
Reach for this book if your teen is feeling the weight of a changing neighborhood or wrestling with the ethics of activism. It is an ideal pick for students who feel protective of their community and are beginning to notice the socioeconomic shifts of gentrification. The story follows Rhea and her friends as they create a fake neighborhood 'scare' to keep developers away, only for the plan to spiral into a real mystery when a body is discovered. While the premise involves a high-stakes mystery, the heart of the book is about the loyalty of friendship and the fear of losing one's home. It deals with systemic racism and classism through a sharp, contemporary lens. Parents might choose this to validate their teen's frustrations with social injustice while enjoying a fast-paced, darkly humorous thriller that doesn't shy away from complex moral choices.
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Sign in to write a reviewDepicts systemic racism, police profiling, and the negative impacts of gentrification.
Discovery of a dead body and threats of physical harm.
Protagonists commit illegal acts (fraud/hoaxing) for what they believe is a greater good.
The book deals directly with racism, police profiling, and gentrification. The approach is realistic and secular, offering a gritty look at how young people of color are viewed by authority. The resolution is more realistic than hopeful, emphasizing survival and the enduring bond of community rather than a perfect systemic fix.
A high schooler who is politically conscious, enjoys urban thrillers like 'On My Block,' and is looking for a story that combines social commentary with a page-turning 'whodunnit' mystery.
Parents should be aware of the frequent use of profanity and the dark nature of the central crime. The book can be read cold, but discussing the real-world history of redlining and gentrification provides helpful context. A parent might hear their child expressing deep cynicism about the police or feeling intense anxiety about the family being priced out of their current home.
Younger teens (14) will focus on the 'caper' and the friendship dynamics, while older teens (17-18) will likely engage more deeply with the nuance of the characters' moral ambiguity and the tragedy of the ending.
Adia stands out by blending 'dark comedy' with social justice, avoiding the overly earnest tone of many 'issue books' in favor of a sharp, satirical, and suspenseful voice.
Rhea, Malachi, and Zeke are three inseparable friends in the fictional South L.A. neighborhood of Pineridge. Fed up with rising rents and the influx of white 'pioneers' pushing out their community, they create 'The Slumlord,' an online persona meant to drum up fake crime reports and lower property values. The plan works too well: when a dead body is found in a house they were targeting, the trio must navigate a real police investigation while keeping their own illegal activism a secret.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.