Let me start by saying I am obsessed with the Count of Monte Cristo. OBSESSED. So this book had a lot to live up to.

It didn't.

The writing was nothing spectacular, the story was kind of meh, and it didn't have the VIBE of the Count. It was so painfully YA, and trying so hard to be Six of Crows when it really wasn't.

I did finish it, which makes it automatically a 3 star book. I do not finish books that suck. But what really saved it was the DIVERSITY. Brown girls! trans men! a bisexual male lead! an ace bestie! lesbians!!! What's not to love? I adored that. I think every book needs to be like that. It was done really well, too--it didn't detract from the story or shove it down your throat. I'm still not entirely sure it WAS a trans man, but it was a dude with a binder, so that was my assumption. Gorgeous. Chef kiss.

I'm really giving this book too much crap because I read YA even though YA is clearly not my thing...I think I should stop reading it because I expect too much. But as far as YA goes, you know. Kisses in the rain, pining over a White Boi, standard stuff. Cayo MADE it though, even though Tara totally stole the name from The Orphan's Code (ahem, sis, we need to have a talk). He loves fashion, just cause, and he's bi AF, and he's so protective of little kids and so sweet with his sister! It's adorable and I want to protect him forever.

I just really wish it would've captured that COUNT vibe. I love the Count so much. So, so much. This did inspire me to start planning my own retelling so........thanks, Tara? watch out? whichever one applies.

Anyway I don't know why I bother writing long reviews because no one cares, but here we are.