This book is a mixed bag, with moments of raw, gripping tension balanced by some frustratingly implausible plot points and questionable character decisions. The story follows two teenagers, Flaco and Magaña, who embark on a dangerous journey to clear their friend Suzi's name, believing she has been wrongfully accused of murder. While their motivations are heartfelt, the choices they make along the way often stretched my suspension of disbelief.

The dynamic between the characters was compelling at times. Flaco, driven by his unwavering love for Suzi, and Magaña, whose bravado masks a deeper vulnerability, had a relationship that felt layered and authentic. The Spanglish dialogue was sharp and grounded, adding a level of realism and emotional weight to their exchanges. However, their naivety and the unrealistic nature of their actions—crossing the border to confront a murderer—often pulled me out of the story.

The pacing was an odd mix; the narrative felt slow in parts, with long stretches of buildup, but still managed to keep me intrigued enough to want to see where it would go. There were moments of real suspense, but they were interspersed with meandering sections that dulled the overall momentum.

Overall, this book has some strong elements, particularly in its exploration of friendship and its raw, clipped dialogue, but it’s let down by its uneven pacing and lack of plausibility. If you’re looking for a fast read and are willing to overlook some plot holes, it might still be worth a try.

Phillippe Diederich immerses readers in the life of a young boy navigating his dual heritage while grappling with the realities of his environment. Diederich’s writing is both lyrical and impactful, effortlessly bringing to life the vibrant backdrop of Diamond Park.

A fast-paced young adult novel about four Mexican American teenagers from Houston and how a murder changes everything. I like novels where my students can see themselves and living in Arizona, Mexican Americans are the primary group I work with.

this book started a little slow, even though I was interested in the story. ended up not being for me but I'm sure it'll find its audience.

I could definitely see several of my students in these characters. Some of the subplot felt a little unnecessary, but overall it was a good read.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

These are the types of YA books I wish I had as a teen. They are real and raw and have meaning. I think that's why I read so much Lurlene McDaniel because she wrote books for teens with serious issues.

But I loved this book and I am glad teens today have such great books.

Diamond Park by Phillippe Diederich is such an under the radar gem. I call it under the radar because as of the time of writing this review it only has 40 ratings and 18 reviews on goodreads. That is MAJORLY under the radar. Which is sad because this was a great listen about four marginalized teenagers and a murder mystery where the simple gets complicated real quick. Diamond Park is about a boy named Flaco who lives in Houston with his mom. He is a good kid and an artist. One day he sees that his dream car is for sale and so he takes the bus with three of his friends to go buy the car in diamond park. Unfortunately, a murder goes down. One of his friends Tiny goes under the radar due to ICE. His other friend Susi is arrested. And so Flaco and Magana go to Mexico intent on proving Susi's innocence and also catching this kingpin named Anaconda.

I thought Diamond Park was an excellent listen. It is 9 hours and 41 minutes long and narrated by Andres Zuno. Zuno is new to me as a narrator but I loved his narration style -- very easy to listen to and understand. This book had some interesting twists to it. Also, protect Flaco at all costs, okay. I thought this was so well written and it just kept my attention too - with the whole murder mystery aspect. If you're looking to try a book that is fast paced and under the radar -- get your hands on this book -- especially via audio.

Diamond Park is a murder mystery with fantastic friendship. I thought it was well written, but my favorite part was the complex characters.

High school senior Flaco and Tiny decide to skip school one day to accompany their friend Magaña to pick up a car: a 1950s Impala. Susi, the youngest of a very strict family and someone Flaco has a crush on, decides to join them the day of the retrieval.

After arriving in Diamond Park, the boys head off to get the car where it’s stored, leaving Susi alone with two older men. By the time the boys return, something terrible has occurred, with police and an ambulance at the scene, and Susi covered in blood. Flaco and Tiny are freaked out (Tiny particularly so as he and his family are in the US illegally), and the soon Flaco and Magaña decide to find out what really happened, and return to Diamond Park, and eventually cross the border after answers, encountering numerous difficulties, but amazingly, getting what they need.

Terrific characters and dialogue grace this tautly written novel. Flaco is a wonderfully portrayed, an artistic guy who cares a lot about his friends and mother, is still dealing with the devastating loss of his brother, and is beginning to experience his first real attraction to someone else.

He and Magaña make an interesting pair as they travel together in Magaña‘s beloved Impala. What’s really great is watching the boys, particularly Magaña, begin to figure out what’s important to them, and who they might want to be as they get older.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Young Readers Group for this ARC in exchange for my review.

This book tackles a lot of serious issues in a way that younger audiences can definitely identify with. I have some questions about whether the plot makes sense, but at least the story was entertaining. I didn't really identify with the characters very much, but I think that's probably because the plot seemed so far-fetched. I never was bored or disinterested in the story, though, so I ultimately rate this one 3.5 stars.

