Kind of a Big Deal

Description

Josie Pie was born to be a star. So she dropped out of high school to pursue her Broadway dreams, but after months of failed auditions, she finds herself broke, beaten-down . . . and nannying in Missoula, Montana. Lonely and directionless, Josie checks out the local bookstore, looking for the ultimate escape. And escape she does. Literally. She falls into the plots of her books, including a bodice ripper, a dystopian thriller, a YA romance, and more, all filled with swoony co-stars who just make her yearn to repair things with the boyfriend she left behind in NYC. As her reality begins to unravel, what starts as a welcome break from her lackluster life soon begins to feel like a stifling nightmare-but is it too late for Josie to get back to the real world?

Shannon Hale is the New York Times bestselling author of over thirty books, including fantasy novels The Goose Girl and Book of a Thousand Days, science fiction novel Dangerous, Newbery Honor winner Princess Academy, graphic novel memoirs Real Friends and Best Friends (with LeUyen Pham), and romantic comedy Austenland (now a major motion picture starring Keri Russell). She lives in Utah with her husband and frequent collaborator Dean Hale, their four remarkable children, and two ridiculous cats named Misty Knight and Mike Hat. squeetus.com

"So many strange and wonderful things happen at every twist and turn, you'll be happy to wander with Josie . . . Each book she descends into seems to teach her something, and even if it's not obvious where the story is going, we're in it for the long haul." --NPR "Hale, ever versatile, skillfully illuminates the struggles of a girl faltering on the threshold of adulthood . . . If anyone's equipped to write a story about the power of stories, it's her." --Booklist "In typical Hale style, Josie's story is full of heart, whimsy, and flawed yet lovable characters. Hale's play with genre, as well as Josie's absurd internal journey, will appeal to fans of Libba Bray and Andrew Smith who enjoy a light and playful surrealist adventure." --School Library Journal "Hale's cross-genre adventure is playful and effective . . . Cogently revealing the fallibility of ourselves and those we trust, this coming-of-age story will especially appeal to readers exploring post-high school liminal spaces." --Publishers Weekly "Hale lovingly lampoons tropes from a smorgasbord of genres . . . Never taking itself too seriously, this quirky, clever tale of confidence lost and found aims for the hearts of bookworms but has a sassy-sweet message with broad young adult appeal." --Shelf Awareness "An unusual journey of self-discovery." --Kirkus Reviews