Anyone else read this book and had Lin Manuel Miranda’s – “I’m just like my country / I’m young, scrappy and hungry / and I’m not throwing away my shot”? stuck in their head the whole time? Just me? Alright, let’s move on.

Louisa Onomé’s debut Like Home follows Chinelo, or Nelo as her best friend Kate calls her, whose life is turned upside down after a local act of vandalism throws her relationship with the people she loves and the entire neighbourhood of Ginger East into turmoil. Nelo has always been enamoured with her neighbourhood because to her, Ginger East is filled with wonderful memories of growing up with her best friends, the camaraderie of her neighbours and chill vibes. However, Ginger East hasn’t been what it was for a long time, after a deadly incident some years ago, and most of Nelo’s friends have moved away to better and brighter neighbourhoods, denouncing Ginger East outright. Now, after what seems to be a random act of violence on Kate’s parents’ beloved store, Nelo finds herself fighting for her neighbourhood’s image as the outside world threatens to “fix” what—to Nelo—has never been broken.

Onomé’s writing is immersive and engaging, though this book spans more than 400 pages I practically flew through the pages. However, as compelling as the writing and the mystery of figuring out who vandalised the store was, I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters because a lot of their actions—not only Nelo’s but also her friends’ and the entire miscommunication problem between her and Kate—felt a bit stiff, as if the “telling” we got about the characters and their identity didn’t quite match up with their “showing,” if that makes sense. For example, Nelo’s best friend Kate is acting strange throughout the novel and though there is obviously a reason for it, I had a hard time caring about it because we never really got to know Kate beforehand and there are few scenes of her being the best friend Nelo treasures before it all goes downhill. The added romance, while not unexpected, also slowed down the pacing which probably wasn’t intentional, but made it hard for me to get invested. Overall, I think that was my biggest issue because although Nelo learns things about herself and her surroundings, she never really grows, even when certain things are revealed to her. However, I think this was very much a 'me' issue and not a book-issue, and though I couldn’t connect to Nelo, I still appreciated the themes of the novel and with that comes my favourite part of Like Home.

The real showstealer in this novel is Ginger East. Within the story, it becomes so much more than a neighbourhood, despite the outside world’s derogatory descriptions and some lacklustre inhabitants, Ginger East is and will always be home. The way Onomé discusses gentrification was as jarring as it was evocative; I really enjoyed how we got to see the entire process from the beginning and how fast things can get out of hand, especially once the media gets involved. To see a neighbourhood be vandalised and then turned into “the villain” without it having any say in the matter was a stirring and powerful commentary on the world’s agenda to get rid of anything that doesn’t immediately check all the right boxes. I think we all have an idea of what gentrification is, but seeing the entire process laid out in this novel, not to mention Nelo’s adamant fight against it, was downright enthralling and made me want to save Ginger East right alongside our protagonist.

With a fierce protagonist and a neighbourhood to root for, Like Home is a timely and touching debut, perfect for fans of Angie Thomas and Elizabeth Acevedo.

Like Home was an awesome read because it was totally diverse. The main character, Nelo, is African American, and her best friend, Kate, is Asian American. They live in a not-so great neighborhood, but for for Nelo her neighborhood is her world.

What was interesting to me when I first started the book was the language that was used. The slang and some of the terms were very modern for a high schooler, which was awesome, yet a little jarring to read for me being in her 30s, but it would be neat for someone in high school to read. However, I could also see it getting dated as well.

I really felt for Nelo during her struggles in this book. It’s really tough being a teenager trying to navigate who you are in a changing world where you feel so alone and even your best friend isn’t there to help you. I feel like at least everyone’s been through some variation of that at one point in our lives to a degree.

I gave this book 4 stars.

I really enjoyed this story. I feel like this main character could be a little bratty and self serving at times but in the end I understood why.

Smart and full of heart, LIKE HOME presents a lively cast of characters who are diverse in both identities and opinions, grappling with a difficult topic. Onome deftly navigates the nuances of gentrification in a way that will appeal to a wide range of audiences and, likely, challenge your own preconceived biases.

This was a really interesting contemporary coming of age story, which explored themes of gentrification and community. Onome's writing flowed so well, allowing me to just get wrapped up in the story. Nelo was a great protagonist and I really felt like the teenage characters spoke authentically and acted like real teens.

