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The Kids Are Gonna Ask
A whip-smart, entertaining novel about twin siblings who become a national phenomenon after launching a podcast to find the biological father they never knew.
The death of Thomas and Savannah McClair’s mother turns their world upside down. Raised to be fiercely curious by their grandmother Maggie, the twins become determined to learn the identity of their biological father. And when their mission goes viral, an eccentric producer offers them a dream platform: a fully sponsored podcast called The Kids Are Gonna Ask. To discover the truth, Thomas and Savannah begin interviewing people from their mother’s past and are shocked when the podcast ignites in popularity. As the attention mounts, they get caught in a national debate they never asked for—but nothing compares to the mayhem that ensues when they find him.
Cleverly constructed, emotionally perceptive and sharply funny, The Kids Are Gonna Ask is a rollicking coming-of-age story and a moving exploration of all the ways we can go from lost to found.
“A sparkling tale about fame and family… Fans of Elizabeth Berg and J. Ryan Stradal will relish the novel’s humor, spark, and verve.” — Booklist
“Smart yet surprisingly sweet, this meditation on family and media is as captivating as a favorite podcast.” — Shelf Awareness
“Moving, humorous, and briskly-paced.” —J. Ryan Stradal, New York Times bestselling author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest and The Lager Queen of Minnesota
The death of Thomas and Savannah McClair’s mother turns their world upside down. Raised to be fiercely curious by their grandmother Maggie, the twins become determined to learn the identity of their biological father. And when their mission goes viral, an eccentric producer offers them a dream platform: a fully sponsored podcast called The Kids Are Gonna Ask. To discover the truth, Thomas and Savannah begin interviewing people from their mother’s past and are shocked when the podcast ignites in popularity. As the attention mounts, they get caught in a national debate they never asked for—but nothing compares to the mayhem that ensues when they find him.
Cleverly constructed, emotionally perceptive and sharply funny, The Kids Are Gonna Ask is a rollicking coming-of-age story and a moving exploration of all the ways we can go from lost to found.
“A sparkling tale about fame and family… Fans of Elizabeth Berg and J. Ryan Stradal will relish the novel’s humor, spark, and verve.” — Booklist
“Smart yet surprisingly sweet, this meditation on family and media is as captivating as a favorite podcast.” — Shelf Awareness
“Moving, humorous, and briskly-paced.” —J. Ryan Stradal, New York Times bestselling author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest and The Lager Queen of Minnesota
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2020
105 people are currently reading
3736 people want to read
About the author
Gretchen Anthony
7 books232 followersGRETCHEN ANTHONY is a speaker, humorist, and author of Tired Ladies Take a Stand, a book that the Minneapolis Star Tribune predicted “will almost certainly be snapped up by books clubs everywhere.” Her previous titles include The Book Haters’ Book Club, and Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners. Her novel The Kids Are Gonna Ask received the 2021 Alex Award from the American Library. She lives in Minneapolis with her family, where she stays on the hunt for a good story while listening to 70’s classic rock and scouting a great Manhattan.
She also hosts The Middle Book Club, a virtual book club dedicated to reading novels that feature midlife heroines.
Find us online: https://bit.ly/3XeX7hP
Find us on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3LoSeQK
Follow Gretchen on BookBub https://bit.ly/3yfnqf0
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https://amzn.to/3WCYGGQ
She also hosts The Middle Book Club, a virtual book club dedicated to reading novels that feature midlife heroines.
Find us online: https://bit.ly/3XeX7hP
Find us on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3LoSeQK
Follow Gretchen on BookBub https://bit.ly/3yfnqf0
Follow Gretchen on Amazon
https://amzn.to/3WCYGGQ
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 261 reviews
June 12, 2020
Twins Thomas and Savannah McClair are being raised by their grandmother, Maggie after losing their Mother when they were just thirteen.
They never knew who their father was.
Maggie tries to keep everyone’s spirits up, by having guests over for Friday dinners. They gather at her bright red, 120 year old dining room table, passed down from generation to generation.
Her great grandmother was taught that “men carried the conversation, and women the dishes.”
Her grandmother, told her, upon inheriting it, that it would stay RED in color as a reminder that “everyone has a voice, and every voice deserves a place at the table.”
It’s seen homework, arts and crafts, and mugs of hot chocolate!
It’s held the the comfort foods of funerals, and meals of celebration.
And, now it’s the location where a Podcast, was born-a school project, which grew into a quest to find the twin’s biological father.
With some bumps along the way..
I liked the premise, but found the some of the characters to be a be a bit too eccentric, and some of the dialogue a bit too “cheesy” so despite Podcasts being relevant, this just didn’t feel current!
But, if you just feel like reading something light and quirky, “The Kids Are Gonna Ask” just might have a place at the table for you!
Available on July 28, 2020
Thank You to Park Row Publishing for providing a digital ARC through Netgalley in exchange for a candid review!
They never knew who their father was.
Maggie tries to keep everyone’s spirits up, by having guests over for Friday dinners. They gather at her bright red, 120 year old dining room table, passed down from generation to generation.
Her great grandmother was taught that “men carried the conversation, and women the dishes.”
Her grandmother, told her, upon inheriting it, that it would stay RED in color as a reminder that “everyone has a voice, and every voice deserves a place at the table.”
It’s seen homework, arts and crafts, and mugs of hot chocolate!
It’s held the the comfort foods of funerals, and meals of celebration.
And, now it’s the location where a Podcast, was born-a school project, which grew into a quest to find the twin’s biological father.
With some bumps along the way..
I liked the premise, but found the some of the characters to be a be a bit too eccentric, and some of the dialogue a bit too “cheesy” so despite Podcasts being relevant, this just didn’t feel current!
But, if you just feel like reading something light and quirky, “The Kids Are Gonna Ask” just might have a place at the table for you!
