It's be gay and solve crimes, actually.

I loved this so much *weeps* Every one of these kids, I just want to sweep them up in a hug and kick away everyone who so much as dares to breathe in their direction. The story itself was equal parts heart warming and heart wrenching and it's going to mean a lot to queer kids to see themselves represented like this, especially in the shitshow year that is 2025. It was also surprisingly funny? Like I read the audiobook while walking my dog and laughed out loud multiple times. The principal referring to them as the BLT club actually made me cackle.

I'm hard to please with YA Contemporary but this was a winner right out of the gate. Looking forward to more from this author in future!

Pride or Die is said to be a dark comedy but for me at least it lacked the comedy aspect. I did however enjoy the mystery. During a pep rally there was also a meeting for the LGBTQ+ club. Everyone is outside at the pep rally except for the LGBTQ+ club so when a student is attacked in the hall and left for dead the suspect list consists of only the LGBTQ+ club.

Eleanora is determined to figure out what happened to clear her and all her friend's names. With the help of the victim of the assault they uncover a lot of twists and turns full of hate but as a group they put love first and strengthened their friendships.

I loved Eleanora’s determination. She often got too caught up in the mystery and put that before her friends but everything she did led them to where they needed to be and love conquered hate.

If you’re looking for a book with a thrilling mystery then look no further.

Rating: 4 stars
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Gay/nonbinary people solving crimes is the premise and I wasn't mad about it!
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I loved the representation that was throughout it. This was a really good mystery, who-dun-it, almost attempted murder YA thriller! The characters were lovable and hate-able at the same time. Not once did I know for a fact who did it. As a contemporary YA exploring friendship and coming-of-age issues this was great!
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The "not so bad parts"
The investigation skills were a little off and a bit messy but it added to the whole high school scene so it worked out in the end. The characters could have had a little bit better build to them, but it wasn't a break the whole book kind of thing, they ended up working out in the end.

Incredibly sweet and funny but the “murder mystery” aspect is thin and unsatisfying. Despite the title, nobody dies; one girl gets a head injury is all. As a contemporary YA exploring friendship and coming-of-age issues this was great but the investigation aspects were inconsistent and didn’t feel like it drove us to a logical conclusion. Anybody expecting a murder mystery is going to be disappointed but I enjoyed this for its relationships and characters, which are very well-drawn. The audiobook is adequately done but I would have appreciated more distinct character voices.

Thank you to Wednesday Books who sent me an ARC for review and to NetGalley for the audiobook access

The highlight of this book in my eyes is the drama. I love the pacing of the story which had me hooked and the chapters end on perfect cliffhangers. If you're in a book slump or need a serious distraction from life, this book will do the trick.

The characters felt somehow one-dimensional and had personalities at the same time. The best way I can explain it is if you took a stick figure and stuck a bunch of really cool backstories and character traits to them. At times it truly felt like the characters dissociated from themselves if that makes sense. Irrespective of what I think of the characters, they made for some interesting interpersonal dynamics that were really fun to read. Side characters fall into some archetypes but I loved their depiction in an effort to resemble reality.

I don't read much of mystery so I wasn't really trying to solve anything and I'll just say that the ending was interesting.

This is unrelated, but I read "I Kissed Shara Wheeler" by Casey McQuinston a while back. It was an LGBTQ romance/ mystery+thriller which I was excited for but disappointed by. I love that Pride or Die takes the same genres and does them so well. Also the name of the book is really clever and I love that.

This was a super cute YA mystery. There was a lot of great queer representation. Gay, lesbian, non-binary, the works. I received an audio copy and the narrator was great.

If you’re looking for a YA novel that perfectly balances mystery, humor, and LGBTQ+ representation, this one’s a must-read! It’s giving Nancy Drew, but make it queer—and I’m here for it.

The story follows members of an LGBTQ+ club who find themselves accused of attacking the school’s most popular cheerleader. With their club on the verge of being shut down and even the principal against them, they have no choice but to clear their names the only way they know how: Be gay, solve crime.

This book has everything—a compelling mystery, lovable (and root-worthy) characters, and side characters you’ll want to throw hands with. The humor is *chef’s kiss*, with some one-liners that had me actually cackling. Noah completely stole the show—if you’re a fan of Ridoc from *Fourth Wing*, you’re going to adore him.

It reads like the start of a series but works perfectly as a standalone, making it a great pick whether you want a quick, satisfying read or something to obsess over long-term. Highly recommend!

This was a fun read. A high school LGBT+ group is being accused of an attempted murder of a cheerleader who has been bullying them for a year. The group is innocent, but no one believes them and they have to clear their names or their whole future is gone. Along the way, they find a lot of important things but still nothing comes together. This book has fun twists and turns along the way. I enjoyed my time reading. The plot of the book was fun, but I will say the characters were a little flat to me, and while I wanted to love them, I just found them meh. I also didn't love the ending, but I thought it was a good book and would recommend it to others.

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