The impact of a dead or missing father on a child's sense of identity and well-being is explored frequently in young adult novels. In Jandy Nelson's (I'll Give You the Sun) new novel, When the World Tips Over, the Fall kids' father mysteriously disappears, affecting each of the three children differently. Then a rainbow-haired girl comes into their lives, saving each of them in a variety of ways. For She is Wrath by Emily Varga is a Pakistani-inspired retelling of The Count of Monte Christo. Dania is imprisoned for a crime she did not commit. When she escapes and finds her father was killed for defending her, she seeks revenge with the help of a friend and some magical zoraat seeds. Nothing Like the Movies, the sequel to Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter, picks up when Wes and Liz head off to UCLA, only to have him drop out and break up with her when his father dies unexpectedly.
The Fall kids' father mysteriously disappears in When the World Tips Over, leaving behind a shattered family. Twelve-year old Dizzy reads romance novels, sees ghosts and longs to be reunited with her estranged best friend Lizard. Seventeen-year-old Miles is supposedly the smart, athletic, and handsome "perfect one," but he struggles with his sexuality and lack of connection with his siblings. Nineteen-year-old Wynton is a violin prodigy, who causes trouble wherever he goes. Their mother runs a restaurant and longs for her absent husband, leaving a gourmet meal out for him each night. Enter the rainbow-haired girl, Cassidy who saves each of them when she meets them - two from accidents and Miles from himself. Cassidy has had her own issues with abandonment, which are explored in a parallel plotline. When the kids go in search of Cassidy, catastrophe strikes and the secrets of the Fall family curse begin to surface, giving all of them an opportunity to rewrite their futures.
For She is Wrath focuses on two female prisoners, who escape from prison and reclaim a cache of zoraat seeds and powerful djinn magic which allow them to establish themselves as wealthy women in the city of Basral. Both Noor and Dania are seeking revenge against the power-hungry emperor Vahid, who came to power himself using djinn magic. Dania's father, an esteemed sword maker, was killed when he tried to defend her. She, an expert swordsman herself, disguises herself using the zoorat seed magic, and executes an elaborate scheme to hurt her betrayers, including Mazin, the lover who betrayed her. But seeking revenge becomes complicated as the magic threatens to overtake Danai, Noor disappears, and her feelings for Mazin reemerge despite his betrayal. Dania ultimately learns the power to destroy her enemies comes with a price.
In Nothing Like the Movies, tragedy strikes after Liz and Wes start their freshman year at UCLA. Wes's dad dies of a heart attack, and he must go back to Nebraska to support his mom and sister, leaving Liz behind. Deciding she is better off without him, Wes breaks up with her and begins to work on getting his life back together. Fast forward two years and Wes is back playing baseball at UCLA, but Liz wants nothing to do with him. Unfortunately, her internship with a production company has her focusing on the baseball team, throwing them together constantly. She enlists the help of her camera man Clark to pretend to be her boyfriend, but Wes will not give up on getting her back. Each chapter begins with a quote from a popular romcom and an extensive playlist of romantic songs is woven throughout the narrative.
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