Avielle LeBeau’s second year at Briarcliff Prep is a whirlwind of ambition, drama, and emotional growth, making for a compelling and heartfelt story that shines in exploring mental health and relationships. From the very first page, readers are drawn into Avi’s world, where the stakes are high, the friendships are intense, and the challenges are deeply relatable.

Avi’s dream of starting a student life magazine is at the core of this novel, a goal showcasing her ambition and determination. However, this ambition is tested as she navigates unexpected hurdles: a housing mix-up that places her with her rival Fallon Walsh instead of her best friends, Rhyon and Zazie; tension in her relationships; and her struggle to balance school and her personal life.

The story shines in its portrayal of Avi’s anxiety and panic attacks, which are written with a level of nuance and empathy that feels authentic. The narrative doesn’t shy away from showing how debilitating these moments can be. Still, it also offers a message of hope by illustrating Avi’s journey toward finding support and learning to manage her mental health. This layer of emotional depth elevates the story, making it more than just a typical boarding school drama.

Avi is a well-rounded and relatable protagonist. Her drive, insecurities, and struggles make her feel authentic, and her growth throughout the novel is satisfying to watch. The strained friendship with Rhyon and Zazie is particularly well-handled, exploring the complexities of growing apart and the difficulty of reconciling when expectations aren’t met. Fallon Walsh, initially presented as the stereotypical "mean girl," surprises readers with layers of complexity that make her a memorable character.

The romantic subplot, featuring a love triangle between Avi, her ex, and a close friend, adds an engaging dimension to the story. While the triangle is familiar, it’s written in a way that feels natural and doesn’t overshadow Avi’s journey.

The LeBeau family adds warmth and depth to the story. While Avi feels distant from her siblings due to their own pursuits, the familial love remains palpable and serves as a grounding force. Briarcliff Prep itself is vividly described, creating a strong sense of place that feels vibrant and alive. The traditions and social dynamics of the school bring authenticity to the boarding school experience.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its commitment to celebrating Black girlhood. Avi’s experiences and the cultural nuances woven into the narrative give the story a fresh perspective that’s both important and joyous. The discussions around mental health are handled with sensitivity, offering readers valuable insight into anxiety without feeling preachy.

That said, the pacing occasionally falters, particularly in the middle chapters where Avi’s internal struggles sometimes overshadow the external action. Certain conflicts, like the fallout with Rhyon and Zazie, are resolved a bit too neatly, leaving some emotional threads feeling slightly underexplored.

Briarcliff Prep is an engaging and heartfelt story about ambition, friendship, family, and the challenges of mental health. While it has some minor pacing issues, its emotional resonance and relatable characters more than makeup for them. This novel is a love letter to Black girls, a thoughtful exploration of anxiety, and a celebration of finding one’s voice amidst the noise of expectations.

Recommended for: Readers who enjoy contemporary YA with themes of mental health, fans of boarding school dramas, and anyone looking for an authentic and empowering story about personal growth and resilience.

I didn’t think I could love this one more than I did the first, but I did! It was an amazing story & I loved seeing Avi learning to overcome each challenge she faced. The character development was also amazing! Just like the first book, the sequel tackled some heavy topics and they were written very well!

Brianna Peppins’ first novel in this series, Briarcliff Prep, created an incredible foundation for readers to meet and grow with her characters as they navigate life away from home for the first time in prep school, and Briarcliff Prep: Sophomore Year did just that; one school year later, Avi, her family, friends, and peers have evolved in multifaceted ways allowing the reader to do the same as they journey alongside the characters.

More than just a novel about students at a prep school, Brianna continues to expertly craft an HBCU world inside Briarcliff by highlighting the dynamics of Black culture, creativity, and community, and inside this world, Brianna dives deeper into the psyche of her characters and unveils the many layers that mental health holds on and over Black families.

What I enjoyed most about this novel is the broad scope of challenges and experiences each character faced; in a way, every character in Sophomore Year is a main character - the school’s close knit nature is an environment where one character’s decision is never experienced in isolation, and by providing the reader with more backstory and vulnerability for each character, the impact of the novel on the reader is elevated and and doesn’t end at the end of the novel.

Junior year is going to be fantastic!

A fantastic YA coming of age story set in an all Black boarding prep school that intimately explores mental health, friendship, romance and much more. I really enjoyed this sequel and highly recommend it to fans of authors like Renee Watson and Joya Goffney. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Brianna Peppins, and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Avi is back for another year at Briarcliff Prep! Even though Quincy is no longer in the picture, she is eager to start another year sharing a room with her besties and starting a student life magazine. But when a roommate mix up lands her with her rival, Fallon, Avi is not sure it's going to be a great year after all. To make matters worse, she is experiencing anxiety worse than ever and her sister is away at college.

Will Avi be able to handle the hard things?

Another great Briarcliff read! It was as great as the first and did not disappoint! I like the Avi deals with issues that teens really experience. I also like that sometimes, Avi doesn's always solver her problems quickly. I will definitely recommend this book to others.

