Thank you so much to Net galley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book! I really enjoyed this book, I think I the plot line was excellent and the characters felt real to me! I can’t wait to read more by Brianna!

I received a copy of this book originally through Net Galley, and finally made time to read it recently.
"Briarcliff Prep" follows 14-year-old Avielle LaBeau as she starts her freshman year at the notorious Briarcliff Preparatory School for Girls, one of only a few historically black boarding schools. Avi has to deal with all the normal, angsty teenage things, and she is just trying to make her first year at Briarcliff memorable. Unfortunately, Avi learns there is something going on between her older sister and her boyfriend, and Avi has to decide what she should do about it.
This book felt very well written and very age appropriate. I also really appreciated that the characters reacted to the situations that arose in a way that felt authentic for their age. Avi learns that her older sister's boyfriend is abusive, and her sister does not want Avi to tell anyone about the violence. Not only does her sister act in a way that felt authentic, Avi is tormented by what to do. At only 14, this is such a big issue for her to be tackling all on her own. She is conflicted because she knows that this is not okay and her sister needs help, but she does not want her sister to be mad at her. This type of representation is great to see for this age group because it shows the consequences of what Avi does decide to do. Domestic violence is also far too common, and at any age it can feel difficult to navigate, but especially for high schoolers.
Additionally, I felt like the diversity of characters, and having an all-black cast is great for representation. Young black people have to deal with issues that not everyone else has to, and I think it is vitally important for black young adults to see themselves and their issues represented in media.
Avi is a normal teenager, and she is going through her own turmoil at school. She unintentionally gets placed in a math class that is way above her skill level, she wants more than anything to be on the newspaper but seems to be fighting an uphill battle to get on it, and she has a crush on a boy that she does not think her brothers would approve of. All of these small problems added complexity to Avi and her situation and made her feel more real. She is fun, but more than anything she is relatable.
I had a really great time reading this book, and I think it is a great coming of age story for the young adults of today.

Pause for a second… This story was an incredible portrayal of Black joy, challenges, and the richness of everyday life. But it’s not just about that. It also beautifully explores themes of female empowerment and self-belief, the magic of first loves, and the depth of true friendships. A heads up though, it does deal with tough topics like abuse and controlling relationships, but these elements are handled with meaningful lessons.

This book got off to a bit of a slow start and I had trouble getting into it at first--but once I switched to the audiobook, it worked much better for me! I really appreciate that this book touches upon intimate partner violence, because this is a topic that we need more YA books addressing.

I also loved that the protagonist is 14! Most YA books lean towards 16+ ages and as a teen services librarian, I'm always on the hunt for books that represent younger teens. This book thoughtfully explores sisterhood and Black girlhood.

Overall, not my favorite but definitely a worthwhile read that would be great for fans of Nic Stone or Mahogany Browne!

I love a boarding school mystery, and Briarcliff Prep did not disappoint.

Likeably bratty, as all good boarding school protagonists are, Avi's seemingly perfect life starts to hit some snags. I literally could not put this one down. It was fast-paced, the characters well-developed, and the sensitive content was handled with care.

Well, i was pleasantly surprised by this book. I went into it sorta blind so I was shocked (in a good way) by how deep the story was. This. Oil handles some tough topics that could be triggering for some. The idea of attending a HBBS sounds wonderful. I enjoyed the realistic ending as well. Thank you Netgalley for TBR opportunity.

I forgot to post my review here, but I used this last semester in my young adult literature course. It was great to hear her speak at NCTE and even better to be able to share her words with students alongside the text!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced copy of this book. Boarding school stories are my jam, and I'm so thrilled that we're seeing some written from Black character perspectives now.

In this novel, 14-year-old Avi begins her freshman year at Briarcliff Prep, a fictional Historically Black Boarding School, or HBBS. You will want to be right there with her as she grows, and gains friends and a sense of community.

