3.5 stars. A good, fast-moving, action-packed story. I wanted more depth, though - depth to the individual characters and also to the racial issues presented. If you haven't read a lot of YA books dealing with race relations and racial issues in contemporary America, this could be a good starting place. If you want to go deeper, I would recommend The Hate U Give or Dear Martin. (Violence, language)

This book is very different from most of the books I read. While I do and have read Contemporary, this book is different from those. This is the first book I've read that talks about racial tension.

This book is fast-paced and had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through (once I actually had time to sit and read it). Both Lena and Campbell are smart characters who held it together far better than I ever could have if I were in their position.

This book does a good job talking about racial tension, but there are other things in this book that kind of don't fully add up.

There is no sensible reason for Lena to try to get to her boyfriend, especially when he was giving her the runaround the whole night. Lena seems to be a very self-assured person and her boyfriend... who knows. He seems to have goals, and even though he's older than her, he acts very self-centered and uncaring that she was stuck in the middle of a riot. I also didn't really care for having her use poor grammar, I guess they were trying to give the two girls different voices, but it seems like a gross stereotype to have the black girl speak with bad grammar.

Campbell seemed to be overly distraught over her father's store being broken into with no explanation for why she was that upset. Nothing to indicate whether her father had insurance, or if he had faulted on a payment for or not. It's possible that it was just the straw that broke the camels back for her, and she was overreacting. But it's unlikely that she just didn't know how business insurance works. Nothing was said about what happened between her father and the kid who was hired to work at the store, who just left when things started getting heated, who is basically at fault for it getting broken into in the first place. And the end of it all, there isn't even a discussion between Campbell and her father, how he basically abandons her every weekend, and if he had been there for her, she wouldn't have almost died, the store might not have gotten broken into. None of that was covered, it just ends with her getting a text from Lena.

I don't know when exactly this book is supposed to be set. Clearly during a time when Cellphones and Uber exist. But Campbell's mother is transferred to work in Venezuela, and considering what is going on in that area right now, that seems odd. We are also never told what her mother does for a living that would require her to be transferred overseas, especially to a country that is going through political upheaval.

There was also the ending to consider. It just kind of... ends. A one-off sentence to cover what happened to Lena's cousin, and even less with Campbell. There is nothing that covers the aftermath of the night they went through. I would have liked more wrapup. Lena and Campbell are supposed to be kind of friends now, and after everything they went through, I would expect they had a pretty strong bond. They survived a very violent night together and saved each other's lives more than once. That's not something that is ever forgotten.

It was an enjoyable read. Fast-paced and pretty action-packed, but there are these things that once you think about them, kind of take away from things and poke tiny holes in the believability of some things.

This is one of those powerful reads that should become required reading for young people seeing as stories like this are no longer considered fiction in our current climate. This book was a fast-paced page turner that was also hectic, which is exactly what was needed to convey the intense fear that both Campbell and Lena were feeling the night they stuck together to survive the racially fueled riot/violence.

I found this to be a beautifully, although tragic, well told story. Being the mother of a 13 year old daughter, it's tough to imagine that she would have to endure similar situations when in an environment she should feel safe in. A true testament to what our society currently looks like.

This would be a great choice for a Young Adult book club. A black girl and a white girl decide to work together to survive a night of chaos and violence. Also I do think it would be great if teachers would recommend this book to students to read and then lead a discussion on it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A beautiful and heartbreaking story that dives deep into so many important topics. It was so hard to put down because it was extremely fast paced without feeling rushed. I loved absolutely everything about this book and definitely will be recommending this title.

This was a very fast read, I started it late Saturday night, but I could not put it down once I began. The dual authors helps to give Lena and Campbell each their own unique views and perspectives, and I liked that each chapter went back and forth between the two. In many ways, the chapter progressions were conversations themselves.

I absolutely feel that books like these are needed, and are extremely important. This book in particular pushes us all to see both sides, where both people are coming from, and how remarks, while the intent may be innocent, can still cut like a knife. What I also appreciated was that there were incorrect assumptions made on both sides as well.

The book focuses only on the one night, and how the girls make it through. And don’t get me wrong, it is one heck of a night for anyone to try and survive. However, where I felt this book could have done a little more was in the closure. I was not done with Lena and Campbell, and it left me wanting more. But maybe that is the intent, it is up to us to do better. And if so, then well played.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the advanced copy to review. All opinions above are my own.

