"No time to question your gender identity like the middle of a murder investigation."

Bianca Torre, self-proclaimed lesbian sheep and bird watcher/ people watcher, has a long list of fears from initiating conversations to coming out to their parents. One of their favorite pastimes is turning their telescope on the apartment building across the street where they can see familiar characters they've mostly never met going about their daily routines. They can see their friend, Anderson, who geeks out with them about anime but lives in another universe at school. And then there are the other residents whom they only know by the monikers they've given them-- Queen Elizabeth, Mr. Conspiracy, and Romeo and Juliet. Mr. Conspiracy is so-called because Bianca once saw one of those sticky note and pushpin-style maps on his wall. He knows Bianca watches the apartments and leaves them bird drawings in his window. That's the extent of their interactions, but it makes Bianca fond of him. And then one day, Bianca sees him standing at his window, looking right at their telescope and asking for help. And then he gets murdered right before their eyes. After an understandable freakout, they dial 911. When the news suggests it's been painted as a suicide, Bianca realizes their involvement can't be complete. Facing their fears, they go to the police to make a statement about what they saw, only to be dismissed. Never mind the figure in a plague mask who they saw descending from Mr. Conspiracy's fire escape afterward-- a figment of their overstressed imagination, naturally.

As Bianca and Anderson embark on an adventure to find out what happened to Mr. Conspiracy, they grow in their friendship and take on new challenges. Mr. Conspiracy was challenging a powerful group that now has its eyes on Bianca, but our lesbian sheep has enough courage to face their fears and anxieties when it might be the only route to justice (and to safety, for that matter). You can expect to see a secret lair, the unmasking of villains, and the unraveling of a deep plot as our intrepid investigators wade into the shady machinations that led to a death right across the street.

While the mystery gives the story motion and intrigue, what I love best about the book comes from the ways we see Bianca grow up and build a happier life for themself. One facet of that is seeing how Bianca learns to reframe their fears. Instead of these insurmountable barriers, they become proof of all that Bianca is willing to overcome. We also see our protagonist come to some realizations regarding gender and body image. They explore if nonbinary is a label that fits them and worry about the gatekeeping that can come from within the community about what "counts," including if Bianca can still claim lesbian as a label. We also observe their internal struggle about not knowing if their feminist mom would react well to Bianca coming out. Her form of progressiveness isn't the kind that makes Bianca feel safe, and though we see them successfully fight through their nerves to come out to several people in the book, we're also asked to consider the idea that it's ok not to come out to everyone because we don't owe all of ourselves to every person. It should feel right and safe. It's not a book that dwells in those darker spaces, though. We see Bianca attend a group to make connections with other trans people with the backup of loved ones. We see them form bonds with trusted adults who know about their queerness, and we see them make meaningful bonds with people who share their identity.

There's a cute side plot about Bianca's crush on fellow birder Elaine Yee with all the awkwardness and nerves you'd expect. But I admire that the real heavy-hitter relationship-wise is Bianca letting their friendship with Anderson deepen and expand rather than keeping it solely about anime. They assumed he wouldn't want to be seen with them in other contexts but discover how great their friendship can be in all kinds of places-- at the gym, at school, or running an extracurricular murder investigation. It melted my heart when Bianca starts thinking of Anderson as a platonic soulmate because what a wholesome, wonderful vibe that we need more of in the world.

This may be a murder mystery, but it's such a warm hug of a book. It's about expanding horizons, whether that's branching out in activities or letting more people into your life or expressing yourself in a way that invites joy. This is a great story for a young adult audience and a healing one for queer people of any age. Thanks to Clarion for my copy to read and review!

I loved this book so much!! Let YA be unique and weird and funny again! I would read anything else this author puts out and intend to do so.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

This book made me want to go back and watch rear window again, all the Hitchcock vibes! When the main character (a bird lover) witnesses a murder and then is thrown into a mystery that I’ll keep you guessing until the very end. I loved the mystery and layers about the a teen trying to figure themselves out. This book is all about the bravery and courage behind having fears but moving forward anyway. Loved watching these teens nerd out with anime and pusheen book covers too. Thank you to the author and publisher for my early copy!

A well written young adult realistic fiction novel where the main character is very relatable as she suffers from anxiety. Recommend for upper middle grade through adult readers.

- thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc to review!

- a fun debut with a quirky, yet engaging protagonist, a murder mystery that left me hooked, and prose that kept me engaged. Winans is an author to look out for, as their work is one not to miss.

This book was one of my first 5 star books of the year! Bianca is relatable, engaging, and funny - their exploration of their identity is relatable and empathetic. I found myself surprised and delighted by the unexpected turns in this mystery. At times I was reminded of the movie "Rear Window," which I found to be a fun reference.

As funny as she is anxious Bianca’s quest into solving what really is happening with the murder she did or didn’t see will make you laugh with delight.

