Lovesick Falls

Gr 7 Up–Drake creates a queer, lyrical retelling of As You Like It with fitting narration by Dani Martineck. Three best friends watch a relative’s house for the summer before their senior year. Nearby is a spring; it is rumored that if you drink from it, you will fall out of love. This is appealing to Celia, who has an unrequited crush on friend and now roommate Ros. Add in summer jobs at a theater company and a celebrity crush visiting in real life, and silly scenarios are plenty. The plot explores the complexities of friendship and the big feelings that are heralded by coming of age. While the writing style has a literary feel, readers will find the balance in the ­comedic and fun moments throughout. The audiobook opens with gentle, but dramatic, guitar music. Martineck creates distinct voices for Celia and other characters, though Ros and Touch can sound similar. The narrator’s tone and mood matches the literary feel of the text, as does the rhythmic and lyrical pacing. The format truly builds upon and enlivens this title.