Available on July 28, 2020
Thank You to Park Row Publishing for providing a digital ARC through Netgalley in exchange for a candid review!
August 20, 2020
Favorite Quotes:
Chef Bart served a buffet of appetizers and created a new cocktail called the “Truth Hurts”—one-part whiskey, three parts Fireball, and served in a glass rimmed with habanero pepper oil… He handed Maggie the inaugural glass. “You’re either swallowing fire or breathing it.”
George used to accuse her of being part earthworm— always making her way into the sun but forgetting how easily she wilted. “What am I going to do the day I come home to find you all shriveled up on the sidewalk?” he’d say.
For example, she found a white paper online about a woman named Sarah Adelbaum in Poplar Springs, Idaho, who had EKGs documenting her ability to match her heartbeat almost identically to Battle Hymn of the Republic and Yankee Doodle. Ms. Adelbaum’s quality of life was virtually unaffected and, even more, the only complaint she listed was that her heart didn’t have a wider catalog of music.
One woman, Alexis DuVrey posted a bedtime blessing for Thomas and Savannah every night at the same time. He only knew this, of course, because Sam Tamblin thought it was hysterical. “May the energy of the universe overwhelm those spirts that would do you hard,” she wrote one night. It was obviously an innocent and unfortunate series of typos, but ever since, Sam couldn’t resist calling on the “the spirts” to do him “hard.”
I may be dumb, but I’m not stupid.
My Review:
I am decidedly enamored with this author; I enjoyed her bitingly clever Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners and hoped I was in for a similar treat in picking her second offering. Ms. Anthony excels at unique and oddly enticing characters who are more than a tad off-center. And while the peculiar characters in this tale were not always admirable or likable, they were achingly realistic and gaining hard-won insights while learning painful life lessons in an extremely public manner. My favorite characters of The Kids Are Gonna Ask were the grandmother/guardian Maggie and the secondary cast members of Nadine and Chef Bart. Chef Bart, and in particular Nadine - while only a teen, were the type of human beings we all wished we were and or were even capable of being.
The writing was humorously and keenly perceptive, unfailingly engaging, and laced with cunning and witty scenarios and amusing brain-tickling twists such as the simple weekly Podcast that thrusts the teenage twins from obscurity into instant fame after their small independent production went viral when featuring an unusually odd dinner guest of their grandmother who imparted a rather bizarre in-utero twin-eating anecdote which was soon dubbed as “Zombie Baby.” The twins decided to parlay their sudden success into delving into their origin story to track down their biological father, who was completely unknown to them and had rarely been discussed by their deceased mother. Tested loyalties, anxieties, betrayals, revelations, humiliations, tears, devastations, and epiphanies occurred along their journey and the superbly evocative and emotive writing kept me right there with them every step of the way.
I am more than eager to see who and what the profoundly perceptive Ms. Anthony hones in on next.
Chef Bart served a buffet of appetizers and created a new cocktail called the “Truth Hurts”—one-part whiskey, three parts Fireball, and served in a glass rimmed with habanero pepper oil… He handed Maggie the inaugural glass. “You’re either swallowing fire or breathing it.”
George used to accuse her of being part earthworm— always making her way into the sun but forgetting how easily she wilted. “What am I going to do the day I come home to find you all shriveled up on the sidewalk?” he’d say.
For example, she found a white paper online about a woman named Sarah Adelbaum in Poplar Springs, Idaho, who had EKGs documenting her ability to match her heartbeat almost identically to Battle Hymn of the Republic and Yankee Doodle. Ms. Adelbaum’s quality of life was virtually unaffected and, even more, the only complaint she listed was that her heart didn’t have a wider catalog of music.
One woman, Alexis DuVrey posted a bedtime blessing for Thomas and Savannah every night at the same time. He only knew this, of course, because Sam Tamblin thought it was hysterical. “May the energy of the universe overwhelm those spirts that would do you hard,” she wrote one night. It was obviously an innocent and unfortunate series of typos, but ever since, Sam couldn’t resist calling on the “the spirts” to do him “hard.”
I may be dumb, but I’m not stupid.
My Review:
I am decidedly enamored with this author; I enjoyed her bitingly clever Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners and hoped I was in for a similar treat in picking her second offering. Ms. Anthony excels at unique and oddly enticing characters who are more than a tad off-center. And while the peculiar characters in this tale were not always admirable or likable, they were achingly realistic and gaining hard-won insights while learning painful life lessons in an extremely public manner. My favorite characters of The Kids Are Gonna Ask were the grandmother/guardian Maggie and the secondary cast members of Nadine and Chef Bart. Chef Bart, and in particular Nadine - while only a teen, were the type of human beings we all wished we were and or were even capable of being.
The writing was humorously and keenly perceptive, unfailingly engaging, and laced with cunning and witty scenarios and amusing brain-tickling twists such as the simple weekly Podcast that thrusts the teenage twins from obscurity into instant fame after their small independent production went viral when featuring an unusually odd dinner guest of their grandmother who imparted a rather bizarre in-utero twin-eating anecdote which was soon dubbed as “Zombie Baby.” The twins decided to parlay their sudden success into delving into their origin story to track down their biological father, who was completely unknown to them and had rarely been discussed by their deceased mother. Tested loyalties, anxieties, betrayals, revelations, humiliations, tears, devastations, and epiphanies occurred along their journey and the superbly evocative and emotive writing kept me right there with them every step of the way.
I am more than eager to see who and what the profoundly perceptive Ms. Anthony hones in on next.
July 28, 2020
3 podcast stars
This coming of age/family drama stars a fractured family, twin teen siblings are being raised by their grandmother and they fill much of their time with a podcast from their basement studio. When they decide to find their biological dad, things go viral in a big way. The family is sucked into the nasty world of media and the drive for fame. This quest for biological parentage may resonate with some readers and be a trigger for others.
