Camila Núñez's Year of Disasters

December 16, 2024
Over the summer—during which 15-year-old Camila Núñez travels from Raleigh, N.C., to Miami, where she spends the season with her maternal Cuban American family—Camila meets her cousin’s friend Sonia. Camila and Sonia soon pursue a romantic relationship, the emotionally tumultuous nature and dissolution of which takes a toll on anxious Camila. Returning to Raleigh, Camila’s best friend performs a tarot reading that fills Camila with foreboding. Her anxiety comes to a head upon meeting nonbinary, self-assured Devon; as she attempts to start a romance with them, Camila realizes she must reckon with her past with Sonia, as well
as insecurities about her body. She also notices growing tension between her parents that leaves Camila worried that her negative tarot reading will come to fruition. Eschewing stereotypical depictions of religion, prejudice, and their effects on one’s identity, Pérez utilizes compassionate and empathetic prose to explore sexuality, the Cuban diaspora, anxiety, and self-esteem as Camila grows and matures over the course of a year in this introspective debut. Ages 14–up. Agent: Elizabeth Copps, Copps Literary.

February 1, 2025
Grades 9-12 Camila N��ez has always been afraid of her future, and she has a right to be--her mami is always worrying about her, she's learning to drive, and she's figuring out her first queer romance. So when her best friend Cindy gives her a tarot reading for her sixteenth birthday, she's not surprised that the cards predict awful things to come. Maybe her papi really is having an affair. Maybe she's going to get her heart broken again. Maybe Cindy's romantic prospects are going to ruin the friendship they've always had. As the year of disasters unfolds, Camila must face her fears about the future and reckon with the reality that one can never truly know what's coming next. T his layered, emotionally charged debut tackles mental health, family relationships, and queer and Cuban American identity. Camila will capture your heart from page one, and her anxieties about the future are portrayed with empathy and compassion. Tarot lovers especially will find much to love about the structure of this story that's centered around the birthday tarot spread and Camila's unfolding future.

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February 15, 2025
Camila N��ez, a Cuban American teen from North Carolina, faces what might be her worst year ever. An ominous tarot card reading, her parents' crumbling marriage, and a recent heartbreak might all be too much for Camila. Her annual summer in Miami was meant to consist of family time with her abuelos and self-care using tools suggested by her therapist. While playing third wheel to her prima Mirta and Mirta's latest boyfriend, Juanito, Camila develops an unexpected friendship that turns into a secret summer romance with Sonia, Juanito's sister. But Sonia breaks her heart just before Camila turns 16. Camila writes an optimistic letter to her future self, but the results of best friend Cindy's birthday tarot reading lead to a surge in Camila's anxiety, and she is left wondering when the misfortunes she believes were predicted by the Hanged Man, the Three of Swords, the Seven of Cups, and the Justice card will manifest. Between the pain of breaking up, her parents' trial separation, and her anxiety flaring into anger, Camila, who has a caring heart, empathy, and tendency to worry about others, lashes out at people close to her. In their debut novel, P�rez delves into anxiety, body shaming, familial dynamics around queerness, and teenage relationships. The thoughtful exploration of mental health, self-preservation, and developing interpersonal skills shows Camila's anxiety while making clear her inner resilience. The intertwining of English and Spanish will feel familiar to many readers. Compelling, relatable, and skillfully crafted.(Fiction. 13-18)

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March 1, 2025

Gr 9 Up-This novel shows a year in the life of a modern, queer teen facing the anxieties of life and relationships. Camila, who is Cuban American and lives in North Carolina, spends her summers with her abuelos in Miami. After a summer romance turns toxic, her anxiety is worse than ever. When her friend Cindy gets Camila a tarot deck for her 16th birthday, they draw a spread to reveal a year's worth of disasters. Unable to get the cards' foreboding images out of her head, Camila spends the next year anxiously analyzing her life and her relationships. Whether it's her new relationship with the artistic, nonbinary Devin, her parents' increasingly tense marriage, or Cindy's exploration into polyamory, Camila fears doom is imminent. The novel's depiction of what toxic relationships can look like provides valuable insight to readers, especially when paired with descriptions of healthy relationships. Camila's discomfort is further compounded by her mom and abuela's constant talk about food and weight, making her self-conscious about her size. With most of the novel's conflict being driven by Camila's perceived threats of potential issues, the story is repetitive at times and the supporting characters somewhat underdeveloped. That said, the resolution is satisfying, and many readers will see themselves in Camila, relating to her growth as she learns to make peace with what she can and cannot control. VERDICT With its valuable depiction of relationships and anxiety, this is a good purchase for collections seeking more contemporary LGBTQIA+ books.-Nicolette Pavain

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