Dean Atta is quickly becoming one of those authors I will always read and recommend. Only on the Weekends isn't nearly as wonderful as his debut, Black Flamingo, but it holds its own and brings a lot to the table. This one follows Mack, a black teen from London whose dad is a film director. He is openly gay and begins dating his long time crush, only to find out he has to move to Glasgow for a few months as he dad is working on a film there. In Glasgow, he meets teen trans activist, Fin, and falls for him.

Mack is a mess. Sometimes in a relatable, fun teen way. Other times he comes off as spoiled and entitled. I like that he felt human, but I do think he makes some super questionable decisions. I definitely related to him and his insecurities surrounding his body and his queerness. Still, I was mad at him by the end of the book. Also, I thought Fin was not developed at all and even felt wholly unlikable at times. Luckily, the characters weren't what carried the story for me.

Atta's writing is so lovely. Novels in verse are so special and this really worked. Atta goes out of his way to honor members of the LGBT+ community that came before us. Its so lovely and so important. He also will veer out of the narrative and instead writes this little poems that are super honest and effective. Overall, his writing is what makes this story, and its that writing that will make me keep recommending his work to teen readers.

Only on the Weekends is an honest, raw, heartfelt queer coming of age story following 15-year-old Mack as he tries to kindle a relationship with his crush and then has to handle a long distance relationship when his dad's work moves them from London to Glasgow. I appreciated how this book feels different from a lot of other queer coming of age stories that are highly talked about these days, both due to location, racial diversity in its cast, and the structure of the plot. Mack's journey to being in a happy relationship isn't so clear-cut, and we follow him through the ups and downs of tricky (mis)communication, the growth and falling out of friendships, and the moral dilemma of realizing you have feelings for someone else. The book is definitely best for folks looking for a slower read - at 560 pages of verse, we spend a lot of time in Mack's head, and there's a lot of buildup for characters and their relationships. The "only on the weekends" part doesn't start until about 40% into the book!

I was very interested in the way that this book presents characters who experience different kinds of privileges and addresses how intersectionality complicates what looks like privilege. Mack's dad has money from working in the film industry, but in different scenes Mack observes how no amount of money will stop white people from viewing him as "suspect" for his Blackness. This money also complicates his friendships, as Mack starts to worry his friends are using him, and the money cannot make up for the ways that Mack's dad is often distant or away with work. And while Mack experiences financial privilege, he spends a lot of time considering the ways that K's masculinity protects K in ways that Mack does not experience because Mack presents differently, likes to wear make up, etc. The narrative spends important time considering these nuances of character dynamics, which I really appreciated.

I also appreciated how this book depicts teens with varying relationships with their queerness and identity, and I almost wanted to hear poems from different character's POVs to capture more of this! Mack is "out" but struggling to find his confidence, while K is hesitant to share his sexuality or do anything that might seem queer in public. I often take issue with how books treat characters who aren't ready to "come out," but I really appreciated the way things ended with K in this book. Related to this, my biggest gripe with this book would just have to be how insular it feels - we spend so much time seeing the world through Mack's eyes, that it's not until the end that we can see certain issues in a more expansive way. I think adding different POVs could have helped to develop K and Fin's characters! From Mack's POV, K and Fin aren't so much characters as they are symbols that represent different aspects of Mack's expression of his identity.

Overall, Only on the Weekends is really well done and a fresh take for queer coming of age stories, and a great addition to the evolving canon of YA novels in verse! I think this could really speak to queer teens and anyone looking for stories dealing with complicated friendship dynamics or somewhat-estranged parent relationships.

The desperation of young love is so well depicted in this novel-in-verse. Mack is yearning for acceptance by his love interest, which is such a relatable emotion. Another win for Dean Atta!

Dean Atta's story through verse tells a wonderful coming of age tale about the difficulties in finding yourself and defining your relationships. I thought Mack was a really well written character. I could feel his struggles and I was excited for his successes. Letting Mack find himself through his two love interests in the book did leave me wanting more. As a reader, I felt the end of Mack's story could have gone differently, especially after he spent a lot of time hoping for a stronger relationship with his dad. I wanted to know that Mack was satisfied after grappling with relationships throughout the book. Overall, I would recommend this to my students and encourage them to try to put themselves in Mack's shoes as they navigate teenage friendships and what it means to grow confidence in yourself.

4.5 stars

Growing up, Mack has always been a hopeless romantic. Probably because of the films he grew up watching. For the longest time, he's had a crush on Karim. When Karim becomes his boyfriend, Mack can't believe his luck. Their connection is so strong, it has to be true love.

