What piqued my interest the most about this was the blurb about THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END. That is one of my favorite books of all time, and this certainly lives up to the hype.

This is about black voices, lives, and how both of those are important and matter.

But it is also about stories, secrets, and what we hide from others to keep us safe and sane.

I really enjoyed this, thank you for the e-galley.

Though I enjoy the general concept for this story, I am not vested enough in the character's story to continue.

What would you do if you had the power to see the future? How much control do we have to change our destinies?

Ever since the car accident that killed his parents, sixteen year old Alex Rufus has had powers. Or is it a curse? Alex can see the future of everything and everyone he touches. The longer he touches something, the further into the future he sees. Alex has tried to find a way around his visions, and nothing has worked. So when Alex picks up a family photo and sees the imminent death of his younger brother, Isaiah, he’ll try anything to find a different outcome, or to at least make Isaiah’s last few days the best he possibly can.

In the acknowledgements, Brittney Morris wrote that her original intention was to write a joyful book about Black boys with superpowers, but that she found it impossible to write that book without first writing this, a “Black-boy-joy-despite” book. The Cost of Knowing hurts; it is heart wrenching, anxiety evoking, and hopeful all at once.

The Cost of Knowing deals with concepts related to fate vs. free will, grief and loss, mental health, the power of familial relationships, ancestry, the unifying power of music, the lengths we go to protect the ones we love, identity, racism, oppression, and the impact of white supremacy on Black masculinity.

I loved how Morris explored concepts related to mental health, and the interplay between mental health and masculinity. Alex’s visions are intrusive, mostly undesired, and don’t discriminate between the mundane and the meaningful. The visions take his focus and impair his functioning. He tries not to touch anything, which negatively impacts his part-time job scooping ice cream, and his relationship with his girlfriend. Aside from the visions, Alex shares his experiences of anxiety, and the book explores the impact of trauma and grief. Bonus points for a positive portrayal of therapy.

Slay was one of my top reads last year, and Morris’ sophomore novel doesn’t disappoint.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon Pulse for an advance copy for review. All opinions are my own.

Let me start by saying this book will definitely hit you! I loved it! What would you do if you possessed a curse that caused you to see into the future with every touch? How would you handle the truth that your brother is going to die and the only one who knows it is you? That's the premise of Brittney Morris's The Cost of Knowing. Alex sees an image of his little brother's grave and knows only that he is powerless to stop it and he doesn't know when or how it will happen, so he sets out to provide his brother with the best final days that he can. Along the way, Alex realizes that he might not be the only one with a special power which only complicates the matter even more.

I think everyone has wondered what it might be like if you could see into the future. Some may have even wanted to have that superpower. I think this book will leave you thinking and maybe even second guessing whether or not that power is a blessing or a curse. There are certainly moments throughout the book where Alex isn't sure which it is!

Fuck, Brittney Morris has broken my heart again and then mended it back together with little bits of beautiful, painful story. THE COST OF KNOWING makes you want to cry, hug your sibling(s), and to face every fear you have possible. This is one of the most important books you could possibly read.

As I always say I am not own voices on these subjects so please go and check out those reviews.
This was a hard book to read and review. There are a lot of hard subjects being covered in this book but it is definitely worth it if you can handle it. This is so moving and emotional so this is also not a book you "enjoy" but a book that teaches you. It moved me in so many ways. I actually broke down and cried several times while reading this book.
This is definitely a rough and hard book but worth it. This was also a really unique take a story we all need to hear and learn. I am definitely going to recommend this book at work as much as possible.

"I've tried to alter the future too many times to think it'll work anymore."

Alex Rufus is 16, Black, working at Scoop's ice cream shop, and cursed. At least, that's how he thinks of his power to see the future. When he touches something with the palm of his hand, he sees what will happen to that thing. The more time he's spent touching the item, the farther into its future he sees. For example, he's touched the ice cream scoop so many times by now that he estimates his vision of someone else taking the shop over from Scoop is about two years in the future. Alex gained this ability three years ago, after he and his brother survived the car crash that killed their parents. His anxiety is not helped by this constant inundation of visions. By thinking about it, he can stop them as they start, but still - he touches his clothes in the morning and sees himself putting them on, someone hands him a business card and he sees himself throwing it away in a moment. Constant.

When his girlfriend Talia took his hand, Alex had a vision of their future and saw her as he never had before - furious with him. He doesn't know why she would be angry with him, and, scared to know what comes after, avoids touching her again. But then his visions show him something even more important than their possible breakup. Holding a photo of his family that slipped under the sofa, Alex sees himself pocketing the photo. He has no idea why he would, so he continues the vision. Looking at the photo in bed at night, looking at the photo at a graveyard, looking at the photo in bed again, the photo traveling in his pocket in darkness, the photo illuminated through his pocket by flashing lights, and looking at the photo at the graveyard again, this time at the side of a grave. The grave of his younger brother, Isaiah. Alex saw a future death once before and hid. For his brother, he wants to make the time count.

