Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Super-Fake Love Song by David Yoon

Image: Penguin Random House

Super-Fake Love Song by David Yoon. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~8 hours. Narrated by Michael Bow. Listening Library, November, 2020. 9780593288030. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Happy Tuesday! 30 more school days! I am definitely counting. This has been quite the school year-difficult on everyone from parents to children, teachers and administrators. I don't know how back to normal we will be in September or what my library or position will look like, so fingers crossed. Until early last month, I was teaching the fifth and sixth grade hybrid students language arts on their virtual days. Now that the hybrid students are back every day, I'm in two classes as support and have some time in the library. Unfortunately, there's a class in the library and the configuration of desks and storage of library furniture make it difficult to get at all the books. I'm trying to circulate as much as possible though. 

Teen Tuesday features Super Fake Love Song by David Yoon. This is Mr. Yoon's sophomore novel. His debut, Frankly in Love, made quite a splash several years ago. It was a New York Times Bestseller and a Morris Award Finalist among other awards and accolades.

Sunny Dae is an unapologetic nerd. He and his two best friends are really into rpgs and even have a following on their YouTube channel where they offer tips on DIY cosplay costumes and props. Sunny's older brother, Gray, used to nerd out with him. That is, until he turned cool and started playing in bands. 

When the daughter of his parents friends is about to start school in town, Sunny is enlisted to show Cirrus around. Sunny falls for the beautiful, confident and cool Cirrus, but how could she find his cosplaying ways cool? When she mistakenly takes Grey's super-cool, rock musician's bedroom for Sunny's, he decides to go with it and says that he's in a band. That's sure to work out, right?

Sunny is smart and hilarious and he has two of the best friends in the world. There are some truly laugh-out-loud rom-com moments in this book juxtaposed with sometimes biting, sometimes poignant observations about family, brotherhood, friendship, life in high school and first love.

New-to-me narrator Mr. Bow did a fantastic job making Sunny adorable. While there is a lot to like here, this happens to be the second YA romance built around a lie I have read recently. This would be an absolute deal breaker for me, even at 18. I'm eager to talk with teen readers about this.