I thought with that cover and blood on it that it would be more thrilling. I felt some parts really dragged and it was a little slow at times. Yes there was a plot twist I wasn't expecting, but it still left me underwhelmed.

Easy listen, very much aimed at actual young adults. I didn't find as funny as I was expecting from the blurb. Will probably not remember this one in a few days' time.

Pride or Die is about an LGBTQ+ group who are framed for an attempted murder at their school and forced to solve the mystery to clear their names, despite the bigotry and discrimination they face by students and administration. I disagree with the characterization that it's a comedy -- while there are many humorous parts, overall I would consider it a mystery or drama, not comedy. Certainly there's nothing humorous about how hateful people are towards these students. I really appreciated that the author created important nuance -- each character had depth, including the would-be villains--and even the "good" people had flaws and things to work on. The author also included important conversations about racism and intersectionality. I loved the diverse characters and the representation in the book. The plot twists were fun and kept me guessing. I think this would appeal to so many types of readers: certainly those who like mystery, teens solving crime, or suspense would enjoy it but there are also elements of realistic fiction, humor, and romance as well. This would be a great addition to any secondary school or public library collection. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

2.5
This centers around Eleanora, Tyler, Noah, and Salim. After a cheerleader is attacked, they are among the first to arrive at the scene. They must collaborate to uncover the culprit before anyone else is harmed and their club faces permanent banishment.

The story started to drag, and I found myself just needing to get to the end to find who done it. Honestly, with a title like this and a cover featuring blood splatter, I anticipated more than what I got more mystery, more excitement, and a clearer explanation of how they identified the culprit. the narrarot

*4.5 Stars*

I had a great time with this one. It was actually really funny and I laughed out loud a couple times. I actually read it in one evening cause I could not stop listening to it. I really enjoyed the concept and the characters and all the drama. The Mystery was actually very well thought through and I never saw it coming. I can't lie though, the ending twist was a little bit of a let down but I won't way more on this. This was such a good story with very well fleshed out characters. I could really picture myself in that damn school the entire time.
Basically, a great book, an even better debut and I'm really looking forward to more books by this author!

Cute misfit crew go on a mission to prove they’re innocent of attacking a fellow student.


The LGBTQ2S+ club at Hillview High are sweet, endearing, out to solve a crime!

This was an easy YA listen, narrator was great, and the storyline easy to follow. Not quite mature enough for my usual taste, but definitely suitable for an avid YA reader.

10/10 this was VERY fun!!! And it’s great if you’re in a feel good (attempted) murder mystery mood since no one actually dies and (most) of the characters are lovely. Since I’m a romance girlie at heart, I can normally count on YA mystery/thrillers to have a little something going on in that department, and this one did not disappoint!!

I really really loved the author’s voice and can’t wait to read more from them! The narrator was great and was a great fit with the humor!


I received a free copy from Macmillan Audio. All opinions are honest and my own.

4.25⭐️
Update: I was so pleased to get the audio ArC of this title as I was anxious to see if some things were fixed for the final version of the book. Unfortunately they weren’t so there are a few errors in the books but it’s ok. While it’s personally disappointing most won’t even notice (for example, like saying “bile” rises into the esophagus which isn’t a thing that happens).

More importantly it made me like the book even more. As I say below I think it’s an important book for teens to have at their disposal, especially in today’s climate on the USA.

The narrator Ina Marie Smith did a great job with the recitation. She sounded age appropriate for the characters and read it with enough emotion to be engaged but didn’t cross the line and affect my own thoughts in building the world from the authors words.

I’m thankful to Macmillan Audio for the ALC so I could read and review the audiobook!


What a delightful read that can be such a must needed book
For teens that need a book to see themselves in.

There was so many things that I loved about this! First I loved that the senior year time line in school was actually realistic as it’s not in so many books. Also they didn’t relegate the guidance counselor to some quirky or inept employee that is so common.

It reminded me a bit about an LGBTQ Scooby do gang without the dog. The teens embroil themselves in investigating a crime which they also fear they have been implicated in. It’s not perfect and it shows how messy close friendships can get when stressors abound.

While some things are common tropes in the genre, they have a lighthearted way of tackling some very real issues that youth can experience in school. It is a very quick read and o can’t wait to read the final version as I’m sure some of the problem areas with be fixed in some way

If you’re a YA reader or you have one in your life, be sure to get this on your TBR for April 2025


I am thankful to have gotten an eARC for free from Netgalley and Wednesday Books to enjoy which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again