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The Reece Malcolm List. by Amy Spalding. February 5, 2013. Entangled Publishing. 352 pages. ISBN: 9781620612408

For sixteen years, Devan has been raised by her distant dad and disinterested stepmother. When her father dies, she is sent to Los Angeles to live with her mom, best-selling author Reece Malcolm. Though Devan is nervous because she knows so little about her mother, she is also intrigued by the woman who gave birth to her and then slipped off the radar. Living with her mom is scary for Devan, and complicated, but it’s also the source of lots of excitement. In L.A., Devan attends a performing arts school, makes a group of instant friends and catches the eye of two cute California boys. She also bonds with her mom’s best friend, who is a Broadway star, and her mom’s boyfriend, who keeps both Reece and Devan from losing their minds.

This contemporary young adult novel by debut author Amy Spalding portrays one of the most interesting and well-developed mother-daughter relationships I have ever read. Though the story is obviously about Devan, Reece is also a fully realized main character, and despite Devan’s reservations, the reader can’t help but love her. Spalding does a lovely job of peeling back Reece’s layers one at a time, revealing her personality, history, and feelings for Devan at a very realistic pace that helps the reader stay invested without becoming too overwhelmed with exposition. Spalding also strikes the perfect balance between Devan’s social life at school and her complicated home life. Neither storyline is ever neglected, and often, what happens at school will inform Devan’s actions at home, or vice versa. Also wonderful are all the musical theater references. Anyone who has ever wished to sing and dance on stage can live vicariously through Devan’s experiences at her performing arts high school.

The Reece Malcolm List reads like an updated and more realistic version of The Gilmore Girls. Fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Melissa Kantor will love Spalding’s fresh, contemporary writing style, and the memorable cast of characters. Reece’s experiences especially reminded me of Kantor’s Darlings series, where one of the girls is into drama, Take a Bow, Elizabeth Eulberg’s novel about seniors at a performing arts high school, and of course, Raina Telgemier’s Drama. The family dynamics also remind me of Courtney Sheinmel's All the Things You Are, and Sonya Sones's novel in verse, One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies. This is a fantastic first novel. I look forward to seeing what else Amy Spalding will publish in the future! 

I received a digital ARC of The Reece Malcolm List from Entangled Publishing via NetGalley.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat. 

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