I think my main reaction to this book is "WHAT THE ACTUAL HECK" but in a good way, yknow? As the middle installment of a trilogy, it's pretty solid — especially with regards with the characters' relationships with each other.

I do think there was a bit more

romantic drama between Stevie and David

than I would've liked, but it was somewhat balanced by the friendships and the easy wholesomeness of Janelle and Vi's relationship. We also meet some intriguing new characters, and I'm excited to see what role they'll play in the final book.

To be quite honest, though, I don't think the dual timeline was totally necessary. (I know the structure was established in the first book and I do appreciate consistency, but even then I wasn't totally sold on it.) On the one hand it's definitely interesting to see scenes and details that Stevie would have no way of extrapolating, characters we'll never meet in the present-day story, but on the other it removes some of the suspense and mystery. And, after all, this is supposed to be a mystery story.

content warnings: 

major character death, mentions of violence, blood

rep: 

MC with anxiety, queer Black secondary character, nonbinary secondary character (they/them), queer relationship

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CONVERSION: 12.4 / 15 = 4.5 stars

Prose: 9 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 8 / 10
Emotional Impact: 7 / 10
Development / Flow: 8 / 10
Setting: 10 / 10

Diversity & Social Themes: 4 / 5
Intellectual Engagement: 4 / 5
Originality / Trope Execution: N/A
Rereadability: 4 / 5
Memorability: 4 / 5