u/TheSkinoftheCypher

This book is about a sort of toxic, deep friendship between two women/teenagers. Yet it is oddly organized. It begins with Khaki Oliver receiving a baby shower invitation from her best friend who she hasn't spoken to in 10 years. This causes a lot of anxiety, stress, etc. That is the introduction. The book then begins telling the story of Khaki as she starts freshman year in the early 2010s? at college which is a bit outside of LA county. Khaki's originally from California, but her and her mother moved to live in NJ across the river from NYC the summer before high school. I think it's a suburban area of Newark. They moved because her father had disappeared/abandoned them. Khaki starts college furious with her x-best friend over something she doesn't share with the reader. She goes to punk shows, becomes close with her roommate, and lots of other things I do not wish to spoil. The next part of the book is when she's a freshman in high school, newly moved to NJ, and discovers punk rock and meets her best friend Fiona who has a severe eating disorder. The story then follows their deepening friendship, Khaki going to shows, and other things I do not want to spoil. Overall this is a great read. It did not suck me in for more than an hour at a time, but I was always looking forward to coming back to it. The writing is decent, the story good. Lots of references to punk, hardcore punk, emo, and pop-punk. Stovall has a soundtrack for the book at the back and lots of lyrics throughout the book itself. Most of the music she's into isn't my kind of punk, but Leftover Crack is great and I was quite happy to see a lyric from a Bratmobile song. 3.5/5 stars, definitely recommend it.

This book is about a sort of toxic, deep friendship between two women/teenagers. Yet it is oddly organized. It begins with Khaki Oliver receiving a baby shower invitation from her best friend who she hasn't spoken to in 10 years. This causes a lot of anxiety, stress, etc. That is the introduction. The book then begins telling the story of Khaki as she starts Freshman year at college which is a bit outside of LA county. Khaki's originally from California, but her and her mother moved to live in NJ across the river from NYC the summer before high school. I think it's a suburban area of Newark. They moved because her father had disappeared/abandoned them. Khaki starts college furious with her x-best friend over something she doesn't share with the reader. She goes to punk shows, becomes close with her roommate, and lots of other things I do not wish to spoil. The next part of the book is when she's a freshman in high school, newly moved to NJ, and discovers punk rock and meets her best friend Fiona who has a severe eating disorder. The story then follows their deepening friendship, Khaki going to shows, and other things I do not want to spoil. Overall this is a great read. It did not suck me in for more than an hour at a time, but I was always looking forward to coming back to it. The writing is decent, the story good. Lots of references to punk, hardcore punk, emo, and pop-punk. Stovall has a soundtrack for the book at the back and lots of lyrics throughout the book itself. Most of the music she's into isn't my kind of punk, but Leftover Crack is great and I was quite happy to see a lyric from a Bratmobile song. 3.5/5 stars, definitely recommend it.