However, their relationship is about to get tested when Mack's dad, a famous movie director, gets a job in Scotland. Now, they'll have to try long distance and only see each other on weekends. When Mack meets Finlay on his father's set, they have an instant connection. As their relationship grows, how long should he wait to tell Karim? And what happens when both his lives collide?

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advanced copy of Only on the Weekends to review! The Black Flamingo is definitely one of my favorite novels in verse, so I was excited to see Dean Atta wrote another book. And I'm happy to say that this one doesn't disappoint!

You might think that a novel in verse can't get quite the same emotional effect and character development as a prose novel. Dean Atta is here to prove you wrong! There was so much emotional nuance in this book, especially as Mack tries to figure out who he is. While at first he doesn't want to go to Scotland, it's in Scotland he kind of feels like he can be himself. But he also doesn't know how to reconcile that with his relationship with Karim. There's so much complexity there told in fewer sentences, and it's actually really beautiful.

Outside of the romance, we also get to see Mack grow in his relationship with his dad. He gets to see him more while they are in Scotland, and they get to work on their relationship. Seeing them work stuff out helped to grow Mack's character as well as his dad's. Incorporating how both of them dealt with the loss of Mack's mother and their miscommunication through it all. Atta is really a master at emotions.

The only reason this isn't getting 5 stars is because the pacing felt a tad off to me. I think the middle act could have been made a bit shorter so we could have seen more in the resolution at the end. I wanted to see how the characters got to breath after everything went down. But other than that, this is absolutely a deep, character-driven story that will hook you from the beginning.

This was such a cute little story! I will admit that I didn’t like the writing style to begin but it grew on me. I did feel that the book ended kind of abruptly, but that could just be because I wanted to know more of the fallout from Mack’s decisions.

Overall, the book was good. It had some points that were very cute and moved the story along. It had enjoyable characters and an easy to follow premise.

Thank you NetGalley and Harpercollins for this eARC.

Only on the Weekends releases May 24, 2022!

I've sat on this review for a few days now, not quite sure how to even start it. I knew that Only on the Weekends deserved four stars, but for the life of me writing out the whys of it were beyond me. This was my first time reading a book in verse, and I will absolutely be hunting down more because it was a delightful foray into a style of writing that I think will resonate with my students.

Fifteen-year old Mack is the son of a prestigious and wealthy film director in London. He also has a not-so-secret crush on star basketball player Karim, his new cooking class partner's cousin. Everything seems to be going his way; he has a solid group of friends, a beautiful house, K likes him back... And then his father gets a film job in Glasgow, and Mack finds his entire life uprooted. Suddenly life isn't so easy, especially when he discovers that K isn't quite as willing to be out as he is, a relationship limited to random weekend visits might not be cutting it, his father seems to be entirely uncaring about the disruptions he's caused Mack, and the star of the new movie, trans icon Fin, seems awfully interested in him...

This book is absolutely a love letter from Dean Atta to Glasgow. It's also a fascinating depiction of the struggles of growing up and figuring out if what you want is actually what you deserve. None of these characters come off as entirely likeable, and that is absolutely okay. Mack has so much growing to do, both during the story and after, and that's part of the joy in reading a story about a group of teenagers. He has to learn how to embrace the people around him where they are, or move on when their life trajectories don't align. Karim is a young man struggling with being closeted, toxic masculinity, a new relationship, and managing his anger issues, and it is interesting to watch him develop through Mack's perspective in the course of the story. Even Finlay, who is introduced as an icon and actor, is revealed through the chapters to discuss layers of anxiety and the struggles of being held up as a paragon of the trans community - and a tendency to poke bears/angry boyfriends out of jealousy.

This is a lovely story full of diverse characters and identities. I think, maybe, where I struggle is in the lack of lessons learned for anyone beyond Mack. Because we see the entire story from his point of view, the entire plot feels like it falls on his shoulders. I would love to see a short/side story later on from Karim and/or Finlay.

Overall, though, a lovely story from Dean Atta that I am positive my students will adore!

4 stars

Readers who are looking for a fast-paced, young adult novel in verse - with intersectionally diverse characters who are discovering themselves and their identities - will very much enjoy Atta's latest effort.

Mack, the m.c., provides his perspective through verse. His father is a wealthy film director, his mother died when he was very young, and he is both Nigerian (living in London and Scotland) and queer. When the novel begins, it's clear that Mack has a lot to learn in terms of strengthening his relationship with his often-absent father, his maybe or maybe not boyfriend, his cast of friends and chosen family, and especially himself.

