You Should See Me In A Crown by Leah Johnson was such a cute, fun book that will take you back to high school… minus the over the top prom season, but that’s what makes the book about a wannabe prom queen in a small town so entertaining.

About You Should See Me In A Crown

You Should See Me In A Crown was the first Young Adult book pick in Reese’s Book Club.

Leah Johnson is an editor, educator, and author of books for young adults.

You Should See Me in a Crown was named one of Cosmo‘s 15 Best Young Adult Books of 2020.

Her second novel, Rise to the Sun is forthcoming from Scholastic in 2021.

For more on Leah and what’s next, click here.

I follow her on Twitter @ByLeahJohnson.

You Should See Me In A Crown Book Summary

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 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?

Click here to buy You Should See Me In A Crown on Amazon

My Book Review for You Should See Me In A Crown

You Should See Me In A Crown is a book a modern-day Romantic Comedy, so if you like those kinds of movies, then you’ll probably like this book with Liz’s plans to win a school’s scholarship.

I call it modern-day because it has a black teen as the main character who just so happens to be a lesbian. When I was a teen, this wasn’t common, so I’m glad we’re finally seeing more of it.

This has everything you’ll remember about high school – the cute boys, the mean girls, the difficult friends, band practice, college applications, and more.

The only thing that is not typical is their huge prom season, but as I said, that’s what makes this book extra fun and ties all of the other stories together.

This was my third YA book I read this year. I loved the last two I read (Tweet Cute and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder), so expect to see more YA book reviews here.

If this were a movie, it would be a late 90s early 20s one that I love like Clueless and Can’t Hardly Wait.

My You Should See Me In A Crown Book Recommendation

If you like stories from high school, you will love this.

If you’re a young black woman or a young lesbian, there is finally a book with people like you represented!

My You Should See Me In A Crown Rating

I give You Should See Me In A Crown 4 out of 5 stars. It was very fun to read.

To keep up with me and what I’m reading, make sure you follow me on GoodReads by clicking here. You can also keep up with my book reviews right here on my blog, on my digital bookshelf, or on Instagram at @ChristinaAllDay.