This is a powerful little novel, taking place over the course of a few hours. A fight breaks out during halftime of a high school football game and Lena (African-American) and Campbell (Caucasian) find themselves together trying to escape. As tensions rise throughout the city they end up in another part of town where a social justice protest turns violent and then into a full-fledged riot. It’s wild and chaotic and while I was annoyed by some of Lena’s and Campbell’s choices, who’s to say I wouldn’t have made similar ones at 17 if I was in their shoes.

I’m Not Dying With You Tonight brings racial tension and discord to the forefront and makes you take a hard look at current events and possibly even your own prejudices. At times it felt a little uncomfortable, but I think that’s the point. In the end Lena and Campbell are survive the night but are left with more questions than answers as seems to often be the case in these situations. I think this books will serve well as a discussion opener among teens and adults alike.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.

This book was something that definitely needs to be read in today's time, especially for the YA/Teenage crowd. I felt this one might have been a little too young for an older reader like me, although I usually love YA stories. But it is definitely worth the read. It is fast-paced, and makes you want to keep reading all the way through instead of taking any breaks!

This book was a fast-paced and often chaotic read, which is exactly what is needed to convey the fear, intensity and emotions of Lena and Campbell's night together. This book did a great job of telling two narratives and making you care about and understand each character's motivations equally. Being from the Atlanta area, this story felt true to the city and our current political times. I hope this book has as a cultural impact similar to that of Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give.

Two girls, one white and one black, get caught up in a night of violence and protest and are forced to stick together to stay safe.

I generally enjoy YA books, but I think in this case a teenager/young adult would appreciate this a lot more than I did. It was definitely a page-turner and would keep any teenager invested.

I think I wanted more introspection & more reflection from the characters & the writing; it is very plot-heavy and ends rather abruptly. There were some plot elements that I questioned the need for, especially nearing the end. But, like I said, I think it will be perfect for teenagers and it will definitely get them thinking, talking, and asking questions about race, friendship, and society.

**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ecopy in exchange for an honest review.**

I'm Not Dying with You Tonight is a gripping, fast-paced read that is a pure adrenaline rush. I flew through it in one sitting.. Even though it's a quick read, it's still a powerful one. The authors do a great job of portraying topics that are very relevant in society now - racial discrimination, white privilege, how tensions can escalate and get out of hand quickly, and so much more. I also liked both of the main characters, one white teen girl and one African American teen girl, and thought it was very effective to present this evening gone terribly wrong from each of their perspectives. As these two seemingly different girls try to escape what started out as a simple school brawl and escalated into a full-scale riot, they learn a lot about themselves and about each other. I think this is a riveting read that is going to be very popular with teens.

I read chapter one the first time I picked up this book. The second day, chapter 2. Fairly typical book opening, setting the stage. Then day 3, I settled in with it and ... Could. Not. Stop. I had to know how it was going to end. As a teacher and librarian, I kept thinking of ways this could be used in the classroom and discussion points with which I would want to engage students. I know this may be sacrilege, but I feel like it could *gasp* replace The Outsiders. Or at the very least be taught as paired novels - the concept of us vs. them only to realize there is much more common ground than not, the insecurities and home life struggles of the main characters, the need to connect with and even protect one another, the ways minor characters surprised us (and the main characters) by doing exactly what you didn’t expect. I will be putting this on my middle school library shelves, and I can’t wait to put it in the hands of students and colleagues this fall. #ImNotDyingWithYouTonight #NetGalley

I received an ARC for an honest review. WOW. This was a quick read-I couldn't put it down once I started it. The back and forth narrative keeps the pace moving, and the vivid descriptions of all that is happening are riveting. I think that books like this help foster important conversations about race and prejudice that lots of teens might not otherwise have.

Campbell and Lena have very little in common other than that they’re both at their high school’s football game. Campbell, who is white, is a loner in her new school thanks to being forced to move from New England to Atlanta to live with her absentee dad when her mom decides to take a job in Venezuela. Lena, who is beautiful, popular, and black, is blessed with a job that allows her to put together outfits and accessories that show off her killer fashion style. She also has a boyfriend, Black, that she’s totally fixated on, even though his life choices make her family question their relationship.

When a fight breaks out at the game, Lena takes shelter in the concession stand where Campbell is working. Then shots ring out, and the two unlikely friends bond while trying to figure out how to get home from what is becoming a dangerous situation.

