Synopses & Reviews
In the tiny podunk town of Hawthorne, North Carolina, high school geeks Lula and Rory share everythinga love for sci-fi, resentment toward the parents that abandoned them, and Friday night binge-watching of old X-Files episodes. But when Lula discovers that Rory has been secretly sleeping with his creepy middle-aged bossshe disappears on a journey to find her long-lost actress mother in New York. When she returns, nothing is the same, and she is forced to make amends or risk repeating the mistakes of the generation that caused the two friends so much pain. Meagan Brothers piercing prose speaks to those who have ever felt unwanted and alone, and who struggle to find their place in a world that seems to reject them.
Review
The characters are wonderfully likable, the story is smartly written, andwhats this?theres a possibility for a happy ending? Read and find out.”
Booklist (Starred Review)Voices are crisply and intimately drawn. Minor characters are equally vibrant . . . Carefully and subtly imagined.” Kirkus Reviews
"A unique exploration of how trauma can change someone - and an inspiring message of how an individual has some say in the world." ElleGirl
Groundbreaking YA fiction.” School Library Journal
Effectively mixes past and present . . . real, evolving . . .” Publishers Weekly
"Meagan Brothers is a force to be reckoned with . . . she reminds us of the exquisite pain of unrequited love and of the absurd loyalty and drama we're all capable of." Book Jawn
"A great story about how gender roles are not always clear cut, and how self-expression is all about letting go of your fears and doubts." YA, Why Not?
"A satisfying breath of fresh air." Lambda Literary
"A wonderful story about family, love, and fan fiction. Brothers does an excellent job of showing that true friendship can survive anything, including football, sexuality, and government coverups." Brian Katcher, author, Almost Perfect
"Rory and Lula might bond over out-there sci-fi, but their relationship is as real as it gets. To paraphrase their favorite show: The truth is in here." D.C. Pierson, comedian and author, The Boy Who Couldnt Sleep and Never Had To
"Gorgeous writing, real characters I could give my heart to, and a huge-hearted exploration of being a fan of something specific (music! X-Files! football!). . . I'm certainly now a huge fangirl of Meagan Brothers! -- Kim Culbertson, Northern California Book Award Winner of Instructions for a Broken Heart and Catch a Falling Star
"I fell in love with both narrators of WEIRD GIRL AND WHAT'S HIS NAME, and found their story meaningful, original, and truthful. As someone who's been both a weird girl and a what's her name, I heartily endorse this book." Janice Earlbaum, author, I. Liar and Girlbomb
"I wish I could go back in time, when I was Lula and Rory's age, so I could feel like I finally had someone who spoke my language. . . This is a book for anyone that has ever binge watched on a TV show or fallen in love with their best friend or searched for a way out of redundancy or dreamed of an adventure.” Aimee Herman, author, To Go Without Blinking
"As an avid reader and writer, there is rarely a novel that makes me think I have never read a book like this before.” WEIRD GIRL AND WHAT'S HIS NAME is one of the occasional exceptions . . . An innovative piece of young adult fiction, and I definitely would recommend to both young adult and adult fiction readers.” Annabelle Jay, author, Caron High News
"Fanboys and fangirls, rejoice! This wise and witty book is pure teen-geek heaven. With laugh-out-loud moments, smartly drawn characters, and a platonic love story that rivals Scully and Mulder's, this book perfectly captures the joys and heartaches of all-consuming fandoms and 'it's-complicated' friendships. I loved it."--J.C. Lillis, author, How to Repair a Mechanical Heart and We Won't Feel a Thing
"A bold, funny and touching story for anyone who has experienced the heartache of an unrequited crush, whose sexual identity is a work-in-progress, and whose journey to self-discovery represents not so much a straight line as a meandering path. Melissa Keil, author, Life in Outer Space
About the Author
Meagan Brothers is a writer, poet and musician best known for her young adult novels Supergirl Mixtapes, a 2012 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults nomination, and Debbie Harry Sings in French, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, which won a GLBT Round Table ALA Award, and was named a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. She was founder and lead guitarist for the punk rock band Steel Pier Sinners. Originally from Spartanburg, North Carolina, she currently lives in New York City.