Briarcliff Prep was such a balanced read for me. There was the perfect amount of tension, joy, angst and depth. I love that Brianna Peppins wrote a book for teens that explores deep topics like dating violence, developing friendships, navigating obstacles and a whole lot more. I would have loved this as a teen, and love it even more as a Morehouse brother. Great job and a must read.

This book is really powerful and poignant. It offers an authentic look into the lives of teens who attend a prestigious prep school.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC of this title. I enjoyed reading this title. Would recommend for my library.

Briarcliff Prep caused me to experience a range of emotions. I had a sense of amazement in not knowing Historically Black Boarding Schools existed! The idea of being able to attend a school like that during high school would have been game changing for me.

The idea of you long experienced for the first time, sisterhood and friendships were themes that resonated with me. There is definitely a trigger warning needed for the teen dating violence. I loved how close knit the LeBeau family was and how they fiercely looked out for one another.

As always, reading YA books are my favorite but I always get upset at some of the decisions these kids make but then I have to remember, young adults will make bad decisions and need space to learn. This was such a good book.

Some interesting elements here. I like the exploration of Historically Black schools and the relationships between these different characters and families. I think maybe it has too many elements, though. It's trying to do a little too much.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

I was in love with this story. I automatically find myself drawn to stories at preparatory/collegiate/university settings, and I love a mystery within one. I love how rich in narration and storyline that these characters are. Peppins tackles some tough topics in addition to the central conflict (domestic abuse, violence, race) that make the characters feel more vivid and powerful. I wasn't a huge fan of the third person POV. I feel this might have been more powerful and descriptive and evocative with a first person narration, but I understand why Peppins chose this route. I will for sure be adding this to my classroom library.

This book was so amazing and I loved seeing an HBBC! As someone who went to a PWI, I didn’t really have that experience of being among my own people…BP gave me that.

I was not the intended target for this book. It was super hard for me to get into, and I was losing interest multiple times. I am not sure what I was looking for, but this book did not pull me into the story. Yes, I did love the HBBS background and all that it entitles, and it just makes you get goosebumps just knowing there are schools like this out there that students get to experience. I was really more into the secret our main character's sister had, and when it was brought up, I was expecting more.
Avi gets to attend a school with her other siblings, but along the way, she finds herself. We see how she learns to stand up for what is right and go after what she wants. I think it was amazing that she never gave up on writing just because of a fellow classmate who could not see her potential, and honestly, I would think she was jealous of Avi. At times I felt that Avi was older than 14 in how she would act. I think teens should read this story as it is a clean book. The only thing within this story is domestic abuse, which teens go through, and they are still learning what a good relationship is.
I think it dragged a lot because we were given a lot of detail from the beginning. I like books that give detail, but sometimes it can be too much. It was also super slow going for me. I am used to the fast pace storylines, and this was not it.
I will say at times, I felt this was not a boarding school but more of a college feel to it, and maybe that is what a boarding school is. It is getting you ready for college more than just a "high school" would. Overall a 3-star rating.

📖My Thoughts📖

As a kid, I was taught never to judge a book by its cover. While this is something I absolutely stand by in the proverbial sense, I never use this theory while choosing an actual book. I often choose a book solely based on the cover itself, never looking at the synopsis. I think it holds a special element of surprise. With that said, when I chose this book, I was preparing myself for some cute YA book about kids that went to a boarding school. What I didn’t expect, was the strong compelling premises that laid ahead. As hard as this book was at times to read, and not for the reasons you think, I am so glad I picked this one up. It had such strong and bold themes that some people are honestly just afraid to touch on, especially with the age group that it was targeted for. I think this was very well written to show the challenges as well as the highlights that encompasses the life of a teenager.
⚠️This book has some trigger warnings including bullying teen dating violence. ⚠️
Thank you Netgalley, Brianna Peppins and Disney Publishing Worldwide for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was an earnest debut, but the plot just wasn't enough to hold me. The dialogue couldve been a tad stronger but I liked the characters for what it was worth overall.

A heartbreaking but great read for teens that addresses some heavy topics. It’s extremely important for more books like this to be written. The characters were fully rounded and the book kept me turning the pages.