I’m Not Dying With You Tonight by Gilly Segal and Kimberly Jones - HIGH

I’m Not Dying With You Tonight by Gilly Segal and Kimberly Jones, 272 pages. Sourcebooks Fire, 2019. $13.

Language: R (93 swears, 3 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Neither Lena nor Campbell want to be at the football game, but Lena is using it as a cover to see her man and Campbell got guilted into volunteering at the concession stand. When things go south at the big rival game, Lena and Campbell have no one to help them escape the chaos except each other. They might not have chosen one another as friends, but this night of terrifying situations is not one Lena or Campbell want to spend alone.

Segal and Jones beautifully crafted a glimpse into the lives of the two main characters, Lena and Campbell. Readers only get to experience this one night with them, and, while I like how they wrapped the story up, I wish that I got to spend more time with these characters and see the further impact this night had on their lives. I love the contrast between Lena’s and Campbell’s voices in their alternating chapters and the different perspectives they share with each other throughout their time together. While the entire narrative takes place in one night, the lessons that can be taken away by readers are numerous. The mature content rating is for drug use, and the violence rating is for shooting and rioting.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen