And Other Mistakes

by Erika Turner

Overview

A Black teenage girl has something to prove in And Other Mistakes, a debut Young Adult coming-of-age novel by Erika Turner about first loves, broken friendships, family tension, and what it means to run toward your future instead of running from your past.

Aaliyah's home life has never been great, but she thought she'd survive her last years of high school with at least her friendships and cross-country stardom intact. That is, until junior year struck: she got outed by a church elder and everything came undone — including Aaliyah.

Now, senior year is about to start and she is determined to come back faster and wiser. No more letting other people define her. No more losing herself to their expectations.

Except... well, with new friends, old flames, nosy school counselors, and teammates who don't trust her yet, the route already feels rough. And what's with the new girl, Tessa, who gives Aaliyah butterflies every time she looks at her? Regardless, everything is fine. She'll be fine. Because this is the year to prove to everyone—and most of all, herself—that she's more than her mistakes. After all, even Aaliyah can't outrun everything.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250834843
Publisher:	Feiwel & Friends
Publication date:	02/14/2023
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	1,081,694
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.30(d)
Lexile:	HL760L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Erika Turner is a writer, a poet, and the daughter of storytellers. Sometimes, she writes songs she may one day share. Once, in a Brooklyn community center, she read James Baldwin's quote "You can't tell the children there's no hope," and she carries those words from the city to the desert and beyond. She lives in California with her family and a dog who is suspicious of stationary street objects. And Other Mistakes is her debut novel.

Editorial Reviews

★ 12/12/2022

Black 17-year-old track star Aaliyah Marshall is forced to navigate love and high school drama after being outed as queer by a church elder in this standout novel. Getting outed was the final straw before Aaliyah felt as if her life was about to implode—especially considering she’s dealing with her alcohol-dependent father’s emotionally abusive outbursts, her über religious mother’s homophobia, a fallout with her childhood best friend and crush, and being ousted as her cross-country team’s captain. But the end of the semester means a fresh start and, determined to create a better foundation for her upcoming senior year, Aaliyah puts her all into the summer’s cross-country training season. Her intense athletic focus helps distract her from her father’s erratic behavior and her mother’s cold demeanor, which feel suffocating while she’s at home. Even better is the chance to get closer to teammate Marissa, the former lead singer of her favorite local band. Things become complicated, however, when she starts developing feelings for new teammate Tessa. By employing impeccable emotional tension that superbly renders themes of abuse, friendship, and identity, Turner delivers a genuine and honest read. The supporting cast is intersectionally diverse. Ages 14–up. Agent: Quressa Robinson, Folio Literary. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

"...standout novel... By employing impeccable emotional tension that superbly renders themes of abuse, friendship, and identity, Turner delivers a genuine and honest read." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Turner’s characters are the life of this novel, each feeling real even when they have minor roles... [Aaliyah's] story is an ode to the messiness of young queer teenagedom on par with Malinda Lo’s A Scatter of Light. ... The intentional discrepancy between Aaliyah’s interpretation of her mistakes and the reader’s view of them is impeccable, making her an incredibly sympathetic character with realistic flaws. Give this book to the teen who needs to be told that imperfection is okay." —BCCB, starred review

"Turner weaves together multiple aspects of dysfunction present in family, friend, and romantic relationships, and while there is no perfect ending, readers are left with hope. An emotional read with the clear and important message that your mistakes don’t define you." —Kirkus

“AND OTHER MISTAKES is a heartfelt slice-of-life story that beautifully captures the nuances of familial acceptance, sapphic first loves, and daily survival. Through Aaliyah’s imperfect navigation of her complicated life, Erika Turner earnestly shows readers that mistakes are a part of the journey, not the end of one.” —Racquel Marie, author of Ophelia After All

From the Publisher

2022-11-29
After a hard junior year, a Las Vegas teen tries to get back on track.

When Aaliyah, a 17-year-old Black girl, was outed by an older church member, her already unpredictable home life became that much more unstable. While her alcoholic, abusive dad took the news of her queerness in stride, her mom tried “to pray the gay away,” attacking her with Scripture and forcing Bible study on her. Aali’s mental and physical health deteriorated, and she lost her role as cross-country team captain. Her one constant through all the stress was her Filipina best friend, Yasmin—but Yaz kissed her and then ghosted her, leaving Aali alone, feeling insecure, and trying to make sense of everything. Her grades suffered, and she ended the year on academic probation. As senior year begins, Aali is determined to find joy again and make the new year count. The complexities of engaging in self-exploration while struggling for survival is a thread explored through multiple characters, some with more depth than others. Self-harm as a coping strategy is also present but not addressed in depth. Turner weaves together multiple aspects of dysfunction present in family, friend, and romantic relationships, and while there is no perfect ending, readers are left with hope.

An emotional read with the clear and important message that your mistakes don’t define you. (Fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews