A great debut, packed with tension!

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What a great debut! Despite some minor complaints about the pacing, this was a very enjoyable read full of engaging characters, tons of tension, and some genuinely surprising twists and turns. Although written for a young adult audience, this read has all the thrills and suspense of any adult thriller on the market.

One of my favorite things about this read are the characters. Àbíké-Íyímídé writes very believable teenagers, perfectly capturing the humor and colloquial expressions that young audiences can relate to. I also appreciate that she chose to confront her characters with so many real world issues that readers of all ages can identify with, such as coping with expectations, discovering one's sexual identity, growing up in poverty, living in non-traditional households, having incarcerated loved ones, dealing with prejudiced relatives, and so much more. These layers add a ton of value to this book without ever feeling heavy handed or like it is taking away from the main story. We just get to experience these two protagonists dealing with the primary drama at school while also having very complicated lives at home - a pretty realistic set up for many teens and I love that Àbíké-Íyímídé didn't shy away from including these elements.

In fact, there aren't many bits that this author DOES shy away from. In addition to crafting her characters around some really tough stuff, the entire storyline confronts institutionalized racism head on. Like out loud, in your face, no nuances to be overlooked or blind eyes to be turned. And I loved that about this read. Sure it will probably make some people uncomfortable... but probably only the kind of people who need to be made a little uncomfortable. And just like all the other real world issues Àbíké-Íyímídé unpacks in these pages, she handles it all tactfully and fittingly within the scope of the story.

The aspects of the story that make it a thriller really help achieve this balance. I won't say too much for fear of spoiling, but there were so many times when the tension ramped up so high that I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. I'm also not ashamed to admit that some of the scenes were downright creepy! I'm a grownass woman and I found myself almost regretting reading this in the dark at night.

While the tension and the drama made this read very exciting and difficult to put down, I do wish the pacing were a bit more level throughout the read. I feel like the beginning took some time to get rolling, then the middle hovered while the text messages piled up, and then the final third of the book really escalated quickly and raced through the end. I wanted more of that high energy excitement a bit earlier on rather than piled up right before the conclusion. And although it was very exciting and incredibly dramatic, I wasn't a huge fan of the conclusion itself. It felt a bit convenient and I wish things had wrapped up differently, but that's more of a personal preference thing than any fault of the book or its author.

In summary, super entertaining, very exciting read that is packed with tension, mystery, and a surprising amount of heart. Would definitely recommend, especially for its target audience, and I'm eager to see what Àbíké-Íyímídé writes next cuz goddamn is she talented.