I did enjoy most of the characters in this one, especially the eccentric grandma Maggie. She’s doing her best to raise the twins. And I do want a personal chef like they have! I also enjoyed that a bit of the story is set in Breckenridge, Colorado, in my home state.
This was a quick read but I didn’t get deeply invested in the story or the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley, Gretchen Anthony, and Harlequin for an early copy of this one to read and review. This one is out now.
This coming of age/family drama stars a fractured family, twin teen siblings are being raised by their grandmother and they fill much of their time with a podcast from their basement studio. When they decide to find their biological dad, things go viral in a big way. The family is sucked into the nasty world of media and the drive for fame. This quest for biological parentage may resonate with some readers and be a trigger for others.
I did enjoy most of the characters in this one, especially the eccentric grandma Maggie. She’s doing her best to raise the twins. And I do want a personal chef like they have! I also enjoyed that a bit of the story is set in Breckenridge, Colorado, in my home state.
This was a quick read but I didn’t get deeply invested in the story or the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley, Gretchen Anthony, and Harlequin for an early copy of this one to read and review. This one is out now.
June 17, 2020
Seventeen-year-old twins Savannah and Thomas McClair lost their mom in a car accident four years ago but thankfully still have their grandma Maggie, whom they adore. Now that they’re getting older, Savannah and Thomas begin to wonder more about their biological father’s identity. Their mom never told anyone-including Maggie-who he was.
With Maggie’s blessing the siblings begin producing a podcast called The Kids Are Gonna Ask, in which they give listeners the details they know about their mom around the time they were conceived and hope someone will be able to provide enough information to lead to their father.
The podcast quickly gains popularity and becomes fully sponsored by a trendy media company —and that’s when things begin to fall apart. Soon Savannah and Thomas experience serious backlash from the public regarding their bio-dad’s rights to privacy and they begin to wonder if a public platform is the best way to learn more about their mom and find out who their father is.
I loved the idea of this novel. It’s timely and follows the entertaining podcast format trend. I like that this is a totally plausible story of young adults searching for their biological father and it looks at the power of social media— both the advantages and pitfalls.
Unfortunately, the execution was lacking. There wasn’t a lot of depth here. Readers learn pretty quickly who the father is and it doesn’t take much detective work or listener participation. I also felt like I was missing something with the huge firestorm over paternal privacy. I mean, I get it being a concern but it felt like an odd choice of conflict to focus on.
The climax is honestly hard to pinpoint because we know the identity of their dad for a good portion of the novel and a conflict between the twins is quickly resolved. The “villain” was stereotypical and easily defeated.
Overall, a great concept but it barely scratched the surface with character development and the resolution was underwhelming.
Thanks to Park Row and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Kids Are Gonna Ask is scheduled for release on July 28, 2020.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
With Maggie’s blessing the siblings begin producing a podcast called The Kids Are Gonna Ask, in which they give listeners the details they know about their mom around the time they were conceived and hope someone will be able to provide enough information to lead to their father.
The podcast quickly gains popularity and becomes fully sponsored by a trendy media company —and that’s when things begin to fall apart. Soon Savannah and Thomas experience serious backlash from the public regarding their bio-dad’s rights to privacy and they begin to wonder if a public platform is the best way to learn more about their mom and find out who their father is.
I loved the idea of this novel. It’s timely and follows the entertaining podcast format trend. I like that this is a totally plausible story of young adults searching for their biological father and it looks at the power of social media— both the advantages and pitfalls.
Unfortunately, the execution was lacking. There wasn’t a lot of depth here. Readers learn pretty quickly who the father is and it doesn’t take much detective work or listener participation. I also felt like I was missing something with the huge firestorm over paternal privacy. I mean, I get it being a concern but it felt like an odd choice of conflict to focus on.
The climax is honestly hard to pinpoint because we know the identity of their dad for a good portion of the novel and a conflict between the twins is quickly resolved. The “villain” was stereotypical and easily defeated.
Overall, a great concept but it barely scratched the surface with character development and the resolution was underwhelming.
Thanks to Park Row and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The Kids Are Gonna Ask is scheduled for release on July 28, 2020.
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
July 6, 2021
An interesting story straddling the line between YA and adult, I can see why this was one of the Alex Awards this year. Twin siblings search for their biological father, and try to discover what they can about their late mother, by interviewing her oldest friends on their podcast. It took me a bit to get into the story, but I was soon hooked.
September 30, 2020
*Quick Take*
Twin siblings Savanna andThomas searching for their biological father using their podcast. After losing their mother Savanna and Thomas are living with their grandmother and decide it is time to figure out who their biological father is. The twins bring it to their podcast that ends up going viral. There was a definite young adult feel to the story, because most of it is told from the twins perspectives. I did like both of these characters and really enjoyed the podcast episode sprinkled throughout the book. The mystery as to who the bio dad was may have been answered a little too early in the book. The twins crazy fame also was pretty exaggerated in my humble opinion. This was a good book, just not the best I’ve ever read.
*** Big thank you to Harlequin for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
Twin siblings Savanna andThomas searching for their biological father using their podcast. After losing their mother Savanna and Thomas are living with their grandmother and decide it is time to figure out who their biological father is. The twins bring it to their podcast that ends up going viral. There was a definite young adult feel to the story, because most of it is told from the twins perspectives. I did like both of these characters and really enjoyed the podcast episode sprinkled throughout the book. The mystery as to who the bio dad was may have been answered a little too early in the book. The twins crazy fame also was pretty exaggerated in my humble opinion. This was a good book, just not the best I’ve ever read.
*** Big thank you to Harlequin for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
May 29, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
The Kids Are Gonna Ask.
