This was so cute and fun! I loved the dual POV and it felt like so much happened, all within a little over 24 hours. The personal turmoil both Abby and Leo were going through felt tangible to the point where my heart was hurting for them. The joy I felt during both of their ah-ha moments had me smiling so big and kicking my feet.
Growing up in New Jersey, I'm very familiar with trips to NYC so it was fun to feel like I was going along on their journey throughout the city!
This was a little slice of queer and trans joy and I need more!!!

I really liked Underhill's last book despite not being a huge YA reader anymore, and this one was also super charming! I loved the short whirlwind romance, and the fun adventure of exploring a new city together. I really loved Abby and Leo, and I loved getting to explore New York City through their eyes. What fun!

This book was not for me, the characters were not as interesting as I hoped they would be although their conversations were realistic.

okay wow i actually really liked this

i was weary going in when i realized this was insta-love and set over only a day, but i fell deeply in love with these characters and their relationships to each other

not only are the friendships healthy and solid (i’m looking at you evan), but the relationship between leo and abby felt genuine and developed in a way that felt natural. seeing them fumbling and being awkward teens was so refreshing in a sea of ya novels that feel a little too grown up

this book is also dripping in representation and is the kind of book i would have loved when i was still a teen finding myself. the way these characters navigated who they were really tugged on my heart strings. and it showed that it’s not a simple yes or no answer, especially at the beginning of one’s journey

also, as a former band kid, i loved the marching band aspect. it made me miss the days of suiting up and performing.

Thank you to Edward Underhill, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of This Day Changes Everything.

This Day Changes Everything is a coming-of-age love story between two queer teens as they meet and experience a whirlwind day in New York City before performing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.

I thought this book was cute, but there were a lot of parts that I felt would be more suited to the MCs being older, or taking place over a longer time. The "romance" was a bit abrupt - these teens went from two strangers who found each other kind of annoying to declaring their love within 24 hours. There wasn't a whole lot demonstrating why or how they would suddenly change their mind, though I guess that is accurate to the ever changing mind of teenagers? To me, it's easier to believe in the success of falling in love in 24 hours between two adults who are more mature. I felt confident that while this book ended on an HEA, that these two characters would never make it in a relationship once they went back to their respective hometowns.

Some of the existing character development also felt abrupt. Instead of a more natural progression of discovery or understanding identity, it felt like the plot would come to a stop while the character monologued about things or say something that seemed far more mature than the rest of their thoughts/comments. This felt kind of like the book was breaking the fourth wall and preaching rather than dynamically delivering a message about identity, which was disappointed. I really would have enjoyed a more subtly-woven exploration of these ideas!

I really enjoyed the queer representation and the exploration of New York City, but think it would have felt a bit more real if the timeline was longer and some of the key points were presented in a different manner.

I’m actually very surprised by how much I liked this book!

Two years ago, I got an ARC of Always The Almost, Edward Underhill’s debut novel, and I… didn’t really like it. I understood the concept in theory and thought it was generally okay, but my hatred for the main character and his tendency to turn himself into a victim drove me to rate the book two stars.

But I thought Edward Underhill deserved a second chance, and so when I saw ARCs available for This Day Changes Everything, I decided I needed to try it out.

The beginning of this book actually wasn’t going well for me. It was bringing up a lot of the same concepts I find in other trans YA books and hate, such as a teen with no support whose entire life sucks and there’s no way to cheer them on. I don’t know what’s with the trend of ONLY trans YA books being so depressing, but I know I’ve talked time and time again about my frustration for not getting any wholesome trans YA stories like I can in adult books.

But then I got 50% of the way through this book and things really turned around!

A lot of that is due to the fact that Leo and Abby, our two main characters, find themselves and their community around the 50% mark. For these two teens growing up in communities where there aren’t really any other people like them and they have no one to talk to about the struggles they’re facing, finding a community was really important! I think this really helped turned this book around from the depressing outlook both Leo and Abby had on life and helped them find joy and magic in the mundane.

