December 15, 2021
Draycott Academy's newest student is about to challenge the status quo, whether she likes it or not. Lia Setiawan transfers to the prestigious Northern California boarding school on a track scholarship, automatically setting herself apart from her wealthy classmates. Upon her arrival, a distraught Sophie Tanaka, who has a reputation for being a drug addict, is forcefully removed from the campus after punching a teacher. As if that wasn't enough to give Lia doubts about her place at the school, she downloads the gossip app Draycott Dirt and is disheartened to learn that she's the student body's newest target for bullying. As she struggles to keep up her grades and maintain her scholarship, she discovers a cheating ring led by a crooked teacher, and her involvement in seeking justice takes a deadly turn. The story is told entirely from Lia's point of view, and although Sutanto's teenspeak feels over-the-top, she provides readers insights into a variety of interesting social issues: socio-economic differences among teens, the school's weak attempts at embracing diversity, and nuanced cultural tensions within Asian communities. More thrilling than Draycott's secrets are Lia's hijinks in covering up a secret of her own that threatens her future. Lia is Indonesian American, with an Indonesian mother and a deceased Chinese Indonesian father; the supporting cast is largely White or Asian. Campy but engaging. (Mystery. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2022

Gr 9 Up-When Lia Setiawan, "the next Usain Bolt," comes to the prestigious Draycott Academy on a track scholarship, she finally sees the path forward to college and the future of her dreams. Lia anticipated a struggle fitting in with her wealthy boarding school classmates. She did not, however, predict the bullying she'd endure on the school's gossip app, the rampant drug and alcohol use, the cheating ring run by a teacher, or the murder. Lia's conversational narration adeptly balances the drama and suspense of the plot with tension-abating humor and irreverence. Racism to and within the Asian community is explored through Lia's family and her interactions with her peers. Her deceased father's Chinese-Indonesian family scorns her native Indonesian mother, and her track rival Mandy Kim regularly derides Southeast Asians. Entitlement, privilege, and morality in the face of injustice are other prominent themes. Anytime Lia tries to do the right thing, she is dismissed in order to protect the reputation of the wealthy. Much of Lia's ethical perseverating can be reduced to the question: Is it really cheating when the test is already rigged? These moral complexities add some meat to this otherwise fun and soapy thriller. The ending is predictable, and some references (Betsy DeVos, 2005 movie The-40-Year-Old Virgin) feel slightly inauthentic coming from high school sophomores. VERDICT Equal parts drama, humor, and angst, this boarding school thriller also delves into themes of racism and justice, and is recommended for general purchase, and for fans of Karen M. McManus's One of Us Is Lying, Holly Jackson's Good Girl, Bad Blood, and the streaming series Gossip Girl.-Elizabeth Lovsin

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.