My reading preferences tend toward the mysterious, horrifying, macabre genres, but the premise of The Kids Are Gonna Ask sounded intriguing and I was looking for something different to read so I was pleased when my request was approved.
** Minor spoilers ahead **
After the untimely death of their mother, the McClair twins use social media as a way to find their biological father.
With the help of their hip grandmother, Maggie, and family friends, Savannah and Thomas get more than they bargained for, but in the end, find out that family means more than being related.
I enjoyed this story more than I expected.
The twins, Savannah and Thomas, are likable, relatable young people.
Savannah is smart, educated with big Hollywood ambitions to become a powerful female producer.
Her brother, Thomas, is athletic, tech savvy and it is his desire to find their father that sparks a social media controversy.
As the twins enlist the help of armchair detectives, fans of their podcast and eager listeners, they are subjected to trolls, haters, and power hungry social media moguls who only care about one thing: money.
During the course of their search for their biological father, the twins, Maggie, and their bio-dad, Jack, come to terms with their own personal demons; accepting the choices they make and the path those choices have led them to, the journeys they still have to take, and accepting the loss of a mother, daughter, and lover taken from them too soon.
I loved Maggie; she is a rebel, sociable, kind, accepting, non-judgmental.
She helped her daughter raise twins as a single parent in a society that stigmatized unwed mothers.
But, she was also angry; angry that her daughter was killed, angry that her daughter made poor choices in men, but she was always grateful for the existence of her grandchildren.
By the end of the book, the twins and their father have grown, matured and adapted to their new life, each setting out on a journey with less of a burden on their shoulders and more love in their hearts.
The Kids Are Gonna Ask is a little bit of everything; a domestic drama, the pitfalls of social media, how cruel and chaotic being a teenager is, the woes and cruelty of friendships and strangers, how even in a close family things are left unsaid and how that silence hurts nearly as much as the truth can.
This is not just a story about the love and loyalty between siblings and families, but the bond you have with those who care and love you, not related by blood; the desire and need to find your tribe, and not be afraid of confronting the truth.
I look forward to reading more books by this author.
My reading preferences tend toward the mysterious, horrifying, macabre genres, but the premise of The Kids Are Gonna Ask sounded intriguing and I was looking for something different to read so I was pleased when my request was approved.
** Minor spoilers ahead **
After the untimely death of their mother, the McClair twins use social media as a way to find their biological father.
With the help of their hip grandmother, Maggie, and family friends, Savannah and Thomas get more than they bargained for, but in the end, find out that family means more than being related.
I enjoyed this story more than I expected.
The twins, Savannah and Thomas, are likable, relatable young people.
Savannah is smart, educated with big Hollywood ambitions to become a powerful female producer.
Her brother, Thomas, is athletic, tech savvy and it is his desire to find their father that sparks a social media controversy.
As the twins enlist the help of armchair detectives, fans of their podcast and eager listeners, they are subjected to trolls, haters, and power hungry social media moguls who only care about one thing: money.
During the course of their search for their biological father, the twins, Maggie, and their bio-dad, Jack, come to terms with their own personal demons; accepting the choices they make and the path those choices have led them to, the journeys they still have to take, and accepting the loss of a mother, daughter, and lover taken from them too soon.
I loved Maggie; she is a rebel, sociable, kind, accepting, non-judgmental.
She helped her daughter raise twins as a single parent in a society that stigmatized unwed mothers.
But, she was also angry; angry that her daughter was killed, angry that her daughter made poor choices in men, but she was always grateful for the existence of her grandchildren.
By the end of the book, the twins and their father have grown, matured and adapted to their new life, each setting out on a journey with less of a burden on their shoulders and more love in their hearts.
The Kids Are Gonna Ask is a little bit of everything; a domestic drama, the pitfalls of social media, how cruel and chaotic being a teenager is, the woes and cruelty of friendships and strangers, how even in a close family things are left unsaid and how that silence hurts nearly as much as the truth can.
This is not just a story about the love and loyalty between siblings and families, but the bond you have with those who care and love you, not related by blood; the desire and need to find your tribe, and not be afraid of confronting the truth.
I look forward to reading more books by this author.
November 26, 2019
Totally original, filled with quirky and heartfelt characters that leap off the page. "The Kids Are Gonna Ask" explores the complexities of familial love and the search for a biological father that quickly escalates into a national controversy. Gretchen Anthony has her pen on the pulse of today’s social media culture and delivers a page-turning novel that could very well go viral.
July 22, 2020
Thomas and Savannah have experienced great loss in their lives. They lost their mother when they were thirteen and are being raised by their grandmother for the past few years. What is more is that they never knew their father - or anything about him. The siblings, twins actually, decide to launch a search for him, and they utilize what proves to be a very successful podcast in order to find him with hopes of their father becoming a part of their lives.
Their grandmother Maggie is a truly wonderful person. She is someone who never met a stranger and could not be a better role model for Thomas and Savannah. When their podcast takes on wings higher than they ever could have imagined, they begin to gather clues about their mother's past and why their father's identity was never made known. Of course, the podcast and their youthful energy and devotion doesn't mean that things are going to go easy for them. In fact, a maelstrom of events begin to occur.
I found The Kids Are Gonna Ask to be humorous with moments of deep emotion woven in. I kept hoping for an idyllic solution to what was at hand while reading this book. Their dad would be unaware of their existence and be this great guy ready to step into their lives and make their family as whole as possible.
Of course, that was me. Instead, there were secondary stories that ran right smack into their search, thus affecting the existing relationships. This led to some deeply emotional moments in the story. This was very well done. Of course, in real life this is an all-too familiar scenario, with children being raised alone by their mothers for most of their lives. This remarkable story - driven by two teenagers - in search of a missing father was one that was done with excellence.