Review posted at BookBrowse: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/reviews/index.cfm/ref/pr270144

"...Like Home is truly the perfect read for those who love the powerful narratives of Angie Thomas and Ibi Zoboi's passionate writing style — it is a dynamic novel, tinged with childhood nostalgia, that will play on in your mind long after the final page and leave you aching for more from Louisa Onomé's skillful pen."

This book wound up just really not being for me. The voice felt so young and almost middle grade. I couldn't quite connect with it, and I felt like I was always missing something as I was reading.

I'm Nigerian, so any book with Nigerian instantly captures my attention, but Like Home itself is a book that is easy to gobble up in one sitting because it opens your eyes and mind to many issues such as gentrification, how the media comes into play, activism, economic status and what change means.

It's a story about changes and how it's easy to get stuck in the process of adapting, we get to see our main character Chinelo grappling with various new realities, such as her body going through puberty, drifting away from Kate, her best friend, the gentrification of her neighbourhood, Ginger East and a budding feelings/relationship with Rafa. Everything and the emotions she feels come through has authentic and I was able to feel her plight through Onome's words. A story about beautiful friendships and the up and downs that might come with them.

Despite enjoying some aspects of this book, it took a couple of chapters for me to fully settle into the story, and still, I found the story dragged in some places and a bit of repetition was happening, those are my only qualms, it's an easy and important book to read, so do add it to your shelves.

Going into this, I thought this book would be about a cute fluffy romance and or at least there would be one somewhere, but that was really not the case. I generally don’t tend to pick up novels with mystery element at their core, but this was such a refreshing read.

We follow a Nigerian girl Nilo who is trying to do all she can to protect her home, her neighbourhood which is being vandalised. As the main character, she is quite interesting to follow even though she can be super stubborn at times. In here, you have themes surrounding displacement, traumatic experiences of community problems and standing up and protecting for your home is explored at great lengths.

The book has a very diverse set of characters that all come together for a common purpose. The story felt poignant and quite relevant.

 TW: vandalism, displacement, bullying, class struggle, community conflict among others.

For a debut novel, this is a great story. It has good intent at heart and would definitely appeal to a lot of readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the advance Kindle copy of this book. Like home is a coming of age story dealing with change. It had a few twists and turns. An amazing community of characters. This is a story about loving and caring about where you're from, the fierce pride that can grow out of a neighborhood; the outrage and fear when people on the outside see the place you love as something different and ugly; the confusion and frustration when not everyone who lives there feels the same way you do. I rooted for Chinelo throughout the story because she used her voice to fight and defend her community. The lesson that is the author is that our voices and actions does matter to save communities and neighborhoods.

I thought this book sounded really interesting; but when I got into it, I realized it wasn't for me. I was really bored reading it. I felt like Nelo read a lot younger than she was. I thought it was a middle grade at first and then when I looked it up to be sure, I found out it was YA. Nelo was also really self centered and it bothered me.

Like Home
By Louisa Onome

This is a fantastic coming-of-age novel about relationships with our friends, our community and how  we see our world from within. Chinelo loves her neighborhood and community of Ginger East but things are changing a lot with her friends moving out, and gentrification moving in, and affecting her beloved community. 

This is a wonderful  debut novel with fantastic characters and a subject matter that is relatable and timely. I thought the writing was well done and really grabbed my attention for its subject matter, plotting and wonderful characters. 

Highly recommend this amazing debut read.

Gentrification, but make it coming of age twisty. 

A beloved neighborhood store gets vandalized and chaos ensures. Part mystery (who threw a brick in the window), part social commentary (gentrification of urban communities), part coming of age (teenage angst and drama), this book truly feels like home. Yes, I just did that and no, I'm not sorry. ⁣
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From the dialogue between the characters to the vivid description of the neighborhood store (think corner store or bodega for my New Yorkers), this book reminds me a lot of growing up in New York City. Ginger East (known as G-East to the bougie outsiders LOL) is like many neighborhoods before they are gentrified (represented as a haven for crime and gang activity, where low-income residents are raging war within its confines). However, that land though, super ripe for luxury condos, hipster coffee shops, or artisanal restaurants. Am I right? The shade though (*eye roll*).
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The interesting part about this book is that it explores gentrification from various perspectives, including the community that is fighting to keep the local integrity of the neighborhood, the former residents who moved out to "better" neighborhoods, and the people who, quiet as kept, want to leave, but are unsure how to do so. In the midst of all of this, we see teenagers from the neighborhood come of age (discovering relationships, navigating friendships, and dealing with the myriad of changes happening around them). ⁣
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Sounds like your kinda read? Well, you're in luck because the book is OUT NOW! Who's adding it to their TBR?