As the high school skirmish spills into the nearby neighborhood and escalates into a full-fledged crisis, police swarm the area and angry looters take to the streets. During the tension, Campbell and Lena meet up with Lena’s questionable boyfriend, Black. They soon realize they have different perspectives on what it’s going to take to survive the night of violence. Though the police might protect Campbell, Black and Lena must avoid them at all cost.

I’m Not Dying with You Tonight’s #ownvoices dual-author narrative stands out, giving each Lena and Campbell distinctive voices in this story about chaos caused by violence and hate.

One of the lines in the story–– “when you push people to their breaking point, and they ain’t got no power, they’ll find a way to take it.” ––really stood out to me. No one fares well in a situation when we leave others powerless. It’s an instinct that’s true of everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, or religion–– something we need to keep in mind as we develop policies and work with others.

I’m Not Dying with You Tonight is fast-paced and timely, perfect for fans of Nic Stone and Angie Thomas. It makes a good discussion book about micro-aggressions, stereotypes, and racial problems and is available for preorder from your favorite independent bookstore or request at your library before its release on 8/6/19.

This book is fast paced and exhausting. The authors really brought forth the fear and scariness of this night. I liked the commentary on white privilege. I do wish it had gone a little deeper. But I really appreciated this book.

* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.”
I read a lot of YA. I try to read diversely. In many cases, books show me a world that is real for many but far away from what I experience. I believe that enriches me.
The situations covered in this book are heart stopping and chilling. The heart of the story is an important one. However, the dialogue took me completely out if the story. The characters were not fully formed and I found it hard to connect to any of them. Most of the information I got about them was told not shown. I want an outline I can fill in with my imagination. This book only gave me half that outline.
There was a lot of action but again the dialogue/slang took me right out if the story.
I can see how some people will find this story compelling but for me it was just chaos.

I was originally excited, but after reading more reviews, the ratings and reviews have dropped quite a bit. I am not willing to invest my time when I have so many books to read that continue to pull strong ratings!

I have returned from my semi unofficial hiatus lol! But seriously, in all honesty, it feels good to be writing a blog post again and the fact that it is a review makes it tens times better. This review will most likely be one of my longest and one that I really want to mention spoilers but as said in the title I will leave those out. But when my video review comes there will be a spoiler section like a big section lol. That's enough rambling for now as tradition the synopsis first, then I will get into my personal thoughts, and lastly the ratings! Btw big shoutout too Netgalley for the eARC and then to myself for getting a physical ARC at Bookcon!

"Lena and Campbell aren't friends.

Lena has her killer style, her awesome boyfriend, and a plan. She knows she's going to make it big. Campbell, on the other hand, is just trying to keep her head down and get through the year at her new school.

When both girls attend the Friday-night football game, what neither expects is for everything to descend into sudden mass chaos. Chaos born from violence and hate. Chaos that unexpectedly throws them together.

They aren't friends. They hardly understand the other's point of view. But none of that matters when the city is up in flames, and they only have each other to rely on if they're going to survive the night."

Alright, so let's start by discussing our two main characters Lena and Campbell we know from that start of all this that they don't know each other and that their worlds are completely different. But these girls have similarities which I discovered very quickly is that they have stereotypical views towards each other without knowing each other. At first, I have mixed feelings about it because I am not a big fan of characters having those types of feelings towards another character without knowing them fully. But then coming to the realization that this book is meant to be real it's meant to have characters that are like everyday people, that are flawed, and that these two characters have a lot of reactions that are very accurate and on point for what they experience in this one night.  Now do I agree with everything these girls do no not at all lol, but do I understand why they did certain things yes I do and to be honest some of the things they come across they handled very well. I am going to analyze and talk about both girls characteristics and personalities separately and then talk about there weird but funny partnership later.

Now Lena is portrayed as the popular girl in her school everyone knows her on a personal level or knows about her in some way shape or form, whether it's because of her style or very outgoing personality! Now with this very outgoing personality, it does come with some pros and cons throughout this story. Lena is strong-willed and very determined which I love about her she doesn't take no for an answer and sometimes that was a good thing and sometimes I wanted the girl to chill out! I'd be like why??? Especially when it came to her boyfriend Black..... I am not going to go into details about certain events that corresponded between her and him but at times I was really not a fan like at all...... Another thing that I noticed was her first initial reaction towards Campbell and how she prejudged her before getting to know her but I will talk more about that for both sides when I take about there partnership. Was she a very real character yes and I think that's what I was grateful for in this book from the way she talked, the slang she used, her character demeanor as a whole reminded me of people I knew and even myself at times. Her realness is what made her the person she is as well as.

