Really great start to the series. Also, a really good book if you want something quick to read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this wonderful book! I had the opportunity to hear Ashley Woodfolk speak about this new series in an author chat at SLJ Teen Live, and it made me very excited to read this book and all the others in the series. This is a lovely book about a girl who is trying to figure out how to both fit in and be herself, and she deals with many relatable real-life issues. I especially love the positive way that Lux's anger management issues are dealt with in the book, since it is rare to find a book that truly allows a girl to feel angry. Lux's anger definitely gets her in trouble sometimes, and she has to figure out how to manage that, but there is no sense that the anger itself is bad or problematic. It is also incredible that the author was able to develop so many real, deep relationships in such a short book. Lux's relationships with her mother, father, stepmother and friends all feel true and fleshed out, and I am very excited to read more about these girls. This book will appeal to more reluctant readers because it is short and easy to read, but it has plenty in it to engage more consistent or advanced readers as well. As a white educator, I have been specifically trying to seek out and read books for teens by black authors that portray black characters, and this series is definitely a great addition to any classroom or library! Highly recommend!

Thanks to Penguin Teen for the ARC.

Lux is a great read for middle grade readers wanting to read a slightly older content style. I appreciated Woodfolk tackling tough issues I a mature and relevant way that helps readers understand situations and their potential consequences.

I wish there was slightly more character development, I am left wanting more backstory, which I am sure is coming in later installments from the other character stories.

A great overall read that I am sure many middle grade or hi-lo high school readers will be drawn to.

I got the sample of the Lux: The New Girl #1 to read. So I read some chapters which made me feel that Lux want to lead a normal life but she can't when she thought how her father went with another woman forgetting the family. It feels bad to stay with her father but she needs a new start. She regrets what she has done in the old school. I just want to read the full book to know what happens? will she accept her stepmom and Lillia? Will, she has a fresh start without any trouble?

Not a bad start to a new hi-lo series. Short chapters keep the story moving along, and while there is a lot of different plot points woven in (almost too many for the length of the book), Lux's experiences of a new school, fitting in, past mistakes, family and friend drama are all things many students will be able to relate to.

Wow. The intensity packed into this short sampler was breathtaking. I am dying to know the rest of Lux’s story. Without a doubt Ashley knows how to grab the attention from the word GO. Hope to read the rest of this story soon. The series seems like it will have a lot to offer for girls in a variety of backgrounds. I hope there will be something for everyone.

Proof that engaging YA stories can come in non-intimidating lengths.

Lux is trying to start over. Her mom can’t take her fighting anymore, and has shipped her off to her ex-Marine dad in the middle of the school year. If she can’t make things work at her new school— Harlem’s Augusta Savage School of the Arts— the next stop is military school.

“The school looked like it gave out second chances: a place where she might find her place.”

Lux slowly gets acclimated to her new life. And she might be starting to make real friends. But in the back of her mind,

“No one could know the real reason she had to transfer in the middle of the year or what had happened at her old school. No one could know how often she got angry, or that videos and photos of her latest fight existed.... She’d been at enough schools to know that if people knew your history, you never got a real chance to start over.”

Can Lux recreate herself? Will she always be trying to outrun her past?

Ashley Woodfolk pulls off authentic characters and a compelling story in less than 150 pages. An excellent hi-lo series opener.

Thank you, Penguin Young Readers and NetGalley, for the advance readers copy.