In Like Home, a sudden act of local vandalism suddenly changes the whole neighborhood of Ginger East, while also bringing closer four friends Chinelo, Kate, Raffa and Bo.




Chinelo, our MC, is a bold and strong lady at the cusp of adulthood. Her love for her home and neighborhood and best friend Kate was portrayed so well through the words. Having lost two of her best friends after an unexpected incident, her only best friend is Kate. And when Kate starts to pull back after the local vandalism act, Nelo finds herself lost and grappling onto old life, wishing for things to go back to the way it was. And one way she thinks she can achieve this is to find who was behind the vandalism that ripped apart her friend’s life.


My favorite character has to be Raffa. Adorable and sweet, I loved Raffa’s innocence as well as his strength and presence of mind. Bo, on the other hand annoyed me and I really didn’t feel his character. He could’ve been excluded and I wouldn’t have bothered. Same was with Maree too. I wish she got more time to develop her character, perhaps, but she just seemed like a prop to stir the pot. Kate was, I guess, alright. While I was conflicted about her actions, I wish she didn’t pull back and do what she did. Lastly, when it came to Chinelo, I was totally conflicted about my feelings toward her. While I liked her in the beginning of the story, she got too much of a typical teen character for me later on – wants to take on every single burden upon herself, takes too much to heart, is very sensitive and emotional, will try to involve herself everywhere, pretend to be oblivious to the obvious. I just – there were certain points when I just didn’t vibe with her anymore and wish she wasn’t so nosy.


However, I think the relationship between these friends was very well established. We see how that single incident manages to bring the four of them closer and the transition is so smooth, so swift – it just fits into the daily normal. I liked that. To see the lively chats between them also warmed my heart and brought some colors to the gravity of the story otherwise. Those little moments were some of the best.


Coming to the writing, I loved the way the author portrayed the lives of the characters and painted distinctions of each other. The writing felt so fresh and fun to read. I was flipping from one page to the other in a swift way, and I think the author made everything very much relatable. It was seamless and beautiful. The focus was also on very important topics of gentrification, racism, the want and need for change and resistance, social justice.


The character’s growth by the end of the book was, I suppose, commendable. They grow into somewhat mature beings with more trust and courage with each other and oneself. Friendship stories are one of my favorites and this really warmed my heart.


But there were also a few little things that didn’t allow me to give this book a higher rating. As I had mentioned before, Chinelo’s character didn’t outrightly fascinate me. As a main character, I found her voice to be whiny and repetitive towards the end, her fears and dilemma surrounding the same single thought. I wish there were multiple POVs to this, maybe from each of the four main characters. I would have loved to see the events through Kate’s eyes, for one, to see what drove her, what made her do what she did. At the same time, while I did enjoy the writing, I also felt like the emotional aspect of the story was missing a lot. I couldn’t emotionally connect to Nelo’s desperation to save Ginger East, Kate’s shop and resist change. I wanted something more, I suppose, to feel.


The climax also didn’t really sit well with me, I’ll be honest. I did guess it 50% into the book, and yet I wasn’t fond. I also didn’t like how quickly things were resolved at the end.


The book definitely played with clichés, I won’t lie, but I’m ready to overlook them. But I think for a debut, this book was really good. It tried to shed light on gentrification, social activism, economic status and mobility, the power of media and the idea of change as a whole. The book is a lot fast paced but has a fitting end, I believe. The cast of diverse characters and their distinct ideologies, perspectives and personalities made it a fun and important read.

It is so great to be able to share a birthday with the book birthday of Like Home by Louisa Onome. It is a story I really enjoyed and would recommend everyone to pick up and read.

Before jumping into the book, I knew I would automatically enjoy it because I am a huge fan of On My Block and Elizabeth Acevedo’s work. Like Home is a story of gentrification that we all need to read. It’s thought provoking and enticing. It is also relatable to so many who have experienced the effects gentrification can do to their communities; the place they call home. Like Home is more than just a delightful read. It takes you on a ride of so many emotions, a friendship that goes through the motions, and a girl trying to find herself in the midst of it all.

Louisa is an amazing writer and hooked me into the story from the very first page. Between the backdrop of the Ginger East neighborhood to the journey of each character, Louisa fills the novel with rick settings and amazingly complex characters.

