SLAY

This review contains spoilers. There's lots to like about this YA book. Black culture is presented with complexity and nuance; the reader gains insight into complex overlapping identities. Characters have true friendships and loving families. The plot device of the computer game is so beautiful and clever! Having VR battles echoing metaphorical battles was satisfying. The main character grows and changes, becoming a bit less black-and-white and judgmental and more wise. True friendship saves the day.
Things not to like: I skipped the reading the whole middle half of the book because I grew so weary of the MC's constant lies. There is NO ONE in her life she does not lie to; the more she loves and values them, the more she lies to them. Her justifications for doing so are thin and felt unconvincing. “I can't tell my parents/friend/sister b/c they won't understand” but when the final conflict comes and she does tell them, there's an instant “We understand and forgive you” which just made the MC seem immature and blind rather than actually fighting against something worth fighting.
Another quibble is how many of the culture examples (a feature of the game) were American rather than reflecting the global diaspora. I didn't read the middle half of the book, granted, so maybe I missed a ton, but all I got that wasn't USA-based was the futu card (or was it fufu? I have it filed in my head by what it was called in Cote d'Ivoire where I lived for a few years, but I forget if it had that name or another West African name in the novel).
Conclusion: I'll ponder what I learned about Black culture and enjoy the device of the VR online game long after my annoyance at an immature MC fades.
Also, the cover is smashing!