In this fun new YA novel, readers follow the complex relationship between Reya Samuels and Sommer Watkins, former friends separated by Reya’s mom’s decision to move them to Prince George’s County when she gets a major break in her career. Sommer, on the other hand, has stayed in Seat Pleasant and kept hustling to help her family’s bookstore and raise money to go to Spelman in the fall. Brought back together when Reya needs help to get into FIT, the two girls team up to get to their dream schools and perhaps rebuild their relationship. Packed with details and alternating between their perspectives, readers will sympathize with the high school grind and the challenges of getting into and affording dream schools, and the conflicts between Reya and Sommer add a great detail to the story and complexity to their individual narrative arcs. The class elements of the book and the differences between Seat Pleasant and Prince George’s County are really interesting, and the two locations are fantastically detailed backdrops for their respective arcs and the larger narrative. Packed with details and very unique, readers will really enjoy this interesting and fascinating new YA novel with its incredible characters, detailed settings, and well-written storylines.

Great YA book, this author was new to me and I flew through this book. It gave all the drama and she must have done her research because the language matched the issues and concerns today youth deal with. My daughter enjoyed it as well.

Thank you Netgalley for the copy of the ARC

This is such a great story of friendship. The story alternates between Sommer and Reya’s points of view. At the beginning of the story, their old friendship has ended, and Sommer isn’t interested in renewing it or connecting with any of Reya’s new friends. An opportunity associated with a schoolwide fashion show changes that, though.

The story has great pacing in terms of relationship development. The ways that Reya and Sommer’s friendship changes and each girl’s romantic opportunities develop feels natural and easy to follow. Each relationship faces challenges, and in both cases, the girls have to ask themselves hard questions about who they are and what they want their lives to look like.

It took me a minute to get into Reya’s character, but I ended up being really glad that the story was divided between both girls. I like the lessons that each of them learned.

Pretty Girl County is also a pretty lighthearted story. Sure, there’s some relationship drama and some family struggle. But this is the kind of book that anyone could read. It would make a great choice for a reader aging up into young adult books.

Also, bonus: there’s a fabulous reading list of books by Black authors in the back that’s worth checking out as well. The characters mention many of those titles as they work at the bookstore or talk about their own reading. I’ll definitely be adding some of those titles to my own reading list! The ones I’ve read already have all been well worth the time.

This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. I fell in love with these characters from the first page!

I love YA books that center around friendship, especially when it is about young women. This book showed a lot of different relationships throughout, whether that was the main friendship, side friendships, budding romances, or familial relationships.

I enjoyed the dual POVs. This allowed us to see both young women as their own person. It also allowed for each of their stories to be fully developed and seen through their own lens.

I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to the publisher for an eARC of this book!

Girls like Reya Samuels always come from Prince George’s County. Reya is rich and she’s not afraid to show it—she wears designer clothes, drives a custom pink Audi, and lives in a neighborhood tucked behind a fancy cast iron gate. She works hard, but she can get anything she wants with a snap.

Sommer Watkins is from Seat Pleasant, where the cast iron gates are significantly smaller—and attached to the windows, where most folks are still trying to make ends meet. Every day for Sommer is a hustle, working at her dad’s bookstore, and using her art skills to scrounge up enough scholarship money for her dream school, Spelman.

Reya and Sommer used to be BFFs—back when Reya lived in Seat Pleasant, too. Now the girls are from different stratospheres—but when Reya desperately needs help to prove to FIT admissions officers that she has what it takes to make it in fashion, the only person who can help is Sommer. Reya promises to help Sommer in return—she’ll pay her for her services, helping Sommer afford the school her parents can’t.

As the girls work together, slowly they begin to trust each other again. But when new relationships push them both, and Sommer’s dad’s bookstore is suddenly in danger of closing, old wounds bubble up. Can the girls find a way to repair their friendship and stay true to themselves along the way?

Loved this. Cannot wait to read more from the author.

THOUGHTS

This is a really fun read! Both of our narrators have such a fun voice, and I really enjoyed diving into a story centering two girls just figuring life out. They're friends-turned-enemies-turned-kinda-friends-again, and I loved digging into this complicated relationship as it evolves. Overall, a really good read!


