The Worst Perfect Moment - by Shivaun Plozza (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Deceased sixteen-year-old Tegan is appalled to discover that heaven is a replica of the motel where she spent the worst weekend of her life, and her only hope is for Zelda, the teen angel responsible for the supposed error, to explore Tegan's memories and unearth her true happiest moment"--

Book Synopsis

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 Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year

"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

Review Quotes

★ "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

★ "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

★ "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."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 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

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.