You Should See Me in a Crown
A Book Review - You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson
Here it is! The YA book I have been dying to get my hands on for a little too long, and she did not disappoint.
Book hangover? I'm wearing sunglasses inside with an extra large McDonald's coke, popping gravol trying to recover from this book.
Liz Lighty spends all her energy on four things, music, working towards becoming a doctor, her family, and making herself as small as possible in her very white high school in suburban Indiana. So when she doesn't get the scholarship she desperately needs to get into Pennington, she has to look at other methods – insert predictable story arc here – Prom Queen, which comes with extensive scholarship money. Shy Liz Lighty has to do what it takes to secure her future and exit from Campbell by participating in the town's most precious tradition, as she goes up against girls who were born for this role. Liz is on a path to all the things we expect, love (obviously), self-confidence, and finding her voice.
I love cute, happy ending YA novels. I've said it before ... they are my therapy!
Except sometimes they're a little silly or juvenile, and then my husband of 10 years reminds me I am creeping on 40, and I am not their target market. So I step away, apply wrinkle cream under my eyes, and icy hot to my bad hip while completely resenting him.
You Should See Me in a Crown was never at any point silly – predictable, maybe, but not immature. It was beautiful and fun, and charming.
I love Liz and Mack, and Jordon, and Stone, and G and ALL of them. This book is filled with the most colourful characters.
Leah Johnson transported me directly to Campbell, Indiana, and I read each page as if I was watching it at 11 pm with my nighttime tea on Netflix.
Who else is anxiously awaiting an adaptation? It is going to be fantastic!
Aside from the definite Netflix movie that will be coming – they are not missing out on this. I am also excited for when my daughter is old enough to read this book. It's going in the ever-growing pile of books I am going to force onto her whether she likes it or not.
FIVE stars for Leah Johnson, Liz Lighty, and You Should See Me in a Crown
A Reese's Book Club YA Pick
A Junior Library Guild Selection
A Well-Read Black Girl June Book Club YA Book Pick
SYNOPSIS
Liz Lighty has always believed she's too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it's okay -- Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz's plans come crashing down . . . until she's reminded of her school's scholarship for prom king and queen. There's nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she's willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She's smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?