aspiring lifestyle influencer who is pushed into student council by her mom who wants her to have something “academic” to put on her college applications that finds herself going head-to-head with her ex-boyfriend Leo, and her sister Cat, who compensates for her childhood developmental delays by maintaining a 4.0 GPA and taking charge of the school newspaper. I really liked the dynamic between Cat and Angeline, and as someone who also had developmental delays as a child and spent my adolescence (and my early adulthood now, I won’t lie) overachieving in order to compensate, I really appreciate the representation.

A student-council election may seem low-stakes, but given that this is an election year (in the U.S.), Sources Say is pretty timely. Under the direction of a borderline-annoyingly enthusiastic government teacher, there is not only an election but a primary, and we get to see how that plays out on a smaller, more accessible scale. I was a senior in high school during the 2016 election season, and I really wish that a book like Sources Say had existed to help me understand how elections actually work. On Cat’s end, she’s reporting about the election, which shines light on bias in the media. She struggles to remain neutral as an online publication popular with her classmates, The Shrieking Violet, brazenly attempts to smear her sister Angeline’s campaign, which adds a nice layer of high school drama to the story without veering into melodrama territory. I liked seeing Cat and Angeline come together to figure out who’s behind The Shrieking Violet–Angeline is quick to blame Leo (who is a great unlikeable character, by the way), but the answer is a lot more nuanced than that. I thoroughly enjoyed this story about politics, integrity, and following one’s dream.

(Also, this book is set in Metro Boston, and as a Bostonian I was dying laughing at all of the references).

Sources Say had so much potential at the start, with a great concept, but overall it fell flat for me. I liked that the story centered around two sisters but I thought it was poorly executed, mainly because both sisters were horrible characters. Angeline was vain and narcissistic. Kat was whiny, pretentious, and incredibly self-centered. I liked the supporting characters far more. Leo, Angelines opponent in the race for class president was genuine and just wanted the best for the school. Maxine, Angeline’s best friend was a cool developer and deserved much more of a plot.

I requested and was granted access to this book in order to conduct an interview with author Lori Goldstein. This interview can be found below. 

1. Sources Say is an incredibly timely novel that explores issues like the importance of political engagement, journalistic integrity, questioning authority, accountability in leadership and more. Publishing a book can be quite a slow process, with years often passing from writing to publication. Did you know when you began drafting the novel that it would be this relevant to our current political and social landscape? What do you hope young readers will take from it?

You are 100% right that publishing a book is something that takes a lot of patience! Normally, the writing and publishing of a book can be a two-to-three year process on the short side. This book was very different in that I had the upside (and the downside!) of a very quick turnaround time from when I first pitched this idea to my editor to what would become its publication date. We knew we wanted another timely YA contemporary to release in 2020 as my follow-up to Screen Queens, which released in June 2019 and tackles #MeToo in Silicon Valley. While this idea of writing about journalism had been in my head for a while, the timing was just right for coalescing my random notes and thoughts into an actual novel. This meant an extremely tight deadline for writing the novel, but it also meant that I could play on what was going on in the world and specifically in the US and know that it would still be timely when it came to the novel hitting bookshelves.


2. Cat takes her job as the newly-appointed editor-in-chief of the school’s newspaper, The Red and Blue, very seriously and hopes to grow its readership, but struggles to compete with The Shrieking Violet, another publication that largely shares fake news stories composed of clickbait headlines, half-truths and outright lies. As a result, Sources Say includes a number of interesting conversations about ‘fake news’ and journalistic integrity and argues that the audience shares in the responsibility to evaluate and question the media they consume. Do you have any advice for young readers as to how best to fact-check or otherwise determine the accuracy of what they read on social media or online?

This is such a complex issue but was actually part of the inspiration for the novel so it is something I continue to think about. Not long ago, I was having a somewhat lively discussion (argument?!) with my nephews. We were talking about the pros and cons of things like Reddit and using social media as a way to get your news. With myself, his uncle, and his mother all having journalism degrees, we clearly had a strong, dare I say, old-school viewpoint on this issue! But as we talked further, I became fascinated by the notion of how we now get our news — adults, but especially teens. How do we know what sources are “trust-worthy”? Is it simply a matter of who’s been around the longest — places like The New York Times and The Washington Post and The Atlantic. I do believe these veritable institutions hold much value in being relied upon as they’ve had a tremendous amount of experience at being held accountable and have instituted best practices as a result. And yet it would be naïve and a disservice to some of the newer, less traditional but equally reliable outlets to say that’s the only way or the only types of places reporting accurate and fair news — or that those institutions always do so themselves. Every news outlet should be held to the same standard of evaluation. I believe ultimately the outlets have a responsibility to be transparent in how the information they are relaying has been gathered. As consumers of news, we have a responsibility to seek this out, to understand the difference between a transparent named source and an anonymous social media handle. I think this is a conversation that needs to continue happening, and I’m so happy to hear that it’s being integrated into some school curriculums. We need more of that.


