Everyone's Thinking It by Aleema Omotoni
on September 5, 2023
ISBN: 0063225670
Genres: Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Romance
Format: Fiction
Goodreads

Cousins Iyanu and Kitan have drifted apart, despite being two of the few Nigerian students at the elite high school Wodebury Hall. Iyanu has her passion for photography and Kitan has found her place in a popular trio led by the abhorrent yet irresistible Heather. When Iyanu has an important set of film negatives stolen, only to be later distributed with cryptic, condemning messages about the student they feature, the cousins must rekindle their friendship and find out who took the negatives and why.

Told in alternating perspectives, this book has wide appeal thanks to a fun mystery, great characters, and lots  of drama. There’s a lot going on; classism, Blackfishing, biphobia, and panic disorders, to name just a few of the issues. It would be a lot at once, but Omotoni has created enough relatable (and a few unrelatable, in a  Heathers or Mean Girls way) characters to disperse the weight of it all and keep the book light, despite the serious themes. There really is something for everyone in here so it will be easy to recommend.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath