06/07/2021
In this YA debut by Zhao (the Dragon Warrior series), Sinclair Prep, a private “elite high school that ranked number one in every area imaginable” on New York City’s Upper West Side, is home to myriad sins. Domineering Chinese American junior class president Jamie Ruan fell from grace two months ago after her father was arrested for embezzlement. When she goes missing, Chinese American poet and junior scholarship student Nancy Luo is eager to fill her queen bee shoes. That is, until an anonymous figure called the Proctor starts posting on school gossip app Tip Tap, implicating Jamie’s former best friends in her death. Nancy, fellow Chinese American scholarship student Alexander Lin, Indian track star and hotel heir Akil Patel, and Korean fashionista and pharmaceuticals heiress Krystal Choi must find the murderer—and protect their own secrets—before the Proctor takes them down. Discourse regarding drugs, fashion, gangs, race, and privilege feels shallow, and an apparent lack of research undermines credibility. Still, interwoven Tip Tap posts, text messages, and flashbacks maintain intrigue, and Nancy’s first-person narration capably drives this fast-paced thriller to its unrelenting close. Ages 14–up. Agent: Penny Moore, Aevitas Creative Management. (Aug.)
A delicious shock on every page. Zhao has written a modern Gossip Girl for the BIPOC set that serves up urgent insights on class, race, and the brutality of high school striving.” —Stephan Lee, author of K-POP CONFIDENTIAL
“Through the eyes of her fierce, determined, and morally grey protagonist, Zhao unflinchingly exposes the pressures of elite high schools. This juicy thriller is steeped in secrets, betrayal, and toxic competitiveness—you won't be able to put it down.” —Diana Urban, author of ALL YOUR TWISTED SECRETS
“Dark, deceptive, and deliciously deadly, How We Fall Apart cuts to the core of the Asian American experience through a fast-paced, twisty academia thriller.” —Amélie Wen Zhao, author of the Blood Heir trilogy
“In this page-turning debut, Zhao weaves an exhilarating tale that shimmers with adventure, love, and loyalty. Readers will be enthralled up to the incredible and absolutely breathless end.” —J.C. Cervantes, New York Times bestselling author of THE STORM RUNNER, on THE DRAGON WARRIOR
“Dark, thrilling mystery. Readers who love Karen M. McManus will enjoy this fast-paced, dramatic story.” —School Library Journal
“[The] first-person narration capably drives this fast-paced thriller to its unrelenting close.” —Publishers Weekly
“This standout prep school murder mystery . . . . [Is] an enticing new treat for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Karen McManus.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Part thriller, part mystery, Katie Zhao weaves a suspenseful read that will have readers on the edge of their seat.” —School Library Connection
“. . . this is one that fans of Sara Shepard and Karen McManus will kill to read.” —Booklist
04/01/2021
Gr 9 Up—In this dark, thrilling mystery, high school junior Nancy Luo's former best friend Jamie is found dead. Nancy and her three friends are taunted by an anonymous person known as The Proctor. They are in a race against time as they try to uncover The Proctor's identity before their secrets are exposed to the entire school on a social app, Tip Tap. Secrets shared on Tip Tap have real consequences, including ostracizing, suspensions, or even loss of scholarships. Nancy's story alternates between the past and present as she remembers how Jamie belittled her, instilled fear into her, and used her own good deeds to get Nancy to do whatever she wanted. After taking an emotional beating the majority of the story, Nancy learns how to stick up for herself, which will be a relief to readers. Nancy endures school stress, the impact of social media gossip, low self-confidence, and the high expectations of her parents, who are Chinese immigrants. Zhao sheds light on the competitiveness students face in the private school sector, driven by parents and social media. This story includes scenes of drug use, excessive bullying, suicide, and a romantic relationship between a teacher and a student. VERDICT Readers who love Karen M. McManus will enjoy this fast-paced, dramatic story.—Kharissa Kenner, Bank Street Sch. for Children, New York City
2021-06-01
When Sinclair Prep’s top student winds up dead, everyone suspects her ex–best friends, whose secrets are about to be unveiled by an anonymous messenger.
Surrounded by wealthy peers, Nancy Luo is a scholarship student at the prestigious Richard Sinclair Preparatory School and a second-generation immigrant determined to repay her parents for their sacrifices with academic success. But it’s impossible to outrank Jamie Ruan, whose brutal competitiveness leads her to do whatever it takes to come out on top, including hurting Nancy, her friend of over a decade. After her dad is imprisoned for embezzlement, Jamie goes missing and then is shockingly pronounced dead by someone with the username The Proctor on the gossip app Tip Tap. The Proctor identifies four potential suspects among the student body: Nancy, Akil Patel, Krystal Choi, and Alexander Lin. All were former friends of Jamie’s, each one has a secret, and all of them, including Jamie, have been haunted by The Incident, which they’ve kept buried since freshman year. This standout prep school murder mystery features a predominantly Asian American cast that varies in ethnicity and socio-economic background. It honestly depicts the psychological struggles of overachieving students, especially those arising from parental pressure. The truth of The Proctor’s identity might strain credulity, but careful pacing and a tantalizing cliffhanger ending will leave readers thirsting for more.
An enticing new treat for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Karen McManus. (Mystery. 13-18)
