November 23, 2015
When Coretta White’s new Tumblr, Little White Lies, becomes an overnight sensation, she’s overwhelmed by the attention and opportunities that arise. So Coretta, a privileged, high-achieving black 17-year-old, secretly enlists the services of a 41-year-old white ghostwriter, Karl, to pose as her on Little White Lies, thereby creating the biggest Little White Lie of all—until their secret is revealed to the world. Chapters alternate between Coretta and Karl’s perspectives, but Karl’s often self-aggrandizing and condescending adult narration feels out of place in the story. Soon-to-be-outdated political, social, and pop-culture references pepper the novel, along with long-outdated ones from Karl, which are awkwardly explained in an appendix. Plot inconsistencies (such as why Karl posts without Coretta’s permission almost immediately after he promises that he won’t), scandals heaped atop scandals, and frequent shifts into text/email/chat exchanges make for a jumbled narrative. Baker and Hastie, both newcomers to YA, aim to explore tricky ethical and racial territory, but their novel largely feels like it’s at war with itself. Ages 14–up. Agent: (for Baker) Kristyn Keene, ICM; (for Hastie) Don Fehr, Trident Media Group.