Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for sharing a copy in exchange for my honest review. I'm so sorry I'm late sharing my thoughts!
Lena and Campbell aren't friends. Lena has her killer style, her awesome boyfriend, and a plan. She knows she's going to make it big. Campbell, on the other hand, is just trying to keep her head down and get through the year at her new school. When both girls attend the Friday-night football game, what neither expects is for everything to descend into sudden mass chaos. Chaos born from violence and hate. Chaos that unexpectedly throws them together. They aren't friends. They hardly understand the other's point of view. But none of that matters when the city is up in flames, and they only have each other to rely on if they're going to survive the night. I’m Not Dying With You Tonight is a snappy, action packed novel that explores the lives of two girls, Lena and Campbell, who are thrown together during a riot. I liked the plot—it moved quickly, and the tension between the girls as well as surrounding them drove key elements of the story. In the novel, Campbell and Lena have to work together to survive riots that happen in their city, which is difficult in the face of violence, looting, and mistrust. I enjoyed how the pacing suited the story: readers are thrown into moments with the lead characters, and watch on the edges of our seats as they make decisions about how to get home when different routes keep closing to them. However, this constant motion did leave a lot of room for underdevelopment in other areas. While the plot was fully fleshed out, the characters are less so. Various moments during the novel could have been extended more to give insight into Campbell and Lena’s backgrounds and personalities, besides the few key traits chosen to be repeated. Lena: loves her boyfriend, protective cousin, likes fashion. Campbell: former runner, new to town, lives with her dad. Other than that? Not much to say. They had distinct voices because of the writing style, but I wish readers could get a deeper feel for their characters. Another problem I had is that the setting seemed vague. The story is very much set in the moment, which is great for readers to understand the action, but I would have liked to dive into town history and dynamics as well. There seemed to be tension between different parts of the town. Exploring the region from the perspective of Campbell, who just moved in, as well as Lena, who had lived there longer would have been an interesting contrast. Overall, an important book touching on racial conflicts, police brutality, and the story of two girls overcoming fear and prejudices to work together in a disaster, but has a few key flaws that diminished my reading experience. 3/5 stars.
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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