Ride or Die

April 15, 2023
Self-involved, self-destructive Loli seeks thrills and chaos, but one mystery adventure carries her kicking and screaming to the point of self-reflection. High schooler Naloli Tamryn Crawford is bored with life in Woolridge Grove, where there are few other Black girls. Doting best friends Ryan Pope, who reads White, and Cairo Dahmani, who is Moroccan, enable her shenanigans. When Loli decides to throw an impromptu rager at an ex-boyfriend's house, few questions are asked before they're onboard with what becomes a historical event. So Loli never has to reveal that the party is actually a ruse to right a wrong before it's revealed and can break Ryan's heart. Still, the party changes everything as, among other rumored happenings, Cairo is tapped to become a supermodel, Ryan experiences a moment that puts his sexuality in question, and Loli becomes entangled in a risky competition with an appealing but anonymous individual. Like the accompanying playlist that punctuates the story's beats with song titles naming chapters, the novel uses tropes compellingly. Loli hates clich�, but even she would have to accept that her budding romance with the Mysterious Voice from the party proves to be as predictable as it is dangerous. And ultimately that's the rub: Loli pursues being interesting in ways that often make her anything but and selfishly puts her relationships in jeopardy, but the novel doesn't offer much depth as to why, which may frustrate readers. An imperfect protagonist--and novel--with a lot of charm. (Fiction. 13-18)

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April 17, 2023
Black 16-year-old Naloli Tamryn Crawford and her white-cued best friend, Ryan Pope, are daredevils; they live for the thrill of adventure, even when it sometimes gets them into trouble, as when a car-surfing incident results in a hospitalized classmate and Loli’s indefinite grounding. But resourceful Loli is used to maneuvering her way around obstacles, and punishments are no exception. After sneaking out to a party, Loli encounters an unidentified boy in a dark closet, whom she calls Mysterious Voice. She later receives a handwritten note from MV challenging her to a game of risks (“Life does get a bit dull sometimes. So why don’t we spice it up and play a game?”). Via letters and anonymous chats sent over several months, Loli and MV exchange dares that include breaking and entering and sneaky thievery. As the dares become more hazardous—and as Loli starts to fall for MV—Loli jeopardizes her relationships with Ryan and her parents, and even her own future. While character motivations feel thin, Loli’s adrenaline-seeking personality makes for a propulsive first-person narration that boasts edge-of-the-seat thrills and fast-paced mystery in Musikavanhu’s high-octane debut. Ages 14–up. Agent: Lauren Bieker, FinePrint Literary Management.

May 1, 2023
Grades 8-11 Loli Crawford has had it with humdrum days. Admittedly, she thrives on chaos to offset boredom, and she's roped her best friend, Ryan, into some extreme adventures--like the car surfing that got Loli's driving privileges (of her brand-new Porsche!) revoked, and now, throwing the sickest party Woolridge High has ever seen just to get back a stolen necklace. Loli thinks she's met her match when, in a dark closet at the party, she meets a stranger (dubbed X) who suggests they keep their anonymity while daring each other to complete missions. But as the tasks get more reckless, Loli has to figure out if losing her life and her friendships are worth the thrills. Musikavanhu's debut has an exciting premise and plenty of high jinks, though Loli's self-proclaimed arrogance coupled with her brazenness about her financial status can be alienating. The high-school nostalgia, though, is spot on. A curated music playlist, entertaining banter, and fast twists will have thrill-seekers invested enough to see the story through to the end.

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