Gretchen Anthony did a fine job with this book, creating fine characters while delivering a really good story. I loved the fact that the teens were decent kids - with real issues, but able to be enjoyed within the context of this story. I loved this book from start to finish and hope to read more by Ms. Anthony again.
Many thanks to Park Row and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Their grandmother Maggie is a truly wonderful person. She is someone who never met a stranger and could not be a better role model for Thomas and Savannah. When their podcast takes on wings higher than they ever could have imagined, they begin to gather clues about their mother's past and why their father's identity was never made known. Of course, the podcast and their youthful energy and devotion doesn't mean that things are going to go easy for them. In fact, a maelstrom of events begin to occur.
I found The Kids Are Gonna Ask to be humorous with moments of deep emotion woven in. I kept hoping for an idyllic solution to what was at hand while reading this book. Their dad would be unaware of their existence and be this great guy ready to step into their lives and make their family as whole as possible.
Of course, that was me. Instead, there were secondary stories that ran right smack into their search, thus affecting the existing relationships. This led to some deeply emotional moments in the story. This was very well done. Of course, in real life this is an all-too familiar scenario, with children being raised alone by their mothers for most of their lives. This remarkable story - driven by two teenagers - in search of a missing father was one that was done with excellence.
Gretchen Anthony did a fine job with this book, creating fine characters while delivering a really good story. I loved the fact that the teens were decent kids - with real issues, but able to be enjoyed within the context of this story. I loved this book from start to finish and hope to read more by Ms. Anthony again.
Many thanks to Park Row and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
March 15, 2023
I think this is supposed to be a lighthearted suspense-ish family drama?
The story follows two teenagers whose mother died and they're being raised by their well-off grandmother who has a personal chef who has a daughter who becomes friends with the two teenagers whose mother is dead. The chef's daughter's mother is also dead so the three kids have a lot in common.
Anyway, the two teenagers don't know who their father is because their mother never told them. The grandmother knows, or thinks she knows, but she doesn't really know because she's a stereotype of an old woman who is always in everybody's business, likes to host dinner parties, and is totally incapable when it comes to this modern century.
Grandma's dinner parties had been the topic of a podcast the teenagers had created for a homework assignment. One evening, at a dinner party with an unpleasant and socially awkward stranger, the kids get the bright idea to find their father and document their search in their podcast. The podcast gets picked up by a minor network and things go a bit awry.
What this story is REALLY about, though, is the personal chef who pines for the grandmother, kind of? and all the food he makes for the family, as described in detail every single time a meal or snack appears or the refrigerator is opened or anyone steps foot in the kitchen.
I was hooked by the whole Find Your Dad! plot. Also, I am familiar with podcasts because unlike the grandmother, I do know how things work in this modern century. Unfortunately, I wasn't reeled in because everything I'd hoped to read never came to pass while everything that was ridiculous did.
I did not enjoy this one.
The story follows two teenagers whose mother died and they're being raised by their well-off grandmother who has a personal chef who has a daughter who becomes friends with the two teenagers whose mother is dead. The chef's daughter's mother is also dead so the three kids have a lot in common.
Anyway, the two teenagers don't know who their father is because their mother never told them. The grandmother knows, or thinks she knows, but she doesn't really know because she's a stereotype of an old woman who is always in everybody's business, likes to host dinner parties, and is totally incapable when it comes to this modern century.
Grandma's dinner parties had been the topic of a podcast the teenagers had created for a homework assignment. One evening, at a dinner party with an unpleasant and socially awkward stranger, the kids get the bright idea to find their father and document their search in their podcast. The podcast gets picked up by a minor network and things go a bit awry.
What this story is REALLY about, though, is the personal chef who pines for the grandmother, kind of? and all the food he makes for the family, as described in detail every single time a meal or snack appears or the refrigerator is opened or anyone steps foot in the kitchen.
I was hooked by the whole Find Your Dad! plot. Also, I am familiar with podcasts because unlike the grandmother, I do know how things work in this modern century. Unfortunately, I wasn't reeled in because everything I'd hoped to read never came to pass while everything that was ridiculous did.
I did not enjoy this one.
May 9, 2021
I like the idea of the book, but just wasn’t invested into the characters or the book.
March 31, 2020
This book grabbed my attention right from the start but quickly lost me. I loved the unique storyline, interesting characters, and play on today’s social and viral tendencies. It may have been timing but this book started to miss the mark for me about 1/3 of the way through. The story became a little hard to follow and I found my attention wandering. I wanted to love this book, and while I loved the idea of it, it didn’t end up as a favorite for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2020
This had an interesting premise but I didn't like the execution or the writing and I didn't care about the characters. I got around halfway through it before completely losing interest.
April 10, 2020
Savannah and Thomas McClair are seventeen year old twins who live with their Grandmother, Maggie. They host a podcast featuring an eclectic mix of dinner guests at Maggie's infamous get-togethers - but one guest will change the course of their podcast, and indeed their lives.
When Savannah & Thomas launch a new podcast seeking to find their biological father, many issues arise - privacy, morality, the treatment of women in media, viral culture, loyalty and trust to name a few.
I loved this. I loved Maggie, as the kooky matriarch. I loved the twins, trying to navigate normal teen life on top of dealing with the pressures of growing up in a digital age. I loved the plot, I loved the idea, I loved the writing.
This SHOULD be huge. Keep an eye out for it. It will be published in July and I'll have a full review before then.
Full review to come.
Keep an eye out for this one, it deserves to be huge.
When Savannah & Thomas launch a new podcast seeking to find their biological father, many issues arise - privacy, morality, the treatment of women in media, viral culture, loyalty and trust to name a few.
I loved this. I loved Maggie, as the kooky matriarch. I loved the twins, trying to navigate normal teen life on top of dealing with the pressures of growing up in a digital age. I loved the plot, I loved the idea, I loved the writing.