My Spelman sister did it again! Sophomore Year was the perfect sequel to Briarcliff Prep. As we follow Avie into her second year, we get see if life's lemons become lemonade or just burns every cut on your body. Avie is navigating Briarcliff post-domestic violence crisis/teen dating violence, complicated developments in her friendships, school organizations and her love life. Peppins did an amazing job at illustrating the complexity of living with anxiety, navigating misogynoir and overcoming as a young adult. Highly recommend. .

So Much Growth

I really enjoyed catching up with Avi and her circle again. They experienced so many highs and lows during the sophomore year. Her bond with Zazie and Rhyon was tested. It was a realistic depiction of what can happen to friendships as you grow and evolve. I loved seeing Avi get her magazine off the ground; even though the process was very taxing. I was so torn about her love triangle. I loved Quincy and Avi’s relationship in book one. Then Jordan came and won me over. I was happy with the end result, but I didn’t want either boy to get hurt. I appreciated the way the book addressed mental health, therapy, and medicinal treatments. It was informative and encouraging. I absolutely loved the evolution of Avi and Fallon’s relationship. Fallon became very likable. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for their junior year.

This was a great follow up to the first book. It’s a solid four and half stars read for me. I must say that the cover art is stunning! Thank you to NetGalley, Disney Publishing Worldwide, and Brianna Peppins for the advanced copy for me to review

Brianna Peppins did not disappoint. I love this series ! It was a refreshing read. I really appreciated the in depth look into mental health. It is such a relevant topic for everyone but especially for younger people who may not understand or be able to put words to what they are feeling. I will be recommending to everyone !

i have to preface this by saying briarcliff prep was one of my favourite books of 2023 and with the bar so high, i didn’t expect the sequel to surpass all my expectations. in this book, avi’s still reeling from the events of her freshman year - add that to her anxiety, and soon she’s overwhelmed by commitments to her student-run magazine, navigating an uneasy friendship while finding her heart torn between two boys. as a student who didn’t know how to deal with burnout, avi’s struggles with expectations and anxiety were deeply felt. there are so many things i adore about this book, but at its core, briarcliff prep: sophomore year is about a young Black woman finding her place in this uncertain and often unkind world. yet what i can be sure about is that i’m immensely proud of how far avi’s come from the start. brianna peppins, you’ve done it again. 💜

I struggled to get into this book. The characters are well written, but I didn’t connect with them. I loved reading about HBBS and the premise of the book is wonderful. There are definitely life lessons to be learned from this story and I spent a lot of time thinking back to when I was making similar choices to the FMC.

I recieved a free eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

Avi is a sophomore at Briarcliff Prep, a historically Black Boarding School in GA. This is the second book in the series, but I found it easy to jump in. Things have changed since freshman year. Avi's sister, Bella, has graduated and moved on to Spelman. Avi is also struggling with the aftermath of Bella's abusive relationship the prior year and discovering her sister's battered body, which has left Avi struggling with panic attacks, and her father insisting on boxing lessons and therapy. But, she's looking forward to Sophomore year, rooming with her two best friends, starting the school literary magazine she wants to start, and generally getting her life back.

Except it doesn't work that way. She ends up rooming with someone she doesn't like, or trust. The magazine takes far more time and effort, and she's pulled between two boys. Her friendships are strained. And her anxiety is getting worse.

This is an enjoyable novel that doesn't shy away from tough issues or find quick solutions. As a parent who has a child at a historical Women's college in GA, some parts of the Briarcliff experience definitely rang true, particularly the concerns about integrating boys at the brother school into Women's studies classes, and the struggles that this caused. As someone who didn't attend a boarding high school, in many ways Briarcliff seemed more like a college experience than a high school one, both in the increased responsibility the kids had and in the increased autonomy. It's nice to see a boarding school novel where the conflicts are realistic.


Avi's struggles with anxiety also rang very, very true, and I think this book will be very helpful to teen girls who will relate to Avi's journey.


Overall, this is an excellent book, and I think it definitely has a place in school and public libraries.

Wow Brianna Peppins has done it again and has made me fall in love with these characters again 🥰. I really loved the journey of Avi realizing that she needs help and that it doesn’t make you less than yourself. One thing that will always stand out from this book is that “Anxiety and confidence can coexist.”

Thank you for the Advanced Copy. I was extremely excited to read the second book in this series. The first book was a solid five stars to me and I was little apprehensive going into this book because alot of times I notice the second book in a series will be disappointing. However, I can truly say this was not the case. The author delivered a great story that keeps you engaged the entire time. I literally read the book in a day and a half and was mad I read it so fast. The story picks up with the main character entering into her sophomore year at the boarding school, feeling unsure about her friendships with her two best friends and struggling to maintain their tight bond. It also touches on mental illness and the stigma with getting help. Denial of the repercussions of past traumas, was another topic that was presented. Living in a perpetual state of people pleasing for family and friends was addressed too. Of course there was some romance involved in the story as well. This list of great components in this book is never ending. A well rounded story that touched on many things happening now with young adults. In my opinion, both books 1&2 should be a part of high school curriculum. It’s so many teachable lessons that young adults today could relate to. I highly recommend this book to everyone to read. I’m hoping it’s a book 3 coming next year.