If you want a YA book about queerness, finding a community, and the awkwardness of teen feelings and falling in love, I actually really recommend This Day Changes Everything!

3.5 rounded to 4

This Day Changes Everything by Edward Underhill is a Queer YA contemporary romance. Two band geeks from different states both get lost on the subway during a school trip to New York to perform at the Macy's day parade. This grumpy/ sunshine pairing romance is filled with bond geekness, friendships, queer acceptance, sightseeing, impromptu scavenger hunts, and a happy ending.

What I loved : The Queer rep! A transmale lead , Leo, and a Queer questioning female lead, Abby. Bonus, we get both their point of views! The pages are just over flowing with queerness. Leo is out to his friends, who are beyond accepting of him for who he is. His family not as much and he struggles with coming out to his extended family. Abby thinks she's in love with her best friend Kat, so she dives into what it means to be queer. Queer side characters and an accepting New York environment give them a chance to embrace who they are. I also really freaking loved Leo's best friends, Evan and Gina were the BEST !

What I didn't love as much : I guess I'm going to say the setting of New York lol which is like the main plot . Sorry, but I honestly was so bored with the descriptions of each location that I ended up skimming until our MCs were interacting with each other. Also, the super insta love. Ya'll could have just claimed you really liked each other and wanted to keep in touch without dropping so many L bombs .

This was such a cute and fun read. I really loved all of the characters, the banter dynamic between Abby and Leo while they are touring NYC was so fun. I really loved that they were able to talk to each other about their issues, and I also loved the friends just as much, Kat and Evan. I really enjoy a good book that has queer elements, and I love that Leo is a trans character I love to see this more in books today, it seems more and more authors are including all walks of people from the community and I love it! I plan to read so many queer authors and books this year, they end up being some of my favorite books so thank you Edward Underhill for gracing us with this beautiful Novel.

I will definitely be getting a hard copy for my shelves, the cover on this one is so beautiful! The way he describes NYC also made me feel like I was back there. All the sites and descriptions were great. Look forward to reading more from Underhill!

In support of the SMP boycott, I will be withholding my review of this title until SMP speaks out. If the boycott is resolved, I will update with a full review.

This Day Changes Everything by Edward Underhill, 288 pages. Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2024. $20. Lgbtqia, centering me
Language: R (83 swears, 31 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Both on their way to New York City to play in their respective marching bands for the Thanksgiving Macy’s parade, Abby (16yo) and Leo (16yo) have vastly different feelings. Abby is sure the Universe is on her side, giving her the perfect opportunity to confess to her crush. However, Leo is sure the Universe is conspiring against him and that this trip is the beginning of the end.
Their story is packaged as a cute romance, which it is, but the romance falls to the side of what Abby and Leo both really want. At the heart of it, this book is about discovery and acceptance. They want to know who they are, they want to love who they are, and they want others to accept who they are.
Abby is White, Leo is White, Kat is Asian, and Gina is not White but is not otherwise defined. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Y’all, I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish reading THIS DAY CHANGES EVERYTHING by Edward Underhill. This sweet and hopeful dual POV romcom follows two high school students who’ve traveled across the country with their marching bands to perform at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Things take a turn for the worst (or is it the best?), when Abby and Leo (our queer girl/trans guy MCs) get on the wrong subway train. Let’s just say adventure ensues.

This book is for you if:
- you’ve ever experienced the buzzing excitement of visiting a new city with great friends.
- you’ve ever wished for a sign that “The Universe” was on your side.
- you’ve ever needed to feel seen by folks who don’t view your identity as a “Logistical Headache.”
- and of course, if you’ve ever been personally victimized by the MTA.

It warms my heart to read a book that reflects both the heartaches and immense joys I myself have experienced in my own queer&trans journey of becoming. I am so glad that queer youth will have the opportunity to read this book and see themselves in Abby & Leo’s story.

THIS DAY CHANGES EVERYTHING is out this Tuesday, 2/13/24!

I will not be providing feedback nor publishing it on social for this title until SMP meets the demands of the SMP Reviewer Boycott.

