The Worst Perfect Moment by Shivaun Plozza (review)

Reviewed by: The Worst Perfect Moment by Shivaun Plozza Aaren Tucker Plozza, Shivaun The Worst Perfect Moment. Holiday House, 2024 [320p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780823456345 $19.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780823459346 $11.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R* Gr. 9-12 Sixteen-year-old Tegan knows she's dead, but she doesn't quite understand why she's in "the parking lot of the worst motel in New Jersey." The Marybelle Motor Lodge is apparently meant to be Tegan's heaven, but Tegan is certain someone made a mistake. If heaven is supposed to be a recreation of your happiest memory, then it simply cannot be this sad motel where Tegan spent the worst weekend of her life; [End Page 333] depressingly, the place has been recreated to the last detail, from the tampon floating in the pool to the tepid takeout and slimy breakfast buffet mushrooms. After Tegan complains to management, her frustrating (and frustratingly cute) assigned angel Zelda is given a month to convince Tegan that the Marybelle is indeed her true heaven. The two embark on a whirlwind tour of Tegan's past life to try to put together the clues that lead to the Marybelle, or dire consequences await them both. A little bit It's a Wonderful Life, this book strikes a perfect balance of bittersweet, funny, and coming-of-age. Tegan is a painfully honest narrator forced to grapple with all the negative feelings she's been pushing aside about her middle school jealousies and her mom's abandonment. Nevertheless, Tegan is bravely determined to hold onto the things that make her Tegan, even if it means standing up to cold, uncaring authority figures. This immersive novel hooks readers from the first page with its irreverent tone, cheeky romance, and Tegan's growing understanding of what truly matters in life and afterlife.