I'm not going to lie, I didn't expect this to be a 5 star read when I went in. I tend to approach YA novels with lukewarm expectations, mostly because the writing style used in most YA is jut not something I'm a fan of. But this book? This book right here had me in chokehold from page one, and that's something I haven't experienced with a YA novel in a while.

In the author's not at the end, Mason Deaver says they wrote this book with the hope that it would help readers feel less alone and that the characters/situations/experiences were relatable. They did exactly what they set out to do. Not only did I connect with the characters, but I understood what they were going through despite never having been in those exact circumstances myself. I felt what they felt. This was an amazing book, and I think having this be the last book I read of 2023, while unintentional, was a great way to close off a great reading year (even if every other aspect of the year sucked).

Thank you, Mason Deaver, for doing your job so well. This one will stick with me for a long time.