How We Fall Apart

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But even with Jamie's vicious reminders, even with everything she's had to sacrifice to get this far, Nancy knows Sinclair Prep is the first step to becoming one of the beautiful, entitled people who can get whatever they want. They seem to entirely be ignoring the fact that there’s a fifth person clearly involved and manipulating things.

I’ve been getting really into dark academia recently and this book sounds ideal for the next time I’m in the mood for a fast paced mystery. Receiving a copy does not guarantee a positive review and therefore does not affect the opinion or content of the review.

What I didn't enjoy as much was the way some of the situations these characters found themselves in were too unbelievable. This juicy thriller is steeped in secrets, betrayal, and toxic competitiveness--you won't be able to put it down.

Nancy who is a scholarship student at Sinclair Prep is our POV in the book who gives us a view into the world of the privileged and elite at Sinclair Prep. That is until a threatening message to Jamie appears on the board, which triggers the beginning of the end for them all. I did like how it addressed some issues that Asian students deal with in a prep school setting, the crazy pressure and competitiveness they experience on unhealthy levels. Instead, the focus of the teachers (in this book, there isn’t much of a police investigation into it) is on these four. Secrets shared on Tip Tap have real consequences, including ostracizing, suspensions, or even loss of scholarships.Through the eyes of her fierce, determined, and morally grey protagonist, Zhao unflinchingly exposes the pressures of elite high schools. The novel is mainly told from Nancy’s lens, alternating between the present day and flashbacks of her interactions with Jamie when they were once friends. Possible Pairings: Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide, They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman, A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee, The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu, The Cousins by Karen M.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced story with a necessary investigation of academic pressure, particularly within the Asian American community, this is the one for you! It helps create a tension and pacing as it’s clearly they’re come out across the book, so they’re are almost like little milestones to reach.Zhao examines the privilege differences between Nancy and her peers, the microaggressions against her, and how she feels out of place almost everywhere. While it is a thriller because of the murder of Jamie Ruan and the hunt to find the murderer, this book is so much more. Graduating from Sinclair Prep will open doors for every student--even scholarship kids like Nancy Luo.

The intense competition Katie focuses this story on is something you don’t always notice until you’re separated from that situation, at least for me. Goodreads says there’s a sequel out next year, but the author’s 2022 book has just been announced, and it’s not a sequel. Zhao's plotting is unrivaled as every single thread in this story proves to be crucial to the larger plot while also leaving just enough seeds to justify a second book.Katie Zhao's YA debut is an edge-of-your-seat drama set in the pressure-cooker world of academics and image at Sinclair Prep, where the past threatens the future these teens have carefully crafted for themselves. I'll be honest I had to force myself a bit to finish it, I didn't like the style it was written in and the book itself felt immature. Nancy's story alternates between the past and present as she remembers how Jamie belittled her, instilled fear into her, and used her own good deeds to get Nancy to do whatever she wanted. The formatting is fitting of the dark academia theme, with each chapter beginning with a confession, ranging from general school gossip to moments we can all relate to like finals and AP exams. Content and Trigger Warning: This book contains content that may be triggering to some, which we will try our best to provide below the synopsis.