Trigger Warnings: (as per beginning of novel) alcohol addiction, self-hatred, suicidal ideation, racial microaggressions, transphobic thetoric, and non-consensual outing
During the summer before college, Blake, her girlfriend, Ella, and their best friend, Annetta have one goal: join the exclusive Serena Society at their college. The sorority promises status and lifelong connections to a network of powerful, trailblazing women of color. Ella’s acceptance is a certainty - so is Annetta really - both of their mothers are Serena’s alum. However, Blake has a lot more to prove.
Blake comes from a working-class background and lacks confidence, nothing like Ella. Luckily, she finds courage with drops of liquor because when she drinks, she becomes Big Bad Bee - funny, bold, and unstoppable. But, as Serena pledging intensifies, so does Blake’s drinking, but it doesn’t stop at just partying. Ella assures Blake that she’s fine; nothing she’s doing isn’t what needs to be done to make the cut.
But the closer she gets to success, the more Blake’s drowning. With her future so bright ahead, Blake must decide how far she’s willing to go and to lose to step into the bright light of her dreams.
I absolutely adored Jas Hammond’s debut novel, We Deserve Monuments, so I’ve been highly anticipating their second novel since they announced it on their Instagram. Goodness, this doesn’t disappoint.
Blake was such a complex character - one that made it so hard to keep rooting for her as she continuously turned to alcohol, but I wanted her happy ending and was proud of her when she really tried. On top of trying to get into the Serena Society, Blake is not only navigating the transition between high school life and college but also her identity, her past, and what that means for her future and her place in the world.
I also love the relationship we see between both Blake and Ella and Blake and Annetta and how both characters interact with her. We see the type of support (or lack of support) that they give Blake and how she responds to it and it gives the characters more depth and realistic interactions.
Overall, this is a wonderful coming of age novel about an 18-year-old and her relationship with both drinking and those around her. I would somewhat argue that this novel could fall under the New Adult genre and not YA, but could see it being either.
During the summer before college, Blake, her girlfriend, Ella, and their best friend, Annetta have one goal: join the exclusive Serena Society at their college. The sorority promises status and lifelong connections to a network of powerful, trailblazing women of color. Ella’s acceptance is a certainty - so is Annetta really - both of their mothers are Serena’s alum. However, Blake has a lot more to prove.
Blake comes from a working-class background and lacks confidence, nothing like Ella. Luckily, she finds courage with drops of liquor because when she drinks, she becomes Big Bad Bee - funny, bold, and unstoppable. But, as Serena pledging intensifies, so does Blake’s drinking, but it doesn’t stop at just partying. Ella assures Blake that she’s fine; nothing she’s doing isn’t what needs to be done to make the cut.
But the closer she gets to success, the more Blake’s drowning. With her future so bright ahead, Blake must decide how far she’s willing to go and to lose to step into the bright light of her dreams.
I absolutely adored Jas Hammond’s debut novel, We Deserve Monuments, so I’ve been highly anticipating their second novel since they announced it on their Instagram. Goodness, this doesn’t disappoint.
Blake was such a complex character - one that made it so hard to keep rooting for her as she continuously turned to alcohol, but I wanted her happy ending and was proud of her when she really tried. On top of trying to get into the Serena Society, Blake is not only navigating the transition between high school life and college but also her identity, her past, and what that means for her future and her place in the world.
I also love the relationship we see between both Blake and Ella and Blake and Annetta and how both characters interact with her. We see the type of support (or lack of support) that they give Blake and how she responds to it and it gives the characters more depth and realistic interactions.
Overall, this is a wonderful coming of age novel about an 18-year-old and her relationship with both drinking and those around her. I would somewhat argue that this novel could fall under the New Adult genre and not YA, but could see it being either.