The story is told through Chinelo who is the main character in the story. Chinelo is a great character and has such a relatable self-discovery story. Not every teen has an easy journey and Chinelo allows the reader to dive into her world and into how complicated it can be to just be a normal teen at times. This is all with dealing and coping with the trauma of seeing two of her closest friends leave. Her anxiety towards this shows when she feels her relationship with Kate become rocky. Kate; a spunky girl who loves her family is wholesome, realistic and relatable. Kate’s and Chinelo’s relationship is one that feels so real. You feel like you are the third person observing slightly form the outside and hoping all will be well. Their friendship is also dynamic and the two together share such a powerful message in a way that doesn’t feel forced but fells natural.

I was provided an early copy of Like Home in order to conduct an interview with its author, Louisa Onomé. Please see the complete interview below:

1. Puberty can be a confusing and difficult experience for many young adults as their bodies change and no longer feel like their own. We see Nelo struggling with this throughout the novel, as her chest size begins to grow and becomes an object of observation and comment for those around her. She resists her mother’s suggestions that she purchase a new bra and feels uncomfortable with the attention her chest garners from her classmates and friends. Why was it important for you to tackle this particular topic in Like Home?

Awesome question! I chose to put in those smaller tidbits because oftentimes when we think of change, we think of it like this overarching “my friends are leaving and my world is being uprooted” sort of thing. But for the most part, it’s the smaller changes that also have the ability to shake us. For someone like Nelo, who had seen what change does to a friendship and decided she hates it, something as simple as going up a bra size carries a lot of weight because she knows on the other side of that change, there’s nothing good. Hence, her hyperawareness around being perceived by boys around her. Speaking personally, I found that one of the strangest parts of growing up: being perceived different by people around me. It was so jarring, so it was important for me to at least touch on what that felt like.



2. Change, and how we perceive and respond to it, seems to be a central theme in the novel, as Nelo is forced to confront everything from her changing body and the gentrification of her neighbourhood to a growing distance with her best friend, Kate, and a burgeoning romantic relationship with her old friend, Rafa. How do you effectively deal with change in your own life and do you have any advice for young readers as to how they can do the same?

I’m in the process of learning how to float down the river of change as opposed to pushing against the current! It’s hard, though, but I always go back to that saying: allow me to change what I can’t accept and accept what I can’t change. Some things are inevitable and some changes shock us into feelings we don’t want, but I like to sit with the reality of a situation and really see where it’s necessary to expend energy. Sometimes it isn’t! And in those times, I like to pivot and focus on doing things I love and spending time with people I care about. For young readers, I think it’s important to ask yourself where you’re spending energy. Is it towards the things you love? If not, that may be a good starting point towards acceptance!



3. One of the many things I loved about Nelo is how passionate she is about her neighbourhood, Ginger East, and how she dedicates herself to social engagement and community activism to protect and better it as a result. How can young readers inspired by Nelo’s enthusiasm and conscientiousness effectively engage with and become involved in their own communities?

For some people, getting up on a stage and taking charge comes naturally, but for others, behind-the-scenes organization or assisting efforts is where they find comfort. Figure out where you’re most comfortable and grow from there. It could be volunteering for an organization, starting a group at your school, or raising money through creative talents, but I believe no action is too small.



4. Nelo is incredibly strong and resilient, but it’s clear she is also vulnerable and has been marked by trauma throughout her life which she has yet to heal from and which colours how she sees and responds to the world around her in present day. A violent incident at an arcade she and her friends used to visit led to the death of another child and many of her friends subsequently left Ginger East as a result of this incident and other concerns about the neighbourhood. This creates a lingering feeling of abandonment for Nelo, which we can see most clearly in her friendship with her best friend, Kate, who she fears she’s growing apart from. Can you speak a little about this aspect of the story?

Yes for sure! I think Nelo’s abandonment issues are probably the strongest driver of her behaviours. She does a lot of things to keep things the same because she’s someone who has experienced change and saw what it did to her community and her friendships. She’s operating under the belief that all change is bad, because change took away her childhood hangout spots, it took away her friends, and it’s taking away her neighbourhood. As the story progresses, she comes to understand that change doesn’t always need to be seen as a bad thing, or as a black-and-white situation. For her, the shift is subtle, but I think that’s realistic for anyone when we’re trying to accept things. It always take a bit of time and I’d like to think by the end of the story, Nelo is well on her way to that acceptance.



