Camila Núñez’s Year of ­Disasters

Tr $18.99. ISBN 9798890032195. Gr 9 Up–This novel shows a year in the life of a modern, queer teen facing the anxieties of life and relationships. Camila, who is Cuban American and lives in North Carolina, spends her summers with her abuelos in Miami. After a summer romance turns toxic, her anxiety is worse than ever. When her friend Cindy gets Camila a tarot deck for her 16th birthday, they draw a spread to reveal a year’s worth of disasters. Unable to get the cards’ foreboding images out of her head, Camila spends the next year anxiously analyzing her life and her relationships. Whether it’s her new relationship with the artistic, nonbinary Devin, her parents’ increasingly tense marriage, or Cindy’s exploration into polyamory, Camila fears doom is imminent. The novel’s depiction of what toxic relationships can look like provides valuable insight to readers, especially when paired with descriptions of healthy relationships. Camila’s discomfort is further compounded by her mom and abuela’s constant talk about food and weight, making her self-conscious about her size. With most of the novel’s conflict being driven by Camila’s perceived threats of potential issues, the story is repetitive at times and the supporting characters somewhat underdeveloped. That said, the resolution is satisfying, and many readers will see themselves in Camila, relating to her growth as she learns to make peace with what she can and cannot control.