St Martins Press is currently under boycott so I will not be sharing my review for this book unless it ends.

This book packed a whole lot of nostalgia for me as the reader.

This book radiates the hope of two queer teens who have one magical 24 hours in New York City. Leo and Abby have one day of adventures and along the way found acceptance in their selves and hope for their future. Tons of queer joy is found within this story, especially between these grumpy and sunshine characters.

The scenes from NYC were fantastic, and my own connections to HS marching band and growing up in the Midwest really made me fall in love with this story.

Good story with great representation. Mostly, I loved the writing style the author uses throughout - its fun and playful at times, and reads perfectly for a YA book. The tone fit the story, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading through this book!

Both Abby and Leo feel very lost in their lives and are still trying to determine how they fit in the world. When Abby and Leo both board the wrong subway while their respective high school bands are on citywide tours the day before they perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade, they must team up to find their way back and in more ways than one.

I really liked both characters and the dual POV approach. Leo's struggle with being a trans "Logistical Headache" was heartbreaking, but all too real as it's a struggle that cis gendered people don't understand the whole scope of. The smallest of things can be a big deal and the little moment between Abby and Leo waiting for each other at a bathroom was so important. I loved how queer this story was and how we get a lot of various identity representation, including some ace/demi rep there at the end!

It's a fun story with relatable teens that takes you on an adventure throughout New York City. While I thought Abby and Leo's friends were awesome in how they were able to cover for them all day while they were missing from their respective groups, I did feel like Abby and Leo were a bit selfish in how they just kept extending their time lost in the city instead of regrouping with the friends whose itineraries often overlapped. I can't believe none of the chaperones felt the need to physically set eyes on them to verify there were in fact present. Regardless, it's a fun story that older teenage queer or questioning kids will relate to or find pieces of themselves in. After all, a mini adventure in NYC does sound fun and exhilarating. I look forward to reading more by this author as this was my first book by Edward and it sounds like his debut was even better.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.

This was such a cute read! I really enjoyed it. We follow Abby and Leo who are members of different marching bands on an adventure through New York after they both accidentally get on the wrong train. It was a lot of fun getting to follow them through New York and seeing their relationship develop throughout the day. I really liked both Abby and Leo and the grumpy x sunshine dynamic that they had. They each had their own stuff that they were going through so it was satisfying to see everything work out for both of them in the end. I appreciated how this book highlighted being queer in a small town especially when there aren't many other openly queer people within your community. I also liked how this book touched on queerness without labels. While labels are important and helpful, I liked that this showed how you can just be who you are without having to worry about so much about how you identify.

The only thing that I wasn't a huge fan of was the insta-love between Leo and Abby. It's not really a trope that I'm into. Even though I'm not a huge fan of this trope, I still liked the relationship/romance between Abby and Leo and thought they were cute together. This was by first book by Underhill and I'm excited to read more books by him in the future.

First of all, can we just talk about how BEAUTIFUL the cover by Myriam Strasbourg is?

Abby and Leo are lost in different ways: Abby in her favorite romance book and in her best friend Kat (who Abby thinks she is in love with, but wait a second... Abby's queer?); Leo as the trans man that he is, struggling with his clueless extended family and his reluctant parents. Both protagonists find themselves - and their respective Midwest/southern marching bands - in New York City to march in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Everything about this trip, however, changes when Abby and Leo get lost in every sense of the word.

Underhill is such a vibrant writer that, despite my own dislike of Abby as a character, had me cheering her on. Abby and Leo's voices are so distinct and (at least for Leo, for me) it's easy to cheer for them. What I love the most about this story is the representation and finding spaces for queer teens as they figure out who they are. While the adventure piece of this story wasn't quite realistic, it was magical and connected beautifully with going from feeling invisible to feeling freed.

I am SO excited to share this one with my kiddos who have been yearning for more trans (especially) representation in YA literature.

i will not be rating or reviewing outside of netgalley as long as st. martin's press is still under boycott.

This book was super cute! I loved the plot and writing style. The characters were probably my favorite part, their personalities absolutely leapt through the page.