This would be a good addition to the secondary school library. The external and internal conflicts are realistic. The main character is relatable.

The cover? Gorgeous! The Writing? Phenomenal! The murder mystery? Jaw dropping. This gave exactly what I wanted out of The Black Queen by Jumata Emill. The story had me hooked from the beginning to the end.

I listened to the audiobook version of "Promise Boys" and it's one of the best audiobooks I've listened to. It has an entire cast and ensemble and it's more like listening to a show than an audiobook. I loved it.

While, yes, it's an interesting mystery to find out who killed Principal Racist, it's a strong book for it's social commentary on racial and socioeconomic injustices.

It feels a little Get Out-esque and kept me entertained. I wasn't ever able to guess the real murderer, which was good.

I listened to the full cast audiobook and loved my reading experience. There are multiple POVs in this book that include four boys who are the prime suspects after their charter school principal is murdered in his office. The boys have to clear their names by finding who is the real killer. If you have some young men in your life that you are trying to get some books in front of, try this one.
I thought it did a great job of exploring the downsides of strict charter school rules targeted at boys of Color. The prison-like environment in the school that leads to this situation is something that should be discussed when reading this book.

I really liked this book, in fact I showcased it on my yearly vlog about titles I have read in the past year. I really liked the mystery element. The characterization of the characters was really special. I loved a lot about this book. However, I would have fleshed out the characters a lot more. This book was pretty short. I think that if the characters were a little bit more fleshed out and we delved deeper into the plot JUST a little bit, then it would have been a five star read for me. I really did like this book, though.

Three Urban Promise Prep school students become suspects when their principal is murdered. They must work together to identify the real killer and prove themselves innocent. Alternating POVs, we see the events leading up to Principal Moore's murder from the perspectives of J.B., Ramon, and Trey, mixed with the theories of other students/staff in the school and breaking news reports. The unique format is what helps this book stand out. I especially liked the full cast and sound features in the audiobook, but I'm not sure how captivating this would have been if I had read it instead of listening.

I ended up listening to this on audio and it did not disappoint with the full cast. If you have a chance, I highly recommend listening on audio for the full drama.

So many parts of this story resonated with me being a Latina woman but also things that I knew my own husband dealt with in school just for being a person of color. He is a high school dropout because he was labeled a problem child. There was a quote on the book that spoke about giving up on colored boys just because they weren’t learning the same as everyone else, so teachers immediately gave up on them. My husband experienced this.

In this story, a principle is murdered and three “problem children” are automatically suspected and one of them is almost framed for it without needing much evidence. He’s colored? That’s evidence enough. In this dark academia, we are all faced with what being different means and what being different can do to us.

Promise Boys is a murder mystery that follows three boys who are all suspects in their principal's murder. I flew through this book because I wanted to find out who the killer was. I liked how the author had the plot unfold by telling the story through multiple points of view for the main characters. The build up for explaining how the three boys could have been suspects was good and kept me wondering if one of the three hadn't actually done it.

A well written mystery set at an elite school. Deals with racism, stereotyping and treatment of others. HS students, both boys and girls, will love this book! Highly recommend.

<i>Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

A solid YA thriller that kept me guessing. Even though it's a relatively short book, I thought it was set up well and I enjoyed the different perspectives. There's a lot of characters to keep track of, but you get to know them quickly. Entertaining and timely.

This one actually got me - along the line of a Karen McManus mystery, this one was fabulous and diverse. I really enjoyed this book, and the dark corners of a mystery that it hit.

I wouldn’t have picked this one up if not for bookclub. A strong and powerful book along the lines of the hate you give.

Nick Brooks writes a savy, authentic, believable whodunit in Promise Boys. Alternating narrators make you question who you can trust and who is telling the truth. After the principal of their magnet school gets murdered, three boys emerge as the prime suspects. But did they do it? And is the school even what it appears? I will be recommending this for our state read aloud list for high school.

"Promise Boys" by Nick Brooks is a riveting and suspenseful mystery that captivates readers with its twists and turns. Brooks' storytelling expertise shines as he crafts a tale of secrets, friendship, and unexpected revelations. The book's well-developed characters and intriguing plot create an immersive reading experience that keeps readers eagerly engaged. Brooks skillfully builds tension and intrigue, leading readers down a path of discovery where hidden truths come to light. "Promise Boys" is a gripping read that offers a roller-coaster ride of suspense and exploration, making it a must-read for fans of mystery and young adult fiction. As the mysteries unravel, readers are left with a sense of satisfaction and the thrill of an unpredictable journey.