PROS
Class & Race: As much as this is a very fun book, it does take its themes of class and race rather seriously. They're consistently felt throughout the book, where you come from and where you are now. There's old neighborhoods and new ones, moving on as you're moving out, and being caught between then and now and what's to come, with one foot out the door. And all of these ideas are so well explored, in their tensions and their conversations, that it adds great layers of complexity and nuance to this story.

Community Engagement: There's just something about adding a bookstore to a book that will always speak to me, and the bookstore in this particular book is just so lovely. It really is a community hub, a gathering place and an inspiration for a neighborhood. I really loved the atmosphere it adds to this book, and the way it helps to rally new neighbors and old to one frame of mind.

Enchanting Voices: There's just something so engaging about the voices captured for each of our main characters here. I loved listening to their stories through the writing, listening to the way they told their perspectives. I was immediately sucked into their drama, which isn't something I can usually say. I love that this is a book with friendship at its core, not romance or some similar brand of relationship drama. This book is just a set coming-of-age stories told by two friends who just continue to rub each other wrong even as they grow and evolve together. And I couldn't get enough of it.


CONS
Juvenile Writing: Even though I personally found the narrative voices really engaging, I should also say that the writing here... isn't challenging. And it doesn't have to be. It's effective just as it is. But someone who really likes prose might find it a tad lacking. This is easy to digest, popcorn writing.

Dramatics: This is a very drama-forward story. It worked for me when dramatics usually aren't my cup of tea, but readers should be warned. If you don't like stories where characters constantly fumble over themselves and emotions run high, this might not be the best read. It worked for me, but even as much as it worked, there were times it trended toward the... annoying. So reader be warned!

Hard to Swallow: Though I liked both Reya and Sommer as narrators, there are time that Reya is just a bit hard to swallow. She can be so oblivious to her privilege, to the way she comes off and what she says (and/or doesn't mean to say). While she actively works past these faults, it's a bumpy ride, and that can cause some major second-hand embarrassment while reading.


Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8/10
Those who loved Kalela Williams's Tangleroot will love this new, messy coming-of-age story. Those who appreciated the rallying of community in Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give will adore this neighborhood bookstore and the community it fosters.

I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. I feel like so much was happening so fast it was hard to keep track of what was going on.

Sommer was so hard on herself and it felt like Reya was making the same mistakes over and over again. I think the storyline of Reya and Carmen was super awkward. I get having a crush but they went from Carmen not even really being interested and fighting in a parking lot over Reya making elitist comments to being girlfriends in about 3 seconds with no real resolution in between.
I also don't feel like there was resolution between Reya and Sommer. They hated each other and then just started being friends again without any discussion.
Sauce and Sommer had more chemistry.
The entire storyline surrounding Reya's mom being on reality tv and being super immature was actually so out of pocket and random I was confused about the inclusion.

I think this could have been a really great story about second chance friendship and the true meaning on community, but it was just trying to do too much at once.

This book follows Reya and Sommer, two former best friends from Prince George’s County, Maryland, who are now living very different lives. Reya has money and goes to a private school, while Sommer is working hard to support herself and save for college. When Reya asks Sommer to help her with a fashion project, old feelings come up and they have to face what broke their friendship in the first place.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book is that showed both sides of their lives and how their past still affected them. The characters felt real, and I appreciated the focus on community, growth, and second chances. Pacing of this story was a bit slow in my opinion but I do think overall it was very relatable. it’s a reminder that healing is possible, growth is messy, and friendship is sometimes the most radical act of all.

liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it. liked it.

We follow two girls: Reya, a rich and popular girl who has it all —designer clothes, a gated community, and a custom Audi. She is used to getting whatever she wants. Sommer, from Seat Pleasant, has to hustle for everything. She works at her father's bookstore and uses her art skills to earn additional income to cover her expenses at her dream school.

Reya and Sommer used to be best friends, but when Reya moved out of Seat Pleasant, things changed. Their lives crossed paths when Reya needed help getting into her dream school. In return, Sommer got paid for her services, which helped her afford the school of her dreams. This agreement allowed them to rebuild their friendship.

