Thank you, NetGalley for an eARC of Kate in Waiting!

Wow, I wish dorky high school theatre kid me could've read this book. As always, Becky knows exactly how to get into the teenage mind and she portrayed the life of a theatre dork to a T. I loved the characters, and I love how casually diverse it is. It was a really cute, fun story and I'll probably read it again in the future.
The sucky thing about getting older is that I've started falling away from contemporary YA romances and that was one thing that I think kept me from enjoying this book as much as I could have. I would've absolutely loved this book if I'd read it three or four years ago, but reading it as an adult I think it just felt too YA for me if that makes sense. I also know Albertalli is the queen of pop culture references, but it felt like there were a lot of references, even for her, and to me, it kind of distracted from the story. That being said, Albertalli does know her target audience, and I know plenty of teens who like that sort of thing, so maybe I'm just getting old.
Anyway, this was still a pretty fun read and I'm excited to see what she writes next. If you've liked any of Albertalli's other books, you'll definitely enjoy this one!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3299455436

I love Becky Albertalli's writing. She manages to capture the tension and the new-ness of being young, but her characters never feel unrealistic or overly designed. I especially loved Kate in this novel. As a somewhat neurotic over-thinking, and wildly daydreaming 33 year old, I connected so strongly with Kate. Kate dreams of being in the spotlight, of singing and performing, but what she really loves is the structure of being on the stage. Social situations kind of stress her out and she's struggling with events from her past that make her question and doubt her own abilities. Even with the support from her friends, Kate still questions and doubts almost everything, which both felt very realistic for a 17-year-old, but also resonated with me as I could easily see myself and my past in her experience.

The other wrinkle in this novel, of course, is the romance! Kate and her best friend always have had concurrent crushes. Kate and Anderson spent the summer crushing over Matt, and when he shows up as a new student at their high school, suddenly, the summer crush becomes much more real. I especially enjoyed Albertalli's handling of two friends having the same crush. Without any spoilers, she managed to narratively thread the needle between realistic angst and also charming fictional drama. What was so important to me is that Kate and Anderson really tried to focus on their friendship above all else. As with life, it's not always easy, but they both have real emotional reactions but never forget that this relationship is important. It's charming, it's lovely, and it's ultimately very sweet.

As much as this is a novel with romance (and there is wonderful romance!), many of the relationships in the novel are platonic, but no less important. There's drama without it being overly stressful or anxious and, of course, it has a happy ending! Highly recommend it - another total win.

Albertalli has this amazing skill. She writes in a way that is so relatable, I’m transported back to my high school days. My story is not Kate’s story. But as a former theater kid, Kate’s story made me feel all the feels for my theater days. The perfect amount of a love triangle, the perfect amount of friendship, and all the good feels. Even when Kate’s love life seems like it’s falling apart, you know it’s going to be okay. Loved it! Can’t wait to share with my students!

I love, love, loved this book! Definitely one of my favorites by Becky Albertalli. It resonated with me so deeply as a recently-graduated theatre kid.

The only minor criticism I have of the book is the amount of teenage slang; it felt like a little too much than what teenagers normally use. To be fair, however, theatre kids are kind of like that, just a bit crazy.

Many thanks to Balzer + Bray and NetGalley for an early copy of Kate in Waiting! All opinions are my own.

Kate and her best friend, Anderson, have had "communal crushes" before and this time is no different. They both try to date the crush, but then things go awry for both of them. Do they get their happily ever afters? Check out the story to find out!

I enjoyed reading Kate in Waiting. It was a slower start for me and the shorter chapters were really weird at first. I did plow through 79% in one day (only sopped reading because I had to go to work the next morning). I kept waiting for the inevitable kiss between two of the characters. It was long and drawn out, which is not something I enjoy. I'm not a huge fan of the slow-burn writing style. The other thing that bothered me greatly was that the characters seemed very juvenile for juniors in high school. Maybe it's because I'm 25-years old and can't relate to them anymore. Their actions were a little childish at times and I definitely rolled my eyes a few times.

