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Spoiler-Free Synopsis
Fourteen-year-old Avielle LeBeau is starting her freshman year at Briarcliff Preparatory School for Girls, one of the few remaining Historically Black Boarding Schools. She has dreams of fitting in with kids who look like her, continuing her family legacy and joining the school newspaper — and she desperately wants to catch the eye of a certain sophomore math whiz who attends Preston Academy across the street. But all of these wants become obsolete when Avi discovers a devastating secret about her big sister’s boyfriend.
Avi has two choices: she can keep this secret and pray it doesn’t blow up in their faces, or she can tell the truth, risking her sister’s reputation and possibly destroying the foundation of their relationship.
BRIARCLIFF PREP is a coming-of-age story set in a space where the expectations of gender and race collide, familial responsibilities are tested, and sisterhood may be a saving grace.
Thank You SO Much Brianna Peppins for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
So to first of all note: I am so sorry for literally the two-three day late review. I've been busy lately and just hadn't found the time as I thought I would. But here is the review, and here we go!
This may have become a new favorite.
First of all, I love the cover, it's adorable. I may have gotten an incomplete edition, but I see the cover on GoodReads and I can confirm that it is a steal. PLUS, it got me out of my reading slump, so that may tug on a few of you guys' bait a bit. :)
Now continue to on with the review.
The character development is amazing.
While it is in 3rd person, and I don't enjoy 3rd person in particular, I have been giving genres and POVs I don't necessarily like. To go back in time with that book How We Fall (PSSST, I never continued to read it, yuck!) But I enjoy the character development. We got a nice introduction of our main character, Avielle (Avi). We learn that she's attentive and loves writing (ATTENTIVE, HINT HINTT!!)
Not only did Brianna do an amazing job with describing Avi, but she did amazing with describing her siblings, friends and ugh, Logan.
More than One topic/plot
See, a few authors who write about domestic abuse and violence tend to have that be the ONLY thing going on. They make it where the main (or side or whatever character) is the only thing going on. But Brianna, my dear, you did perfect! Avi has more than just Logan to worry about. She has her writing goals, Relationship problems (Quincy...), and her grades to worry about. That's one of the main things I like about this book, not too many things are going on, and not too less of things are going on. Like, I could FEEL her pain when she didn't get in the newspaper, all that hard work for nothing? MHM! I would've just screamed at everybody by that point. Cancel the study date and just lock myself in my dorm to recover.
But to get off topic, can we talk about Chapters 17, 18, and 19 Quincy?! Like his whole vibe and attitude was out of tone! Calling her out in class like that. Literally I was reading Chapter 18 right after a test in my Algebra class right, and when he acted the way he did, I physically had to profane myself from just:
Yea. He made me that mad with the way he was treating Avielle.
BELLEEEEE!!!!
I literally felt so bad for Avi when Belle refused to listen to her. She was literally all like "Oh, mind your buisness, you don't know what you're talking about." Blah Blah Blah. In which, domestic abuse victims DO do! They tell themselves that their significant other loves them, even if they hurt them. Which is partially why I think we shouldnt have that "IF a guy is mean to you, he likes you." Kind of thing going on, because then girls will grow up thinking and believing that that kind of BS is okay, when really, IT ISN'T. Same for guys, too!
EMOTIONS. FLEW. EVERYWHERE.
No, cause read this quote with me:
"And then the scariest of all, there she was- Belle, lying motionless on the floor, her white carpet stained with blood." - Page 335
DON'T. DO. THIS. LITERALLY I CANNOT RN!
Avielle warned Belle, and she refused to listen, and I'm not saying it's her fault, it is not AT ALL. Abusers trick a victim. They do something bad and then convice them that what they did was okay, whether it was through a gift, "Sincere" apology, or even through just what the victim thinks is "Love".
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
But I really loved this book. Like really. Again, thank you SO Much, Brianna for accepting my request, I adored it! Can't wait for As Long As We're Together to come out next year! (Hey, peep the link and add to your GR TBR List!)
Thank YOU Guys so much for reading this post, and I CANNOT wait to see you in the next review!! :)
Me The ENTIRE Time Logan entered the room:
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