Briarcliff Prep: Sophomore Year

by Brianna Peppins

Overview

Amelia Westlake Was Never Here meets an empathetic exploration of anxiety at historically Black boarding school Briarcliff Prep. Love triangles, friendship breakups, and slice-of-student-life are balanced with a thoughtful discussion about mental health, all in a love letter to Black girls.

Avielle LeBeau is beginning her second year at Briarcliff Prep, and she's got big dreams. Top of the list? Starting her own student life magazine and rooming with her besties Rhyon and Zazie. But a housing mix-up splits Avi from her friends—and to make matters worse, she's rooming with her rival, Fallon Walsh, instead.

How does one girl juggle school, a fracturing friendship, living with a mean girl, and getting caught in a potential love triangle between the ex she can't move on from and a friend who’s becoming something more? It's a lot. Made even harder by the panic attacks Avi has been experiencing lately.

If one thing is true about the LeBeau family, it's that they’re always there for each other. But with her older sister Belle away at college and her brothers preoccupied chasing their own dreams, Avi must learn how to find support in new (unlikely) places.

Will Avi finally find her voice? Or will her dreams be drowned out by everyone else?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781368081009
Publisher:	Disney Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/19/2024
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	472,879
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x (d)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Brianna Peppins (www.BriannaPeppins.com) is the author of young adult contemporary books, including Briarcliff Prep and As Long as We're Together. She was raised in Prince George's County, Maryland, and graduated from Spelman College with a BA in psychology. When not writing, Brianna takes special interest in spending time with her loved ones and social justice issues, and is a self-proclaimed movie aficionado.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Every reader will dream of being a student at Briarcliff Prep.” —Charlene Thomas, author of Seton Girls
 
“Cinematic worldbuilding, rich character development, authentic storytelling, and an unflinching look at a young girl’s mental-health struggle.” —Kelis Rowe, author of Finding Jupiter 
 
“A brave book filled with love and complicated relationships between characters that feel as real as you and me.” —Riss M. Neilson, author of Deep in Providence





Praise for Briarcliff Prep:

* Brimming with a wealth of pop culture references—Belle dreams of modeling her career after “Beyoncé’s dance captain”—and told via a limited omniscient viewpoint that renders Avi’s life and the people around her in expertly nuanced detail, this powerful debut compassionately tackles themes of class privilege and domestic violence. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jas Perry, KT Literary. (Nov.) —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

* Peppins' debut explores a variety of themes, illustrating sisterhood, positive and non-positive models of parenting and relationships, and how those can be affected by violence, abuse, and secrets. The third-person narrative effectively takes on gender and race in a realistic setting with characters who all feel real and true. Peppins treats her characters and topic carefully, gracefully taking on the themes and using the boarding school's classes to emphasize the importance of Black writers and icons in helping young people bolster their own understanding of the strength of their identity and community. A fresh and thoughtful take on the boarding school setting. — Kristina Pino —Booklist (starred review)

Debut author Peppins’ thoughtful, realistic writing shows the alienation that victims of domestic violence endure along with the impact it can have on those who love them but have a limited ability to bring about real change. Through limited omniscient narration, readers enjoy a detailed account of Avi’s life at an HBBS.... Many people and subjects significant to Black culture are woven into the story and will spark recognition for many readers. A necessary story, full of emotion and with a hopeful ending. (author’s note) (Fiction. 14-18) —Kirkus

Peppins draws from personal experience to create this authentic high school experience in a place where most of the characters are Black or of color.... Peppins tackles the issue of teen domestic abuse thoughtfully, in a way that will feel authentic to readers. VERDICT This debut novel is very character driven and will make a great addition for collections that need realistic ­fiction with strong worldbuilding and character ­development.–Helen Prince —School Library Journal