Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published May 2024
320 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, this inventive queer romance asks what it means to be truly happy.
Tegan Masters is dead.
She's sixteen and she's dead and she's standing in the parking lot of the Marybelle Motor Lodge, the single most depressing motel in all of New Jersey and the place where Tegan spent what she remembers as the worst weekend of her life.
In the front office, she meets Zelda, an annoyingly cute teen angel with a snarky sense of humor and an epic set of wings. According to Zelda, Tegan is in heaven, where every person inhabits an exact replica of their happiest memory. For Tegan, Zelda insists, that place is the Marybelle—creepy minigolf course, sad breakfast buffet, filthy swimming pool, and all.
Tegan has a few complaints about this.
When Tegan takes these concerns up with Management, she and Zelda are sent on a whirlwind tour through Tegan's memories, in search of clues to help her understand what mattered most to her in life. If Zelda fails to convince Tegan (and Management) that the Marybelle was the site of Tegan's perfect moment, both girls face dire eternal consequences. But if she succeeds…they just might get their happily-ever-afterlife.
A tender and edgy take on coming of age in the afterlife.
"A fresh take on a possible afterlife, this narrative is filled with depth and wit, despite its dark tone. Its realistic depiction of a girl's reservoir of coping mechanisms for dealing with those who have let her down is exceptionally well written... A worthy read about a short life brimming with possibility." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Plozza strikes an expert balance between poignancy and irreverence, tackling topics such as death, parental abandonment, and self-worth in this queer romantic comedy that's as tender as a bruise." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"By combining childhood heartache, teenage angst, and queer romance, Plozza balances out the exuberance of being alive and the devastation that Tegan only feels after she's gone. A take on life after death that will leave readers entranced, frustrated, and on the edge of their seats." —Booklist
This information about The Worst Perfect Moment was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Shivaun Plozza's critically acclaimed debut novel, Frankie (Flatiron Books), was nominated to ALA's Best Fiction for Young Adults List, was a CBCA Notable Book, and won a number of awards, including the Davitt Awards, a commendation from the Victorian Premier's Literary Award, and a shortlisting for the Inky Awards. Her second novel, Tin Heart, was nominated to ALA's Best Fiction for Young Adults List and received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly. Bestselling author Jennifer Niven called Tin Heart "from cover to cover swoon-worthy, moving, deep, and funny." Shivaun's MG debut, The Boy, the Wolf, and the Stars (HMH Books for Young Readers), was a JLG selection. When she's not writing, Shivaun works as an editor. She lives in Victoria, Australia with her cat.
The Stolen Child
by Ann Hood
An unlikely duo ventures through France and Italy to solve the mystery of a child’s fate.
This Strange Eventful History
by Claire Messud
An immersive, masterful story of a family born on the wrong side of history.
Only the Brave by Danielle Steel
A powerful, sweeping historical novel about a courageous woman in World War II Germany.
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