Honestly, none of these are something that Becky Albertalli did wrong. I have loved previous books of hers and will happily recommend Kate in Waiting to teens (probably slightly older teens with the number of vulgar words and sexual innuendos). It just wasn't the book for me even though the summary sounded very interesting.

The best-selling, award-winning author of Simon and the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Leah and the Offbeat is back with her latest YA novel! Kate Garfield and her best friend, Anderson Walker, are high school juniors who have communal crushes. It's their thing. But when their latest shared crush from drama camp ends up as a student at their high school, things get a little uncomfortable. Matt is sweet, funny, and is a theatre fan, just like they are. He's cast in the school production of Once Upon a Mattress as Kate's love interest; he's in the same drama class as Anderson, while Kate is left out. Kate and Anderson realize that this is not a usual passing crush, and have to figure out how to navigate these new waters while still maintaining their bestie status. There's great character development here, and discussions between Kate and Anderson touch on some sensitive points like being gay, out, and Black in the U.S. South; splitting a life between homes when one's parents are divorced, and images versus reality when it comes to "bro culture" (or, as they're often referred to in Kate in Waiting, "f-boys"). The dialogue is wonderful, realistic, and smart; friendships withstand ebbs and flows of daily teen life. It's just an all-around great YA novel that should be a big book this summer. Theatre kids will love the process of seeing a production come together, and teens will love the smart, funny writing that breaks your heart and puts it back together again.

Kate in Waiting has starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and made the Indie Next Great Reads list.

Very cute romance. I love the (sometimes unrealistic) main friendship. I love the banter and the subtle character growth. I don’t like the f boy aspect (more the overuse of the term and the lack of growth in that aspect)

This was a bit of a disappointment, and I almost have to wonder if it would feel like that if it weren't written by Becky Albertalli. On one hand, it had some of the great things I love about her writing; a focus on friendship, lovably awkward protagonists, great Jewish rep, moments that were very funny.

On the other, so much of the plot hinged on Kate and Anderson crushing on and eventually pursuing the same guy. The problem is that the guy in question was just...incredibly bland. I thought eventually there would be some indication as to why this guy is worth ruining a solid friendship over but there just wasn't any. Just two pretty nuanced characters fighting over white bread.

The other thing is that the first time Kate called someone a fuckboy it was pretty hilarious, the second to fifth times were a little less funny and by 6000th time I was ready to scream.

This was very readable but ultimately unimpressive and even annoying.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for an ARC of this book.

4.5 stars rounded up

The Good:
-Yeah, theatre nerds!
-Kate and Andy's relationship
-Kate and Noah's relationship
-Representation matters! A diverse mix of characters where their diversity isn't really central to the story.

The Not-So-Good:
-Not enough of the side characters. There could have been more of Brandie, Raina, Matt, and other people in the play.
-The use of the term fuckboy/f-boy was excessive. I don't care about bad language, but this term is used A LOT to describe a particular kind of jock and it just got a little old.

This is a book for the theatre nerds and I love it! I did stage crew in middle school and really regret not continuing in high school. There are tons of Broadway references beyond just the musical they are doing. I would make sure you are familiar with Once Upon a Mattress before you read this book so you understand what's happening from the play point of view.

My one complaint would be that we don't get enough of the side characters. Raina and Brandie are literally described as "the mom friends" and pop into the story sometimes, but we don't really get to know them other than Brandie has a boyfriend and Raina is trans. The communal crush Matt is also just sort of there to create the conflict. It would have been nice to have had some scenes from the summer camp they were all together just to get to know him a little better beyond "OMG he sings pretty and looks like a Coke-Ad model."

The heart of this book is the relationship between Kate and Andy, two friends who are coping with their communal crush going beyond a crush. How Kate and Noah's relationship grows is also realistic and adorable. I could not put this book down and would love a sequel from one of the side character's points of view. Mostly because if anything happens to the couples from this book I would freak out.

