This was hella cute! I knew what it was going to be as soon as I started reading it. When I tell you I NEEDED the laughs this book brought lol Definitely helped me out of my reading slump.

The humor in this one was so good! They were so weird lol And it was strange to watch them be nerdy even though they were interested in things I had no idea about lol But even though I didn’t know about Star Wars or Star Trek, I DO know awkward and these two were definitely that. I had so much fun seeing them navigate first crushes and first loves.

The romance was hilariously true. The way they had no idea what they were doing had me choke laughing. Even their miscommunication had me laughing. And y’all KNOW that’s unusual lol But the funniest part is, I related to a lot of this. The random ass BAD advice from family, the IBS, and the weird interactions they had. I swear it felt like the reading puberty in action lmao They did read a little young, but I didn’t mind. Maybe I’m just as young as them, because I still laughed at everything.

This was a classic romance book where they meet, fall for each other, get forced to work together, and then find out that they actually do like each other. But even if it does seem formulaic, it was still so good. And I gotta say, I was impressed by the fact that they were writing two different people and still were so in sync. They were so cute. I really hope y’all pick this up. If nothing else, for you to love too.

It's so real and relatable. According to Pacita, love at first sight is romantic propaganda- at least that's what she tells the nurse when she's there to nurse a busted lip because she's accident-prone. That is until Cecil catches Pacita's eye when he's in the nurse's office with a flair up of his IBS.

But then they get to meet again, this time on a weird committee their freshman year. But they do have some of the beginnings of a relationship even when everyone else wants to tell them certain things about being in relationships while also Pacita and Cecil navigating their own families and friendships.

It's a romantic comedy set against the backdrop of freshman year. It's fun in an offbeat and regular kind of way.

Pacy Mercado (9th grade) is over with high school already because everyone are Borg - trend chasers who know nothing about Star Trek: The Next Generation. She is also deadset on sticking away from romance because that's just propaganda, right? Then, in the nurses's office after clutzy Pacy hurts herself she meets Cecil Holloway (9th grade) and the butterflies begin to run amok. Cecil is smitten, too, but rushes to the bathroom because of his irritiable bowel syndrome. Though Pacy is determined to stay awya from Cecil, they are thrown together to plan the winter formal dance with Pacy's best friend and girls she, at first, thinks are Borg. Told in alternating perspectives, readers learn about Pacy and Cecil, like Cecil's dad's hotel based around R&B and Hip Hop Artists, there debates about Star Trek versus Star Wars, and trying to make the dance worthwhile for everyone. A cute, awkward, nerdy rom-com that come together in the end.

I absolutely loved this novel! I am a big Kwame Mbalia, so I was super excited for the release of this book and was not disappointed at all and Erin Entrada Kelly definitely brought a fresh female voice to the text. This book was relatable, endearing, and absolutely hilarious! I loved the quirkyness of both characters and the working through self-confidence shifts. I loved the family and cultural aspects of the novel and the character development. Every interaction had me on my toes wondering what would go wrong next, lol. This book is perfect YA for middle school and I can't wait to put it in my libraries.

Two socially awkward 9th graders meet and are instantly interested in each other. The thing I liked best about this book was their families. The book might have a hard time finding an audience because the writing makes this feel like a middle grade (4th-6th grade) book, but the topic would be of interest to 7th and 8th graders. Although set in the present day, it also felt dated. I love the concept and the collaboration by these two authors, but it was just ok for me.

I absolutely adored On Again, Awkward Again by two middle grade titans. I was lucky enough to see Kwame Mbalia at a library conference where he talked about the process of writing this book, and it is clear that the two authors have as much fun and as much chemistry as our two main characters. On Again, Awkward Again is the story of two nerdy ninth graders who have the most awkward meet-cute. Pacy and Cecil are the embodiment of teenage awkwardness and this rom-com (or com-rom as the authors call it) is just an utter delight. Highly recommended for middle and high school libraries -- this one is a GEM!

This wildly funny but incredibly realistic story of nerdy first love grabs you at the very beginning and keeps you laughing until the very end. These two authors were meant to work together.

