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.

Ride or Die is an interesting story that effortlessly captures the spirit of teenage rebellion and the pull of danger. With Loli Crawford at the helm, the story bursts with energy, drawing readers into a world where rules are made to be broken and adrenaline runs high. The introduction of X adds a mysterious and thrilling element to the story, propelling Loli into a daring game that tests her boundaries and her resolve. As the stakes continue to grow, so does the tension, keeping readers engaged with each twist and turn.

Voluntarily reviewed after receiving a free copy courtesy of NetGalley, the Publisher, and the author, Gail-Agnes Musikavanhu.

I started the book loving everything – especially the speed at which I was reading it. It usually takes me a while to get into the reading when I'm starting a new book, but this time I actually read it very quickly because the rhythm was very good and engaging. Until 80% of it I couldn't barely drop it – I was reading while eating, walking, brushing my teeth etc.

The story itself is good, and as its protagonist we have Loli, a high school teenager who is absolutely fearless. She's not afraid of anything or anyone – our school queen bee who loves getting into trouble for pure pleasure.

Until she meets (or doesn't) X, the male version of herself. And then, a game of challenges between the two begins and the rules are: don't find out who the other is and don't fall in love. The mystery and the missions were very intriguing and I loved the unpredictable character (even though he ends up being a total freak)

Although the protagonist is a hater of clichés, the whole story itself is a dramatic cliché. I liked most of the book, snf despite Loli being extremely unpalatable at several moments, the development is great.
The author manages to keep the suspense of who X is for a reasonable time without it becoming tiring (but although the character isn't someone we were expecting, which was nice, the revelation is a bit disappointing)

But in the final stretch of the book things start to get pretty rough and a bit thrown together, as if the cool ideas had run out and from a certain point onwards the author had to improvise just to finish it somehow.

At certain point I was so disappointed with Loli that I didn't even want her to be with the person she ended up with because he really didn't deserve all the sad things she put him through. I was so sad and angry at her that it took me a while to accept their happy ending.

After all, it's a YA book, so I didn't expect so much depth, and despite some gaps not being filled and the large (unnecessary) number of characters mentioned, the reading held me enough for me to enjoy the book to the point I can ignore the nonsense at the end and give it 4 stars. ⭐️

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.

Ride or Die and its heist and prank atmosphere makes it a quick read. Not only do you want to find out who this mysterious figure is, but each prank, heist, and dangerous nighttime escapade sweeps you away. Full of puzzles, riddles, and letters Ride or Die is perfect for anyone who likes the idea of pushing ourselves and of meeting someone who will up the ante. It's also a story deeply rooted in friendship and trust.

Personally I am a huge fan of young adult books and don't often struggle with the writing or voice being for a completely different demographic than myself. With this book though, I did find myself struggling. I enjoyed the overall story and the characters were decent. I just really struggled with some of the Gen Z lingo and actions.

I would likely only recommend this one to readers within the target age group.

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Christi
8 reviews

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December 29, 2022
Ride or Die was one of the first Y.A. novels I've read in years and was personally, a breath of fresh air. I went into this book with a list of tropes, stereotypes, and standard expectations typically associated with a Y.A. novel. This book blew my expectations out of the water.

I enjoyed that the protagonist has depth to her character and doesn't fall into the overdone weak-female-role-looking-for-romance trope. Instead, Loli is humorous, likeable, and frustrating in all of the right ways. The other characters in this book hold their own and I think Gail-Agnes does a great job of giving each character their own personality and style, which I believe is executed well and easily-absorbed by the reader.

My favourite part of this book is the mini yet wild ups and downs. Just as you think there's conflict-resolution or a potential lull in the book, Gail-Agnes adds a twist in the story. My most read genres include thrillers, mysteries, and suspense, and I appreciate that some of those elements were added in Ride or Die. Personally, I feel like the addition of suspense provides something new to the Y.A. genre and makes the reader excited to continue reading Ride or Die.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book as someone who almost never reads Y.A. novels. If you're looking for a traditional sappy, stereotypical Y.A. romance, you most likely won't get your fix from this book. However, if you're interested in slowly easing yourself into the Y.A. genre with something more thrilling and fun, Ride or Die is an easy way to do that. While the characters aren't particularly complex, I think that the story speaks for itself and is just a genuinely light and funny read that may make your jaw drop at some points - mine definitely did.