This book is Becky Albertalli at her finest. While I always say I don't like romance books, I think it's because they don't hold a candle to Albertalli's storytelling. Kate in Waiting is the new standard to which I will hold all romance novels.

Readers meet Kate, the adorably awkward thespian as she begins her junior year of high school. She and her best friend Anderson are anxiously awaiting their drama teacher to announce this year's musical. Just before the teacher emerges to make the announcement, the boy who both Anderson and Kate developed a mutual crush on at summer camp appears and shakes the foundation of what is shaping up to be a very interesting year.

Navigating this mutual crush, rehearsing for the musical, and establishing healthy boundaries between friends and family allows Albertalli to explore the full depth of Kate's character. Kate is endearing, and her awkwardness and painful junior high experiences are something all readers can relate to. It's what helps readers root for Kate as she works her way through the complexities of budding romantic relationships, heartache, and finding her way.

Becky Albertalli's writing is incredible and can turn a phone book into the best YA book of all time. This book started off so strong and I got bored for a hot second but that's because I got in a lull due to my mood but it was so wonderful and I could feel every emotion Kate had and was able to put myself in her shoes. I will never not read a book from Albertalli.

I really enjoyed this! It's a fairly quick read and one that feels a bit small in scope, but as with her past work, Albertalli's writing is strong and witty and feels accurate to current teens, and the characters are fully realized and portrayed with significant detail - the relationship between Kate and Ryan was a particular highlight for me. Kate as a main character felt relatable, I always love Albertalli's Jewish references, there was a lot of warmth in the portrayal of high school theater programs, and I really liked the development of the romance. I did think that the climactic argument was a bit too easily resolved - it certainly showed flaws in Kate but I didn't necessarily feel that they were really dealt with completely.

There are plenty of love triangle books or two friends crushing on the same person stories, but this one had such a bold and poignant appreciation of the friendship itself that in a lot of ways it felt more like that was the focus over the romance, so along with fans of Amy Spalding and Emma Mills and YA contemporary in general (and those for whom the Upside of Unrequited is a favorite), certainly recommend for readers looking for strong friendship narratives.

Even having been a theatre kid myself, I thought his was a little too overly dramatic and trying-too-hard. Kate and Anderson's friendship is not believable, and I'm really tired of the love triangle trope pitting supposedly ride-or-die friends against each other.

Becky Albertalli must have been a theatre kid herself, because this writing is SCARILY accurate. I did theatre all throughout high school and I can vividly remember myself in the rehearsals and set design spaces as these characters. It's honestly almost cringeworthy at times, how much of myself I see in Kate! The plot itself is sweet. Haven't all of us girls in theatre at some point had a crush on a boy in the cast who probably wasn't straight? I get how it feels, and that must be why I found it so easy to root for Kate.
I will say that the way the chapters are broken down (into "scenes") made it feel like forever before the story really got moving. Once things did pick up, of course I was invested - it just took me awhile to get there. Beyond that, Kate in Waiting had a lot of elements that I'm a sucker for: love triangles, good representation, pop culture references of all kinds. I loved it!

I also posted this review on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3915233518?book_show_action=false

I want to like her books; I really do. But I just don't like them. I cant' get into them. I've heard her speak a few times, and she's a sweetheart, but I just don't like her books.

Katie in Waiting really speaks to *this* former theater kid. It is a bit of a departure from Albertalli's previous books but not so much so that fans of the Simonverse won't also enjoy this fun book!
Kate and Anderson claim to not be codependent, but they definitely are, Their intense and complicated friendship is totally relatable.

I will preface what is going to be a 4 star review by saying I’ve enjoyed every Becky Albertalli book I’ve read, but they’ve never really “blown me away” or changed my life. Her latest one, Kate in Waiting, didn’t change my life either. But I laughed, and I cheered when two characters kissed, and it made me miss theatre, and that’s pretty much exactly what I needed. I don’t need a book to change my life—I just need it to make me feel SOMETHING for 300 pages.

