Book Review: You Should See me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

Hi there you awesome book nerds! It's time for a review! Yay!

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?

I utterly adored this book. It was a cute, coming of age story. Contemporary YA is not usually my jam but this is a beautiful read. The angst and drama and emotion was brilliantly written. I also love the diversity of the characters in the story. The way the main character dealt with issues such as mental health, school yard hierarchies and anxiety I felt was very real for a teenager. I think young adult readers will get a lot out of this book as will anyone who enjoys YA Contemporary. An easy 4.5 stars

Thank you Scholastic Australia for providing a copy for my honest and independent review.