You Should See Me in a Crown

his is the second time in a week that I’ve picked up a contemporary book even though normally, I stick to sci fi or fantasy, and found myself loving the book just as much if not more than the speculative books I usually read.

You Should See Me in a Crown was an emotional roller coaster that had me laughing out loud at times but also crying and then laughing more and crying again. But it wasn’t sad crying. It was moments when things worked out so beautifully that I got overwhelmed.

The voice was fantastic. The characters were well developed, vivid, and dynamic. I loved the romance in it, but also the parts of the story that focused on friendship.

Another thing I really appreciated was the anxiety rep.

Buy this book and read it! You won’t regret it.

Did I ever think a book about a prom queen would make me cry? No, but if one did, Im glad it was this one. Crown is a wonderful debut with so much heart that manages to tackle so many issues, both common and not-so-common, that so many teens (and adults!) face, without ever feeling like theres too much going on. Its a reminder that we are messy and not our best selves yet in high school and we should cut ourselves and each other some slack. Liz Lighty is a forgiving and kind main character and inspires with her selflessness. Theres best friend drama, girlfriend and boyfriend drama, high school scandals, family health issues, and so much more, all done with care. I tried to take my time reading to savour it but I could only do so much! Once it hit the climax, putting it down was impossible. And of course, most importantly, the romance was so swoon-worthy. Im talking perfect first date…probably my fave Ive ever read in any book. This book will resonate with so many for so many different reasons.

Liz Lightys future is perfectly planned out. Shes going to attend her mothers alma mater, Pennington, on her way to becoming a hematologist. But everything falls apart when she doesnt receive the scholarship she needs. Now, in order to salvage her dreams, Liz is doing the unthinkable. Shes running for prom queen. Prom is not just a high school dance in Campbell County, its the event of the year. Thrust into the spotlight, Liz must find a way to carve space for herself in a world where her Blackness and queerness set her apart and sometimes makes her feel unwelcome. Liz is an easy character to like. Her dreams for the future are intertwined with the death of her mother and her younger brothers same sickle-cell diagnosis. She tends to spread herself thin if it means keeping the burden off her loved ones. She isnt used to having good things come her way easily and so accepting these good things can sometimes be hard. When she meets Mack, a fellow prom queen candidate, her attraction to her throws her off. I loved the easy rapport between these characters. Liz is only out to her family and close friends and knows that starting a relationship with Mack might jeopardize her campaign, but she keeps getting drawn to the gregarious and alluring Mack. Johnson explores a trope that we really dont see often and thats the second-chance friendship. Liz ends up reconnecting with her former best friend, Jordan, and even though there is still a lot of past hurt, they fall into step with one another effortlessly. These two get each other in a way that is rare and feels truly special. You Should See Me in a Crown is all about embracing who you, not allowing others to change you, and demanding that people make room for you. Leah Johnsons debut is infused with charm and is guaranteed to leave you with a big grin on your face.

THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD AND IT JUST MAKES ME WANT TO HUG IT AND THE MAIN CHARACTERS.

Everything thing youve heard about You Should See Me In A Crown is true. It is the BEST book. It is really cute and really funny and really REAL. The book somehow navigates the every day struggles of high school and being black, and queer and all of the slightly racist remarks that the main character has to deal with, while also being so stinking cute. I LOVED how this book handled racism and homophobia. The author gently let us know that it was there but didnt pause on it too long, which is EXACTLY what would happen in real life. Any young girl would have to deal with those off comments from friends no less, and just have to keep going. And I loved how the author didnt throw this in our face, but allowed us to read them and be shocked and offended on our own.

I also loved the relationship between the main character and her girlfriend. They were so cute and just trying to figure everything out. And it was awesome.

The main character has anxiety which we love the representation. It was a part of her, but she didnt let it define her whole life and the book wasnt necessarily about her anxiety. Also her brother had sickle-cell and I loved reading and learning more about it.

I listed to this on audiobook and read it in tandem and really enjoyed the narrator who had one of the best narrating voices and was the embodiment of the main character.

Highly recommend to lots of folks.

BOOK SUGGESTIONS: You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

Queer
Sapphic
Prom Queen
High School
RomCom

Follow Liz who learns she’s not about to get the scholarship she needed to attend school. This then means she’ll have to compete to become Prom Queen to wind scholarship money. And Liz HATES being the center of attention. Worse, she falls for the competition.

No lie, this book left a lot to be desired. But I mean that in a positive way. While there is a list I can provide I think it’s important to stress that I made it in my head because I needed more of this book. Just to last a rad bit longer with Liz and her love interest.

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