Fans of Netflix's On My Block and readers of Elizabeth Acevedo and
Angie Thomas will love this debut novel about a girl whose life is
turned upside down after one local act of vandalism throws both her
relationships and neighborhood into turmoil.
Chinelo, or Nelo as her best friend Kate calls her, is all about her
neighborhood Ginger East. She loves its chill vibe, ride-or-die sense of
community, and the memories she has growing up there with her friends.
Ginger East isn't what it used to be though. After a deadly incident at
the local arcade, most of her friends' families moved away. Kate, whose
family owns the local corner store, is still there and as long as that
stays constant, Nelo's good.
When Kate's parent's store is vandalized and the vandal still at large,
Nelo is shaken to her core. And then the police and the media get
involved and more of the outside world descends upon Ginger East with
promises to fix the neighborhood. Suddenly, Nelo finds herself in the
middle of a drama unfolding on a national scale.
Worse yet, Kate is acting strange. She's pushing Nelo away at the exact
moment they need each other most. Now Nelo's entire world is morphing
into something she hates and she must figure out how to get things back
on track or risk losing everything--and everyone--she loves.