I loved every minute of it. I enjoyed reading the growth of Reya and Sommer as individuals and reconnecting as friends. It was wonderful how important issues were discussed in an age-appropriate way. I would highly recommend this book. Perfect palette cleanser. This was a bingeable read! I did not want to put it down.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Im not familiar with PG county but I felt like I was right there with these characters. The author did a great job of helping the reader understand all the nuances of being a young person in this community. I really like the dynamic between Sommer and Reya and the challenges they faced in rebuilding their friendship in the midst of navigating who they were becoming versus who they used to be. This was a perfect YA read. I loved everything about this book. Books about friendships among women are always a joy to read. The author did an amazing job at showing what PG county is all about. Kudos Lakita Wilson!

This book was definitely worth the five stars because I was hooked by the first chapter. Just seeing the mention of sims and fashion had me wanting to go and play sims again. Then seeing old friends reunite to help each other with going to their dream school 🥹 I was a proud auntie watching these girls achieve their goals. Also I definitely recommend the physical copy for the book Recs the author drops at the end of the book.

Title: Pretty Girl County
By: Lakita Wilson
Pub. Day: July 1, 2025

Genre:
Young Adult, Coming of Age, Contemporary, Romance

Recommended Ages:
7th grade and/or 13 and up

Content Warnings:
None

Summary:
Reya finds herself in need of help from someone she never thought she’d turn to again…her long-lost best friend, Sommer, whom she left on bad terms. Sommer is everything Reya is not, yet Reya needs her talent. Driven by her own selfish desires, Reya is willing to disrupt Sommer’s life without a second thought. But can these two former friends put the past behind them and come together to chase something greater than themselves?

Review:
Lakita Wilson is a talented author whose writing relates to young adult readers. Pretty Girl County moves at a quick, engaging pace with characters that are easy to connect with and root for. It thoughtfully explores themes that connect deeply with young adults, like the value of community, rekindled friendships, a sense of belonging, and growing self-confidence, while also touching on important issues such as social class, equity, and race. While I found myself wishing for a few more unexpected twists, the story carries a heartwarming, feel-good tone that makes it a wonderful and age-appropriate read.

Thank you to Lakita Wilson, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Viking Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for the opportunity of an Advanced Readers Copy. I am voluntarily leaving my personal review.

#PrettyGirlCounty
#LakitaWilson
#PenguinGoup
#PenguinYoungReadersGroup
#VikingBooksforYoungReaders
#Advancedreadercopies
#ReluctantReaderReads
#NetGalley
#ARC

" ... trust and believe we are not the same. Not anymore, at least."

Sommer is absolutely the most relatable character. Hard working, gamer girl, talented but has to work for it, struggling family, tight group of friends. I love her. My kids would too.

I especially love her dad's bookstore. Don't we all secretly wish our family had a bookstore?! And the struggle is real. I felt every moment of this.

For the record, Reya reminds me of Cher from Clueless (must be her Brat Pack of friends). Jane Austen references, anyone?

"I can't just Disney Channel my way out of this one." 😉

This is the perfect read for back to school. Maybe watch Clueless too.

"No more excuses. Friends feel like family if the bond is real."

I really enjoyed this well rounded contemporary YA! The core of the story is the friendship between the two and the change in social class. I loved that it was set in PG County for a couple of reasons. 1. The fact that it is one of the highest % of Black counties in the US (and quite a difference in SES in the county) and 2. My dad grew up in PG County his entire life and my mom was from there as well (although as a child of 2 Air Force parents she moved quite a bit). I spent a lot of summers growing up at my grandparents houses and I know a lot of references just from that experience. I have to say my favorite part of the book was the crab feast and I miss going back for that! For YA readers not from the area, I think they would be able to connect to similar experiences about where they live as these problems aren't specific to PG County but are underlying American issues. I loved seeing the friends find their way back and I really enjoyed seeing other relationships develop and the bookstore conversations. A fast read and one mixed with light and deeper themes.

Lakita Wilson’s Pretty Girl County is a heartfelt story of teenage love, angst, and identity. Being the person you used to be is just as hard as being someone you are not. Sommer and Reya used to be friends but due to life’s circumstances they’re not as close as they used to be, but life is bringing them back together. Lakita Wilson’s prose beautifully shows the girls’ struggles and triumphs and also gives insight into each character.

I always brag about where I’m from because they’re arent many counties in the US like mine; a predominantly Black melting pot. As one of the wealthiest Black counties in the country, PG County is just THAT girl and you can’t convince me otherwise.

