Radio Silence - Alice Oseman

From the critically acclaimed creator of the Heartstopper series comes a smartly crafted contemporary YA novel, perfect for readers who love Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl . This is an utterly captivating and authentic teen novel from the author of Solitaire , which VOYA said "could put her among the great young adult fiction authors."
Frances Janvier spends most of her time studying.
Everyone knows Aled Last as that quiet boy who gets straight As.
You probably think that they are going to fall in love or something. Since he is a boy and she is a girl.
They don't. They make a podcast.
In a world determined to shut them up, knock them down, and set them on a cookie cutter life path, Frances and Aled struggle to find their voices over the course of one life-changing year. Will they have the courage to show everyone who they really are? Or will they be met with radio silence?

From School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up—British teen Frances Janvier is a study machine, focused on doing whatever it takes to get into Cambridge. Her public persona is academic nerd, but in private, she is a rebel. Frances is a fan of offbeat podcasts, and her favorite by far is Universe City, whose agender main character (who is also the show's creator) goes by the name of Radio Silence. Frances has joined a fandom Tumblr account, using the moniker Toulouse, and occasionally posts sketches that reflect how she thinks the characters and settings might look. When she receives a message from the creator asking if she is willing to provide graphics for the show, she can't believe it. Frances is even more dumbfounded when she discovers that the mysterious Radio Silence is, in reality, Aled Last, who lives directly across the street from her. Likewise, Aled can't believe that his graphic artist, Toulouse, is Frances. They become fast friends and spend the majority of the summer working together on the podcast. But as the start of Frances's senior year in high school and Aled's first year at university approach, a revelation changes their close relationship. With their friendship in ruins and Aled miles away and spiraling into a dangerous depression, Frances must face long-buried fears and desires to find a way to save him. Oseman is a master at combining sardonic wit with angst to create believable characters and a compelling contemporary story that will resonate with teens. VERDICT A top pick for any YA collection.—Cary Frostick, formerly at Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church, VA

Review
"Oseman vividly illustrates that the world and its technologies offer opportunities for connection and fulfillment that go far beyond traditional definitions of success." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"An intense, highly engaging, well–plotted story of relationships, explorations into gay and bisexual identities, family trauma, a straight-jacket education system, and, mostly, kids yearning to be their truest selves despite it all." — Booklist (starred review)
"Keenly intelligent. A smart, timely outing." — Kirkus Reviews
"Oseman is a master at combining sardonic wit with angst to create believable characters and a compelling contemporary story that will resonate with teens. VERDICT: A top pick for any YA collection." — School Library Journal
Praise for SOLITAIRE: "A fascinating debut from an author to watch." — ALA Booklist
"Oseman's debut could put her among the great young adult fiction authors." — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)
"Tori's voice makes this story into a poignant yet blackly funny and even lively emotional journey. A deeply absorbing read." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Oseman proves herself a clever, witty writer." — Publishers Weekly
"Honest and authentic. with appeal to fans of John Green." — Bookseller (London)
"In [Oseman's] punky, depressive, epigrammatic, mordant heroine Tori Spring we have a Holden Caulfield for the internet age." — The Times (London)
"Intrigue, suspense, and a fairly spectacular climax will appeal to teens asking the big questions." — ALA Booklist

About the Author
Alice Oseman is an award-winning author, illustrator, and screenwriter. Alice is the creator of LGBTQ+ YA romance comic Heartstopper , and the writer, creator, and executive producer for the Emmy Award-winning television adaptation for Netflix, produced by See-Saw. Alice has written every episode and been involved at every stage, from casting to music. Alice is the author of several YA contemporary novels about teenage disasters: Solitaire (published when she was 19), Radio Silence , I Was Born for This , and Loveless (a New York Times bestseller). Alice's books have won, been shortlisted, or nominated for a number of awards, including the YA Book Prize, the Inky Awards, the Carnegie Medal, and the Goodreads Choice Awards. Alice was named the Attitude Person of the Year 2023, and The British Book Awards Illustrator of the Year.