This SHOULD be huge. Keep an eye out for it. It will be published in July and I'll have a full review before then.
Full review to come.
Keep an eye out for this one, it deserves to be huge.
December 31, 2019
The premise of this entertaining novel is simple: teen twins Savannah and Thomas are being raised by Maggie, their maternal grandmother. Their mother died when they were twelve and they've never known who their father is so they decide to find out. Instead of going the usual route of a DNA test, they create a podcast series that ends up gaining a viral social media following. With visibility comes notoriety and things get so out of hand that it nearly ruins their lives. Even worse, it could upend the close-knit family that they have and could even potentially stop them from ever connecting their father.
Gretchen Anthony's voice engaged me right from the first paragraph. Using delicate skill, she plunges the reader into the perspectives of various characters in turn. Her technique is all showing, so it saves a whole heck of a lot telling and the pages fly by. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Gretchen Anthony's voice engaged me right from the first paragraph. Using delicate skill, she plunges the reader into the perspectives of various characters in turn. Her technique is all showing, so it saves a whole heck of a lot telling and the pages fly by. Thoroughly enjoyable.
July 27, 2021
I was slightly underwhelmed by this one. The word I keep using to describe it is "fine". There were some really interesting characters, especially Maggie, who was my favorite. Overall, however, I had a hard time becoming truly invested in the story. I'm not sure what specifically fell short for me; it's tough to pinpoint. The structure became a little jumpy, too, as the viewpoint character was constantly changing. Overall, it was...fine.
May 12, 2020
The Kid Are Gonna Ask is a fun, quick read. It's suitable for young adults and adults. I enjoyed the way Gretchen Anthony used different communication formats to move the story along: text chats, phone messages, emails, letters, pod casts, and, of course, dialogue. All forms seemed seamless and natural as I read.
I liked the McClair family, and Sam Tamblin was a fun villain to root against. This was a gentle and fun story about the serious subject of finding your roots.
I was provided an ARC through #NetGalley
I liked the McClair family, and Sam Tamblin was a fun villain to root against. This was a gentle and fun story about the serious subject of finding your roots.
I was provided an ARC through #NetGalley
August 9, 2020
Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with a copy of Gretchen Anthony’s novel, The Kids are Gonna Ask, in exchange for an honest review.
Seventeen-year-old twins, Thomas and Savannah McClair, have been raised by their grandmother, Maggie, after their mom was killed in a tragic accident. Their mom, Bess never told them who their father was, a secret that she kept from everyone.
The twins have started a podcast where they invite dinner guests into their home, and interview them over a meal. Their podcast has a small following, until one episode goes viral, an episode when they mention the desire to know about their father. They are contacted by a high-profile producer to create a new show that follows the search to discover the identity of their birth father. The twins are thrust into the spotlight, which includes being placed in the middle of the controversy over privacy rights.
I enjoyed Anthony’s debut novel, Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners, and I was excited to read her follow-up. The Kids are Gonna Ask didn’t disappoint. Anthony has a wonderful strength in writing endearing characters, and her stories have a lot of heart. It was the perfect type of read for these pessimistic Covid-times. This isn’t to say that her stories are trite or that her characters are perfect. For example, Maggie has to deal with some lingering anger she has towards her dead daughter, which is difficult as she is also grieving for and has a tremendous amount of love for Bess. The emotions are complex.
Although I know who my birth father was, he died when I was four. I could easily relate to the twins feelings of not knowing their parent, and have a whole missing piece of themselves. I can count the things I know about my dad on one hand. More to that, there is a chapter when Savannah is relating to Nadine, the daughter of the McClair’s personal chef. Both girls have lost their mother, and they mention how difficult it is, because it always creates an awkward situation. No one knows how to act or speak around children who have lost their parents. I have felt this the most. The twins lost their mother to a front-page new accident, where as Nadine lost her mom to a drug overdose, she only needs to share this info with the people she trusts. I lost my father more in the way of the twins, but just because everyone at school knew, didn’t make it easier. Divorce is fairly common, but I didn’t know anyone who had a dead parent.
The Kids are Gonna Ask dives into the idea of paternity secrets and privacy rights. Do the twins have the right to publicly air their search? What will they discover? They have to contend with criticism leveled towards their mother ignoring the paternal rights of their father. To add fuel to the fire, their producer seems to only care about controversy and ratings. It’s hard enough being a teenager, let alone being forced into the public eye.
Part of the story is set in Breckenridge, Colorado. I moved to Colorado in late 2019, and I have recently visited Breckenridge for the first time. It’s a beautiful area and I got a kick out of having a new connection to this place, and then having it appear in The Kids are Gonna Ask. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect! I love when a novel includes places that are familiar to me.
One of the pleasure of the story is the discovery that the reader has along with the McClair family. Anthony unfolds the secrets in a way that keeps the intrigue constant. I don’t want to give anything away, so I will stop here. The Kids are Gonna Ask is a thought-provoking story and the McClair family will steal your heart.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
Seventeen-year-old twins, Thomas and Savannah McClair, have been raised by their grandmother, Maggie, after their mom was killed in a tragic accident. Their mom, Bess never told them who their father was, a secret that she kept from everyone.
The twins have started a podcast where they invite dinner guests into their home, and interview them over a meal. Their podcast has a small following, until one episode goes viral, an episode when they mention the desire to know about their father. They are contacted by a high-profile producer to create a new show that follows the search to discover the identity of their birth father. The twins are thrust into the spotlight, which includes being placed in the middle of the controversy over privacy rights.
