Scan barcode
pkonno96's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
owlsreads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Amazing! I didn't quite know what to expect while reading this and Jumata Emill's writing captured my attention right from the very first chapter. The premise here was so strong and the character and plot introductions were extremely well done. The story kept me engaged and the mystery kept me guessing throughout the entire book.
The dual POV worked so well for me in the contrasting perspectives of Duchess and Tinsley. There were a lot of heavy subjects tackled here, especially racism and white privilege, and Emill did not shy away from any sort of conversation surrounding those topics. I could have done a little less with Tinsley victimizing herself, but that was challenged in text and a point of change for her.
The mystery also had a satisfying resolution, if a tiny little bit rushed! There were a lot of reveals one on top of the other and so I had some whiplash from that lol Still, a very entertaining read all around that makes me want to consume more Jumata Emill works :D
The dual POV worked so well for me in the contrasting perspectives of Duchess and Tinsley. There were a lot of heavy subjects tackled here, especially racism and white privilege, and Emill did not shy away from any sort of conversation surrounding those topics. I could have done a little less with Tinsley victimizing herself, but that was challenged in text and a point of change for her.
The mystery also had a satisfying resolution, if a tiny little bit rushed! There were a lot of reveals one on top of the other and so I had some whiplash from that lol Still, a very entertaining read all around that makes me want to consume more Jumata Emill works :D
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
nshanay's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
marissagoodell92's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
ewitsell's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
haileyrt's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I enjoyed this story although I thought it'd be more of a black Carrie based off the cover of the book (I usually don't really synopses, just go into it blindly lol), but I still did enjoy the story. I lowkey know who it was since the beginning, but I feel like so much was revealed at the end that really made the twist seem deeper. The only thing I didn't quite like was the dialogue of each of the characters, but I'm always usually not impressed when authors write dialogue for teenagers, no matter their race it always seems cringey to me lol. I felt like even though a lot of the middle was filler, it did lead up to the events and the ending decently well. I wish we got to hear more about Nova's mom at the end, since we only heard from her twice in the story but that was it. I enjoyed seeing Tinsley and Duchess uncover the mystery, and they each had their own flaws and biases. I did hope that Tinsley would own up to her mistakes and the things she's said about Nova, but her whole family is a mess lol. I also liked the discussions of racial bias in the police force, which brought light not only on racial bias from police officers themself but also systemic racism in different forms like schooling and education, politics and social issues, and the criminal justice system. This book had more things going on than I initially expected, but it was a good read.
bejeweledmeli's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Adult/minor relationship, Death, and Rape
melodys_library's review against another edition
2.0
Predictable plot! Forced dialogue! The death of a Black character is used as the turning point in character development of a non-Black character, and the non-Black character learns all about White Privilege! Yawn.