THE KISS BET

Rosy-cheeked, redheaded Sara Lin’s 18th birthday comes with a bet: Since she’s never been kissed, Patrick, one of her best friends, dares her to kiss a stranger they see on the subway. The guy is cute, with a shock of blond hair, but he rejects her, calling her a weirdo. That was embarrassing enough, but Sara Lin later sees him entering her apartment building, and because she’s failing calculus, her teacher arranges for a student to tutor her—and it’s Oliver Yang, the guy who rejected her. At least he doesn’t seem to recognize her, which makes the situation a tiny bit less mortifying. It’s not like she’s into him, anyway; Sara Lin likes new classmate Joe, enough that she agrees to more bets in order to get closer to him. As the bets pile up, Sara Lin has to face the boys in her life and all the things they’re keeping from her. With humor and lively banter, these believable teens navigate their emotions with authenticity. This graphic novel is illustrated in a soft color palette using a style that’s both adorable and expressive, at times making characters resemble emojis. Sara Lin is an extremely likable main character, and the ending will leave readers excited for Volume 2. The ethnically ambiguous characters, most of whom are light-skinned, live in an unspecified urban setting.

Feb 25, 2025 - 07:16

Rosy-cheeked, redheaded Sara Lin’s 18th birthday comes with a bet: Since she’s never been kissed, Patrick, one of her best friends, dares her to kiss a stranger they see on the subway. The guy is cute, with a shock of blond hair, but he rejects her, calling her a weirdo. That was embarrassing enough, but Sara Lin later sees him entering her apartment building, and because she’s failing calculus, her teacher arranges for a student to tutor her—and it’s Oliver Yang, the guy who rejected her. At least he doesn’t seem to recognize her, which makes the situation a tiny bit less mortifying. It’s not like she’s into him, anyway; Sara Lin likes new classmate Joe, enough that she agrees to more bets in order to get closer to him. As the bets pile up, Sara Lin has to face the boys in her life and all the things they’re keeping from her. With humor and lively banter, these believable teens navigate their emotions with authenticity. This graphic novel is illustrated in a soft color palette using a style that’s both adorable and expressive, at times making characters resemble emojis. Sara Lin is an extremely likable main character, and the ending will leave readers excited for Volume 2. The ethnically ambiguous characters, most of whom are light-skinned, live in an unspecified urban setting.