3.5

Started this and read it within 4 hours because my insomnia said finish it and here we are...

I didn't expect this book to play out like it did, with the feature of such heavy and stigmatised topics. It's good that authors like Xena are writing about said topics with teenage characters as I mostly see them play out with adult ones.

Well I’m not the demographic for this. Having loved the author’s first book I wanted to read more. This is aimed at 16+ and may invoke a few challenges if on school bookshelves. But the message of toxic masculinity does come through and is important.
Tavi is dumped by her boyfriend who continues to treat her badly throughout their subsequent ups and downs. Her best friend Ella is not entirely supportive, mainly because of her strong opinions but the girl Tavi thought ‘an enemy’ proved to be the best ally she could have. All girls have their own problems, the main being the boys, and action needs to be taken.
It is forthright in its telling and hopefully girls will see the message and be able to spot if experiencing any similarities in their own lives and be empowered to act.