5. Ginger East is drawn with such vibrancy and personality and it’s easy for the reader to care as deeply about the fate of the neighbourhood as Nelo does. What inspired you to write this story and is Ginger East based on a particular neighbourhood or community you’re familiar with?

Ginger East is somewhat designed like the neighbourhood I grew up in. My neighbourhood was mainly residential, where Ginger East has businesses and a bustling community, but in my mind, the layout is really similar. I think I did that primarily for nostalgic reasons, honestly! It’s the same reason I chose to write Like Home. I grew up in a similar environment, where most residents were immigrants and all the kids on the street became close with one another. It had such a strong community vibe and I really wanted to portray that as best I could, in a way to show off what it was like for me growing up.



6. Nelo unintentionally becomes a public figure when a video of her speaking about an act of vandalism in her neighbourhood is recorded and goes viral on the internet. Her mother tells her “When you’re in a public forum, your words don’t belong to you anymore. You can say whatever you want, but people will take only what they need.” This passage struck me as particularly powerful and timely, particularly when social media allows for a previously unprecedented level of access to our private lives and a platform from which to share our thoughts and opinions. What would you say to young adults currently attempting to navigate the potential power and pitfalls of social media? What can they learn from Nelo’s sudden “fame”?

Ooh yes! Social media can be such a powerful tool to connect with people, but the internet never forgets, and that kinda sucks. I grew up during a time where not a whole lot of people were online and your online persona was mostly anonymous, so I can’t really say I know what it’s like to be a young person on social media these days. I will say that a lot of what makes social media addictive is that immediacy, and it makes you want to say things and do things for an immediate reaction. This is why it’s great to have a group chat with trusted friends or a few good people you can vent at in the DMs. You can still have your immediate reaction, but now (hopefully!) there won’t be 700 screenshots of your rant online forever. I’m sure Nelo would say the same thing! She would also say, “Don’t trust anybody out here,” but I’m not sure I would agree with that.



7. Let’s have some fun! Nelo loves Ginger East unreservedly and can’t imagine living anywhere else. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why?

Too many places! I love to travel (or at least…. I did) and for a hot second, I lived in London. I really loved it there, but as with most cities, you love it more when you have money to spend, so I don’t think I would move back unless I had copious amounts of expendable income. I think parts of London have such a cool vibe, and there was an ease to things there that I really liked. Plus, when I lived there, that was the most fashionable I’ve ever been in my life and I miss it!



8. From gentrification and displacement to familiar coming-of-age topics like growing up and growing apart, Like Home is an ambitious novel that explores a number of different subjects that young readers are sure to find relevant and revelatory. What do you hope readers will take from the novel?

I hope readers who haven’t ever been around a neighbourhood like Nelo’s come to understand what community looks like in those spaces. Community is built by people, not buildings or corporations, and when we displace people who are invested in growing a community, we in turn displace the community. This sort of thing happens every day, unfortunately. I didn’t write Like Home to specifically share my thoughts on gentrification, but I hope by writing through one version of events, it will entice readers to learn more about what home really means to them.

A timely story about race, gentrification and formative teenage years. The author did an excellent job developing the characters and bringing their hometown alive in the pages. I would love to hear more in a sequel!

Thanks to Delacorte Press and Hear Our Voices Book Tours for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

"I don’t want to go backward, Nelo. That is not where goodness exists. Sometimes things have to change to get better."

I love stories where I get to watch characters grow into their own and this was just that and a little more. 

The relationships between Nelo, Kate, Bo and Rafa were beautifully done and reminded me so much of some of my own. It was great to watch them come back together and grow even stronger as their own little found family. I also really loved the community of Ginger East and how much of a tight support system they were for one another. 

This was a great story about growth and change, how inevitable it can be and how sometimes it can work in ways you don’t expect. I enjoyed spending time in Ginger East and would read more adventures with Nelo and her friends if I could. 😊

Chinelo, or Nelo for short, loves her neighborhood Ginger East—it’s full of memories of going to the arcade with her friends or hanging out at Ginger Store, the corner store owned by her best friend Kate’s family. The neighborhood has changed, and most of Nelo and Kate’s friends have moved away, but Nelo still wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. But her world is shaken when someone throws a brick through the window of Ginger Store. As the community responds, attention from the police and the media puts Ginger East, and Nelo, in the spotlight. Suddenly, Nelo finds herself forced to confront questions of community, changing friendships, and the world around her.

