A review by kaitherabbit
Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson

emotional inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was one of my most anticipated reads, but I'm only a little disappointed. After trying and dnf-ing You should see me in a crown, I knew that this was gonna be a hard sell. I disliked Olivia so much and compared to her, Toni seemed like a reprieve. Also, I love the ice queen/king trope. That being said I think that Leah Johnson is a good writer. She writes unlikable characters in a compelling way. I really wanted to know how everything ended up. I get that this was supposed to be black girl joy, but I only got black girl romance. No one was really joyful (especially with Imani getting snubbed and Olivia just straight up ignoring her). I like the aesthetic of the festival too. Reminds me of the ones we have here. 
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