strictly literary: the gravity of us by phil stamper

against the backdrop of a race to mars that echoes the early astronauts' race to the moon, the boys in the gravity of us are caught up in their parents' ambitions to join one of the chosen few on the mission. but in modern times, no competition like this would be complete without a reality tv crew.

cal is a high school-aged street journalist, who takes his career seriously, and who has no intention of giving over his news channel to some trashy tv conglomerate. the move to houston from brooklyn is begrudging and he has every intention of leaving all things mars behind as soon as possible. he doesn't believe all that much in his dad's ability to succeed and until he meets the astronauts and scientists who are working so hard to achieve their goal, he doesn't really believe in the project.

leon has his own struggles, namely depression and a sense of aimlessness that makes cal a little twitchy. from the get-go, the boys share a spark, but they need to figure out how to maneuver their baggage.

this debut is just a sweet, swoony ride. there's such hopefulness even as the characters handle deeper and darker things, you can't help feel awestruck after reading.

**the gravity of us will publish on february 4, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/bloomsbury ya in exchange for my honest review.