We love a friendship story and a "oops you're in a murder mystery" wrapped into one. Perfectly paced with the perfect amount of suspense and believability.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group and Dutton Books for Young Readers for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

Flaco isn't the kind of guy who gets into trouble. He doesn't want his mother and aunt to suffer, since they had enough since his cousin Carlos died serving in Afghanistan. When he and his friends Tiny, Magaña, and Susi decide to ride the bus from Houston to Diamond Park to buy a used car, everything changes in their lives. The transaction gets complicated and Susi find herself with a knife covered in blood and when Tiny has to disappear to avoid ICE, .Flaco and Magaña decide to set things right by riding south, trying to find the trafficker named Anaconda, who they believe is the real killer in order to clear Susi's name. In a fast paced, complex and thrilling adventure they manage to kidnapping and understand what really happened in Diamond Park.

In this YA novel, four Mexican-American teenagers find themself in a captivating adventure, with a '59 Chevy Impala, a murder and a kidnapping, upsetting and changing their own lives. The story is skillfully written, with well timed plot twists and great characters, relatable in their actions, reactions and feelings.
I was involved in the story since the beginning and I've found amazing how the author dealt with these teenagers' traumas, struggles, immigration and mental health. This book seems the plot of a movie and it was so intriguing and well written it was like I was there with them, crossing to Mexico, looking for a trafficker, fighting to clear their friend's name.
Wild, fast paced and so well written, I loved everything of this captivating adventure.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for providing me with an e-ARC of Diamond Park in exchange for an honest review; I also listened to a complimentary audiobook provided by Penguin Random House Audio!

Diamond Park has a lot going on. Four Mexican-American teenagers head to Diamond Park in order to pick up a car, but what happens is completely unexpected for the teens: a murder happens & they end up in the middle of a whodunnit?

It becomes fast-paced after that & we are taken on a wild ride as the characters try to clear their friend's name. Characters are well-developed & feel very real.

Also, the audiobook narrator does a phenomenal job at bringing these characters even more to life!

The synopsis of Diamond Park completely sold me right away! Described as "a fast-paced YA novel about four Mexican-American teenaged from Houston, a '59 Chevy Impala, and murder that changes their lives forever." Honestly, how can you read this and NOT be hooked right away?!
The characters were so complex and had a lot going for them, it felt like they were genuinely new people we were meeting and getting to know throughout the whole story. The characters felt real and had hearts of gold. The book is suspenseful and kept you turning pages and guessing from start to finish. This book definitely deserves more love.

The character development was done very well in this book. 4 Mexican American teenagers wanting to clear one of their names from a murder investigation sets them on this crazy adventure. I could feel the anxiety bouncing of the pages and it had my feelings all in a rollercoaster. Entertaining read, fast paced and well written.

Thank you PenguinTeen for the earc an exchange for an honest review.

The tagline for this one sold me: “A fast-paced YA novel about four Mexican-American teenagers from Houston, a '59 Chevy Impala, and a murder that changes their lives forever.” Give me a murder mystery, Mexican culture and teenage drama any day. Plus add incredible friendships and extreme loyalty and this book was a winner. These characters were so complex and had deep layers. This book was engaging snd suspenseful from start to finish. I haven’t seen many people share this book yet, but it is one I hope many people pick up!

Thanks to Penguin Teen for the advanced copy!

DNF’d @11% in.

I went into this book with such high hopes as a Latine reviewer. However, this was just not for me. I’m Autistic and the writing style was extremely difficult for me to connect with. It took me over an entire month to get 11% into this ARC. However, I still tried to finish reading this book because I had high hopes and it is an Advanced Readers Copy. With that said, there are many offensive things in this book that are left unchallenged and that made me entirely too uncomfortable to keep reading. Some examples are Islamophobia, fatphobia, and anti-sex work. Here is a list of other content warnings you should be made aware of before picking up this book: death, grief, violence, domestic violence, murder, ICE, racism, misogyny, etc.

STILL READ THIS BOOK!! I understand my review isn’t me jumping for joy about this story, however, I do think this could be really important and empowering for other readers. Give it a try and see if this is to your liking. Look into reviews by other Latine readers, especially Mexican reviewers. The book isn’t out yet, so the reviews are sparse, but keep an eye out for after this book is released on March 8th, 2022.

This review is based on an ARC copy.

Wow, what a book. I devoured this story. I was captivated from the start and I wanted to know everything. I spent the book second-guessing my own instincts and falling for characters who needed their rough edges rounded out. I enjoyed how the author crafted this story to get at the heart of what it means to be children of immigrants and how their experiences are different than those of their predecessors. The heart of this book will keep anyone engaged till the end.

I really enjoyed this title. It was a quick read, not boring, and a bit suspenseful. The 4 teenaged characters were well written and went through challenges that so many teenagers face. You could feel the anxiety they felt over certain situations and it made me wonder how many of my students feel the same way, I’ll definitely be ordering this title in the future.