Middle class, Cuban American Victoria is a sophomore at a private New York high school she attends on scholarship. She is quiet, responsible, and does everything her counselor suggests to get into Harvard, since going to Harvard has always been her parents’ dream for her. She’s also feeling edgy by the sameness of her days. Still, Victoria, who loves to sing in the privacy of her room, is dismayed when her best friend signs her up to audition for a student rock band. She’s even more dismayed when she gets the job. Her bandmates include cute guitarist Strand, with his love-them-and-leave-them reputation; fierce looking drummer Krina; and serious Levi, the bass player. If Victoria’s heart beats faster around Strand, it’s Levi who clearly likes her, and soon they’re a couple—her first boyfriend, although she doesn’t feel much spark. But it’s Strand who volunteers to be her partner rehearsing for her cousin’s quinceañera court. Wonderfully complex characterizations and relationships with her culturally diverse friends and family distinguish this compelling, at times laugh- out-loud funny debut novel in which music is a seamless part of the narrative. The story also dives deeper as Victoria tries to figure out what attraction and love feel like; tries to keep the band a secret from her parents (she fails); and tries to understand what a future following her own dreams might look like. (Age 12 and older)

A shy, rule-following teen winds up joining a local rock band in this laugh-out-loud, heartfelt coming-of-age novel.

Victoria Cruz inhabits two worlds: In one, she is a rock star, thrashing the stage with her husky voice and purple-streaked hair. In the other, currently serving as her reality, Victoria is a shy teenager with overprotective Cuban parents, who sleepwalks through her life at the prestigious Evanston Academy. Unable to overcome the whole paralyzing-stage-fright thing, Victoria settles for living inside her fantasies, where nothing can go wrong and everything is set to her expertly crafted music playlists.

But after a chance encounter with an unattainably gorgeous boy named Strand, whose band seeks a lead singer, Victoria is tempted to turn her fevered daydreams into reality. To do that, she must confront her insecurities and break away from the treadmill that is her life. Suddenly, Victoria is faced with the choice of staying on the path she’s always known and straying off-course to find love, adventure, and danger.

From debut author Janelle Milanes comes a hilarious and heartfelt tale of the spectacular things that can happen when you go after what you really want.