Thanks to @netgalley and @abramskids for the advance Kindle copy of this book. It’s out on 4.15.25! All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. I loved this awkward teen romance. It’s absolutely spot on. Pacy and Cecil have a chance run-in at the nurse’s office, and they both feel a spark. Pacy doesn’t want to admit it, but Cecil is smitten. He’s just… very awkward. They end up on a committee together, and slowly grow into something with a ton of laughs and groans along the way. This is perfectly suited for readers in grades 6+. Completely clean.

I did, in fact, laugh out loud at this super sweet rom com. Pacy and Cecil are so believably awkward, staying true to themselves and not following the paths of the masses in high school. They did not expect to fall for each other -- it hit them both like a pie to the face. Young teens will find their burgeoning relationship and school issues relatable (though hopefully not to this extreme). This was a fun, quick read, with some great life lessons. Recommended for grades 7 & up.

I smiled the whole through this adorable book. I loved the characters and their strong personalities!

This is going straight to the summer reading list for 7th and 8th grade students. Loved the distinct voices of the two main characters! Cute, lovable teen nerds.

A fun romance for early high school and middle school students.

9th graders Pacy and Cecil are not expecting any romance, until they bump into each other in the nurse's office. Pacy is there with an injury due to her clumsiness and Cecil is there due to his IBS and it's love at first for them. Since neither of them has had any dating experience, they are both like a fish out of water trying to flirt, date, and kiss making things very awkward, and it escalates after they serve on the small freshman dance committee together. In addition, Cecil's parents are having marriage difficulties as they are working on trying to open a new hotel.

There aren't many good romances for this age group, and this was cute and laugh-out-loud funny at times, and I hope these two can collaborate again for another rom-com! This book demonstrates you can have a condition like IBS and have humor instead of a depressing book that adults love and want students reading, but they don't to. This one will be an easy sell, so I better purchase several copies.

A lower YA book coauthored by two-time Newbery winner Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia? Yes please!

Just as I was looking in the universe for some YA books featuring freshmen for my own 8th grader, this popped up on my radar. I could not request it fast enough! And for extra fun, I read it out loud with my 13 year old. She declared it to be cringe which is pretty much the highest compliment a middle school can give.

Let's talk about Cecil. We LOVED Cecil. Stylish, allergic to everything, IBS ridden, djembe drum playing, unique Cecil. They don't make high school love interests like him very often. Super relatable, very endearing, and just so entertaining. Cecil is not a character, Cecil is a movement. Very quickly after we began reading this, we referred to it solely as the Cecil book. Thank you Cecil, and thank you Filipino Soul.

That's not to say that Pacy wasn't beloved by us either. She was! Her entire family was! Star Trek loving, accident prone, One-Hit Wonder super fan Pacy. She was the best! And perfect for Cecil. The two of them together was comedy gold. My daughter laughed out loud while hiding her face in a pillow during most of their scenes together. Here's to Pae-Pae, Va-va, Gigi, and the whole family.

Enjoyed the side characters and friend group. Very fun plot device of planning the freshman dance. Lots of pop trivia and while the kids might not appreciate it, I cracked up at the hip hop references, especially the locked in a dark corner with Flavor Flav (side note - I watched Flavor of Love a couple of decades ago and I don't regret a moment of it).

All in all, a perfect book for middle graders venturing into young adult. And a reminder that this Lower YA age range is missed, and we need more of this!

Thank you to ABRAMS Kids/Amulet Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this!

Erin Entrada Kelly is, in my humble opinion, the best writer working in the Middle Grade field and to see her collaborate on a book for a slightly older audience is a real treat. I have cherished all of her books and this one is no different. Great read full of heart.

A high school freshman romance, fresh and fun from Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia. Pacy and Cecil are independent young people who don’t have a need to fit in, but when their eyes meet and their hearts stutter, they think they might need to. An enchanting take of self-discovery and joy, I loved it all.

Thank you to NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for this DRC.
#OnAgainAwkwardAgain #NetGalley

Easily one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. The realness and vulnerability of the main characters was pitch perfect for the target audience. We need more books with 9th grade protagonists! Highly recommend.