Brittney Morris' sophomore effort is just as great as her debut - I tore through this! Alex knowing what will come in the future along with his anxiety creates a tension throughout the story. I'm usually not a fan of magical realism, but this worked for me. I loved watching the brothers grow closer. Alex builds on lessons from his father and others to figure out what's most important to him, and Alex and Isaiah both have to confront their fear and find courage. The book is dedicated "To all the Black boys who had to grow up too early" and there are a lot of heavy topics here. These content warnings contain spoilers: death, racism/prejudice, anxiety, mass shooting

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC. The Cost of Knowing will be published April 6th, 2021.

Ever since the accident that killed his parents, Alex Rufus tries to avoid touching things with his hands because when he does, he’s forced to look into the future. Alex gets a vision of the death of his younger brother, and he’s determined to mend their relationship before that happens if he can't stop it from happening.

I loved the magical realism part of this story where it describes Alex's visions when he touches things and how he cancels out visions. I also enjoyed following his relationship with Talia. The story had me really engaged until about the middle of the book. The rapping and shiv. I was not interested in I wanted read more about his powers and relationships with the other characters. My favorite parts were at the beginning of the story, Alex is a great character that deals with a lot of things as a young adult.

I love the cover to this book and overall I think if you enjoy young adult contemporary books with a touch of fantasy/magic realism you'd enjoy this.

This book tried to be a lot of things, an ambitious undertaking that worked in some ways and in others, it felt a little forced. It was a story of love, of many generations of racism and fear and knowing. It was a story of loss, a coming of age story, mixed with the curse of knowing the future. While the curse moved the story along, it was a little distracting and took away from the more powerful moments

Heartbreaking, gripping, expressive Young Adult novel about brotherhood, prejudice, being black in America, and resilience. Exploring the effects of Trauma overtime and injustices in society. It's about Alex Rufus, an 16 year old who can see the future, his brother Isaiah sees the past. Alex and Isaiah lives with their Aunt Mackie after their parents were killed in a car accident.

~Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!~

My Rating: 5 stars

This was my first ARC review with Netgalley and it was amazing!

First Impressions\Overall Thoughts: This book drew me in from the start. I absolutely loved how it had fantasy elements while also being centered around real-life issues such as racism, the danger of stereotypes, anxiety, and grief. Brittny Morris did a great job of weaving all the elements together in a way that left me wanting more and “flipping” pages as quickly as humanly possible.


Characters: Alex’s character with his anxiety and regrets and also his love for those around him was written perfectly. From page one, I wanted to know what was going to happen to him. I have to admit though that Isaiah was my favorite character. He was just so thoughtful and funny and so twelve-year-old boyish that I wanted him to stay like that forever. I was rooting for him and hoping with everything in me that Alex would be able to protect him.


Emotions: Alex’s relationship with his brother Isaiah was so so beautiful that it left me wanting to cry even when they weren’t talking about something sad. I loved reading about how they started off barely talking to each other but slowly opened up and began to share their feelings and experiences with each other.

The anxiety and grief that the characters were feeling were portrayed so well that it felt as real as if I were really them. But the nice scenes with them together were just as breathtaking.

This book gave a fresh take on an important issue and I’m looking forward to its official release into the world!

✨ You can find this review and others on my blog here: https://emailsmily.wixsite.com/readingfrenzy!✨

In her second novel, Brittney Morris proves that she is a master at crafting great characters. Alex and Isiah are pitch-perfect realistic young men facing the prejudice directed at them for their skin color. The brothers' relationship and behavior make them real as they struggle with the death of their parents and the "curse" they both bear. Morris explores the threats young African American's face every day because of insidious racism in the United States. Alex and Isiah's experiences mirror the experiences of many young readers. The commentary on social issues in this book is truthful and should/can start a much-needed discussion. However, I had a slight issue with the science fiction aspect of The Cost of Knowing. Alex's ability to see the future was jarring in its occurrences and quickly became repetitive. I didn't need to read Alex seeing the future of every object he touched; it slowed down the narrative and made the book seem too slow. However, even with the slight issues, the book is well crafted and touches on important, relevant topics.

The Cost of Knowing explores the concept of the future. If you had the ability to see a snippet of the future, what would you do? I feel like we think about this often, but the actual manifestation of it, and Alex's powers, would actually be terrifying. How would we divert, or prevent, the future? How would we know how much of our life was our own decision, or just destiny? Is there a difference? The Cost of Knowing has this fabulous world building seed that has all these ramifications. Is Alex's power a gift or a curse?

In our world where touch is fraught with health concerns, for Alex he risks seeing our future in the simplest of gestures. Can you even imagine how that would be? Alex is saddled with not only this heavy mental, and emotional, burden, but also the weight and anxiety of the future. He's very literally afraid of reaching out to because of the knowledge of what could be. The Cost of Knowing is a unique and thought provoking book as it explores this concept and the ripples it leaves.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and she can count me as a confirmed fan.

