ARC Review: I’m Not Dying with You Tonight by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal

Posted September 14, 2019 by Lisa Mandina in Review / 11 Comments

Book info:

TitleI’m Not Dying with You Tonight
Author:  Kimberly Jones, Gilly Segal
Genre:  YA contemporary
Release Date:  August 6th, 2019
Publisher:  Sourcebooks Fire
Source: Physical ARC received from publisher which did not influence my opinion
My rating:  5 stars

Synopsis:
Lena and Campbell aren’t friends.

Lena
has her killer style, her awesome boyfriend, and a plan. She knows
she’s going to make it big. Campbell, on the other hand, is just trying
to keep her head down and get through the year at her new school.

When
both girls attend the Friday-night football game, what neither expects
is for everything to descend into sudden mass chaos. Chaos born from
violence and hate. Chaos that unexpectedly throws them together.

They
aren’t friends. They hardly understand the other’s point of view. But
none of that matters when the city is up in flames, and they only have
each other to rely on if they’re going to survive the night.

My Review:
I read this book in one day.  It was so good!  When I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down.  The book goes back and forth between the viewpoints of the two characters.  Which I think was a great way to do it.  So you can see how each is feeling and reacting, and how each situation unfolds in their eyes.  While as an adult I had a bit of a time reading Lena’s chapters with her major use of slang and the type of language that teens may be using right now, I was able to google what I needed and figure it out.  I feel like this is a much needed story for today for both sides of society represented in this to read.    To see first off their totally different reactions to the police showing up.  Campbell feeling that now things would be safe once they showed up, that she and Lena could go to them to be safe, to how Lena froze up at the sight of cops and wouldn’t go near them.  To see the looting taking place and realizing that not everyone agreed with it, but many may just look the other way.  So much of the story was intense and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time wondering just what situation the two girls would find themselves in on the next block, or even the next house they reached.  In the end the girls probably were able to forge a friendship even if the ending leave it ambiguous and maybe up to our imagination.  A great read, one I immediately passed along to a student to read, although I will keep my copy on my own shelves, I will be sure to order several copies for my school library as well.

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11 responses to “ARC Review: I’m Not Dying with You Tonight by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal

  1. I also read this book in one sitting and felt it was really good and agree that it's an important read. I enjoyed the dual points of view and this was a must format for the two sides of society. I didn't like all the slang though and thought this could have been used much less.

  2. Danielle Hammelef

    I’ve been seeing this book resurface again lately and hope that more people take the time to read it. It’s still a book I think about.

    • Lisa Mandina

      It really hit me when all the riots and protests were going on how much I remembered this book from last summer. Check it out if you get a chance. Thanks for stopping by!

  3. John Smith

    Completely apart from the present situation in the world, it seems like the character who is worried about a police presence has reality on her side. I read yesterday about some former officer bringing up the idea that police need to have a guardian ethos regarding the public, not a warrior ethos.

    • Lisa Mandina

      I like that idea of guardian rather than warrior, I think that is a great way to look at it. Thanks for stopping by!

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