Lakita Wilson did an AMAZING job of capturing the nuances of PG—from Seat Pleasant to Woodmore to the lil beefs at Six Flags (RIP 😭) as only a true PG baby could. This was truly a love letter to the county that raised us! I can’t even count how many times I laughed at some DMV lingo I haven’t heard in YEARS.

Sommer & Reya’s friendship needing fixing & it took a fashion show to do so. I loved that Sommer was constantly bringing Reya back down from the clouds cus miss girl forgot where she came from. I was rooting for Octavius ngl; Bowie Banits obvi did a number on me in high school LMAO. Overall, I loved loved LOVED this book. It reminded me that building community and making a difference where you’re from is the most important thing sometimes. 🤍

Y’all know how I collect ARCs with Black girls/boys on the cover? Well I saw this one and I was SO JEALOUS that everyone except me got one. This cover eats down and I wanted one so bad. But then I got an e-ALC and I was so excited! And then I finally read it. And that was when I realized you really can judge a book by it’s cover lol Not only was this cover amazing, the inside was as well.

Ok so the main thing about this that I liked was the main characters. I loved both of their drive and I was glad we got to see them both in action in their own rights. I also really liked the way they were so different but were still so very different. Where Sommer had a humble beginning and then had to keep navigating herself in the same area, Reya’s started with humble beginnings, but then had her life changed when her mother got a new job, a seat at the “Real Housewives” like table and moves them out of Seat Pleasant. Both of them were so authentic and it really felt like I was watching something online. It was real enough to me to realize that I could relate to the both of them. Also, their growth throughout the story was astounding. One went from forgetting where she REALLY came from to finally realizing that someone was making her forget it. And the other made me realize it with her relationship. She seemed to be coming to the conclusion that everything isn’t always greener and I was happy for her about that. Nothing is as it seems.

The writing style was so realistic too. I could really see what she was describing when I was reading it. The graffiti? I saw it clearly when I read it and when she caught them, I really felt like the older auntie or the older librarian yelling at them while I was reading. For it to be a dual POV book, it was so funny how both voices and characters were so different, but so much the same. After reading this I really thought these characters were really based off real people because they felt so real.

This book really was so much fun. I legit LOLed at some parts. And this cover is amazing. I can see this one really flying off the shelves. There is so much in this novel; more than the usual friend story. I would say this is for sure the best example of “Squad Goals” that I’ve seen.

Really enjoyed this book and its two terrific protagonists. In particular, their voices - and the authorial voice over all - read really authentic and fully accessible for readers of whatever stripe, My background is very different from these two young women but I never felt excluded or confused, and I imagine readers whose backgrounds and life experiences are more similar to the world of this book will enjoy seeing Sommer and Reya's experiences reflected in such an honest and engaging way. It was a page-turner and I was a little sad when I finished. Looking forward to more books by author Lakita Wilson.

Pretty Girl County by Lakita Wilson is a standalone contemporary coming of age YA novel centered on two ex-friends who grew apart but have to rely on each other to get ahead.

I freaking love this book! Not only does it encompass the dynamic of rich and not so rich kids at a school, but taking people who used to be friends and how two faced one can be, to a new level. I really love how rooted in black culture it is. With every word read, it felt so natural and also the expressions of a teen girl.

Between struggling to make ends meet while watching other kids who have everything and then having to push her wants aside, Sommer brings such a relatable character to life. I liked the flirting with the guys and her still being like, nope, I’m focused on going to Spelman!

Then on the other side, Reya and her sudden rags to riches lifestyle going to her head, creating a monster and super fake personality, while ignoring her actual day-one friend, is a mess. Of course she’s deeper than that, but she’s annoying and relatable to many as well.

Between jealousy, money, friendship, rage, and everything else teens can feel at any given time, there’s so much to get from this book! It’s great from start to finish and I highly recommend diving into it and/or listening to the audiobook!

This is a great choice to add in schools. It is fun, takes on themes of friendship, have and have nots, and well as coming of age. This could be a book for class or just one in the recommended reading list. It’s great for readers 14+. Don’t like the school rec stop you from getting a copy for home too! Enjoy it with the family, too.

Other books to check out: Sparkle, Last Chance Dance, and all of Lakita’s biographies!

*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of Pretty Girl County from Lakita Wilson via NetGalley