I Kissed Alice

Description

Rhodes and Iliana couldn't be more different, but that's not why they hate each other. Rhodes, a gifted artist, has always excelled at Alabama's Conservatory of the Arts (until she's hit with a secret bout of creator's block), while Iliana, a transfer student, tries to outshine everyone with her intense, competitive work ethic. Since only one of them can get the coveted Capstone scholarship, the competition between them is fierce. They both escape the pressure on a fanfic site where they are unknowingly collaborating on a webcomic. And despite being worst enemies in real life, their anonymous online identities I-Kissed-Alice and Curious-in-Cheshire are starting to like each other... a lot. When the truth comes out, will they destroy each other's future?

Anna Birch is an #OwnVoices author, a Pitchwars participant, and a Social Media Chair for DFWCon. She was born'n'raised in a rural area on the outskirts of Birmingham, Alabama. She traded thick forests and dirt roads for the heart of the city, where she lives now with her husband, three children, and dog. She loves knitting, brie, and hanging out with her family. I Kissed Alice is her debut novel.

With beauty on both a sentence and conceptual level, Birch expertly guides us through a world that makes clear the fact that we are all so much more than we present upfront. --Bitch Media I Kissed Alice has everything you could want in a summer YA book--romance, competition, complex friendships, discussions of class dynamics, and even beautiful illustrations --Culturess The swoony queer romcom of my heart... A pitch-perfect ode to the creative process and the special magic that happens when you find someone who loves what you love. I adored it. --Rachel Hawkins, New York Times-bestselling author of Prince Charming and Her Royal Highness The characters create a dynamic and compelling chemical reaction... bound to be a hit with fans of Cherie Priest's I Am Princess X and Nina LaCour's Everything Leads to You. --Booklist, starred review The protagonists are alive with emotions and flaws, and their chemistry as both enemies and allies crackles off the pages... Come for the rivalry, stay for the romance. --Kirkus Reviews Birch keeps the tension high, presenting everything--love, hate, class differences, scheming mothers, backstabbing friends--at a fever pitch... Roller-coaster reading. --Publishers Weekly A delightfully fun and devastatingly romantic story with all your favorite fanfic tropes: rivals-to-lovers, mistaken identity, and slow, slow burn... A loving homage to fandom and queer girls and artistic identity. --Victoria Lee, author of The Fever King Romantic and intense, I Kissed Alice explores the complicated line between love and hate and the life-altering power of changing one's perspective. A sparkling, thought-provoking debut! --Ashley Herring Blake, author of Girl Made of Stars and How to Make a Wish If you've been on the hunt for a true enemies-to-lovers queer YA that will make your heart race and your happiness increase, then you need I Kissed Alice immediately. This book is imbued with so much to love--geeky collaboration, friendship politics, competition, secret identities--and Birch pulls it all together with a deft hand, launching herself into the YA sphere as an author to watch. --Rachel Strolle, Teen Services Coordinator, Glenside Public Library District