I enjoyed Anthony’s debut novel, Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners, and I was excited to read her follow-up. The Kids are Gonna Ask didn’t disappoint. Anthony has a wonderful strength in writing endearing characters, and her stories have a lot of heart. It was the perfect type of read for these pessimistic Covid-times. This isn’t to say that her stories are trite or that her characters are perfect. For example, Maggie has to deal with some lingering anger she has towards her dead daughter, which is difficult as she is also grieving for and has a tremendous amount of love for Bess. The emotions are complex.
Although I know who my birth father was, he died when I was four. I could easily relate to the twins feelings of not knowing their parent, and have a whole missing piece of themselves. I can count the things I know about my dad on one hand. More to that, there is a chapter when Savannah is relating to Nadine, the daughter of the McClair’s personal chef. Both girls have lost their mother, and they mention how difficult it is, because it always creates an awkward situation. No one knows how to act or speak around children who have lost their parents. I have felt this the most. The twins lost their mother to a front-page new accident, where as Nadine lost her mom to a drug overdose, she only needs to share this info with the people she trusts. I lost my father more in the way of the twins, but just because everyone at school knew, didn’t make it easier. Divorce is fairly common, but I didn’t know anyone who had a dead parent.
The Kids are Gonna Ask dives into the idea of paternity secrets and privacy rights. Do the twins have the right to publicly air their search? What will they discover? They have to contend with criticism leveled towards their mother ignoring the paternal rights of their father. To add fuel to the fire, their producer seems to only care about controversy and ratings. It’s hard enough being a teenager, let alone being forced into the public eye.
Part of the story is set in Breckenridge, Colorado. I moved to Colorado in late 2019, and I have recently visited Breckenridge for the first time. It’s a beautiful area and I got a kick out of having a new connection to this place, and then having it appear in The Kids are Gonna Ask. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect! I love when a novel includes places that are familiar to me.
One of the pleasure of the story is the discovery that the reader has along with the McClair family. Anthony unfolds the secrets in a way that keeps the intrigue constant. I don’t want to give anything away, so I will stop here. The Kids are Gonna Ask is a thought-provoking story and the McClair family will steal your heart.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
July 27, 2020
What started out as a really fun book to read kind of ended flat for me since there was little conflict, the plot didn’t seem fully developed and the characters were either eccentric to the max or not fully revealed. The premise was that Thomas and Savannah McClair are teens living with their permissive grandmother Maggie since their mom was killed in a terrible accident. The precocious twins decide to find their bio-father via their podcast. They research, interview people who knew their mom and sign a contract with a media company to hype the podcast and help them in their quest. My favorite character was the very quirky Chef Bart, the cook for the family. The deceased mom Bess “talks” to Maggie, giving her advice that is generally wise and may or may not have been followed. The father is revealed quickly, too quickly in my opinion since the reason for the podcast seemed to be irrelevant after that revelation. The plot is plausible and certainly relevant to today’s times, but it all fell short for me because there was an implausible villain and a mystery that just fell short of holding my interest. The disagreements between the twins were annoying and just added pages to the book but did not add to the plot in any way. All in all, this book provided a light and enjoyable read without a lot of take-away from it or a feeling of having read a really good book. It was okay and might be enjoyed more by a young adult audience. But even parents of YAs should be cautioned that pre-marital sex is a thing in this book, not a big thing, just presented as a regular occurrence. Three stars for entertainment value and timely topic.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
August 29, 2020
This book delivers on the promise of a fun read, but there is so much more to it than that! Teenage twins step into a landmine of emotions when they begin a public quest for their biological father via a highly publicized podcast. For both of them, as well as their grandmother, digging into the past for clues to the identity of their father also opens unhealed wounds around their mother's death. As media attention grows and they attract increasing attention from haters and trolls, the relationships between the three of them are threatened. While remaining engaging and easy to read, The Kids Are Gonna Ask also confronts deep questions around family, privacy, and the far reaching effects of grief and loss on a family. Love this book! Just a note: while it is YA accessible, it is definitely a book for adults.
December 14, 2020
The wonders of the internet and social media. Enjoyable book.
June 4, 2023
The joys and horrors of a podcast. Loved it!
February 22, 2020
My review will appear in Booklist!
June 16, 2020
Rating: 2.5 stars
The Kids Are Gonna Ask follows the story of these twins, Savannah and Thomas, who live with their grandmother, Maggie after their mother's death. From the beginning of the book, the twins set out to find their biological father. This sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? Well... as a result, they find themselves (and their podcast) gaining popularity, AND they accomplish their mission. Follow along for the aftermath of them setting out to find their dad.
Personally, this book was not my favorite. I think the direction of the story was great, but the execution left a lot to be desired. I practically had to force myself to continue reading because I had a difficult time maintaining focus. Some areas were filled with excitement, and even a little humor; but other parts made the story seem as if it were dragging on longer than necessary. Overall, the book is not terrible, but it is not my favorite.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin - Park Row for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
The Kids Are Gonna Ask follows the story of these twins, Savannah and Thomas, who live with their grandmother, Maggie after their mother's death. From the beginning of the book, the twins set out to find their biological father. This sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? Well... as a result, they find themselves (and their podcast) gaining popularity, AND they accomplish their mission. Follow along for the aftermath of them setting out to find their dad.
Personally, this book was not my favorite. I think the direction of the story was great, but the execution left a lot to be desired. I practically had to force myself to continue reading because I had a difficult time maintaining focus. Some areas were filled with excitement, and even a little humor; but other parts made the story seem as if it were dragging on longer than necessary. Overall, the book is not terrible, but it is not my favorite.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin - Park Row for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
June 16, 2020
I enjoyed the setup for this book - I think it was interesting, and topical. It sounds like a podcast that could absolutely be made today. But there were some story points that just didnt work for me. I didnt understand why there would be such a public backlash about paternal privacy. I also felt like the backstory with the mom's high school boyfriend wasn't fleshed out enough. I would have liked to see more development with the relationship between Maggie and Bart, and I would have loved to know what happened with Bart's daughter, since that was the one story that wasn't really wrapped up. The media characters were over the top. The could have been toned down a bit. It was an entertaining read, but I definitely think the narrative could have used some editing.