3. One of the things I loved most about Sources Say is how unapologetically ambitious and passionate all of the female characters are. Cat is editor-in-chief of the school newspaper and dreams of working as a serious journalist at a publication like The New York Times or The Washington Post, Angeline is a hard-working influencer with a successful and beloved YouTube channel, and Emmie takes concrete steps to realize her goal of a future in political leadership. Did you have to do a great deal of research to accurately capture their respective passions and professions and what did you dream of doing when you were Cat, Angeline and Emmie’s age? What’s one dream you’ve worked hard to successfully achieve?

Thanks so much for this great question! The strength of Cat, Angeline, and Emmie is something I do hope readers see and internalize — along with their flaws. Ambition can be a tricky thing. When you want something so much, it can be tempting to inch over the line that you cannot and should not cross. I want readers to see that in these young women and see how each one grows as a result of their choices and experiences. Fortunately, as a former journalist, including in high school, I was able to draw on my own life for my inspiration for Cat. For Angeline and Emmie, I did do a lot of research into female influencers and politicians to absorb where those passions come from and how to best represent them in those characters.

After spending much time as a kid wanting to be an actress on the soap operas my grandpa watched and loved (!), I transitioned in high school to wanting to write. Then I thought it would be in journalism, and that’s what I pursued in college and in the years after. However, I truly didn’t find my writing passion until I entered the world of fiction books. Writing, becoming an author, is the dream I’m still working on, even now with my fourth book releasing. There’s always more to achieve, more readers to find, more books to write, which you have no guarantee will be bought, published, and find their readers (and unfortunately sales are the only way publishers will often buy your next book). I’ve worked extremely hard to learn the craft of novel writing (an education that fortunately never ends), but also the business of publishing, which includes hats of marketing, publicity, and even public speaker at events and festivals. There are highs and lows, but it’s the dream I’m fortunate to have seen become a reality. And I have many more goals in this space to pursue.


4. Speaking of ambition, there are moments in the novel when Cat, Angeline and Emmie are forced to question the lengths they’re willing to go to achieve their dreams, and the danger of having these goals consume their identity or have a negative impact on other aspects of their lives, like their relationships with friends and family. For example, Angeline and Leo’s relationship ends prior to the beginning of the novel because Angeline’s desire to further her career as an influencer causes her to break Leo’s trust. Leo’s relationship with his mother is also strained, as he feels he like a lower priority when compared to his mother’s political campaign for congress. As a professional writer, can you share any strategies you might have learned that help you balance your profession with other aspects of your life that are equally important? What it is like to have one of your passions also double as your profession?

As you’ve astutely highlighted, this idea of passion, ambition, and personal life is one that I deal with every day. And as authors, our own concerns, thoughts, and ideas always seem to find their way into our writing even if the way it lands on the page is not exactly a mirror of our own struggle. Writing is a tremendously rewarding career, but part of what makes that so — finishing novels, selling to a publisher, finding and connecting with readers — is far from a guarantee. It is a profession where you can put years of work into a project that does not leave your hard drive. Financially, of course, that has immense implications, but it also can be difficult on one’s ability to maintain optimism, which is required to embark on that next project. A few things keep me going, but one of the biggest is having a support team. Family, friends, fellow authors to share the highs and the lows. To tell you that, yes, you are setting unreasonable goals for that daily word count. That some days you need to just put the laptop aside and go for a walk. The story will be there when you return. Being ambitious means at times you can have a tunnel-vision focus that means “life” takes a backseat. I think one thing I’ve gained during the pandemic is perspective on that. I’m doing my best to have a much better work-life balance. To give myself time for things outside writing, be it my paid job of creative writing teaching or feeding my creativity by painting a room or rearranging furniture! I can’t say I succeed every day, but I am trying, and that’s the best we can do sometimes.


5. Ms. Lute, the new government teacher and student council advisor, is a really inspiring figure in the story, as her infectious enthusiasm, subtle guidance and thoughtful questions help to underline the importance and power of one’s vote and having one’s voice heard. Did you ever have a similar mentor figure in your own life and, if so, is there anything you learned from them that you still treasure to this day?

I am so glad you asked this! Ms. Lute is loosely based on my college journalism professor (even her name is a nod to his). I’m still in touch with this professor to this day, years and years later. He was instrumental in me majoring in journalism and making that my first career. I was a shy kid, not a public speaker, and I had to learn to deal with that when I became editor in chief of my college newspaper. His belief in me helped me find the strength and belief in myself. He has the biggest and warmest smile of anyone I’ve ever met. His joy at seeing his students succeed is one of the truest emotions I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing. It reminds me every day to find that joy — and reflect it for others.


6. We see a number of cases of harassment directed at the female characters throughout Sources Say, culminating in the creation of the “Frankengirl”, a disturbing and dehumanizing assortment of girls’ body parts that have been photoshopped to create an image of “the perfect girl” that’s distributed to the entire student body. Angeline and Cat’s school does nothing to identify who is responsible or hold them accountable, and this is one of the primary issues of Angeline’s platform when running for student council president, advocating for increased governance by their peers and creating the hashtag #MoreThanOurParts and #MoreThan. What do you think about teens participating in activism?

