"I'm so starry-eyed for this wise, romantic gem of a book." - Becky Albertalli, bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Cal wants to be a journalist, and he's already well underway with almost half a million followers on his FlashFame app and an upcoming internship at Buzzfeed. But his plans are derailed when his pilot father is selected for a highly-publicized NASA mission to Mars. Within days, Cal and his parents leave Brooklyn for hot and humid Houston.
With the entire nation desperate for any new information about the astronauts, Cal finds himself thrust in the middle of a media circus. Suddenly his life is more like a reality TV show, with his constantly bickering parents struggling with their roles as the "perfect American family."
And then Cal meets Leon, whose mother is another astronaut on the mission, and he finds himself falling head over heels--and fast. They become an oasis for each other amid the craziness of this whole experience. As their relationship grows, so does the frenzy surrounding the Mars mission, and when secrets are revealed about ulterior motives of the program, Cal must find a way to get to the truth without hurting the people who have become most important to him.
YES! +NASA! Mission to Mars! A reality show about astronauts! Cal is also quite popular on social media, which may conflict with his family's show contract. And steal the attention away from his father. +Cal is queer. That's the term he uses, and he states that he likes girls and boys. +Super cute M/M Interracial Romance. +After a tragic accident, Cal uses his social media influence to expose the television network that's taking advantage of the astronauts' families. Don't be afraid to speak up about injustices and gross behavior! +Touches on anxiety (Cal's mom) and depression (Leon), and how Cal tries to help them to the best of his ability without preaching. +I certainly got swept up in the plot to save NASA!
NO! -I wish we had gotten to see more of the day to day TV show stuff, not just the big news type stuff. How are the cameras affecting everyday life for Cal and his channel? The show is a large driving force in the plot, yet we never really get to see the behind the scenes stuff, despite this being Cal's life.
