A TIME Magazine Best YA Book of All Time A Stonewall Honor Book A Reese’s Book Club YA Pick Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay — Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become … play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.
But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down . . . until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.
The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She’s smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true?
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You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson was an utter delight of a read. This coming-of-age novel tackles issues of a young woman who is poor, black, awkward, and queer in a rural town. And despite the deck seemingly stacked against her, she still prevails with heart as she finds her inner courage. While on the surface, Liz’s goal is to win prom queen, and thus gain a much-needed scholarship, what she gains in herself goes beyond that. One of things I loved about this book is that she did not conquer her challenges solely on her own, but worked with her family and friends, with all the support and complications those relationships provide. And those around her are not perfect people. Some of her friends are shown with their own flaws and bias. And this book examines those bias, giving the characters a chance to wrestle with them and decide if they want to change and grow.
Charming and heartwarming! Great balance of high school fun and silliness with genuine emotional depth. Just a joy to read.
This book was SO amazing. I listened on audio and it was very difficult to pause it when I had real life things to do.
I love that there were so many social issues addressed in the telling of this story. Not only did it deal with race, but also social class and sexuality. There were some very backward rules in this town regarding prom and who could attend and how. It’s a very real problem that rules like these can cause people to feel they need to hide who they really are in order to succeed.
Liz ran for Prom Queen for a good reason, she wasn’t going for popularity or trying to defeat a “mean girl.” This made her more real, in my opinion. In addition to being a person of color, she had to deal with the loss of a parent, a sibling who is sick and some issues with friendships. She had a lot of adult type pressures on her shoulders from a young age. I found this led to a unique voice in a young adult novel. Add to that her sexuality and the struggles with hiding that, Liz was a complex and diverse character.
Earning the respect and the support of her classmates was probably the best part for me. It’s nice when we can see a world that isn’t all bad and people who aren’t all close minded. I think it was a very powerful ending as well. This is definitely going in my list of favorite reads for the year!
Book 59 towards my goal of 275! 4/5 stars for this YA Contemporary Romance! Love the cover, it matches the story perfectly! This is a fantastic coming of age story, all revolving around prom, and the steps it will take to get there. Great examples of friendships! Highly recommend!
loved it really good book
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I thought the plotline was a little simple, but after the first few chapters, it turned into an easy, quick read. The concept was original centering around prom. I also really enjoyed the character of Liz Lightly. She was well-developed, and her relationship with others as well as herself was very well done. If you are looking for a fun, fresh read, I recommend checking out You Should See Me in A Crown.
This book was so good and it was so soft. It’s a sapphic story about prom and becoming prom king and queen, and fighting against the heteronormative binary system in place. It’s so empowering, it’s adorable and it has a happy ever after. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook so much and I was sad it was just a standalone novel.
The whole thing in this book is that the main character, Liz Lighty, wants to go to a specific college to become a doctor to research her mom’s and brother’s illness, sickle cell. But when her scholarship is not coming through, she has to run for prom queen as a full scholarship is the prize for winning. She faces struggles such as being an outsider and not being straigh while the whole prom system at school is super old-fashioned, AND she falls for a fellow competitor: the new girl at school, Mack.
This sounds so cheesy and so YA, and honestly it is, but it’s so soft and cute, and addresses important struggles and topics without involving any trauma. It felt good to read this book, especially when the world is in chaos as this book was full positivity, and the parts that weren’t positive, were just mundane struggles compared to what a lot of us are facing right now. I highly recommend this book, I promise you will love this.
Johnson’s debut is the most delightful, inspiring, and perfect book I’ve read this year. Filled with amazing characters, true heart, and the best banter. A 21st Century John Hughes classic!
I love this book for its representation of a queer, underdog, anxiety-ridden, Black, marching band member who decides to run for prom queen! The book was sweet and hilarious and the prom antics came at a nice time when lots of teens are missing out on their own proms.
I absolutely love Liz Lighty. Her determination, the way she learns to be comfortable in her own skin, and her loyalty to her friends and family. On the surface, this is a cute story about prom court, but it’s so much more. I highly recommend this book!
This book was everything I hoped it would be and more! I absolutely adored this story and all its characters, and it reminded me that I really need to get back into reading more YA. You Should See Me in a Crown hits all the right notes. I especially enjoyed seeing the beautiful queer love story play out and had butterflies right alongside the characters. Liz’s voice and humour as the narrator really shines, and I literally laughed out loud all through reading. Of course, it packs an emotional punch too! I recommend this to anyone looking for a fun story that will hit you in the feels and leave you smiling.
“I never needed this race or a hashtag or the king to be a queen. I was born royalty. All I had to do was pick up my crown.”
I swooned, cheered, happy cried and fell madly in love with Liz Lighty and her crown. This queer prom romance was everything I’ve always wanted in a love story. The HEA was bright, sparkly and hopeful. I cannot wait for more books from Leah Johnson!
Love love loved it! There is so much to say about this book. From the very first page to the last it was a page turner! This book touched on so many issues from being a black teen, life as a teen growing up in a small town, navigating high school, not feeling like you belong, falling in love, homosexuality, race, and so much more.
Liz Lightly had never felt like she fit in at her school or living in her small town. Her dream was to move away from home and attend the prestigious Pennington college to become a Hematologist. However, when she doesn’t receive the scholarship she scrambles to find other ways to help pay for school and decides the best way to do that is to run for prom queen. Whoever wins prom queen or king receives a substantial scholarship that would help her to pay for college.
However unbeknownst to Liz she starts falling in love with one of her competitors and the story unfolds to her figuring out who she is and how she has always had supportersin her life. And her finally realizing her OWN voice matters!