14 must-read new YA releases to beat the August heat
By Lacy Baugher
August 2021 release: Both Sides Now – Peyton Thomas
A warm-hearted coming-of-age story about a trans teen trying to find his place in the world, Both Sides Now features a delightful will they/won’t they queer romance as well as a realistic depiction of the competitive nature of high school debate teams.
The story follows Finch Kelly, a senior in high school who has his heart set on attending the Georgetown School of Foreign Service in Washington, D.C. He believes it’s the key to his ultimate dream – becoming the nation’s first transgender congressman. However, Finch hasn’t even been accepted yet, let alone landed the scholarship he’ll need to attend a pricey out-of-state private school.
He’s convinced that if he can just manage to win the National Debate Championship it’ll be the gateway to all his dreams. There’s just one small problem: The topic this year is on transgender rights, which means that to secure his future, Finch will likely have to argue against his own best interests and very humanity
. Will he be able to make a convincing case that he doesn’t have a right to use the public restroom that best matches his gender identity or will he discover that there are some things that are simply not up for debate – no matter what the reward might be?
The official synopsis describes the story as follows.
"There’s only one thing standing between Finch Kelly and a full-blown case of high school senioritis: the National Speech & Debate Tournament. Taking home the gold would not only be the pinnacle of Finch’s debating career, but the perfect way to launch himself into his next chapter: college in Washington, D.C. and a history-making career as the first trans congressman. What could possibly go wrong? Well, for starters, Finch could develop a teeny tiny crush on his very attractive, very taken, and very gay debate partner, Jonah. Never mind that Finch has never considered whether he’s interested in more than just girls. And that dream of college in DC? Finch hasn’t exactly been accepted anywhere yet, let alone received the full-ride scholarship he’ll need to make this dream a reality. Worst of all, though, is this year’s topic for Nationals: transgender rights. If he wants to cinch the gold, and get into college, Finch might have to argue against his own humanity. People say there are two sides to every argument. But, as Finch is about to discover, some things–like who you are and who you love–are not up for debate."
Both Sides Now is available on August 24.