Cover Image: Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything

Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything

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Member Reviews

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.

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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!

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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.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

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- 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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed this book. As a fellow nonbinary queer birder myself, I really saw myself in Bianca’s character. I enjoyed the mystery element, the supporting cast of characters and the growth shown with Bianca’s character.

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