Bite Me, Royce Taslim

February 19, 2024
Seventeen-year-old Chinese Malaysian track star Agnes Chan has her whole life planned out. What she didn’t account for was being involved in a hit-and-run that put her athletic dreams on hold. Worse to Agnes is that her nemesis, Indonesian Royce Taslim, was there to witness the accident. Despite being dropped from the track team, her drive to be great at something remains, leading her to try her hand at stand-up at a comedy club, where she finds new success, which she keeps secret from her family. The only problem is that Royce performs at the same club. He’s everything that Agnes despises: popular, financially privileged, and annoyingly handsome. But as his flawless facade fades, Agnes begins to see Royce for who he really is, and as her reputation grows, her relationships with friends and family—and with Royce—are tested until eventually, someone gets the last laugh. Using humor to highlight issues surrounding mental health and socioeconomic status, Ho (Lucie Yi Is Not a Romantic, for adults) offers a lighthearted enemies-to-lovers YA debut set in Kuala Lumpur that’s quick-paced and angsty with laughs to spare. Ages 12–up. Agent: Katelyn
Detweiler, Jill Grinberg Literary.

April 1, 2024
After an injury derails her track career, a high school senior in Kuala Lumpur enters a stand-up comedy contest and finds an unexpected source of friendship and romance. Chinese Malaysian Agnes Chan is a winner. A nationally ranked junior sprinter, Agnes plans to spend her senior year breaking records and closing in on her life goal: to win Malaysia's first Olympic gold medal. First, though, she must beat out her track team co-captain, Royce Taslim, for their school's Athlete of the Year award (and the accompanying prize money). Competition is one thing, but when the competition is rich, handsome, and polished Royce, who's never wanted for anything? It's infuriating. Then, Agnes is struck in a hit-and-run accident that leaves her with a fractured fibula, a rescinded college athletic scholarship, and nothing to show for years of hard work. As she recalibrates, Agnes falls into the city's stand-up comedy scene, where Royce has long been performing. When she and Royce, who's Indonesian, both decide to enter a contest for teen comedians, their rivalry finds a new battlefront. Still, as they follow each other from one open mic event to another, combative, defensive Agnes finds it increasingly difficult to deny the sizzling tension drawing them together. Conflicts around class and gender are introduced but not fully resolved, although a strong central romance and a relatable coming-of-age story redeem the narrative. A solid addition to the list of rivals-to-lovers romances. (Romance. 12-18)

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May 15, 2024
Grades 9-12 After an accident ends any hopes Agnes had of running track on scholarship, she finds herself alone and angry at her rival, Royce, whom she blames for her injury. When Agnes discovers Royce's secret life as a comedian, she decides to forge a new path and joins a comedy competition to earn the money for school. Agnes also worries she ruined her mother's life, being the product of a one-night stand, and strives to prove she is worthy of her mother's love. She also worries about her mom's depression and a relapse. Meanwhile, Royce is wealthy and famous, though he has his own familial pressures. With quick-witted, snappy dialogue and jokes, Ho uses a rom-com package to tell a story of family, mental health, class, and belonging. Agnes wants to find a place to belong and, after several missteps, learns how to find her way. While there is some light romance, the central focus of the novel is vulnerability. A funny story that packs more of an emotional punch than expected.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 1, 2024

Gr 9 Up-Agnes Chan attends an international school in Kuala Lumpur. A rising track star who is waiting to finalize a college recruitment deal in America, she has a clear path to the future. A scholarship will secure her dreams of making it big and take the weight off her family's uncertain finances. Agnes's only obstacle is her rival and track team cocaptain, Royce Taslim. Things come as easy to him as they do to his wealthy family. Everything changes when Agnes has an accident that destroys her running career. While recovering, she spies on Royce and uncovers his secret life as a stand-up comedian. Without intending to, she becomes part of that world. As she works her way up the amateur comedy circuit, she realizes Royce is not the only one with a hidden agenda. Jumping through unforeseen hoops, Agnes grows in ways she never anticipated. Ho creates a vivid picture of teenage life in Kuala Lumpur, her own hometown. The universal high school angst that Agnes feels as she struggles with friendships, flirtations, and home life is portrayed through well-developed, diverse characters. Though the trope of rivals-to-lovers is nothing new, it serves its purpose and gives readers a satisfying romance. VERDICT A sweet, unique rom-com that is recommended for high school libraries.-Karin Greenberg

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