Theater, friendship, romance, crushes, crushing on your bestie's crush....??!!?? Everything a good fun weekend read should have with lots of drama, tears, hugs, and hearts. Becky Albertalli can do no wrong and she hits it out of the park with "Kate in Waiting" with her best friends crushing on the same guy for fun...until it's not fun anymore theme. The tense waiting to find out if dreamy Matt Olsen is into guys or girls (or both...or is he already taken??) makes for a fun page-turner. Well fleshed out characters and dialogue that rings true. Sure to be a winner.

this was FANTASTIC. absolutely amazing, as to be expected from all becky’s other books. the characters were fantastic and well developed, while the plot was all too relatable and heartbreakingly awkward. i loved it.

Oh my gosh, I loved this book so much!

Kate In Waiting follows Kate, who has always shared crushes with her best friend, Anderson. The crushes are always short-lived and not serious—until Matt. When both of them fall hard and all three are cast in the school musical, things between Kate and Andy get complicated and threaten to ruin their friendship. Kate and Andy have to navigate the new situation they’ve ended up in, when Matt seems to like them both. Meanwhile, Kate’s brother’s best friend, and one of Kate’s childhood friends, Noah has joined the school musical, and Andy seems to think Noah is interested in Kate. But Kate suspects Andy just wants her out of his way, so he can have dibs on Matt. Plus, it isn’t like Kate could like Noah like that, right? He is an f*boy, after all….

I can’t scream enough about this book. From the very first page, I just wanted to keep going. I could NOT put it down. It was laugh out loud funny, and the boys in it were adorable. Becky did such an amazing job creating characters to root for and feel heartbroken with. The friendship dynamics are incredible, and it was honestly just such a cute book. I can’t wait for this book to be out in the world so everyone can experience Kate’s story!

Review from my 12-year-old daughter:
I loved "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by the same author, and although I didn't like this one quite as much, it was still an enjoyable read!

This book follows best friends, Kate and Anderson, who have decided to always fall for the same guy, as they consider this to be more fun. But when their latest crush unexpectedly moves to their school, they begin to realize that real feelings are getting involved, and their friendship is on the line.

There were only a few things that I didn't like about this book, and they were pretty minor. First, this book was very predictable. From the first introductions of characters, I knew the way that this plot was going to go, who would end up with who, and how it would end. I also didn't like how Andy and Kate would get jealous of things that the other couldn't control. For example, Kate got mad at Andy when Matt (the guy they both like) gave him his phone number, even though Andy had absolutely no control over that. And Andy got mad at Kate when Matt offered her a ride home, which she turned down because she didn't want to hurt Andy. And lastly, I didn't get why they both liked Matt. There was very little exploration into his characters, he seemed to have very few positive or negative traits, and was overall boring, yet managed to get not one, but two people to want to date him.

But besides those things, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I've always loved the way that Becky Albertalli writes her characters, and this book was no exception. My favorite part of this book was the friendship between Kate and Andy, which reminded me quite a bit of the friendship between Judy and Art from "Like A Love Story" by Abdi Nazemian. I really liked how when they both began to start arguing over Andy, they at least tried to communicate about it, even if it didn't always work out. One thing that I think makes this book a bit different from other young adult books is that we are supposed to be rooting more for a friendship than any sort of romantic relationship.

Overall, this was an enjoyable, although a bit predictable, read!

Kate in Waiting is such a charming little book. Although at this point I am a few years removed from high school, Becky Albertalli continues to hit the nail on the head and send me back to my own high school performing arts days. I mean that in the best way because she reminds me why I loved being a part of that scene without forcing me to relive more unpleasant memories that I'm sure we've all had. Kate and her friends all feel like real teenagers I'd encounter in a high school: funny, awkward, and very imperfect. I loved this book!

i was SO excited to get into this book. Becky Albertalli is just one of those authors that makes me instantly excited to read any new material.

honestly, it did take me a bit to get into Kate in Waiting. but once i was just past the halfway mark, i couldn’t put the book down. Kate and Andy (who is her best friend that happens to be gay, not to be compared to a Gay Best Friend) have the cutest most ridiculous friendship. their dynamic made me grin constantly. I truly feel like the friendship between Andy and Kate was the star of the entire book, it wasnt their crushes or the life of a high school theatre kid, it was the platonic soul mate-type love between these two that made me want to keep reading.

I also really loved the way that the book really honed in on being a theatre kid. being in theatre wasn’t just some background plot, it was a main point in the story and it really made me feel like i was a part of the entire production.

the romance (crushes, really) in this book are very sweet, but almost underwhelming in a way. everything seemed very predictable, and i wanted more of the story that unfolded at the very end. although the love triangle and other relationships that unfolded in this book were very much expected, i still think Becky Albertalli did a wonderful job of catching the essence of a jittery, high-school heart that’s falling in like with someone

overall, it was a lovely read. i just wish there was a bit *more*. but i laughed, i swooned, and i rooted for my favorite relationships. i think this story was really cute and still unlike other reads in some very specific ways (hello, Jewish representation and the wild, intense world that is high school theatre)


thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley for an ARC of Kate in Waiting!! It comes out April 20 this year, and i hope you all tell me how you like it when you get your hands on it

I will read anything Becky Albertalli writes, so I was thrilled to get my hands on an early digital copy of Kate in Waiting. This book was definitely up my alley in terms of the musical theater aspect and I enjoyed the story overall.

