Title: Charming as a Verb
Author: Ben Phillipe
Narrator: James Fouhey
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
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OH THIS WAS SO CUTE! TOO CUTE!!! I listened to the audiobook while at work and I kept screaming commentary to myself so many times, my coworkers kept looking at me funny. It was an amazing book that drew me in and I didn’t pause the audiobook for ANYTHING! How cute is Henry??? And Corrinne??? OMG!
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Henry and Corrinne are high school seniors who cross paths after Henry starts dogwalking Corrine’s new pup. What starts out as light blackmail soon leads to something super cute and beautiful. This book talks about a lot of hard hitting topics, such as parental pressure, being a first gen immigrant (Henry is a first gen Haitian American), college admissions and the unevenness of it all. I loved the characters of Henry and Corrinne’s parents, their friends, and even the teachers at school.
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I have all this praise for this book, but the only reason this isn’t a 5-star for me is the main conflict. You know that conflict in YA novels where there’s a huge blow out and then a resolution? I just felt like the author’s choice was too serious and came with too little consequences. That aside, this was an amazing read that left my heart feeling fuzzy. The ending was just so beautiful.
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With amazing black leads, a stunning love story, and wonderful characters that tug at your heartstrings, I wholeheartedly recommend this book!
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Blurb
Henri “Halti” Haltiwanger can charm just about anyone. He is a star debater and popular student at the prestigious FATE academy, the dutiful first-generation Haitian son, and the trusted dog walker for his wealthy New York City neighbors. But his easy smiles mask a burning ambition to attend his dream college, Columbia University.
There is only one person who seems immune to Henri’s charms: his “intense” classmate and neighbor Corinne Troy. When she uncovers Henri’s less-than-honest dog-walking scheme, she blackmails him into helping her change her image at school. Henri agrees, seeing a potential upside for himself.
Soon what started as a mutual hustle turns into something more surprising than either of them ever bargained for. . . .
This is a sharply funny and insightful novel about the countless hustles we have to keep from doing the hardest thing: being ourselves.
The Author
Ben Philippe was born in Haiti, raised in Montreal, Canada, and resides in New York City where he teaches and writes for television. He is an alum of Columbia University and a graduate of the Michener Center for Writers of UT Austin. To this day, he still does not have a valid driver’s license, which is both #beautiful and #brave.
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