destdest's reviews
2719 reviews

The pacing is a little off toward the end (at one point, it seems things progress day by day, then suddenly we're told months have passed), but it's a good time.

It's a little ambiguous (probably purposefully) whether Onyeka dislikes the scrutiny her natural hair gets or the abundance of it she has. The progression she had with her hair was portrayed naturally, and I liked the spotlight on the different hairstyles.

I might read book two as the Solari business is ramping up. 

the golden shower scene was enough for me

 This series is still really cute, but I can see it getting repetitive (or maybe I was just exhausted by the amount stuffed into this volume).

Nishimura makes another friend in a way that feels natural, and you can see actual progress with her growing friendships.

 

I fully intended to drop this at page 100. The dump of character descriptions, dry narrative, and Ross’s mother, who didn’t really sound like one to me hadn’t caught my interest.

But then that girl got shot, and I kept reading. The rivalry between Ross and Noelia was also good. For the longest, there was more tension between these two than Devroe before he took the lead.

While I liked Devroe's consistency in trying to get Ross to open up, the romance was more in the background.

When the actual heists took place, I found the motivation to continue. I felt for Ross’ heavy guards and want for companionship despite the line of work she was born into. She grew up isolated and forced into thievery. But as a character, she was boring.

I don’t think I’d have regretted dnf’ing, but I’m glad I stuck around to see it get better. The ending chapters were fast-paced and fun. Ultimately, this will appeal to readers who love plot-driven stories as opposed to character-driven. 

From the beginning, this had a great narrative voice that hooked me. Music also plays a subtle recurring theme as when the character's music tastes. I think the characters sounded like teenagers, and not “how do you do, fellow kids.”

I’ll be honest I skimmed through the biology talk/terms. Both Naima and her lab partner Kamron excel at biology (science). I’m sure all the lab experiments they do might make spark the itch to do it yourself.

Naima is also very frank about being autistic. She knows what she needs to feel comfortable but often finds herself making missteps with other people. Curbing her tongue when she wants to express herself due to past experiences. Even worse, her autism diagnosis was revealed, prior to the story, without her consent.

There are a lot conversations here: Mississippi: why some leave vs stay, Black autistic girls and societal expectations, losing a parent during the height of Covid, and how Black excellence shifts when you’re not neurotypical, and, ultimately, wanting to belong. 

While fictional books don’t have to be educational, I was introduced to more through Naima’s perspective. I had never considered how menstrual bleeding could be overstimulation for some before. All of the above topics weren’t heavy-handed or info-dumpy. Covid becomes a major plot point midway through too.

The miscommunication between Naima and her mother is very emotional and will be very tender for some readers. As a negative, I found Sam a little too good to be true (not that I want a jerkish character, but the average teenage boy is not this well-adjusted). I thought the story was heading in a certain direction with him (and maybe it still could be with book 2), but it felt a little unresolved.

At first, Naima comes off blunt and rude to Kamron and distrustful, but as they grow closer they become friends. One of the most heartwarming moments is when a character acknowledges why he puts less weight on first impressions; we can all extend a little more grace to everyone.

I enjoyed Naima (and Kamron’s) story , and their eventual first love. The cover is also pretty!  But a good reading experience overall. 

Lusky's artwork is beautiful, and I have followed her work for a while.

It was a necessary reminder for me to create artwork for myself, forgetting who acknowledges it or what gets traction on social media. Draw like kids again without any expectation besides being happy with what you made.

Also, continue to use references and challenge myself with using new mediums. I need to start playing with watercolors again.