I liked Kate's friendship with Anderson a lot. It made me wish I had a gay best friend in HS instead of having to wait until adulthood, but things were different in the nineties and I had no idea one of my closest male friends was gay until the end of that decade. I loved all the theater stuff, which goes without saying, even though I'm not as familiar with the musical they chose. (Maybe I should finally get around to seeing it.)

The story was kind of predictable, but that's just from me reading way too many books. I also wish it had alternated between Kate and Anderson's point-of-views, but maybe that would have given more spoilers, unless things were done in a different way. I usually prefer when Becky writes romance from an LGBTQ perspective, but she still does a great job regardless.

This was a cute and fun novel, perfect for an uplifting read.

I normally don't cast YA novels, but I will make an exception for Becky!
Kate: Oona Laurence
Anderson: Alkoya Brunson
Matt: Owen Joyner
Noah: Anthony Keyvan
Brandie: Jenna Ortega
Raina: Josie Totah

Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli is a YA book about teenage friendships. Kate and Anderson are best friends, and they end up both really liking the new guy at school. Will their friendship survive? I really enjoyed this book and its emphasis on the importance of friendship and communication. My main complaint is the use of the term "f-boy," which the author insisted on using repeatedly. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

This was an incredible novel! Becky never fails to disappoint and I can’t wait to tell my students about this when it’s out!!! Despite having outgrown Becky's stories, I still found myself unable to stop reading and blazed through it in a day. Andy and Kate were so wholesome and I loved the whole cast of characters. The play format of the story made this a relatively predictable story but I think that's what made it so speedy to read. I knew what was coming and I was excited to see the reveal!

Purchased this YA/middle grade novel for my middle school library. Superb character development, elegant world building, and compelling plotting.

In true Becky Albertalli fashion this story is sweet and heartfelt. You immediately fall in love with the characters and root for their happiness. Kate in Waiting tells the story of best friends Kate and Andy as they traverse through communal crushes and high school theater. Their merry band of friends is diverse, witty, and as I feel about all theater kids -- supportive and quirky. The rest of the ensemble, swoon-worthy Matt, Kate's brother older Ryan, and misunderstood Noah round out the characters and make you want to yell "Bravo and Break a leg" to them all. The parents are honest and loving and the teachers are sometimes clueless, but always kind and note worthy. Though there is quite a bit of language in the book, it is never used maliciously and is probably more common than this reader is used to hearing in the high school hallways. This is a must read for all Becky Albertalli fans and a must read for anyone wanting a rom-com friendship story that will leave them smitten and yearning for someone to be lantern worthy of their love!

The book follows Kate Garfield and her best friend Anderson Walker. The two enjoy crushing on the same boys from afar. But then the two fall hard for the same boy, which of course, causes some friction in their relationship. I don't know, the characters just didn't feel super believable to me.

Not my favorite Albertalli book, but I still enjoyed it.

I'm a fan of Albertalli's work so when I heard about the new book I was excited to read it. It did not disappoint, the characters were super fun and I loved the story idea. Really good!

I am a huge fan of Becky Albertalli's books. She writes such fun YA stories that include diverse casts of characters, witty dialogue, and budding romances. Kate in Waiting has all of this, plus a flair for the dramatic!

Best friends Kate and Andy love to obsess over guys who are out of their league. Their latest communal crush is Matt, a vocal consultant at their summer camp, who they've pined over all summer. When they begin their Junior year of high school they are shocked to meet the new kid in town...none other than communal-crush-Matt! Can their friendship survive as both friends compete for Matt's attention?

Be sure to check out this five-star read when it releases on April 20th!

Favorite quotes:
-"You can tell a lot about a teacher's desperation level from how quickly he resorts to worksheets. It's the third day."
-I'm allergic to making choices."

Becky Albertalli is genius at creating characters that are relatable and compelling. Kate in Waiting was all I was hoping it would be: nerdy, sweet, angsty, romantic, and compelling. There is depth to the characters that seem like stereotypes but show that no one is only a theater geek, f-boy/girl, or anyone in between. Kate, a self-proclaimed theater geek, is thrilled when she is given a major role in the school's musical. Kate's best friend, Andy, is given the lead role. And Kate and Andy's crush is given the role of Kate's beau in the musical--a coop for Kate! But is it? The compelling characters and wonderful story build and the reader cannot put the book down!

3.5 stars

This was a really cute story, but perhaps I'm getting to old for this type of YA.

BFFs Kate and Anderson Walker are super close and often like the same guys. This has never been an issue because of their agreed-upon code, but when Matt comes in the picture, things start getting sticky.

The writing was great and I thought the characters were well-developed. These teens had a surprising level of interpersonal insight while still making normal teen mistakes and experiencing miscommunications. Overall solid contemporary YA. .

KATE IN WAITING is the high school theatre tribute that we all deserve. Kate and Anderson do everything together - classes, summer camp counseling, and even crushing on cute boys. When a mutual crush from over the summer moves to their town, Kate and Anderson have to learn how to be their own people, all while dealing with high school, the school play (I'm sorry Leanna, I mean *musical*), and family drama. Becky Albertalli does it again with KATE IN WAITING.

I feel so lucky to have been approved for this title—thank you! I devoured this book. I’ve always loved Becky’s stories but she out did herself on this one.

While I enjoyed the story line, I did feel like it was very predictable. I also was turned off by the number of "f-boy" references, and I am generally not a prude about language. The main character needed a bigger awakening at the end about how judgmental she had been toward the athletes at her school, even if some were deserving of the nickname.

Something about this title didn't click for me. While I have loved everything Becky has written before, this just wasn't it for me, but maybe it was due to the time I read it? I may re-visit this book in a year or two. I will still recommend it to students and know that they will love it, though.