A review by betweentheshelves
No One Left but You by Tash McAdam

dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

No One Left but You is about trans teen Max, who is newly out and struggling a little bit with that at school. At least, until he meets Gloss. Gloss throws him into the sort of party scene, and eventually, they find themselves at a party that leaves someone dead. One of the comps for this is Euphoria, and though I've never watched the show, from what I know of it, this is a good read-a-like for that.

Alternating between Before and After definitely helps with building the suspense; it gives you small details throughout, trying to piece the different events together. At its core, this is a thriller, but it also gives you themes of friendship, coming of age, and just trying to find your place in the world.

The characters are really compelling; getting to see Max's thought process and glimpses of what life was like before he came out brought the whole thing full circle. If you're looking for a YA thriller to start your year off with, definitely pick this one up!
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