Attached at the Hip

March 4, 2024
Recent college graduate Orie Lennox is a reality television enthusiast. Her favorite show is Survivor, which she describes as “a chess game on an island” in which relationships are paramount. So, when she gets the opportunity to audition for the upcoming season, she’s all in, and not just because she’s obsessed with it; she sees it as her only chance to get away from the long-term boyfriend she doesn’t love and her family’s insistence that she’s sailing passively through life. What newly single Orie doesn’t know is that she’s been cast in an experimental version of the show with a romantic component—and that her former high school crush, Remy, has also been cast. A palpable appreciation for the inspiration material courses through this high-intensity romance by Riccio (Better Together). The island setting, the physical and mental challenges, and the machinations through which Orie and her fellow contestants try to avoid getting voted off the island are entertaining, and it’s satisfying to experience the alliances made and broken as Orie begins to realize what she’s capable of and how that translates into her future. Orie and Remy are white. Ages 13–up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary.

April 1, 2024
A restless AcroYoga influencer pursues love and money on reality TV. Twenty-three-year-old Orielle Lennox's post-college life has stalled out. Unhappy in a lackluster relationship and fueled by her older sister's criticisms that she's passive and codependent, Orie tries to jump-start her future by answering a casting call for the reality TV show Survivor. Discovering her father's gambling problem and being dumped by her boyfriend shortly before leaving for Fiji to film make Orie all the more eager to dive headlong into the competition as an escape from her problems. Upon arrival, Orie (who's cued white) and the nine other contestants--a racially diverse group of young, fit older teens and 20-somethings--find out that they're actually on a new reality spinoff called Attached at the Hip. Furthermore, each participant has been carefully selected as a possible love or friendship match for several other competitors. Orie quickly allies with Remy, an Italian American gym bro who also happens to be her unrequited high school crush. But as the days of sun and starvation wear on and new connections form, Orie starts to question Remy's motives and wonders who, if anyone, she can trust. Unfortunately, Orie comes across as frustratingly impulsive and immature rather than quirky and lovably offbeat. And, although moments of situational hilarity keep the story light, readers may get bogged down in the inane dialogue and the abundance of pop-culture references. A promising premise subverted by the execution. (Fiction. 15-18)

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May 1, 2024
Grades 10-12 Orie Lennox doesn't make a lot of choices. A recent college grad, she's content living with her parents and working with her influencer older sister, Lark, on sponsored AcroYoga videos. She even likes the high-school sweethearts story she has with her boyfriend more than she actually likes him. When Lark calls her out for her passivity, Orie sends off an impromptu application to her favorite reality show, Survivor. She's stunned when she's actually selected, but that's only the first surprise: she's on an experimental, relationship-driven version of the show that forces contestants to choose among love, friendship, and money. Her first day, she finds herself literally attached, via cable, to her one-time high-school crush. But he's not the only contestant, and Orie, who has always floated through life, will have a lot of choices to make. Set in the ill-defined period after college, this is firmly a crossover title that will appeal to adults but will certainly hook teens (especially those in that time of transition) with its clever conceit, infectious characters, and well-earned journey of self-discovery.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 19, 2024

Gr 9 Up-Orie Lennox and her older sister, Lark, are social media influencers. Orie lives with her parents, has a longtime boyfriend who grew up across the street, and believes she should be content with her life. When she sees her sister get engaged to her girlfriend, she realizes she's not thrilled with things the way they are. On a whim, Orie signs her sister and herself up for the reality show Survivor, one they've always loved. She gets the acceptance call-but they only want her. When her family members encourage her to do it, she flies to the island of Fiji. Her excitement turns to shock when she's told that the show she'll be on is a dating game show where the contestants are physically attached to each other for days at a time. Orie struggles through storms, cave sleeping, and other situations previously unimaginable to her. She complains about her situation but in the end winds up learning more about herself than she expected. With an original plot and quirky characters, this romantic comedy is entertaining and light. Riccio covers serious issues like gambling and addiction, but the tone of her writing is humorous, especially when the characters are fighting to win the reality game. There's lots of snappy dialogue, funny one-liners, and some parts are written as a reality show transcript of the producers interviewing the contestants. VERDICT A whimsical adventure with romance, soul searching, and outdoor survival games all mixed together. Recommended for libraries with demand for fun rom-coms.-Karin Greenberg

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