Booksmart meets Never Have I Ever in this Latinx road trip adventure—a big-hearted, voice-driven YA about two sisters who couldn’t be more different, but become begrudging partners on their school’s cross-country college trip—from debut author Angela Velez. Perfect for fans of Lilliam Rivera, Jenny Han, and Sandhya Menon.  Overachiever Luz “Lulu” Zavala has straight As, perfect attendance, and a solid ten-year plan. First up: nail her interview for a dream internship at Stanford, the last stop on her school’s cross-country college road trip. The only flaw in her plan is Clara, her oldest sister, who went off to college and sparked a massive fight with their overprotective Peruvian mom, who is now convinced that out-of-state-college will destroy their family. If Lulu can’t fix whatever went wrong between them, the whole trip—and her future—will be a waste. Middle sister Milagro wants nothing to do with college or a nerdy class field trip. Then a spot opens up on the trip just as her own spring break plans (Operation Don’t Die a Virgin) are thwarted, and she hops on the bus with her glittery lipsticks, more concerned about getting back at her ex than she is about schools or any family drama. But the trip opens her eyes about possibilities she’d never imagined for herself. Maybe she is more than the boy-crazy girl everyone seems to think she is. On a journey from Baltimore all the way to San Francisco, Lulu and Milagro will become begrudging partners as they unpack weighty family expectations, uncover Clara’s secrets, and maybe even discover the true meaning of sisterhood. One cross-country bus trip. Two sisters with opposite goals. A family secret that could derail everything. Opposites Attract: Overachiever Lulu has a ten-year plan that starts with Stanford. Milagro has a spring break plan that starts with losing her virginity. They couldn’t be more different. - Forced Proximity: Stuck together on a school bus from Baltimore to San Francisco, these two have to become partners—or risk sabotaging both their futures. - Alternating Perspectives: Jump between Lulu’s anxious planning and Milagro’s boy-crazy scheming in this hilarious, voice-driven story told from both points of view. - Peruvian-American Family: Unpack weighty family expectations and cultural identity with the Zavala sisters as they navigate their overprotective (and hilarious) Peruvian mom. Gr 9 Up-The Zavala sisters have always been close, but ever since eldest sister Clara left Baltimore to attend college in Iowa, things have been different. Lulu is just as dedicated to school as Clara was, and has received an interview invitation to a summer program at Stanford. Milagro is focused on her boyfriend Pablo and trying not to get too many detentions. When Clara returns home during winter break, the sisters and their mom realize that something is different-Clara has changed, but she won't talk to Lulu or Milagro about what is going on. As Lulu prepares to go on a weeklong trip visiting colleges, Milagro's plans for intimacy with Pablo change as she discovers he's not who she thought, and she suddenly finds herself on the bus with Lulu. Throughout the trip, the sisters struggle with finding out what they want to do in the future; Lulu wants Clara to patch things up with their mom so she can also have the opportunity to go away for college, while Milagro makes forgetting about Pablo her priority. As they go from college to college, the sisters discover that their future can be different from what they imagined, but that that's not a bad thing. And as they get closer to the end of the trip, they find out important truths about themselves and about Clara. VERDICT A funny, heartfelt story filled with unique and unforgettable characters, the strength of sisterhood and family, first love, and a love for STEM and the arts, this young adult novel will have readers laughing out loud while also thinking about their own future. Highly recommended for young adult collections.-Selenia Pazα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. "There's SO MUCH HEART in these pages. This outstanding debut is hard-hitting and hilarious. I'm so hyped for more Angela Velez stories." - Adam Silvera, #1 New York Times bestselling author of They Both Die at the End “A funny, heartfelt story filled with unique and unforgettable characters, the strength of sisterhood and family, first love, and a love for STEM and the arts, this young adult novel will have readers laughing out loud while also thinking about their own future. Highly recommended for young adult collections.” - School Library Journal (starred review) “Alternating chapters fully develop Lulu’s and Milagro’s distinct personalities; they have different interests and priorities, but their admiration and love for each other is clear….Details from their lives as a family of Peruvian American women add depth to this story of sisterhood and self