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.