The Worst Perfect Moment

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.

"Filled with depth and wit, despite its dark tone . . . exceptionally well written . . . A worthy read about a short life brimming with possibility." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"Plozza (Meet Me at the Moon Tree) 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

Author: Shivaun Plozza
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 05/14/2024
Pages: 320
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.9lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.20w x 1.30d
ISBN: 9780823456345
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 03/04/2024
Kirkus Reviews 03/15/2024
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 05/01/2024
Booklist 04/15/2024 pg. 55

About the Author
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.