I knew going into this book that it has garnered a lot of praise, but since thrillers can be hit-or-miss for me, I didn't expect to love it THIS much. This thriller is compulsively readable, with all the scandal and anonymous secret-sharing of Gossip Girl, but merged with a more nuanced unpacking of privilege, race, trauma, and sexuality--not to mention the far, far higher stakes its characters face. Devon and Chiamaka make for an exceptional pair of leads: on one hand, the sensitive musician boy, who happens to be queer and a scholarship student from a poor family; on the other, a ruthless golden girl from a wealthy family, who will stop at nothing to make sure she comes out on top. Their contrasting backgrounds and dual narration perspectives made this a book where, though the plot kept me flipping pages, it was the characters who kept me emotionally invested.
And speaking of the plot--the Big Twist that you know every thriller will have? I had so many guesses on what would happen here, but none of them came close to the wild reveal that the author pulled off as the book raced to its perfectly fitting conclusion, with a satisfying ending and an epilogue equal parts optimistic and chilling. Even if you aren't normally a thriller fan, I would put in a strong recommendation for this one!
Trigger/content warnings: racism, homophobia, incarcerated family members, mention of suicide, cheating (in the past)
And speaking of the plot--the Big Twist that you know every thriller will have? I had so many guesses on what would happen here, but none of them came close to the wild reveal that the author pulled off as the book raced to its perfectly fitting conclusion, with a satisfying ending and an epilogue equal parts optimistic and chilling. Even if you aren't normally a thriller fan, I would put in a strong recommendation for this one!
Trigger/content warnings: racism, homophobia, incarcerated family members, mention of suicide, cheating (in the past)