WHAT’S COMING TO ME
Seventeen-year-old Minerva Gutiérrez plans revenge on her predatory boss in an attempt to escape her oppressive town in this equally poignant and thrilling contemporary YA about grief, anger, and fighting for what you deserve, perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson and Erika L. Sánchez.
In the seaside town of Nautilus, Minerva Gutiérrez absolutely hates her job at the local ice cream stand, where her sexist boss makes each day worse than the last. But she needs the money: kicked out of school and stranded by her mom’s most recent hospitalization, she dreams of escaping her dead-end hometown.
Seventeen-year-old Minerva Gutiérrez plans revenge on her predatory boss in an attempt to escape her oppressive town in this equally poignant and thrilling contemporary YA about grief, anger, and fighting for what you deserve, perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson and Erika L. Sánchez.
In the seaside town of Nautilus, Minerva Gutiérrez absolutely hates her job at the local ice cream stand, where her sexist boss makes each day worse than the last. But she needs the money: kicked out of school and stranded by her mom’s most recent hospitalization, she dreams of escaping her dead-end hometown. When an armed robbery at the ice cream stand stirs up rumors about money hidden on the property, Min teams up with her neighbor CeCe, also desperate for cash, to find it. The bonus? Getting revenge on her boss in the process.
If Minerva can do things right for once—without dirty cops, suspicious co-workers, and an ill-timed work crush getting in her way—she might have a way out . . . as long the painful truths she’s been running from don’t catch up to her first.
- Soho Teen
- Paperback
- July 2023
- 336 Pages
- 9781641294867
Buy the Book
$10.99
About Francesca Padilla
Francesca Padilla is a Dominican-American fiction writer born and raised in New York City. She is the recipient of a Walter Dean Myers Grant from We Need Diverse Books and holds a BA in Creative Writing from the State University of New York at Purchase College. She lives with her family in Rochester, NY.
Praise
“Padilla adroitly navigates issues of uncertainty, revenge, and sorrow in the straits of late adolescence with her Minerva’s rebellion against a sexist and abusive boss and her search for some beauty and meaning in a life that seems to be coming apart at the seams.” —Oprah Daily
“Raw and unflinching . . . A beautiful story about the uncertainty of adolescence, the burden of grief, and all the ways love can surprise you.” —Brandy Colbert, award-winning author of The Voting Booth
“A masterful debut and one hell of a ride.” —Mark Oshiro, author of Anger Is a Gift
“Unexpected and suspenseful.” —Isabel Quintero, author of Gabi, A Girl in Pieces
Discussion Questions
1. How does Minerva process grief throughout the novel? How do strong emotions express themselves in surprising ways and actions for Minerva as well as secondary characters?
2. In what ways is Minerva a reliable narrator? In what ways is she not a reliable narrator?
3. What effect does the robbery have on Minerva?
4. Both Minerva and CeCe bring up the film Scarface. Compare Minerva’s journey in What’s Coming to Me to another character from a book, movie, or TV show.
5. Friendship is an important theme in What’s Coming to Me. At the beginning of the novel, Minerva is estranged from her best friend, Mary. Why do you think this is the case? How does their friendship change over the course of the book? How would you describe Minerva’s friendship with CeCe?
6. Anger is another important theme. What role does anger play in Minerva’s character?
7. Describe Minerva’s emotional journey. What feelings did you experience while reading the novel?
8. What do you think of the title of the book? How does that relate to the book itself, and what deeper meanings does it carry?
9. Share a favorite quote. Why did this resonate with you? How does it resonate with the character(s)?