I haven't read much of the YA genre or settings focused on high school, but I was curious about this book, and I am so glad I picked it up. There are many aspects of this book and story that feel familiar (e.g., coming-of-age, having a crush, family stressors, etc.), but the originality is how Sonora Reyes brings it all together for the reader. Reyes' writing felt intentional and thoughtful, which made the story feel completely believable. The writing is excellent, and I appreciated the story's fast pace. My favorite parts of the novel were how Reyes presented multiple cultural, diverse, and nuanced situations with diverse characters. The characters and their stories were written in a way that allowed readers to empathize with their perspectives - and I felt it was a specific stylistic decision when the reader doesn't fully get what's going on with a character or what's in their head (e.g., mental health, root of biased beliefs, etc.). This book does an excellent job of depicting how characters navigate various relationships, especially regarding boundary setting. Characters are celebrated for setting boundaries, which is especially empowering. Characters are given the agency to end toxic relationships, vocalize their discomfort to people they love, fight back against performative allyship, come out on their own terms, and more. This doesn't mean they aren't met with dissent or challenges. The backlash certain characters face for certain decisions felt similar to what has happened to people in the real world. Individual characters are given the space to change their mind, while not sacrificing the agency and boundary setting of other characters. This book also demonstrates the power of support and acceptance through different relationships (e.g. familial, friends, teachers, strangers, etc.). As a parent, I felt that Reyes did an excellent job of depicting how parents can make children feel, the angst of confrontation, and the relief and love that comes with acceptance. All in all, this book offers excellent writing on familiar stories with diverse and intersectional characters.

I read this on my Kindle. This is a fast-paced story and, after listening to an excerpt, I think this story and the chosen narrator would make for an enjoyable audiobook experience.