I couldn’t put this one down. Actually, the audiobook version is a must read. The alternating points of view drew me into the story as I learned of the events that surrounded the murder of the principal. The suspense and mystery held my attention as my mind questioned everyone’s alibi. The story touches upon the contemporary issues of racism and ethnicity along with family and friendship. I was quite shocked at the end to find out the truth behind the murder.

A YA Thriller that actually kept me on my toes. Haven’t had one of those in a long time. This was a very fast pace read with lots of twists and turns, you think you know who did it but trust me in the end you’re going to be so wrong. I absolutely loved it.

The story is told from multiple points of view, and jumps from character to character very quickly just like it would if you were watching a murder mystery. Add in the detective interviews, emails, a few transcripts and you have yourself a party.

There’s also a red herring thrown in there that doesn’t get resolved and that annoys me a little bit but I’m pretty sure I’ll get over it. Over all a very solid story.

4/5 stars

I used this in two teacher preparation classes last semester and plan to use it in our Intro to Teaching course in the Fall. It's an amazing book--thank you for sending it!

Full review: https://www.unleashingreaders.com/25837

When Urban Promise Prep was founded, it had the best of intentions of taking poor black boys from the local neighborhood and giving them a great education. But over the years things have changed. Now the school is more like a prison. There are rules for everything: no tardiness accepted, no fraternizing with other students especially in the cafeteria, when walking in the hallways you need to be in line, on the line, and hands are behind your back, music and cell phones are forbidden, no jokes, you must wear your uniform without any changes like colorful shoes or socks and anything can earn you demits. Get enough demerits and end up in detention. It is in detention that J.B. Ramon and Trey are when their principal is shot and killed in his office. When the cops start to investigate they quickly emerge as the prime suspects. Each of them had the means motive and maybe even the murder weapon. But with all three maintaining their innocence, they must team up and track down the real killer before they are arrested.

This was a fast-paced, entertaining read. The mystery aspect of this book was very well done. Brooks introduced our three main characters all with a motive to kill their principal plus added in a ton of additional secondary characters who had motives as well. At different times I suspected many different people, including the actual killer, but I wasn’t sure until the end. I have found that the more teen mysteries I read the harder it is for authors to surprise me so this was a treat.

While the thriller mystery part of this book was done very well, this book is more than that. It makes its own social commentary on the education system and the school-to-prison pipeline that many black boys are on. Since it has been compared to Hate U Give, I was expecting more of a focus on systemic racism but it looked more at the education system and the power dynamics that exist between students and teachers.

While so much worked in this book I think my favorite part was the way it was told. I enjoyed the text messages, interrogations, police interviews, and more that were inserted in between the different points of view.

The story progression, character development, and pacing were all spot on making this a great read. I will be recommending it to fans of Karen Mcmanus, Holly Jackson, Jason Reynolds, and Tiffany Jackson.

”We are the young men of Promise Prep.
We are destined for greatness.
We deserve joy.
We are extraordinary.
We ask from the world what we give to the world; respect, wisdom, and grace.
We are each other’s hope.
We are responsible for our futures.
We promise.”

An enjoyable mystery perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Tiffany Jackson, or "Ace of Spades"! The mystery focuses on 3 boys of color in an elite private school who all become suspects when the school principal turns up dead. The three barely know each other, but must work together to prove their innocence and find the real murderer.

I loved that this book included newspaper articles and interviews from other characters, because that allows the reader to try and solve the mystery along with the characters! I liked how different each character was and they all felt like authentic characters, though Ramón was probably the one I found most compelling.

This is a page-turning mystery that also tackles complex themes like race and class. If you like thrillers that blend social themes with mysteries, you'll probably enjoy this one!

For me it was a four star read rather than a five star just because I like my mysteries a bit more fast-paced and would have preferred a stronger sense of urgency. But that's just because I like my mysteries closer to the thriller end of the spectrum and is not the book/author's fault!

Really great book with a very unique setting. I loved that this book was anti-charter school as charter schools are not as great as they pledge to be. I would recommend this to my educator friends for sure. I love the nuance of the characters in this text.