Bookishrealm's Reviews > Promise Boys

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed this one a lot more than I anticipated. The conversations in relationship to the power dynamics that occur between educators and students was quite interesting. 4.5 Stars

Promise Boys is a YA thriller/mystery that follows the J.B., Ramon, and Trey as they attempt to clear their names when they are framed for the death of their prep school principal. Told through a variety of perspectives, readers follow along as they attempt to clear their names of the crime.

What Worked: I'm not going to lie. I was extremely nervous going into this book because of the topic. What I thought would heavily focus on the systemic racism that exists in the context of the judicial system actually covered the power dynamics that exist between students and teachers. It also explored the school to prison pipeline in a realistic way that will enlighten readers. Some of our very own children are conditioned to obey authority and to never question that same authority in a way that is reminiscent of those that serve time in jail and/or prison. I appreciated how these topics were handled and discussed. It not necessarily a topic that I see frequently in YA and Nick Brooks does a hell of job presenting these facts to the reader. Surprisingly, I also enjoyed the way that Brooks utilized a plethora of perspectives to capture the story. While some may find this to be a distraction, I think it was vital to getting not only a well developed plot, but also truly dynamic characters. It also reinforces the idea that we shouldn't be so quick to judge or LABEL our teens. It's never easy to tell what is going on in someone's background and labels, especially those given to children and teenagers, can be damaging. The audiobook for this was also FANTASTIC. The full cast production made a fast paced, entertaining plot even more of an enjoyable of a read.

One of my test of enjoying a mystery and/or thriller is the ability of the writer to keep the identity of the true murderer till the very end. Brooks knocked it out the park. I had a list of suspects and not a single one of them came remotely close to the identity revealed at the end of the book.

Honestly, if you're looking for fresh, new, and fun talent as it applies to YA mysteries and thrillers, I would definitely recommend checking this one out. I can't wait to read his middle grade book as well as anything else he writes in the future!