Alex and his younger brother, Isaiah, were orphaned four year ago after the family was involved in a car accident. Since then, they’ve been raised by their aunt. Sixteen-year-old Alex is trying to be all things for everyone he knows – his employer, his girlfriend, his brother, and even his deceased parents. He also suffers from panic attacks. Since the car accident, every time he touches someone or something, he sees the future of that person or object. After seeing Isaiah’s death, he’s determined to repair their relationship and close the distance between them that developed after their parents’ passing.

Much of this book is spent in Alex’s head with his swirling thoughts, fears, and visions. The author does an incredible job at making the reader feel the grief, anxieties, and pressures Alex experiences nearly every minute of every day. It’s far too much for someone his age to have to carry. And then there are the racial issues. The brothers live in a predominantly white, upper class, gated community. Neighbors who claim not to be racists very clearly are, but fail to see it.

This book is heartbreaking in so many ways and will absolutely wreck you. But it’s also a powerful story that includes joyous bonding moments between Alex and Isaiah. The vivid supporting characters seem to rise from the pages. Talia, Alex’s girlfriend, is a delight, and Aunt Mackie is a strong, successful woman who loves her nephews unconditionally. Although I dreaded what was coming, you couldn’t have pried this book from my hands over the last thirty percent. It’s bittersweet, but also hopeful and so very timely and important. I can’t wait to see what this author does next.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was really impressed with this book. The characters were really well developed and I thought that the plot was really engaging. I will definitely be reading more of Brittney Morris' upcoming books.

After his parents were killed in a car accident, 16-year-old Alex Rufus somehow developed the ability to see the future. All he has to do is touch something and he can see what will happen in the near-future. When he touches an old family photo and sees a vision of his little brother’s funeral, Alex’s whole world changes.

I don’t like to say books are “important” or “must-read” but that’s how I felt after finishing this one. I saw another reviewer describe this as a hard read but a necessary one, and I think that perfectly describes it.

Advertised as Dear Martin meets They Both Die at the End, The Cost of Knowing is sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes inspiring look at what it means to be a Black boy in America.

Thanks to Netgalley and SimonTeen for this ARC!

Release date: April 6, 2021

In her acknowledgments Brittney Morris explained that this was a "A love letter to the Black men who had to grow up too early, and for whom the task of being carefree and joyful and Black and male might seem impossible." It is wonderfully intense! The Cost of Knowing is a story full of love, laughter, and tears. I enjoyed the back story of Alex and Isaiah's powers, tracing their lineage to before their ancestors were enslaved and I loved their brotherhood and the bond that developed through music.
Alex is like so many young adults who deal with so much and have bottled up emotions that they don't know how to handle. With the ignorance of his neighbors, his feelings for his girlfriend, grief over the loss of his parents and best friend, and maintaining a job, his anxiety is almost tangible.
This is definitely a powerful lesson in family curses, facing fears and racism, it is a relevant story that can be added to any high school classrooms.
Thanks NetGalley.

Sixteen year old Alex has been through a lot of loss and now suffers from constant anxiety along with the ability to see the future. He is just trying to survive when he suddenly sees a vision of his little brother in a casket. Scared he will lose him before he even gets to know him, Alex rushes to spend time with Isaiah while juggling his responsibilities and being guided by his late dad's words on what it means to be a man. Alex and Isaiah start to lean on each other and break down each other's walls, and it's beautiful to see. However, as Alex tells his girlfriend, black boys can't just be kids in a world that sees them as a threat.

I loved seeing the brotherly love between Alex and Isaiah and if I were a teacher, I would recommend this to all of my students. This book is sweet, wise, terrifying, and crushing.

DNF at 48%

Let me just say that this is not a bad book by any means. I think it is very successful in what it's trying to do, but I wasn't expecting some things that made it difficult for me to continue reading. And maybe I should have known as it has been comped to They Both Die at the End, which I had similar feelings about.

The Cost of Knowing is a love letter to Black boys, following a teen boy who has been "cursed" with the ability to see visions of the future when he touches things, even since his parents died in an accident. When he sees his younger brother die in a vision, he decides to make the most of the time they have left. We see them trying to navigate life through microagressions, racist profiling, and the pressures of grief and anxiety. The brothers have been really disconnected since the death of their parents and this vision pushes Alex to reach out and reforge a bond with his younger brother. Meanwhile, there is a white neighbor trying to stop a concert with a famous rapper bring "those people" into the neighborhood.

There's a lot that is great about this book and I think it's going to be very valuable for people. So why am I DNFing? We are entirely in Alex's head and he is dealing with severe anxiety. Due to the vision thing, he is constantly on edge, dealing intrusive thoughts, spiraling and trying to externally keep it together. Brittney Morris does a wonderful job of viscerally depicting the experience of that kind of anxiety. And as someone who also has to manage anxiety, it was just becoming too much for me to read. So going in, do be aware that's what this book is like. It's very well executed, but for my own sake I'm not going to continue with it. I received an advance copy of this book for review via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, devastating, and absolutely brilliant. every black boy, whether he is rich or poor, gay or straight, mentally ill or neurotypical, needs to read this.