Coffee Shop in an Alternate Universe coming July 1st, 2025 from Feiwel & Friends; 400 pages
Content Warning: Foul language, death of a parent
About the Author: “C.B. Lee is an author of young adult and middle grade fiction including the NYT Bestseller Minecraft: The Shipwreck. Their works also include the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selected A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix, the Lambda Literary Award nominated Sidekick Squad series, Ben 10 graphic novels, Out Now: Queer We Go Again, and From A Certain Point Of View: The Empire Strikes Back. Lee’s work has been featured in NPR, Teen Vogue, Wired Magazine, Hypable, Tor’s Best of Fantasy and Sci Fi and the American Library Association’s Rainbow List” (Bio from author’s website).
Find C.B. Lee on the following platforms:
Brenda is an overachieving high school senior with plans to save the world with science, but when her internet gives out right before a crucial scholarship deadline, her entire future is on the line. In search of WiFi, she finds herself in Kat’s family’s coffee shop. They instantly connect, and Brenda is in awe of Kat’s confidence while Kat is mesmerized by Brenda’s passion and mind. However, Brenda accidentally went through a portal to another universe when she stepped into the coffee shop, one filled with magic, mythical creatures, and Kat, the Chosen One. As it turns out, that portal was just one of many beginning to appear. When their universes start to collide, Brenda is determined to save the world, but Kat has spent her whole life trying to outrun her destiny. Can the two girls truly change the world for the better?
Coffee Shop in an Alternate Universe was a heartfelt coming-of-age novel about two girls finding love and learning the meaning of life in a world filled with both magic and strife. Brenda and Kat perfectly balanced each other’s personalities. Kat’s confidence and go-with-the-flow attitude helped Brenda learn to relax and enjoy her time outside of school and college prep. In return, Brenda taught Kat to face her fears and embrace her destiny. The best relationships, both in books and in life, are when the two grow and evolve as a result of their connection. I also loved the role that their cultures played in the novel. Brenda is Vietnamese, and Kat is Chinese, and the author showed us this through their food, language, and families rather than just mentioning their ethnicities in passing. Their cultures also played a role in the main conflict and the key to the resolution, which I thought was a great touch. The magic system was intriguing and mimicked technology in many ways, though there were times when elements of it felt a bit unclear. I also felt that the conflict escalated very quickly. One second, there were just a few portals that Kat and Brenda were wandering through, and the next thing I knew, the worlds were colliding. Despite this, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and the ending in particular. Lee crafted an unexpectedly simple, emotional solution to a larger-than-life problem that focused on love and good intentions. I would recommend this book to anyone searching for a YA coming-of-age romance with a touch of magic and a lot of heart.
Coffee Shop in an Alternate Universe releases on July 1st, 2025.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Sam Yanis, Pine Reads Review Lead Writer
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