A LGBTQ+ club being targeted for the attack of a cheerleader? Count me in!

I was super excited to read this and it lived up to the hype, mostly. I wish it had more edge of your seat danger, but I don’t think this is what it was actually trying to portray. The who dun it reveal didn’t 100% sell me, but I still loved the outcome. Overall, I loved the characters and the message behind the story.

This was funny and light hearted, but provided a deep message. The sad part is that schools across the country are targeting clubs like these and the students who need them. When will we stop needing to fight this battle? Seriously, it’s exhausting…but that’s a whole other topic.

This was fast paced, fun and interesting enough to keep me reading to the end. I wouldn’t call it a thriller, but I loved it nonetheless!

"Pride or Die" was a good book. The author depicts LGBTQ discrimination in a realistic way, including the all-too-common issue of people not speaking up about it, not wanting to get involved, not wanting to be accused of being LGBTQ themselves, not wanting to get harassed themselves. The lack of visible allies makes the efforts of Eleanor, Noah, Tyler, and Salim to save the school's LGBTQ+ club that much more important, as they want to leave school knowing there is a safe place for students like them. Head Cheerleader Kenley Stevens was attacked at school, and an unfortunate set of circumstances makes it appear that the LGBTQ+ club members are involved. They are convenient scapegoats, and there is a history between Kenley and the club members, especially club president Eleanor.

Being blamed for the attack and dealing with the discriminatory actions of the principal is hard enough, but things become stranger when Kenley, the victim, wants to help Eleanor and friends find the culprit, and is being uncharacteristically friendly. Solving the mystery will involve exposing a number of secrets involving students and faculty.

Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I have been so excited for this book that I couldn’t wait to read it! Eleanora is the president of her school’s LGBTQ+ club, unfortunately after she graduates this year the club is likely to end. They haven’t been able to get new members since last year’s club fair when they were ridiculed by the head cheerleader and her friends. Since then Eleanora and her friends Noah, Tyler, and Salim have been bullied. Well not Salim because he’s a jock who’s still kind of closeted. So she’s determined to make this year better for her friends, things don’t go as planned when the head cheerleader is attacked and Eleanora and her first are the first to the scene. With a homophobic principal and a less then stellar police force the LGBTQ+ club are the main suspects and things are looking more and more like they will go down for the crime. So they decide if they want to keep their club and their futures they’ll have to find the would be killer themselves. But do they have the skills to do so? Or are they just putting themselves in danger? A mystery that will keep you thinking! But the book also touches on a lot of real world issues for queer folks. Eleanora and her friends face homophobia, bullying, and a system that doesn’t care. They’re a lovable bunch that had me rooting for them! I love Noah and his loud mouth humor! The Mario and Luigi situation had me cackling!! Strong determined characters make this a queer mystery not to be missed!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this galley in exchange for an honest review.

If you like lighthearted, Scooby-Doo esque teen crime-solving hijinks, but with more queerness, this might be the book for you!

It was a smidgen too lighthearted for me. There was also a severe case of the disappearing parents that felt conspicuous. It just wasn't for me, but I very much respect the effort.

Three stars.

I’ve been thinking for ages that young adult needs more relatively low-stakes and lighthearted mystery novels! I totally love the suspenseful thrillers that top our bestseller lists, but I also think that sometimes you just want to solve a mystery without getting into all of the terror and trauma that comes with it. This book totally satisfied that itch for me! I loved seeing everything slowly come together, but more importantly, I loved seeing the friendships between the main characters, as well as their interactions with the adults around them. I hope that we get more books like this really soon.

Book:
PRIDE OR DIE by CL Montblanc
Much thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the Earc (April 15)

Review:
3⭐
PRIDE OR DIE follows Eleanora, Tyler, Noah, and Salim. When someone attack a cheerleader, and they're some of the first people on scene, they must work together to figure out who's responsible before someone else gets hurt, and their club get banned forever.
PRIDE OR DIE was, I don't even know how to describe it. On one hand, I applaud the author for an actual plot twist, a whodunit that I never would have saw coming. On the other, I'm dumbfounded because I have no idea how they put two and two together and came up with [REDACTED].
I didn't find this as thrilling as I wanted to. It wasn't like a OMG I need to read this all in one sitting because the mystery is so top-notch. As the story dragged on, it became a OMG, they need to hurry up an tell me the whodunit because I was growing bored. Honestly, with a title like PRIDE OR DIE, and a cover with b*ood splatter, I was expecting more than what was delivered---more mystery, more thrills, and a better explanation as to how they came up with [REDACTED] as the culprit

So freaking good. I was expecting something mysterious and unexpected and I got exactly what I wanted and so much more. The mystery and the suspense is top notch but the characters and their personalities make it seem like they are right there next to you during the story.

I thought the mystery at the center of this novel was a little weak and kind of Scooby Doo-ish, actually, but I didn't even care because the writing itself was brilliant! I loved the dialogue and how funny and true to life it felt, and I thought the social commentary was timely and really smart and poignant. The writing is sharp and snappy and, frankly, fun to read. I'm looking forward to more from CL Montblanc!
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thai was a good book, one I wish had been around when I was a teenager. Maybe it wouldn’t have taken me until 40 to come out if that were the case? As for the negatives, they were few. Parts were almost painfully cheesy and obvious, no one is all one thing or another. We’re all multifaceted and contradictory and confusing. Sometimes the characters felt like they were written for a bad B movie plot. The positives? Representation. The whole twist. How the improbable odds somehow worked out for the protagonists. All in all, pretty good!

A YA mystery novel about a group of LGBTQ+ teens that are flash accused and have to clear their names. I felt there were several big plot holes but it was a fun book.

This book was a surprise. I didn't expect to laugh out loud as much as I did. Great characters and the story flowed well. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Thank you to the author/publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this ARC.

I really loved this one and the characters. The storyline grabs you right away and it keeps you guessing on who did it til the end. I was actual wrong in my guess of the culprit which doesn't happen often for YA books. I think this one will be a popular book when it finally gets released to the public.

What truly stands out is how the story tackles serious themes like friendship, identity, and the pressure to fit in, all while maintaining a lighthearted tone. The plot is a wild ride, with clever twists that kept me guessing. The author’s unique blend of humor and mystery makes this a standout debut. I couldn’t help but root for this ragtag crew as they uncover secrets, challenge stereotypes, and, most importantly, learn to embrace who they are. A fantastic read for anyone who loves a good laugh with a side of sleuthing.

This book was geeatsuch a queer rich smart and pacey dark comedy. CL Montblanc debut novel kept me enraptured and left me wanting more.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great and fun dark comedy, it had everything that I enjoyed about other high school dark comedies. The characters had that charm and care to them and I was wanting to know what was going to happen to them. CL Montblanc has that spark that I was hoping for and enjoyed the murder mystery overall.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!!

I really enjoyed this book. More than I thought I would. I liked the characters! Great writing style and I liked the storyline. This book kept me guessing. I finished it in one sitting.

A solid story with likable characters, PRIDE OR DIE was a delightful twisty tale full of representation, real-life issues, and an attempted murder mystery. Throw in the typical teenage drama of crushes and miscommunication and it’s a relatable and entertaining read.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ebook version of this novel. Opinions are my own.