This was beautiful. I really needing something unapolohgetiicaly Black & queer and this was that. This book delved into some tough topics but overall it was very light hearted. Mahalia felt like a real teen and in the authors note Garrett talks about how she wrote this book when she was 18 and thought it was terrible and then reread it a few years later and loved it, I love this story because its so honest. We are our own worst critics and sometimes time away from something is the best move but dont delete your old writing, even if its "bad" because you can always rework it into something amazing Garrett did here. There were a lot of funny moments and a lot of damn thats real moments. Like when Mahalias mom said she would help her pay for her party but then she lost her job so obviously that was no longer possible, or when her mom asked her for help with bills. this was my experience growing up, my mom has always asked for my help because she knows she can rely on me when she cant rely on others. It's the experience a lot of women and femmes of color have and I really appreciate how it was examined here. I wish there was more to the conversations about privilege when it comes to having money. Naomi was so defensive when Mahalia was talking about her very real issues of having to pay the bills while her mom is out of work and still hoping to have fun ( poor people deserve parties too!) and at one point she says you cant just hate every rich white guy and im thinking to myself but WHY NOT Naomi? Y'all can both understand how uncomfortable you feel in mostly white spaces but Mahalia cant express her discomfort about being around a bunch of rich people? Be For Real.

There is some on page intimacy. I stick to YA often to avoid sex scenes and while it wasn't graphic at all Its worth noting.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for a eARC of this book.

I didn't really enjoy this book, but I know people who are actually part of the target audience will. I couldn't relate to Mahalia's obsession with wanting to have a Sweet Sixteen. I did love that she turned it into a Coming-Out party, though.

This is a delightful YA novel, and (as usual with all of Camryn Garrett's wonderful books) it deftly balances harder-hitting/slightly more serious topics with light, frothy queer young joy. I can't wait for this book to be out in the world!

I enjoyed this book and thought that it was a nice mix of lighthearted while dealing with real issues. The characters are relatable and it was a quick read that I think my students will enjoy. The cover is also so beautiful!

First let me say: i don't know why this is framed/marketed as a romance. It feels much more queer coming of age to me (i love both, so no judgement either way, but it feels truer in the bildungsroman concept).

Okay with that out of the way, this is my fave Camryn Garrett book to date! It had a lot of lightness and fun, mixed in with some complicated, heavy parts about family, oppression, and high school dynamics. It was aggressively queer (my favorite!), ultimately hopeful, and full of relationship navigation. Yes, there was romance, but not at the center of the book as i read it.

This would be perfect for a school library.

Thank you, Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers, for allowing me to read Friday I'm in Love early!

This book was pure magic. I was enthralled from start to finish. Camryn Garrett wrote such a splendid book, I am in awe. And what a stunner of a cover!

A really cute romance and girl learning to be comfortable with her identity. I loved all the main characters. I thought the romance was sweet. I appreciated her struggle with her mother's religion and her identity. What a beautiful book.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me an ARC in return for my honest feedback.

Hello, queer joy! Thank you, Camryn Garrett. That gorgeous FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE cover promises something special and it delivers. The ultimate payoff for the song "Friday I'm in Love" is well worth the wait: it's funny, and heartfelt, and rooted in character.

One aspect that Garrett does so well in this novel is writing believable, flawed characters. The tension between Mahalia and her mother over money is very well drawn and her mother's struggle in asking for help is palpable. The conversation Mahalia has with her father and his actions are so realistic and frustrating; Garrett strikes a solid balance to keep him from becoming a one-dimensional stereotype. The two white male teachers Mahalia and her best friend Naomi interact with the most are spot-on, too. Both teachers believe they are doing "right" by offering to help Mahalia (yet being rather patronizing and evocative of "The Blind Side") and using "To Kill a Mockingbird" as an example of a white person realizing racism is wrong. That the one teacher can't see why "To Kill a Mockingbird" is SO problematic when Naomi and Mahalia point out several reasons why is pitch-perfect and feels exactly like the conversations my students share they've had with their classroom teachers. On a more positive adult character note, the parents are all distinctive and feel like individuals, which is never a guarantee in YA books.

Without any spoilers, the ending of FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE feels earned, including the events and who is present. It's not exactly what Mahalia expected, yet it also far exceeds her expectations. I recommend the book and can't wait to share it with my students. February 2023 feels like too long to wait for this fabulous book to hit the shelves!

I read this book in one sitting and absolutely adored the black joy and queer love that Mahalia and Siobhan share. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a wlw YA read!

It's got all of the trappings of a fantastic gay love story that celebrates romance and coming out even when Mahalia has to do some things herself- if she wants a party, she'll have to make the money to have one. If she wants the girl, she'll have to win her over. She also needs to tell her mom that she's bisexual.

The cover should face out. I thought there's be a little more 80s vibe based on the title. It's strong in friendship and relationship but a little heavy-handed on the politics. More forward than Garrett was in her first two books, though I understand the intent because Mahalia is a strong character pushing back against boxes she should fit in and ways she should live. She is a catalyst for change but does it always have to land on her to change things?

That aside, it's core is positivity and rainbows and ends that way which is excellent.

A can't-put-it-down contemporary romance about a black teen who just wants to celebrate growing up and being queer. A Sapphic romcom & non-stop celebration of black joy and queer love.

Mahalia always wanted a sweet sixteen, but she doesn't often get what she wants. She'd love it if her dad hadn't started a new family and seemingly forgot about her. She'd would like for her mom to have a better job, because then she wouldn't have to work so much and so hard. And it would also be nice if Mahalia didn't have to pay her own phone bill and buy gas and chip in on other bills. Despite all the things Mahalia doesn't have, she has hope, a love of romantic comedies, classic music, and an ability to keep her head and heart dreaming, while staying rooted in reality.

Mahalia decides to make the most of her missed sweet sixteen. She'll chart her own path and have a Coming Out Party. She'll finally have her big shindig AND she'll have the most perfect rainbow dress AND she'll come out to her mom. As Mahalia starts planning, she's distracted by new student Siobhan. Too bad she's dating a casual racist guy. Despite thinking she doesn't have a chance, Mahalia goes for it. Will Mahalia finally get what she wants? The party, the dress, the girl, and the happy ending? Once you pick up Friday I'm in Love, you won't be able to put it down until you find out.

I added this book to my TBR as soon as the cover was revealed because it is so stunning. But I had a really difficult time rooting for the main relationship - I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between the characters, and I didn't like that their relationship started with Siobhan cheating.