Stonewall Award-winning author Brandy Colbert's (Little & Lion) fourth young adult novel, The Revolution of Birdie Randolph, introduces 16-year-old Dove "Birdie" Randolph, whose summer is upended by unexpected family revelations as she experiences her first sweet, soul-stirring love.
Dove toes the line in tune with every expectation her overprotective parents set for her: excellent grades, no partying, no boys they haven't met and approved. She's exhausted from the emotional and intellectual pressure of her high-achieving academic goals and she has no outlets now that she's given up soccer to focus on schoolwork. Her older sister Mimi's advice--"Suck it up, kick ass on the [SAT], and then the summer before your senior year is free"--is honest, but still requires that Dove's life be on hold for another year. Then best friend Laz introduces Dove to hunky Booker Stratton, a former high school football star with a "chunky Afro" and nice hands, who's spent time in a juvenile detention center. Certain she's found love but knowing her parents won't approve, Dove begins sneaking around to be with Booker. When her risky behavior catches up with her, she finds an unlikely ally in her estranged Aunt Carlene.
Superb pacing and full-bodied development of queer and ethnically diverse central and supporting characters creates a connected, tension-filled narrative. The Revolution of Birdie Randolph crescendos with an unexpected, masterful plot twist and an extremely satisfying ending. --Breanna J. McDaniel, freelance reviewer