This was such an easy read! It took me back down memory lane with all the references to the 90s. The characters were relatable and the ending was great. Would recommend to others.

this was a quick read but in no way thrilling.
it was lots of build up just to be let down, the ending was not satisfying and i wanted more suspense

Loli Crawford is known for doing outrageous things for just the sake of it. She’s out there, over the top, and constantly seeking new ways to get over her overarching boredom of her life. Her besties, Ryan and Cairo, are along for the ride.

Loli finds herself in a coat closet of a party that she inadvertently threw (kind of impressively) trying to retrieve a necklace that was taken from her when she meets X. X sees her take/ back the necklace and starts up a conversation and from there Loli and X make up a game to see who can outwit each other. Then things go sideways.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I loved the ace spectrum representation in the book. I liked most of the secondary characters but Loli is so unlikable because of her narcissistic selfishness- it just got to be too much. The ending was also kind of a letdown and a bit too abrupt.

Thanks to NetGalley and Soho Press for this ARC. Ride or Die is out now.

This book was not at all what I expected and I'm so thankful I was blessed to read it. It brought me back to my high school days of the 90s, the music, the friendships, the drama. Love the characters and the way flow and readability of the story, the development growth, the friendships within the cast of characters, the romance... it was an easy read that I would pick up again

3 Stars

Ride or Die is a wild ride full of mystery and intrigue. Loli was a fun main character who acts authentically herself and is always up for a new adventure. The story starts off with a strong setup but towards the middle, it loses this momentum and falls off. While an interesting premise, the narrative felt one-sided with the reader only seeing Loli complete challenges whereas X completes everything off-screen.

Do you like the kind of suspense that flutters deep in your belly? Angst that leaves you tearing to pick your book back up? Then start Ride or Die NOW! So good!!
4 stars

This book is better with the audiobook. I enjoyed the ride. It was a fun book that isn't exactly a satisfying ending. I personally think the young adults will enjoy this book, because it provides the same space for rich Black girls to experience things that isn't stereotypical.

I kind of love that our protag is unlikeable, the whole time. I thought I would get frustrated with that, but you know, not every character needs a redemption arc and that is fine when its done well.

It was interesting to be inside the mind of someone who lives outside of people's expectations. Loli is reckless and this created a wild ride that I was happy to be on.

The writing itself is great here but boy did I despise the main character. She was obnoxiously selfish and irresponsible in a way that was very perplexing even when you factor in her being a teenager. The whole thing with her being obsessed with this guy she barely knew from a closet encounter was odd. And I thought Ryan deserved better than her frankly. All that being said, I finished the book in 1 day so the storyline was interesting enough to keep me reading but I don't think I'd ever revisit it.

A great Gen Z coming of age story. While the main character could be unlikable at times, I overall enjoyed her story. Also, can we continue to bring chapter title tracks into other books for adults and young adults? Because I was obsessed with that in this book. She has a lot of growing and learning to do, but at that age, I think we all did. Solid 3.5/5 for me.

This book is perfect for people looking for a YA book with some thriller scenes and elements. The dialogue was engaging and keeps the reader interested. I was happy to see a character who falls on the ace spectrum. Overall, it was a fun YA read.

Thank you to #NetGalley for access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Loli takes high school dare devil to another level in this YA coming of age novel. I created a playlist out of the chapter title tracks and listened to a few while reading their respective chapter which I highly recommend. Music plays a large role in this novel as well Loli and her friends lives just like most teenagers of today and years past. Highly relatable to todays teens and their struggles with friendships, parents, technology and everything in between.

I wanted so badly to like this book. It sounded so promising from the description. Unfortunately, I couldn't get past how unlikeable the main character is; a not-like-other-girls girl who tries so hard to not be a cliche that she oozes with them. For weeks I tried to get into this story and just could not finish it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the copy and the chance to read it.