⭐Book Review⭐
The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris is such a great YA novel!
🧡
This book really has it all. There's a little bit of fantasy, great character development, some pop culture, AND real-life injustices that cannot be ignored.
💚
Alex is cursed with the ability to see the future, even though he knows that he can't do anything to change it. It's such an excellent premise.
💜
The author's note at the end describes how the author really wanted to write a book about "Black boy joy," but she soon sensed that "something about writing it felt wrong." She wanted to write a book "that speaks alongside Black men, and not over them." I think she definitely achieved her purpose.
💙
I truly only have good things to say about this book. It's certainly an excellent read. Thank you @simonschusterca for this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
💛

It took a bit to get going for me personally but by the end I was completely invested in the story and the characters. I realize that's a very generic statement that could be applied to many reading experiences, but the less I say the better for The Cost of Knowing aside from what's in the promotional language.

As someone who experiences bouts of anxiety, I could relate with Alex up to a certain point. I can't imagine not wanting to touch ANYTHING however for fear of seeing something awful, that's a curse, not a gift. What would you do if you could see the future? What if that future was filled with pain? These are difficult things to answer and I feel Brittney does a marvelous job balancing both the tactile aspects of this story with the surreal.

By the time the book starts to reveal certain important facts that change the trajectory, you're firmly behind Alex's decisions that he makes each and every day, and how those decisions deeply affect his relationships, both past, present, and future.

Good luck not feeling affected by this novel in some way after you've read it, and definitely read the acknowledgements for a deeper and thoughtful understanding of Brittney's motivations.

While this is both an extremely powerful and beautifully written book, I am having to press pause on it for a short while for my own mental health. Morris' depictions of anxiety are raw and amazingly written, however I am finding that it is a trigger for my own anxiety right now.

I am hoping to come back to this book in February.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC. I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the book, and writing a full review.

38% complete at time of pause, and a placeholder 4 star ranking has been given.

Final star rating and full review to come.

The Cost Of Knowing is amazing, and not to mention- an emotional read. I love family dynamics-especially between siblings. Morris wrote Alex and Isaiahs relationship perfectly. Brittney Morris is such a talented writer, every scene was flawless! I think Morris' comment; “To all the Black boys who had to grow up too early.” beautifully represents the book.
Everyone should pick this up on release date, it's such an important novel.

The dedication page encapsulates this story perfectly: “To all the Black boys who had to grow up too early.” It’s a love letter and a wake up call bundled together.

~★~ What is this book about? ~★~

The Cost of Knowing follows Alex, a teenage boy who lost his parents in an accident years ago. He now lives with his aunt and little brother Isaiah, who are some of the few pieces of happiness left in his life. Alex has the strange ability to see the future with touch, and his world is turned upside down by a vision of his brother Isaiah in a casket sometime within the next week. Alex knows his visions can’t be prevented, but now is the time when he has to change that. Losing his little brother isn’t an option.

~★~

For what it set out to accomplish, this story was fantastic. It broke my heart and mended it time and time again, to the point were I started questioning everything. It’s been a while since a story took my breath away like The Cost of Knowing has. Brittney Morris does an impeccable job bringing anxiety and grief to life through Alex while also weaving a really unique story I couldn’t stop reading.

Morris is clearly a talented author, making me feel a sincere attachment to both Alex and Isaiah from the start. It was hard not to connect with Alex especially; as the protagonist, his stream of consciousness was delivered so convincingly that I felt a deep connection to his character despite not being able to personally relate to him.

This was a really, really great book. I can’t wait for its publication so others can experience what I just have. A brilliant story, and one that I’m so glad to have read!

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

First off, let's get this out of the way. Slay was incredible. I genuinely couldn't believe it was Morris's debut when I read it. The Cost of Knowing is so good that it managed to remind me that Slay was a debut.

16-year-old Alex is trying to navigate a girlfriend, part-time job, his relationship with his aunt and brother, and the expectations of his dead parents. That's all a lot even for kids without magical curses.

Alex sees the future of everything he touches and as a result, does everything he can to keep from touching anything and anyone. it's lead to conflict with his girlfriend and job but luckily he doesn't have to do much to avoid touching his 12-year-old brother Isaiah since he stays in his room most days anyway. When Alex accidentally touches an object that shows him his brothers incoming and unavoidable death, he decide to do everything in his power to do everything in his power to keep his brother as safe and happy as possible for as long as possible. And maybe he'll break a curse around the way.

The way Morris interweaves racial tensions and issues with this book's curse elements and Alex's relationship with all the other characters is stunning. Knowing that Isaiah's probably going to die never once takes away from the growing dread of knowing we must be getting closer and closer to his death, and I loved how everything plays out.

Whether or not you were obsessed with Slay, you need to read this.