Onto Campbell is the new girl no one knows her, notices her or even tries to befriend her. At first, I feel for Campbell now one likes being the new girl or chooses that role but as the book goes on I detect certain things about her. To me at times she had a victims mindset with certain situations that go on in her life (not situations that happen with her and Lena), now I understand that some things are truly out of her control but that doesn't mean you should always take defeat. But Campbell I will say she had points in this book where I was like YOU BETTER GO GIRL! Like I had very proud mom moments lol. Campbell also displays a character we don't see a lot in YA books ( well for me at least) and that's the character that hasn't been exposed to a lot of diversity problems. There where certain moments in this book where it felt like she was kinda unaware of how bad police brutality and riots are. Which isn't really a bad thing at all because those where her character traits that made her real, that was her realness because they're people in the world like her.

Alright now, let us get into the meat and potatoes of both these girls but as a unit. This part I will be talking about the pros and cons I saw both characters display at one point or another in this book. Now for starters both of these girls had a few stereotypical views when it came to one another which was slightly uncomfortable at times but when you think about it this happens in real life every day. I love how the authors weren't scared to portray this either. Another thing about our lovely girls is that there is character development but to me, it's not the type that can be measured or something you can really weight out like in a normal YA book or in any book in that matter.  You can tell that both girls learned a lot and had valuable moments that made them think about themselves and to be honest, that is the best thing for a character is to just think about themselves not state that the learned a lot but at least know they though a lot. Now as a team I am going to give them a solid B+, do not get me wrong they kicked ass but on both sides, I just felt like they could have avoided a lot if one person stood up to the other in certain points whether it had been Campbell putting her foot down and taking the lead or Lena suggesting a different way to handle things. The last thing I will touch basis on has nothing to do with the characters but more with the authors, I WANTED THE BOOK TO BE LONGER!!!!!!!!! lol like I could've used another fifty or so pages not to say things didn't wrap up neatly but I wanted more details like pleaseeeeeeeeee that's all I ask I feel like I got an ending like I didn't get THE MOMENT (once you read the book you will understand lol).

One thing I will say is that this book is not going to be for everyone it's going to make you feel uncomfortable, it's going to make you view certain things and situations in life differently, and that's because this book is just going to be too real for some people to really understand. So my full rating is a three and a half stars I enjoyed this book I ate it up I appreciated the message but like I said I did want a little more to the ending and both of the characters made me really mad at some points lol! I hope you enjoyed this review it was a real hard one for me but we got it done lol! This book comes out August 6th, 2019, all the links to purchase it will be down below! I hope you have a great day and remember <3 Always Love Your Books <3

Lena and Campbell both attend the same school. Lena is confident, popular, she walks the school hallways like a runway. She's sure of herself, who she is and where she's going.

Campbell, on the other hand, is new to school having gone to live with her father after her mother moved away for work. She's just trying to keep her head down and get through her senior year.

Lena and Campbell are not friends.

When both girls, separately, attend the high school football game on Friday, they don't expect things to get so out of control. But they do when a fight breaks out between the football teams and the fans attending.

Left with no other option Lena and Campbell team up to get out, but what they discover outside the stadium is a city of unrest that boils into an ever-increasing dangerous situation. They'll have to rely on each other if they want to make it home unscathed.

With a deft hand, I'm Not Dying with You Tonight starts as a slow boil clearly showing the racial divide between Lena and Campbell. Two girls who know of one another, and while there's no open animosity between them, they are living completely different lives. Some of that is truth, and some of that is incorrectly assumed on both of their parts. Slowly over the course of the story we see that divide start to bridge, and it's honest and real and almost simple. The idea of setting aside differences in order to help another person, in order to do what's right in a situation while literal chaos is brimming around them. You clearly see instances changing with each step the girls get closer to home and how things continue to escalate from one moment to the next in a whirlwind of violence.

The story almost reads like a dystopian, but it's not. It's happening now. We are living in this world.

In the middle of everything is Lena and Campbell. The story is a quick read taking place over the course of one very eventful night and told in alternating chapters between Lena and Campbell. I loved getting the different perspectives from each of the girls. How they each interpreted situations differently and sometimes how it caused the other to change how they saw things, whether for good or bad. We don't have enough books - but I like that we're getting more and more of them - that show this connection. That show how this divide that we place on ourselves does no one any good, how we need to look past the assumptions and really see the person or people who are around us. That is has to start with us.

The problems may not be solved in one night, but it's definitely a start.

This book may be small, but she is mighty.