Something More

Jessie Kassis is like a lot of 15-year-olds; she is nervous about starting high school, she loves her family even if they don’t always get along, and she daydreams about getting her first kiss—a lot. However, at the end of summer, Jessie was diagnosed as being autistic and is not exactly sure how to navigate this new information about herself. She has always been emotional (one of her goals for high school is not letting anyone see her cry), she struggled to make friends, and she is obsessed with the 90s. Now, she’s not sure if she should let anyone know about being autistic, if she will ever have a boyfriend, or how she will keep her friendships thriving when she sees the world in a way that is different than others.

Something More is an absolutely delightful YA romance with characters that are endearing and vulnerable and storylines that will have readers hooked from start to finish. The strength of this novel comes from showcasing the goodness of teenagers while still displaying their innocence and flaws, and leaning into the embarrassing and heart-warming moments that make up high school.

As a protagonist, Jessie offers a well-rounded perspective of the difficulties of high school that many readers will find relatable, paired with an inviting exploration of how many moments of being a young adult are more layered when you are autistic. She is self-deprecating and exhausted from masking for a majority of her day, but she doesn’t realize that the people around her genuinely celebrate her and her worldview. The halls of her school are not perfect—there are scenes of bullying and betrayal that add to the realism of the plot—but Jessie finds a friend group that is fiercely loyal and understanding. She has to navigate this friend group as they go through breakups and cheating and getting in trouble, and, like all teenagers, she doesn’t always do a perfect job. The friend group shifts, as friend groups do in high school, but Jessie is able to find multiple people that make her feel safe enough to share her diagnosis. Her two closest friends, Mel and Odelia, show the compassion and tenderness that can be overlooked when writing about teenage girls, and their maturity when Jessie tells them she is autistic is a standout scene.

The romance sphere of Something More is wholesome and frustrating and captivating—exactly how it should be for a YA romance! Jessie is swept up by a classmate’s 90s grunge look and caught off guard when he asks her for help in class and is even flirtatious with her. A different classmate becomes one of her closest friends and helps guide her through her pining while very clearly having a crush on her. Through these romances, Jessie solidifies her self-worth and stays grounded in her morals, and, as a reader, you want her to experience every joy possible. As her relationships stay in PG territory with a few make-out scenes being the general extent of the physical side of her exploration of dating, young readers looking for a milder romance will thoroughly enjoy this book.

There are many special elements in Something More, like the Kassis family dynamics, Jessie’s confidence growing and her goals being met, 90s references and a playlist being included at the end of the text, and so much more. Readers will be swept up in the dramatics and cringey moments of high school while cheering on Jessie at every turn. I anticipate this will be a well-read and well-loved novel in my classroom library.