Briarcliff Prep Hardcover – November 15, 2022

Briarcliff Prep is the debut novel by Brianna Peppins. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had downloaded a sample of the book a few months ago, but didn't start reading it until about 3 weeks ago. I was hooked! I was unaware of the history of HBBS. I had only heard about one that was located in NJ, during the 40's. I will definitely do my research now. The author took great pains to paint a realistic picture of boarding school life ( as I would imagine it to be). Each character showed the depth, emotion and angst of teenage life. The dynamics between family members and friends made the story so relatable. Main character Avi wanted so badly to fit into her siblings world. She had loving and supporting parents , but she put a lot of pressure on herself. This almost broke her, but with the advice of her sister, friends and parents, she learned that she could survive the hard times and disappointments . Avi also displayed courage and strength when she tried to support her sister . She stood by her beliefs even though she was torn between sharing what she knew or trying to work the situation out on her own What helped Avi and the other students was the fact that they were surrounded by nurturing and caring teachers. The ending was great . I will definitely read the authors next book and am looking forward to more from her in the future.

📖My Thoughts📖As a kid, I was taught never to judge a book by its cover. While this is something I absolutely stand by in the proverbial sense, I never use this theory while choosing an actual book. I often choose a book solely based on the cover itself, never looking at the synopsis. I think it holds a special element of surprise. With that said, when I chose this book, I was preparing myself for some cute YA book about kids that went to a boarding school. What I didn’t expect, was the strong compelling premises that laid ahead. As hard as this book was at times to read, and not for the reasons you think, I am so glad I picked this one up. It had such strong and bold themes that some people are honestly just afraid to touch on, especially with the age group that it was targeted for. I think this was very well written to show the challenges as well as the highlights that encompasses the life of a teenager.⚠️This book has some trigger warnings including bullying teen dating violence. ⚠️

I think the author set the scene in the beginning of the book well. I knew Belle was going to take me on a ride and she did just that. I almost forgot she was the oldest at times. Avi, though a high school freshman, seemed very mature and had to save Belle even when it hurt her to do so. I think Avi experiencing her first boyfriend, questioning her writing, and being away from her parents for school was very realistic. I sympathized with her character a lot. I think the intimate partner violence played a huge role in the story. It was raw and could trigger readers. However, I think it also raises awareness and can help people to understand the signs. I was worried about Belle but I am glad she came through for her family in the end. The narrator did a fabulous job.

A coming-of-age story that also takes a close look at the realities of teen dating violence. Harrowing but hopeful.

I wish Briarcliff Prep was real because just reading about Avi's experience was fun her group of friends were lit and her and her Q were so cute The one scene that really pulled at my heart was when her parents were about to go back home and Avi got home sick

I never went to an HBCU, but I LOVED "attending" an HBBS through Avi's perspective. This story takes readers on a journey of coming of age while being faced with the challenges of life. Avi's been waiting for her moment to walk in the footsteps of her family members and attend Briarcliff Prep. She ends up making friends with her cool roommate, Zazie, and Rhyon, the school's "celebrity" through their shared disdain for Fallon and mean girls like her. Avi explores love, balancing class workloads and expectations while navigating her family's unique dynamic (and her sister's toxic relationship). I enjoyed this book from start to finish. It will definitely have a special place on the bookshelf of my classroom.

this book was great! i loved the idea of HBBS and the representation in this book. if i had read this in middle school it would have easily been a five star read. but since i’m an adult it’s not catered to me. i still appreciate brianna’s storytelling. an amazing book overall!

Briarcliff Prep caused me to experience a range of emotions. I had a sense of amazement in not knowing Historically Black Boarding Schools existed! The idea of being able to attend a school like that during high school would have been game changing for me.The idea of you long experienced for the first time, sisterhood and friendships were themes that resonated with me. There is definitely a trigger warning needed for the teen dating violence. I loved how close knit the LeBeau family was and how they fiercely looked out for one another.As always, reading YA books are my favorite but I always get upset at some of the decisions these kids make but then I have to remember, young adults will make bad decisions and need space to learn. This was such a good book.