Kate in Waiting is such a charming little book. Although at this point I am a few years removed from high school, Becky Albertalli continues to hit the nail on the head and send me back to my own high school performing arts days. I mean that in the best way because she reminds me why I loved being a part of that scene without forcing me to relive more unpleasant memories that I'm sure we've all had. Kate and her friends all feel like real teenagers I'd encounter in a high school: funny, awkward, and very imperfect. I loved this book!

I will read anything Becky Albertalli writes, so I was thrilled to get my hands on an early digital copy of Kate in Waiting. This book was definitely up my alley in terms of the musical theater aspect and I enjoyed the story overall.

I liked Kate's friendship with Anderson a lot. It made me wish I had a gay best friend in HS instead of having to wait until adulthood, but things were different in the nineties and I had no idea one of my closest male friends was gay until the end of that decade. I loved all the theater stuff, which goes without saying, even though I'm not as familiar with the musical they chose. (Maybe I should finally get around to seeing it.)

The story was kind of predictable, but that's just from me reading way too many books. I also wish it had alternated between Kate and Anderson's point-of-views, but maybe that would have given more spoilers, unless things were done in a different way. I usually prefer when Becky writes romance from an LGBTQ perspective, but she still does a great job regardless.

This was a cute and fun novel, perfect for an uplifting read.

I normally don't cast YA novels, but I will make an exception for Becky!
Kate: Oona Laurence
Anderson: Alkoya Brunson
Matt: Owen Joyner
Noah: Anthony Keyvan
Brandie: Jenna Ortega
Raina: Josie Totah

Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli is a YA book about teenage friendships. Kate and Anderson are best friends, and they end up both really liking the new guy at school. Will their friendship survive? I really enjoyed this book and its emphasis on the importance of friendship and communication. My main complaint is the use of the term "f-boy," which the author insisted on using repeatedly. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

This was an incredible novel! Becky never fails to disappoint and I can’t wait to tell my students about this when it’s out!!! Despite having outgrown Becky's stories, I still found myself unable to stop reading and blazed through it in a day. Andy and Kate were so wholesome and I loved the whole cast of characters. The play format of the story made this a relatively predictable story but I think that's what made it so speedy to read. I knew what was coming and I was excited to see the reveal!

Purchased this YA/middle grade novel for my middle school library. Superb character development, elegant world building, and compelling plotting.

In true Becky Albertalli fashion this story is sweet and heartfelt. You immediately fall in love with the characters and root for their happiness. Kate in Waiting tells the story of best friends Kate and Andy as they traverse through communal crushes and high school theater. Their merry band of friends is diverse, witty, and as I feel about all theater kids -- supportive and quirky. The rest of the ensemble, swoon-worthy Matt, Kate's brother older Ryan, and misunderstood Noah round out the characters and make you want to yell "Bravo and Break a leg" to them all. The parents are honest and loving and the teachers are sometimes clueless, but always kind and note worthy. Though there is quite a bit of language in the book, it is never used maliciously and is probably more common than this reader is used to hearing in the high school hallways. This is a must read for all Becky Albertalli fans and a must read for anyone wanting a rom-com friendship story that will leave them smitten and yearning for someone to be lantern worthy of their love!

The book follows Kate Garfield and her best friend Anderson Walker. The two enjoy crushing on the same boys from afar. But then the two fall hard for the same boy, which of course, causes some friction in their relationship. I don't know, the characters just didn't feel super believable to me.

Not my favorite Albertalli book, but I still enjoyed it.

I'm a fan of Albertalli's work so when I heard about the new book I was excited to read it. It did not disappoint, the characters were super fun and I loved the story idea. Really good!

I am a huge fan of Becky Albertalli's books. She writes such fun YA stories that include diverse casts of characters, witty dialogue, and budding romances. Kate in Waiting has all of this, plus a flair for the dramatic!

Best friends Kate and Andy love to obsess over guys who are out of their league. Their latest communal crush is Matt, a vocal consultant at their summer camp, who they've pined over all summer. When they begin their Junior year of high school they are shocked to meet the new kid in town...none other than communal-crush-Matt! Can their friendship survive as both friends compete for Matt's attention?

Be sure to check out this five-star read when it releases on April 20th!

Favorite quotes:
-"You can tell a lot about a teacher's desperation level from how quickly he resorts to worksheets. It's the third day."
-I'm allergic to making choices."

Becky Albertalli is genius at creating characters that are relatable and compelling. Kate in Waiting was all I was hoping it would be: nerdy, sweet, angsty, romantic, and compelling. There is depth to the characters that seem like stereotypes but show that no one is only a theater geek, f-boy/girl, or anyone in between. Kate, a self-proclaimed theater geek, is thrilled when she is given a major role in the school's musical. Kate's best friend, Andy, is given the lead role. And Kate and Andy's crush is given the role of Kate's beau in the musical--a coop for Kate! But is it? The compelling characters and wonderful story build and the reader cannot put the book down!

3.5 stars

This was a really cute story, but perhaps I'm getting to old for this type of YA.

BFFs Kate and Anderson Walker are super close and often like the same guys. This has never been an issue because of their agreed-upon code, but when Matt comes in the picture, things start getting sticky.

The writing was great and I thought the characters were well-developed. These teens had a surprising level of interpersonal insight while still making normal teen mistakes and experiencing miscommunications. Overall solid contemporary YA. .

KATE IN WAITING is the high school theatre tribute that we all deserve. Kate and Anderson do everything together - classes, summer camp counseling, and even crushing on cute boys. When a mutual crush from over the summer moves to their town, Kate and Anderson have to learn how to be their own people, all while dealing with high school, the school play (I'm sorry Leanna, I mean *musical*), and family drama. Becky Albertalli does it again with KATE IN WAITING.

I feel so lucky to have been approved for this title—thank you! I devoured this book. I’ve always loved Becky’s stories but she out did herself on this one.

While I enjoyed the story line, I did feel like it was very predictable. I also was turned off by the number of "f-boy" references, and I am generally not a prude about language. The main character needed a bigger awakening at the end about how judgmental she had been toward the athletes at her school, even if some were deserving of the nickname.

Something about this title didn't click for me. While I have loved everything Becky has written before, this just wasn't it for me, but maybe it was due to the time I read it? I may re-visit this book in a year or two. I will still recommend it to students and know that they will love it, though.

Hello my name is Avery, and once upon a time……..not very long ago……before I fell for the world of words and writing and books; at 15, I was convinced someday I’d be bringing home a Tony Award. I WAS A HARD-CORE, HIGH-SCHOOL THEATRE NERD.

Enter, center stage: KATE IN WAITING, by Becky Albertalli. The immersive world of high school theater in one YA book.

I've seen YA books where theatre is highlighted or touched upon, but in KATE IN WAITING, you are sucked into every aspect. Rehearsals. Improv games. Love triangles backstage. The “cult” that really is theatre, a quiet hub hidden away from the rest of the school. Couples making out in the lighting booth. Cast parties. And especially, the *intense* raw emotion, that comes with being a theatre kid.... is so authentic and real in this book.

✨“Maybe wisdom doesn’t have to shatter the earth. It just need to feel true.” ✨

Just like this quote from the book (one of my favorites) - the story didn’t necessarily shatter the earth. It is about Kate her best friend Anderson (WHO HAVE THE CUTEST friendship of all time, btw) — and what happens when the two of them are crushing on the same guy.

I wanted to be surprised, but never really was. The drama is primarily centered around a love triangle, and honestly, I cared more about other aspects of the book: like Kate and her brother, Kate’s future, the theatre world, etc. But it was true. It made me laugh. It made my heart warm. And last week, that’s just what I needed.

Kate in Waiting comes out 4/20/21 and I can’t wait for u to all experience the theatre magic 🎭 (YOU ALL BETTER DM ME ONCE YOU READ IT!!!)

Thank you @balzerandbray @harpercollins & @netgalley for the free eArc!

Oh my gosh what a treat! I held onto this book because I couldn’t wait to read it and wanted to do so at the perfect time. I LOVE BECKH ALBERTALLI and every world she creates and this was no exception. What a treat. I loved the characters and every single Tangled reference.

Seriously, read this book when you can! A tale of friendship and first loves, all with a theatre backdrop - I loved it! Also, there's some really good comments on relationships that resonated with me and I have highlighted, but can't share. Definitely read if you've read her other books!

ARC graciously provided by NetGalley.

Drama, romance and the theater... all things that take me right back to high-school. Albertalli has created some wonderful YA protagonists in Simon and Leah, and with Kate she continues to create realistic high school students dealing with life. I enjoyed the story and the backdrop of a high school musical. When Kate and her bestie, Anderson, are crushing on the same boy, things get complicated. With a lively cast of characters and relatable issues, this was another good read by Albertville! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved Becky Albertalli's previous novels. This one was very good, though I didn't feel the same spark I did while reading about the adventures of Simon or Leah. I'm somewhat glad to see that Kate's opinion of some of the baseball players was off base, as sometimes, athletes can be depicted a little too one-dimensionally in YA novels, especially ones where theater kids take (ahem) center stage. Kate was, at times, self-absorbed, which could be frustrating, but is not unrealistic. She seemed to care much more about herself than Andy's happiness, and overcoming that was the real struggle she needed to endure - not all the relationshippy stuff.