These relationships are the centerpiece of the novel, and verse is the ideal format for exploring the nuances of these ever-evolving connections. The complications, romantic struggles, and identity development all come across as authentic as a result of Atta's masterful mixing of style and theme. Additionally, the characters represent a number of identity groups, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality. I wanted to hear a bit more from some of these characters at times (the give and take everyone uncovers with verse), but I still felt connected to and interested in their individual outcomes. Also, while this appears to be a standalone, I can easily see this as the start of a series...wishful thinking...?

This is a quick read with a flawed but fantastic main character. I'll be recommending this one to students who are looking for strong current examples of YA verse novels AND for those looking for varied LGBTQIA+ rep. I'll also be prioritizing Atta's previous work (which has been on my to-read for too long) as a result of my pleasant experience with this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins Childrens Books for the eARC, these opinions are my own. I’ve never read a novel in verse before and I was a little unsure about it but Only on the Weekends was fantastic and Dean Atta’s writing was beautiful! Mack has just started his first relationship with long time crush K. While he’s enjoying it K is not out and this creates confusion and difficulties with Mack’s confidence on where they stand. To complicate matters his dad is making a movie in Scotland and insisting Mack comes with. Can his relationship withstand the distance? And what about Fin the lead actor in his dads movie? Fin is trans and full of life and difficult for Mack to not think about. I loved the exploration of first love and how that is not always what we think it’s going to be! I think the take on how we should find the love we deserve is perfect! It’s charming, heartbreaking, and very enjoyable! I liked the dive into complicated relationships with parents as well! I think Mack had a specific need when it comes to how he feels love and it was difficult for his dad and K to provide that. That idea of do we settle for good when we deserve great! I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it! Can’t wait to read it again when it comes out!

Thank you, Balzer + Bray, for allowing me to read Only on the Weekends early!

I love Dean Atta's writing style and I love that he is keeping on writing beautiful queer novels in verse! This book was as good as The Black Flamingo and definitely as emotional. An introspective look into the young life of a queer Black boy and the start of his romantic life with its highs and lows.

Thank you to Netgalley & Balzer & Bray for approving me of this ARC. One of my favorites of 2020 was The Black Flamingo, so I definitely needed to get my hands on a copy of Dean Atta's sophomore novel. It's one of the reasons why I fell in love with books written in verse. This book is no different, with it being written in-verse. It flowed really easily, and it was an easy read. I didn't want to put it down until I was finished. I really loved all the characters in this book., especially Mack. It takes you on a journey of self-discovery, dealing with friendships, finding love for the first time, and heartbreak, and what it means to be in queer relationship. Karim himself is not out to many people, and he doesn't want to ruin his reputation with his basketball team, but Mack gets upset with that. He wants to be able to kiss Karim whenever he wants and to be able to go out in public without going somewhere that is not in their neighborhood. It's understandable where Mack is coming from, but it's also understandable where Karim is coming from. I feel for all these characters throughout the story. Even though the book is written in verse, it still packs the punch it is intended to do. I can't wait to see everyone's reviews on this book when it comes out!

I loved this! I was a huge fan of black Flamingo by this author, so this was an automatic request for me, and this one definitely held up to the last.

I really enjoy the way Atta employs the in-verse style which reads as more simplistic while getting across the same, and sometimes even more complex, emotions, relationships, and dynamics that other prose YA books do. I'm a huge fan of books that say big things in small ways, which this book does wonderfully.

I was a big fan of all of the characters, which hold complexities and nuances that are unique and different than the average protagonist and side characters. I have to admit I wasn't the biggest fan of the love triangle in this book, but I do appreciate the care the author took to iron out the motivations and perspectives especially from the main character and K, the love interest. I do wish the book expanded upon Fin's character a bit especially later into the book than it did, as I felt his character was a bit underdeveloped compared to the other two. I also wish the third act was made a bit longer--it felt a bit rushed and I think it would've been more impactful with a longer resolution.

Besides that small critique, I really loved this book. The in-verse style doesn't hinder the depth of this book at all, and I would recommend this to everybody who likes YA. 4.25 stars

dean atta secured his spot as one of my fave authors after 'the black flamingo', and this was so amazing too! unflinching and funny at times, i couldn't have put this one down if i wanted to.

This is an amazing book in its own right, and a stunning follow-up to Atta's debut, 'The Black Flamingo.' Unsurprisingly, the language sparkles and pops off the page here, and the characters are richly detailed and incredibly well-developed. I loved main character Mack, his best friend Maz, and his love interests. This book will take you through it: it has queer joy along with heartbreak, hope along with more heart-wrenching moments. It's such a lovely read, and I'm so glad it's going to be out in the world for teens (and older folks who didn't have access to these kind of stories when they were growing up).