YA that still feels like YA!!! And with a diverse cast of characters to boot. Doesn't take itself too seriously but still wonderful to read - lives up to the "campy thriller" description

At once an absurdly funny mystery and a heartwarming queer coming-of-age story (with an emphasis on the latter), with a protagonist who is SO relatable as someone who also has social anxiety. It was a warm ride to follow bird-watcher, anime-fan, telescope-stalker, scared-of-everything, lesbian sheep Bianca as they explore their gender identity among a safe group of close friends and family while grappling with a LONG list of fears and multiple (yes, multiple) murder attempts after accidentally witnessing the murder of their neighbour. While heartwarming, I felt that Bianca's social anxiety and gender identity exploration could've been talked about in more subtle ways (although for other readers, I think this may contribute to making it MORE heartwarming, seeing their own thoughts and personal life experiences spelt out on page like that to make them feel as if they are not alone in their own fears, struggles, etc.), and I felt the mystery aspect got a little too drawn out throughout, pushed a little aside by the queer coming-of-age plotline, only to be rushed through towards the end - still, the big reveal is absurdly funny. Ultimately, this book definitely delivers on its promises, and any reader looking for a funny and safe queer story would definitely love this.

Bianca is a non-binary teen who is a birder watcher,. Bianca has a long list of fears and wants to overcome them. When birdwatching, they witness a murder and enlist their friend and crush to solve the murder. As they race to solve the murder, they also have to worry about the murderer coming after them. This was a mystery full of heart and humor. The mystery is suspenseful but Bianca's journey to find themselves, face their fears and make lasting friendships is what kept me reading.

Enjoyable, great pacing, exciting settings kept me hooked. Fun novel that will be the perfect to lose yourself in. Thank you Net Galley for ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

DNF at 26%

I did want to like this book so much — it's written very well, Bianca is a great protagonist, and the mystery is intriguing — but as I've found every excuse not to read it, after two months post-release date, I do have to say it's not for me. I would recommend to collections where anime fans are prevalent, since the abundance of references will be off-putting if you aren't a fan.

Bianca is an incredible story about birding, friendship, identity, and facing your fears with the backdrop of a murder mystery. The long list of fears is truly relatable content! The plot twists were done really well, and I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout. I can’t wait to read what comes next from this author.

This is quite possibly my dream YA murder mystery. It’s got excellent queer representation, a wonderful little friend group and a truly likable main character. Bianca Torre is a teenage birder with an extensive list of fears, all of which they are forced to face after witnessing a murder. While trying to solve the murder, they also begin to figure their own gender identity. The author balances all of this so well, with a ton of humor. Birds being at the center of it all was weird and quirky and worked so beautifully. Bianca’s love interest is a fellow teenage birder, and I loved that they had such a nice hobby. Plus, the imagery can get really spooky. The real standout to me is Bianca’s bestie, Anderson, who they share a love of anime with. What starts as what Bianca thinks is a friendship of convenience becomes something truly sweet and wonderful. Anderson is a great friend, and he has a wonderful family, including a trans brother who is an important part of Bianca’s journey. I truly loved these characters, and I love them together, as besties. I think the mystery was campy and fun and totally unique. This book is a triumph that I can not wait to share with queer kiddos who are desperate for my diversity in their mystery titles.

Bianca Torre really is afraid of everything. They even have a list of all their fears that constantly evolves to add more of them. But when they see their neighbor get murdered, and understand that the police isn't gonna do anything about it, they don't hesitate. Bianca and their friend, Anderson, just need to figure out who hurt their neighbor.

I loved this book. I really loved Bianca from the beginning, I found them captivating. I loved their bird watching interest and their people watching, even if it was a bot creepy. I loved Anderson and his brother, and seeing their relationships evolve and grow. I loved the mystery aspect, I loved the romance, I loved all of it. I really found it perfectly crafted and I really liked the writing too. Truly a great YA mystery. Also, the queer rep was on point, it made it really perfect for me. I cannot wait to read more from Justine Pucella Winans!

What a freaking delight!

This is such a fun, campy YA murder mystery. I did think it was kind of clear where the story was going to go, but I was so invested and not 100% how it would unfold that it was still highly enjoyable.

On top of a fun story, there's a really great exploration of gender identity that Bianca is experiencing. The characters are very affirming of each other and there's a lot of love between them.

The references seem accurate for teens, and I think they'll really enjoy this one.

I love this book for Bianca’s weirdness, their anxiety, their stumbling understanding of themself. My only regret is that 17-year-old me didn’t have this book to cling to.

This was a super sweet gay YA caper with birds, murder mystery, gender questioning, and new friendship. What more could I want?? I loved every aspect of it. It was campy and fun, with a lot of heart. I love watching friendships blossom. I love watching anxious teens grow increasingly bold. I love the representation of "coming out" not as a moment but as a process-chock full of code-switching and discretion and support. All in all, a great time.

If the reader can handle a little light murder (it's not terribly gory, but there's a bit of blood and a few brushes with death), I think this is great for a pre-teen/tween/teen--particularly if they want to see anxiety or gender identity questioning represented on the page (in a loving way). It manages to be wholesome despite the murder mystery at the center. Quite a feat!

This book gives hope to every teen who thinks they're the only one afraid of everything, to folks who think they're supposed to know all about their sexuality and gender (but don't--and shouldn't!), and to folks with any range of family acceptance of their sexuality and gender. It's really a delight.

There were some things I really did like about this book, especially the characters! I loved having a nonbinary lesbian as a main character, and I thought Bianca’s anxious thoughts were written well. It’s also not a book that takes itself too seriously-it’s a bit cheesy and silly and I think that’s fun!
On the other hand, the plot was not my favorite. I never really felt that interested in the mystery and the characters seemed to figure everything out in the exact moment they needed to without any struggle, so it wasn’t very tense. And it takes some weird turns that lost my interest a bit.
Overall, it’s a short read with likable characters, but not without flaws. I’d recommend if the premise is extremely interesting to you, but probably not for anyone else.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!