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Quinn treasures her journal, where she writes lists about everything in her life. It helps her feel safe and sane. But then one day it disappears, and soon afterward, an anonymous account on Instagram posts one of her lists (about things she should do — but is scared to do — before she graduates) for everyone in her school to see. And she gets a message saying that she has to prove she’s actually doing those items or the person will post more lists from her journal.
Quinn is sure it’s Carter, one of the two guys she was working on a school project with and whose notebook was identical on the outside. They don’t know each other that well, but he’s one of the few other Black students at their exclusive private high school. And he apparently sees her as a spoiled rich girl who’s not true to her ethnicity. But through a series of events, Quinn ends up teaming up with Carter to track down her journal and figure out who’s blackmailing her.
Forced to start checking off items on her list of things she should do, Quinn finds surprising allies as she ventures outside her comfort zone. She has to be honest with her parents, with her friends — and with herself. And she starts appreciating more of what she’s been missing by keeping her fears locked up in a journal. The difficult things she wants to avoid don’t get easier, but she faces them and finds strength and new love.
This debut novel is a strong entry for a new writer. I liked how it dealt honestly and squarely with racism, family difficulties, fear and loss and gave the heroine room to grow and find herself.
Rated: High. Profanity includes about 10 uses of strong language, about 70 instances of moderate profanity, about 55 uses of mild language, and about 30 instances of the name of Deity in vain. There are references to an instance of a teen girl being bullied. There are some scenes of teen drinking, especially one night where the underage characters go clubbing with fake IDs and get very drunk. It’s understood that several characters have sex fairly regularly and some pretty casually. There are some making-out scenes.
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