Like Home addresses themes of change, gentrification, community, and activism in a thoughtful and compelling way. The vandalism at Ginger Store brings the community together and pushes them to start addressing other issues impacting the neighborhood, like new fancy shops moving in and rent hikes that are pushing families out. Nelo has a strong voice, and through the support of her community, she learns how she can actually use that voice. Louise Onomé creates such a realistic and palpable sense of community—Ginger East absolutely felt like a real neighborhood, and I loved reading about the way the community comes together. 

In addition to dealing with big subjects like community, change, and activism, Like Home is also very much a story of friendship. Each character in Like Home truly felt so real and compelling. I loved that this novel also had a diverse cast of characters: Nelo and her family are Nigerian, and her best friend Kate is Vietnamese. There were a number of other supporting and background characters who were Black, Latinx, and Asian. 

The characters and their relationships are undoubtably my favorite thing about this YA contemporary. Nelo and her best friend Kate have an incredible sense of sisterhood, and Nelo desperately wants to be there for Kate’s family in the aftermath of the brick incident. As a distance forms between them, Nelo becomes more and more determined to find out who really threw the brick. The bond between Kate and Nelo felt so real, complex, and tender.

I loved that Like Home is also about old friends finding their way back to each other. Throughout the years, many of Nelo and Kate’s other friends have moved out of Ginger East. When the vandalism of Ginger Store puts their neighborhood in the spotlight, Nelo and Kate find themselves reconnecting with two of their former friends, Rafa and Bo. Nelo has to process her feelings of hurt and betrayal about them leaving Ginger East, while also questioning whether she’s ready to make space for these friendships again. But while Rafa and Bo want to help, another former friend, Maree, is looking to gain fame off of the community; together, Nelo and Kate will have to push back against exploitation and the appropriation of their community’s narrative. 

Louisa Onomé’s writing is impactful, and a perfect blend of wit, humor, and honesty. I loved that Like Home tackles very serious subjects like gentrification and activism while balancing them with moments of joy and resiliency. The voice and characters in this story feel so real, and the community of Ginger East jumped right off the page. I found the pacing of this book absolutely perfect, and I never wanted to say goodbye to Nelo and her friends. This novel has already become one of my favorite YA books of 2021, and Louisa Onomé is definitely an author I’ll be watching. 

This was truly a wonderfully character-driven story that also presents difficult and necessary conversations around change, activism, self, and community. You can bet I’m adding this book to my library’s collection, and will be recommending it to fans of Ibi Zoboi, Brandy Colbert, Renée Watson, and Angie Thomas. Ultimately, Like Home is a beautiful YA contemporary that explores change—in the world, in our communities, in our relationships, and in ourselves.

You know this is one of those times when I want to say a lot but at the same time I can’t say a lot. Sometimes I find it difficult to write spoiler free reviews but here I am, giving it a go. Because, y’all, you should definitely add Like Home to your TBR, its really amazing to read!

A ya contemporary novel, it has its all the teen charm, angst, gossips, jealousy, miscommunication and quite a lot of stuff for the readers! Set in Toronto, it talks about Ginger East and how life is in actuality in neighborhood. The novel greatly focuses on gentrification and people’s experience surrounding it. I didn’t grew up in a neighborhood but my mother grew up in what we called ‘colony’ which was greatly similar in description what I found in this novel. I am not talking about gangs, but the community, people living together in harmony and knowing everything there is to know, people supporting each other and much more. It’s not easy to see such drastic changes taking place and similarly for Nelo, it was difficult and frankly confusing to see the vast amount of changes that her neigborhood was going through. It talks about displacement, urbanisation of sorts and people moving out to fairly ‘better’ neighborhoods.

Another thing that was amazing about this book was its take on diversity. I loved how smoothly it flowed, allowing the readers to enjoy and varied cast and hence varied culture. It also dealt with changes in friendships, the lost ones which you eventually find again, the ones you find yourself uncertain in and the ones which seem everything but nothing together. It was all the cast, especially Kate and Nelo which made me read the novel with so much vigor. Had this book been written in multiple POV, it would have been soo amazing but I like how the author decided to give voice to the character she could most connect to and give a genuine representation. Nelo was stubborn, quick on her decisions and full of opinions to bring about good change. One more thing amazing thing about this book was it’s continuous and glaring representation of social media and internet influenced so much of what was happening around!

Honestly, it was just too great to read this novel and I am soo happy that I got a chance to read this one! It was definitely like that last piece of cake which you savor till the end but still can’t get enough of!

*Thanks to netgalley and the publisher to provide me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!