This Adventure Ends

It's Sloane's senior year, and her family has just moved across the country. A confrontation at a party embeds her in a tightknit group of childhood friends. Problem is, Sloane puts walls up, deflecting with humor before things get too earnest. That might sound cliché, but instead of brooding, she throws herself into a scheme (her words) to relocate a painting with her lab partner, who is a) going through a crisis of faith and b) calls himself DJ Smooth. Meanwhile, her father, a famous author, contends with a combination of writer's block and depression by diving deep into Were School (think Teen Wolf) fanfiction. It's all stupid and hilarious and sweet. With both Sloane and Claudia in [b:Foolish Hearts 33275690 Foolish Hearts Emma Mills https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1487081647l/33275690.SY75.jpg 53998283], Mills portrays vulnerability issues in a way that feels authentic instead of tedious, encompassing both romance and friendship. I also like how she emphasizes the artistic value of both paintings that sell for thousands and NSFW fic. I like more that the character vehemently arguing the value of fandom is a middle-aged acclaimed male author. This Adventure Ends is funny and refreshing, but it taps into bigger questions—what does it mean to care about people? More to the point, why don't we let ourselves? And the cover, of course, is gorgeous. Thick swirls of paint in hues evoking both sloshing water and melancholy. Stars representing everything from dead reckoning to Laney's love of constellations to engagement on social media. If you like [a:Alice Oseman 7789423 Alice Oseman https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1515091539p2/7789423.jpg], [b:Eliza and Her Monsters 31931941 Eliza and Her Monsters Francesca Zappia https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476994065l/31931941.SY75.jpg 52586056], [b:Nice Try, Jane Sinner 33413915 Nice Try, Jane Sinner Lianne Oelke https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1500554660l/33413915.SX50.jpg 49155351], or even the movie Ingrid Goes West, try this (adventure ends).