CW: death of a grandparent, death of a teen; mention in detail of a car accident death, grief, mention of homophobia and misgendering, mentions of Ari & Dante Save the Universe (author is transphobic), underage drinking & drug use (edibles)

I think I found my favorite Julian Winters book with As You Walk on By. Julian Winters nails coming of age stories every time and I love the uniqueness of his characters and stories. Instead of the generic retelling of The Breakfast Club, Winters sets his during a high school house party. The book unpacks teenage years with the pressure of high expectations from parents, crushes becoming real,  and distancing yourself from childhood friends, drama/angst and an emphasis on friendships. Although we do have a romance blooming, As You Walk on By heavily speaks to friendships and falling outs. If you want a book about friendship breakups and rekindling, Winters does them justice in this novel. 

 I absolutely loved the way Julian Winters tackled these topics through our protagonist, Theo. What I love about Winters' work is how unique the characters and storyline are. They turn common topics in YA fiction flipping them on their head and making you feel for the character and want to keep learning more.

I'm so glad I got to read this!