This story wasn’t something I usually read. A rally/riot regarding the death of a teen. Crime gone wrong- Monique’s brother in jail for a murder. Cooper lying to keep from being framed. Cooper and Mo join together to try and prove her brothers innocence, almost getting themselves killed.mystery/thriller. A lot of emotional drama between Mo and Coop. They like each other, and keep it hidden.

Ideal for readers who crave a high-stakes YA thriller that braids urgent social commentary with tangled loyalties, forcing them to question how far they’d go to protect the people they love when justice and survival collide.

Despite his father’s warning not to go to the protest, this one feels personal to Cooper. His classmate, Samir, was recently killed by a plainclothes police officer. He also doesn’t want to disappoint his friend and big-brother figure, Jason, so he agrees to go along with Jason’s plan for the day of the protest. He’s only going to be on lookout duty while Jason and two other young men loot a high-end boutique. But Cooper gets pulled into stuffing a bag full of expensive merchandise and, as the protest turns violent, the crew scatters. When the dust settles, Cooper discovers that a woman was killed in the riot, and Jason has been arrested for her murder. He teams up with Jason’s younger sister, his childhood crush Monique - who is absolutely certain that her brother has been framed - in a race against time to clear Jason’s name. Meanwhile, Cooper is desperate to keep his participation in the looting a secret from Monique. As they work together to connect the dots between Jason, the murder victim, a local activist, a cop tied to Samir’s death, and more, Cooper and Monique’s romantic tension becomes impossible to ignore. But can their relationship survive when the full truth is revealed, or will their connection go … up in smoke? Short chapters that alternate between Cooper’s and Monique’s point of view add suspense and keep those pages turning! Up in Smoke is a fast-paced, exciting read that will appeal to a wide audience, especially fans of Jason Reynolds’ novels and Brooks’ debut mystery, Promise Boys.

This book wasn’t too long so I got through it pretty quickly. I was super invested and eager to discover who was behind the murder. I can typically tell the direction of a thriller halfway through but this one I had no theories at all! And indeed when the truth was revealed I was shocked and speechless. The touch of friends to lovers and best friends sister was just enough romance I needed. This was so close to being a 5 star for me but I was a little disappointed in how quickly the story wrapped up. I have become a fan of Brooks and I look forward to seeing what he puts out next !

This book was a fun read. The main character is relatable and interesting, however the ending came very abruptly. The overall mystery was captivating and engaging.

Cooper wasn’t supposed to be at the protest. He definitely wasn’t supposed to be looting either. Some peer pressure from his friend Jason and a desire to do something about community injustices led him to make some bad decisions though. When Jason is arrested for murder, Cooper knows he didn’t do it, but how can he prove it when he’s told everyone, including Jason’s sister Monique, that he wasn’t there?
Told from the two perspectives of Cooper and Monique, readers unravel a mystery of corruption and follow Cooper as he comes to terms with his choices. Lyrically written, including some poetry from Monique, Brooks tells a story that is all too common with enough mystery to allow for some escapism as well. Readers who want realism and strong characterization should pick this one up.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was a big fan of Nick Brooks' previous work, Promise Boys, so I was excited to dive into this one. While I still prefer Promise Boys, Up in Smoke is just as readable, especially for the more reluctant reader set, as it is relatively short and very fast paced, with plenty of mystery, intrigue, drama, and just the right amount of romance to get those who like romance interested without icking out those who don't. My one main issue with this book was how quickly that ending seemed to come- everything was just suddenly over, solved, and wrapped up neatly. Overall, though, this was a fun, quick read that I managed to devour in about a day or two.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I've read Promise Boys by this same author so I was excited for this novel too! I was really glad to read it as the plot twist for the story was not what I expected. Looking forward to more good things from this author!

Up in Smoke is a compelling thriller that masterfully blends a high-stakes murder mystery with sharp social commentary. Set against the tense backdrop of a Washington D.C. neighborhood grappling with police brutality and protests, the novel follows two central characters,

Beyond the gripping mystery, Up in Smoke also features the mystery of a possible romance, adding to the story. Nick Brooks does it again by creating a powerful and page-turning read that keeps readers guessing until the very end.

