Welcome to Litsy!

This was ok, not great. The book starts with a teen finding out her close friend had died. She does not accept the cause of death. That is then the basis of this whole novella- her solving the 'mystery' and dealing with grief.

This looks like a fun little read while I wait for my holds to come in! 🎧

This reminded me of Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng, except this is a YA noir and the narrator is a cranky teenager. Jude abruptly flies home from her trip to the East Coast of the USA to Pasadena California, where her BFF has committed suicide. Only Jude isn't convinced it was a suicide, and she is determined to find some answers. Great for kids experiencing grief or trauma. 4 ⭐️s

Maggie was my Ferris wheel. I can see that now. It was a ride with a view of everything I could never have found on my own. And now it's over 🎡🖤

I loved this YA noir. It was full of complex and flawed characters. The story drew me in and kept me interested. #bookbingo #roguebookbingo #bookbyadiverseauthor

Great YA noir murder mystery with a strong Veronica Mars influence. Not sure about the ending though.

Loving the noir vibe of this YA mystery.

I want to love any book that is blurbed by Woodson and Lockhart, so I am very sad to say this one didn't do anything for me. Okay writing with occasional cringe-worthy moments, unlikable characters reaching unsupportable conclusions, annoying 1st person narrator... AND way overbilled as "noir." This wasn't even noir-adjacent. For a much better book about a teen's suspicious death , please get @Pronounced_ing 's ??????

I know #Septimus is thinking "why in the world hasn't she finished that book yet?!?"

Well, turns out it's not quite as good as the blurbs promised! ?

A contender for #BestSentenceEver, cringe-worthy edition. Seriously, tired like the toilet's autoflush is pulling her down? Really? 🤔😳😒

One of my #bookishpetpeeves --especially in YA novels-- is blatant mistakes in the basics of high school curriculum and college admissions. They break the narrative enchantment. (I am, after all, a #teacherofLitsy.)

Case in point: in this book, it is summer when the narrator's best friend dies. It is IMPOSSIBLE for anyone to be accepted early action to Brown during the summer before senior year. Early action deadline is Nov 1 of Sr year. 👎🏼

After a very long, very tiring school day, some much needed libations with @WanderingBookaneer @Figgy @gibblr 💜💜💜 #cocktailbookhour #BookishCocktailHour

#currentlyreading AND watching The Voice -- this one is a #booksfromSteinbeck special post for the inimitable queen of Litsy, @Liberty 🙌🏼💕

Way too many people want their morning caffeine today 😳😱 Update: the woman behind me --who is talking LOUDLY on her phone-- keeps jostling my purse. Personal space, woman, personal space!

I feel myself being sucked in! 💜💕💜💕

This novel has great blurbs by two faves, #JacquelineWoodson and #ELockhart -- definitely a #TBRtemptation!

"Maggie always was a fucking train wreck." #firstlines

This book felt a bit caught up in its own devices. It was clearly emulating classic California noir stories in tone and and style, but the plot was almost nonexistent and I felt like the characters and heart of the story got lost in all the Pasadena moodiness. It had undertones of mystery that would appeal to We Were Liars fans, though.

This book felt a bit caught up in its own devices. It was clearly emulating classic California noir stories in tone and and style, but the plot was almost nonexistent and I felt like the characters and heart of the story got lost in all the Pasadena moodiness. It had undertones of mystery that would appeal to We Were Liars fans, though.

All right, here's hoping that this mystery will be better than the last.

A teenage girl is privately investigating the death of her best friend, which was ruled a suicide. This book had some entertaining parts but was mostly just ok. I'm pretty sure I won't remember anything about it in a few months.

A pitch-perfect So Cal tale of dealing with the fallout of Jude's best friend's death -- an examination of friendship, family, and the fragility of the stories we tell ourselves and each other.