Kate Garfield is a theatre girl, and she and her best friend, Anderson, are basically inseparable. They’re so insperable they even often have communal crushes: a guy that both of them have a crush on. Because Anderson is gay, but that doesn’t stop him and Kate from gushing over a cute boy. Cue: summer camp, the cute vocal consultant, and the eternal ‘what ifs’ because neither Kate nor Andy have the cajones to make a move.

On the first day of junior year, they’re supposed to be focused on the announcement of that year’s school musical, but they quickly get distracted when the doors open and guess who walks in? You guessed it, the cute vocal consultant, Matt. When all three of them–plus their squad a few others–get cast in the musical, things get complicated. How does a communal crush work when one of you has a scripted kiss with them? What about when he moves into your house due to a freak accident? And how do you balance friendship with flirting?

Of course, that’s not all–Kate’s a fascinating character, nerdy in the best ways but still a bit judgemental, who finds herself having to re-evaluate the “f boy” label she’s been applying to all of her brother’s jocky friends, because maybe he, and one friend in particular, aren’t as bad as the label may imply.

This book was CUTE! The school does Once Upon a Mattress–which is adorable, and it was fun knowing the show as it plays out on the page! Kate’s a fun character, even if I kind of hated Anderson at times. IDK, the friendship overlap felt exploitative to me at times. Like he didn’t like Kate growing into her own. Obviously, It all works out in the end, but there were times where I rolled my eyes a lot.

I won’t reveal who kisses who, but there was some real SWOONING throughout. Loved some cinnamon roll moments, ya know?

This book is a sweet little love letter to theatre and friendship and crushes, and I give it 4 stars!

This book was adorable. Kate and Anderson are friendship goals, and their interactions were honest and hilarious. Albertalli did a great job of creating teen characters that actually behaved like teens. Kate and Anderson's relationship with each other and their families felt realistic while being entertaining. Kate and Anderson's romantic adventures are perfectly written to make the reader root for the couples while given enough misdirection that it wasn't obvious from the beginning who the final pairings would be. The book is a fast-paced, fun, and funny read that I can't wait to recommend.

Disclaimer: I was a pretty big theatre nerd in high school, so I might have some deep bias about this book.

I LOVED this book. I don't remember the last time that I have stayed up late reading a book because I simply had to finish it. It is very rare for me anymore. Rarer still: I would read this again.

I thought the character development, setting, themes, emotional range, dialogue and just about everything felt accurate and realistic. And it was frankly refreshing to just have a book with a happy ending-I needed a happy ending. I shall stop my comments here so I don't descend into spoilers.

Side Note (possible SPOILER warning-or an un-spoiler): I'm apparently becoming a bit of nervous while reading YA books. At the end, when Anderson and Kate get in the car together, I was totally expecting a car crash/death. I think the more 'harsh' YA authors have broken my spirit.

For Libraries: Yes-please buy it!

This book brought me right back to being a theater kid in high school-it's clear that Becky Albertalli was also a theater nerd because everything about this book was just so realistic and relatable, and I loved it so much.

Granted, I'm not a teen myself anymore, but I've always thought that Becky Albertalli is fantastic at writing teens and teen dialogue realistically. Kate frustrated me a lot in this book, especially at the beginning when she is so judgemental about all the "f-boys" and everyone else in her school who isn't involved in the arts-but I know my dumb teenage self also had a lot of those same thoughts. Her character develops really well and really realistically throughout the novel, and I absolutely adored her friendship with Anderson.

Another one of Albertalli's strengths is writing romances. The two in this book were so adorable, and I honestly couldn't get enough of Kate's LI.

Definitely pick this one up when it's released!

*Thanks very much to the publisher for providing my copy of the book in exchange for my review!*