I am inspired by what so many teens are doing, most recently in the Black Lives Matter protests. From big cities to small towns, teens are often leading the charge, standing up for what they believe even in the face of pushback and outright harassment and bullying. I honestly do not know if I’d have been as strong as a teen, which makes me even more in awe of students speaking up, supporting one another, and pushing for change. I am proud of this generation and to see what they will continue to do.


7. Let’s have some fun! Prior to the beginning of Sources Say, the former seniors at Angeline and Cat’s school glued a lawn chair with a lifelike sloth holding a sun visor to the roof of the school and set up a webcam that live-streamed “Slothy” on YouTube. Did you ever participate in or see any memorable pranks when you were a student?

Hahaha! No! That shy kid I was would have never participated. And my high school was actually pretty tame on the prank front. I had a lot of fun googling school pranks though to find inspiration for the ones in the book. Slothy and the lawn chair on the roof, though, was entirely my own creation! I do not endorse nor recommend!

Sources Say is an empowering novel based around a student election between two exes, women’s issues, and two students newspapers. Angeline Quinn is a social media influencer running for student body president to be able to attend a workshop for influencers, while her sister: Cat, is the editor in chief for the student newspaper. Angeline’s ex, Leo Torres, decides to run against Angeline, causing some classic tension. Along the way, an incident occurs where girls are objectified, tension between the exes escalates, and a new newspaper makes it its duty to spread false information. Sources Say is is a fantastically paced novel following the importance of having a voice, using it, and making change.

I absolutely adored the characters, although I found Angeline to be a bit unlikable. Cat was definitely my favorite because she had a lot of depth, but Angeline showed true development near the end. The sisterly relationship in this book was another aspect I loved. The plot really developed the characters, so the movement of the story was very flowy.

As an additional note, the articles, tweets, and text messages were all wonderful add-one to the story that made me feel in touch with the story. 

Sources Say is a must-read for people seeking out a book exploring politics, women’s issues, and complex character relationships.

I was excited to see this tour opportunity come across, because I loved Lori’s last novel, Screen Queens, and couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one. What a delight it was, and it comes at a perfect time to remind young people of the power of their voices.

Cat and Angeline are about as different as two sisters could be, despite being born only 11 months apart. Cat is intensely interested in journalism, having learned all about it at her grandfather’s knee, and is focused on “just the facts.” Angeline has a substantial social media presence and is a popular vlogger. Cat is mostly a loner, while Angeline has a group of girls with whom she is close -- much closer than she is with her sister, for sure. They definitely rub each other the wrong way and have some significant issues, so I was glad to see their relationship progress through the course of the book. 

The most important thing I took away from the book is that all of us, including young people, have both the right *and* the responsibility to use our voice as citizens, whether that be citizens of our country/state/city or of our school community. All involved in the story come to realize the power of their voice -- whether in speaking out against injustice or in casting their vote for student council president. They also learn that they should be responsible and active consumers of information, whether that is found in traditional, “mainstream” media or on social media. 

Sources Say is a timely and relevant book: the importance of good journalism, responsible and informed consumption of media, and using one’s voice are all lessons pertinent to America in September 2020! I hope you’ll pick this one up and share it with the young people in your life.

Rating: 4 stars!

**Disclosure: I received an early e-copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book.

I really liked this book! Originally, I was expecting to hate the character Angeline, but It think she had a really wonderful character development.

I loved this so much! The relationship between Cat and Angeline develops and grows in a way that I never expected. There is so much depth to the characters and the relationships that are created in this book. The writing was written in a much more mature way than I had expected for a YA novel and I loved it so much!

Young adult novel Sources Say has exes Angeline Quinn and Leo Torres pitted against each other for the student council president position. And Cat, Angeline’s sister, is there to report on all the happenings in the Red, White, and Blue. Cat reports the latest election news in a very professional way, unlike the Shrieking Violet which clearly has a biased opinion and backs Leo Torres.  Who will come out the victor in this political race?

I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I expected nothing but a bunch of teenage drama (which there was) but there was a lot of important issues discussed as well. @lorigoldsteinbooks brilliantly weaves in important, real-world issues while also delivering a great YA drama. This was the first YA book I found myself highlighting so many great passages like, “At leadership camp, we’re taught that when we enter positions of authority, we have a responsibility to be honest and accurate. Because those who hold higher positions are automatically perceived as more trustworthy. There’s a bias toward those in charge, that they should be believed.” We see this right now happening in our world today! Here’s one more great line that I really loved! “But the problem with lies and exaggerated truths is that sometimes people follow because they are too weak to trust themselves. We’re all responsible at some point for something. For not questioning or for not standing up or four taking the easy way out.” WOW!! Goldstein delivers the truth that so many need to read. Especially during an election year! This one gets 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 stars and is a great YA drama with lots of truth seeds planted within!