August 16, 2020
I was originally interested in this because it has to do with finding family and podcasts. Two things i generally enjoy. This book wasn't bad, i enjoyed it for what it was. A light YA read. I really loved the character of Savannah and empathized a lot with her. Maggie was also a character I liked. My only complaint is that I felt the story was wrapped up a little too conveniently but other than that I felt this was a heartwarming story overall.
June 11, 2020
I wish to thank Net Galley and the Publisher Harlequin – Trade Park Row for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and am reviewing it.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book really touched my heart. It is written in a way that fully reflects the internal turmoil of a search for family roots. It begins with a set of 17 year old twins eager to learn the identity of their biological father. At the age of 13 their mother suddenly dies in a tragic accident and they are raised by their grandmother. They are now trying to unravel the family story of a romance about which they never knew. The book is very modern in that it reflects the use of social media and podcasts. It is obvious to me that the author has spent a good deal of time researching the process and the personal emotions behind such a journey and the sensitivity of the people involved.
As an adoptee who has done the family search I can truly identify with these two young people and their grandmother. I feel the author did an outstanding job of describing the emotional turmoil of such a reveal. Will they find their biological father? Will they like him? Will opening this door change their feelings for the mother they adore?
I loved the book! I feel it will appeal to young people and adults. The characters are likeable and lots of fun. The story is easy to follow.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book really touched my heart. It is written in a way that fully reflects the internal turmoil of a search for family roots. It begins with a set of 17 year old twins eager to learn the identity of their biological father. At the age of 13 their mother suddenly dies in a tragic accident and they are raised by their grandmother. They are now trying to unravel the family story of a romance about which they never knew. The book is very modern in that it reflects the use of social media and podcasts. It is obvious to me that the author has spent a good deal of time researching the process and the personal emotions behind such a journey and the sensitivity of the people involved.
As an adoptee who has done the family search I can truly identify with these two young people and their grandmother. I feel the author did an outstanding job of describing the emotional turmoil of such a reveal. Will they find their biological father? Will they like him? Will opening this door change their feelings for the mother they adore?
I loved the book! I feel it will appeal to young people and adults. The characters are likeable and lots of fun. The story is easy to follow.
May 15, 2022
Thomas and Savannah are high school seniors, twins, living with their grandmother since their mom died a few years ago. And they've decided that now is the time to find their father, whom they've never known and whom their mom never talked about. At all. Like, they don't even know his name. They have the brilliant idea to conduct their search via podcast, thinking that the more people who know about their search, the better the odds of someone knowing who their father might be. Things don't go as smoothly and happily as they'd planned, though, as they learn a bit about the world, their parents, and themselves.
It's a neat idea for a novel and I wanted to know how everything turned out, but in the end I was fairly disappointed. Anthony drops several big foreshadows that then don't pan out to a reveal that matches the hype. So, an interesting idea but with a fizzled ending.
It's a neat idea for a novel and I wanted to know how everything turned out, but in the end I was fairly disappointed. Anthony drops several big foreshadows that then don't pan out to a reveal that matches the hype. So, an interesting idea but with a fizzled ending.
May 29, 2020
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
This novel is about twin siblings whose mom dies before telling them who their biological dad is so they start a podcast to find him. I love podcasts and I love books with a podcase element, so I really liked the podcast element of this book. The book touches on issues of social media and privacy issues.
As the book unfolds, we learn about the twins, their mom, and some of their family history. I liked this book a lot at first, but I started getting bored with it somewhere in Book Three (it's split into Book One, Two, and Three). The podcast part petered out in that part and I missed that aspect of it. There were a few things in the book that felt odd and unnecessary and I did some eye-rolling. There is a lot of food mentioned in the book, as the family has a personal chef, and the dishes he serves are often described. This is a family drama with a small bit of mystery that is solved rather quickly. I will add spoilers with some more specific thoughts about some of the things in the book.
This is a fairly quick read and I think those who like podcasts and enjoy family dramas will like this one. It is mostly about 17-year-olds so it sometimes felt like it was bordering on YA, which could be a plus for people who enjoy YA.
This novel is about twin siblings whose mom dies before telling them who their biological dad is so they start a podcast to find him. I love podcasts and I love books with a podcase element, so I really liked the podcast element of this book. The book touches on issues of social media and privacy issues.
As the book unfolds, we learn about the twins, their mom, and some of their family history. I liked this book a lot at first, but I started getting bored with it somewhere in Book Three (it's split into Book One, Two, and Three). The podcast part petered out in that part and I missed that aspect of it. There were a few things in the book that felt odd and unnecessary and I did some eye-rolling. There is a lot of food mentioned in the book, as the family has a personal chef, and the dishes he serves are often described. This is a family drama with a small bit of mystery that is solved rather quickly. I will add spoilers with some more specific thoughts about some of the things in the book.
This is a fairly quick read and I think those who like podcasts and enjoy family dramas will like this one. It is mostly about 17-year-olds so it sometimes felt like it was bordering on YA, which could be a plus for people who enjoy YA.
May 25, 2020
Savannah and Thomas are 17-yr-old podcasting twins who lost their mom 4 years ago and never knew their dad. While they love Maggie, the grandmother who has always helped raise them, they decide they'd like to find their bio-dad. They decide to use the podcast format to try to find their dad, but once they have a corporate sponsor everything spirals out of control. This was a really thoughtful look at the pros and cons of current social media and how quickly an audience will jump on public shaming. Throughout the book, however, is a really sweet look at the strength of family and the importance of sticking together.
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