Up in Smoke tackles serious social issues, making readers love the mystery and the relevance.

"Up in Smoke" was an interesting and timely book. The mystery had a couple twists, but the end wasn't a complete surprise. The romance subplot slowed the plot down to me, but YA readers will probably enjoy it.

This was a really good YA thriller that had me hooked from the first page. Brooks did a great job at blending real-life events (like state sanctioned violence against Black folks), friendship, internet sleuth lore, and the idea of justice/corruption in such a short amount of pages. The characters were well developed, believably flawed, and relatable. I really enjoyed the switching POVs and loved the incorporation of Monique’s poetry. I actually didn’t predict who the actual killer was at the end and I was shocked!!!

Overall a very quick, fast-paced, and suspenseful read!

I did not finish this title. I started it and probably would have finished eventually but other books grabbed and kept my attention more.
This one was just a bit too dramatic for me.

Flew through this! My second novel by this author and he is becoming one of my favorite YA thriller writers. The heavy themes of systemic injustice and the danger in reviling the truth makes this so realistic.

Up in Smoke is a gripping, high-stakes ride that blends mystery, tension, and raw emotion. Nick Brooks delivers a powerful story about loyalty, survival, and the search for truth in a world that’s quick to judge. Bold, timely, and impossible to put down.

“If there was ever a time to use my words, it was now. Things needed to change in this city. No, in this country. Better yet, around the world.”
No truer words were spoken in this powerful story about justice, loyalty, and the urgency of speaking up. When an innocent Black teenager is killed by a plainclothes police officer and the city of D.C. scrambles to cover it up, tensions boil over. Protests erupt, and friends find themselves on opposite sides of the peaceful vs. violent resistance debate—until one of their own is wrongfully accused, forcing them to unite.
Brooks keeps it real, emotionally and socially, with twists that hit hard and loyalties that get tested at every turn. A timely and thought-provoking read that definitely sticks with you.

This is an engaging and well-rounded dual POV YA mystery! The publisher compares it to The Hate U Give, which feels right. The main characters are grappling with the issue of police brutality corruption along with other social issues in a similar way.

My favorite thing about this book is how complex the characters are. Despite the fact that it’s YA, Brooks doesn’t simplify tricky moral issues to talk down to his audience. I also so appreciated how he modeled a healthy teen dating relationship without sermonizing or sacrificing romantic tension.

Highly recommend!

Secrets, suspense, and bad decisions… this multi-POV mystery will keep you guessing. A multi-layered story of social justice woven in with a light romance, Cooper and Monique have to solve a crime before Monique’s brother takes the fall. Cooper has kept a major secret from Monique, however, that keeps him very motivated to figure out the real criminal. Much like the author’s other book, the reader finds out details as the POV switches and more is revealed from each perspective. A riveting quick read sure to be a hit with reluctant readers and mystery fans alike.

Thank you to #netgalley for the ARC! I am always looking for books for my school book club, and this one will definitely make the cut. It's timely, engaging, and the characters are spot-on. The action, plot, and narration kept me on the edge of my seat. Our only issue might be NOT reading the whole book in a week!

UP IN SMOKE by Nick Brooks tells the story of a sister trying to clear her brother’s name.

When Cooper King is convinced by his friend, Jason to join in a looting expedition during a demonstration, shots ring out and a young woman is dead. When Jason is arrested for her murder, his sister Monique decides that she needs to clear his name. She enlists Cooper’s help, but he is harbouring the secret that he was actually there when the shots were fired, although Monique believes he was long gone. Cooper is also trying to hide his attraction to his friend’s sister as this goes against the ‘bro code’. As their investigation intensifies and takes them into the underbelly of their town, they learn that they live in a world much different than they thought.

I really struggled with this one. While the plot was good, I seemed to have trouble staying focused and found I was dragging myself through in places. I kept wondering how old these kids were anyway. If it said so in the beginning, I missed it. The writing was clear and concise, it just didn’t hold my attention for long periods of time.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Publishing for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an early copy in exchange for a review.

This story had a good outline and plot, but it just wasn’t executed well. The beginning was slow. The middle was starting to get good, but then it just kind of ends pretty unrealistically. Just take them home to their parents? That’s it? Ok.